"Yeah... I do... come on, I'll walk with you guys across the way."
Sheila was standing back watching them. Admiring the smooth and easy rapport between them, she could see that what Sylvia had here in a man, was right.
"Sheila... you want to walk with us across the road? Crystal's giving me a quick haircut."
"You know what... I'm heading out after you all in the morning... if you don't mind... I'm gone watch a little tv and chill, then hit the sack later." She responded. She would be sleeping in Angela's room.
"I won't be too long." Shawn stated following the kids to the door, after they walked to Sheila giving her a kiss on the cheek and a hug, saying their goodbyes then. Sheila smiled, kissing and hugging them in return as the three left out the kitchen door. She couldn't wait to get a hold of Sylvia... she had every intention of giving her a piece of her mind. Crystal had given her the emergency number Sylvia gave her. She wasn't using her normal mobile phone because she knew that Shawn would be trying to contact her with it, so she turned it off and bought herself another one for Crystal to reach her. Making her promise not to give it to Shawn or anyone. If she did... she would toss it and just email them from then on. So Crystal was battling loyalty to her mother with wanting to share it with Shawn. Sheila had had to just about twist her arm to get the number herself. As she sat there thinking about the three together, she was able to see how those kids were with Shawn. If he wasn't right, they would not be wrapped so tightly around him and worrying about him as much as they were. Crystal was in tears about keeping the number from him. Sheila was mad about that, that Sylvia would put them between them that way. 'Yeah I'm calling yo' ass as soon as I get home. You gone hear from me sista' girl.'
Across the road, Shawn sat in the kitchen with the neck gauze and haircut apron Crystal put on him, now adjusting her clippers. She'd finished beauty school right out of high school, and now attended school for nursing, after being fascinated by the human anatomy from what she learned in the course for becoming a cosmetologist.
"Okay, how you want it papah-Shawn?" She asked with Mundo in attendance.
"You need to hook'im up with some lines, so you should fade it - put that top so he can spike it and shit-..."
Shawn sat laughing, "Don't think so... take it all off Crys'."
"What you mean, take it all off?"
"Down to the quick, military... buzz cut - not quite a quarter of an inch." He instructed.
"All over?" She asked disappointed at the instruction, she couldn't imagine getting rid of his head full of black hair, it was beautiful... she could see trimming and lining it, but a buzz - that she didn't want to do.
"Yeah sweety... I don't wanna be bothered with it."
"Man... papah-Shawn... you gone do that... you need to put a earring in yo'shit! A diamond stud man... come on let her hook you up."
Shawn sat laughing, "Nooo... no piercing." He grinned.
"Come on papah-Shawn - I got the works to do it here. Sometimes my friends call me asking me to do it after hours. I clean it, sterilize the area, I use real gold and its over in a second. You would look hot with a piercing papah-Shawn... if you gone buzz the hair... you need that stud! Shoot, put some shades on, yo' leather, on that motorcycle - ..."
"Man - won't his shit be bustin!?! Mama gone be like... Dai-amn and I left his ass - what the hell was I thinkin'!" Mundo cut his sister off, broad and funny in his gestures, making it impossible for Shawn to sit still laughing at him. They were both getting all worked up and excited while Shawn sat shaking his head no. "Nooooo." He kept trying to tell them.
"Okay okay... hold still now... here goes." Crystal warned and began with Mundo watching her every move. Didn't matter she'd been cutting hair for close to two years now, this was Mundo's papah-Shawn - his hero... she had to do it right.
"Would you get yo'ass out the way, I know what I'm doing." She fussed.
"I'm watching yo'ass! That's papah-Shawn... do his shit right!" He warned, then told Shawn, "I got yo'back man... then we gone get that stud in there - cause you got a image to uphold! We fixin'ta' put the boo-yowl on yo'ass -..."
"Oh no we're not..." Shawn repeated. Mundo and Crystal winked at each other grinning.
Sheila heard him coming in the kitchen door over an hour later, he clicked on the light where she was sitting and walked in slowly so she could see him, she looked up.
"Well... do I look like a complete idiot or what?" He asked her.
Sheila sat forward and looked at him. For a moment she hadn't a clue as to what he was talking about. The haircut was drastic, really short, leaving him with just a close crop cut, but it fit him, his beard was also trimmed and cleaned up.
"Looks good to me." She stated honestly and he then turned his head so she could see his left ear.
"That." He stated pointing at the flat gold disk plate used to pierce his ear.
"Lo-o-ord! Oh my goodness! Was that your idea or theirs!?" She asked grinning.
"They talk me into it." He chuckled. "I'm regretting it already... what do you think?"
Sheila stood and took a really good look at him. "You know... its nothing I would ever suggest... but - my husband has one. I don't think it looks bad. Matter of fact, once you put a diamond in there... it'll give you that - don't give a damn rakish look. It's workin'... once your eye and lip get right, you be straight."
"You don't think I'm too old for it?"
"Naw... you know what... screw all that! You a independent man takin' care of business - goddammit! You can do what the hell you wanna do! A small little diamond stud, nice and subtle... why the hell not."
"You think Sylvia will like it?"
"Emmm nope!"
"Oh nooo... I'm gettin' rid of it then."
"No you don't! Hell with that! Ha' ass should'nah left! You keep yo' shit - maybe next time she keep her ass at home!" Sheila walked up to him eyeing it and him, "Yeah, I like it. Not everybody can do it - but its workin' for you. Keep it."
"You sure?"
"Yep."
"My family's gonna be laughing at me."
"Let'em laugh! Jealousy baby... its all about jealousy!" Sheila smiled sitting back down. It was close to eleven and they both knew they needed to get to bed.
Shawn went and took a seat on the sofa across from her, pretended to be looking at the t.v., but Sheila could tell there were things on his mind. "Mundo told me she called." He admitted softly. He was sitting forward, his forearms resting on his knees, his hands together, his index finger picking at the cuticle of this thumb. "She didn't even want them to tell me she called... just to let me know she was okay."
She could hear the hurt in his voice, his throat was working, she could see him swallowing back moisture from where she sat, again... she felt awful for him. "She told them that because she was afraid you might be able to press them for more information... so in her mind, if you didn't know she called, you wouldn't pressure them. Don't be hurt - it wasn't to hurt you."
"Why is she staying away... I wasn't bad to her Sheila. I love her so much... I don't know what I did wrong? I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I would give her anything - anything! God knows I would. I mean... yeah, I've made a few stands with her, put my foot down on some things... but - I would never hurt her - abuse her - not ever. I don't understand, how she can say she loves me - but then - can leave me?" He couldn't get his head around it.
"Shawn... she does love you. Seeing you last night, fighting with your brother - upset her really bad. She blaming a lot on herself right now - you read her email - I read the email. I know she loves you. You should have heard her last night all hysterical, crying her eyes out because I took her away because you guys were fighting so bad, I was scared she'd get hurt - but all she wanted to do was get back to you. Shawn... men just don't understand... do you know - when a woman is really in love - deeply in love, the way Sylvia is with you - any small injury to you, hits her too? Do you realize that? Every punch from your brother, she took too. Seeing that, feeling that, goi
ng through that - jarred her in a way, that after you said what you did - she probably couldn't breath - it was too much - she left. That don't change the fact that you're her husband and she loves you. That don't change."
Shawn sat with his eyes staring off above the t.v. listening to Sheila, unable to stop more tears from falling, no longer bothering to reach up and wipe them away. He was quiet a moment then finally spoke low, so low Sheila had to turn the t.v. down to hear him. "I saw my brother's hands on her, touching - familiar with her - I just - I just wanted to get him away from her. I was so angry - I felt betrayed and scared all at the same time. I just - wanted to make it all stop right then..." He muttered a cynical chuckle and shook his head. "... she asked me to please, lets just go home Shawn... that's what she said... we'll go home first. I wish now that I had. I should have let her do it... drive us home. Maybe... she would be here now - because - I would have gotten a hold of her, and never let go-..."
"Shawn... sometimes you gotta let go. Sometimes you gotta give a little room... right now - she gone, because she needs some peace and quiet. She told you in her letter - too much violence."
"From who?" He asked. "I know her first husband was an asshole-..."
"Oh honey please, don't compliment him. He don't deserve such nice things being said about him. The shit he put her through! You know he was in the army for about three or four years."
"How did they meet?"
"He was a senior at Gage Park high school and we were sophomore's. Like most of the guys at the school, once they saw Sylvia - they wanted her. Shawn - she was so pretty - so gentle and graceful in her manner. How can I describe her? The rough stuff and whatever crazy talk you hear from her, comes from her being around me. I toughened her ass up. She was always, quiet, thinking, watching people and sticking to me. She was so skinny... and all of a sudden, she had tits and ass..." Sheila started laughing thinking back about her. "She small boned and so it look crazy seeing her with that ass and her boobs... she was so - just - I don't know... the way she was and carried herself, she never wore much make up - just some lip gloss maybe a little white powder around her eyes and some liner and man... the boys wanted her. That goddamn Armundo with his crazy ass set his sights on her, realized that all the boys were going on and on about her, and he set hisself out to get her and did. It wasn't easy... but he did."
"Had she ever dated before him?"
"No... and you the first man after him. You know what... I had a feeling about his ass. He was dating this Puerto Rican chick, dropped her for Sylvia."
"She - was at the reception Sheila... that Puerto Rican girl, Meribel... is now married to my other brother Derrick who gave the first toast."
"Shet'yo mouth! You got to be kidding me?!"
"Yep... their oldest son is by Armundo."
"Say what?! Oh my goodness! You talking about that good looking young man that was talking to Crystal and Mundo for so long?"
"That's him!"
"I knew his ass looked familiar! That motha'fuckin' Armundo aint' shit! You know he got two others in Chicago don't you? And ain't no telling where else! So much stuff was going on, I didn't even realize what I was looking at!"
"Yeah... so its apparent, he's been around."
"Yeah... well he hooked his ass onto Sylvia... almost wrecked our friendship because he didn't like me... 'cause I would tell his ass off! He was pressuring her to go to bed with him, she didn't want to - she always use to say, she was going to stay a virgin till the day she married. That sorry bastard date raped her ass - and just took over her. Showing up at her house all the time, waiting for her after school - and basically - forced her into private places so he could have at her again. Next thing I know, she went from saying she was trying to break it off from him, to saying she loved him. Then she was pregnant." Sheila shook her head.
Shawn sat stunned, listening.
"You know what Shawn... she was not in love with him. She just couldn't get rid of his ass! Once she got pregnant, she convinced herself that she was in love with him."
"How old was she when he got her pregnant?"
"He was already graduated but his ass was up at that school no matter what! He got her pregnant in her senior year, when she graduated, she was pregnant... and not - happy."
"I don't understand... if she didn't love him - why'd she let him go so far with her?"
"Because he railroaded his way in! Wouldn't give her room to breathe! Every move she made... he was right there... taking over - telling her what was next on the agenda."
Shawn sat back and felt a punch to his stomach. Thinking back over their own beginning - without realizing it - he could see that he'd been somewhat guilty of the same thing. He'd wanted her so bad, that he'd overrode what she wanted, he'd rushed her, moved in on her quickly, because he wanted her. His face burned with humiliation to know that like Armundo... he'd gotten her pregnant. He felt ill again. Talking to Sheila... he was starting to see what was wrong with their relationship... to Sylvia - he was doing things that closely resembled and felt like her time with Armundo... he felt sick.
"Keep going... I need to know more." He said, wondering if Sylvia had convinced herself that she was in love with him as well, the same as she had with Armundo.
"Well... the next thing I know, they were talking about getting married. He rushed her off to the court house, talking sweet, giving her so much special care and attention you would have thought her ass was leaking gold. In a blink, they were married - she asked me to be there with her, and even though I didn't agree - I stood by her. He went off to basic training, eight weeks later he returned, told her he found a place near the camp he'd be going through AIT at and packed her up and took off with her. Everything happened so fast, it was like he was afraid for her to think... to breath or else she might discover he was the last person she should be with."
Shawn was leaning back with his face partially covered with his hand, feeling worse and worse as Sheila progressed, to her he looked like he'd slipped off to sleep, but he was wide awake and listening.
"You tired? You ain't going to sleep are you?"
"No... I'm wide awake and listening... go on."
"She'd been there with him a while and I met my husband by then and got married. So I thought it would be nice to visit her, you know... there we were both newly married, I was pregnant too by then, and I talked mine into taking me there to visit them. The first night there, it was kinda okay, but I couldn't help but notice she was different. She wasn't entirely herself and she was being really careful with what she said and how she acted with me there. She was in her fifth month with Crystal - and I could not believe what he did the second night there." Sheila shook her head remembering back to it.
Shawn moved his hand from over his face to look at her. "What happened?" He asked.
"There were six of us there, three couples. They had befriended a couple next door to them, who were there - and we were all sitting on the floor playing Monopoly, the men were drinking and we women were just chilling. I noticed the more Armundo drank, the more obnoxious he became. Touching Sylvia in ways that made her uncomfortable in front of us all, like touching her breast, and saying stuff about the sex they had. She started getting upset, he was sipping a beer, told her to cool down and chill out, then tossed his beer in her face and on her hair because she rolled her eyes at him. I couldn't believe he did that to her. Well she got mad, jumped up yelling at him."
The fight...
"Why'd you do that!? You wet my hair acting stupid!" Sylvia shouted, leaving the room to go into their bathroom to get a towel to wipe her face and dry the beer from her hair. He followed her in there. "Who you calling stupid? What's up with the attitude... hm? Got a attitude? Hm, need me to adjust it a little... that what you need?" He pressed, pushing at her shoulder as she stood trying to keep quiet... they had company, she didn't want it to escalate. After the third nudge, almost knocking her into the tub, she turned shouting, "CUT IT OUT!!"
"Who you fuckin' yelli
n' at!? Hm...don't have me knock the fuck out of you up in here... you think I give a fuck about your friend bein' here? Don't have her watch you get yo' ass whipped! Callin' me stupid! Yo'ass stupid!"
"That ain't no lie - for ever marrying you." She knew the moment she said it she shouldn't have, but she couldn't bring herself to bite back the fact, and received the ringing slap to her face for being brave enough to dare it. Immediately her temper got the best of her, screaming she attacked back and shove him with all of her might out of the bathroom. Taken by surprise he hit the floor and slid back. With the apartment being so small, their guest could hear and see it, especially him sliding back on his ass across the floor. Sylvia stood stunned a moment too long, she tried to run out of the bathroom, but he was up in an instant, charging at her like a crazed bull, hit her mid-section like a football tackle and ran with her, slamming her back against the wall so hard, he knocked her through the plaster of it to the inner wall of the bathroom. Screaming and crying, she was slapping and punching at his back and head. She could vaguely hear Sheila screaming at her husband to get him off of her, as well their neighbor.
By the time Armundo stepped back and dropped her back to her feet, she was all arms and nails flying at him, scratching and kicking. Angry beyond caring about anything. He tried to catch her arms, and swung her onto the bed, leaping on it to straddle her, yelling in her face, "CALM YOUR ASS DOWN!!! YOU GONE LOSE THIS BABY - NOW STOP IT DAMMIT!!!"
"I HOPE I DO!!! I DON'T WANT SHIT FROM YOU - I HATE YOU!!! GET OFF MEEEEE!!!" Sylvia screamed as he pinned her arms down, breathing hard, looking down into her face.
"GET OFF HER MAN... GET YO' MOTHA'FUCKIN' ASS OFF HER!!!" Dennis, Sheila's husband shouted pulling him off of her.
"Man you better get yo' fuckin' hands off of me, don't fuckin' touch me! She the one acting a fucking fool!" Armundo shouted turned to Dennis and Charles, his neighbor.
BOMAW 4-6 Page 8
