Sylvia started laughing, “Girl no! I’m crawling, sitting my way down the stairs.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I’m hungry, dizzy - so better safe than tumbling down.”
“Sylvia! Are you crazy? Let me get off this phone until you eat.”
“No-no, I’m fine - almost at the bottom now. As for Gert and Mama Jojo, we know what we know, ain’t no telling what’s to come from that lil’secret session last night.”
“I know - things getting crazy by the day. Speaking of crazy, next up - Meribel has lost her frickin’-frackin’ mind!” Vivian spat with a left-right shift of her head to emphasize her chosen exclamations.
Comfortable for the moment at the bottom of the stairs, Sylvia asked, “Oh boy, why? What’s she done?” She asked while trying to muster up the energy to stand and make it to the kitchen. After all, sitting so low on the steps, she had quite a ways up to go to stand and knew it was going to topple her. Just then Shawn came walking by and stopped in his tracks staring at his very pregnant wife in an odd place while on the phone. He had to ask, “Ah, what are you doing there?”
“Hang on Vivian, one second,” she covered the mouth piece, and to her husband, “I’m hungry and… uh, dizzy - I need some food, but I’m talking to Vivian.”
The expression that crossed Shawn’s face made her blush and flinch in reaction to it, he couldn’t believe it, “Sylvia… get off the phone - woman are you…” Was as far as he got, and then accepting and knowing his wife, he exhaled and asked, “Would you like me to bring you something - or take you to it?”
She smiled brightly for him, “Can you bring me something? But I don’t want nothing from last night, something fresh made.”
“I know-I know,” he walked off muttering, shaking his head.
Happy now, Sylvia could return to Vivian, “Okay, back now, so why was Meribel trippin’?”
“Derrick packed up last night and left.”
“Nooo - are you serious?”
“Marcus called the house to tell his mother and she was like, whatever - what you want me to do?”
“Are you serious?!”
“Not her exact words, but close enough. And then - get this, went on to chew all of us out! Me, Shanna and Jake - left us with a new hole and nothing to stop it with.”
“What? Why?”
“Because we were trying to point out that she needed to try and work it out. Oh my goodness, what we do that for. I got quiet ‘cuz I could see she was about to go off, you know Puerto Ricans crazy anyway-…”
“Stop it now, don’t go there.”
“You can deny it all you want to, but you aught’ah know. Anywaaay, Jake tried to calm her down and reason with her. All of a sudden - all the McPhersons could go right on off to hell!”
“She say that? You lying!”
“If I’m lying, I’m dying!”
“I bet she ain’t been taking her medicine.”
“That’s it! That’s what lit her up - because Jake asked her had she taken her medicine.”
Sylvia sat shaking her head, “That’s a shame - where is she now?”
“I don’t know and furthermore, do not care! I feel sorry for them kids - but she has pissed me off!”
“Aaah Vivian, she didn’t mean it - her hormones all messed up.”
“I could have forgiven the malicious cow that, but she had to stir up mess between me and Jake.”
“Uh oh, what she say about you two?”
“She told him not to worry about her and Derrick, worry about me and what he was doing - because a cheetah can’t change its spots!”
“Oh. Vivian don’t pay anything she says any attention. She’ll be sorry she said it by tonight.”
“No she won’t - the hefa done lost her Puerto Rican mind! I’m done with her - she could’ve left here and kept all that to herself - but no - their home is broken so uh, let’s break yours too! She changing - getting nastier by the day.”
“Well don’t blame Jake for what she said, he don’t have any control over her emotions or her mouth.”
“Em hm.”
“Why you say it like that?”
“No reason.” Vivian tried to deny what she was feeling.
“Now I know better and so do you. He hasn’t done anything has he?”
Vivian went quiet - unable to answer.
“Vivian - come on - you don’t believe that do you?”
Shawn came with a lap tray of food, Sylvia looked at it and then down at her big round girth and lack of lap.
He grinned and shrugged, mouthing and gesturing for her to go in the kitchen.
She shook her head and making faces waved him off to set the food on the floor. Shawn set it down in her reach. Sylvia smiled up at him and mouthed a, ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’ followed by an air kiss. He nodded in a yeah-yeah-yeah manner and stepped around her to head up the stairs to check on Mundo in the nursery. He would be leaving to pick up the paint and other things he found for the nursery.
Sylvia spread her thighs wide so her girth would fit in-between as she bent over to get busy on the sliced boiled eggs, sausage, cheese, and spiced up Quinoa - her replacement for grits. Alongside, pickled peppers for her stomach - best thing to settle it.
“Come on girl, what’s going on?” Sylvia asked trying to pry her thinking loose.
“Emmm,” Vivian mumbled, “I don’t know, he looked funny when she said it. Well no, he didn’t look funny - in fact - he didn’t look at me at all. Couldn’t look at me. And, on top of that - he suddenly felt he needed to go into work. For ah, more overtime. Whatever - he didn’t wanna come in this house and face me. Like, he figured I would have started asking questions. We were okay until she put that crap in the air and in my head.”
Sylvia sighed, eating and swallowing, “Look… you need to let it go. For real, let it go. Don’t start dwelling on it, I know you - it’s already growing in your head to the point it’s putting you in a mood. He’s been good hasn’t he?”
“Hmph, has he?” Vivian asked sarcastically.
“You know what - no-no-no I’m not even going there. You got the man that you wanted. Wait Vivian - wait until he gives you reason. If he hasn’t yet - don’t go there.”
“That’s easy for you to say - you got Shawn.”
Sylvia paused in her chewing, sighing, “You startin’ to sound like Meribel now.” They all thought Shawn was perfect, while he was definitely close, he came with baggage, drama and stress. She’d had plenty of it with him - however, she still wouldn’t trade him for anyone else.
“Well hey, it’s true. He a good man, no worries. What serious problems do you all really have?”
“Girl please, the grass - is not greener - in my yard! If it is, it’s because I fertilize. You too must fertilize - make your grass greener. Because my home - my man is not trouble free, don’t you believe that nonsense for a second.”
“But - but - your man - whatever problems there might be - is true to you. Loves you, would never betray you and would let no harm come to you. Say it ain’t so?”
“Vivian?” Sylvia called her name and waited, “Vivian?” Again, dead air, “Answer me, please…”
“Yeah?”
“You prayed for that man - you now have him - deal with it. Come what may, you deal. You know how don’t you? Don’t make me say it. I do not wanna say it - so please don’t make me. I don’t want you mad at me. You - unlike most, know exactly what you got. The good, the bad and how ugly. For now, let go of Meribel’s words and continue to be, his good wife.”
“I know… I know, and I will. I have been, it’s just that…”
“What?”
“Nothing…”
“You sure it’s nothing?”
“No, I’m not, but - it’s mine - like you said, so I have to deal with it. I’ll probably be by there later. I’m getting tired, gonna take a nap. Once I’m up, I’m gonna fix this man his favorite, spaghetti - so when he comes home, all is good - not even gonna bring it
up. Talk to you later - love you sis.”
“Love you too babe.”
Just as Sylvia hung up, Mama Jojo came down the hall and spotting her there she started laughing, “Lord chile, why is you sittin’ on the steps, squattin’ an’ eatin’ that way?”
Sylvia grinned up at her, “Got hungry - phone rang - this is as far as I got Mama Jojo…” She popped the last of the food, the peppers, “How you feeling this morning?” She asked, feeling better already after having eaten.
“I do just fine. We need t’get the B & B menu stuff - make sure we got everything on the list to cook and freshen up them rooms.”
“Yes ma’am - can do.” Sylvia grabbed for the banister using it to heft herself up to her feet and only felt slightly tipsy, her blood sugar was normalizing and she was ready to roll. “Let’s get busy.” She invited with a smile.
* * *
Jake had indeed gone into work and put in more hours than he thought he would. A few times through the day he thought he should call home - but - just didn’t. Simply put - he didn’t feel like enduring the drama he felt he would be getting if he called home or, if he went home. Main reason, his face was still burning from guilt every time he replayed Meribel’s words.
He tried to work off the feeling, reason he stayed at work so late. And yet, when he got off work, instead of pointing the truck home, he pointed it towards the tavern he frequented. He was in a weird mood. It started with Meribel’s words against him. She’d hurt his feelings and in a sense betrayed him by causing him this problem with his wife. He knew Vivian, and she was no doubt stewing about it. Simply put, he wasn’t sure what to say yet. Vivian was different. He instinctively knew the things he pulled with Doris, was not going to work with his wife.
For the most part, Doris had been easy.
He sighed with the shake of his head.
His wife!
Time!
The distance that a commitment was to go in that it stood for - forever - until death did they part - was starting to hit him dead between the eyes. Right now, he was married - meaning he could do no wrong. All other women were now, off limits - forever. To never again be with another is what married meant.
Jake groaned.
Never to flirt - never to try it - never to see it - work it like he used to. Something was not right he figured, after all, he was thinking back about King Solomon, and Abraham and Jacob, all of them were favored by God and had wives and concubines, ‘What the heck!’ he blasted in thought. Those were the days. Then Christ came in and said, one - just one wife, to one man. Jake groaned, not that he had anything personal against Christ, because yeah - he was doing his Father’s will, but - this was not easy.
To be fair, she - his wife, Vivian, she had his name after all. Who else had that? ‘Why does it have to be so restrictive?’ he questioned trying to justify his thinking.
‘One woman - one – that’s it!’ His mind repeated the reminder.
Standing at the bar, he was already on to his third beer. It was growing dark out, dusk was closing in. He made a face, he couldn’t even stand at the bar and have a drink without stressing about it. Because he had a wife now. ‘I’m a grown man, I don’t have to call anybody if I don’t want to. This is crazy. I’ll get home when I choose to get home, and you - you just be there waiting like the good little wife you trying to be.’ He fussed to himself. Bolstered by his own logic on marriage, he ordered another beer and was determined to enjoy it, without stress. He looked around the tavern, it was a bit crowded, not too bad - the place was filled with most that he knew. Looking around, and a few that he didn’t know. There were two guys that he knew, playing pool with two new faces, women. One of the faces was a blond. Hair so long it hung to her rear. Thick, course and wavy for the most part, could use a bit of brushing. Even so it was stunning, you couldn’t help but notice it, might even be tempted to touch it. She was mid-weight towards heavy, thick legs stuffed into tight jeans and a big behind. A rump right to ride.
He liked big girls.
He looked away.
This is why marriage for the long term was a problem for men like himself. He downed that beer as well, and ordered another. He figured, since he was out, he might as well get numb, what the heck - he’d been a good boy for a while now, ‘What’s wrong with a man taking a breather? I’m not a frickin’ boy - I work hard, I pay the cost, not gonna be told what to do!’ He groused getting worked up over his own thinking, and guilty conscience. He figured he should be fit after three more beers. Maybe he’d call Shanna and have her bring his wife so she could drive him home and he would tell her, he didn’t wanna hear no lip either. Period! He needed another beer. Once he was good and drunk, he could face her. His neck twisted on his head back to the pool game. The plump blond was bent over the pool table getting ready to take a shot. Her ample buttocks was squeezed into those faded jeans and pointed right towards him.
And he felt himself stir, lengthen while looking.
Her hair hung to one side, long and kind’ah wild. He imagined grabbing hold of it like taking hold of the reigns of a mare he was about to ride. From this angle, she was hot. Well to him anyway. Not all men liked their women plump, healthy - he missed it to be honest.
She made her shot in the corner pocket and jumped for joy! Then turned right around from the table and set her eyes straight on him. As if she knew all along that he was there and she’d obviously set her sights on him long before that moment. He figured someone must have told her that Jake likes big girls. Because he didn’t know her and she didn’t know him.
Jake’s left hand lowered down by his side, and before he could talk himself out of it, he worked his wedding ring free, and eased it into his pocket. As he’d been doing so, she began sashaying her way to him, smiling the whole time. With the bar being shadowy, on the dark side, he hadn’t gotten a real good look at her. Now, he could.
He almost wanted to say, she was butt ugly - but not quite. But plain, oh yeah and then some. Her skin was rough as if she’d had a battle with a severe case of acne and lost. Her skin was pitted, scarred and uneven. On top of that, she was wearing khol black eyeliner and by the looks of it, she went round and round and round her eyes no less than four times with the stuff. Her brows had been shaved from the top down, leaving her a thin straight line over her bulging, heavy lidded dark eyes.
Jake almost shivered. He was instantly turned off. Because he’d been so transfixed on her, he didn’t catch, feel, or hear the “change” in the tavern after the door opened and closed to admit a new face. But one a few there knew. Something in the air had shifted a bit, as if, well - in truth besides the music, some standing around had grown quiet.
She, the blond stood right before him now, “Emm, well look at you, like what you see, Mr. tall and yummy? Buy me a drink?” She boldly leaned into him asking.
Jake stared a moment, shaking his head he replied boldly, “You buy me a drink.”
“Ach!” She exclaimed and then smiling purred, “ If I do, what I’m gone get out of it?”
“To buy me another one?” He grinned.
“That’s all you want?” She tried coaxing.
“Yeah, pretty much, why eat burger out, when I got steak at home.”
“Trust me, this is all steak, however - what will I be getting?”
“This size 8 up your worn out wrecked rectum! Not that you’d feel it!” Vivian’s offer rang through.
Before Jake could turn his head, with pounding heart - he felt his left hand lifted. His eyes finally locked on her dark presence as she held his hand, her eyes locked on his vacant ring finger. Now, he could feel the change in the air, in the room, because all knew this was his wife, and it appeared that crap was about to hit the fan.
It was a good thing he’d had a few drinks, he was going to need the numb.
Vivian had gotten up from her nap, taken a shower. Freshened herself up, put on make-up and fixed her Afro just so for him. She’d been determined to do what Sylvia said, let it go. Don�
�t go there, until he took her there. She put on something extra nice, and then went about fixing his favorite dish, the best that she’d ever prepared it.
And then, with candles lit and wine opened to breathe, she’d waited… and waited… and waited. Finally she phoned his mobile to hear it ringing down in the basement. So he didn’t have his phone on him. She’d called his job to see if he might still be there. Yeah, it was past working hours and a Saturday, but Jake could pretty much call the shots there.
No answer.
Standing in her kitchen alone, leaning against her kitchen counter, smells of his wonderful dinner wafting in the air - Vivian held the phone and all that she’d worked to dismiss from her mind, came zooming back in full force. She called Shanna next after a few moments deep in thought.
“Hey, what’s up?” Shanna answered, caller id told her who was on the other end, she knew it was Vivian or Jake.
Using her bankers voice so as not to tip his sister off as to how very pissed off she was, she asked, “Where is that bar that Jake likes to go to? Can you do me a favor and take me there, he called me from work asking if I would get him, he’s going to have a few beers he said.” She purred sweetly.
“Oh, cool - no problem - be there in a bit.”
She fixed his plate. After all, everything looked and smelled amazing, she wasn’t going to let her efforts go to waste - that bottle of wine had breathed long enough as well, so she grabbed that too.
Shanna pulled up to the tavern and sure enough, they saw the truck parked in sight, “Yep, this is where he is, thanks sis.” Vivian smiled as Shanna dropped her off. Smiling at her, Shanna shook her head, “I can’t believe you brought his dinner.”
“He said he was hungry, we’ll sit at a table so he can eat.”
“Good idea, have fun!”
“Oh, I plan to.”
The moment she stepped out of the Cherokee she began to seriously cook. All kinds of things were going through her mind, being pregnant wasn’t helping any. Her hormones were already charged - her mind was cultivating that seed that Meribel planted and her pride was in hyper speed. After entering the tavern, it took a few moments to spot him, there were quite a few people before her. The moment she saw him, she stepped up to the bar - there was a guy standing next to Jake who had spotted her coming in the door. He jumped back opening the spot to her, grinning the whole time, he could see the writing on the wall. This was gonna be good, especially noticing the plate of spaghetti and bottle of wine.
Beauty of Man and Woman - Volume 13: Bomaw Page 29
