Woven & Unwoven

11:27 a.m. EST — Le Petit Palais Cafe, NoHo, Manhattan, New York

An array of bistro tables and wicker chairs, shaded by striped umbrellas, lined the sidewalk outside of the cafe. Waiters in classic black-and-white uniforms glided seamlessly through the crowd, serving artisanal cheeses, pastries, and steaming cups of café au lait.

"So, they're going to follow you everywhere?" Dream asked, nodding toward Rohan and Jasiah across the street, leaning patiently against the hood of Ravi's SUV. Dream, always the fashionista, wore oversized dark shades and a black silk blouse tucked into high-waisted white culottes, finished with designer stilettos and a matching handbag.

"Yep," Loconda sighed, fixated on the foam art heart in her Café Crème. "Until I'm forced to leave." Loconda, effortlessly chic, donned a custom floral dress with intricate embroidery, a tailored denim jacket, and strappy sandals, blending elegance with casual flair.

"This is loco, Loco," Lovelie declared, downing a glass of Bordeaux. Lovelie, sported a high-end athleisure look with a fitted, metallic gold tracksuit, white designer sneakers, and a backward baseball cap, exuding both comfort and luxury. "We gotta figure something out."

"What's there to figure out?" Tracy wondered, tossing a crumb of her croissant to a nearby pigeon. She wore a simple graphic t-shirt and well-worn jeans, accessorized with a collection of unique, custom-made jewelry that added a touch of individuality to her otherwise relaxed look. "She's broke, homeless, and has two guys watching her every move."

"We could ditch them right now!" Lovelie proposed. "It's not like they're going to force her into Ravi's truck in broad daylight. She's a grown-ass woman. If she wants to stay, she should stay, period."

"Yeah, but it's not that simple," Dream interjected. "Of course, she could stay with one of us and get a job and maybe switch to a more affordable school. But there's another level to this. If she goes against her father, she might not be able to ever return home again."

"For real?" Lovelie and Tracy exclaimed in unison. Lovelie spun around in her chair, signaled a waiter with a mouthed "Two more please," and gestured to her empty wine glass.

"There's a strong possibility that he would," Loconda explained. "My father is super strict, and he's got a lot of pull in the government. He even placed a travel ban on my aunt Acadia, all because of a petty argument they had a few years ago."

"Wait!" Lovelie called out as the waiter neared their table with two glasses of wine. The waiter paused, unsure if Lovelie's request was directed at him or the others. "Oh, not for you, kind sir," she smiled warmly, retrieving the glasses from his tray and turning back to her friends. "Isn't Acadia the aunt that does fashion in Italy?"

"Yeah," Loconda confirmed, observing as Lovelie gently nudged her second glass of wine in her direction. 

"And didn't you get a letter from Vivian Gior last night?"

"Gior?" Dream gasped. "The Vivian Gior?"

"That's right!" Tracy beamed, "She got a bunch of offer letters last night, but the one from Gior was on another level."

"That's amazing!" Dream thrilled, removing the shades from her eyes. "What was her offer? I need details."

"A two-year, full-ride scholarship," Loconda replied, blowing gently on her coffee and sipping it, "to a design school in Italy. And a four-month summer internship that could lead to a paid position."

"You see!" Dream blurted, "The universe always balances things out."

"And on top of that," Lovelie added, "you could visit your aunt. I've seen the letters she's sent you. She seems like she's been dying to have you there."

"Yeah, but what if I can't go back home?"

The girls fell silent, their eyes meeting in a shared understanding as the gravity of Loconda's words hung heavily in the air.

"Trinidad is my home," Loconda continued, "and my father's pettiness knows no bounds. I'm sure he'd never let me back if I left now. I'm still considering Vivian's offer, but I think it would be best for me to face my father first and honor him with the truth.

"Home is where you make it, Loco," Lovelie asserted. "Not just where you're born. You know I love you girl. You're my brown island baby, but you know damn well if you go back home, you'll fold. Just look at your current situation. You had to hide behind a facade for an entire year, all because you knew your father would never support your dreams. Trust me, I get the whole honor thy parents thing, but there's no way that you'll ever chase your dreams if you go back home. He'll crush your dreams the instant he sees you."

"She right Loco," Dream noted. "I think you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here, to really go after the life you want."

Loconda turned to glance at Tracy, who was already nodding in agreement. Then she glanced over across the street at Jasiah and Rohan having a heated discussion with Ravi. They were right, she thought. There's no way her father would let her leave the country again. Not after all the lies she told him. He would double down. He would control and monitor everything she did from here on out. If she really wanted to be a designer, she'd have to take a leap of faith. She would have to prove him wrong. She would have to prove that she made the right decision. She would have to—

Just then, Loconda's phone began to vibrate against the table with the screen flashing the contact name FATHER in big bold letters.

"Don't answer it!" Lovelie snapped,

"No, answer it," Dream interjected, "it's only going to make things worse."

"Okay, can answer it," Lovelle frowned, "but let me hold the phone. Remember, you haven't made up your mind just yet. So let him do the talking. Don't show him any emotion."

Loconda nodded and passed the phone to Lovelie, but before they could answer it, the call ended, causing a hush of silence to wash over the table. Loconda's eyes darted across the street where she spotted Jasiah on the phone staring back and nodding repeatedly. After ending his call, he gestured to Rohan, who entered the busy street and made his way over to the girl's table.

"There's been a slight change of plans," Rohan bellowed, as he towered over the girls with his eyes locked on Loconda. "Your father has booked an earlier flight for us." He then removed a wad of cash from his coat pocket and laid it on the table. "This should cover the bill ladies. Please excuse the interruption, but Mrs. Toussaint will be taking her leave now." 

3:46 p.m. EST — LaGuardia Airport, Queens, New York

The airport hummed with the frenetic energy of countless travelers hurrying to and fro. Large windows framed views of the bustling tarmac, where planes taxied and took off into the gray spring sky. Amidst the commotion, families reunited, solo travelers found quiet corners to read or work, and Loconda sat frozen, focused intently on the departure screen overhead, its ever-changing roster of destinations offering a glimpse of endless possibilities. 

Loconda felt a hollow emptiness settle deep within her, her mind drifting to her encounter with Vivian and the unsettling events of the fashion show. If she accepted Vivian's offer, would she be taught more about art and energia? And did she really want to know? What if it led to something darker—witchcraft, or worse, voodoo? Why had Vivian come backstage to ask about her aunt? Maybe they knew each other—what a small world.

Her thoughts turned to the letters her aunt, Acadia, had sent over the past few months. Acadia had always been the family rebel, the one who defied both her father's and grandfather's rigid expectations. She had left for Europe, built a successful company, and carved out a life on her terms. Loconda admired her aunt's courage and independence, qualities she longed to possess but feared she lacked herself.

As Loconda sat there, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, her phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced at the screen, seeing a flood of messages from her group chat with Lovelie, Tracey, and Dream. Her heart skipped a beat as she opened them, her eyes stinging with the weight of their words.

"Hey Loco, we've got a surprise for you!" Tracey's message read.

"We just bought you a plane ticket to Italy!" Dream added, her excitement practically jumping off the screen. "It leaves in 32 minutes and it's boarding now."

Lovelie's message followed: "You'll have a layover in Rome. We're sending you the details now. You don't have to do this alone. Follow your dreams, Loco."

Tears welled up in Loconda's eyes as she read their messages. The love, the thoughtfulness, the kindness—they weren't just sending her on a flight. They were sending her a lifeline. A chance.

A link to her boarding pass appeared in the chat. With trembling fingers, Loconda clicked it open, her eyes scanning the details in a blur. Her heart raced as she glanced up at the departure board, searching for the flight to Rome. Her eyes locked on the lone entry—Rome, Terminal B. A cold knot tightened in her stomach as she saw the departure time. Less than thirty minutes. The plane was about to leave, and Terminal B was all the way across the airport. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized she had barely 10 to 15 minutes to make it. Time was slipping away, and she couldn't afford to hesitate. The window was closing fast, and if she didn't act now the opportunity would pass her by.

Jasiah and Rohan stood a few feet away, their backs to Loconda, eyes glued to the TV mounted outside the sports bar. Trinidad's national soccer team was locked in a tense match against Colombia, the game tied at 2-2 in the final seconds. Rohan beat his chest, chanting, "Go, go, go!"

Jasiah glanced over his shoulder at Loconda, who was bent down, tying her shoes.

"No way!" Jasiah muttered, his attention snapped back to the screen as a Trinidadian player sprinted down the field, unchallenged. "There's no one near him."

"Not a soul," Rohan laughed, excited. "We got this!"

The player's feet blurred as he closed in on the goal, the ball a fluid extension of his movement. With a swift flick, he powered the ball with precision, sending it rocketing toward the top corner of the net. The Colombian goalie lunged, arms outstretched in a desperate attempt to block the shot, but the ball was too fast, too perfect. It sailed past him and thudded into the back of the net.

Rohan and Jasiah erupted in cheers, their voices joining in unison with the roar of the bar. Jasiah threw his arms in the air, victorious. But when he turned to share the moment with Loconda, she was gone.

Panic gripped him. He scanned the crowd, his pulse quickening as the busy airport around him seemed to stretch endlessly, a blur of hurried movements and unfamiliar faces.

"Loca!" he shouted, his voice lost in the cacophony of the terminal.

Rohan was still caught up in the euphoria of Trinidad's victory, cheering and jumping up and down. Jasiah grabbed his arm, shaking him forcefully. "She's gone!"

Rohan blinked, snapping out of his celebration. "Who's gone?

"Loca's gone. I can't see her anywhere," Jasiah said, urgency creeping into his voice.

Rohan's eyes widened as he understood the gravity of the situation. "Where'd she go?" 

Jasiah stood in the bustling airport, his eyes darting from one face to another. His heart raced with a mix of fear and determination. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. The back of a girl's head, with the same cascading waves of dark hair, and a jacket that looked just like Loconda's.

Without a second thought, Jasiah took off after her, weaving through the sea of people. His pulse quickened with each step, his hope rising. As he got closer, he noticed the jacket's unique embroidery, identical to the one Loconda wore. He sped up, almost knocking into travelers as he raced through the crowd.

Finally, he reached her. Without thinking, he grabbed her by the arm and spun her around. "Loconda!" he exclaimed, but as soon as he saw her face, his heart sank.

The girl stared back at him, wide-eyed and startled. She looked remarkably like Loconda, but she wasn't her.

Jasiah's face flushed with embarrassment and disappointment. "I'm so sorry," he stammered. "I thought you were someone else. My sister...she's missing, and you look just like her. Pardon my rudeness, but where did you get that jacket?"

The girl relaxed a bit, her initial shock giving way to understanding. "Oh, this jacket?" she said, looking down at it. "A girl gave it to me a few seconds ago. She saw I was cold and told me it looked better on me. She was really sweet."

Jasiah's heart skipped a beat. "Did she say where she was going?"

The girl shook her head. "No, she just handed it to me and walked away. I didn't even catch her name."

Rohan finally caught up to Jasiah, breathing heavily. "Did you find her?" he asked, scanning the crowd.

"No," Jasiah replied, scanning the crowded airport, his eyes searching desperately for any sign of Loconda. But she was nowhere to be found.