Thirty-Two
Careena
“Thanks for watching her, Rochelle. I don’t know how long we’ll be.” Duke tilts his head to the side and listens. “Yeah, you can take her home. That would be a big help. Thanks a lot.” He hangs up and walks over to the bench where I’m sitting, looking out at the Caribbean Sea.
“Alice okay?”
“Rochelle is taking care of her. She’s fine.” He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me to rest my head on him. I allow him to hug me, but I hold myself stiffly. My mind is racing with the truth of Shaquille’s words.
Children laugh in the background as they play on a swing set nearby. Couples stroll, hand-in-hand, on the sidewalk. A few yards ahead, the Caribbean Sea froths against large rocks.
“No wonder you were uncomfortable around him,” Duke mumbles. “I should have
