Prologue
© Aliyah Ezinma 2020. All Rights Reserved.
I’ve always been ambivalent about the country. Every year, as a child, I’d be forced to visit my aunt Sammie, a family friend, in Seaford Town, and every year, I’d feel this strange ambivalence about it. While I missed Kingston, I loved her. Mostly because I’d get up to all manner of fuckery over there, and we had this motto:
“What happens in German Town stays in German Town.”
And a lot of things happened in German Town. When I was sixteen, I got my first tattoo from one of her neighbours, who just happens to be a tattoo artist. Last year, when I was eighteen, I lost my virginity over there to a boy two years my senior. I remember how amazingly awful it was, I remember limping back to my aunt’s house with tears in my eyes, I remember her comforting me, hushing me.
“It’s alright, sweetheart,” she said to me, “some of these boys have no idea what they fuck they’re doing.”
Words of wisdom that I won’t soon forget.
This year, I’ll be getting the best of both worlds. My parents are leaving to go on a cruise for a second honeymoon or some bullshit like that, and Sammie is coming to live with me for the summer. I watch them from the living room couch as they move their bags around, preparing to leave.
“And remember, don’t let any strangers into the house,” Mummy says to me. I roll my eyes.
“Mummy, I’m nineteen, not nine.”
“I just want you to be safe,” she says. “When is Pinkie coming?” she asks me. I stare absentmindedly at the black anchor tattoo on the inside of my left wrist.
“Probably some time next week, or the week after that,” I tell her.
“Well, I hope that she and the baby is okay,” Mummy says.
“I’m sure they’re fine,” I tell her. “I will be fine. Everything will be fine.”
“Lidia? Come, on,” my father calls from outside. “You’re going to make us late. She’s a big girl, she knows how to take care of herself,” my dad says, before stepping back into the house.
“Hold on, Markie, aren’t you going to tell your daughter goodbye?” Mummy says to my father.
“I told her already!” my father shouts defensively. “Didn’t I?” Daddy says to me, looking for a defence.
“Yeah, like, three hundred times, too,” I say with a chuckle. “You guys need to leave,” I tell them, and after a few more minutes, they’re gone. I sigh deeply. I can’t wait until Sammie comes, but things will be incredibly boring until she does.
