Island Paradise Interrupted

"Stop acting like a b-tch," his incendiary words hit my ears like poisoned darts.

"Who are you calling a b-tch? " I retorted venomously.

"You are acting like one," he muttered in his broken island accent that I once adored.

He continued talking like nothing happened. I was about to blast him, but I couldn't afford to lose my job, not yet anyway. I frantically scanned the office, Kendra my boss was out to lunch and Jose' my noisy coworker was out on a break.

The island blood in me was boiling red hot; I sat at my cubicle listening to him ramble, beads of sweat started forming on my nose and over my brow. I was overheating in the black turtleneck and ankle-length wool skirt I wore that day. Listening to him was torture, I was on the verge of exploding.

"Look," I hissed leaning into the phone and gripping the receiver so tight my hands started to turn red.

"What am I looking at," he clowned as if I was in the mood for jokes.

"Stop playing, this is not a game Brandon, you..." I paused noticing that I was starting to lose my New York accent; losing my accent meant I was losing control. Just then Jose' walked in from break; I could see his reflection in the window. I ducked my head low enough to avoid eye contact with him.

"You, wah?!" Brandon drawled his words in patois interrupting my charade.

I exhaled with so much force it rattled the phone line,

"Look Bran-don I don't have time to deal with you right now, I will talk to you later," I replied through clenched teeth.

"Aight," he responded unfazed by my tone.

Later that afternoon around three o'clock I received a text from him.

Brandon: Hey Suga Cane you still at work, call me soon I miss you xoxo😘.

This man must be out of his mind to be sending me hugs and kisses after disrespecting me like that, I clicked out of his text and tossed my phone into my bag.

After a few seconds, the slow burn returned, I couldn't wait or ignore his hubris anymore, I grabbed my phone pulled up his text and started typing my anger away.

Me: No, I am not alright Brandon!

He hated when I didn't respond using his pet's name.

"You called me a B..." I paused wanting to tell him that his mother and granny was a B, but I decided against stooping so low.

Brandon: and... 😒

He responded flippantly. This is why I don't like texting especially for moments like this.

Me: and... you bright, stink and out-of-order BRANDON! 😬

I know it wasn't the best comeback but that's all I could come up with at the time. This texting match had me low key yelling at my phone. I suddenly noticed how loud I was getting and decided I needed to lower my voice. I discreetly looked around the office to see if anyone else heard me. Jose' was too quiet for my liking so I stood up with caution to see where he was.

I can't believe this dude; there he was with his slicked back greasy headed self-pressed up against the cubicle. Eavesdropper! Talk about gossip, Jose' made it his business to know everybody's business, I couldn't stand him, but I had to act like we were cool because we were team partners.

"Hey Jose' looking for something?" I asked leaning over the cubicle.

Startled he pushed back on his computer chair knocking the folders on his desk to the floor.

"Oh, hey Imani," he stumbled over his words, "I didn't even hear you standing there," he lied embarrassed because I caught him.

I sat down just a quietly as I stood up.

Brandon: You there? 🤔🤔🤔

He sent me multiple emoji thinking face icons. I ignored his childish gesture and continued to give him a piece of my mind.

Me: I will not be compared to or referenced as a B-TCH by you or anyone else BRANDON!!!!

I knew my all caps would piss him off, I was yelling and using excessive exclamations points. Brandon my so-called fiancé' was the first man in twenty-six years to ever call me a B-TCH to my face. I wanted to curse him for ruining my plans; he was supposed to be my opportunity for my long-anticipated escape, he was supposed to be my ticket to an island paradise and now all because of him everything was on standby.