( Island Breeze )

 

Chapter Five

​​

​

Agent Cindy wheels her jeep

to the beach.

​

It is unincorporated.

 

She thinks of

the previous evening.

 

She wore the dress,

that she purchased 

from Island Breeze.

 

It was quite a different 

look for her,

a brown sheath empire dress

with gorgeous pink roses.

 

At first, she sat alone

at Dimples.

Then some nice recruit

asked to dine with her.

 

Another gentleman at the bar

offered to buy her a drink.

 

She felt like she was now

on a roll!

 

She should have purchased

that little black nightie too

from Ms. Joyelle’s 

new lingerie line,

Lace Details,

just in case.

 

A girl never knows

when she might need it

on this island.

 

It was nice to feel

like a woman again

and desirable!

 

After weeks of training

with only women,

she had had enough!

 

This tropical assignment

was ideal for her!

 

With no one in sight,

Cindy removes her top

to reveal a yellow bikini bra.

 

A nice breeze

visits her.

It blows her long hair.

 

Cindy leans back

upon a British flag

beach blanket

and watches a seagull.

 

She lays her glock

right beside her hip.

“ Maybe, I can get a quick nap. “

 

Next time,

I will bring a lunch

and a sun hat.

​

This heat is beginning to scorch!

( She says to herself. )

 

Cindy takes off her leather sandals

and wiggles her toes in the sand.

​

She takes a photo

to put on her Instagram.

 

Ahh, the good life.

 

Cindy decides to

remove her bikini top.

 

Ten minutes later,

she is putting it right back on.

 

Already, she is red!

​

She realizes she can 

hardly bare up

under the equator sun.

 

Cindy longs for that

cool breeze again.

 

It actually shows up

and kisses her face.

 

She blows a kiss back

and heads to the jeep.

​

​

Chapter Six

 

Keisha recollects herself

and goes back into the store.

She looks apologetically

at me and Chinji.

 

“ I will buy you another

table set. " she says.

 

“ When did these come in?  “ 

Keisha handles some black lace lingerie.

 

“ They were here before

you demolished our break table! “

I chide Keisha.

 

“ I apologize, Ms. Joyelle.

I will never do it again.  “

 

" I am taking you at your word, Keisha. "

 

Chinji offers her

some apple guava juice.

 

“ Thank you, Chinji.

These ‘ Lace Details ’ are nice,

but I don’t even have a man

to see me in one. “

 

“ You have to

look outside of the store, Keisha.

There are plenty men out there.

​

In fact, I should escort you

before you venture out.

I can take you around some time,

 after closing?  “

 

Keisha agrees.

 

Later inside Chinji’s van,

Keisha asks him

“ How old are you? “

 

“ I am sixty eight. “

 

“ Sixty eight?!

You sure don’t look it. “

 

“ That is because

I minister to my body every day

You should do the same. “

 

“ That drink was kind of good. “

Keisha smiles.

 

“ In the back of this van,

I have an entire arsenal

of nutrients

that will rejuvenate your life. “

 

Keisha listens.

 

Chinji witnesses to her

the benefits

of eating to live.

 

They are now downtown.

Chinji parks.

 

Keisha strolls the new shops

which are manned by local people.

 

Chinji walks behind Keisha

like he is her bodyguard.

 

In minutes,

Keisha has bought

aloe vera juice,

ambunu leaves

to make her own shampoo,

and marshmallow

to condition her hair

from the sun.

 

Chinji carries her purchases.

 

An hour and

twenty three minutes later,

they are back in the jeep.

 

So excited, Keisha

eyes her new sundress,

which was sewn

by an island seamstress!

 

The neckline is a little plunging,

but it will look nice

on her figure.

 

~~~

 

Jabari opens the drapes

inside his hotel suite.

They have been closed for days.

 

The sun is blinding!

 

Dried tears have stained 

the sides of his face.

 

“ I come all the way

to this island

and again,

I have no woman. “

 

Jabari decides to go downtown

and look for Sonia.

 

Wearing the GUCCI sandals,

that he designed,

Jabari feels like he owns

the block.

 

He strides by

and nods

at the store keepers.

 

An open top Yukon

is approaching downtown.

​

Chinji is test driving it

with Keisha.

 

Jabari recognizes Keisha!

 

“ Keisha?! What … “

Jabari waves at her.

 

The suv speeds up

and vanishes down the road.

 

Jabari’s cellphone rings.

It is Sonia.

 

“ Just wanted to let you know,

that I made it back home 

to the States, Jabari.

I’m in New York. “

 

Sonia ends the call.

​

​

Chapter Seven

 

Jabari stands

on the sidewalk stunned.

Keisha did not wave back.

 

Corrine from Lotus Life Resort

is passing out flyers

on the downtown street.

 

She extends one to Jabari.

He looks at the peach colored paper.

 

“ I am staying there already. “

he tells her.

 

“ I apologize for not

recognizing you

as one of our guests, Sir.

May I have your name?  “

 

“ I am Jabari. “ he offers.

 

“ Mr. Jabari,

the resort provides

free rejuvenation

and counseling sessions

every Thursday at 10 a.m.

Please attend.

 

I see the dried tears

at the corners of your eyes.

We could be useful to you. “

 

Jabari shoots Corrine

an angry look.

 

The next day,

Corrine arrives early

to lower bamboo shades

and to prepare the Mango Room

for attendees.

 

Finally, one guest arrives,

it is Jabari.

He makes a kingly entrance.

 

“ Good morning, Mr. Jabari

and welcome! “

 

“ Good morning.

Where should I sit?  “ 

 

“ We are sitting on mats today. “

 

Jabari dressed in a long

men’s silk caftan by GUCCI complies.

 

“ Mr. Jabari,

let’s take off our sandals. “

 

He does.

 

“ Next, we stretch long

and hard

all the way 

from our eyes

to our feet

until it reaches

the toes. “

 

Jabari tries.

 

“ May I call you ‘ Jabari ’ ? “

 

He nods.

 

“ Watch how I do it again, Jabari.

See how movement

is caused in every toe? “

 

Jabari delights in his success.

 

“ Inhale deeply.

Hold it!

Now exhale.

And again. “

 

They breathe in unison.

 

After thirty minutes

of body restoration,

Corrine begins counseling.

 

Twenty-three minutes into it,

Jabari finally opens up.

He then mentions Keisha.

 

Corrine listens intently

and in length

as Jabari divulges.

 

He fights tears

this time.

 

Corrine shares wise counsel

which surprisingly,

Jabari accepts.

 

At the end of the session,

Jabari reaches into a

woven basket

and retrieves his

Scripture for The Day.

 

Releasing a thin satin ribbon,

Jabari undoes the tiny scroll

and reads,

 

“ He who finds a wife

finds a good thing

and obtains favor

from the Lord. “

​​

​

Chapter Eight

 

Chinji goes to his van

and does his daily teletype check.

 

‘ There is a hurricane warning

for the entire island.

All residents must

report inside to

the huge hangar,

​

‘ Banana Paradise ‘

by noon today! ‘

 

Chinji’s hands begin to shake.

He rushes back into

my Island Breeze store.

 

“ Everybody listen up! “

Chinji warns me

and a customer.

He reads the urgent message.

 

We stand in awe.

 

~

 

Keisha extends her limbs

in a great stretch.

 

It is late morning.

She notices that

the long, white linen

curtains in the room

are dancing with a wind.

 

She eyes a sheet of paper,

that someone has slide

under her hotel door.

 

“ The bill. “ 

Keisha announces.

 

She laughs.

“ It is already paid for. “

 

Keisha chunks

what is really

a written storm warning

and urgent procedures

​

on top of the television

without reading it.

 

After a quick shower,

she heads downtown

for the first time, alone.

 

“ I got to get me some

of that sea moss gel

to get rid of this frizz. “

she tells herself.

 

Downtown, there is not

a soul in sight!

 

It is a new town,

and there are pretty pastel

shutters everywhere

in various colors.

 

“ I forgot it is Sunday.

The stores are all closed.

These people must be religious. “

 

A strong gust

snatches Keisha’s

official Lotus Life cap

right off of her head.

 

“ That was rude! “

she yells.

 

Waves of air

seemingly push her forward.

 

Minute sand particles

from out of nowhere

brush against her eyes

and mouth.

 

Someone on a loud speaker

is shouting in the distance.

 

Keisha cannot make out

what he is saying,

only that he repeats

“ the yellow hangar,

the yellow hangar! “

 

As Keisha rounds a corner,

she is met with a gentle

island breeze.

 

She follows it.

 

~

 

Inside, the hangar,

Jabari searches everywhere

for Keisha.

​

He even calls her cellphone.

There is no answer.

 

A Swedish woman

and her two young children

are arriving.

There are water droplets

on their adorable raincoats.

 

As they enter,

Jabari grabs a 

complimentary umbrella 

and dashes out, unseen.

 

He pops it open

and a fierce wind

promptly inverts it.

Jabari lets it fly off.

 

He makes it to 

the beginning of Third Street.

 

And there is Keisha,

 

soaking wet

and clinging tightly to a

street light pole, crying.

 

Jabari grabs for her hand,

but Keisha does not want to

release her hold.

 

“ Trust me, Keisha!

I will get us to the hangar. 

It is right down the street!  “

Jabari commands.

 

Keisha understands.

 

She is not able to run

quick enough

against the force

of the wind, though.

 

Jabari grabs Keisha

and carries her,

like he used to do

for his village’s 

crippled elder in Nigeria.

 

They make it to

Banana Hangar.

However, the huge door

is slid closed.

 

Jabari pounds rapudly 

with his fists!

 

Keisha thinks to call herself

on her cellphone.

 

In minutes,

a burly Irish man

opens the door part way

but with effort.

 

The electricity is off on the island.

 

Together, he and Jabari

exert muscle

and make enough room

for the wet pair

to slide in to safety.

​

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Continued In Right Column​​​​​​​​​