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“Don’t sweat it. Everybody’s good out here. And if you want me to send somebody over there, just say the word.” I stared at the nightline of the water on my way to the dining room. This was some shit you could get used to; it was so picturesque. God’s talent for beauty blew my mind on the water. “Josie, I’m about to grub. I’ll hit you when I’m done to check on you.”
Her giggle was faint. “Okay. Enjoy. Tell me what you had.”
Silly…
“Will do,” I agreed before we disconnected.
“Señor Jas!” the chef, Bella, with her usual excitable spirit, called out to me while carrying a hot dish to the table. “Where’s that Shi-Shi? I had Captain Lagar page her twice. Time to eat!” She zipped past me with two of her staff right behind, carrying food, too.
I glanced around the dining room, seeing most of the seats filled.
“Daddy!” Chivon shouted me out from next to Amy.
“Hey, Blueberry, baby!” I approached her for a kiss. “Where’s Mommy?”
Chivon looked around the room then shouted, “Mommy! Mommeeee!” She shrugged. “I dun know, Daddy.” Chivon looked at Amy. “Where Mommy?”
Amy and her friend laughed. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since she dropped Chi-Chi off to me after her bath and pedicure touch-up.”
“Touch-up?”
“My feet, Daddy,” Chivon tried to explain but was unable to reach her foot while pointing in her chair.
“Remember, Chi-Chi complained about her toenail chipping in the sand when we first got to Capri.”
It sounded vaguely familiar. When Chivon’s mother was around, I tended to be less attentive to such needs.
“Has anyone seen her since then?”
The girls shrugged, with Amy breaking off a piece of bread to dip into flavored olive oil before eating. I was starving my damn self. The last thing I ate was a slice of Chivon’s pizza before returning to the boat.
I decided to look for her. The first place I checked was the cabin she shared with Chivon. It was empty, door cracked open. The bathroom was empty, as was the closet. I left and checked the pool area and the spa parlor where the girls could get massages and their nails done. Both were empty. Walking down a corridor, I crossed paths with a crew member I had been paying to call Ashira Ms. Witherspoon instead of Shi-Shi against Ashira’s wishes.
“Hey, man. Have you seen Witherspoon?”
The young guy snickered as professionally as he could and, with his thick accent, explained, “She wanted a cigar and drink on the sundeck.”
Oh…
Then I thought and pulled a few bills from my pocket and paid him for the day. Dude laughed again before taking off. I headed in the opposite direction of him until I remembered where the sundeck was. I’d still been getting to know the boat. It was big as hell.
Stepping down at the front of the boat on the top level, in the dark of the night, I could see a slender body curled up on one of the loungers. She lay on her side with both hands near her small waist. Her face was relaxed, peaceful, and done with makeup. I sat on the lounger next to her, taking a deep breath. The dress she wore blanketed her long legs. Next to her, on a patio table, were a cognac glass, an unlit cigar, a torch, an ashtray, and her cell phone. I picked up the glass and noticed she hadn’t even taken a sip based on her glossed lips.
Ashira tapped out before dinner. I couldn’t blame her. Capri had been adventurous. She drank a lot last night, having a good time and entertaining strangers, including our traveling crew, along the way. She’d been her typical self when on vacation: the life of the party, dancing, hyping people up, and just giving big energy. I tried to hang with them but crashed at around one in the morning. But Ashira remained back with Bob. I’d heard her whispering about a hangover at breakfast. Having too much the night before couldn’t compete with parenthood the following day. Young kids like Chivon couldn’t understand the compassion needed for such an occasion. And closing on the day a few hours ago was no different. Seeing her surrender to sleep reminded me of how emotional the day had turned for her, too.
We docked in the middle of the sea, and Ashira requested the inflatables be placed off the boat. Seeing a giant ass slide swell off the side of the yacht and into the water reminded me of my first experience with one in St. Vincent with Ashira and her girls. Ashira, Amy, and Rainey, along with a few crew members, had a blast sliding and sometimes jumping into the water off the boat. After a while, Chivon wanted in on the fun, and that’s where I’d just come onto the deck, fresh out of a business conference call.
Chivon was at the top of the slide, looking down at her mother in the water. With her life jacket and floaties on, my baby chewed on her index finger, hesitating.
“Please, baby,” Ashira begged. “Mommy’s right here! I won’t let anything bad happen!”
Amy, down in the water with Ashira, tried to encourage Chivon, too.
Still, my daughter wasn’t so sure about the long ride down.
“You trust, Mommy, right, Chi-Chi?” Ashira kept with the begging. “You know Mommy will never fib to you. Right?” Chivon nodded, clearly understanding her mother. Maybe. “Then come on! Mommy wants you out here, swimming with me!”
I stood out there for what seemed like forever, watching and debating if I should get involved. If Chivon didn’t want to do it, she shouldn’t have felt pressured. But I also knew she’d been asking to do it for a few days now. How long would it be before I put an end to it? The second I decided I was ready to go and comfort my child, Chivon dropped her hand from her mouth, screamed, and plopped down onto the opening of the slide.
