Tropical Storm

by Stefanie Graham

  “Enjoying the view?” She asked with a knowing smile.

  Caught staring, he shrugged.

  “I take pleasure in the fact that you like what you see. I wore this outfit for you.” She said trailing a dainty hand down the front of his shirt.

  “Where’s your son?” Cairo asked abruptly, wanting to change the subject. “You haven’t left him to run wild on the island have you?”

  “Shane likes to have fun.” Storm answered lightly. “It’s in his genetic make-up. Here or at home, I can hardly try and tame him. He has dragged the hotel nanny off to explore. Don’t worry about him though; he has his father’s resourcefulness.”

  “I gotta go. Excuse me.” The mention of Shane’s father effectively ended the conversation. Cairo was not interested in knowing anything about him. Just mentioning him showed Cairo just how insensitive she was. With a fierce scowl knitting his brow and without another word, Cairo turned away to head back to his office but someone was blocking the way.

  “Good Lord.” He groaned.

  Far from offended, the intruder smiled and waved him closer. Cairo sighed and crouched down.

  “Your name is Shane, isn’t it?” He tried to give the boy a smile but failed.

  Shane’s smile was big enough for both of them.

  Cairo looked over his shoulder. “Where’s the nanny that’s supposed to be watching you?”

  “I gave her the slip.” Shane said without remorse. “She was walking too slow. I don’t want her to show me anything anyhow. She only shows me the boring things. I want you to show me around.” He explained.

  “No!” It was out before he could stop it. Embarrassed, Cairo lowered his voice and tried again. “I’m sorry but I can’t.”

  “Why!” Shane demanded.

  “Because . . . because,” Cairo searched for a reason.

  “Because you hate me?” The child filled in.

  That brought him up short. He looked down at the boy who stared back at him with the maturity of someone twice his age. As they studied each other, Cairo wondered if he did indeed hate him for being someone else’s son. He also wondered if he hated him a little because he was Storm’s.

  “I don’t think your mother would appreciate us hanging out together.” Cairo answered, thinking quickly.

  “She won’t mind.” Shane protested. “She loves you.”

  Cairo felt his heart leap at the words before he forced his mind to overrule what his ears had heard. He knew she didn’t love him, and that she never had. “No, she doesn’t, Shane.” He needed to say it out loud.

  “Yes, she does. She told me so.” Shane insisted.

  Cairo couldn’t bear to hear the words repeated so he gave in. “Where would you like to go?”

  Shane’s grin was triumphant. “Anywhere you want to take me.”

  It was the most embarrassing moment of his life. Desperate to fill the child’s mouth with a soda to end his chatter, they’d ended up in a shop not far from the hotel. Shane was causing a lot of unnecessary attention in the sea of adults. To prove his point, the cashier tapped his shoulder.

  “Cairo, is that your son?” She asked, her accent creating a melody with the words.

  “No!” Cairo answered quickly.

  Sandy wasn’t convinced. “You sure?” She said hands resting on ample hips. “Despite his coloring, he kind of favors you.”

  “No Sandy, he’s not mine. He belongs to a . . . friend.” It was the best Cairo could do on short notice.

  “Good.” She said leaning down so her elbows rested on the counter’s surface. “I want you for myself, Cairo and I won’t let anyone else take you away from me.” She whispered.

  Cairo flashed her a big white smile. Sandy was beautiful, long-legged, dark and lovely and very much married. He was about to ask her about her husband when he was interrupted.

  “Daddy!” Shane’s words ricocheted off the rafters.

  Cairo felt himself turning red as everyone in the shop turned to stare. He shot the boy a scandalized glare but Shane only smirked wickedly.

  Amidst the knowing nods of the patrons, Cairo yanked him up off the stool and exited the shop as fast as his feet could carry him. When they had gone far enough away, he angrily turned to face Shane.

  “What are you trying to do? By tonight the lie will be all over the parish!”

  Shane wasn’t contrite. “She’s too pretty,” he said. “I’m saving you for mommy.”

  “The hell you are!” Cairo yelled. “Your mother is the last person I want to be with.”

  At this Shane was silent.

  Turning on his heel, Cairo angrily stalked up a beaten path shielded by numerous shrubs and thick bushes; Shane trotted after him. When the upward climb sufficiently winded the boy, Cairo stopped at a small house where he took a key from under the front doormat, opened the door with it and motioned the boy into the small and secluded home.

  “Go have a seat.” He ordered.

  “Whose house is this?” Shane demanded no longer silent.

  “It was my grandfather’s, now it’s mine.”

  “You live here?” Shane asked his eyes going wide in disbelief.

  “Is there something wrong with that?” Cairo asked coolly, wondering if snobbery ran in the family.

  Shane shrugged. “No, I guess not. It’s a bit old, but if you like it, I do too.”

  Cairo softened a little. “Shane, this is my favorite place in the whole world. My grandfather left it to me when he died. I loved him very much and it’s the only place I feel close to him. It might not seem like much, but everyone has their own idea of heaven.”

  Shane roamed the house looking for signs of heaven. He opened drawers, peeped in corners and thoroughly cased the place. He was determined to find something interesting. Shane pulled a picture from inside a box that Cairo normally kept closed.

  “Who is this?”

  Cairo tensed, fearing he had come upon an old picture of Storm. Peering down into the box, Cairo smiled in relief. “That’s my grandfather when he was a young man.”

  “But he’s black!” Shane said quizzically.

  Cairo laughed; he couldn’t help himself.

  “Yes, he is black, isn’t he?”

  “But you’re not black, are you?” Shane was puzzled.

  Cairo took the picture from him. “No, I’m not black, but my grandfather was. He adopted me when I was fifteen after my parents died. He was their best friend. After he adopted me, we spent summers together here and six years ago I convinced him to move back with me for good. He taught me everything I know. He was a great man.” Cairo looked longingly at the photo.

  “What else is in here?” Shane asked leaning further into the box. Cairo quickly pulled him out.

  “That’s enough for today, Shane. Let’s get back to the hotel. Your mother is probably getting worried. Back down the hill we go.”

  When he groaned Cairo smiled and said. “Don’t worry, Shane. This time I’ll carry you.”

  The promise was music to Shane’s ears.

  Seemingly unaffected by Shane’s weight, Storm watched as strong, purposeful strides brought Cairo closer. The longer she watched the more the heavy crushing sensation in her chest spread. Relaxed in the crux of Cairo’s muscular arms, Shane was cradled against his heart. Storm watched them in envy and admiration, savoring the image for as long as it would last. This was what she wanted to see, what she had paid a private investigator the bulk of her trust fund to find. This was why she had come to Jamaica, to see Shane and Cairo, together at last.

  “I brought him back as soon as possible, I hope you don’t mind.” He said setting her son on his feet.

  As unobtrusively as she could, Storm dabbed the corner of her eyes. This was what she had wanted when she married Cairo. It was a possibil
ity until things had gone so terribly wrong. Six years of dreams had been lost; she wanted them back. Smoothing her shirt with hands that trembled slightly, she looked at him and gave him a radiant smile.

  “Of course I don’t mind.” She said waving away his concern. “Why should I mind my two favorite men hanging out together?”

  Shane freed himself from Cairo’s grasp and ran to his mother. He looked across at Cairo happily after he’d settled into Storm’s embrace.

  “See, I told you,” He stuck out his chin. “I told you that she loved you.”

  Storm’s bountiful curls flew around her shoulders as she swung around to look at him. They stared at each other for a long time. Cairo spoke first.

  “You’re wrong, Shane.” He said his eyes still on her face. “She thought she loved me once, but that was a long time ago.”

  When Storm started to speak Cairo cut her off.

  “I never asked, but how is your husband . . . James, right?”

  The question had the desired effect. Storm’s lashes shuttered over her eyes to hide her thoughts.

  “I see you remember him.” Cairo said watching her closely. “From the age of your son, I assume you ended up marrying him after all. Tell me Jessica, does your beloved husband know that you’re here?”

  “Where I am is none of James’s business.” Storm replied stiffly. “He never had a say in my life and he never will.”

  Cairo nodded gravely. “Are the two of you engaged in one of those New Age marriages?” When he didn’t get a response he changed tactics. “How long have you been divorced?” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he shook his head and held up a hand. “Don’t tell me. Forget I asked. Despite everything, I’m sorry it didn’t work out. The two of you are from the same world; I thought that made you compatible. I guess I was wrong.”

  “You were wrong about a lot of things, Cairo.” Storm said her gaze holding his defiantly.

  Cairo looked away. “Yes, well,” he said stiffly. “That still remains to be seen.”

  With that comment, he jammed his hands in his pockets and walked off without another word.

  “I know that look.” Tyrone said coming into the office just as Cairo was sitting down.

  Caught off guard, Cairo was immediately on the defensive.

  “What look?” He demanded.

  “You know the one I’m talking about.” His cousin said sauntering into the office and throwing himself down into a chair. “Shamee Mary, Cairo. Shamee Mary.” He said as if Cairo would know what that meant.

  “What?” Cairo said his brow wrinkling as he leaned back in his chair.

  Tyrone shook his head sadly. “I keep forgetting that you’re Jamaican by adoption only. Shamee Mary is like the dandelion flower that little girl’s play with.” He explained.

  Cairo’s brow remained creased so Tyrone elaborated. “You know, cuz? I love her. I love her not.”

  Cairo didn’t need to hear any more. “Are you out of your damn mind, man?” The wheels of his chair hit the ground with a thud. “If we are talking about Jessica, love her I definitely do not.”

  “So you say,” Tyrone said unconvinced. “But I have seen that look before. I couldn’t blame you if you still loved her cuz. I have never seen a more beautiful woman.”

  Cairo abruptly stood up. He walked to the window of his office and stared out. “Yes, she is beautiful, isn’t she?” He admitted his hands clasped behind his back. “I look at her now and wonder how someone so beautiful could be so treacherous. I wonder how I could have been so wrong about her. When I married her, I thought that it would last forever. The marriage didn’t even last the night. I never told you this but Jessica’s parents never liked me. To them I could never be anything other than what I was. They hated me because I was poor and because I had the wrong address on the wrong side of town. It didn’t help that the only family I had was an old black man from the Caribbean. How anyone in this day and age can still harbor those kinds of prejudices astounds me.”

  “Prejudice and elitism! Why I’ve never heard of such things.” Tyrone exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, his fingers splayed dramatically over his heart.

  Cairo smiled in spite of himself. Tyrone had that effect on him.

  “Yeah well,” Cairo said shrugging off the memories. “It’s over now. They didn’t win. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t make me feel ashamed of who I was. I couldn’t change that I was a poor orphan. As for Papa Joseph, he was good to me and I refused to be embarrassed of a man whose only crime was adopting and loving me. According to them it really didn’t matter what kind of man I really was, I was simply not good enough for their daughter. On our wedding night they burst into our motel room and practically ripped her out of my arms. I would have fought for her but . . . ” Cairo’s words trailed off as he lost himself briefly in the memories.

  “But what?” Tyrone prompted.

  “But she already had a man; a rich one. You know the story. I couldn’t trust her after that.” The words came out slowly and were full of bitterness as if the years had sharpened instead of dulled the edges.

  “Maybe there was some kind of mistake.” Tyrone ventured.

  “There was no mistake!” Cairo dropped his hands to his sides and turned and gave his cousin a hard look. “I asked her and she couldn’t deny it. The ripped shreds of our marriage certificate are all that is left of our relationship.”

  “Wow.” Tyrone shook his head.

  “Yeah, I know. It’s a very sad story.” Cairo said dryly. “I don’t look back. I can’t afford to. One thing that I learned from that fiasco is not to put any trust in that woman. Back then I had so many plans for us, but they never saw the light of day. Any hopes, any dreams I had, Jessica destroyed. Uptown and downtown, water and oil, those things don’t mix and neither do we. I know that now.”

  “But she’s back. Maybe she’s changed.” Tyrone said, always the optimist.

  Cairo looked incredulously at his cousin. “Are you crazy, Tyrone? Have you seen her? Jessica is a disaster waiting to happen. Six years or sixty won’t change that.”

  If Cairo knew nothing else, of that he was certain. The thought had no sooner left his mind when the object of their conversation appeared in the doorway.

  “Hello stranger.” Storm greeted him brightly. Leaning against the doorjamb of his office, she looked as breezy and fresh as a summer’s day. Her hair was swept up in a waterfall of sensuous curls and her white linen wrap dress hugged her lovingly in all the right places. She was breathtaking, despite this; Cairo barely spared her a glance before turning back to his work.

  Tyrone got up and quietly left the room.

  “What do you want?” He asked, not looking up from the papers on his desk. “I thought I had ample security in the hotel. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were stalking me.”

  “I am stalking you.” Storm said impertinently, before gliding into the room and planting her bottom on top of the papers on his desk. “But after I told security I was your wife, they let me right in.”

  Cairo looked up sharply and Storm rewarded him with a smile of triumph when their eyes finally met.

  Although he was seething inside, he tried to stay calm. “You were never my wife. One day of disgrace and foolishness is not considered a marriage, thank God. I would appreciate it if you’d stop spreading rumors. Between you and your son, you’ll have everyone in the parish believing I have an illicit secret family. Why are you here?” he asked curtly, dragging a file out from under her bottom. “I thought we’d said enough to each other for one day.”

  Storm shrugged unconcerned. “Yes, I agreed to stay out of your way but that was earlier. Why are you trying to avoid me?”

  “I’m not avoiding you.” Cairo denied heatedly before taking a deep breath and counting to ten. “I have a hotel to run and t
hat keeps me busy. Unlike you, I’m not here on holiday. I have to work for a living.”

  Storm leaned in close to him and placed her finger under his chin lifting his gaze to meet hers. “Don’t run away from me, Cairo. You don’t know how much I’ve missed you.” She whispered as if they’d been separated a few hours instead of a few years.

  At her words, he jerked away from her. The abrupt movement sent several of the files on his desk crashing to the floor.

  “Don’t!” Cairo said through clenched teeth. “Don’t think you can come in here and play these mind games. I’m not a toy that you pick up and discard on a whim. I’m a man with real feelings. While you merrily went on your way to happily ever after I had to struggle to pick myself up and start again. It wasn’t easy. I could have gone back to the projects to do all the bad things your parents thought I did to make a living. Instead, I’m here and I’m happy. I dragged myself out of the gutter and made a life for myself. Don’t come here and try to ruin it by reminding me of the past or anything we had together. It was a dream and I’ve been awake now for years. Close the door on your way out.”

  Cairo then stood up and walked out of his office without a backward glance.

  Storm sat where he’d left her, her fingers clenched into fists. She took a few deep breaths and then slowly and deliberately uncurled each finger one by one until her palms lay flat on the desk. That was twice! The insufferable man had walked out on her twice in one day. For her, that was a record. Men usually ran to her and not away from her, but Cairo had always been the exception to every rule. That’s why she loved him. But at the moment he was seriously trying her patience. She thought finding him was the hard part, and in some delusional part of her brain, she thought that once he saw her again they could forget the past. She was wrong. One thing was now clear: winning back his love wouldn’t be an easy task. She had her work cut out for her. No soft words and reminders of the past for him. He was convinced of her treachery and nothing and no one was going to change his mind. But she was going to try. She was nothing if not persistent. Hopping down from the desk, she picked up the papers from the floor and placed them neatly on the desk. Brows knitted in concentration, she retreated back to her room to lick her wounds and mend her battered heart.