Border Secured (A Scenario) Section 2 - Part 1

Reverend Julian did not come to the house the following day as he had promised. He called in the afternoon and said he had some urgent business to attend to at the church. I was glad he wasn’t coming by. It was Christmas Eve and there were so many things to be done. Luckily I had already baked the Christmas Plum Puddings from last week and placed them in airtight tins. I ‘watered’ them liberally everyday with a mixture of rum and wine. I held the recipe to my Christmas Plum Pudding close to my heart. It was a secret handed down to me from my Grandmother Charmaine, which she said was handed down to her from her Grandmother. Not even Maud knew the recipe. Every year I would lock

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 14

'Leave the child with us', said Florence. We will tell Mass Wharbucks that we found her sleeping under the cotton tree. We will make no mention of you, we will just give him the letters and tell him we found them in the bag she was carrying. He is a smart man, he will put two and two together and figure it out. Ben was in agreement with Florence’s plan. He reminded Charles that Stanley Wharbucks wanted him dead and if he was found on the property that would be the minute he, Charles, would take his last breath. Charles put his face in his hands, he did not want to leave Charmaine behind but deep down in his heart he knew it was best for her. From the letter that Charlotte wrote Charles knew that he could trust Ben. He also knew that he could not run from parish

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 13

I awoke the next morning with a splitting headache. My head was throbbing fiercely. I went to the kitchen and thinly sliced a lime, which I took back to my room. I searched my dresser drawers and found one of my father’s handkerchiefs, which I folded in two. I placed the slices of lime on my temples and tied the handkerchief around my head just like my Grandmother used to do. I knew that I would be feeling much better in a couple hours. I glanced at the clock and gasped, it was almost two o’ clock in the afternoon. I went to have a shower, all this time wondering why the place was so quiet. This was short-lived

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 12

Not in my house! I repeated. But-but-but Ma’am, stuttered Maud, the baby is coming! I don’t care, I said, through clenched teeth. Not in my house! I was still putting up my Christmas decorations, the tree still had to be decorated, the new drapes that I had ordered were coming in two days, I had also planned to start my baking on the weekend and there was no way in hell that I was going to allow any baby to be born in my house! The woman screamed out in pain and Maud, with tears in her eyes pleaded with me to help her. Take her around the back to the new kennel, I told Maud. ‘In the kennel?’ she asked. Did I stutter Maud? But the dogs! Are you hard of hearing Maud? I said the new kennel, take her to the new kennel! Maud huffily went to help the woman. Maud could be a little stubborn at times, but the new kennel had never been used. The dogs refused to enter it and Maud always said it was because it looked like a prison with the huge grill doors, but as far as I was concerned it was good enough place for the ‘migrant’ to have her baby in. It was clean and airy, the dogs’ beds were huge and, after all, Jesus

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 11

The baby hollered nonstop for fifteen minutes. That’s how long it took for its mother to make the feed. When I asked her about breastfeeding the baby, she said the milk in her breast was for the baby that she was expecting. I rolled my eyes heavenward. Dear Jesus, I said in my mind, no wonder these people are always happy because ignorance is certainly bliss! The baby settled down after it was fed and went back to sleep in his mother’s arms. I rejoined Maud and the Reverend in the den. I really wanted to hear more about Charles and Charmaine. Somehow I began to fear the worst.

After overhearing the two gentlemen

Border Secured (A Scenario) Part 10

Oh my God! I exclaimed, there was broken glass everywhere, the aquarium I had since I was twelve years old was in splinters! Thankfully the last of the goldfish had died some months ago and no water was in it. I grabbed the broom that was in the corner of the verandah. The children thought I was about to hit them with it and ran terrified to the other end of the verandah. Luckily it was away from the splintered glass. I shouted to the mother, ‘Why can’t you control your children!’ I could see by the expression on her face that she wanted to respond in an obnoxious way, but thought better of it. Clearly she did not want to be put out in the rain. I was getting so tired of dealing with these people whom I have not welcomed into my home. I started sweeping the splinters into a heap and with Maud’s help we managed to get them into the dustbin. I then warned the children to stay where they are at the other end of the verandah as there may be splinters that we had missed and if they got cut because of their disobedience

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 9

The rain was coming down in torrents. They were soaked to their skins, and from where I was standing I could see the little ones trembling. I turned to Maud and told her that they could stay on the verandah until the rain stopped. Maud asked what about their wet clothes? I rolled my eyes at her in exasperation. These people, whom I never asked to be here, now wanted me to be responsible for them? Go look in the bag of clothes that I was taking to Salvation

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 8

Listen to me child! I shouted, you are to stay where I tell you to stay! Don’t you dare interfere with my dogs! The child began to cry, the dogs began to howl which woke up the baby, which then woke up the mother. The mother had the gall to get angry with me! Telling me that if I had allowed them to come inside the house the child

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 7

I fetched the water for Reverend Julian and returned to the den. I handed the water to him. He took it from me with shaky hands. He took a huge gulp, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and continued the story. Yes, it certainly seemed like one big, unbelievable story. Reverend Julian said that after a month of going back and forth to the railway stations at Montego Bay and Spanish Town, Stanley gave up hope of ever seeing Charlotte alive again. Checks at the Police Station in Spanish Town proved futile as there was no record of Charlotte

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 6

Charlotte, said the Reverend, was not just young and pretty, she also had a bubbling personality and Charles' mother Enid fell in love with her instantly. She gave Charlotte her room to sleep in as well as a change of clothes, which she said had belonged to her daughter who was now living in England. Mother Enid made pig's trotters and broad beans with white rice for dinner. At first when Charlotte heard what it was she was afraid to eat any but she was convinced by Charles to taste it. After the first bite she wanted it all, she wondered why she had never eaten

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 5

It is too hot outside here for her and the children, said Reverend Julian, I would not want the children to feint from the heat. The woman chimed in, saying that they have been walking from before daylight just to get to my home and that she and the children were tired and hungry. Not my fault, I said, I did not tell you to start your journey to come here! The children started yelling and the baby started to cry. I placed my hands over my ears. Please, said the Reverend, they won’t go inside the house, just let them sit under the tree by the gate and rest a while. The baby stretched out its hands to me but I pretended not to see this action. I refused to get sentimental. I reluctantly opened the gate and let them in. Maud happily led them to the tree where I had built a seat that went around the trunk. It was my favorite spot as I could sit and observe the people passing by but they could not see me because of the hedge that grew along the fence. I told Maud that if any of them wanted to use the toilet

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 4

Good can be found anywhere, I said. There is none good but God and God is good all the time. Yeah, I was saying in my mind, I can be just as cynical as you Reverend Julian. Reverend Julian again took off his glasses, this time he held them in his hands as he began to speak. Do you remember when you went overseas to study ten years ago? He asked. Yes, when I was pursuing my Masters in Population Health Management I had to live

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 3

As I walked with the Reverend to his Range Rover which was parked away from the gate the woman, who had stationed herself and her children under a tree across the road shouted out, 'Lady I was not stoning your dogs or your house! I was just trying to get a few

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Part 2

I have a dutiful Helper that I would recommend highly to anyone. Maud used to work with my Great-Aunt Charlotte who lived in Ironshore, St. James. Great-Aunt Charlotte had her from she was about 12 years old, she was now 47 years old. She works well and follows instructions although there are times when I believe she struggles hard to understand what I am saying even though I am speaking in the clearest of English. Sometimes I wonder if Great-Aunt Charlotte had sent her to school. Just as I was about to call her to make me a cup of tea she appeared in the living room. Miss Ma'am, why you not helping the lady and har pickney dem? I replied,

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Section One Part 1

(Knocking on my gate in Eltham Park)

Knock, knock! Who is it? Me! Me who? Come and look nuh! So I went outside. There is a woman on the other side of the gate with three young children holding on to her skirt. On top of that she is in an advanced stage of pregnancy with a baby about 10 months old in her arms. I asked her why she was knocking on my gate. She said that she