Chapter 17

              Adajay's pov

  No man nuh more than me and I'm not putting anyone up on any pedestal that isn't doing the same where I am concerned. Alkaline, maybe famous and have money but I now know my worth thanks to Damion for hurting my feelings, I notice that he behaves like the world resolves around him or because he was a dancehall artist people must bow to him- well not this woman. I won't be running behind him like any headless chicken my head is screwed on and as of now I'm tightening it.

  I share out two plates of food and sweeten the tea. "There is yours," I told him taking up mines and walking out of the kitchen.

  I went and sat out on the verandah step, I don't know if I was being petty but I didn't want to be using his furnitures. I only ate half of my breakfast while considering what to cook for dinner, truth is I didn't buy anything inside his fridge Hot-Grabba carried groceries every forthnight. Food was not in short supply but I wanted my things, I don't want to seem dependent on anyone. I want to live in peace.

"Wey yah cook fi dinner?" Bartley ask as I step inside.

  "I'm not cooking any dinner," I responded.

  I went and ironed out a set of work clothes for the week while he was in the kitchen doing whatever, it felt awkward and I avoided him as much as I can. I browsed the overseas job sites via the links Donique had sent me and found one that appeared legit and interesting, I read until I guess I fell asleep.

  When I awake Bartley was standing over me, my heart jerk in surprise at seeing him and as he spoke I realised it was him that had wake me up. "Yah guh sleep out di whole day? Dinner ready."

  I rub my eyes and yawn covering my mouth then look up at him still standing  there, I look away after a while wondering why the hell we were staring at each other. I stretched lazily then sat up, he walk out of the room and I felt and look for my phone on the bed but didn't see it. I was sure I had it on the bed with me so I looked under the pillows again then under the bed, I gave up and went out to ask him to ring it for me.

  He was sharing out two plates of food when I found him in the kitchen. "I can't find my phone can you please ring it for me?" I asked him.

  "Your phone is in the living room," he said calmly.

  I was taken aback and stood rooted to the spot for a while, then I turned and walked to the living room. I found it on the dining table in the same place I had left his, I hissed looking at the set table. I opened my phone and checked it, there was no messages, texts or missed calls, I didn't really have any friends or people calling me.

  Bartley place the plates of food on the table and I sat down opposite him feeling awkward. Dinner was strained, I ate the fish and a small piece of irish leaving the dumpling and yams. I drank some of the juice and wished he would quit looking at me, his eyes were big and bright and they were the best features on his face- no his eyebrows definitely were. His lips were gorgeous especially when he uses his tongue to wet them or bite down on his bottom lip like he was doing now, he wasn't bad looking I thought as my eyes took in his face. I jumped guiltily as our eyes made four and looked away.

  I got up from the table immediately taking my plate and the glass with me, what the fuck! I cursed myself in my mind. Why the hell was I admiring him, I tidied the kitchen and went out back to water the plants. I thought about going to bed early and went inside to bathe.

  When I went to the next room with a hanful of my things to pack out in the drawers I found it locked, I sighed not seeing the key and it would only be an idiot who wouldn't know that it was Bartley who locked it. He was lying on the couch skipping through the channels with the cable box remote, I sighed and went back inside the room to look if I saw the key anywhere.

  He came into the room and took my right hand pulling me up from the bed where I had been sitting and out into the living room, he sat down on the couch and pulled me unto his lap. What the hell I thought, he relax and I shifted making myself comfortable. We watched Tristan and Isolde and he asked me if I wanted something to drink to which I answered no.

  He went to bathe leaving me on the couch, then came and switch off the tv saying it was bedtime. I didn't move from where I was and he came and pulled me up, we lay cuddled in bed until I fell asleep.

  My phone rang with my father calling and I smile. "Good morning daddy,"

"Happy birthday to you... happy birthday to you.. happy birthday dear Adajay.. happy birthday to you..." daddy sang.

"Thank you so much," I told him beaming.

"You are welcome, have a bless day and I'll call you later- but yuh know mi did affi try first everybody else," he said.

"And you have succeeded as always," I told him.

"Hi hi hi, a'right later," he said and end the call.

He has never forget my birthday, never. I felt happy that he always is the first one to wish me happy birthday. A soft sound behind me cause me to turn and look at Baryley, he smiled and covered his face.

"Happy birthday to you..." he sang coarsely.

"Hi hi hi hi," I laughed at Bartley's morning voice.

"Yuh couldn't tell mi sey today a your birthday?" He asked.

  I rolled my eyes at him and got up and got ready for work, he got up when I was ready and sipping a cup of tea saying he was taking me to work. He called Righteous and we picked up him and Taynia and he drove us to work, he squeeze my hand and wish me a good day before I got out of the car.

  I got a few birthday greetings from some of my co-workers and flowers from one of the male supervisors. I had a very good day and I was happy when it was time to go, Taynia was waiting for me downstairs in the small lobby and I was surprised to see Quefer's car in the parking lot waiting for us- it was a nice ride.

  "Happy birthday, Bartley hot dancer," Quefer greeted me when I got in.

Taynia barked out laughing and I looked at him in mock anger, he started laughing and I asked him. "Yuh couldn't just sey happy birthday Adajay?"

  "No," he said starting the car and we drive out having a friendly banter.

When I saw that we weren't going home I didn't bother asking him where we were going, we ended up at Doniques work place and she wrapped me in a big hug.

"Happy birthday and I wish you many, many, many more," she said squishing me.

"Thank you and I love your uniform," I told her.

  She smiled widely and strike a pose "ray..." I laughed.

We went upstairs and into a parted off area. "Surprise!" I heard Taynia's voice over everyone else but I was really surprised to see my father and one of my cousin by his side who was a police officer.

I got a teddy bear hug from my dad and we all sat down to eat, I was really not expecting any of this and I felt extremely special. I took out my phone to call my mom and remind her that it was my birthday, put I replace it feeling sad that only Kelsey had texted me. If I knew my sister well enough she had most definitely say it once or twice in the house from morning.

  A waitress arrived with a beautiful ten pound cake and I cut it with my dad, when we were ready I thanked my dad for everything but he said it wasn't organized or paid for by him. I could only say "oh!" Knowing who had paid for it. I was still kinda upset with him and I sighed looking for him to tell him thanks.

"Him gone guh tek care a somn," Righteous informed me when I enquire after Bartley.

  When we were ready Righteous directed us to a nice jeep and my father handed me a wrapped package, I thanked him trying to discern what may be inside. Darkness fell as I bid him good bye, then I got into the jeep with Taynia and Righteous who was driving.

  Bartley's car slowed behind a car that blowed Righteous, it was Hot-Grabba who was at the steering wheel and he told Righteous to take care. Someone else was in the car but I couldn't see well enough, I felt a little confused as I watch the woman wave and the car pull away.

To be continued...