The loud clattering on the front door woke everyone up with a start. Suzie quickly got up from the bed that she shared with her brother and ran to the front door. Flinging it open, she saw her uncle Tomas at the door with two roosters under each arm.
'What is going on?' her Pa asked. He was directly behind her.
'Gwo dimanch bonmaten zòt ka dòmi toujou,' her uncle answered, giving her a sloppy kiss.
'Lévé tout moun! Time to get up lazybones. I have come for breakfast.'
Not waiting for an answer, he brushed past the occupants of the house and walked into the kitchen. Suzie smiled, looked up at her Pa.
'It is going to be a long morning,' she whispered.
Suzie loved her uncle's visits, rare as they were. He always had some funny stories, and he always made Ma laugh. Pa, on the other hand was furious.
Uncle Tomas was Pa's middle brother. He was tall with a slim build. His eyes were huge and he had thick black hair which he always combed slick, away from his face. His hair was soft and nice, but Suzie suspected that he used the hot comb to straighten it. He was also handsome. A long thick, gold chain hung around his neck, and on his arm, he wore two watches, only one of which was working. Today he wore a shockingly bright green shirt with a pair of black shades. His wardrobe was always colourful. Suzie wondered why he needed the shades because the sun was not out yet, and he was inside of the house. Suzie could not help the giggle that escaped her. She placed her hand over her mouth and faked a cough as her Ma looked sternly at her.
Her uncle was a strange sort. He liked to give the impression that he was wealthy. As Pa liked to say, this was all a show; not even the skin on Uncle's backside was his. They knew better, but this did not diminish the love that Suzie felt for him. In fact, it made him more approachable and likable to some people. He had a contagious smile and when he opened his mouth to laugh, it was infectious. Uncle made a room come alive. He was so carefree. Nothing daunted him, the total opposite of Pa.
Suzie started for the kitchen. Ma would need her help this morning with another mouth to feed. She made her way outside to the chicken coop, wriggling her nose at the stench of chicken feed mixed with droppings. Quickly she withdrew five eggs. Thankfully, few of the chickens were up and about. The mother hens were not too happy when their space was invaded.
Back inside, Ma was already in her housework attire and was laughing at something silly uncle had said.
'I tell ya'll,' her uncle was saying, 'Tibway la manjé tèlman koko sèk by de river dat he got weak, an' couldn't stand; still I had to carry him home. Ain't that stupid huh? I tell ya'll Miguel owes me big time. He gave his people a big scare too. From dat time he eh eating koko sèk again.' Without waiting for an invitation, her uncle grabbed the cantaloupe on the table, pulled out a knife from his back pocket and sliced into it.
Suzie studied her uncle; his speech was all over the place. He was not as educated as Pa who spoke better and was good with numbers. She recalled Pa saying that Suzie's grandpa (his Pa) tried hard with Tomas, but academics were just not everybody's area. His skills lay elsewhere. Pa said that Uncle Tomas was good with his hands. Everyone knew how much he loved trucks and cars; everything about machinery and parts intrigued Uncle Tomas.
He was a good mechanic and he had to move to the village in order to earn a living. No one in Larouse owned a vehicle, not even a cart, so Uncle Tomas's skills were useless there. It was good to have someone in the family with such skills. Suzie doubted that even the village had enough work for someone like her Uncle Tomas. He seemed to always be on the go, like a nomad unable to stay in one place for too long.
'Hand mi ah plate, Suz.' he asked, smiling at her and revealing one of his front gold teeth. Her uncle always called her 'Suz'. Reaching up behind her Ma, Suzie took one of the large tin copper plates and placed it on the table. She realized that at the outer end of the plate there was a dry piece of food. She had missed a spot while washing the dishes yesterday. She drew nearer to the table, casting a glance at Ma to see if she was watching, and pulled off the offending piece and dropped it on the floor. She must take better care when washing the dishes. Ma would not be happy to see that; she would surely have gotten a tongue lashing later.
Meticulously, Uncle Tomas started slicing the huge cantaloupe and arranged the pieces in a circular arrangement on the plate. Suzie was surprised. Somehow she had expected him to cut the fruit into chunks and just place them on the plate in any order. Uncle Tomas was full of surprises, at least for her.
She watched as her uncle bite into a big slice, the juice from the fruit running down his beard.
His beard and whiskers were well trimmed, running straight on both sides of his face. Ignoring the liquid on his face, he asked between bites. 'Where is, ya brother?'
'He is still asleep, uncle.' Suzie replied.
Uncle Tomas then glanced at Pa who was still leaning on the window sill facing outdoors, and addressed him.
'What is up ya arse this morning? Did ya wake up at the wrong side of the bed huh?'
'Watch your language, Tomas. There are children in the house,' Pa answered sourly.
'Sorry,' Uncle mouthed at Ma, glancing sheepishly at Suzie. Acting as if she had not heard their conversation, Suzie took the bowl of cucumber salad that Ma had just finished preparing, and placed it on the table. The sweet smell of cocoa tea enveloped the kitchen. Ma made the best cocoa tea. The smell of cinnamon and spice wafted through the room. Suzie inhaled the sweet scent. Cocoa was her favorite tea, especially when it was served with hot bakes or dumplings.
'Five more minutes for the tea.' Ma said as she pulled out the much used frying pan and started working on the eggs.
'Some tomatoes will go nice with the cucumber, Abs,' Uncle said.
Without waiting for Ma's response, Suzie took three of the ripest tomatoes, washed and started slicing them. When she was done, she neatly spread them alongside the cucumber plate.
'Go get your brother, Suzie. Breakfast is ready,' her mother said.
Josh squealed when he saw uncle and ran towards him.
'I see dat ya have grown into a big boy. It looks like an additional foot from de last time I was dere. I hope ya behavin' and not givin' Ma and Pa too much trouble,' he continued.
'No. I have been a good boy.' Josh replied, smiling toothlessly up at him.
'Good to hear, buddy. That's good to hear. It is a good thing you did not take by your Uncle Tomas. Misunderstanding his response, Josh replied, 'I love you, Uncle Tomas.'
Laughing heartily at the innocent response, Uncle Tomas lifted him high in the air and swung in a circle. Josh squealed with delight. 'Uncle loves you too buddy,' he said, placing Josh back on his feet. He then dug into his pocket and pulled out two small packets, handing one to Josh and one to Suzie.
Suzie tore her packet, revealing a dainty white pair of sandals.
'That is pretty. Thank you Uncle Tomas,' she said, giving him a hug. Josh had also managed to open his. He held up a tiny red car for everyone to inspect. Abigale turned and said. 'That was quite generous of you Tomas. You really should not trouble yourself with the children. I hope you did not spend all you had on those sandals for Suzie.
Waving a hand at Abigale he said. 'Nah. Dat is nuthing. I hardly see my niece and nephew, so when I visit I have to get dem someting which lasts.'
Finally breakfast was ready. When everyone was seated, Ma said grace and everyone dug in.
Now and again Suzie caught Uncle Tomas's eyes darting at Pa, and she wondered what was going on. Pa did not usually act so standoffishly towards his brother. Pa had watched from a distance as they had mingled and laughed, and thanked their uncle for the gifts, but he had not uttered a word.
Suzie wondered if her Uncle had paid the money that he owed Pa. Suzie remembered overhearing a conversation between her parents a few months ago. From the bits and pieces of information she had overheard, it sounded like Uncle Tomas was in some sort of trouble and Pa had to assist him financially. Pa took all his savings to clear Uncle's Tomas debt on the promise that her uncle would repay. In fact, he had promised to bring the money in a month's time. Well today marked almost three months since her uncle's last visit. Suzie shook her head. She thought that Pa did have a right to be incensed. She wondered how Uncle Tomas would sneak his way out of this one, this time.