Blue: A Love Story on the Bermuda Shores

by Daya Daniels

  She stands straight. “I thought you were asleep.”

  “No.” I say, taking a seat at the center island.

  She gives me a funny look and turns away from me.

  “I was just resting. I’m a little nervous about tomorrow. All of the photographs I’ve taken so far are for marketing and of practice runs but tomorrow is sort of the real deal Mama, you know.”

  “Yes, Cass. I know but I’m sure you will do fine, ya know. You worry too much, my girl.” She smiles, pulling out a roasted lamb. “Where’s dat boyfriend of yours, anyways?”

  I let out a little breath. “He’s moving technically. Ambrose sold his boat, so Nico had to move.”

  “And where’s the hobo going to be staying now?” Symone’s voice adds, when she walks into the room behind my father.

  He places a kiss to my cheek, while Symone drops some shopping bags on the counter.

  My mother scowls and looks into the paper bags. “Dis isn’t what I asked you to get, Symone.” She snaps.

  Symone sighs. “If you want me to go back, Mama. I’ll go back.”

  Ayana mumbles and begins unpacking the bags. Symone takes a seat next to me, still in her work suit. She grabs an apple out of the fruit bowl and stares at me like I’ve just dropped from outer space.

  “Good evening, I think is the standard greeting around here when you walk into a room, asking questions that are none of your business.” I quip, glaring at her.

  “Good evening.” She addresses everyone, with a stupid smile. “So, you can still answer my question now? Where’s he going to be living? Or, should I ask where will you both be shacking up, since Ambrose’s old piece of crap is unavailable now.”

  “Symone.” Ayana warns, bulging her big brown eyes in her direction.

  The LED TV in the den turns on and I spot my father in the distance taking a seat in his regular spot on the sofa, to watch football. Glancing at Symone’s left hand, I spot an engagement ring on her finger, even though she’s yet to actually tell me that Stefan proposed to her. I meet her eyes again, after mine leave the beautiful two-carat rock.

  “Yeah, he asked me. I was getting to that.”

  “Congratulations.” I mumble.

  “Thanks.” She says, with a smirk, looking around the kitchen. Then she stands and moves to help my mother with the roasted potatoes. I inhale the breeze the comes through the windows, feeling desperately in need of air. Symone’s judgments at this moment are suffocating me.

  “Sooo, where?”

  “I don’t know yet, Symone. He’s had to find an apartment.”

  “Did you give him any money, Cass?”

  I narrow my eyes at her. “No.”

  “Has he asked you for any money?” She asks with a bitchy chuckle.

  “No.”

  She huffs and stuffs a potato in her mouth. “Does he have any money?”

  “I don’t know. What does it matter?”

  “It matters, Cass!”

  “Please, you girls. Symone, if you’re going to be an idiot you can get outta my house tonight!” Ayana yells.

  “Mama, are you serious? Do you not see what Cass is getting herself into?” Symone shouts.

  I push out of the stool to my feet. Joseph heads towards the kitchen, his eyes bulging out of his head.

  “He can’t take care of you, Cass!”

  “What makes you think I need to be taken care of, Symone? I have money. Maybe not lots of it but I have money.”

  “Well, you’ll be broke by the time this Nico is done with you. Believe me!

  “He’s a fucking fisherman! You threw away a lawyer for a fucking fisherman, Cass. You’re going to be living in this house for the rest of your Goddamn life! It’s why you’re here right now, since Nico has nowhere for you to live.”

  I stare at my sister through my watery vision, stunned by her vicious words.

  “Pare com isso! Stop it!” Joseph shouts, flailing his arms around. The last thing I need is for my father to have a coronary.

  “I love him.” I mumble, willing the tears to stay in that are threatening to fall from my eyes. I meet my mother’s sympathetic gaze. My eyes dart back towards Symone. “And for the record, I didn’t give up Rupert, he dumped me!”

  Symone freezes and stares at me mystified.

  “He dumped me! Yeah.” I scream, prepared to unleash a fresh wave of hell on her. “You happy now? Why can’t you just be happy for me! Goddamn it! For once! I love him! Nico’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me!”

  Symone slow blinks. Joseph takes a deep breath, while the same pain I feel, shows in his eyes but he doesn’t speak.

  “Rupert has tons of money and you know what, Symone? He’s a fucking cunt! And so is your fiancee!” I add for kicks. “They’re both two-fucking-cunts!”

  Ayana raises her hands in the air and stares at the colorful casserole dishes laid out on the counter in front of her. “I made this nice dinner. See - lamb and roasted potatoes and fresh corn. I picked the rosemary myself and Symone, you’re ruining it.” Ayana rambles on to herself, pretending she’s someplace else instead of in the middle of this Category 5 shit storm.

  I speak over my mother, while she continues to talk about the lamb dinner that I’m no longer interested in eating. Right now, all I want to do is guzzle down an entire fucking bottle of wine.

  “I love Nico and I don’t give a shit about what you think, Symone. I love him.” I know my voice is small and weak and shaky but I mean every word coming out of my mouth.

  “Symone, please don’t do this tonight. Cass...” Joseph begins to say but he doesn’t finish his sentence.

  Symone stands in front of me still lost for words. She drops her gaze to the floor. “Cass, I’m sorry. I didn’t...”

  Now, I’m crying and I’m pissed off. The two are never a good combination. I stand there fuming at Symone, wondering if I’d ruin my shoes by kicking her teeth in.

  “Since when do you hate Stefan?” She questions with a twisted face.

  “I’ve always hated Stefan, Symone but I keep my thoughts to myself but since you seem to think that you’re opinions should govern my life, then I figure we should let it rip then.” I bark.

  “It’s nearly time for dinner. “ Ayana announces, attempting to ignore the obvious confrontation that’s taken over her beautiful kitchen.

  “I’m not hungry.” I grumble, stomping off back to my room.

  As soon as my door slams, the arguing starts up again. Ayana is yelling at Symone. Symone is yelling back. Joseph is louder than the two of them. He’s yelling in Portuguese and English. Symone and Ayana follow suit. I stuff a pair of buds in my ears and hit play. Weaker Girl by Banks explodes in my ears.

  All my life, I’ve always done what everyone expected, what everyone else wanted and all it did was make me unhappy. I’d spent my entire life chasing a career that I hated from the second week I’d made it to law school. The next five years after that were filled with horrible bosses, shitty boyfriends and even shittier pay. Joy, joy, joy. The next five years after that, I had a great job but I was miserable, going to work. Every day I debated if I should jump into the Atlantic Ocean and drown or stay on the ferry on the way there, to work another endless day, only to finish the long week sarcastic and miserable.

  In the last two years, I’d been living with Rupert. The only thing worse than a man with no money, is one who has lots of it that acts like spending it on you, somehow costs him a piece of his spleen.

  I thought I loved Rupert because he was the only man I’d spent more than two weeks with but he was rude. He was selfish and he just wasn’t for me. It took him dumping me for me to figure that out.

  I’d found one of the best men I’d ever known in Nico, second to my father Joseph, and all Symone could do was point out everything that she felt was wrong about him. I exhale and crane my neck to the ceiling. I wasn’t walking away from the love I found in this man. I couldn’t walk away.

  I tap off a text to Nico.

>   Me: I miss you. I love you. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.

  Nico: Ditto.

  Nico

  It’s around eight o’clock when I finish everything that had to be done. Tat is finally here, along with my mother. Tonight is going to be an evening filled with a long dinner and plenty of conversation, which I’m looking forward to.

  I missed Cass already and I’d only seen her just a few hours ago but it didn’t make a difference. After leaving Hamilton and spending a few hours with Aurelio, I headed back to the west end. On the way, travelling along the winding roads, I thought about everything that had happened since I’d been on the island. Even though, I was here with a purpose, I ultimately found something more important in the process – something priceless and I knew there was no way I could let it go.

  I pull in to the long driveway leading up to the two-story, yellow brick house realizing that it would be dark soon. Turning the key on my motorcyle, I kill the engine and head up the short driveway. The high-pitched sound of crickets fill my ears and the distant sound of traffic. I take a deep breath, debating if I should leave Cass alone tonight. Since we’ve been together she hasn’t spent much time here at all but I couldn’t resist.

  Shouting jerks my attention to the windows ahead and I have a clear view of Cass, Ayana, Symone and Joseph embroiled in a very loud and animated argument. Narrowing my eyes, I listen to the words that spill from Symone’s mouth but what keeps my attention the most are the words that Cass is nearly screaming. My chest constricts and my nostrils flare at the sight of her upset but her fierce words seep inside of me and settle deep in my heart, leaving it warm and wanting to beat just for her.

  Love.

  So-much-love.

  I debate blowing through their door and halting this argument but as more words are spoken, it only becomes more interesting.

  Standing just outside the kitchen window of the Mora’s house, I freeze then begin to back away slowly. Cass disappears and a few seconds later a text pops up on my phone from her. I smile reading it, while still attempting to listen to the screaming match going on. I respond right away and throw my helmet back on realizing that this is obviously not a good time to just pop by. Joseph is shouting and so is Symone. A casserole dish, I assume, crashes to the floor.

  “Jesus Christ.” I mumble to myself. This is like the Maury Povich show.

  “Get outta my house!” Ayana shouts. “You’ve always been so jealous of her!”

  “Whattt?” Symone shrieks. “How can you say that? She’s my sister! I love her, Mama! I only want the best for her.”

  “You know she’s having a difficult time, Symone.”

  “Yeah, I know Mama but...”

  “Sooo, who cares if she’s fucking some Brazilian hot piece of ass!” Ayana yells. “I’ve lost track of how many men you’ve been with.” She snaps.

  Joseph looks at his wife completely stunned.

  As. Am. I.

  Symone’s head visibly jerks back harshly - slapped in the face by her mother’s words.

  Ayana continues forward, pointing her index finger in Symone’s face. “Let me’tell you something, girlll. This is the last time you will do this in my house. Cassandra is delicate right now. You know dis. So why are you doing this?”

  “Mama, he can’t support her? She doesn’t even really know anything about him. She’s known him, what? Two months! And she’s head over heels in love with this fisherman. It’s ridiculous, Mama! He’s going to break her heart. Get his fill of her and be gone. He’ll toss her aside like old bait.”

  I bristle at her words and my jaw tightens. It dawns on me that Symone really is a cow. Since I’d known her, she’d uttered all of three words to me about anything.

  “That’s not for you to worry about, Symone. I’m her mother, not you. And what’s all this talk about money? Cassandra has always been good with her money, that’s why she’s paid your father and I back so far and you, have not.”

  Symone scowls. “I only want the best for her!” Her arms reach for the sky.

  “And so do we and right now, she’s happy. Leave her d’hell alone.” Ayana says, raising her voice.

  The two women continue to bicker. Checking my watch, I realize I’ve been standing here for at least ten minutes. I want to talk to Cass so bad, hoping I could take her out somewhere before the end of the night but clearly it wasn’t a good idea, unless I slip on my bullet proof vest and riot gear. It’s final. I’ll be jerking off tonight, it seems. I back away, listening to my sneakers shift in the gravel beneath my feet.

  Joseph pulls Ayana into a hug and presses a kiss to her cheek, smoothing his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. The gesture reminds me that Cass’ parents have been together for nearly forty years.

  Symone has disappeared some place. Pulling my helment back on, I take the bike out of gear and range down the hill, kick starting it to life when I make it to end of the road, where it can’t be heard. I twist the throttle and when the bike hits the main road, my mind clears a little bit as the warm wind whips around me. I have a ton of things to do and enough work to keep me busy for the next century.

  I want to make tomorrow special for Cass, so fucking special but I want to make tomorrow night even more memorable.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Cassandra

  In the morning, I awoke with my stomach in knots – nervous for what the day held in store for me. They’ve somewhat settled now since more than half the day has passed. The west end of the island is alive with sailing fever- teeming with people from all over the world, here to watch the iconic qualifiers in Dockyard.

  The place had literally been transformed from a two-hundred year old shipyard and later shopping and cultural center, to a fitting spot for this event to be hosted. Spinning around, I stare at the clocktower and the old Casemates prison barracks.

  I spent most of the morning taking photographs. Nearly all of my equipment was around my waist and on my back, causing it to scream with the burden. I was one of a few hundred photographers at the event, capturing each memorable moment of it. There’s every sports coverage entity here, from MSNBC and ESPN to Sports Illustrated.

  I stand straight, brushing my hair away from my face. My skin is slightly dampened with sweat under the hot sun and my throat is dry.

  Checking my watch, I realize that it’s nearly three o’clock. The last race is scheduled for an hour from now. I take a deep breath and listen to the announcers in the distance. Scanning the area that’s littered with the Bermuda Police Service and men employed by private security firms, I narrow my gaze on some of the patrons here, watching the event from their private terraces that cost anywhere from five thousand dollars a day and up just to be in. Muli-million dollar yachts float on the water in the distance. This place reeks of money, since some of the world’s wealthiest and most affluent people are here, many worth more than a few billion.

  I pull my phone from my pocket when it dings and tap the faceplate.

  Zoey: I’m here. Where are you, chica?”

  Spinning around, my eyes attempt to sift through the thick sea of people around me. I don’t know why I try but there’s know way I’d be able to spot her in the thousands that are already here. Quickly, I tap a message back to Zoey.

  Me: One hour to go and then I can spend some time with you.

  Zoey: Wonderful! Meet me by the fountain.

  Me: Okay.

  “Cass!” A voice calls.

  When I whirl around, the bright face of Owen Londy heads towards me, one of the event coordinators and my official boss. He runs a hand through his curly red hair and presses a kiss to my cheek.

  “This is wonderful, isn’t it?” He asks in his thick Austrian accent.

  “Yeah.” I chime, giving him a smile.

  “You’re pictures are amazing, Cass.”

  I drop my head to stare at what he’s shoving towards me. A wad of business cards, sits between his fingers. “Here, these are for you.”

  Slowly, I
take the cards out of his hand as though they’ll explode and meet his blue eyes. He gives me another grin. “People that are interested in your work, Cass.” He nods. “Judging from all of the photographs you’ve taken since you been contracted for this job.” He pats me on the shoulder. “Good work.”

  I open my mouth to speak but before I can, he’s gone, fading into the mass of people that linger in the area, talking and consuming champagne. I finger through some of the cards. There’s at least twenty of them in my hand. I shove them into my pants pocket. I take a deep breath and stare up at the clear sky. The sun is fading in the late afternoon. I pull my sunglasses off, wipe my face with a cloth and then rake through my long hair with my fingers, redoing my messy bun. I jump when my phone buzzes again and pull it from my pocket.

  Nico: I want to see you in an hour.

  Me: Sure, absolutely, without question. I miss you.

  I take a slow walk, heading towards the fountain sipping water from a plastic bottle . I’m exhausted but this place feels too surreal to be tired. A few minutes before I spotted the Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, surrounded by what looks inconspicuously like MI5.

  Zoey bounces on her toes, while a bright smile spreads across her face. When I come closer she pulls me into a hug, allowing me to examine her glazed over eyes suspiciously and inhale the fruity scent of the champagne in her hands.

  “Oh, don’t mind this.” She teases, taking another long sip from the glass. “It’s delicious. I’ve had like twenty of them.”

  I laugh. “I only wish. I’ve just finished so I haven’t had any.”

  “You look sooo good, Cass.”

  “Really? Because I’m covered in sweat and in desperate need of a shower.”

  Zoey tilts her head to the side and pulls me down to sit next to her on the stone wall.

  “You’re really in your element here.”