“Explain what? Did you - or did you not - do that porn? You do that?!” Bart spat the words once more, spraying Shawn’s face.
“I - yes - I did, I-…”
Hearing the admission, lit Bart and Shawn got no further as his father grabbed him by his shirt front to shake him as he shouted, “YOU PROUD O’THAT BOY!” and shoved him onto the table, holding him down, slamming him, gripping his throat to choke him.
Sylvia was hurting. Pains in her back, shooting low in the womb. She was riding out just that kind of pain when she heard the commotion down the hall as if someone was fighting in her house. She heard Angela’s shrill voice screaming out, “LEAVE’EM ALONE, LEAVE MY DAD ALONE!”
Adrenaline shot through her forcing her to move and act as she struggled down the long hallway to the family room. She then recognized Jake’s voice, raised, loud and shouting at Shawn. That didn’t make sense - Jake had left to follow Royce and Crystal. She rushed into the room as fast as she could to see Bart tossing her husband around, choking him, slapping him and shouting in his face. Derrick was trying to get him off of him, while Gert and Shanna stood by screaming as well. She didn’t know when they’d arrived, obviously just now, as well Bart.
Everyone was shouting at Bart as his words penetrated with his actions, “YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SCUM - NO SON OF MINE COULD DO WHAT YOU DONE! You hear! I gave you a chance! I raised you like my own!!”
Derrick was wrestling between the two, not wanting to hurt his father, “Let him go dad! Please let him go!”
Gert was shouting, “I’ah never forgive you this Bart! You hear, not ever! Turn him loose!”
“Daddy let him gooo! Please don’t do this!” Shanna cried.
Mundo stood with his hands laced on his head, eyes pouring - helpless to do anything.
Instant fire went through Sylvia, all she could see was her husband as a young boy, being abused by this man and here he was, in his own home and Bart was doing it to him again. Her reaction was the very same as if Armundo was on one of her children, she didn’t care who Bart was, she attacked. “GET OFF OF MY HUSBAND! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HIM!! Don’t you touch him!” She yanked on Bart’s jacket collar, pulling back with all her might, punching him in the head, she knocked his bill cap off, and yanked his hair - just long enough for her to grip it. “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!! - GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!! - GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!! I’LL KILL YOU!!! You don’t touch my husband!!! You don’t put your hands on him!!!” She screamed, fighting Bart.
Angela ran upstairs to her room, tears raining down her face.
Vivian stood sobbing her eyes out in disbelief this was happening to her new and beautiful family, “Sylvia stop! Come over here, please stop!”
Bart had no choice but to let Shawn go, trying to block the blows from Sylvia, turning to get her off of him.
Shawn immediately rushed between his father and his wife, protecting her, breathing hard, standing before her, holding her back - he just wanted it all to stop. His nose and mouth were bleeding, he would not fight his father back, but he wouldn’t let anyone touch his wife. “Don’t you touch her!” Shawn gasped at his father.
Bart faced his son, “Think I’d hit a woman? She’s got nothing to fear from me - it’s YOU she needs to know about!” Bart went on, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth she caused. Trying to catch his breath, he stood looking around the room for Gert, spotting her, “See what you done - you see? Because of you - this - all of it, because of you!” He growled breathing hard, “Tell this boy what a whore his mama is? Fruit don’t fall far from the tree! Just like his mama, just worse! I tried to get it out’ah him, it’s in too deep! Tell’im - tell this boy who his daddy is! Tell’im ‘bout that Edwin Piercey!”
“MCPHERSON!” Gert blasted back at him, “Admit it Bart! Face it - face what flows through your blood as well! Face it that you’re no better than my son! No better than his father! Because your own FATHER’S BLOOD - flows through them all! Face it! HE - IS - A - MCPHERSON - JUST LIKE YOU!” Gert shouted at him, as if rolling her sleeve up for a fight, “You bastard you abused my boy! My Shawn - he was an innocent child! You made him pay for what I did! He would have never run away and did the things he did if it hadn’t been for all that you put on him! HE COULDN’T TAKE IT!!! AND NEITHER CAN I! YES - I went with Edwin and I loved him! And if you hadn’t helped kill him - I would’ve been with him still to this day - instead of going through all that hell with you! Battling you for all the hell you put my boys through. YES - this is all my fault!” She sucked in deep breaths, “I’m done with you Bart. This what you did today, to my Shawn - after I gave you time - see what you did with it? God as my witness, we - you and I - are done!”
Everyone was quiet. Shocked at the disclosures.
Shanna had known.
Sylvia strongly suspected.
Vivian knew a great deal as well, but never thought it would come out like this.
Mama Jojo stood in her room, her door open enough to have heard it all – shushing the boys in her room. After all, her room was only a few steps from the family room. In a way, she regretted coming to stay with Shawn, she felt partly responsible for things to have come out this way.
Shawn stood blown away - his ears ringing as he stood holding his wife to him. He actually stumbled back and landed in a chair from the table.
Derrick couldn’t believe what he’d just heard, what he’d just witnessed between his parents. But looking back over the years, it all made sense now. Shanna moved in close to her father, “Please daddy, let’s go… please.” She begged gently.
Spent, no more energy left, Bart went to pick up his bill cap. Shanna beat him to it, picking it up she placed it on his head. Supporting him, she turned him towards the sliding glass doors, Bart took a few steps, looked back at Gert, “Sorry I ever married you, my daddy made me.”
“Shame he never knew what a murdering bigot you turned out to be.”
“I - didn’t - kill him.” He defended himself once more.
“You - were - there! Did nothing to stop it, so - you might as well have. That wasn’t enough, to see him tortured and murdered, you needed more and abused a child you thought was his. Your own - flesh and blood - your half-brother’s son - your nephew, that’s what he was.” She got out now that all was quiet enough to hear it.
Bart turned away. He was worn out, out of breath and wanted to be away from it all. He slid the door open and with his daughter under his arm, he made his way out.
Sylvia’s eyes spilled tears as she stood next to her husband. “Can you all please - go? Please? If you don’t live here - we need to be alone right now.”
Derrick turned from his parents to Sylvia and then glanced down at Shawn. Who couldn’t look at anyone for the moment.
“Shawn… please, call me later?” Derrick almost begged.
Shawn gave a barely discernible nod.
Derrick looked to Vivian whispering, “I’ll give you a ride home.”
She nodded, wiping away tears of her own, “I’ll take the boys with me for Crystal.” She spoke softly, grabbing her things, she collected Darren and Isaac with Mundo’s help from Mama Jojo to follow Derrick out. She would have to phone Jake and let him know to come home, and bring Crystal with him. When Mundo came back in, he went straight down to the basement, pacing, not sure of what to do - then thought about Angela. When she’d run up the stairs pass Ivory, she’d gone into her room and locked her door so he took a seat outside of it, pulled his phone from his pocket and checked in on her. Unknown to the family, he had full surveillance of all rooms accept for Shawn’s and Sylvia’s room. But to guard the house completely - there was a secret camera everywhere other than the master bedroom and the bathrooms. Checking her, she was lying across her bed, crying - satisfying him that she was okay.
Downstairs, Mama Jojo closed her door and went to lie down. Even though she’d stayed out of the way, the stress of it all wore her out.
“Shawn…” Gert was the only one who hadn’t left. She let out a long and
tired sigh, “You weren’t supposed to find out like this.”
Sylvia glanced up from her husband at her mother-in-law. She couldn’t stand anymore, she walked away to sit in the chair beside him.
Shawn reached up and wiped at his nose and mouth, clearing the streams of blood.
Upstairs, Mundo approached Ivory giving a sad smile, “Hey, just coming to check on Angela.”
“She’s upset, I looked in on her a bit ago - think she wants to be left alone.”
“Not today,” He returned knocking on her door, “…too much going on,” Mundo murmured, “Angela, its Mundo - you okay? Come hangout in the basement with me, you’on need to be by yourself.” He tried her door knob, the door was locked. He waited a moment. Ivory was waiting for her to respond or open the door as well. When they heard nothing, Ivory pulled his phone out again to check on her. The moment the screen lit up and he panned the room, he let out a startled grunt, leapt to his feet and began trying to kick the door open.
Mundo followed his lead, kicking it in with him panicking as he asked, “What?! Wha’s going on?”
The third hard kick did it, both of them burst through to see Angela hanging by the neck, her legs thrashing as she hung.
“NOOOO!” Mundo shouted rushing forward grabbing her legs pushing her up, “NOOO - NOOO - NOOO ANGELAAA NOOO! JESUS PLEASE - NOOO!”
Ivory’s gun was out like a flash of light, shooting the light fixture she hung from, that immediately dropped her to the floor.
Shawn came crashing into the room as Ivory was giving her mouth to mouth, working over her frantically to bring her around. He saw one of her robe sashes around her neck and the hole in the ceiling. Gert was not far behind him - seeing what he saw, she stifled a scream, covering her mouth. Mundo sat next to them, shaking, rocking back and forth sobbing his eyes out, “Please Angela… wake up lil’sis, wake up please!!!” He begged.
Shawn dropped to his knees and crawled to where Ivory leaned over her.
Sylvia couldn’t follow as fast, she was in pain. She made it to Angela’s room, standing beside Gert looking in at the scene before her and fought not to faint, she too went to her knees.
Out front, pictures where being snapped of the house as reporters repeated over and over, “Shots fired, shots were fired!”
They all became revved up in the hopes of a possible death or suicide - to be there on the scene, would mean a big story for the news and press present.
At the hospital…
The doctor was saying, “The prayer needs to be that there is no brain damage. If there isn’t, she’ll be waking up soon. She’s a fortunate little girl that - one, she didn’t know the exact way of doing it for instant death, and - two, that her brother decided to check on her when he did. She would have succeeded if given just a bit more time - because she did it the slow painful way. Thank God that she did.” He turned away from her bed, from standing beside Shawn to explain that to the family. He turned heading for the door and stopped before Mundo, “You saved her life - a few minutes more and it would have been over. Good job son, good job.” The doctor shook his hand, pat him on the shoulder and left the family alone.
Shawn sat quietly on one side of the bed, Sylvia on the other, Mundo and Gert at the end of the bed. Ivory her bodyguard was outside in the hall speaking with her mother. Deidre, Ben and Jeremiah’s flight had come in and they were on their way there now.
Shawn sat quiet, withdrawn, worn out and as down as he’d ever known. He held his little girl’s hand, soft, small and limp for the moment, his large thumb stroking over her knuckles. Oxygen was being fed to her as he gazed at her bruised and scared neck, proof that it had all been too much for her to bear. Up to that point, Shawn wasn’t sure who he’d failed the most - now he knew. When all the news reports were going on, repeating over and over again the same story, with only bits and pieces of more to add to it, he hadn’t focused on what it might be doing to her. He had given no thought to the fact that they were making more of what he’d supposedly done to her than all the rest, so he failed to consider how she would take it. He failed to see that she would feel responsible for it all. He failed to see it because this was all Oscar T Wherrington’s doing, as well his own. His mind had been cooking on those two aspects, and then how he would face his father.
He never thought his 10 year old little girl would try to kill herself.
His face dropped to his arm by her hip, rolling in disbelief. If it weren’t for Mundo, he would have lost his daughter today, bodyguard or not. He had thought her okay, had just looked in on her. It wasn’t until then that Shawn realized that there were hidden camera’s throughout his home for security surveillance. He hadn’t known that. But it was something Deidre had built in as would be the case with any heavily secured residence or business. Had he known, he would have been furious, perhaps even had them taken out. But now, he realized along with Mundo, it was that which saved his daughter’s life - because it sure wasn’t anything that he did that saved her.
Sylvia was in agony.
No doubt about it, something along the day had caused her to go into labor. The stress alone could have done so. She bit into her tongue for the last time - she could hide it no more. She bent forward from the chair where she sat, one hand below her girth, the other braced on Angela’s bed, trying to keep in a moan.
“Sylvia?” Gert called her name, noticing something wasn’t right.
“Oh God, I’m so sorry… I’m - I’m in labor - oh I hurt so bad.”
Shawn’s head popped up, next his body followed. He rushed around the end of the bed to his wife’s side, kneeling beside her as she rode out an obvious strong contraction. Shawn was torn, but he had just as much responsibility to his wife and unborn son, as he did to the child lying before him. He twisted on his feet to look back at his son, pointing to the chair he’d just vacated and ordered, “Don’t leave your sisters side.”
Mundo was there - in the chair - as if it would be any other way.
Rubbing Sylvia’s back, he crooned, “I’m here baby I’m here…” and at the same time, he reached in his pants pocket for his wallet, opening it he reached for the card with her gyne on it. Pulling it out, he passed it back to his mother, “Please - call him - tell him we’re already at the hospital, that-…”
Gert snatched the card, “Land sakes Shawn, I know - see to Sylvia.” She ordered and turned rushing from the room to make the phone call. At the same time, she went to the closest nurse’s station and yelled, “Need a wheelchair, now! My daughter’s in premature labor - just barely eight months - she needs to be in maternity now - please!” She then heard the answering machine for Sylvia’s doctor come on with him speaking and then the beep, “Sylvia McPherson has gone into premature labor - we’re already at the hospital - get here quick please.”
In the room, Shawn waited for the contractions to pass, “Soon as this passes, I’m gonna pick you up and get you out of here.”
Sylvia shook her head, “I can walk - just let me catch my breath,” She struggled to say, inhaling deep and exhaling. Shawn stroked her bangs back, “I’m so sorry babe - I’ve put you all through so much.”
Sylvia palmed the back of his head and pulled him to her, she kissed his brow, his nose, and then, his mouth, “I love you more today, than yesterday - and I look forward to all of our tomorrows. I think Jesse James is coming, let’s just - focus on him and Angela, okay? ‘Cause, you and I - me and you - we gone be okay… you believe me?” She asked softly.
Shawn couldn’t look at her, his eyes pooled as he nodded.
Turning him loose, she came to her feet.
“God I hope they can stop your labor, it’s too soon.” Shawn worried.
Sylvia already knew it was beyond stopping, she shook her head as she made her way around the end of the bed and then cried out as another cramp hit her, “Oh no…” She felt wet, warmth gush between her thighs, and run down her legs. She froze, looking down at herself - she could feel it collecting in her shoes.
Mundo stood to look, “Ohhh snap! Mama, oh man-oh man, that ain’t good - oh man!”
Shawn went to bend and pick her up when the door swung open to the room and a nurse came in with a wheelchair.
Sylvia made her way to it praying her baby was big enough, strong enough and ready to be born, because she was certain, nothing could stop it now. She sat and was wheeled quickly away with Shawn keeping pace next to her, holding her hand.
Gert looked at Mundo and Angela, “You want me to stay here while you go with your mom?”
“No no no no, I’m good - you go, for real - I wanna be here with Angela when she wake up.”
Gert went to Angela, kissed her forehead and promised, “Grandma’ll be back baby,” She kissed her again, “Promise.” She walked by Mundo squeezing his shoulder, “You’re gold Mundo, pure gold.”
Smiling, he turned back to watch Angela and the smile melted away with a sigh. He sat a while just watching her, and then moved in closer. “Angela… Angela… why you do that girl? Huh? You tryin’ to kill our dad? Don’t you know - we a family and there is nothing we can’t get through, long as we stick together, huh? Now, you need to wake up and quit actin’ crazy. I’on know what I’m gone do, got an ol’crazy sister and now, gotta crazy baby sister too. Jesse James trippin’ - don’t know how to wait for his turn. He just gone decide to come on here now. I’m just gone lay it all out there right now - let you both know - don’t be coming at a brother all at once like that. I ain’t structured for all this drama at the same time. I know you hear me. You ain’t got no brain damage - to heck with that - you made of better stronger stuff than that, I know it. Ain’ no way - so you need to come on and wake up - for real, I ain’t playin’ Angela - don’t make me mad now.” He waited a few moments, swallowed the lump in his throat, “Please Angela… dad need you to wake up, and - I need you to wake up. Jesse James comin’ - you gone miss that? Know you don’t wanna miss that. Dad and me finished the nursery - we was gone do a ribbon cuttin’ and thangs - yeah… so, wake up… please… wake up.” He leaned forward, his elbows on the bed, his hands holding his head. He couldn’t believe this day. He heard the room door open to see Vivian and Crystal enter. Jake stayed back with the boys, reeling from what his wife and Derrick disclosed who stayed behind with him to talk about it all.
Beauty of Man and Woman - Volume 13: Bomaw Page 38
