Windy Valley Secondary – Trials of the Young and Restless

19.SEPT.08

Susan was surprised that her mother reacted so well to her pregnancy; but even more so when she heard that her mother was planning her wedding to Sharpie.

“Susan, wake up, ah gwine in town.”

Susan was roused from her deep slumber.

Her mother continued: “I need to buy your sister uniform.”

Susan rubbed her eyes. Her mouth felt dry and neck felt stiff. “Mummy, you need to get me a new shirt.”

“A new shirt, what for?”{{more}}

“The shirt I wore last year is too tight, and I need something to cover my belly”.

“You’re not going back to school,” replied her mother in a matter of fact tone.

Susan looked at her dazed. “But I want to sit my CSEC’s”.

“Why do you want to do that? You’re going to get married.”

“So I can get a job and look after myself and the baby”.

“Look after yourself,” huffed her mother, “Sharpie will look after you”.

“What happens if he doesn’t want to?” snapped Susan.

There was silence as mother and daughter stared at each other. Susan wondered if she had said too much.

“Whey de money dey for the uniform?” demanded Susan’s mother.

“Money?”

“Sharpie nah give you any money?”

Susan paused. There was the money that Sharpie had given her when he told her to get rid of the baby.

“Don’t bother, I’ll ask him when I see him in town”.

“No!” screamed Susan. “I mean”, said Susan trying to control herself, “I mean to say that I have the money here”. She went over to the corner and pulled out some of the money.

I’m not going to give her all, she thought. Susan knew that CSEC’s were her passport to a better life, either here or abroad. She handed her mother some of the money.

“Is that it? Is that all he gave you?”

“You don’t need anymore, you’re only buying one shirt”.

“Ah true, me go see you later.”

On the way to town the van was jam-packed, people pressed hard together, like sardines in a tin. ‘Gossip Man’s’ radio had broken down, and the only form of entertainment was Susan’s mother’s ranting and raving about her daughter’s wedding plans. Sentences such as how the wedding is going to be big, held at a hotel and the cake will be as tall as a man, were all repeated several times.

Susan’s mother stepped off the van, only to be greeted by the furious morning heat. The money Susan had given her wasn’t enough. She needed to buy herself some new shoes. She felt her luck was on when she spotted Sharpie’s van parked up. She walked over to the van.

“So, Sharpie”, she said as she pushed her fat face into the van. But Sharpie wasn’t there. She asked one of the passengers where he was, but no one knew. Never mind she thought, she’d probably catch him on her way back home. As she turned, she bumped into a big belly; it was Sharpie.

Susan’s mother gave him a big smile, but Sharpie didn’t smile back. “Ah wey happen mek you miserable so?”

“Me ain’t have nuttin’ to laugh about,” said Sharpie as he entered the van. “Ah wey you want?”

“Me come for some money. The money Susan give me not enough to buy what me need,” she replied.

Sharpie stared at her, then sucked his teeth. “Move ‘way”.

Still jovial, Susan’s mother said “What, this is no way to be talking to your mother-in-law”.

“Mother-in-who?” Sharpie asked bemused. “Me fuh call you mother-in-who? Wey you hear dat lie?”

Lie? Susan’s mother was confused. What was Sharpie talking about?

“You better move yourself, because I ain’t getting married to no-one”.

Susan’s mother couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Surely this must be a sick joke.

The Windy Valley Secondary series is fictional. Any resemblance to real events, places or persons living or dead is purely coincidental.