I'm so sorry... I am so very sorry...
I couldn't face you this morning... I just couldn't bring myself to stand and have you look at me with accusing, angery disdain. As if - I am your enemy. I'm not... I'm not Shawn... I love you so much - as I've never loved anyone in my life... but hey, like you said, love isn't enough is it? Even so, I'm in love with you and I always will be. That for me, will never change...
Sylvia
Chapter 79
In L. A...
Finally the knock at the door came that Oscar T. lost sleep over the previous night. He was waging a battle with himself over not hearing from the man he hired. He needed to know that all tracks of her murder being set up had been erased so that it remained to appear as a random act of violence that she'd fallen victim to. He'd thought everything out long and careful, waited and paid the cost to see it done right.
He sat out by the pool having breakfast, sipping his coffee, combing the paper for news about it. The article was vague at best. Giving out no details as to whether the victim was alive or dead. He needed to know if she was dead. Georgiana was already out, gone on an appointment to see a plastic surgeon. That idea gave him food for thought when it was time to plan her last days.
When the police were finally escorted back to the pool area, it appeared to take him by surprise.
"Mr. Wherrington, sorry to disrupt your morning... but we have a bit of bad news for you."
With rehearsed ease, Oscar folded his paper down, turned in his chair, looking at them as if unsure of why they would be there.
"What? What do mean? Bad news about what?"
"You mind if we have a seat?" Detective Johnson asked, accompanied by detective Shyai Gleason.
"No - of course not. Please do... what is this about?" He asked, very convincing with his concerned inquiry.
"Have you been watching the news sir?" Johnson asked.
"No... not really, my wife and I just returned from out of town yesterday, we were opening a new branch in Texas. I've seen little of anything to be honest with you. Just now reading the papers. Nothing surprising reported here... although its frightening to see."
"What would that be sir, that's frightening, what you've read?" Detective Gleason asked.
"As I said, repetitive reports. I see there was another gang shooting, according to what I've read."
"Yes... yes sir there was. In fact, that particular incident is the reason for our visit this morning." Detective Gleason went on to say, "You see sir, the victim - is your daughter. Deidre Wherrington."
"What?! My daughter?!" He shot to his feet. "But - how... she's - she's lived here all of her life! She'd know better than to venture any where near that area! Surely you're kidding me! When did this happen?!" He blasted, charging into the house calling for Anthony their butler; the detectives followed him in. He was going through the appropriate motions of assuming his daughter was still alive, moving and waiting for them to stop him, to give him the second part of the bad news, that she was in fact, no longer alive. Anthony came promptly at his call.
"Yes Mr. Wherrington?"
"Get my car around front! Find Mrs. Wherrington and tell her-..." He stopped and looked at the detectives. "Where's my daughter?" He asked with his heart pounding in his chest. To them, it looked convincingly of a father in a whirl of anxiety of his daughter's attack, instead - his heart was pounding in anticipation. He needed to hear confirmation.
"She's in critical condition at Cedars-Sinai, she's been coma induced in order to help her through her injuries." They told him.
Oscar felt as if he was going to faint. He couldn't pretend the shock to his system, his mind in a whirl, 'Oh no! She should be dead! Oh no!' He felt his head spinning as a legion of possibilities awakened in his mind. Things that could go wrong were she to live. He couldn't help but agonize over the man he'd hired. Why hadn't he heard from him yet? He felt short of breath.
"Mr. Wherrington? Are you okay? Perhaps you need to sit down sir?!" Detective Johnson asked.
"I have to get to that hospital! Anthony! Find Mrs. Wherrington! Right away! Tell her to meet me at Cedars-Sinai! Right away!"
"Yes sir! I will sir... right away sir!" Anthony turned quickly to do as he was bid.
"If you will excuse me! I have to get dressed, I have to get to that hospital!"
"We understand sir, but... before you do, we will at some point during this day have to talk to you."
"Talk to me? About what?"
"As you said, its important that you get to the hospital, we will allow you that - following that however, we will be requesting an interview with you and your wife."
"I don't understand? What would you possibly have to interview my wife and I about?"
"In good time sir... in good time. We'll leave you. We know where to find you. You had better hurry now."
Chicago...
Vivian felt dead on her feet. One o'clock hadn't come quick enough for her. She had to be especially careful driving Jake's truck back home because she was fighting to keep her eyes open. By the time she made it home, she was expecting him to be looking for her. Probably not happy that she took his truck without his permission. Entering her home, she quickly saw that she needn't have worried. Her house was quiet and pretty much the same way she'd left it rushing out the door when she woke earlier. Relieved that he wasn't waiting and angry, she was able to relax and immediately noticed that her answering machine was beeping. Taking her shoes off at the door and leaning her umbrella in the corner from the rain, she hung her light jacket on the hook by the door and tipped quietly to the answering machine. There were five messages. One from her parents, one from her sister, another from Laek Chan, and then two from Sheila.
First message from Sheila - 'Vivian? This is Sheila! Girl... pick up! I bet yo' ass went into work! Girl look, call me as soon as you get in... as soon as you do! I'm at Sylvia's - her number is, 608-772-3555! It's important!'
Second message - 'Man you still at work?! Is anybody there? Did Jake drive back here? As drunk as his ass was ain't no way! Somebody answer the goddamn phone! It's Sheila! Girl Sylvia's husband going goddamn nuts here! Her ass done up and left, this man 'bout to lose his mind! Call me back! 608-772-3555! DAMN! Ya'll stressin' me!'
"What the heck?!" She gasped. "No way... oh man... here we go." She picked up her phone and dialled the number as she walked to her stairs and up to the room Jake slept in, the door was wide open. She'd closed it after checking on him that morning before she left, so at some point he'd gotten up and then laid back down, he was stretched out on his stomach snoozing away.
"Hello?" Sheila answered the phone.
"It's Vivian, I just got in from work and listened to the messages. What's happened?"
"Sylvia left! Shawn woke up this morning and she gone! Just left him a email message. Now he got me calling everybody and they goddamn mama! I'm telling you now, his ass is going nuts!"
"Why'd she leave? Did he do something to her?" She asked standing in the door looking at Jake as he lay there, beginning to stir with her standing in the door talking softly on the phone.
"He say he didn't do shit but kick open the bathroom door and did some yelling. His ass trippin' more today than last night - hang on..." Sheila ordered for her to hear them in the background over the phone, Shawn talking to her, "Ask her has she seen my wife or talk to her... ask her!"
"Well if you hang on a minute I will... damn - calm your ass down! You need to eat something! Yo'ass gone pass out in a minute! Keep this shit up!"
"Did you hear that? Have you heard anything from Sylvia since last night?"
"No... I drove Jake's truck here, got him inside, and I was up this morning and went to work, he's still sleeping." She explained and could hear Sheila telling Shawn what she said, and then Shawn asking, "So is Jake there?"
"She says he's still sleeping." She listened closely to what Sheila was telling him, and then, loud and clear she heard.
"TELL HER - WAKE THAT MOTHERFUCKER UP NO-O-O
-OW!!! MY GODDAMN WIFE'S GONE AND HIS MOTHERFUCKIN' ASS IS SLEEPING?!!! FUCKIN' WAKE HIM UP NO-O-O-OW!!!" His booming voice came over the phone as well a banging noise, punctuating his yelling from his fist slamming down on the kitchen table as he bellowed.
"Do you hear what the fuck I'm going through?! Did you hear his ass?! I swear to God Sylvia need to get her ass home now! Wake Jake ass up! I ain't even did nothin' and I got to hear this shit! Wake his ass up now... Shawn wanna speak to him." Sheila insisted, then to Shawn. "Are you trying to have a goddamn heart attack up in here? Are you?! You better calm yo' ass down! All the shoutin' and screamin' in the world ain't gone bring her ass home! Now - calm - the hell - down... breathe goddammit - take a chill pill!"
"I WANT - MY WIFE - HOME - NO-O-O-OW!!!"
"Is you wakin' his ass up?" Sheila asked.
"I don't know what good that's gonna do? He doesn't know where she is, no more than I do."
"Girl! What the hell is your problem?! Hell goddamn naaaw! I know you ain't trippin'! Just wake him up and put his ass on the phone!"
Vivian sighed deep. Her jaw was clenched tight as she took the hand piece from her ear looking at Jake. His arm lifted from hanging down the side of the bed to rub his eyes. With her heart beating, she knew she had to wake him up, but she didn't want to. She wanted him to remain asleep... thus... keeping him there longer. If she woke him for this, it was only going to get him stirred up where he'd end up leaving. With little choice, she finally called his name.
"Jake... Jake... wake up. Um, you need to get up. Jake! Hey... wake up." She went to the bed and sat down, lightly shaking his arm.
"What... what?" He mumbled, drowsy with sleep.
She lifted the phone to her mouth and ear. "Look... I'll call you back. He needs to wake up first and then wash up... I promise I'll ring you back as soon as he's alert."
"Yeah! Rush his ass along! And uh... me and you, we gone talk! 'Cause you trippin'!"
"Look, I don't have time for this Sheila, as I said, when he's awake and alert, we'll call you back, bye." She hung up.
"Hey... wake up Jake. You gotta get up."
"Aaaw man... what? What's going on?" He asked, coming more awake this time, than earlier, feeling his jaw, he went to turn over and cried out, "Oh fuck - my back - aaaw shit... my goddamn back!"
"I know... it's bruised really bad. I tried to clean it up and put some stuff on it. But its going to be real sore. Need help getting up?"
"No... just... give me a minute." He flexed his bandaged hand feeling the pain of it as well, thankful that she cleaned and wrapped it.
"Jake um... you need to get up and wash up. We have to phone your brother."
Jake peered up at her through squinted eyes. Suddenly he sprang into a sitting position, gritting his teeth against the pain of having to move again, earlier he'd gotten up, not long after she'd left, had it not been for the fact that his bladder was bursting - he wouldn't have moved, it hurt so bad. He sat blowing out and taking a deep breath. "Can you stand?" She asked.
"Yeah... I got up once while you were gone. Saw my truck was gone." He cut accusing eyes her way.
"I had to work this morning... I haven't had any sleep. So I took it so I could get at least a few hours." She explained.
He smiled, "No problem. What's going on?" He asked, then grinding his teeth he stood. Pain shot across the surface of his back as he made slow steps for the bedroom door, going for the bathroom. Vivian stood, slowly following behind him, her heart into full reaction from their proximity, he was so wide across the shoulders, so tall - she wasn't all that short herself, but against him, her height was nothing - needing to stay focused on the current events, she murmured softly,
"Sylvia left Shawn."
Jake stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned to look at her.
"What did you say?" He asked, needing her to repeat it.
"Sylvia - left - Shawn."
"You gotta be fucking kidding me?! Tell me you did not just say what I thought you said?"
"Sorry... I did... she's gone. Sheila is there with him now, and she says... he's going absolutely nuts. I heard him over the phone Jake... he is. He wants to speak to you."
"Ohhh FUCK!" He blasted. With a regretful slow motion shake of his head he made his way to her bathroom. "There's a new toothbrush in that cabinet..." She informed him. He nodded closing the door, his body moving slow.
Vivian turned away knowing sleep was not to be had any time soon. She went downstairs into her kitchen and began making coffee. She made herself a couple of slices of toast, and was spreading butter on one when Jake came into her kitchen.
"How do you like your coffee?" She asked without looking up.
"Black." He answered.
She smiled, "Are you being witty, or serious?" She looked to ask, he was standing, still in his underwear. At ease as you please, in her kitchen, as if he were at home. She had to look away, he was obviously in a state of morning glory, there was quite the bulge in his briefs, nothing small about it. With her heart hammering she would have to remember to keep her eyes up and not look down.
"I'm in too much pain for witty... black." He was saying, knowing full well where her eyes had travelled.
"You got it." She returned, taking down a cup and pouring it for him. He was leaning gently against the door jab, his head back.
"Here you go." She sat it on the counter within his reach. "You might want to put your pants on." She suggested.
"It hurts too damn much... am I bothering you? If I am, I'll go put them on." He offered.
"Yeah... I'd like you to put them on. I'll help you." She took off for his pants before he could peal himself from the door jab, she was back in a flash. Instead of his pants, she returned with a pair of black unisex trainers with white stripes down the side. "Your pants look rough, here... I bought these a while back... too long and too big. I never returned them, and so... they've come in handy." She explained cutting the tags from them, then kneeling down in front of him, waiting for him to put one foot in.
He chuckled, she dare not look up, because she knew what would be near her face. "If I were you, I would chill - you're in no condition to get me riled right now." She warned, having an idea of why he chuckled.
"Yes ma'am... lord knows I don't need another fight on my hands right now." He grinned as she stood pulling them up his hairy, big, well shaped long legs and then over his narrow hips, forcing her eyes to stay intently on his, in order to keep from looking down. She snapped the waist band in place and stepped back. "There you go... perfect fit. You want me to call them back now, or you need another minute?"
"Give me another minute." He answered, picking up his coffee, his eyes intently on her as she made her way around the kitchen.
"You hungry?"
"Always... for one thing... or another." He tossed that out just to see how it would come back, after all, this was the lady in red, a black beauty beyond a man's most vivid imagination.
"Well all I'm offering you is breakfast. Whatever other hungers there may be, you'll have to see to yourself." She returned, her heart unable to return to a normal beat. While she was glad that he was attracted, she was not about to be a one night stand, or a quickie while he rested up in her place. She'd spent almost six years giving, giving, giving, and ended up with nothing in return. As attracted as she was to him, no way was she repeating that with him. Besides she knew him already. Knew his type and how he would be, for once in her life, it was going to be all or nothing.
"How do you like your eggs?"
"Over easy." He sighed. For a moment he just wanted to flirt with her so he wouldn't have to deal with what was going on with his brother. He made his way to her kitchen table, easing down into one of the chairs. "So... tell me what's going on?" He asked.
"Simple... for some reason, Sylvia left your brother. He is now going berserk."
Jake bent forward, hanging his head. "I don't get it... why did she leave him?"
"There must be more going on with t
hem than what happened last night. Otherwise, she would still be there."
"Lot of fucking good that does me now! Doesn't matter what may have been wrong with them, it's because of what I did that obviously pushed her out the door. Oh hell... what the hell am I gonna do?"
"Why are you so wrecked over it? Isn't that what you wanted? To split them up so you could have her?"
Jake didn't answer, he sat still, staring into space and thinking.
"Call'em back." He finally decided. She was just about to crack an egg. She placed it back in the carton and went to her phone and dialled the number.
"Hello?" It was Sheila again.
"It's me, here's Jake." She passed him the phone and backed up to her stove, turned it off and then went into her living room and sat on the couch so he could talk in private in the kitchen. Remote in hand, she clicked her television on.
Jake put the phone to his ear, he could hear his brother on the other end breathing deep and unsteady. "Yeah... I'm here." He started off, but Shawn wasn't speaking right away, just breathing deep. Jake swallowed and felt his heart flutter in his chest. He'd never known his brother to be this way before, he'd always come off like he hadn't given a damn, when this happened in the past.
"Shawn?..." He called his name out softly.
"Do you know... do you know what you've done to me?" Shawn asked, clearly choked up.
Jake eased back as if he'd been punched in the stomach, this was different; totally different, Shawn was not being Shawn - he hadn't been sure what Vivian meant by him going nuts, going berserk, but the voice he was hearing from his brother, was not what he'd expected.
"What the hell have I done to you... to make you hate me... so much?" Shawn asked breathing deep and long, trying to keep his sanity.
"I don't... I don't ... oh man... I don't hate you man... I don't... I... aaah shit... I didn't know she'd fuckin' leave you man! What the fuck did you do?"
BOMAW 4-6 Page 4
