BOMAW 4-6

by Mercedes Keyes

  He was quiet, patient and rocking back and forth slowly, using the vanity with his foot braced there to push back. His right hand held his shades, folding and unfolding one of the ear arms on them as he rocked and waited. In his left hand, he held his gun in his hand. Only because it gave him something to do with his other hand. He carried it for one reason only, he was riding about the streets of Chicago on his motorcycle, all was safe as long as they didn't try anything with him. The 9mm had the safety on, as it would remain unless someone gave him reason to change it. Shawn wasn't about to let anything or anyone interrupt this reunion with his wife, nor endanger it for that matter. While sitting there, he was growing a bit resentful that she was out at that time of night in an area that could make victims of her and Meribel. They were only two women after all, his wife - pregnant with his child. He was glad Derrick was along, it was time to nip all of this nonsense in the bud and bring them home. He'd allowed all he was about to now, game over.

  The fifteen minute intermission concluded, with a few whom had taken advantage of it by going to the ladies or men's room, now returning to their seats for the next two acts to be introduced. Shawn leaned forward waiting to hear if this would be his wife or not. He'd enjoyed the two previous acts, especially that last song, 'Cry Me A River'the one responsible from switching his mood from one of anxious enthusiasm to anxiety and melancholy. Although he knew that Sylvia loved him, the fact was - not enough to have kept her at home. Because she'd been able to leave him for more than a day, gripped him with the painful truth, that she might be capable of leaving him for good. Where he sat, listening to the various women perform, he was shaken because what if she wanted this? What if singing, on the road, doing concerts, giving up their private life and world, was what she wanted? He sat holding the gun, turning it one way and then the other.

  What if, like her mother, that meant more to her than anything? Than him, their family, his children? Shawn didn't have to go through it to know that there was no way he could share his wife with such a career. It would ruin their marriage. He wanted a calm life, her at home, settled where they'd begun to build the first of their family business. That's what he wanted. He then questioned whether that was selfish of him or not? The next act was on stage now, singing, 'Since I Fell For You' - it was not his wife, the vocalist was a black woman called Fiona Locke. Her style very Jazzy, close to that of Dinah Washington.

  She was the third act. That meant that Sylvia would be next, the last act. Shawn understood the strategy, Paul's brother Bruce, was saving the best for last. Having heard the other three, while they each were indeed good - and maybe he was a bit biased, but his wife's voice had something in it - that would slam this audience as he was told she had the previous week. Shawn both looked forward to and dreaded her performance. His stomach was upset. While he was there to get her, take her home, that didn't mean that's what she would want, it was only what he wanted. Shawn sat forward as his nerves began working on him. The moment of truth was rapidly coming upon him.

  "Is this competition tough or what?!" Bruce asked the audience amidst loud applause concluding Fiona Locke's turn at the microphone. "When I said we would be bringing you best - I was not joking!" He went on, clapping for Fiona as well, while she gave a slight bow for the last time, before disappearing back stage.

  Jake finally peeled his steaming gaze from Vivian to peer at the stage.

  Lydia felt her stomach tighten, knowing that the next one would be her daughter, her heart beat hard and nervous to see her in this setting for the first time.

  Meribel, Vivian, Sheila and Dennis eagerly awaited her introduction, determined to bring the ceiling in with their applause and backing for her.

  Shawn stood, taking deep breaths, placing the gun back in the holster beneath his jacket panel. He walked to the door of the dressing room, peaking out of it into the hall, he caught the back of his wife walking towards the stage. She'd been in the room right next to the one he sat in. Even from behind, he could see that the gown she wore was breathtaking. Hugging her generous curves, and he also noticed that her hair was very short, close at the nape. Her shoulders and upper back bare all for the fine gossamer silk that held gold shimmering patterns against her skin.

  Shawn closed his eyes a moment, his heart was beating like mad. He felt a bit crazy, stunned at how powerful his attraction was to her. Stunned by the massive feelings that were running riot throughout his system. She held the controls to so much of what he felt from one moment to the next.

  He could only wonder why a God as perfect as the one he believed in, would give a woman, the weaker sex, such power over a man. Granted not every man, but the one sucker enough to fall for her. Shawn knew, for Sylvia McPherson, he was that man... because over him, she held the power. She stepped up within the curtains before being introduced on stage. Taking a very deep and long breath, Shawn stepped from the cover of the room. He wanted to see her performance, he was not content to sit in the room and listen to it, he wanted to see her live, especially after catching the glimpse of her from behind.

  "All right people, you've heard the first three performer's, let me recap them for you, Angelina Dawson, did a spectacular job of, The Way He Makes Me Feel! Lana Claiborne, bowled us over with Cry Me A River and Fiona Locke just dazzled us with,Since I Fell For You... and last, but not least, let's give a warm welcome to our final female vocalist contestant, Sylvia Martin, singing - First Time Ever I Saw Your Face!" Bruce introduced her, having looked over her application, he decided that it would be best to use her maiden name, because McPherson just didn't seem catchy enough for a stage name.

  Hearing her maiden name used, stumbled Sylvia a bit. She hadn't expected that, and didn't know if she liked it. She was a McPherson, and proud of it. Recovering, she made her way gracefully on stage, smiling despite her displeasure at the name change. She narrowed her eyes at Bruce, hoping he understood her look of displeasure. Of course he did, but he could care less, he had plans for her, she would have to learn to trust him with her career if he was going to succeed in making her a star. This of course based on his assumptions that once she heard him out, she would want all that he was willing to offer her.

  Shawn stood ignoring the nausea in his stomach. He felt punched from his wife using her maiden name instead of her married name. He took it as an omen of things to come as he stood behind the curtain out of sight, waiting for her performance to begin. He was at the right of the stage, because he knew that Bruce came on and off on the left of it.

  "You ready?" Bruce asked her, with his hand on her shoulder.

  Sylvia gave a slight roll of her shoulder, a hint to remove his hand.

  "As ready as I'll ever be." She answered, taking several deep breaths to gird and prepare her diaphragm. She would be performing the long version of the song by Roberta Flack, copying her breathy soft vocals, while taking on the strength and depth of Celine Dion's version in some areas, weaving both amidst her own style. Taking one last breath, she looked at the pianist, and he began softly, setting the mood for her as she began gently, soft and smooth, "... The first ti-i-i-i-ime ... ev - ver I sa -a-a-a-a-aw - yo-o-o-our - fa-a-a-a-ace ... I thought the su-u-u-u-u-un rose in your ... e-e-e-e-e-eyes..." she carried key words long and precise, lingering on notes that stirred and excited the audience, making many cry out even before she was through the first verses.

  Sheila's arms went in the air as her head swayed side to side, because her voice shot up through her arms and she had to raise them, that voice had her feeling good. Even she had forgotten how beautiful Sylvia could sing, hearing her roll and carry the notes to build them up as she brought depth of feeling and meaning to each word. She wasn't the only one, like a rush of fire spreading throughout the audience, like the falling of dominoes, they felt the shivers, experienced the goose pimples forming on their arms, as she sang that song to her husband and no one else.

  Meribel listened stunned again, because after hearing all the ways she practiced it back at the hotel, and ev
en on stage, this version was a bit different, better than all the rest.

  Shawn once again, was all Sylvia could think of. He was all that she could see as she closed her eyes and felt every word was true. Tears filled her eyes, because nothing and no one on earth made her feel what that man did, everyone the audience knew, you couldn't sing a song that way unless you felt it, unless there was a powerful motivation, inspiration behind it, and to Sylvia... Shawn was that and more.

  Shawn risked being seen, because he could not just hide behind the curtains, he had to look at her. He moved the curtains back from him, and leaned there watching her, hearing her, and knew a surge of pride so profound and overcoming, it brought tears to his eyes. She was slowly building to peak in the song, and when she did, the audience exploded into applause at the verses, "... and the first ti-i-i-i-i-ime ... ev -ver I la-a-a-a-a-ay ... with yo-o-o-o-ou ... I felt - your hea-a-a-art ... so close ... to - mi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ine..." and with total control and brilliance, she brought it back down, soft and oh so sweet.

  Jake and Derrick were spellbound - in disbelief.

  Lydia sat with tears rolling down her face. "Lord God... look at my chile... listen to my chile..." She cried softly. Now, all the times Sylvia had pleaded with her to come hear her sing at school, at all the little concerts she'd been singing solo in, and wanted her so badly to be there for her, came to Lydia's mind. All the cockamamie reasons she'd given her as reason not to, came as well. She'd heard her daughter singing in her room, on the porch in the back of the house, and in various other places as she'd grown up, and ridiculed her for her attempts. Telling her she couldn't sing. Lydia didn't understand why she'd done such a thing, when it was clear that she could. She didn't want to face it, but maybe, maybe it had been because there was something that she heard in her daughter's voice, that her own had lacked. Lydia closed her eyes, shaking her head side to side.

  "Lord... forgive me... forgive me."

  Chapter 121

  "YE-E-EAH! YEAH!!" Bruce cheered and clapped standing back out on the stage with Sylvia as she faced the audience, gently wiping at the tracks of her tears. The audience was on their feet, clapping madly, whistling, and whooping loud enough to be heard outside.

  Vivian was standing with the rest of them, but she'd held her water as long as she could. She hadn't wanted to miss any of the performances and so deliberately waited until after Sylvia's act before she turned and made her way to the back of the club heading for the ladies room. Smiling to herself, mind on that song and on a certain man, she failed to spot him as she walked right past the booth where he sat with Derrick and Lydia.

  Jake saw Vivian suddenly appear from amidst the standing ovation to his sister-in-law's outstanding song. She had her head down watching her steps, looking neither left nor right. It was too much to see her so close. He'd been hungering for her too long to just sit there and let her go pass him without so much as a glance from her. So what if she didn't know he was there, he wanted her to know that he was there. That for most of this night, he'd been watching her, decked out and dressed in a tight fitting zebra skin dress, obviously her message was that she was available and wanted to be hunted. Very well then, he was primed and ready for the chase, more than willing to stalk her right before he pounced. He made his way out of the booth. Derrick looked towards him and saw him leave, but thought he was going to the men's room again, he hadn't seen Vivian pass their booth.

  Jake walked down the hallway like a stalking lion, his eyes scanning the area as people were in and out of the washrooms. His heart was pounding, his head going crazy. He wanted her, he wanted her now. He looked further down the hall, there was another door towards the end, he walked to it and tried it, it was unlocked. Opening it he discovered it was a broom closet. He pulled it slightly to, his adrenaline rushing through his body, his blood filling his abundant sex in anticipation of being near her. His pulses were pounding as he made it back down the hall towards the ladies room. Two men and three women filled the hallway as they exited the rooms, heading back toward the main floor of the club, clearing the hall. Jake stood staring at the ladies room door. His body coiled like a tight bow string, his arms and legs riddled with a sensation of impulse. He could feel his mouth water as his temples pounded, while his eyes conjured up the image of what he most wanted, he stepped towards the door just as it opened, he looked down into Vivian's wide, shocked eyes.

  Taken so by surprise, she sucked in a gasp, completely stupefied to see him standing there in the flesh, handsomely dressed in a light cream, camel color, turtleneck knit top, tucked into camel suede trousers, blocking her exit. Any words she might have muttered were trapped in her throat from his sudden presence. Before she knew what he was about, he grabbed her arm snatching her to him. With eyes narrowed and heated, he practically lifted her off the floor, dragging her down the hall and into the broom closet he found, shocking any protest she might have made deep within her chest. Her heart was slamming against her rib cage like mad, her ears ringing as he closed the door, trapping her inside with him, next thing she knew, she was pushed back against the door, they were bathed in the darkness of the room. Her nostrils filled with the smell of pine cleaner and his cologne as he loomed above, leaning down close to her face. It dawned on her that it was not completely pitch in the dark room, a low light above the sink offered minimal ambiance, just enough for her to make out his dark silhouette, his bold features and penetrating eyes.

  She didn't understand what was going on, her thoughts scattered by him appearing as if out of thin air and then a double slam of surprise to be hustled into this room with him, to have him over her, breathing deep and hard, he did not speak at first, as if he did not trust himself to.

  "Wh - what? Jake-...?" She started out, gasping from trying to catch her breath.

  "Shut up!" He growled the order low in his throat.

  Vivian felt her chest squeeze, she could hear the anger in his tone and hadn't a clue of what to do, or why he was being this way.

  "Wh - what are you doing here? Wh - what are you doing Jake?" She asked with a shaky voice, the words breaking from breathlessness.

  "Surprised you didn't I? Didn't expect me to be here did you? All or nothing!" He spat the last part with bitter scorn. "What kind'ah fool do you take me for?"

  "Jake have you lost your mind!" She gasped low, feeling strange with him baring down on her so aggressively, there was nothing she could do to swallow down the surge of excitement that was pinging about her belly. She felt shivery, her scalp tingled from the close proximity.

  "Not yet I haven't... but you're trying to make me. Playing all hurt and wounded, dismissing me all time! Then you come out dressed like a common street walker! A fuckin' prostitute!"

  Vivian sucked in hurt, angrily she pushed him to get him away from her. Jake grabbed her arms just as her hand managed to succeed in slapping his face. He shook her, "Oh you're hitting already are you?!" He ground out, and a wrestling between them ensued, with him struggling to get her arms under his control, he forced them both down by her sides and then behind her for one of his large hands to grip both wrists in his, pressing his large body against her with the door to her back.

  "Let me go Jake, let go of me!" She bit out, huffing and puffing, trying to pull her wrist free from his strong hand, next thing she knew, he had her jaw clamped in his other rough hand, forcing her face up to look at him in the dark room, they were both breathing hard. She could smell the liquor on his breath as he bit out. "How dare you fuckin' parade around like this! You get some kind of fuckin' thrill huh? Like men whistling at you, salivating after you, driving them crazy to wantin' t'touch you... that what you like?" He asked forcing one of his legs up between hers, pressing against her groin area.

  "Stop it Jake! Let go'o'me!" She gasped, her head spinning from what he was doing to her. She thought herself truly insane, turned on as she was by his attack. He had her pressed hard into the door, his body against her so tight she could feel that he was fully er
ect, the size of him could not be missed and she felt herself break out in sweat. She couldn't stop it from happening, she swelled and felt herself flood with wetness for him.

  "What?! You rather one of those other fuckers to have you in here? Maybe that goddamn Italian who touched you! Hm?" He breathed close to her ear, inhaling the heady scent of her, he didn't know what perfume she was wearing, but it was making him even more tipsy than he was.

  "You let go of me! You got your nerve! Fucking Edwina! Turn me loose!" She huffed, trying to push him away with her body.

  "You watch your goddamn mouth! And fuck Edwina!" He spat.

  "Exactly! Get back to her, you got some nerve and ... nooo ... no Jake!" She struggled turning her head from him as he was trying to kiss her.

  "Come here dammit... you turn from me! Deny me! While out like this trying to get another man!" He panted, kissing the corner of her mouth, over her cheek and to the side of her neck as she tried fighting him off. The arm of the hand that held her wrist, braced and tightened, pulling her up, trapping her hard against him as he let go of her jaw, rubbing his hand down her body and pushing the short hem of her dress up, finding the edge of her panties, he pushed his hand into them, the tips of his fingers combing through her pubic hairs.

  "No ... no Jake... no!" She panted harshly, tingling and hating her body for betraying her at his touch, her mouth opened wide as she sucked in, "ACH! Oh no..." She whimpered, her eyes closing when his two middle fingers stroked over her bare, wet nether lips, rubbing her there, parting them to caress the soft, pink, delicate folds of skin within as he pushed his body up on her, bringing her to her tip toes, almost riding his thigh and fingers.