"I don't want him to be my daddy."
"Yes you do Isaac, you love your father."
"I'on like him, I'm gon' get Ben - t'be my daddy."
"Don't say that, Victor is your father! You can't get Ben to be your father."
"Em hmmm." He nodded with big eyes.
"No, you can't Isaac."
"Yes!"
"No!"
"YE-E-ES!" He shouted at her and jumped off the bed, marching to the door, "I'm gone t'live wit'Ben!"
"Boy! Don't you start trippin'! You cannot live with Ben, you don't even know where he lives."
"Call him!"
"No!"
"CALL BE-E-EN!"
"Isaac you are trying my patience, quit all that shouting!"
He moved back from the door into the corner behind it, crossing his arms over his chest, face down, eyes glaring up at her, shooting daggers, looking as belligerent as ever.
"Isaac don't be like that - you gonna hurt your daddy's feelings."
"Ben, my daddy!" He grumbled from the corner. "I'm gon' live wit'him!"
"You gonna leave me to go live with Ben? Leave Angela? Gran-papah-Shawn, your grandma, Mundo? Darren?"
"Nooo." He muttered so low, they just heard it. "Ben still m'daddy."
Crystal's head went back against the wall and headboard, feeling like screaming, "Great - give me more, give me more." She mumbled under her breath.
Angela sat quiet, smiling at Isaac, and winked, things couldn't be better if she had planned it herself.
After breaking up the fight, dealing with Crystal, Shawn went outside looking for his wife, wondering how much longer was she going to be with Vivian? Surely Jake had gone back to work by now? If she wasn't back in a few more minutes, he would be heading down the road to check on her. He went to the crew across the road, some of them had left, because there was nothing else to do that day, leaving only a handful behind to finish up the studio. Shawn walked in, they were packing up their tools, cleaning up - the one who tried to grab for Ben, he apologized to. "Hey uh, sorry about that out there, it's just that-..."
"Look man, no need to apologize - it makes perfect sense - I wasn't thinking."
"Daughters, and guys - and I've got another one coming up." He joked.
"Yeah, I've seen her, you're in for one helluva rough road, stay healthy and in shape, you're gonna need it!" He laughed, and then, "Well - this is it, we're done here. We've inspected everything, tested all. All that's left, is for you to move in."
He shook his hand and the other two who were present, "You've done an excellent job! I think I'll start moving in today."
"Let us get out of your way, to get started."
Shawn made his way back to the house, into the basement to start packing his things, once he was done, he would go looking for his wife if she wasn't back by then. On to the second box, the phone rang. "McPherson's."
"Aye man, whassup, it's Dennis!"
"Ah man, timing is great, need the distraction, how ya' doin'?"
"We doin' fine here man, heard about Derrick's wife - man that's some messed up, scandalous shit right there! See, that's why you got to steer as wide as you can away from some of these crazy ass women, they wicked as hell!"
"Dennis, trust me - I've encountered a few in my time, I'm with you on every word. The good news is, she's gonna be okay. Well, health wise anyway, she lost a baby though, she'd been pregnant when it all happened."
"Yeah man, I heard - and Derrick, how he dealing with it?"
"Emmm, not too good to be honest, he's blaming himself. Even so, when we left, he was upbeat, but didn't want anyone telling her about the miscarriage, or, that she now can't have anymore - that's the worst of it, I don't know you know - I just know it was time to get home, give them some room to breathe, heal together."
"Absolutely, 'cause, hell man, this kind'ah shit ain't supposed to be going on. There are times when I look at this world and the shit going down, wish I could just find an island somewhere and take my family the hell away from it!"
"Dennis, islands aren't always safe man, but hey, there's safety in numbers. Get your ass out of that city and move here where we are! There's plenty of room Dennis, land to be bought, hell, my ex just bought up two lots around us for me to use, at the moment, only part of one is gonna be used, the other will be free and clear. Dennis, where you live right now, if you were to move here, you could settle on a piece five times as spacious as that lot. No one off in your business, except for these women around here." Shawn laughed.
"Man you can't escape that! Hell! No way!" Dennis joined him laughing. "Aye, I ain't gone lie, it's mighty tempting, but man, the money is here right now. Don't take this wrong, but that's all white land up there, ain't no room for me - a black man tryin' t'get in there competing for bids on jobs, you know they ain't gone let me in on that. Plus, I got my crew here - I don't know. New starts are a bitch! Got a woman, young boys and a son in college, know what I'm sayin'?"
"Of course - I do understand; but don't forget that among these whites, you got us. If there's a will there's a way. One thing I do know, you're family. My wife loves you guys - you'll never be homeless, hungry, or without - that's for damn sure! I wouldn't let it happen, hell - Jake and Vivian wouldn't let it happen, and my parents wouldn't let it happen. That's real, that's fact, that's a promise."
"Man, see - I know that shit about you, your family. Hearing it means a lot, but - I ain't one to lean on nobody."
"We're alike in that Dennis, so I do understand, but I have to put it out there so you know, you will always have options! I couldn't be happier to have you here, Jake is behind us with Vivian now, my sister is across the road, my parents are 25 minutes away - I've got my Mama JoJo coming to join me soon, only stragglers of my family left out of my reach right now, are you and Derrick."
Dennis held the phone shaking his head, his heart swelled and moved by his words because he knew that he meant them, "Man - I wish to hell you were in Sylvia's life back in the day. I swear, maybe - shit wouldn't be so screwed up in her life. Speakin' of which, that's the reason for my call."
He had Shawn's immediate attention, Shawn took a seat, "What's going on? And what's it to do with Sylvia?"
"A couple of things, first thing, her older brother Lucas Jr, he been lookin' for her. Went by her mom's asking for her address, he didn't get it because he said some dumb shit that pissed Ms Martin off, she showed him the door. He showed up here, talkin' to Sheila, took him only a moment to piss her off, so he didn't get it from her either."
"What pissed them off?"
"Stupid shit he holdin' onto, shit with his mama, and ah, he's one of these brothers, that don't wanna see his sistas with no white man. So he sho' not liking the idea of his flesh and blood sister, married to you."
"I see. So, he's on his way here to do what?"
"He got to find her address first, which won't be hard, she listed right?"
"Yeah, she is."
"Hey, expect to see'im then."
"Dennis, he can visit her and say whatever the hell he wishes to me - I can take it. But my wife? No no no, she doesn't need that shit, and doesn't have to take it, from anyone, family included. So, if he comes here talking shit to her, upsetting her - I'm not gonna be nice."
"Fuck that - you ain't got to be nice! That's yo' home, that's yo'woman! How his ass just gone show up on the scene after all this time, talkin' shit! Fuck that! I'm with you man, now - ready for part two?"
"Ah shit, there's a part two?"
"Unfortunately, yes - there's a part two."
"Bring it on, my not hearing it ain't gone stop it."
"That's for damn sure, so ah, here it is. Her brother David, is missing. Missing as in, no one - nobody - knows where the hell he is! Missing like, Ms Martin has had to put a report in at the police station, add him to the list. Before adding him, they had her come to the station, look over their books filled with black John Does. She couldn't do it, so I did it for her, good thing, he wasn't in them
, so - he's on the list."
"Great, that's just great."
"Well, I figure it this way, it was either tell you - or - tell her."
"Fuck that, tell me."
"That's what I thought."
"How close were they Dennis?"
"David and Sylvia, was pretty close. In fact, the last time anyone saw him, he was on his way to see about her. He knew some shit about Armundo, all restless about it and shit. He told his mother he was going to her, and last I seen him, it was the same. They did not like each other, at all!"
"Who?"
"Armundo and David! Armundo used to treat David shitty as hell! Once he got to know David, he like, exploited his weaknesses, treated him to a few highs, got him hooked, and then started dogging'im out! He and Sylvia had a many fights about David, let me tell you that now. Hell, wasn't much they didn't fight about. David stopped going over there for a while because he was ashamed of himself in front of Sylvia, and - he didn't want her, fighting about him - so he stopped staying with her on and off, just kind of drifted off. But he knew, all he had to do was show up, and Sylvia would open the door for him, no matter what he was going through, she let him in. Then, he showed back up here, and was staying with his mom for a bit, restless as hell man, nervous about shit. Around the same time Armundo had that accident, David disappeared from the scene."
Shawn sighed, running the news through his mind, "Shit! A brother missing, another on the way."
"Yep, that's it in the nutshell."
"Lucas Henry Jr. and David Martin." Shawn was thinking out loud, "You say, he went missing the same time Armundo died?"
"Yep, around that time, 'cause he was going to Sylvia's and next we heard from her, Armundo was dead, never heard anything about David being there. He would have definitely been on the scene if he knew that Armundo was dead, shit - he'd probably be there now!"
"Hmmm."
"Hmmm, what?" Dennis asked.
Shawn was quiet a few moments, his fertile imagination taking off on him, "How many happenstances of life, are coincidental Dennis?"
"Come on man, don't start no shit man, you fuckin' think too much like me dawg, don't do it man, I been fighting it back since I left the police station."
"Fighting what back Dennis?" Shawn asked, his heart thrumming madly.
"Nothing man, nothing!"
"Dennis, come on man, you just said it, you and I think alike, what are you thinking?" Shawn pushed.
"I can't go there man, I just can't! I'on wanna go there dawg, I don't."
They both fell quiet a few moments, Shawn was the first to speak once more, "Dennis, when Armundo was found in that car, was he alone?"
"Yeah."
"Did you see the car?"
Dennis was getting slower and slower in his responses because he didn't like the way the conversation was heading.
"Come on Dennis, did you see the car?"
"Yeah, I saw it, it was gutted, from the fire."
"When you say, gutted, gutted exactly, how?"
Dennis sighed, "All the insides was burned to a crisp."
"I thought - that he hit a tree, it caught fire that way."
"Yeah, it did."
Shawn fell quiet again, thinking, and so was Dennis. "Dennis, fuckin' hell man, how often does it happen, that a car hits a tree and bursts into flames burning so, that it guts the inside of the car? I'm no forensic expert, but - I don't think it happens that way. Remember, the gas tanks are in the back of the vehicle, few, if any head on collisions, burst into flames. Was the outside front end of the car burned up?"
"Shawn man, I don't know. It was all smashed up, I'm not sure to be honest. Sylvia was so upset, at the time, we didn't give it a whole lot of notice."
"Armundo, who was inside the car; just how bad was he burned Dennis?"
"Black as tar, charcoal, all we had was his jewellery."
"What was that?" Shawn asked.
Dennis sighed long and deep, swallowing nervously, "A gold chain, two rings, his wedding band and another ring of some kind, earring in his ear."
"Em, I see. Who has them now? The jewellery?"
"Sylvia I'm thinkin'." He answered.
"Dennis, didn't you once tell me, that he had some trouble with dealers?"
"Man come on man, this is a fucked up conversation man, I'on even like the way you headin' with it."
"Because you've already thought of this, haven't you Dennis?!"
"Man! Shit!"
"Dennis, if you feared for your life - if you owed big money after stealing some shit - and you wanted to get away, and make sure no one - came looking for you - what would be the best thing for you to do? Huh Dennis? What would you do?"
"Man I'm fix'in'ta get off the phone."
"Dennis! Would your fake your death? Would you?!"
"Shawn man, we going too far man, we lettin' our imagination conjure up stupid shit! Man I can't even be thinkin' shit like that! I don't want to!"
"You don't want to? You don't want to! We're talking about my goddamn wife, man! I don't wanna think it either! But I've lived in L. A. and I've been through some shit Dennis! I've seen some serious shit! I've heard of shit that would make your hair white! I've been in the midst, of some serious - shit! Dennis, I've heard it all - even of, guys needing to hide behind death! A death certificate can go a long way with getting heat off your back!"
"Shawn man, you got my stomach hurtin', you got my goddamn stomach hurtin', I don't need this shit man! So - for arguments sake, if - and I do mean, if - Armundo has pulled this shit - who was in the car?"
"Come on Dennis, don't make me say it - who's missing?"
Dennis hung up.
* * *
When Ben left, he decided it was time to go home, check on Quincy, check on his mother. He needed to let off some steam and so took his time on the way there, so much running through his mind. One thing in particular, Victor Prescott. He couldn't believe it, the guy was back, and in a big way. Back to reclaim his family, and if the truth were to be told, which he would only tell to himself, he didn't blame him. To have a woman like Crystal, so robust, energetic, fiery, loyal and loving - not to mention beautiful beyond words. She was a natural, muted red head - incredible light brown eyes, and a peculiar skin tone of reds, freckles included; twenty-three of them in fact, sprayed across her nose, he knew, because he'd counted them. He felt his heart quicken thinking about all the close moments they shared. Leave her? "Hmph." He muttered low with the shake of his head, difference between him and Victor, he would have never let it go so far in the first place. However, since he had let her slip that far from his grasp, giving him an opportunity to get a hold on her, regardless of what took place today, Ben wasn't letting go, no way, not yet. Whether she saw it, knew it, realized it or not, they were meant to be as far as Ben was concerned. Victor and Crystal were like oil and water, shake them up, they may appear to be well merged, but once time went by, they would always separate - because they weren't meant to be as one. Where as he and Crystal, were like coffee and cream, once blended, they could never be separated again - the cause and effect was permanent.
He pulled into his parents yard, noticing Quincy as he swept out the storage shed, everything that had been inside, was now sitting out. His mother was weeding in her garden patch. Both looked up as he parked, cutting his engine. Stepping out, his gaze went to Quincy, followed by a smile - especially at his concerned look.
"Hey!" He called out, his greeting was for both of them, looking from one to the other.
"Hey back! What's happened to you?"
"It's not that bad is it?"
"Well..." Quincy approached getting a closer look, "...I suppose not, been fighting huh?"
"Yeah, got into minor tussle, no big deal." He answered, his gaze moving towards his mother. She was walking towards him, removing her garden glove, dusting them off against her leg, he could see the uncertainty in her eyes. "Son? You okay?"
Ben smiled once more, gazing straight into her eyes so that
she would know, he was okay with her, "I'm fine mom, really I am." He turned to her, leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Her relief was audible, she was even a bit misty eyed.
"How long you been back?" Quincy asked.
"We arrived in Wisconsin Sunday morning, and, we've been at the hospital in Madison since. I made my way back to gran's Monday night."
"The hospital? For what?" Christine asked concerned.
"Meribel, a woman basically ran over her in her car - she got messed up pretty bad - was in critical condition until Monday night."
"Oh my goodness, I didn't know! How is she now?" She asked, leading the way towards the house. Ben and Quincy followed as he spoke.
"Healing - but she had been pregnant at the time, she lost the baby - her injuries were so bad to stop the bleeding they preformed a hysterectomy on her, so no more children."
"That's awful news! She's blessed in that she's had others, but still. She gonna be okay?"
"Emmm, time will tell - she's got a lot of recovering to do, and we all know how she is about Uncle Derrick and their kids - you ask me, I think it's gonna hit her hard when she finds out."
"Doesn't she know?"
"Not about the miscarry and hysterectomy, no - Uncle Derrick is struggling with it himself, I just don't know. You should send flowers, call her mom."
"I will do that, you can bet on it."
"So tell us, what brought you by here today?" Quincy asked.
"I just needed to, touch home base, and well..." He turned to his mother, "... I thought we needed to talk, what do you think?" He asked Christine.
"Yes, I think we do, need to talk, me especially." She agreed softly.
"Before I leave you two alone to do that, I'm cookin', big ol' lovely roast in the oven, can we tempt you to stay for dinner?"
"One of your big roasts Quincy? I'm in, set me a place."
"Done!" He grinned, winked at his wife and made his way into the house to check on it.
"Come on son, mosquitoes are buzzing out here, been bit three times now, porch swing okay?"
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