Page 212 of Taeja

“Yes.” She smiled, not missing how his eyes shone. Snuggling closer to Damon, she closed her eyes, drifting into a deep, peaceful slumber with her guys on both of her sides.

35

Her family and Taeja’sboyfriends came for her and ZsaZsa early this morning. They drove to a restaurant and were currently enjoying breakfast over idle chat.

Getting a small piece of callaloo omelet on a fork, Sakara tried feeding ZsaZsa. “Here, Cookie.”

Too focused on playing with one of Zain’s locs, ZsaZsa opened her mouth but didn’t turn her head toward her mother. Sighing, Sakara brought her hand around and put the fork in ZsaZsa’s mouth. Then, she returned to eating her meal, glancing at Taeja every so often.

Taeja sat between Damon and Zain. She smiled as she spoke to them, and they hooked onto every word she said. She sat closer to Damon, but Zain was more attentive than Damon, who seemed more interested in eating.

It was all still fascinating to Cassedi, but who was she to judge? She loved love, and her daughter’s happiness meant everything to her.

They finished up breakfast, then headed to a cave. While her family went along, Cassedi stayed in the vehicle with the bags. She was reading her daily noon scripture, but she couldn’t get past Genesis two verse twenty-four.

Cassedi shook her head with a sad chuckle.

Closing her Bible, she rested it aside and grabbed her phone. She didn’t call Jerry yesterday; she didn’t have the courage to, but she’d saved his number. His profile picture was public, and she’d stared at it all night after she put ZsaZsa tosleep.

Looking at him now, she smiled. Jerry wasn’t much of a looker, but his personality captivated her and made her see him in a completely different light.

Here were the laugh lines she fell in love with… Those cold eyes she’d stared into when she’d said, ‘I do’… That slim yet firm build she cuddled… And this was the mouth that kissed her and read scriptures with her whenever they found themselves at a crossroads.

Should she call him? She wanted to. But what would she say?

The door to Wayne’s bus opened, startling her. Seeing her daughter’s face, Cassedi smiled. “Baby girl, is everything okay?”

Taeja nodded while towel-drying her hair. “I came to get a towel for ZsaZsa.”

“I thought Sakara had one,” Cassedi said as she found one in the bags.

“They were sharing a towel, but ZsaZsa hitch up under Zain arm, so Sakara waa give her a towel,” Taeja said. “Yu sure yu nuh waa come? The water in the cave’s very cool and nice.”

“I’m fine. Go enjoy yourself, baby girl.”

Taeja gave her an unreadable stare. “Actually… I had enough fun. I’ll just go give them the towel and come back. Yu must lonely out here.”

“I’m not—” Cassedi said, but Taeja already walked off, returning moments later.

Taeja sat on the floor of the bus, right at the door, and smiled at Cassedi, who was still seated in the row closest to the door. “How it sound like yu nuh waa spend time with yu one and only so?”

Cassedi chuckled. “No, it’s not like that. I just want you to enjoy yourself—”

“I can enjoy myself with you,” Taeja said with a reassuring smile.

“Okay, but I’m not as fun.”

“Eeh? Wayne tell me seh a nuff time him carry yu go pon the water jets at the hotel.”

Cassedi smiled. “Not because I’m getting old means I can’t enjoy my life sometimes.”

“Stop call yuself old, Cassedi. Yu deevn look like yu touch forty,” Taeja said. “Anyway, what were you doing?”

Her mind flashed to Jerry, and she rushed out, “Reading the Bible.”

“Oh…”

“You don’t go to church anymore?” Cassedi asked, and Taeja shook her head. “Jerry, too?”

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