The Girl from the lane- Installment #6

The community of Braeton was one of the earlier settlements in the now sprawling residential area known simply as Portmore in the parish of Saint Catherine, Jamaica. Braeton was referred to in the old days as “New Town.” As the settlements grew in the early 1970’s, the area came under the development microscope and New Braeton rose from an area that was generally sugar-cane lands. By 1980, Braeton had expanded into three phases of residential construction.
Sheila had retreated to the Braeton area with Tony after their second child had arrived. They had rented a room with shared ‘conveniences’ from a woman who was acquainted with her mother through her infrequent visits to the Church in their area. To say that Delceita was annoyed with her because of her pregnancy would have been a complete understatement. The minute her stomach started to show she had to find accommodation elsewhere. However, there was still some amount of interaction between her brothers and sisters and by extension, her mother when Latoya was born. Being somewhat on her own though, provided greater opportunity as despite the non-event that had caused her impregnation, Sheila loved sex. The baby also added a different dimension to her physically, as after delivery she retained an additional 15 pounds on her frame that was quite useful in all the right areas. At seventeen and a half years of age, Sheila looked a fulsome woman, and Tony could not keep his hands off her. The only person surprised by the second pregnancy was Tony. Newton was a difficult child to carry, and the maladies normally associated with pregnancy were multiplied in this case. Most times, Tony was simply not around.
Tony claimed to have gotten a job through “contacts” as a supervisor on a hotel construction site on Jamaica’s north coast. He visited her and Latoya on some weekends but was off again by Sunday afternoons. It was two weeks after the birth of his son that Tony visited. He spent most of the weekend spewing a litany of complaints about the area they were living in, the sharing of bathroom and kitchen space. He complained about the children waking up at night, and his worst complaint was when she insisted on his use of a condom for any sex they would have.
The little money he provided her with was almost exhausted after the rent was paid. The chance meeting with Beverley at the area beauty Salon was a great blessing. Bev had been a schoolmate of hers at Excelsior, though three years her senior. Bev’s boyfriend had mysteriously come into some money. In order to make it last, they agreed to her opening the beauty salon. As the business grew, the demands on the girls in the salon became more hectic. One Thursday morning, Bev ran into her in the Square.
“So, that Salon is really yours Bev?” asked Sheila.
“Yes, but it stressing me out. Right now I am trying to find somebody to help me with the washing and setting, but the girls around here are not interested in this line of work. Those who come in, stay a few weeks and then think that they are hairdressers and leave to set up their own shops. I would love to find even somebody part-time” stated Bev.
Sheila hung on to Bev’s expressed wish. If she could wash her own hair, surely she could do better washing someone else’s hair.
“Maybe I could help you out a little…” suggested Sheila.
“You? What do you know about hair dressing?” asked Bev.
“Not much now, but I am sure I can learn” Sheila replied.
That same morning Sheila began her apprenticeship at Bev’s Beauty Salon. She would earn Ja.$7.50 for each head of hair she washed and set with the hair curlers.

Sheila disembarked the bus on Braeton Parkway and walked the short distance to Tarpon Walkway where she lived. It then occurred to her that for the first time in months, the bus driver was actually going to complete his route. She stopped for a while to observe the vehicle as it clambered away up the Parkway. She processed the observation, shook her head and headed in the direction of her home. There was a smattering of people in the Walkway. A group was clustered around her gate, while a much larger cluster appeared to be keeping vigil 6 or so houses further up from her own house. A small wave of panic enveloped her and she quickened her pace. Without even noticing it she broke into a jog and within minutes was at her gate. The group came towards her as she had approached.
Sheila dashed past them and was through the gate in a flash. Her house was in complete darkness. She ran to the fence and called out to Miss Brown who would normally have kept the children when they came from school.
“Miss Brown…, Miss Brown…” she shouted.
“Sheila…, I am right here” Miss Brown replied. “I am right here” She was in Sheila’s yard and standing behind her.
“Where is Newton and Latoya?” she asked as she faced her neighbour.
“But I was wondering the same thing when the van came with the other kids and they were not on board!” was Miss Brown’s reply.
The response hit her like a punch to the stomach. There were mumblings from the small gathering as the exchange seemed to have sparked a re-charge of a dying atmosphere. Sheila struggled for a response while desparately replaying the events of the day in her head. She tried to sift the events, picking at the different pieces of information that raced at her like the silver and blue missile.
Suddenly it came back and she fell on the patch of grass in the small garden and begun to cry.

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