Chapter 1: Introduction
Spring break was supposed to be about reconnecting with their boyfriends, but as Lily Thompson and Emmy Adam’s were exiting the plane and into the scorching Jamaica heat, the only thing on their minds was how they could get away from them.
Lily felt her long blond locks stick to the back of her neck as she smiled for the first time in what felt like years. “It’s great to finally get away from all those beer farts and suds back home.”
Emmy giggled. They both knew she was talking about their boyfriends. After spending a horribly awkward weekend at her boyfriend’s frat house, the last thing on Emmy’s mind was getting back to Ricky.
Her blue eyes, lined with mascara, glittered with excitement and she tossed her long blond tresses over her shoulder in a gesture of independence and determination. “And it feels great to not be under Ricky’s thumb every second of the day. I finally feel like I can truly let loose here.”
They had spent much of the flights discussing Lily’s relationship with her boyfriend Brian and how things had fizzled out between them. The nights had become monotonous: sitting at his apartment, tossing back a few beers while she watched him play video games, then some awkward sex in his bedroom. Rinse. Repeat.
It was worse for Emmy. Her boyfriend Ricky could best be described as the quintessential jealous, small-town douchebag. He’d glare at other men who so much as glanced her way, and she often caught him scrolling through her phone, checking her messages. The relationship had become a claustrophobic jail cell, and Emmy was finally going to find her freedom away from the University of Alabama with her friend on the white sands of Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Lily shook her head. “You know what we should do? We should make a pact. Let’s spend this week as if we didn’t have boyfriends.
We can dance, go out, and live in the moment. We’ll make a promise to each other. By the end of spring break, we’ll leave our cares and worries behind, and just enjoy ourselves. This is about us!”
Emmy stopped in her tracks, giving Lily a wide grin. “I love that idea! Let’s promise right now that we’ll make this the best. Spring. Break. Ever.” They linked arms in solidarity.
Their heels clicked against the tiled floor in the bustling Jamaican airport in their shining sundresses.
It was truly a new, exciting place. The vibrant colors of the national clothing, steel drum music playing lighting on the airport sound system, the smell of coconuts and saltwater in the air. Both Lily and Emmy could feel the sudden rush of exhilaration and freedom, as though an invisible weight pressing down on them for months was suddenly lifted.
Suddenly Emmy’s phone started vibrating. Who else would it be but Ricky?
Emmy’s smile faltered as she shook her head. “This is the last thing I want to deal with right now. She groaned, then sighed before swiping her finger across the screen to accept the call.
“Hey, where are you guys?” Ricky’s voice was shrill with jealousy as soon as he heard the boisterous sounds behind Emmy’s phone. He was the type who could always sense when she was out having a good time, then proceed to make her feel like garbage for it.
He had no idea that his possessiveness was smothering her and that one of the motivating factors for this trip was to find the spark in her life that had been so absent for so long.
As she put the phone to her mouth, Lily gave her a sideways glance. Emmy rolled her eyes in agreement. Emmy explained to Ricky they simply deplaned and were making their way to baggage claim, "We're not there yet, just wait a bit." She murmured this softly, wanting him off the line as quickly as possible.
Ricky’s voice grew louder on the other end. “Listen, I don’t want you going out partying every night. I need to know where you are and who you’re with at all times.”
Emmy was tired of being treated like a child, and she certainly didn’t need Ricky to hold her hand through every step of life. She was a grown, independent woman, and she intended to start acting like one.
“No, if you wanted to know where I am every step of the way on this vacation you should have come here. I’m going on a girl’s vacation and I’m not going to burn up my battery chatting with you all the time,” Emmy spoke with determination in her voice, clearly exasperated by his tone.
“You know I have to work at the tire shop. I’m just saying the news is full of all these dangers in Jamaica and stuff, and I don’t want you to go spending time with the wrong kind of people.”
Emmy’s fingers clenched around her phone. She felt her cheeks growing hot, her green eyes meeting Lily’s blue-eyed gaze in a mix of frustration and anger. She didn’t like to be questioned.
“And what kind of people is that?" Emmy asked him, acid lacing her every word. "People who are trying to enjoy their spring break just like me, or maybe you only mean black men, hmm?"
The thought infuriated her. She was sick of Ricky thinking he could dictate her life. They were hundreds of miles away. It wasn’t his concern who she would meet or what she would do.
“Well, when you put it that way, yes. We have a duty to each other, regardless of how many miles apart we are,” Ricky huffed.
Emmy glanced over at Lily and both girls snorted almost simultaneously, it was at this point that the absurdity of the conversation sparked a sudden realization. The excitement of being away from home was now mixing with a desire to rebel. To cast off the chains of their timid lives, bend and twist the rules that held them back, and reach into the forbidden pleasures that were sealed off in the same box marked by the crippling hesitancy that kept their boyfriends from understanding the needs of a young woman.
"OK, Ricky I have to go through airport security now so I have to hang up my phone." Emmy lied, then ended the call before he could respond, stuffing the phone into her small leather satchel. They awkwardly laughed off the situation.
A beautiful young Jamaican woman laughed next to them at the baggage carousel watched them as Emmy shut off her phone. "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. You two should forget about the boys back home and just enjoy your vacation. That boy sounds like what we call in Jamaica a 'mule head' - hard-headed and stubborn! I see too many young women on vacation worrying about their boyfriends back home. This is your time, ladies!" the woman said as she winked.
They laughed, feeling drawn to her warmth and radiance. She introduced herself as Jamelia, her accent a soothing lull of compassionate care.
"Jamelia, you're right. This is our time. We are going to forget about those boyfriends and just have fun." Emmy agreed.
When Jamelia smiled, the force of it seemed to leave its mark on everyone she met. Her sun-kissed skin put Lily's pale Alabama skin to shame. As she gathered her bag she exclaimed, "Now you two forget about dem boys back home and get a real man while you're here in Jamaica. One taste and you'll be forgetting all about dem right quick!"
Jamelia's bright red lips parted into a wide grin, exposing a slight gap between her front teeth which only added to her charm.
The pair of blondes laughed again, thanking Jamelia for her kindness and they watched her depart.
The three women exchanged friendly waves before Jamelia finally disappeared into the crowd.