Chapter 116
Back and forth between Chicago and Wisconsin
Jake sat waiting for the third time for Vivian to answer the phone. It was 9:30 at night, Shawn was gone. Angela was across the road staying with Crystal and Mundo which was her preference since her father was gone. He'd had no reason to deny her that, giving him freedom of the house with all main occupants off on a chase. Twice, earlier that day, he'd left her messages. He'd called the first time at 3:30, there had been no answer, her answering machine had clicked on, and he'd left a massage.
{{ Beep }}
"Where are you lil'girl? It's Jake... pick up. Come on now, don't be stubborn - pick up the phone...(waiting)... okay... its possible you're not there, I'll be ringing you back."
{{ click }}
At 6:45 he had just treated everyone to KFC's - his contribution and idea of feeding the family. As soon as he ate with them, and then went to the basement to listen to a new mix Mundo had put together, this while downing a few beers to unwind. Although it wasn't his kind of music, it had a pretty catchy beat, one he imagined would be great to dance to if he could dance like that. Proving his compliment to be true, Angela and Crystal came downstairs after cleaning up and danced to it, with Darren and Isaac happily jumping around them as they did. He shook his head looking at Shawn's daughter, his niece, who could move. His brother was in for some serious hell in the road ahead with her. Grabbing his 12 pack of Old Style, with six left, he made his exit leaving them to their small basement party. He sauntered back across the road in blue jean clad, long legs, pausing as a truck sped by, making him yell, "SLOW DOWN STUPID ASS!!! KIDS ON THIS ROAD!!! Jerk! Shawn's gonna have to get speed bumps added here." He mumbled walking across to the house. He had stopped to look at their progress on the office addition. It looked good. If he had to pat himself and his brother on the back himself, they'd done a damn good job of it. Considering what they'd accomplished, Jake felt it was a shame they didn't go into business doing it together. The job they'd done looked professional, their measurements precise, with the structure solid and soundly built. He would take some time today and finish adding the siding. Shawn wanted it done by the time he brought Sylvia home, it would be a nice little surprise for her. Jake had leaned to the side and glanced up the side of the garage. Fixing it within his mind that they would have to get on that top apartment as soon as they returned. Shawn decided to add one across the road as well. Just in case he wanted to rent it from them.
Jake smiled, he got a feeling his brother liked having him around, he was sure in no hurry to get rid of him.
With his beer and cigarette in his right hand he stepped down into the basement vestibule and then into the basement closing and locking the door behind him. Walking across it between the sofa and the pool table he headed towards the kitchenette, stopping at the fridge, he put his beer inside and then made his way to the bathroom. After relieving his bladder, he washed his hands, came out holding the cigarette with his lips, making him squint one eye from the swirling smoke rising off the end of the burning cigarette. Back at the counter, he squashed the empty beer can and pulled open the fridge to remove another. Popped the tab on it, took a draw from his cigarette and removed it as he blew the smoke from his mouth and nose. Walking back to the sofa he grabbed the phone off the wall on the way and sat down. Laying his cigarette in the ashtray, he took three long swallows from his beer and using his thumb, dialled Vivian's number the second time.
It rang with no answer once again, the answering machine kicked on.
{{ Beep }}
"Hmmm, so where are you? I'm going to have to call Sheila's in a moment if you don't answer this phone lil'girl. Are you okay? You haven't called Dr. Jerk'a'chan have you? You know who this is, call me back as soon as you get my massages. HEY! Don't give me no attitude either, just call me back!"
{{ click }}
And of course she hadn't, and now, it was 9:30pm.
The answering machine clicked on for the third time.
{{ Beep }}
"Know what... don't like this. I've called you three times today! Three times! If you're there, pick up this phone lil'girl! Vivian! Pick up this phone! I know you're there! Don't make me drive there! Jesus Christ ga'damn women!"
{{ Click }}
Jake sat back on the sofa, flicking the channels on the big screen t.v. watching programs go by without them registering in his mind. He was worried.
"You bitch! Did you go to her and tell her?" He wondered out loud about Edwina. He reached forward and pulled a cigarette from his open pack. Lighting it. "FUCK!!! What a stupid ass - stupid ass - stupid ass! Goddamn piece of pussy is not worth it! Had to fuck her anyway! BITCH!!!" He raked his hands through his short hair sitting back on the sofa. "Okay, I'm overreacting. Maybe she doesn't know. But what if she does? SHIT!!! Okay think Jake - think. What will I say - what will I say - what will I say?!" He wondered, speaking rapidly trying to come up with something.
"Wait a minute! I already told her I've done something not so good. And... we're just friends! What's there to get mad about - right?" He asked himself. "She is gonna be pissed! JESUS CHRIST!!!" Jake shot up from the sofa and began pacing back and forth before the sofa. "Okay I gotta think, I can get out of this! Just be cool about it Jake. Just act non-fazed! Like... what's the big deal?" He stopped as a vision of her in tears came to him in a flash. As she was that day, standing at the door, hurt, angry and fed up... and with good reason.
"OH MAN!!! GODALMIGHTY!!! WHY ME! This is why! See! This is why! This is why! I don't need this! This is how it starts! This is how they get you! Just GRAB ME BY MY FUCKIN' BALLS... AND SQUE-E-EZE!!" He blasted as he resumed his pacing, drawing deep on the cigarette, his honey blonde hair ruffled on top from his fingers raking through while grappling with his dilemma. Suddenly he saw himself, what he was doing, what he was feeling, the fear and worry coursing through him, the picture made him sit down hard and stare blankly ahead.
"What am I doing? What the hell am I doing? I shouldn't be doing this. I already know she's too good for me. Did I not explain that to Shawn already? So what the hell am I doing? I've called three times... that's enough. Hell... that's more than I've ever done for anyone. I mean, its not like I'm in love with her or anything."
He suddenly went quiet. He crushed his cigarette out in the ashtray. Then sat forward, with his hands hanging between this knees. After five minutes he sat back placing his hands on top of his head, one holding the other and just sat there. His heart was hammering in his chest, beating so fast it disrupted his breathing, all because she was heavy on his mind, all because he was scared to death. No woman had ever made him feel this way. He would be 40 years old soon, and in all of his days where he'd been old enough to notice women, not one had made his heart beat like it was then. One hand came down and rubbed across his chest, it was starting to make him queasy. He took a deep breath and shot up from the sofa needing to pace, anything to get his heart to stop beating up his chest from within. A few minutes went by, he felt shaky and uncertain of himself for once. He'd been making excuses, and running from the startling horrible fact. Something about her, drew him like a moth to a flame. Unlike the moth, he knew how dangerous that flame was to his existence. "Lord God, don't do this to me. You know me... what good am I to anyone? I'm begging you, get her out'ah my head. I'm begging you." He walked to the fridge and took out another beer and downed it straight without stopping. Crushing the can he let out a loud belch and stood with his hand on the fridge as if holding it as he stood there, lost once again in a trance. 'Where are you? ... Where are you?' He turned leaning back with his head laying against the fridge door, his hand raking through his hair again, "Call me back dammit!" He ground out, his jaw clenched tight. "Call me now."
* * *
All four women stood staring at the answering machine as it clicked on and Jake's voice came over it to their surprise. They'd been in and out for most of the day trying to get Vivian moved into her new place before Thursday night. They'd
called one place after another trying to find a last minute moving firm that would take on the job in such short notice. Couldn't find one, however Meribel saved the day. It paid to have cousins who are always looking to make a fast dollar. She found four of them who showed up quick at hearing they'd get paid a hundred fifty each. Sylvia loaned Vivian half of the money she needed to pay them and rent a U-haul. They were in and out, each time basically ignoring the answering machine so no one had even been present to hear the messages by Jake. They were all there now cleaning it up and collecting last little items. Laughing at how fast they could evacuate a place if pushed against the wall. Considering as well how much stuff Vivian had. The second thing that saved them was that she'd been 75 percent packed. With the four of them rushing to help her finish, it was a done deal in no time flat.
All things considered, there had been only one hitch. Meribel's cousin Wilfrado - he couldn't get enough of staring at Vivian. He had been bold, blatant and dramatic with his attraction to her. With his thick Puerto Rican accent and forwardness, Vivian had had to tell him off twice, which hadn't bothered him at all.
Even after they'd finished moving them in and were paid, he was yelling out of the car window as his brother was driving away. "I be back fo'you mami! CHU' TOO FINE GIRL - CHU' KNOW I BE BACK!!!" This was followed by loud smacking kiss sounds coupled with the gestures, winking and licking his lips as they turned the corner down the block out of sight.
"Great! Please tell me he won't be back?" Vivian groaned to Meribel as they all went into the house she was leaving to get the last of what was needed, taken care of.
"I'll talk to him, he won't be bugging you." Meribel assured her, even though she wasn't so sure herself.
Now they stood as the answering machine clicked off. Stunned, staring at each other.
"Check it girl and see if he called before." Sheila instructed her.
Vivian's heart was beating like crazy again. Her head was buzzing. While she was hurt, yes... her resolve was already weakening. To hear his voice, to hear that he'd called her twice before stunned her. They'd heard the machine beeping, but had no time to give it any attention with so much going on.
Meribel looked at Sylvia stunned, speaking her mind softly she said, "Jake's calling her that much? I can't believe it."
"He's called her before, she told me." Sylvia returned just as softly.
They listened to the two earlier messages that she found were by him and listened to the third one again.
"Should I call him back?" She asked all present, all three shouted at the same time, "NO!"
"But he's worried about me, and I don't want him driving here." Vivian reasoned, worried and chewing on her lip.
"Girl! What is your problem? Let him be worried!" This from Sheila.
"She can't let him drive all the way down here." Sylvia interjected.
"He ain't gone drive all the way down here." Sheila grumbled.
"If he says he will - he might!" Meribel corrected. "I can't believe he's calling you like that; Jake don't call nobody! I know Jake; I kept his goddamn sons and changed their shitty ass diapers when I lived with his parents. Girls, and then women were calling him all the time, but he never returned their phone calls. Only two women he ever returned their calls were Christine and Jackie. Only because they were his son's mother and then because Gert got on him to. I'm telling you, I know Jake, he does not call for anyone - he might just show up, surprise'em, but call'em on the phone? No no no no! Not Jake... for him to be doing this... it's a new one on me."
All three stared at her wondering themselves. Vivian could not deny the surge of hope within, hearing that this was not normal behavior for him.
"So... should I call him?"
"No!" From Sheila.
"Maybe she should Sheila. So he don't drive down here." Sylvia argued.
"That man ain't driving down here, that was just to get you to call him."
"I don't know..." Vivian whispered, she wanted to call him. She wanted to know why he did what he did, she wanted to hear his side of it.
"What you mean you don't know? You forgot already what he did!? Had you over there kickin' ho ass! You forget that already? That all that shit his fault?!"
"Yeah but... they're just friends! If she reacts like his girlfriend, he might back off!" Meribel pointed out.
"That's what she want!"
"No she don't!" Sylvia corrected her.
"No I don't!" Vivian seconded that.
"Well what the fuck we move yo'ass for!? My ass is tired, and you telling me, you still want'im?!"
"I don't want him not to want me! I just don't want him to think I want him."
"Oh here we go... fenna' dive into some complicated bullshit! Fuck'it! Go on and call the man - just hurry up goddammit... keep it short."
They all rushed to sit around her on the floor, where the phone and answering machine sat, eager to hear and make sure she didn't say the wrong thing.
She rang him with all three leaning in close hoping to hear.
"Hello?" Jake answered, he was feeling the beer he drank, 8 cans in now and he was feeling pretty loose.
"It's me, Vivian... you called?"
"Three ga'damn times! Three - times! Can you count three?! I called you! You just callin' me back now!?"
All three could hear him loud and clear, he was talking loud, obviously not happy, Meribel's eyes got big, she covered her mouth in disbelief, Sylvia was starting to see things with new eyes as well, Sheila's were narrowed on Vivian with a message to play her cards right.
"Well Mr. McPherson, it stands to reason and is obvious that I've just received your messages. You'll have to excuse me, but I was out all day, I have things to do."
"Things to do?!" He repeated disdainfully, "Like what?"
"Oh, just things. Is there a reason for this call? I have things still yet to do."
"You talkin' to me now, all that other stuff can wait." He insisted boldly.
"Excuse me... I don't think so, I can talk to you anytime-..."
Sylvia rolled back on the floor kicking into the air, holding her mouth as Sheila rolled and pumped her fist into the air, laughing to herself, holding back a 'WO WO WO!'. Meribel was nodding yes, that she was on the right track, holding back her own chuckles, reeling because she was sitting and witnessing the actual snagging, and snatching of Jake - the big fish! Someone was finally reeling him in. She couldn't believe it. Vivian was tapping her lips with her index finger for them to keep it down so he wouldn't know other's were present and a witness to his call.
"You think so hmm?" He asked with narrowed eyes, seeing her, wishing he were there right now. The alcohol had his mind going crazy with images of her, that kiss he'd experienced with her and how badly he'd like to finish it. He could see her laying out naked, her sweet dark skin glistening from a sheen of perspiration he'd be responsible for bringing forth.
"Of course I think so, we're friends aren't we? Real friends are always available for you. I'm here for you, you're there for me, right? Because we're friends."
"Yeah... friends." He was steaming over that term... friends, he sure as hell didn't wanna be her friend at the moment.
"You okay? You sound kind of funny, you been drinking?" She asked, his voice was slower, deeper - different.
"I'd like to drink you... down to the - very - last - drop and lick up what's left - nice and slow."
Vivian sucked in shocked, his words going directly to their intended target, she squirmed a bit.
All the other women mouths fell open with huge eyes, they scooted even closer to the phone at her ear, trying to hear more.
He'd heard her shocked exclamation.
"Have I shocked you?" He asked slow and sexy. His voice took on a Southern tone when he was drinking. "I wanna shock you. I wanna shake you up." He confessed.
"I - I don't think that's appropriate for friends Jake."
"You think you're slick don't you? All or nothing! What the hell does that mean, all or nothing?!" H
e suddenly said, a bit of resentment in his tone.
"Excuse me?" She asked, not sure how to handle this Jake, he was bringing up what she told him that night he retuned after the wedding and tried to get her to bed, and she'd said to him, "All or nothing." She couldn't believe that was on his mind.
"Why all or nothing, hm? Why? Dammit... everybody, wants me and ... you... I don't know..." He was mumbling, not making sense, as if talking to himself while she listened.
"Are you all right Jake?"
"NO I'M NOT FUCKING ALL RIGHT! Hell no I'm not all right! I called you three times! Three ga'damn times! And all you got to say is, you have things to do! Well I got things to do too! Dammit! Me too! But I stopped to call you... the least that you could do... is stop what you're doing... and talk to me - right? RIGHT?!"
"I'm talking to you now Jake." Vivian returned softly, looking at the three women with wide eyes, she couldn't believe he was speaking to her this way.
Meribel was floored, this was not the Jake she knew, she was looking from Sylvia to Sheila with wide eyes of disbelief, shaking her head in amazement.
"You don't wanna talk to me though do'yah!? Rather talk to your lil'China man I bet... lil'fucker! You call him?! UGH! I should'ah smashed his face in that day." He demanded and muttered the latter angrily.
"What has got you so upset? And no I haven't spoken to him yet ... but I will."
"OH NO YOU DON'T! I'm coming up there Saturday, moving your ass out! That's that... end of discussion."
BOMAW 4-6 Page 57
