One Babymoon Explanation, One Jamaica Escape
Photo credit: Dwayne Watkins
Words and their meanings come naturally to Jeffrey. He’s a musical artist, college-educated, and expresses emotions in a way that would make Hallmark envious. However, he had no idea what to do with a word his wife, Nicole, introduced 12 weeks into her pregnancy.
“Babymoon,” Jeffrey repeated back to Nicole. “What’s a … babymoon?”
Oh honey, let’s find out.
A Word That Needed Explaining
Turns out, Nicole has her own skill with words because two months later she and Jeffrey were riding through the lush hills of Jamaica en route to their babymoon at Sandals Dunn’s River. Educating Jeffrey about babymoons had been the first of Nicole’s two challenges. She also had to convince him to pull away from his latest passion project: the creation of an eco-resort in St. Mary Parish, a dream he’s had for a Robinson Crusoe kind of getaway in the heart of his home island.
“He’s out there at Mulberry every day, working,” Nicole says. “The thing about my husband, when he decides to do something, he puts everything into it — physically and mentally.”
It’s the same single-mindedness that he used to build up his concert and record name: Agent Sasco. In fact, ever since they were married at Beaches in 2011, Nicole has simply referred to him as “Sasco” in casual conversations.
“True, she does call me that, except when she wants my full attention,” he says. “Then it’s ‘Jeeeff-reey …’ It means we have something serious to talk about.”
Convincing Sasco to Take a Break
Photo credit: Dwayne Watkins
And that’s how the conversation started when Nicole, pregnant with the fraternal twins who would expand their family to seven, wanted to share an escape plan with him. “Jeeeff-reey …”
“I don’t spring anything on him without plenty of advance notice,” Nicole says. “He needs time to shift his focus from work to whatever I’m talking about.”
Like a babymoon, for example. It didn’t matter how she addressed her husband: Sasco, the man of many words, or Jeffrey, the man who was totally dialed into his dream project on a hill in the forest. Nicole had to lock eyes and explain this, sweetly and precisely.
“Jeffrey, we will be alone, not tending to anyone except each other. You will not have any concerns and you will not lift a finger for four days. You and I will go to the spa for massages. We’ll walk on the beach. And picture this, we will stay in a suite with our own swimming pool. In the morning, we will step into our pool and enjoy breakfast. That’s right, we will literally eat while we’re sitting in the water.”
Bringing the Babymoon to Life
Photo credit: Dwayne Watkins
If the “whats” grabbed Jeffrey’s attention, the “where” made everything hit home because he considers Sandals Dunn’s River the oceanfront inspiration for his inland eco-resort. The indigenous wood. The water gently flowing from nearby streams. The peacefulness. The pure Jamaican influences.
“Especially the service,” Jeffrey says. “Everything can be attractive to the eyes, but service makes all the difference. When Nicole described the babymoon as a honeymoon for expecting parents and said we’d be going to Sandals Dunn’s River, I was in. And I needed a break as well.”
At around noon on a Thursday, Nicole and Jeffrey hit a ribbon of road in Jamaica’s countryside and drove toward their four-night date at Sandals, stopping to buy fresh mangoes at a roadside stand. By the time the first drop of juice glistened on Jeffrey’s chin, his shoulders had loosened. His baritone laugh filled the car easily and often.
“I could tell he had shifted his thoughts to Sandals because he was so relaxed,” Nicole says. That’s what the anticipation of a babymoon had done to this hard-working husband and father. But wasn’t this supposed to be about Nicole, the mama carrying their babies?
Her time was straight ahead.
Soaking Up Sandals Dunn’s River
Photo credit: Dwayne Watkins
Deep down, Jeffrey is aware of something about Nicole, even if he doesn’t regularly admit it. “She’s usually right about the things she chooses to pursue.”
The moment their butler opened the door to their suite at Sandals Dunn’s River, they both knew it: she was right again. For Jeffrey, it was the Jamaica of his boyhood dreams. For Nicole, it was love-love-love at first sights.
Her eyes immediately fixed on a bouquet of flowers. “Oh, I love flowers.”
Then she saw a picture of the children she loves so much — Allyana, Lauren, and Joshua — and, beyond the frame, a spectacular view of the beach.
“Oh, I love the beach, too. I mean, I really, REALLY love the beach.”
A placard on a nightstand read, “Welcome to your Babymoon,” with a cravings menu and a pregnancy pillow. Jeffrey went for the menu. Nicole went for the pillow. Love barely begins to articulate how she felt about it.
“The fact that someone took the time to personalize this for us and knew what the pillow would mean — unless you’re pregnant, you don’t understand. I was out of my mind delighted. Suddenly, this babymoon thing … it became more real.”
While Nicole wrapped herself into the cocoon of the pregnancy pillow, Jeffrey indulged in what would become his new favorite treat: fruit sushi with shaved papaya and melon wrapped in rice, ordered from the cravings menu.
“He was loving everything about this babymoon, too,” Nicole says.
For the next four days, they immersed themselves in babymooning. Walks along the ocean. Massages at Red Lane Spa. Nicole’s morning coffees at Blum. Another platter of fruit sushi for Jeffrey. In an act of improvisation, he suggested, “Why don’t we just relax in our pool? We can enjoy the view and chat about our lives together.”
This time, Nicole makes the admission. “Sasco was right. It could not have been more perfect.”
It seemed like everyone on the Sandals staff had been educated about their babymoon. Gardeners would say, “Are you enjoying your special time?” Housekeepers would ask, “How can I assist you?” When Nicole imagined one afternoon how nice it would be to have an alcohol-free Heineken, she must have imagined it out loud because a staff member went off property and came back with the beers.
“Surprise after surprise,” she says, “delight after delight.”
The Sweetest Ending
Photo credit: Dwayne Watkins
The most delightful surprise was yet to come.
“Keep walking.” Jeffrey and Nicole had strolled from their suite to the beach. Nicole’s feet loved how the sand spilled over them with each step, so she didn’t mind when Jeffrey repeated, “Keep walking.” It didn’t matter where they were going. She and Jeffrey were alone with the most beautiful ocean on earth and … a table. Just up ahead sat a dinner table decorated with teddy bears and candles.
“For us?” Nicole said. She already felt as if they’d been transported onto a movie set when Jeffrey magically held out a single rose. Nicole could manage five words: “Where did you get this?”
“From our butler,” Jeffrey said, breaking the surreal scene with loving honesty.
Later, he would explain that “the Sandals Resorts team did everything. They helped me score a lot of husband points for just showing up. The whole experience also refreshed our perspective. We’re both busy but being at Sandals gave us more positive energy to bring back to our family and reminded us of the importance of celebrating each other. I can tell you I’m very glad she convinced me to let go of my work to enjoy the babymoon.”
Nicole smiles a contented smile without saying a word. She loves listening to Jeffrey’s voice, and she loves being right.
