“I want to meet Joe, and Bacon,” Tara said loudly as she blew her hair dry.
“We haven’t met them yet either,” Lacy called back.
She was putting on her makeup in front of the mirror that was over the dresser. Tara turned off the dryer and fussed with her hair as she walked out of the bathroom in her bra and underwear. Lacy had her mouth open wide as she carefully applied mascara.
“That makes me hot,” Tara complained, lifting her hair off her neck.
“I know, you shower up, and then get out and sweat again. It’s hard to feel completely clean,” Lacy said as she stared into the mirror.
“Now, what to wear,” Tara pondered.
“Something you won’t mind sweating in,” Lacy suggested. “The nights don’t get much cooler, and you will be dancing.”
She angeled this way and that, examining her appearance in the mirror. Satisfied she smoothed her hands down her blue sundress.
“Roni seems good, calm,” Tara said. “Has she been talking to Mack much?”
“She’s emailed and Skyped. He’s not always so great at responses. You know Mack…he’s more likely to ask where she put the toilet brush than say something gooshy. I think we all like gooshy sometimes,” Lacy said. “She would never say that, though.”
Wanting to cool down before deciding what she would wear Tara sat on the edge of the bed.
“A lot of men aren’t great at expressing emotion. Michael says ‘I love you’ more than he did in the beginning, but I still don’t think it comes totally naturally,” Tara said.
“Kelly tries pretty hard,” Lacy said, “maybe because we both were married before.”
Tara watched her put her makeup back into the small lion-print zippered bag she’d pulled it from and tuck it in the top drawer of the dresser.
“My turn,” Tara said, as Lacy stepped away from the mirror. “I can’t go back into the bathroom, it’s too hot. Like my fancy makeup bag?”
She held up a plastic Ziploc bag containing her makeup.
“It works,” Lacy chuckled.
“Aren’t you girls finished yet?” Roni called from the kitchen.
“I’m ready,” Lacy said entering the kitchen. “Tara is finishing her makeup.”
Tara quickly pulled the items out that she needed. She listened to the girls chat as she started her makeup.
“Cute dress,” Roni complimented.
She was working to uncork a bottle of wine.
“Look at you,” Lacy said, admiring Roni’s figure-hugging, simple black dress. “Looks good with all that blonde hair of yours hanging loose. I hadn’t realized it was down to your shoulders already.”
“With the humidity here, I’ve been wearing it up a lot. Something different tonight,” Roni said. “I thought we could have a glass here and then go to the club. We can have some appetizers or dinner if anyone wants. I’m not very hungry since we had a late lunch.”
“I’d be good with apps,” Jenny said, coming into the room.
“Me too,” Tara called from the bedroom.
––––––––––––
The club was busy with dinner guests when they arrived. Roni felt very conspicuous now that she was part of a posse. She could feel the eyes on them. The other girls seemed unaware of the attention they were drawing. In New York when they went out together, they blended into the sea of people; here they stood out. She decided they would sit in the bar for appetizers where it was air-conditioned.
“How about a conch-fish finger platter?” Roni suggested.
“We are here to follow,” Jenny teased.
“Wha’ kin ah git ya gals? I see ya udder girlfrien’ git found okay,” Roe said quickly as she came to their table.
“The news made the rounds already, huh?” Roni asked.
Tara looked from Roe to Roni and then back again. Her confusion as to what the woman had said caused the skin between her eyebrows to wrinkle slightly. The word “found” stood out to her and she assumed it was something about her being lost.
“Yah, ya know dat come over da two-way,” Roe said with a laugh, her large bosoms jiggling. “Some pritty gal los’ at duh main dock. Ya give her some wrong i’famation.”
Tara leaned forward like she needed to get closer to hear, and Jenny smiled. She knew Tara couldn’t understand Roe. She’d felt the same way the first day at the bakery, and she still couldn’t understand them.
“No, Roe, I didn’t give her the wrong information…she just didn’t listen so well,” Roni said mockingly.
Roe put her hands on her large hips and leaned back, giving Roni a questioning look.
“I swear,” Roni said with a chuckle. “Roe, this is Tara. We’ll call her ‘the lost girl’.”
“Nice ta meet ya, Tara,” Roe said, glancing at Tara. “Naw, wha’ kin ah git ya? I kin stan’ here all de day talkin’, cause I busy tanight.”
“We’ll take the combo platter of conch and fish fingers and a bottle of chardonnay. We’re staying for the entertainment, so keep our tab open,” Roni teased.
“Course ya are, don’ be silly,” Roe said with a slap at the air as she turned away.
Tara looked shell-shocked as she watched Roe waddle away, and Jenny started to laugh. Roni looked at Jenny, then at Tara, and she started to laugh as well. Lacy chimed in, and the more they laughed, the more puzzled Tara looked, which made them laugh even more.
“What was t-h-a-t?!” Tara finally asked.
“Didn’t you understand Roe?” Roni goaded.
“Was that Bahamian?” Tara asked seriously.
The girls burst into another round of laughter while Tara sat back in her chair and frowned. She understood that somehow she was the cause of their laughter. Roni laughed so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes. Meanwhile, Tara just crossed her arms in front of her and waited.
“It’s English,” Roni whispered through her laughter.
“Shut up,” Tara said. “I didn’t understand a thing she said.”
“They all talk that way, some faster than others, some use more slang,” Roni explained. “You start to understand it after a while.”
“What did she say,” Tara asked. “Really?”
“She asked what we wanted, said we obviously found our friend, heard on the two-way radio that you were lost, said I gave you wrong information, and that she needed our order because she couldn’t stand around talking because she’s busy,” Roni said rapidly.
Tara looked at Jenny and then Lacy. Neither seemed to be puzzled.
“You two got all that?” Tara said shaking her head. “Come on…jeez you only have one day on me.”
“You do start to hear it, but, no, I didn’t get all that either,” Lacy said.
“At lunch,” Tara started, “Precious didn’t talk much and I think I was too hungry to notice.”
“The look on your face was priceless,” Jenny said. “Probably the same look I had yesterday. It’s what made me laugh so hard.”
“It’s obvious it amused all of you,” Tara said with a grin.
Roe hurried over with wine and glasses. Tara cocked her head towards Roe and waited for her to say something else determined to hear it.
“Ya food platter be out shortly,” Roe said before she hustled away.
Tara frowned when she only understood food something. Roni sat up straighter and her face lit up, and Tara turned to follow her gaze. A Bahamian man in khaki pants, a black shirt, and a baseball cap was headed towards them. Roni got up, moving around the table in order to hug him.
“You boys ready for tonight?” Roni asked.
“Ve always ready,” Devin said with a big smile.
“Sit,” Roni said, moving back around the table to her chair. “This is Tara. Tara, Devin.”
“Hello,” Devin said with a nod.
“Hello,” Tara said.
Devin continued to stand.
“Ya git los’ ya firs’ day, huh?” Devin teased.
Tara looked at Roni.
“He said you got lost your first day,” Roni said, smiling.
Devin rolled his eyes.
“Give her a day or so,” Roni chuckled.
“I bet you heard that on the two-way radio,” Tara joked.
“Yez, some pritty dark-haired gal sittin’ all alone at de dock in town,” Devin said.
“That’s not what was said on the two-way radio,” Roni teased. “That must of come to you the Green Turtle way.”
Roni was referring to how everything got around the island so quickly, and Devin knew it. A waitress came and set the platter of food down along with four utensil sets wrapped in white napkins.
“You want some,” Roni offered. “Sit with us.”
“Nah, I have somethin’ comin’. Let me git a glass a wine firs’,” he said.
He headed over to the bar where he stood, talking to Roe while she got him a glass. Tara could hear their banter. It was quick and thick with accent and she wondered if she truly would be able to understand anyone.
“You could have just told him to get a glass,” Lacy said.
“He won’t drink ours. He likes this nasty, sweet stuff I can’t stand. I keep a bottle at the house in case he stops by as it’s the only thing he drinks.”
“What time does the band start?” Jenny asked as she dipped a fish finger in the sauce.
“When they all get here, Bahamian time. Don’ push me, mon,” Roni joked.
Devin came back with a glass of wine and sat on a palm tree patterned ottoman by Roni. He looked around at the girls and shook his head slowly.
“What’s that look?” Roni asked smiling.
“Dis look is trouble,” he said, nodding at the girls.
“Oh, we can be trouble all right, but harmless trouble,” Roni said. “At the end of the night, we all go home together and alone.”
Roni had told Devin about the girls and their families. She’d made it clear to him they were not like the Miami women. They were here for a good time, and that was it. It wasn’t long before the band started setting up, and Devin was pulled away to set up equipment. Once they finished with the platter, the girls moved outside to a table on the deck. The night air had cooled slightly, a light breeze played with the girls’ hair, and the lights on the Buttonwood tree were lit up.
“Oh,” Tara said, relaxing into her chair. “This place is so gorgeous. I’m so excited to be here. Fill me in on what you have planned for us.”
Roni liked her comment, “what she had planned for them”. This would play into her idea.
“I figured I’d wait until you got here to throw out my thoughts, so everyone can decide. Jenny and Lacy have seen a few things, but we’ll cover those again. The beach or the pool will be our big decision most days,” Roni said.
“Where’s the pool?” Jenny asked.
“Here. It’s up the hill from the shop. They sell day passes, which aren’t very much. We can do big shopping one day in the store. We’ll go out to Sundowners in town and Pineapples. Follow the music, of course. I think we should go on Randal’s dive-snorkel trip. It’s a great experience and a really good lunch. Then I think we should do Nippers if we can find a boat. How’s that sound?” Roni asked.
“We trust you will show us a good time,” Jenny joked.
“Test, test,” Devin’s voice came through the speakers loudly.
The other band members continued adjusting cables, equipment, and microphones. The light was fading and more and more people were arriving. Tara was enjoying the atmosphere, so non New York, nothing moved too quickly.
“You’re going to love this music,” Roni said.
“Hey, girls,” Randal said, coming up behind Roni and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Roni didn’t protest. She’d heard the rumors, been warned by Devin, but she hadn’t actually witnessed first hand any truly bad behavior by Randal. She’d been clear to him on her position and he really hadn’t pushed her or put her in an uncomfortable position.
“Hey, Randal,” Roni said. “I figured you’d be here.”
“Would’n miss it, would’n miss it,” he said. “Kin I join yas?”
“Sure, get a chair,” Roni said. “This is Tara.”
Randal gave Tara a quick once over and smiled approvingly. Roni could tell he thought she was pretty.
“I’m the lost girl,” Tara volunteered.
Randal laughed loudly.
“Ya duh gal on da dock. I hear dat on da two-way.”
Tara ran the sentence through her head again, only able to pick out “girl” and “two-way”.
“Yes, that would be me,” Tara said with a grin.
“I gin git a drink, be right back,” Randal said still chuckling.
Randal pulled a chair over to the table and then headed towards the bar. Tara noticed he stopped every few feet to say hello to someone else, his laughter ringing out.
“Happy guy,” Tara said.
“That’s the dive master. The boat trip I mentioned,” Roni explained.
“Speedo guy,” Jenny offered.
Lacy snickered. The music started and Devin began singing. Turning their chairs in order to watch the band Roni tapped her foot to the reggae beat. Lacy couldn’t think of a time she’d felt so removed from the trappings of life. She understood why Roni seemed so at ease.
“Dat better a drink wif b’utiful gals,” Randal said sitting down.
Lacy smiled and Roni rolled her eyes. Tara just stared as she again tried to hear the words.
“Randal, what can you offer us on a day trip, not tomorrow, but maybe the next day?” Roni asked loudly over the music.
“I have Tina look at wha’ I got an’ I kin git back ta ya,” Randal said. “I kin git ya gals a good deal fo’ sure.”
“That would be great,” Roni said. “Call the house or stop by when you know.”
Roni smiled at Devin and he threw her name into the song. He had a good voice, rich and creamy with a sense of happiness that came across in his lyrics.
“Why ain’ ya dancin’?”
“We’re letting the band get warmed up,” Roni teased.
“Git out. Come on, le’s go, gals,” Randal stood up, beckoning to the girls.
The four girls followed him to a spot in front of the band and started dancing to the beat. Roni was sure this was pumping up his ego to be dancing with four good-looking women. As soon as they started dancing, other people filtered out. Before long, the dance area was full. The girls danced song after song with Randal, with each other, with anyone who asked. They didn’t take a break until the band did.
“I love it,” Tara said, wiping the moisture from her forehead. “What upbeat, feel-good music. Devin is so lively, he can really get people going.”
Roni breathed in the night air as she sat down. She gazed out into the small harbor seeing some of the larger boats had their lights on. Feeling a fleeting pang of anxiety about so little time left on the island, she tried to shake it off. Enjoy it…
“Hello,” Sue said, approaching their table.
“Well, hi, Sue,” Roni said. “Did you just get here?”
“A few minutes ago, saw you dancing,” she said, sounding a bit inhibited.
“You can join us. Here, take this chair,” Roni said, patting the metal chair seat. “Randal was sitting there, but he’s off socializing. You must know Randal right?”
“You can’t come to this island and not know Randal.”
“True,” Roni said with a tilt of her head. “This is our friend, Tara. She joined us this afternoon.”
“I’m Sue,” she said, reaching out her hand toward Tara. “I’m staying in my dad’s house across the street from you.”
“Nice to meet you,” Tara said. “You come here often.”
Sue lowered herself slowly almost reluctantly into the chair.
“I sort of grew up coming here for visits, then my parents bought a place. When my mom died, my dad decided to move here full time, but I was in school by then. I come when I can. Just went through a bad breakup and felt like I needed to get away.”
“Sorry about the breakup,” Jenny said.
The waitress came by, and Sue ordered a drink as the band started again. Randal came and got Tara to dance, and Sue joined the other girls. Jenny was dancing with another Bahamian man who kept asking her to dance. Marty, a skinny man who played a tree saw with a bone knife, showed up for the second set. He jumped around with legs like rubber, making a scraping noise that fit right in with the music. Between sets, Devin would join the girls at the table.
“Ya like da ban’?” Devin asked slowly.
Tara heard the words and smiled quite proud of herself.
“Yes, yes, I love it, but Roni told us we would,” Tara gushed.
“Roni, she come erry time ve play,” Devin said, “na wif ya gals she has mos’ peoples to dance wif.”
Tara caught a few words, recognizing it was about dancing anyway. Roni patted his leg as he sipped his sweet wine. She knew Devin preferred it if she danced alone rather than with Randal. She could sense a little tension between the two of them sometimes. With her friends joining her dancing would certainly be a less one on one thing.
“Ah,” Sue said plopping herself back down after being gone for a while.
She smelled like marijuana Roni noticed. She’d no doubt been down on the dock with some of the young crowd. There was a big percentage on the island that smoked weed. Roni had been offered it numerous times, but she didn’t partake.
“How long you here for?” Roni asked.
“A week,” Sue answered.
There was a tap on the mike and Devin stood up and stretched.
“T’ink it time ta git back ta da ban’.”
Roni winked at him. Tara saw their exchange and could tell they really liked one another.
“You get playing and we’ll all get back dancing,” Roni sassed.
The evening was beautiful, the temperature nice, stars filled the sky and the band under the small white lights of the Buttonwood tree. Roni felt happy that her friend’s fit right in as she had hoped they would. None of them were shy, but it was all new and they’d jumped right in. They danced until the band finally quit for the night. Roni stood talking to Devin as the band starting packing up. The girls feeling spent rested at the table enjoying their wine. Sue had vanished sometime in the evening without telling them she was going.
“Wow, what a night,” Lacy said. “Lovely, all of it.”
Jenny saw Roni give Devin a hug and then turn toward the table. She caught Jenny’s eye and motioned toward the parking lot. Roni headed down the wooden path, knowing the girls would follow. A successful night.
“Time to go,” Jenny said pushing up from her chair.
“Did we get the bill?” Tara asked.
“I think Roni got the last round.”
“That was so much fun,” Lacy said as they walked toward the cart.
“I want to do that every night,” Tara said. “I love to dance and that music was fantastic. Amusing how Devin changes the words as to what is going on around him.”
Roni’s dress was sticking to various parts of her body. After the hot sweatiness of the dance floor, the night breeze made her feel chilled when it hit her, making her shiver. Uh… She was going to be glad to get into something dry and comfortable.
“Great evening,” Lacy said as she climbed onto the back bench seat of the cart.
“Unfortunately they don’t play every night,” Roni said. “We’ll get another night for sure, and I think Devin is playing solo a couple of nights at Pineapples maybe and Bluff House.”
“Where’s Bluff House?” Jenny asked as Roni pulled out of the dirt parking lot.
“Right there,” Roni said stopping abruptly, pointing across the harbor. “See those lights. It’s on the other point.”
They could all see the lights across the dark harbor.
“Isn’t that pretty, the lights reflecting off the water,” Jenny said. “It’s so peaceful here.”
Roni stepped on the gas and they sped off towards Fair Winds. Again she was reminded about what little time she had left on the island. She thought about Joe and wondered if he was at Calvin’s. Realized how much she would miss her sightings of him. Recalled her first meeting with Devin, when Joe had blocked the road and then pooped.
“I feel like we were the belle’s of the ball,” Lacy said softly, “all the men wanting to dance with us. I can’t remember the last time I danced so much.”
“The ball is over and Cinderella’s tired,” Tara sighed. “Let’s get home.”
Roni was relieved to see that Sue’s golf cart was across the street in her driveway. Knowing she got home alone safely.