"What's up Carl?! What happened? What's wrong?"
"All of you, get in here! Crowd around, right around here, now look at him. Look at him, look long and hard. Who the hell do you see? Sitting right there in that chair, who is that?"
Jake ran his hand through his hair, inhaling and exhaling patiently as all stood around him looking down at him.
"Well, even with the new haircut, it's pretty clear who that is." One answered.
"Yeah, that's Jake, Carl. What's going on? That what you call us up here for? You know who that is." Another boldly replied
"Jacob Patrick McPherson?" Carl asked.
"Yeah, Jacob Patrick McPherson, Jake!"
"Yeah, well, we'll see if you think so in a second." He said to them in warning and then to Jake, "Okay, tell'em. Tell'im what you just told me. Don't try to change it either! Makin' it out like I'm loosen my mind, say it the same way, you said it to me when there was no witnesses, now ... go on, say it." And then to the others, "Listen closely now, don't nobody say a word," and back to Jake, "You now, go ahead ... say it."
Jake sat up, looked and them and said, "I'm getting married."
He's words to someone in the group startled them so, they cried out like they'd heard a gun shot. "WHOA!" He, the one sucked in holding his breath as everyone else stood there staring at him, as if afraid to move. Really really looking at him this time. No one moved. Carl looked at the other five men nodding his head and looking back at Jake. One of the men in the back, spoke real low to the others as if afraid they would spook Jake, "Remember that movie, Invasion of the Body-snatcher, think it could really happen, maybe?"
"Okay, yeah yeah yeah, didn't realize there were 6 fuckin' stooges instead of three. Or is it the sons of the three stooges?" Jake quipped, not very amused by their antics.
Someone whispered, "Ask'em has he been to the doctor."
"I'm not askin'em, you ask." Another replied.
"Carl, ask'em has he been to the doctor."
"No no, ask'em, he been leavin' his drink un-attended."
"Must'ah, 'cause somebody done slipped him a Micky. Jake? Jacob Patrick getting married?" Someone muttered incredulous.
"I'd sooner believe Stevie Wonder claimed he'd seen a u-f-o than believe Jake's getting married."
"Ah, Jacob, son ... you ... you uh, have a accident or somethin' while you was off?"
"No, I have not had an accident." Jake returned making a face at them. "Look, do you all mind? I need to talk to Carl before work starts, so if you would please?" He tossed his thumb over his shoulder indicating the door. "The exit's that way!"
"Well wait now Jake, at least tell us who she is?!" One asked.
"Yeah! Who is she Jake?"
"Yeah, who is she?"
"Is she a knockout?"
"When we gonna meet her?"
"Do we know her?"
"Somebody needs to call the paper? I mean, come on this is major!"
Jake stood up finally, "Excuse me! You guys are on my clock here!"
"Well at least tell us is she pretty?" Another asked as they slowly, reluctantly headed for the door, jammed up as a pack not wanting to leave.
"Yes, she's pretty, beautiful in fact. Now get going here!" He went behind them trying to push the mass towards the door and out.
"Have we ever seen her before? Where she live? What's her name?"
Jake looked at Bryan Clemmons, "You've seen her before."
"ME? I've seen her? Where? When Jake?"
"That's all I'm telling right now, now move it guys!"
"Well what's her name?!" They asked desperately, out the door but clinging to the frame to get that answered. "Yeah, what's her name? At least tell us her name?!"
"VIVIAN! Now out!"
"Wow... her name's Vivian!" He heard one exclaim as he stood at the now, closed door turning to look at Carl.
"Vivian huh? Where'd you meet her?" He just had to ask.
"I met her at my brother's wedding."
"Ah, I see. So ... it's uh, serious business then? Huh?"
"Yeah, it's serious business. And the work I do for you, that's serious business too. Considering what I make a year here, you haven't taken me serious Carl. Right now, I figure this way, I have two options here. I can do as my fiancée suggests I do, and that is quit. Relocate where she-..."
"Wait, wait, wait, wait now, let's not be hasty here. Have a seat son, have a seat. I can see you're serious, I mean, you ... gettin' married, that's, that's serious." Carl was sweating moving back around to his desk, taking his seat. That lumber business was his, passed down from his father, and to him from his father and so on. Quite a bit of profit had come from it, and one thing was certain, when he brought Jake on as a young kid, he'd been amazed at what the kid had known how to do. For years, he'd gotten away with paying him below minimum wage until his mother had paid him a visit and he'd given him a raise above minimum wage. Then his father a few years later came in to see him, and then another raise had been the result of it. A few years later, another visit from his father, another raise. Yet, none since then. As Carl sat there looking at him, he knew, that what he'd gotten out of him over the years, five more raises wouldn't quite balance his debt to him. For that reason, he'd let him earn extra money here and there doing deliveries, clearing forest for him. But now, he could tell, his time of extra profit gaining on his back was up.
"...-as I was saying, she feels that I should go to school, earn my degree-..."
"Now, wait now! Wait! Will you give me a minute here!? Now, now ... listen. You've invested all these years here, don't make a bit of sense to go and throw all that away now."
Jake crossed his arms over his chest, "Give me a reason to say. I've never asked anything extra from you, ever! Never asked you for a raise..." Which was true, because he never knew of the times his parents had come in demanding one for him sensing that Carl was taking advantage of him and his skills.
"Hey, but I've given you raises over the years." Carl pointed out because he knew, that Jake hadn't known about his parents coming in on his behalf.
"True you have, however ... we both know, I'm worth more than what you're paying me. So, I'm about to lay it on the line for you. I'm getting a house, property, paying off a truck, paying off a very expensive wedding ring, and about to take on a woman with a high standard of living and, she's worth it. If I'm about to marry her, you know she is."
Carl sucked in a huge amount of air, and slowly let it out, once more, running his hand over his face, damn women - there was always one that would come along and blow a good thing.
"Don't fret Carl, I'm going to make this easier on you than ever. Where are we with those contracts to the DIY's?"
Carl became alert.
"We got'em! In fact, I was just waiting on you to get back to go over that with you."
"I'm glad to hear that, because I've decided that I want that in addition to another raise. Also, to make up for all the years I've put my all into this place, I want whatever lumber, cement, roofing, gravel, gutters whatever I need to restore a property that I'm going to be purchasing. It's an old Victorian house that's seen better days. I may need a little wood here and there, or I might need quite a bit. But, because of the kind of boss you've always been, appreciating me as you do, you're going to give me whatever I need, as a wedding gift. Including a raise and the delivery contracts. Sound fair?"
Jake leaned back crossing his arms over his chest and waiting.
Carl sat for a moment just staring at him and all of a sudden he burst out laughing, "You sonofabitch!"
"I'm letting you off lightly, and you know it."
Carl reached up and scratched his head, "How much of a raise?"
"Bring me up to $30,000 a year."
Carl started choking on air. "That's, that's almost what Neil makes." He spoke out loud.
"Don't make this harder on yourself by mentioning that to me. Sonofabitch! What the hell does he do, that makes him worth more than that?"
Carl sat b
ack rubbing his forehead, he was spinning.
"Relax Carl, that'll almost include the delivers, which of course will take it up a bit more per delivery. Sooo, I figure that will put me at about 36,000 a year. I'm worth it, I earned it, I want it." Jake finished and then added one more time, "And of course, whatever materials I need from around here until my home is done."
Carl sat staring, shaking his head he muttered his thoughts out loud, "She must be one hell'of'ah woman."
"Yep, that she is. So what's it gonna be?"
"All right, you got it."
Jake smiled, "Effective today. Walk down there and tell June to adjust my pay rate."
"I knew it was just a matter of time."
"That's life Carl, that's life ... it's always, just a matter of time. Now I best get to work. By the looks of things, to get all back in order, I maybe putting in some overtime, you'll be approving that as well, correct?"
"Yeah yeah yeah, but ... know this ... at what I'm paying you, I'm only paying for overtime for the next two weeks, that's it!"
Jake winked, did a double sucking, chuck-chuck sound from his back teeth and walked out the door smiling. That old house on his mind; his future wife on his mind. The picture of her, advanced and round in her pregnancy, standing on the front porch, on his mind.
Life was good.
* * *
L.A.
Total and complete disbelief.
Sylvia stood in her other kitchen, bright and early the next morning and that's what she was feeling, total disbelief.
First of all, when she heard over and over, his condo, the condo in L.A., she hadn't conjured any image of it really. Hadn't really given it a deep thought. Automatically for some reason, if she did conjure an image, it was a hotel room that she pictured. Small rooms, close and compact. White walls, clean and new.
Well, white walls, clean and new was accurate.
Small rooms, hotel... not accurate.
His condo, was larger than her home in Wisconsin. In some ways, due to the layout, she figured it might be twice as large, if not, a tab bit less.
She couldn't believe her eyes as she looked around.
Everyone was asleep.
They'd all been up late, she vaguely heard them throughout the previous evening because she'd never gotten back out of bed from when Shawn laid her down. Granted, she rose briefly to use the bathroom, get out of her clothes into something more comfortable and then quietly, she'd gone right back to bed and slept. She'd been totally wiped out. Shawn had checked on her throughout the evening, trying to get her to eat. She was also aware, that every time her husband checked on her, he'd been a bit more tipsy each time. She was too exhausted to care, all she wanted was sleep. Which she went in and out of aware that they'd all been drinking, having a bit of a party downstairs. There had been lots of laughter, Shawn's or Ben's laughter ringing out amidst Angela's, Crystal's and Mundo's. Isaac's and Darren's interspersed with them. Of the two McPherson's, she never quite knew who was laughing, Shawn or Ben, because they sounded so much alike; she remembered smiling about that in her haze of sleep and then turning over to doze off again.
Now, here it was, the next morning, she'd come down while her husband and kids, slept from being up until 2 or later in the middle of the night.
Alone, she toured her L.A. home and felt so strange as if detached from it all, as if an alien there. The layout of it was totally different from what she'd ever seen or lived in. This one, had an open plan kitchen with a family room attached; which was quite large. Modern new appliances, a large stainless steel stove. Marble counter tops. Dishwasher, garbage disposal and trash compactor. Cabinets galore with a small center island and sink for preparing meals. Once more, she felt as if she were in another world. There were two ways out of the kitchen, through the family room, or through a hall that lead by the downstairs toilet, that had only a toilet and sink, flaunting the same marble that had been in the kitchen. Everything was very rich, stylish and modern. From there, into the smaller living-room which was off of a small foyer. She couldn't get over it. The furnishings were very expensive, well made and heavy. No plants, with him coming and going. The decor was very simple, yet inviting, comfortable, and again, that word, expensive came to mind.
All looked just as she might have wished it to be had she a hand in decorating it. She wondered had it been done by Deidre? Or Shawn? Either instance, she had no complaints and in fact, found nothing she would change or add. Her wandering around brought her to the sliding glass doors and then opening them, out to the swimming pool.
A swimming pool!
Never in her wildest dreams. This was a luxury seen only on TV, on some show of the rich and well to do. Never for someone like her, as poor as she had been. Struggling as she always had, she didn't think she would ever come into possession of things of this magnitude. Being able to purchase her home in Wisconsin, having that as her very own, was as close to being wealthy as she felt she would ever get. All her furnishings there were old, well cared for, but they were years old. She walked a complete circle around the pool, noticing that it had a safety barrier surrounding it. Because of the babies, she was happy to see that. Glancing back up the back garden, she noticed a door down from the sliding glass doors she'd come out of, walking to it she opened the solid wood portal to discovery a large fitness room full of exercise equipment and weights; one wall, all mirror, a TV bracketed up in the far corner facing the two treadmills, stair climber and elliptical. "Oh my God." She murmured to herself. At the opposite end from the door, she ventured on to find a full shower, next to it, a sauna room and a massive Jacuzzi around a corner at the opposite end. There, a door leading back out onto the surrounding yard that was solely theirs. They were enclosed upon a large estate where other condos were attached more like town houses and some in apartment units. Everywhere she looked, green grass, palm trees and breath-taking landscaping galore. Sylvia didn't know how long she stood out there with her mouth agape, one hand partially covering it as she remained overwhelmed by all that she was seeing.
"Oh my God." She gasped again, quietly surprised with it all. The air was fresh, gently stirring fragrant breezes, the dew was fresh, softly sprayed upon the lawn, birds were singing, and all was if in a paradise only seen before in her dreams. She gasped once more when she felt a rush of butterfly flutters, a quickening from her womb, their unborn baby was awake and kicking. "Jesse? Oh my Lord! I can feel you baby, come on, do it again. Do it one more time for mama, pleas-..." Before she could finish her sentence, he did. She laughed out loud, tossing her head back with her face up towards heavens laughing in joy, happy beyond belief, filled from deep within by a man, she loved beyond words. With her hand to her bulging tummy she cooed softly, "I love you Jesse James, I love you so much! Oh honey, you hungry? That why you raising such a ruckus this morning? Let's go see what we can find in there to eat." She spoke turning to make her way back into the house, only to see her husband leaning against the side of their home, watching her.
Surprised, a big bashful smile burst upon her face. "How long have you been standing there, watching me, Mr. McPherson?"
He looked like he could use some more sleep, his hair was bed ruffled, he had a 24 hour growth of shadow showing, his eyes squinting, bare chest, no socks on, just his long house trousers that he slept in, with evidence that he was a bit aroused standing there watching her. Arms crossed over his chest, his eyes penetrated her very soul, making her breathless. He was not in a hurry to speak. Sylvia stood a moment in the morning sunshine, some shade, her heart pounding extra hard as she stared at him; waiting for him to say something. He only gazed at her, for so long she felt her eyes well up. There was about 15 feet between them, the morning carried a welcoming cool that was gentle to them. With birds singing as if, only for them, they stood in the bright California sun and shade amidst all the trees, bushes and plants surrounding their property basking in awareness of just how good life was.
"Shawn? Say something?" She pleaded softly.
>
He held his hand out to her, for her to come to him, to take it. Of course she did, without hesitation she rushed to him. Since he wasn't talking, she found herself enclosed within his arms, looking up into his beautiful, masculine face explaining, "Your son was moving just now. You missed it."
"No I didn't." His voice was deep and gravely from waking early, also moved by what he'd seen. "I'm trapped here, trying ... thinking of some new words, or some new way to say, how much, I'm in love with you. You are, so beautiful to me. So ... so ... very beautiful...." He leaned down towards her lips that she offered up willingly. His arms closed around her, pulling her closer against him, tighter so that he could feel all of her against his body. The infusion of wonder was instant between them while his incredible lips coaxed, teased and tasted hers, his hands rubbing up and down her back. Sylvia reached up, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him towards her as she rose as high as she could on her tip toes, to fit herself closer still to him, her mouth open to his, her tongue tasting, working within his lips to meet his tongue so they could touch, caress, entwine and twirl around the other, until their heads tilted, fitting their lips together firmly, sucking, breathing deeply and fully sampling, taking all there was at that moment. Shawn's hand went down her back to cup a firm cheek, grinding himself against her, he was without a doubt, just about, fully erect. "Come with me." He breathed into her mouth, forcing himself out of the tight clench to pull her along behind him. Both of them were breathing hard and on fire. Feeling his throbbing length hang heavy against his thigh, he knew he would have her that morning. Shawn led her into the fitness room, closing the door behind them and locking it, and further still into the sauna room. Within, he closed that door and pulled her back into his arms, resuming the kiss. His hands were all over her, ending up down the front of her, parting her robe, rolling the hem of her gown upwards to find what lay beneath. His hand encountered her rounding belly, and then lower to the tuft of warm curls and then, into the moist folds there.
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