BOMAW 4-6

by Mercedes Keyes

  Shawn plucked it from his fingers, looking at it himself, sighed and then put it back in his wallet, and that, into his back pocket again. "You done looked enough goddammit! That's enough... my wife! Mine... know what else?"

  "What?"

  "First one together due November." Shawn bragged grinning.

  "Moby-D no you didn't lay it on ha'like that! Moby-D and the zebra!" Louie laughed.

  "Fuck you King Louie! Just for that, I'm not bringin' him to see yo'ass! Just send you a picture! I ain't even gone send that, just mail yo'ass a negative!"

  They both laughed at each other. "Man you know I'm just messin' wit' you, so where she at?"

  Shawn sighed, "I'on know King Louie."

  "What you mean you don't know?"

  "I don't know where she at."

  "Wait a minute... how long you been married?"

  "Friday."

  "Friday? This past Friday?"

  "Yep."

  "You mean to tell me you been married for three days and she gone already?!"

  "Yep... she left me Saturday. Ain't seen her since." Shawn admitted with a look of acceptance, strictly for show.

  King Louie looked at him a moment stunned and then busted up laughing, he laughed so hard he got up out of his chair to do it.

  Shawn couldn't help it, he laughed too - that's all he could do.

  "MAN! What the hell you do?! Yo'crazy ass! You ain't got sense enough to hang on to this one at least until after the honeymoon?!"

  "I know, that's messed up ain't it." Shawn spoke out loud, lounged in the chair as King Louie laughed and climbed back into place.

  "So you got her pregnant, you married her, and she left yo'ass."

  "Yeah, that's about right."

  "So its over already?"

  "Nooo no no no no! Mm em, not this one. This one's for keeps. As soon as I get home, I'm straightening all of this out! I'm here for just a few days, take care of business and check on my ex... on the serious side, I need to ask you a few things King..."

  "Sho... wha's up?"

  "Its about that shooting that took place Friday - the woman who was caught in the center... that's my ex... Deidre Wherrington."

  "Boy you kiddin' me!? That was yo'o'lady?"

  "My ex... my daughter's mother. I need to know, was she caught in the midst of a gang war... or not?"

  "He-e-e-ell naw! That's bullshit! They saved her ass."

  "Who saved her?"

  "The ones they trying to pin for doing the shit! Wasn't no gang activity of any kind happening that night. Matter o'fact - there was a couple of cars come through earlier in the week, scoping things out, white man behind the wheel both times. Taking pictures of cars and shit. He was spotted by two or three people. Friday night roll around, they hear some screaming, take off to investigate, they spot her running and screaming. This lil'girl Shorty picks her up and runs with her, and man... lemme tell you, they was on her ass like maggots on a dead cat! Shooting the hell out'ah her shit! Then mad Max got'em both... they then peppered the hell out of his shit! They was after her ass to kill her. I'm tellin' you now, somebody had a contract out on her ass! That shit was planned! But it didn't go according to plan! 'Cause three of'em, got they shit lit up too! Pulled three dead white men, plus the taxi man out of here - how the hell they gone say it was a gang war!? Bullshit! Somebody went through an awful lot though to make it look that way."

  Shawn sat digesting that bit of information. He would have to share this with Jeremiah Franklin and Terra when they went to the hospital later. Having heard enough, he asked then, "How's Mama JoJo?"

  King Louie started laughing again.

  "Man... she trippin'! Mama JoJo be sittin' on the front porch guarding her shit with a shot gun. Threatenin' everybody about parking in that spot out front."

  Shawn looked at him laughing. "I'm going there next."

  "You better identify yo'self then and pray she remember ... else you be at Cedar Sinai gettin' buckshots plucked from yo'butt!"

  "Mama JoJo will always know me. Alright man... I'mo head out. When our wedding pictures come back, I'll send you some."

  "Do that! Aye... baby pictures too! I got to see lil'Moby-D."

  "I'll do one better.. I'll probably be bringin' him by for you to see him."

  "You think its a boy?

  "Sylvia says its a boy."

  "That's yo'wife name... Sylvia?"

  "Yeah... that's my wife's name. My son... Jesse James!"

  "Ah man... that's alright man. You still miss'em hm?"

  "You know how we were King Louie... he was my brother. And my son... will bare his name."

  "He would be proud dawg... he would be proud."

  Shawn next pulled up in front of Jesse's grandmother's house. Sure enough, he saw the silver head of braids sitting on the front porch, and as soon as he parked and turned off the engine she was yelling at him.

  "NAW UH EMMM - YOU CAN'T PARK THERE!" Mama JoJo yelled coming to her feet.

  Shawn saw the shot gun and started grinning from shock as he opened the door and stepped out.

  "MAMA JOJO ITS ME! SHAWN... DON'T SHOOT ME NOW... I COME TO SEE YOU!" He yelled as he slowly stepped onto the far side of the side walk on the grass square and then onto the walk.

  "Shawn?!" She called out to him making her way to her screen door unlatching it to open and look at him.

  "Yes ma'am... Shawn... now how you gonna greet me with a shotgun? You know me mama JoJo... just been since last year."

  "It sho'been - gettin' less and less! What bring you by now? You must be hungry?"

  Shawn laughed, "No ma'am... not hungry... just come to check on you... see if you okay. See if you need anything?" He asked stepping up to the porch. She was squinting up at him, as she backed up carefully to let him on the porch.

  "Chile you been fightin' again? What you fightin' 'bout now?" She asked, latching her screen back.

  "Remember I told you last time I came, that I was moving back to Wisconsin where my family is? Well I did, I have two brothers there, I got into a fight with one of them."

  "Ya'll don't like each other huh?" She asked sitting down in her rocking chair as Shawn occupied the fold out sofa next to it.

  "Yes ma'am we do... just a little misunderstanding is all. How you doin' mama JoJo?"

  "Oh I do alright... just watchin' my house... my street. I ain't stanin' fo' no druggin' in fron' of my house - sellin' that dope! They park there - I tellin' move on - else they gone get shot."

  "Mama JoJo... that's dangerous what you doin'. People like that won't care that they should respect you, what if they have guns too?"

  "Chile, mama JoJo done lived a long life. I out live my daughter, Jesse's mama - and I out live him! Me and death got'ah date baby... I ain't gone be late. When its time, I be ready for my rest."

  "I got a really big place in Wisconsin now mama JoJo, gettin' ready to build on. So much room, fresh air, quiet living. Its nice... I bet you'd love it. You aught to come back with me and see it."

  Mama JoJo leaned away looking at Shawn with shrewd eyes, "How I'm gone get there?"

  "I'll take you. You can fly - with me."

  "Up in the air - in one of them big'o airplanes?!"

  "You'd like it mama JoJo... really you would."

  "Baby - mama JoJo gone die right here. I told you last time you ask me to come live with you - no, and the time before that... no. This time... gone be the same."

  Shawn sat a moment looking at the elderly woman whom had always welcomed him into her home, to sleep in her bed. To help him over his mourning of Jesse, he wanted her with him but she wouldn't budge. He sighed. "Mama JoJo you so stubborn! Why you always fightin' me. Don't you think I'll take good care of you?"

  "Chile, mama JoJo don't need no body take care of her... I use to take care of you. When you was young, hungry, broke, sca'ed... member that?"

  "Yes ma'am... I do. Now its my turn to take care of you... my mother's here... she would love to meet you."

  "You can b
ring her on by, I ain't gone min'. As for takin' care of me... baby trust me, Lord gonna take care of me, when he good and ready, I'm just waitin' in line. Where the baby at?"

  "Angela's with my mother and sister. I have another one on the way now... we think its a boy... my new wife and I, wanna see her picture?" Shawn asked eagerly, anxious to show Sylvia off to her.

  "You know I like to see pictures... lemme see ha'."

  Again Shawn removed the picture and showed it to mama JoJo... who looked at it and smiled, then glanced up at him grinning. "Now what make you go and do that?" She asked.

  "Do what mama JoJo?"

  "You know what... marry ha'."

  "I love her mama JoJo... love her like I've never loved a woman ever in my life. See how pretty she is there... well on the inside, she even prettier. We got married Friday. Then something happened to Angela's mother and we had to fly right here to check on her."

  "She come wit' you?"

  "No ... she didn't."

  "Why not... ain't you newlyweds?"

  "Yes we are. I ah... did and said something that hurt her. She misunderstood and left, thinking I wanted her to. I didn't. The bruises on my face, was part of it. I gotta find her and make it up to her."

  Mama JoJo smiled as she watched him and listened, then shook her head. "Time sho'done changed. Use to be a day when a white man didn't marry us. I's nice to see, that things have changed where you can now. She in love with you?"

  "Yes ... we love each other a great deal. We're perfectly matched... while not perfect."

  "Ain't no body perfect baby... no such thing. You gone visit Jesse whi'you here?"

  "Yes ma'am I am."

  "I ain't seen him in a while...like to before I go."

  "When you wanna go mama JoJo... I'll take you now if you want?"

  "Ain't ready now... can you take me tomorra?"

  "What time?"

  "I get up first thing in the mornin' be ready if you come get me."

  "I'll be here at eight o'clock... how's that?"

  "I be ready chile... I be ready."

  Shawn left mama JoJo's and made his way to the mall, figuring he'd get himself something to eat so when they called him, he would just tell them where he was parked to meet them there. After getting there, buying himself something to eat, his ring tone went off and he picked them up. Their next stop was the hospital. Angela, Gert and Shanna went into the room as he stopped to inform Terra and the detectives who wanted to interview him what he knew. With the interview ended, he entered Deidre's room. She was awake, very weak, pale and quiet. Angela was standing next to her bed and carefully hugging her. There were lots of flowers all over her room from persons she worked with, and to his surprise, his mother pointed out, a large beautiful arrangement from Sylvia. With a card and all. He was dying to read it, simply because it was from her, but he didn't, yet he felt a strong sense of pride and love for her surge up three more notches because she had done so.

  He could tell that Deidre was surprised to see them there. She fought back tears staring up at him, but said little. He took her hand and gently squeezed it, stroking her hair back from her face. "You're going to be alright. Terra and that Jeremiah Franklin have been right here through it all. Let them advise you Deidre... and go with your instincts okay? Keep your parents out of your room. You need to recover and then you need to get as far away from them as you can... okay? Will you do that... for yourself?"

  Tears rolled from the side of her eyes, she nodded yes. Her lips were dry and she was starting to doze back off to sleep. They stayed for an hour more and then had to leave in order to make it to the James' for dinner and for Shawn to deliver the work he'd done for them.

  At the James', he presented his work first thing, with his mother and sister present for once to see how and what he did for a living. As he strongly felt, they loved it. Every piece that he did for them. He was encouraged to keep going in the direction he was in. After putting everything away, Mercy took his mother and Shanna on a tour of their mansion while he and Lowell talked.

  "You lookin' a little rough around the edges? Everything okay?"

  "Yes... I'll be good as new in no time." Shawn returned in his study office, sitting comfortably.

  "I hope so... because we've taken on three new authors. You going to be able to handle the work load?

  "Well let me ask you something, you've seen what I've turned in so far, and I hope you trust my judgement, I'd like to introduce you to a way that I can keep up with the demands on book publishing no matter how many authors you bring on board. Can I come to your computer and show you something - something I would like to use from now on for book cover development."

  "Sure, let's see it. Long as I'm getting the same quality featured work... I'll let you control how you produce it, as long as its always copyrighted to us."

  "Oh it will be... always... here, take a look at this."

  Shawn spent the next two hours showing Lowell James how the world of 3d graphics and art had come together. Mercy was a bit upset because the women ended up eating dinner without them, and so had to bring it into the study where they were so they could eat as neither of them seemed willing to break away from the computer. By the time Shawn was done, he was given a thumbs up as well an up on his salary since he was now having to provide for three more authors. They all came together for another hour after dinner and then departed. Back at the condo, the women went through their shopping as Shawn turned on his computer, hoping to see an email from his wife. There was one.

  From: Sylvia M. McPherson

  Date: 05/12/2004 09:30:28

  To: Everett Styles

  Subject: You Make Me Proud...

  My husband, you make me so proud. I have spoken to Sheila... she defended you... and you have won her over lock, stock and barrel. I have been promptly chewed out, told off and put straight.

  I had a card and flowers delivered to Deidre ... and I pray that she soon pulls out of it.

  I won't tell you exactly where I am, but I am close, in Chicago. Shawn, before I return home, there are things I wish to do for me. I need to do these things. I need this time. Once I return... then ... well... I will be ready to resume my place by your side if by then you still desire that I be.

  I love you Shawn. With all my heart and soul I do. I miss you so much. Miss you lying next to me. The sound of your voice, the feel of your touch, and the intimate closeness that we shared. If I thought for a moment you wouldn't force me home, I'd tell you where I was simply so that you could come and make love to me... lol. Then go back home. *sigh* I know you Shawn... you'd have no part of it. So... I must wait until I return.

  Guess what?

  I had my hair cut. A kind of Anita Baker look... but not so tamed. I like it... I hope that you do. I just felt the need for a change. Besides, once the baby starts really growing and I get bigger, I won't wish to be bothered with my hair... so its cut and styled to wash and go. I guess you'll see it soon enough. I still haven't read your long emails...

  But I caught the subject line message you sent me. Relax my husband and know that as long as you love and want me... I will be there. I am being careful and I'm getting a lot of writing done. I'm pretty proud of what I've accomplished in just these few days. Yet when I wrap it up and put it all away for the night... I then settle in for a night of torture. Because I'm not with you.

  Goodnight... my husband.

  Shawn lay in bed later that night, thinking as usual. Missing his wife, as usual. Trying to get to sleep. Suddenly the phone rang and he quickly answered it so it would not wake the others, "Hello?" He answered softly.

  A moment passed and then, softly, lovingly, "I love you so much... goodnight my husband... good night." And the phone went dead.

  Shawn sat up in bed and stared at the receiver realizing it had been too quick to do anything with. He quickly clicked on the bedside light to look on the caller id panel. The number had been withheld. He sat forward with his elbows on his knees trying to gain contro
l again. His stomach was filled with butterflies from hearing her voice.

  "You lady... are gonna get it. If you think I'm going to let you get away with this... you have another think coming!"

  Chapter 86

  Monday in Wisconsin...

  Yesterday... everything seem to come down on him yesterday. All at once. All of a sudden. Like running into an invisible wall, crashing full force to lay stunned and spinning. Wondering what the hell happened. Jake couldn't shake it. He was trying. Trying hard. He sat in Sylvia's living room. Needing to get a grip on himself. He arrived back from Chicago early yesterday afternoon. Yesterday - yesterday - yesterday! Everything about all the yesterdays was coming down on him. He knew he had to shake it... but try as he might, it wouldn't let him go. He'd arrived and went straight back to his own place, almost shaking his head like a dog with a flea in it's ear... trying in vain to rid his mind of all the thoughts working to bring him down. No mercy was found for him. No subtle easing down was this that suddenly hit. But an abrupt cruel drop. His solution was to get busy... that was the key. So loading up a gym bag with a few things, mainly work clothes he made his way to Sylvia and Shawn's house to begin. He needed distraction and he needed it now. Because in his head, his mind was playing mocking games. Conjuring images and thoughts without his consent. Just repetitive plaguing thoughts. All of them, launched yesterday. He'd made it to their home, Shawn and Sylvia's... letting Mundo and Crystal know that he was there and what he would be doing.

  They were nice kids. Sylvia should be proud.

  Everyone had reason to be so proud of their kids.

  Yesterday... he met Dennis Johnson. Was it him? He wondered. Had it been talking to him? Spending time with him? Seeing him as he was in his home? With his children? Or was it Tyrese? That little boy had come to him, talked to him, and suddenly Jake realized he had sons as well. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember anything from their childhood that he could reflect back on. Granted, he'd only gotten them on the weekends, and then not consistently but he couldn't remember doing anything with them. He couldn't remember conversations with them. He couldn't remember one witty thing they'd said or done, when they were young boys up to now. He racked his brain for one small thought or image, or word, or line, or event that he could brag about, smile about, feel proud about... just one. Not one came to him.