IS IT DEVINE TIMING?

“Well, I’m vexed,” said Leyla, who was seated at the table with The Six. “As I was getting ready this morning it dawned on me that I’ve put off marriage and babies to forge a career and now I’m alone.”

Sasha who was seated next to Leyla at Scotchies Caribbean restaurant, stopped midway in taking her next forkful of ackee and saltfish, turned to Lela, put her arm around her slender cognac-coloured shoulders, drew her close and said, “Aww you’re not alone Babygirl.”

Benjamin piped up, “Oh come on Sasha don’t pretend like you don’t know what she’s talking about man, I feel you Leyla.”

With an overloaded mouthful of food and at a total loss Steele asked, “What do you mean you’re feeling what she’s saying I don’t?”

Benjamin gave each and every one of The Six a serious look at the overcrowded table demanding their full attention.

“Look I’m a forty-something year-old educated black man, who earns a good salary,” Benjamin started, “I’m authentic and funny, I’m a home owner, I drive a nice car, I can cook and clean, I’m a loving, caring and a kind guy and I’m still single. I can’t find my empress and please don’t tell me I need to go out more to the clubs coz all thats up in there are a house of schoolies”.

“Doolies, what are doolies?” asked Leyla.

“Not doolies, Schoolies, schoolies are kids from like the age of sixteen to early twenties.” said Sasha.

Benjamin continued to rant about his single life saying. “I want a woman, not a teenager or a girl for that matter but a woooo-man!”

Steele – his boy from way back – looked at him without sympathy.

Benjamin stared right back through him as if he knew what he was thinking. “Oh, and don’t get it twisted. I know I am above average in the looks department and in other departments too.”

Everyone fell about into fits of laughter at the table, not because it wasn’t true about Benjamin’s good looks – he was extremely handsome and successful; 6’2, built, neat, chiselled features set amongst a honey complexion, complimented with a cinnamon mini afro and the most dazzling smile – but The Six had no knowledge as to whether Benjamin’s preaching about his external factors were actually true.

Leyla still chuckling said, “I always thought it was easier for a man to find a woman, there are so many fine, educated, available, single empresses out there.”

“Nah it’s not that easy Leyla,” Knight cut in. “Some of them have baby-father drama, some are looking for a man to pay for their hair and nails and some have a man already but just want a little fun on the side oh and there's those who have daddy issues…You tink gyal easy?”

“Really Knight?” asked Nia I'm surprised, “I don’t agree because on the dating website women, outnumber men, it is easier for men to find women.”

Sasha shot Nia a distasteful look and screeched, “Nia! Are you still messing around with those dating websites?”

Nia started laughing said, “Well yes…Yuh have fi weed out di foolish man dem to get straight to di good one dem.”

Steel looking confused said, “So if it’s so easy why am I still looking?”

The Six all paused from their food for a hot minute and looked at Steele puzzled as he had just recently started a relationship with a knock-out, jaw-dropping, beautiful, chocolate sister called Dior Chapman.

“How are you girlies getting on with this online dating business then?” Sasha asked Nia and Leyla.

Leyla rolled her eyes while saying, “Oh Nia is in love with some dude with an online name called Big Man.”

Nia shrieked, “I am not!”

Steele started rubbing his hands together asking, “So you really catch mans on that black dating website ting; bring me in so I can link a woman.”

Sasha threw him a look of disgust and screeched, “You’ve got a woman!”

Steele gave her a cut eye.

“I’m sorry but I would never entertain that online stuff, I’m an old-fashioned type of guy I don’t want to meet no woman online,” said Benjamin.

Lela sarcastically retorted, “And how long have you been single now Ben?”

He came back at her and said, “Yeah it’s been a minute but I’m still not feeling this whole online dating thing.”

Nia sang in a serious tone, “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”

“I don’t know Nia maybe we don’t need to do anything to find that special someone maybe it’s all about Divine Timing,” Benjamin said.

“Divine Timing?” said Sasha, confused and signalling with her fork for him to continue.

“Yeah meaning that maybe it’s just not your time to link that someone, until it’s your time, you all remember Sharn Scott?”

The Six all nodded slowly in unison as it seemed a lifetime that he had been trying to get with this empress.

“Well every time I tried to link her, there was always something getting in the way.”

“We know,” said Leyla, “We just thought she wasn’t feeling you too tough.”

“Nah,” said Benjamin, “I bumped into her at the farmers market. But I must be honest that before when I was trying to link her, I wasn’t really in a situation to take babygirl anywhere. I was only getting enough legal work to barely survive. Do you remember I was struggling to keep afloat? 

"I remember bro." Knight said.

Benjamin went on, "I wasn’t in a position to make this empress feel special, you know wine and dine her as she deserves. Anyway, it turns out she was having some baby-father issues back then. But look, I’m now in a much better place financially and apparently, she has sorted out her issues too. We’re meeting up next week, I feel relaxed and I’m not worrying about how can I manage to take her out. I’m not saying I should have money to woo a woman, but I need to feel strong and confident within myself and be a man before I decide to share my world with a woman.”

“I get you B, so what you’re saying is nothing happens before its time,” said Sasha.

“Exactly,” replied Benjamin, “it’s all about Divine Timing, it will come when it’s the right time.”

Leyla lifted her head up from her oxtail soup and said, “But I need my man now!”

“And I need my woman now!”  Knight echoed.

The whole table roared with laughter but as the amusement faded, they all began to drift into their own world pondering on Divine Timing while enjoying the delights of the Caribbean courtesy of Scotchie.

They all knew Benjamin was right that it will happen and that maybe it is all about Divine Timing, but the jackpot question is…When?

The 6   

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