Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn Read Free Book Online

beautiful.” But Margot has never slept with any of the men in River Bank. Though in her line of work she fucks anyone who can afford it, being with a man from her area is beneath her. Their fantasies alone have colored their lenses, easing their tension around her just a little. With her they become as unquestioning and generous as children, even protective, her high, swaying backside and firm calves making them forget why they were annoyed that she—whom their women describe as Miss High an’ Mighty —barely says hello to them and refuses to take their job applications with their crab-toe request for menial work at the hotel. She knows that mothers watch to see if she stops to open a palm full of sweeties for their children. And when she doesn’t, they suck their teeth loud enough for her to hear them say, “ What a selfish ’ooman. Mean like star apple tree. Not even pickney ’im mek nyam outta ’im hand. No wondah why she barren. ” Margot doesn’t have woman friends. She likes to think that maybe it’s for her own sake and theirs. In the beauty parlor some of them greet Margot with reserved shyness, but in their hot heads under the hair dryers she can tell they have already marked her as a threat.
    By the time she gets to the square, she has seen enough dropped gazes and begins a purposeful stride to the taxi stand. There too, breaths are drawn, as though the drivers are looking to see who she’ll pick to carry her to the palace today. Mostly, they like to give her their information so that she can recommend their services to tourists who need rides. Some might even use the drive as an opportunity to pick her brain about job prospects as a kitchen boy, chef, server, housekeeper, maintenance man, concierge—anything that can get them through the door of the hotels, beating out the crowd of applicants. But Margot always goes with Maxi—if not for his indifference to working in the hotel, then for his ability to see her as just Margot. She never feels obligated to do him any favors. His smile eases the tension that has stiffened her back.
    â€œHow yuh doin’ today, baby girl?” Maxi says, starting his ignition. Buju Banton’s “Wanna Be Loved” plays on the car radio as Maxi backs out into the street. Margot fiddles with the pair of black, green, and gold boxing gloves on the rearview mirror.
    â€œBeen bettah. Dis heat is no joke. Can’t wait to get some ice when I reach work.”
    â€œYuh looking good. Look like is you producing all di heat.” Maxi manually rolls down his side of the window with the knob and puts one hand out to catch the wind; the other one steers the car.
    â€œDon’t tell dat to yuh neighbors. Dem already ’ave me up fah wearing this uniform.”
    Maxi sucks his teeth. “Mek dem g’weh. Is jealous dem jealous.”
    â€œCan’t wait to leave dis godforsaken place.”
    â€œIs it dat bad? We live by di sea. How much people can say dat? Give t’anks.”
    â€œMaxi, shut up wid yuh blessings nonsense. This is no paradise. At least, not for us.”
    â€œYuh t’ink I don’t know? Trus’ me, I an’ I see di struggles of di people every day. Dem look at people like you an’ see where dem job went. Yuh can’t blame dem. But yuh also can’t say yuh not thankful fah what Jah give we.”
    â€œSo River Bank is what God give we?” A bitter chuckle escapes Margot. “Stolen land?”
    â€œCorrection. We are di stolen people. Dis is our temporary land. Jah wouldn’t give us what ’im didn’t intend fah us to ’ave. Him soon move we again to a bettah place. Maybe back to Africa.”
    â€œNonsense. We build our own destiny. Didn’t nobody tell you? You once asked me what my dream was.”
    â€œYuh say yuh want yuh sistah to mek it.”
    â€œAn’ I want to be in control of my own destiny.”
    â€œSo