BOMAW 4-6

by Mercedes Keyes

  "OH! Hey man! What's up? Everything straight this morning?" Dennis answered grinning. He'd had to answer the phone because Sheila was in the shower. He woke that morning, got a bit of a wild hair and decided he wasn't going to work. Much to the displeasure of his wife, he was spoiling the events she had lined up for her day, staying at home.

  Shawn chuckled nervous, took a deep breath, all of this audible to Dennis, he wasn't sure how to share his embarrassment, Dennis didn't need a whole lot of hints and gestures to get the jest of it that all was not all right that morning, Dennis started grinning, "Aaaaah man, come on dawg!" Dennis started laughing. "Talk to me man, come on man, don't tell me she gone again?"

  "Dennis - man - she tryin' to drive me crazy." Shawn said instead.

  "So she gone?" Dennis asked when Sheila walked into the kitchen looking at him.

  "She gone - my hope was that she's there." Shawn confessed.

  "Who gone?" He heard Sheila ask, there was no end to his embarrassment as he heard Dennis laughing and answered, "Take a guess!? Who you think?"

  "Sylvia?! Oh my goodness... who on the phone? Shawn?"

  "Yes and yes... now you mind if I talk to m'man... you mind? Get that breakfast on woman!"

  "You need to take yo' butt on to work! You'on need to stay at home!" Shawn heard Sheila complaining.

  "Don't you worry 'bout me goin' t'work! I'on feel like it! I'm stayin' home - see what the hell you be up to all goddamn day!" Shawn listened and starting laughing to himself, he could tell already... he and Dennis were going to get along just fine.

  "You still there man?!" Dennis asked.

  "Still here."

  "Dawg I'mo tell ya' now - women done loss they GODDAMN mind and they GODDAMN place! Me and my ol'lady been going at it in the night and I stayed home to give her some'mo shit today! I ain't goin' t'work today - you can stop lookin' at me like that too - rolling them eyes. Get that bacon on! Get them grits t'cookin'! And I want some biscuits... lay all that shit out this morning... goddamnit!" Dennis went on, talking to Shawn and Sheila at the same time.

  "You need to go somewhere and leave me alone - I ain't gone be bothered wit' you today - I'mo tell you that right now!" Sheila returned even though she was getting ready to cook him the breakfast he requested. "HEY SHAWN!!!" He heard her yell in the background.

  "You hear'dat?" Dennis asked.

  "Tell her I said good morning." Shawn returned smiling.

  "He say good morning, now leave us to talk please." He dictated to his wife, and then to Shawn, "Man - we need to hook up! Shit, come on by here! You know where we live?"

  "I was just going to ask that if you wouldn't mind. I have a feeling my wife's going to show up there at some point today, at least I think so."

  "Man hell, come on! Where you at?"

  Shawn told him, and then listened as he gave the shortest quickest route there. "All right, I'm on my way." Shawn promised at the conclusion. "Hurry up man, so you can get you somethin' t'eat! You ain't eat this mornin' have you?"

  "Not yet I haven't ... I can tell you now, I'm hungry though." Shawn admitted.

  "Aaaah shit! Baby... Shawn hungry, break out some more bacon, put some sausage on too, he eat anything like Jake... that shit ain't gone be enough! Shawn man, come on - I be lookin' for you."

  "Like I said, on my way." Shawn clicked off, his stomach growling at the mention of food. His smile slowly dissolved with his mind going to more pressing matters. Like his wife and where exactly was she right then. Neither could he ignore his unease that she had in fact come to Bruce Pewsey for money. Granted it was the contest money, because he had left her with nothing, but he didn't like the idea of his wife running around to other people asking for anything. Especially asking a man like Bruce Pewsey, it didn't put him in such a good light, and it gave Bruce ideas and no doubt an impression that Shawn not wish for him to have. At some point she'd divulged that she was pregnant, this he knew from the comments of Pewsey. The man had just rubbed him wrong. He reminded him of a hawk, hovering above, peering down and waiting to attack. Basically - waiting to snatch his wife from him. Shawn snatched the shades from his eyes and tossed them on the seat next to him. A short burst of irritation as he squeezed the bridge of his nose while stopped at a light. "Why you having such a hard time holding on to her? Could this all be a secret message? A hint perhaps? Why are you avoiding the obvious?" Those words from Bruce suddenly played back in his head. "You're wasting her man. She belongs on a stage! In a recording studio! A voice like that was made for more than singing lullabies!"

  Shawn felt his eyes tear up. He couldn't help it. His stomach gripped him and squeezed into a tight knot. 'What if what he says is true? What if this is her way of saying, I don't want this.' Shawn thought back to when he ruined his condoms. Back to all the times he'd rushed in upon her, giving her not enough time to think. Granted, they had moments where he'd left her alone, but once she showed signs of interest in him, he'd turned up his pursuit of her full force. He'd never in his life begged a woman to love him. Want him, want what he wanted. Not even Deidre. Yes, he'd asked. He'd threatened, but he'd never begged her, warned her yes... but not begged. His eyes filled with tears and spilled over. He wiped them blinking to clear them so he could see. Humiliated, he knew - he would beg Sylvia if she wanted him to. His face felt on fire because he knew that he was being selfish. He was assuming what was best for her. Assuming that he had all that she'd ever want and need. He thought back to his time when he questioned all in town about her. In the hardware store, it was said - her determination was - "No men!"

  Now he wondered, if he hadn't gotten her pregnant - hadn't pushed to marry - would she consider what Bruce Pewsey could offer her?

  Shawn was scared. The one thing, the one woman, he wanted more than all others ever in his life - was Sylvia and he couldn't get a hold of her. He couldn't keep her to him. Even after a night of incredibly explosive love making, she was gone. He rubbed his stomach. "I can't help it God... if I could... and she wanted me to - I'd let her go. Just give me my Jesse and I'd let her go. But - I - I can't let her go. I can't ... not this one. Please God... please, I want her like I've never wanted anything. Please - let me have this please... let me have her. Can you please make her love me, the way I love her? Please?" He ground his rear teeth, feeling his eyes burn and fill with tears again. He drew in a real deep breath trying to get control of himself. Deciding to dismiss all thought of it, it was bringing him down. Try as he might, he couldn't get her out of his head, not even for a moment. "I love you Sylvia... I swear to God I love you. Baby if you would just - just give me a chance... I'll - I'll do whatever it takes... I swear I will." He sniffed, embarrassed by his complete loss of control where she was concerned. With her, even his pride lay trampled beneath his feet. Yeah he laughed it off having to tell others she was gone, he knew what they must be thinking. That he was a fool for running around after her instead of just letting her come to him. He couldn't just lay back and let her come to him. His demon was, that he could not breath and function while waiting - because the waiting would be torture, especially if for some reason she didn't come back.

  No.

  To hell with pride.

  Let them laugh at him.

  She was his wife and he would drive off the face of the earth to find her, grab her, and yeah... hold her to him - even forcefully, because he simply could not let her go.

  * * *

  If she'd waited another moment to eat, she would have fainted. Thank goodness the taxi driver was patient and cooperative, it didn't hurt that she was willing to purchase him a few tacos as well. Sylvia loved Spanish food, and this morning, running around as she was - that's all that would do. She bought herself and the driver, a massive steak filled burrito each and four beef tacos with onions, cilantro and green chilli salsa spread across the top from one of the El Taqueria Mexican stores. To wash it down, a seltzer water for her and a Pepsi for him. The front of the popular store was a grocers and in the back, a restaurant where one
could buy outstanding fresh made tacos. Sylvia's mouth was watering as she walked back to the taxi, hopped in and and passed him his up front. He was thanking her and enjoying taking her where she asked.

  Sylvia could not respond for attacking the tacos, she was so hungry and it was so good it made her eyes roll up in her head. Talking with her mouth full, she asked the driver to get her to her destination. He didn't hesitate. As they were riding and she was eating, they pulled up to the light right beside a red vehicle. Sylvia looked to the left and almost choked on her tacos to see Shawn right next to them in the left lane. She quickly ducked down and prayed that he hadn't seen her. The taxi driver noticed her move.

  "You all right back there?"

  "Yes... don't talk to me, look to your left, see the man in the red mustang?"

  The taxi driver glanced at him, "Yeah, what about him?"

  "What is he doing?"

  "Looking straight ahead and waiting for the light to change, like me."

  Sylvia dared to peer up carefully and look. He'd been right, Shawn was looking straight ahead. A soft smile spread across her face as she chewed her tacos, he was deep in thought and looking neither left nor right. She could tell his mind was elsewhere and not on what was going on around him. 'Are you thinking about me honey? I'm here, just give me another day or so... please? I promise... this is it.' She thought staring at him. Her heart skipped a beat, he was so handsome and she couldn't love a man more than she did him. The light changed and he shot ahead of the traffic, moving quickly to their lane, impatient with his driving, weaving in and out and until he was out of sight.

  "You know'em? He drives like a nut!" The taxi driver commented.

  Sylvia chuckled, "Yeah... I know him. I'll have to tell him about that, driving like a nut." She simpered and took another bite out of her tacos, then sat back up straight and opened her Perrier and drank it down, thinking about her husband. He was in pursuit of her and she could only wonder where he was going. 'Shawn drive carefully.' She sent the thought as if it would get to him and felt awful. The feeling was stealing her appetite. The tacos didn't taste so good anymore. She sighed, and then last night flashed through her mind. The way she was with him. The way he made her feel. Something about him, made her weak and crazy. Made all of her thoughts head straight the opposite direction of where they may have been going. All he had to be was in the room and looking at her a certain way, her body would respond. She tried to talk to him, she had wanted to make him understand what she was feeling, but then - he'd started moving that way, dancing, being silly and gorgeous and well... all hope was lost after that. There had been nothing on her mind but getting him to touch her, love her, fill her. And he did... oh yes... he did.

  Sylvia smiled and went on to finish her four tacos, however there was no way the burrito was going down, she would save it for later. Wrapping up the wax paper and foil, she put it in the bag and sat back as the taxi made his way to Sheila's and Dennis' home. Travelling she thought about what she was putting her husband through, yet there was no way to turn back now. She sat thinking of how to make this up to him, and she would as soon as she got home. Then, she would baby him, indulge him. Cook him all of his favorite meals, and throw in some new ones to entice him. She would be the little housewife he so badly wanted. That above all, she could deliver. She would deliver - because he was worth it. Sadly, she wished she had known him years ago - way back in the beginning. Before Armundo. While she loved her children, she so wished they were Shawn's children. Granted, they would not be what they were and so then not the same children, but still - he would have been a much better father to them than their own. While Armundo in his half cocked and sometimes unreliable way did try to provide for the family, as a father - it wasn't in him. Seldom could he be found hugging the kids. Only after they fought. Only after yelling and screaming and her crying, begging and pleading with him to give them some attention, especially Mundo. He often acted as if his own children living in the same house with him didn't even exist unless it was to tell them off for something they'd done wrong. Crystal grew up not really liking him. In fact, there were times when Sylvia thought surely, she hated her own father.

  Sylvia shook off thoughts of Armundo, he was gone... out of their lives - never to return.

  For now, she must make contact with her own father. If she had more money, she would go there now but she'd spent money on food and this taxi was going to cost her. She was afraid of showing up there and he not be there and then be stranded. No, she needed money. She needed her car back! 'Doggone you Shawn! Why couldn't you just let me do this!?' She shook her head imagining and dreading the bill for this taxi, she avoided looking forward at the meter, too frightened to. Thinking about it now she should have hopped her butt on the bus instead of taking the taxi again from the club. But tugging her bag around, with her laptop was too much. She reached in Shawn's jacket pocket feeling the money that was left there. If she got to Sheila's, she knew she could borrow a bit of money from her. Maybe - she could get her to run her by her father's, and if he was there - she could get her to leave her there. She needed to do this, she needed to get it done. It could no longer be held off, because her husband was not going to stand for much more of this - she knew he would be soon running out of patience and with good reason.

  The taxi finally turned onto Sheila's block and to her horror, her red mustang was parked out front. "Noooo! Oh Nooooo! Keep driving keep driving - around to the next block - please!" She pleaded laying down in the seat afraid someone or Shawn would be looking out of the door or window.

  "Who is that? That the same red mustang at that light I was talking about?" He asked.

  "Yes... it is... one and same... my husband."

  "Ooooh - I see - playing a little ditch and dodge hm?"

  "I guess you could say that."

  The taxi driver followed her directions went to the end of the block, turned, went to the next and turned again. "Okay... house number 11812 - right there. Yeah, thank you. How much?"

  "42.55."

  "What!? Shoot!! Okay - and I bought you something to eat mind you! Should take my doggone tacos back!"

  "Hey... its the meter, I got nothing to do with the meter and mileage."

  Sylvia pulled the money from her pockets and counted out the amount, "Here you go."

  "Anytime! Thanks for the meal." He grinned.

  "Whatever!"

  She jumped out quick, grabbing her stuff, heart pounding, afraid that he would show up between the gangway of Vivian's house. She wasn't sure what Sheila or Dennis might tell him. Sylvia literally felt her bottom heated he was so close on her tail. Pulling her suitcase behind her she rushed up Vivian's two steps to her door, knocking hard and then, remembering the doorbell, laid on it.

  Vivian had been getting ready to go out and meet with Laek Chan's wife. She'd called her first thing that morning and having to humble herself, almost pleaded to meet, because she had something important to discuss with her. Quiet and reluctant, his wife - Siaoko agreed. Vivian had plenty of time yet, but she always liked to get an early start, it helped with her nerves. Walking from her kitchen to her bathroom, she heard urgent knocking at her door, then her doorbell going on.

  Rushing to it, she opened it to have Sylvia rush in on her, "Close the door quick!" Sylvia gasped out, short of breath as she darted over to Vivian's couch and sat down.

  Vivian shut the door shaking her head she turned exasperated, "Sylvia! Why you keep running from that man! I know you are!"

  "I have no choice - he won't listen to me! He's at Sheila's now!" She blew trying to catch her breath.

  "Woman you running around like you crazy, and pregnant at that! If he over there, its only a moment or more before he'll be here!" She stated knowingly, walking from the door to Sylvia.

  "Why he gone come here? He don't know where you live!"

  "Dennis gone tell'im! He trippin'! Been trippin' since last night! On one of his tirades! Sheila woke up this morning and called me, he shocked the
hell out of her because she thought his butt was gone to work after dropping the boys off, he done come back home and was in the basement. Come up catching her on the phone talking about, uh huh I knew it! I'm tellin' you now, he in that kind of mood, stayed home from work just to get on Sheila's nerve. Nigga trippin' on her, trippin' on me - and next he be trippin' on you - he gone tell Shawn whatever he need to know! So get ready, because I can bet you he'll be knocking on my door, your husband with him, any moment now."

  "Oh MAN! I can't believe this! Girl I'm broke as I don't know what! Got ten dollars left in my pocket. Shawn got my car, my purse and my mobile phone! That includes all my credit cards and debit card! I've just spent close to 45 dollars on cab fare! Had to get me something to eat, wanna burrito?!" She stopped to ask.

  Vivian walked over and grabbed it out of Sylvia's hand, "Ou - it smell good too, yeah... I ain't had breakfast yet." She stated walking towards her kitchen, Sylvia stood and followed continuing with, "I had four tacos, they was good! Anyway - I had the cabby bring me to Sheila's and there is my car parked. Man... and I put off getting extra keys because I just - kept putting it off, or I would taken off with it this morning."

  "You crazy! You know that?! Just go tell the man what you need to do!"

  "Girl you don't understand! Shawn is not gonna let me finish this by myself. He wanna be right there."

  "Tell him you want to do this alone. Instead of running all over trying to dodge him. How he get your car and keys from you?"

  "I was sleeping, he must have gotten up and hid all my stuff away thinking I wouldn't leave without it."

  "Aaaaah, he so sweet Sylvia."

  "Don't start." Sylvia tried to stop her from launching into a session of standing up for Shawn. She was cutting the burrito in half, her eyes and face gesturing sympathetically for him. "He love you so much Sylvia, just go talk to him."

  "No! Not yet... after I get to my father. I need some money, I wish you had a car."