Georgiana stood a moment more, staring down her nose at her.
"You know, I said I wasn't going to do this, but in view of all that he's done to our family, I think there are things about him you should know. At least by sharing the facts with you, I can sleep tonight."
Sylvia stared up at her, swallowing and dreading. "To be honest with you, I'd really rather not hear it. I think I know him pretty well," she informed her softly.
"Honey, you haven't a clue as to what you've gotten yourself into. The Shawn that he shows you, is totally different from the Shawn that I know. That my daughter knows. Just a bit of advice: cut him loose while you can still do so with your dignity intact, no matter how small that may be. You think this is over between them? This is just a game they are playing with each other. I'm certain a woman of your age and experience can imagine what I'm speaking of. Do yourself a favor and avoid the heartache. With him, it's a guarantee. I know, you see…because he was once mine...before he turned to my daughter."
Sylvia gasped.
"Don't believe me? We all know he has the cutest birthmark on the topside of his left butt cheek. Ah, yes…I know. I also know how incredibly satisfying his bed manner is; do you need me to give you his size and length as well?"
Sylvia felt her ears ringing as the room swam around her.
"Yes...now it's starting to sink in. You stay with him, there will always be one event after another. With loads of humiliation, all…heaped upon you. Again…I speak from experience."
"You were married to her father! She's your daughter!" Sylvia accused.
"He was mine first! My marriage is an arranged one. It's all about the money, and nothing to do with love or loyalty. I would have given Shawn anything! Oh, well...I've said enough. Do what you want, at least you were warned." She turned and walked away, smug with the seed she'd planted. She knew the lie was a gamble, but she had long ago been sure that Shawn had indeed been her lover; the look on Sylvia's face when she made personal descriptions confirmed it.
Sylvia turned back to look out the window and felt her ears burning, her heart racing. Oh, my god, what have I gotten myself into? What have I gotten myself into?With her hand over her mouth, she fought back tears and nausea again. Oh, my god, oh my god, oh my god! Nooo…Oh, what am I gonna do…What? She had his daughter to care for, appointed to her by the court. She knew her body, and was pregnant with his baby. Suddenly she wanted to disappear. Just rush from the courthouse and never look back. Oh, my god...he slept with her mother! And then her! Oh, my God! She knew if it weren't for her having temporary foster custody of Angela, she would be gone…out the door to never look back. The urge was overpowering to do it anyway. But if she suddenly disappeared, Angela would have to be taken into foster care by the courts. I can't do that to her...no matter how stupid I am, that child does not deserve to be subjected to living with strangers. What am I saying, I'm a stranger! Not the same…no—I have to stay here for her sake, if nothing else. "…cut him loose while you can still do so with your dignity intact, no matter how small..." You haven't learned anything, Sylvia Payne! Nothing at all!
* * *
"Can we sit here and talk for a moment? We won't be long."
"Sure you can, but make it quick," the clerk instructed, gathering all the papers they'd signed, putting them in a manila folder and leaving the room.
Both were quiet, gathering their thoughts. Deidre was the first to speak up. "Why are you doing this, Shawn? Threatening to take me to court for custody of Angela."
"It's not a threat."
"Why?" Deidre asked, hurt by it all.
"Deidre, come on, ever since this happened, I've had nothing to do but think. You have never been a real mother to her."
"Excuse me, I am too a real mother to her! I admit that I struggled in the beginning, and I admit, I'm not a perfect mother—but I love my daughter."
"If what you say is true, give her to me, then. She needs me right now, she needs the type of attention that only I have given her. You want to surround her with name brand crap and let the commercial and media world raise our daughter—well, I'm sorry, I'd just as soon raise her myself."
"With Sylvia…Payne?" she asked, her name lodging in her throat.
"Yes…I couldn't have picked a better person to be a stepmother to Angela. She has just the type of values, morals, and confidence that Angela needs."
"I'm her mother! I'm what she needs!"
"Deidre, I'm not about to sit here and get into a long drawn-out discussion over it. I've made up my mind. You can visit her anytime. If you would just set your pride aside, and put what's best for her to the forefront, you'd know in your heart…this is best all the way around. Then you can get on with building your own life."
"You were my life, Shawn—" She couldn't help it, it was now or never.
"Deidre...don't do this. Stop right there—"
"I can't stop. Angela was telling the truth—I still love you, Shawn. And I am sosorry for everything I did that tore us apart, ruined our marriage and what could have been. I'm asking you to think about our daughter, and how happy it would make her for us to get back together, and give it another try. I've changed, Shawn…a lot. I've done a lot of growing up. A lot of thinking…I see all of the things I did wrong, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes for us."
Shawn sat uncomfortably listening and felt truly sorry for her, because there was not the tiniest shred of desire to be back with her again. He was totally and completely, madly in love with Sylvia Payne. No woman from his past or possible future, could take his eyes from her…his heart from her. Taking a deep breath, he stood.
"We better go, we promised to make it quick."
Deidre sat staring up at him. "What about everything I just said?"
"I can't help you with that. I'm happy to hear that you've grown up. There's a man out there somewhere who will really appreciate that gesture. Save it for him. All I want from you is my daughter…that's it."
Angrily, Deidre surged to her feet, tears were streaming from her eyes. "Well, you won't get her! And you will not take me to court! No judge anywhere is going to give custody of a little girl to a porn star! Surprised? You should be! Even after finding that out, I still wanted you! I didn't even care! Think Sylvia Payne will? Hm? Miss values and high morals? How do you think the news of that will go over with her?"
She snatched her purse up and stormed from the room.
Shawn stood with his guts twisted. "My god…I'm gonna have to tell her. I'm gonna have to tell her, I will not be blackmailed."
"You okay, Sylvia?" Angela asked, back from the washroom. Sylvia took several calming breaths, girding herself with fortitude. First things first.
"I'm okay, sweetie, you okay?" she asked gently.
"Yeah…now that I know I can be with you and my dad, even if it is for only a month, but he's gonna try to get me right?" she asked for reassurance.
"Yep...he is." Even though not even he deserves you, she thought next.
"Angela!" Deidre called approaching them, unable to get herself to look at Sylvia. Her mother was next to her, she didn't have a problem looking at her. Sylvia glanced at Georgiana, then away. Her peripheral caught Shawn walking from the hall that lead to the judge's chamber, he was walking towards her. It took everything in her power not to yell at him to stay away from her. Instead, she focused her attention out of the window.
She heard Deidre talking to Angela. "Mommy's gonna go now. You know my number, my cell phone. I promise you, I'll be doing whatever I can to make things better for you. Okay?"
"Just let me live with my dad," Angela said.
"Give me a chance, Angela, that's all I ask. I promise you, things will be better. I-I love you." She rose and kissed her daughter's head, and strode from the building with her mother behind her.
"Sylvia?" Shawn called her name.
She turned and looked down at Angela. "Come on, we better go now." She was the next to head out the door, refusing to look back at Shawn. He an
d his daughter stood stunned that she wasn't waiting for them, that she didn't grab her hand as she held her father's so they could leave as they came.
Shawn swallowed down the boulder lodged in his throat, looked down at his daughter who was looking up at him, wondering what just happened. "Come on, pum'kin."
When Shawn and Angela made it out of the courthouse and to the parking lot, Sylvia was standing by her door of the SUV, arms crossed and avoiding looking his way. Shawn's mind was racing. Did I miss something? What the hell happened between our I love you's and holding hands in the judge's chambers? He was racking his brain trying to figure out what caused this sudden mood swing with her. He walked up to the SUV and clicked his remote, unlocking it. The alarm chirped off and she grabbed her door open and jumped in, not wanting him to get close to her to open it for her.
"Is Sylvia mad at us, daddy?" Angela asked as they neared the vehicle.
"No, pum'kin—not at you, but most certainly at me."
"What did you do?" she asked innocently.
"Good question, pum'kin…good question," he returned, opening the door for his daughter to climb in. "Buckle up," he commanded playfully and slammed her door. Walking to the other side, he was ticking off everything that had happened that morning. Everything he said to her. He decided there was no sense in stressing over it now…he was certain he'd be finding out soon enough. He jumped in his side, looked over at her, she was looking out of her window, tenaciously avoiding looking at him. He couldn't help himself, he reached over to touch her hand and she pulled it away.
"What's going on?" he just had to ask.
"Not now, Shawn," she returned immediately.
Realizing they weren't in the place to deal with it, whatever it was, he left off any more inquiries and looked in his rear view mirror at his daughter. She shrugged with a wide-eyed shake of her head. Shawn smiled...he couldn't believe his daughter was with him. If he had to do battle with the devil himself to keep her, he would. "You hungry, pum'kin?"
"Oh, yes...can we get KFC? I want some chicken—the original, not crispy! And I want one of those parfait desserts, and I want biscuits, and I want fries, not mash potatoes," she called out enthusiastically, making Sylvia smile despite her need to be away from her father.
"You hungry, Sylvia?" Angela asked so kindly, so sweetly, Sylvia looked back at her and smiled brightly for her. "No, baby, I'm fine. But we'll stop and get what you want, for sure."
"You got to be hungry—you threw up all your food! Why did you get so sick, Sylvia?" The observation took Sylvia off guard.
"Um, I don't think breakfast agreed with me, that's all. I'll be okay, don't you worry about me," she answered as Shawn started the vehicle and began backing out of his park slot.
"Maybe you're pregnant. My friend says every time her mom got pregnant, she was sick all the time, throwing up, too! Like you." She shocked Sylvia by speaking her mind without thought, as children often do. Sylvia wanted to die on the spot as she turned slowly back in her seat. She glanced out of her peripheral at Shawn, he was looking straight ahead driving, deliberately not glancing at her. Sylvia didn't know what to do, Angela was waiting for an answer and the pregnant silence grew. Finally Shawn asked, "Are you tired?" It was a gentle question that she turned and snapped to. "Yes!Sick and tired!"
He reached up and scratched his head, then sighed deep. "Great…thank you, very much…so I guess it's up to me to guess what's going on now, hm?"
Angela could tell it was time for her to shut up, so she sat quietly and stared out of her window at the passing scenery.
Shawn tried to test the water, with the touch of his knuckles on Sylvia's thigh; she brushed his hand away. Knowing her well enough to know this all signalled a fight, he gave up and focused on getting them something to eat, whether she said she was hungry or not. A sudden idea came to him as he drove, he engaged his car phone and dialled a number. Sylvia wondered what he was up to as she listened to it ringing whomever he was calling.
"Hello?" a woman answered.
"Meribel! It's me, Shawn."
"Shawn! Hey, papi! How you doing! Wha's going on?" she asked excited, in a heavy Spanish accent.
"I have Angela with me, she's going to be in Wisconsin a while. What are you and Derrick up to?" he asked his favorite sister-in-law.
"Oh, my goodness! You got Angela? You have to bring her by! The kids will be so excited!" she exclaimed; they could all hear the hectic sounds of children in the background, as one of them asked their mother, 'Who's on the phone?' To which she answered, 'Your Tio Shawn, he's got Angela with him.' and that person, a young a girl, responded, 'Ooh, ooh, ask him can she come over?'
Now Sylvia understood, and turned narrowed eyes at him, he deliberately avoided her glaring at him. He was busy smiling at the sounds that were filling the vehicle, the sounds of a large family and children actively wreaking havoc in the home. Sylvia couldn't miss the look of pleasure on his face and unable to bear it, she looked away, not about to soften her resolve to break it off with him.
"Oh, daddy, can I go over there?" Angela asked excitedly. She really liked her Aunt Meribel; the few times they'd visited them in California had been filled with such great fun with her cousins, she could barely sit still.
"Where are you guys?" Meribel asked.
"In my SUV—in Madison!"
"You guys are in Madison!" she blasted them. "Why didn'chu guys call us! We were just gettin' packed up to visit your folks! We was gone take a detour and visit you, papi! Ooh, ooh! You got your ol'lady wit'chu? We dyin' to meet her! Wha's her name again? lemme think…Sylvia right?"
"Yep—that's her, all right." Shawn chuckled, thinking, 'Although not talking to me, she's here.'
'Let me talk to him, Meri.' He heard his brother ask. 'Okay.' "Okay, Shawn, Derrick's here to talk to you, see you later!"
"Hey, man, so you're in Madison? What's up?" Derrick asked. Sylvia sat listening to his voice; the brothers voices were very similar.
"I need a favor. Sylvia's not feeling well, and we have to drive back home. Would you mind driving her car back, and then taking Angela with you guys to visit mom and dad…she's really excited about the idea."
Sylvia's eyes grew huge. Oh, my God! The nerve of this man! Don't ask me nothing! Fine…I'll go along with it for now, because then we'll be alone and I can give you a piece of my mind.' She thought angrily.
"Hey, no problem. Where you guys staying? What's going on with two vehicles here?"
"It's a long story, but if you could do this for me, I would really appreciate it. We're staying at the Ramada Inn right off the 51."
"Okay, well, we're almost done loading up the van, we'll be there soon. I'll drive her car and Meribel can follow me, how's that?"
"Perfect! I'm gonna stop and get some KFC—you guys eat?"
"We were gonna do the same en route. Pick us up some, too, I'll split the cost when we get there."
"Hey, I'm not worried about that. When you go in the parking lot at the hotel, pull around to the far right side back entrance; that's where I'll be parking, towards the door near our rooms—see you guys there!" Shawn answered, still smiling. They could all hear a little one begging Shawn's brother, 'lemme talk. lemme talk, daddy, I wanna talk...pleeease canna I talk!'
"Yep…see you there." Derrick hung up and Shawn ended the phone call.
"Oh, thank you, daddy…thank you so much!"
"So…papa done good?" he joked.
"Yes! Papa done real good!" Angela answered as they pulled up into the KFC drive-thru.
* * *
Georgiana sat rolling her eyes to the ceiling of their jet as it taxied down the runway for take off, sick of listening to her daughter sob her eyes out. "Give it a rest already! How much longer are you going to slobber over him, for goodness sake! It's over—get used to the idea, already!" With a shake of her head, she gazed out the window thinking. Yes…just forget him, daughter, because as soon as I can get that stupid negro to set him free, I can start to work on him for
myself. First, I have to make sure she gets Angela from him! I'll never get anywhere if she's always present. Thank God I kept it to just one of them. Silly twit would have been stuck with two of them, had I not intervened in time. Now if I could only figure out how to get rid of the one that Sylvia's carrying…If she had any sense, she would listen to what I said and just break it off with him and leave! Can't drug her and get Stan to scrape her uterus.'She remembered how easy it was to abort Deidre's second pregnancy by Shawn, and thought herself a genius. By convincing her daughter to relax a bit by taking a "mild" sedative, the doctor had been able to come right up to her room, give her a shot to knock her deeper under, then he'd performed the abortion. He'd called a private ambulance and had her taken to a private wing of the hospital, where Stan saw to her recovery and giving her the lie that she must have suffered a reaction to the sedative she'd taken and miscarried the baby.
Georgiana smiled, nothing could have been easier - the last thing she'd wanted was a baby that her daughter would have used to get him back, she'd had to get rid of it before all they did to break them up, was undone. But this other woman was a different story. Irritated, she glanced at her daughter still crying.
"Have you no pride! He's not crying over you—go wash your face."
Deidre blew her nose again, barely able to see from sobbing so out of control. "The plane's about to take off, I can't."
"I don't understand you. There are many men who would love to be with you, give you anything…and here you sit, crying over him."
"I'm not just crying over him! I'm crying because I once had it all! Everything a woman could ever want! And now it's gone! Gone! My own daughter hates me!"
"Well, join the club! She'll get over it! You better focus on how to get her back!"
"I don't know. I've been doing a lot of thinking. Maybe...maybe I should take advantage of this time, and maybe…get my life in order, as the judge said. I mean…Shawn has moved on. And...he was always a better father than I was a mother...always."
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