Ruin

12

Monday: 10 a.m.
---------------

I flip through Netflix, trying to find something good to watch.

It's been about five to ten minutes and I can't seem to land on anything worthwhile. All the good shows, which are available in Jamaica, I've either watched already or I'm stilling waiting on a new season to be released.

Ugh!

I kind of regret calling in sick this morning, because now I'm stuck in this apartment, all alone, and bored out of my wits.

Kinda regret it. Keyword: kinda...

I decide to try my mother's number and I'm surprised when it rings.

Two tries and it rings out to voicemail.

She's probably down by the shop.

I try again. She picks up on the third ring. "Hello?" her shrill voice echoes in my ear.

That's mummy for you: always talking into the phone, as loudly as ever, as if the phone is miles away and not at her ear.

"Mummy?" I say through a smile, and roll over in bed. It feels good to hear her voice. "It's Manda..."

"Oh! Mi pickney, a not even did look pon who a call!" she says then laughs. Her laugh is haughty. I'm glad she's OK. I haven't been home in four days and I miss her like crazy. "Yuh alright?"

Her laughter is infectious and I smile too. "Yes, mummy. I'm OK."

"Where are you? At work?"

"No. I'm...I took the day off..." I tell her.

"Day off? That ano you!" she expresses. "Wah do yuh? Yuh sick?"

Typical mummy she. So quick to call down sickness on people.

I sigh. "No, mummy. Just feel a bit tired."

"A wah can tired you out so, nowadays?"

I roll my eyes and ignore the accusation in her tone.

There's a tumbling in the background and she goes silent.

I wait a bit.

"Sorry 'bout that, baby girl," she says when she returns to the call. "A try do too much things one time."

"A wah go suh awhile ago?" I ask. It sounded like something fell.

She hisses her teeth and I pull the phone away from my ear.

Like you one want to burst my eardrums.

"Nuh some breadfruit mi deh yah a try roast, and the blinkin' sinting turn ova and the whole bag a breadfruit roll away!" She hisses her teeth again. "Cho!"

I laugh. "Mummy, man, you a guh suck out the wax out a mi ears?"

"Yuh baxide lucky!" she shouts. I can tell she's smiling again. Good. "A my teeth. Mi can suck them if mi want. Come off a mi phone if you don't waan hear it, likkle pickney!"

My laugh is guttural.

Netflix can go and have several seats. This right here is entertainment.

"So weh yuh deh now?" she asks when I sober up. "Over Deidre?"

"No, I'm at Odaine's," I tell her, already anticipating her response.

"Odaine?" she repeats his name with a slight hint of...disdain? Or maybe it's confusion. I can't really tell with her.

My smile drops. Here we go again.

I pick up a slice of cucumber and take a bite. "Yes, mummy, I'm at Odaine's!"