Hideaway by Alers Rochelle

Author:Alers, Rochelle [Alers, Rochelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780373831678
Published: 2011-12-07T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

The weather decided not to cooperate. It rained steadily every day, letting up and finally stopping a day before Martin, Parris and Regina were to return to the States.

Their plan to take an excursion around the island on Sable’s brother’s charter boat was cancelled. Martin’s plan to take Parris and Regina to Dunn’s River Falls was also cancelled, and Martin’s promise to teach Regina to swim was put off until the rains stopped.

Regina complained that she was bored. She wanted to swim; she wanted to sail on a boat; and she wanted to leave the house and go out—anywhere.

Parris spent her time reading and watching countless American reruns and British sitcoms on one of the few channels broadcasting on the island while Martin spent hours bending over his power notebook typing a report of his last business trip and a draft of a proposal for a resort development in Belize. It had taken ten years for ColeDiz International Ltd.’s Belize investment to equal their Costa Rican counterpart, which was undergoing a process of downsizing.

Parris brushed Regina’s hair and braided it in a single plait. She wound an elastic band around the curling end. “You’re all finished. Now we’re ready to go.”

Regina turned, staring up at her mother. “Mommy, would you be mad if I didn’t go shopping with you and Sable?”

Cradling Regina’s chin in her hand, Parris lowered her head and brushed her nose against her daughter’s. “What do you want to do?” she asked slowly.

Regina smiled. “I want to go swimming.”

Parris let go of her chin. “You’d rather swim than go shopping?”

“I have to learn how to swim. When I go back to school I’m going to tell everyone in my class that I went to Jamaica on vacation, and that I learned to swim in the ocean.”

Parris returned her smile. “But what if you don’t learn to swim in one day. Remember, we’re going back home tomorrow.”

Regina tilted her chin and stared down her thin delicate nose, nodding slowly. “I will learn to swim in one day,” she stated confidently, arching her eyebrows.

The gesture and her confidence was so much like Martin’s that Parris smiled. “No, I won’t get mad if you don’t go shopping with me. But when I get back I want you to show me how well you can swim.”

Regina curved her arms around her mother’s neck and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mommy.”

Sable settled herself behind the wheel of Joshua’s Mercedes and she and Parris waved goodbye to Martin, Joshua and Regina, then set out for their drive to Montego Bay where they strolled about the restored Georgian structures on Church street and the public market on Fustic. The market was alive with a carnival-like atmosphere, and Parris felt herself caught up in the festive spirit.

She was shown breadfruit, ackee and callaloo. She sampled a spicy hot meat pattie and curried goat. Sable quickly recommended soursop, a delicious drink much like a milkshake to cool her overstimulated taste buds.

The two women smiled shyly after two young men offered to take them sightseeing.

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