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over with that intention of talking about Stephano, but as her mother had raised the subject, she decided to seek some advice.   Her mother had lived on the island for the first twenty years of her life and though the population was predominantly African and Indian, the island was an eclectic mixture of races.   “Did you ever date a man of another race when you lived in Trinidad?”  
    “No.”   Her mother’s answer was immediate and not very encouraging.   She turned to Natalie with a suspicious glint in her eye.   “Are you trying to tell me something?”
    Natalie could have evaded the question.   What she and Stephano shared could still be chalked up to an indiscretion and brushed under the carpet.
    “There is a guy at the office—”
    “You said that you’re the only black person working there…so he’s white?”
    “Yes, he’s white.   His name’s Stephano.   His parents are Italian, but he was born here.”
    Her mother was silent for a moment.
    “How old is he?”
    “He’s twenty-eight.”
    “At least he’s not a dirty old man.”
    “Mum!”
    “Look at Sybil’s daughter—living with a man old enough to be her grandfather!”
    “Mum, David’s not old enough to be Sybil’s…”   Her mother was right, but just barely as his eldest child was almost seventeen years older than his new lover.   “Okay, he’s old enough to be her grandfather, but he’s not!   And he loves her.”
    “Of course, he loves her.   What’s not for him to love?   She’s young and beautiful.   Why didn’t he marry her before asking her to shack up with him?”
    “Maybe she doesn’t want to marry him!”   Natalie retorted.   Knowing Karen as she did, she was sure that the young woman Karen planned on being a pampered mistress for a while before moving on.
    “You think she prefers to live in sin with him?”   Her mother made a dismissive sound.   “He doesn’t want to have to give her half of his money if they get divorced.   And why would he buy the whole cow when he could drink all the milk he wants?”
    “Mum, that’s so cynical.”
    “I’m just being realistic,” her mother insisted.
    Karen was a year older than Natalie.   Their mothers had been friends as long as she   could remember, but she and Karen had never had much in common.   They’d chatted and played when their parents had thrown them together, but they had never made any attempt to deepened or further the friendship.   Most people accused David of taking advantage of Karen because he was so much older, but all it took was one look to see that he was totally whipped by his younger lover.   Karen had always been street smart and savvy; she had probably decided that she wanted a life of luxury and found a man to provide it.   Natalie would be willing to bet that Karen was the one not wanting to get married and not the other way around—she had probably decided, why buy the whole bull when all she wanted was some meat?
    “Was Michael white too?” her mother asked.
    “Why do you ask that?”   The question was so unexpected Natalie felt sick for a moment, thinking that Nathan had betrayed her although she had sworn him to secrecy.
    “You mentioned him all time and I got the impression that he was more than just a classmate.   When you didn’t bring him home, I did wonder.”
    “No, Mum.   Michael’s black.   His stepfather’s from Trinidad and his mother’s from Jamaica.”
    “What’s his father’s name?   I might know him!”
    “He never told me.”   Natalie had asked him, wondering if the man was a friend of her father’s, but Michael had refused give her any details except to say that he was a ‘Trini bastard’.   “His real father was Jamaica, but he and Michael’s mum split up when Michael was a baby.”
    Her mother was silent for another minute.
    “I expected Nathan to date a white girl with every Black British footballer, politician or celebrity marrying one, but somehow I never thought