Where I Belong

Bungalow

We crossed the threshold and trotted down the marble staircase. The black SUV was gone and in it's place was a red Jeep and a black Suzuki.

"I'm surprised there's not a Mercedes waiting to escort us." I laughed as we climbed into the Suzuki. I was where the driver should've been in America, but in Barbados it was the passenger's side.

"Well, they're harder to get 'ere on da island." Ri shrugged.

"Oh got it," I nodded, sticking my arm out the window. Ri pulled into reverse and left her gated mansion.

"So ya see," she said pulling onto the main road, "there's two sides of Barbados. The richer side an' da bungalows. More people live in da bungalows, obviously."

I nodded, "Ok." 

We kept driving on the mainroad passed the fancy mansions and two story homes, which slowly transformed into one story homes, which then transformed into bungalows. With our windows rolled down, Ri knew everybody. By name. 

"Ello," she smiled and waved from the car. We pulled off the main road and onto a road that had bungalows on either side. Driving through her old neighborhood, she greeted neighbors who still called her Robyn. "See- see da two of 'em," she pointed to two girls walking in the street, "I grew up wit em." She honked her horn twice and waved at them.

"Ahhhh," she grinned, leaning over the steering wheel, "Dis is gon'a be fuuuun!"

I grinned and looked at all the people in the street waving at us as we drove past. 

We passed a white bungalow that an entire family was sitting on the porch up. She waved at them, poiting at the older woman, "Jahiiiiiimaaaaa!" She grinned and waved at them as we passed, laughing as they enchanged hellos.

"So this is what it's like when a superstar comes home!" I laughed. 

"I love it 'ere! It was like dis even before I was famous!" she grinned, waving to a little boy in the street. "We're just a 'uge family here!"

We drove down the street a little more and Ri gasped, sticking her head out the window, "Oh my goooosh! 'Ow are you?" She pulled up next to a lady with a small child, and a man.

"Ah! Robyn!" The lady cried.

"Oh my gosh!" Ri laughed, hugging the lady through the car. She kissed her forehead, too. "Ah! Dis is Shakriya's daughta?!" Robyn was amazed and leaned over the side of the car, "Hey pretty girl! How are you?" She took the girl's face in her hands, "Tell ya mama I say 'ello!"

The lady grinned, "We'll tell 'er!" 

"Alright, " Robyn said, putting her hand on the steering wheel, "It's time to go! It was so great seein' you! I'll come back an shout at ya'll later alright? Alright!" She said as they agreed. We began pulling away slowly, "Buh bye! See ya all soon!"

She said to herself more than me, grinning, "That's so awesome!"

"I love how as we're driving through your neighborhood you're still Robyn to the neighborhood!" I grinned, looking down the street.

"Yaass, this is very true," she said, grinning and nodding. 

I was grinning, simply loving see Rihanna look so happy. It was funny how quickly she could drop back in and assimilate back to the island lifestyle.

We pulled up alongside a white bungalow with red stairs and a green roof. She turned to me grinning, "Dis... is the place!"

"Do you know who lives there now?" I asked as we parked in the street, next to the driveway occupied by a red car.