The one That Got Away…. Part 1

The late evening breeze carried the smell of roasted corn and sea salt through the small yard. Britney leaned against the veranda railing, staring out at the mango tree like it held the answers.

Jah sat on the step below her, elbows on his knees, watching her in silence for a while before he finally spoke.

“So when yuh plan fi leave?” His voice was steady, but there was tension in it.

Britney sighed softly. “Two month from now. Mi ticket almost sort out.”

Jah sucked his teeth. “Two month? An yuh jus a tell mi like seh a small ting?”

She looked down at him. “Mi neva know how fi bring it up. Mi know yuh wouldn’t like it.”

“Like it?” He stood up now, pacing the yard. “Britney, yuh really a guh lef Jamaica fi America? Wah yuh tink deh so weh deh yah cyaah give yuh?”

She folded her arms. “Opportunity. More money. Mi tired fi hustle an barely mek ends meet.”

Jah stopped in front of her. “An wah happen to we?”

Britney hesitated. “Mi nuh know, Jah.”

He stared at her like she’d just slapped him. “Yuh nuh know?”

“Mi cyaah promise nuttin. Long distance hard. Time zone different. People change.”

Jah shook his head slowly. “So dat it? Just like dat?”

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Mi care ‘bout yuh. But mi affi do dis fi miself. Mi cyaah stay because mi fraid fi lose yuh.”

He looked away toward the yard where the ackee tree swayed gently.

“Yuh know how sweet life deh yah?” he said, softer now. “Fresh food straight from di ground. Mango, breadfruit, ackee. We wake up an hear bird, not siren. Sun hot, people friendly. Yuh can walk go river or beach anytime.”

Britney smiled faintly. “Mi know. Mi love it too.”

“Den why lef?” he pressed. “America cold. Food taste like plastic. People barely know dem neighbor. Yuh ready fi trade dis fi snow an bills?”

She laughed a little through her nerves. “It nah all bad, Jah. Plenty people go an mek supm outta demself.”

He stepped closer. “An plenty go an lose demself too.”

Silence fell between them.

“Mi just want fi know,” Jah continued, voice thick now, “if mi supposed fi wait? Or if mi supposed fi let yuh go?”

Britney looked at him honestly. “Mi cyaah tell yuh fi wait. Dat wouldn’t be fair. But mi nuh want fi lose yuh either.”

He searched her face. “So wah we a do?”

She reached for his hand. “We try? See how it go? No big promise. Just honesty.”

Jah sighed deeply. “Mi nuh like it. But mi love yuh. An mi rather try than walk weh right now.”

Britney squeezed his hand. “Mi nah say goodbye yet. Just… see weh life carry we.”

Jah pulled her into his chest, holding her a little tighter than usual.

“America better treat yuh good,” he muttered. “Because Jamaica always deh yah fi yuh. An so mi.”

Britney closed her eyes, knowing that leaving the island might be easier than leaving the man standing in front of her.

The night air felt heavier now. Not soft like before. Thick. Watching.

Britney rested her head against Jah’s chest, listening to his heartbeat — steady, strong, familiar. Almost like it was begging her to stay.

“Mi still cyaah believe yuh really a guh,” Jah murmured into her hair.

“Mi have to,” she whispered back.

Before he could answer, headlights suddenly flooded the yard.

Both of them turned.

A black SUV rolled slowly to a stop outside the gate.

Britney stiffened immediately.

Jah felt it.

“Who dat?” he asked, stepping slightly in front of her.

Britney didn’t answer.

The engine cut off.

Silence.

Then the driver’s door opened.

A tall man stepped out. Clean sneakers. Fitted jeans. Hoodie pulled back just enough to show a confident smirk.

Jah’s eyes narrowed. “Yuh know him?”

Britney’s hand slipped from Jah’s shirt.

“Britney,” Jah pressed. “Yuh know him?”

The man leaned casually against the SUV.

“Mi come fi make sure she ready,” he called out smoothly. His accent wasn’t fully Jamaican anymore — it had that slight American twist to it.

Jah’s stomach dropped.

“Ready fi wah?” Jah demanded.

Britney finally spoke, voice low. “Him a di one weh sort out mi papers.”

Jah turned to her slowly.

“Sort out?” His tone changed. Sharper. “Since when?”

She swallowed. “Couple months now.”

“Couple… months?” His jaw flexed. “So while mi deh yah a plan future wid yuh, yuh deh pon phone wid him?”

The man chuckled softly by the gate. “Easy, boss. Is just business.”

Jah stepped forward fast, but Britney grabbed his arm.

“Stop!” she hissed.

He looked down at her hand gripping him.

“Tell mi something, Britney,” he said quietly, dangerously calm now. “Is America yuh a guh… or is him yuh a follow?”

The man pushed off the SUV and started walking toward the gate.

“Time a run out,” he said casually. “Flight payment due tomorrow.”

Jah’s heart pounded in his ears.

“Payment?” he repeated slowly.

Britney’s eyes filled — not just with guilt.

With fear.

And that’s when Jah noticed something he hadn’t before.

Her suitcase wasn’t packed with clothes for two months from now.

It was full.

Right now.

The SUV engine suddenly turned back on.

The man reached for the gate latch.

Jah stepped in front of Britney.

“Britney,” he said without looking at her, “tell mi straight — yuh leaving tonight?”

She opened her mouth.

But before she could answer —

A second car pulled up behind the SUV.

Doors flung open.

And the men who stepped out were not smiling.

Jah’s body went rigid.

The first man’s playful smirk vanished.

Britney’s grip on Jah tightened.

“Jah…” she whispered, voice shaking now.

One of the men from the second car shouted:

“Where she deh?!”

The night exploded into chaos.

And Britney realized —

America might not have been the real escape after all.

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