BOMAW 4-6

by Mercedes Keyes

  "Em hmmm," Shanna grinned as if to say, 'yeah, sure...'

  Jovial, Shawn laughed while defending his honor, "Honest I did, cross my heart hope to die."

  "I believe you." She hugged him because he was so adorable.

  They heard Sylvia and Angela coming downstairs, Shanna turned to greet them as Shawn called out, "Breakfast is done ladies!" He was writing down Quincy's last name on a sheet of paper, where he put it in his pocket for later.

  "Oooh - look at this!" Sylvia exclaimed at the delicious spread he put out.

  Shawn moved to her side as she stood at the counter, she turned to him with tired eyes. "Baby... look at you. Go back to bed, honey."

  "No Shawn, I have stuff to do." She answered as he kissed her forehead. "I'm gonna take Angela to school, Shanna and I. Then we're going to look for stuff to decorate this bed and breakfast. Plus, I want to look at a line of fridges and cooking ranges. We'll be gone most of the morning."

  "Sylvia ... I don't want you overdoing it! I'm serious." Her husband cautioned her firmly.

  "Shawn, I'm fine - I'm pregnant, not disabled."

  Suddenly, they all heard a long groan from the other side of the room. All turned to see Jake stirring, moaning as he did.

  Sylvia turned back to look up at her husband. "While we're gone... please get Mundo over here to help you move all of that bedding upstairs into the room I vacated. So he can sleep there from now on." She commanded softly. He - being Jake.

  "It's a waterbed, it should stay in the basement. I don't too particularly care for testing the floor with that."

  "Then we'll be back with a new bed. I don't want him sleeping on my sofa bed every night, we can't go about our business because he's there sleeping." She whispered.

  Knowing that he was the subject for the whispers, Jake yelled, "I'M GETTING UP!"

  "You don't have to get up! Just go up to Angela's room and sleep, Jake!" Sylvia returned.

  Jake sat up. His hair was spiked up, with serious bed-head. His face mottled red, his eyes puffy, he looked like shit. Felt like shit. He had no shirt on, just his jockey's. Women and child present, he wrapped the sheet around his lower body before he stood. Ambling past everyone, him made a grunting noise that was meant to be, "Mornin'". Tripped going up the stairs, caught himself, finished the rest of the way up, and to the upstairs bathroom. After emptying his bladder, washing his hands, and made it to his niece's bed where he collapsed.

  Everyone downstairs was laughing at him.

  "My poor brother! I can't believe he was so drunk last night. He usually only drinks until he's light on his feet, and then he backs off." Shanna stated, sitting at the table eating with Sylvia joining her. Shawn was bent over his daughter kissing her forehead with a, "Mornin', pum'kin."

  "Mornin', dad. This is good. I love fruit in the morning!" Angela praised.

  "Shawn, this is good! You continue this, you'll be cooking all the time. Aren't I lucky!?" Sylvia grinned, turning to Shanna at the last part.

  "If we were all so lucky!" She grinned, with Shawn taking the seat across from her preparing a plate of the spread for himself.

  "Baby, I want you to get on the phone before you and Shanna leave. Get Dennis and Sheila up here for this Memorial Day weekend, I'm barbecuing! Call your mom and dad as well! And - Vivian called this morning. I talked to her, she's going to be coming with Dennis and Sheila, so make sure you get them to come."

  "Oh yeah, what was she phoning about?" Sylvia asked, savoring the mango chunks.

  "Asking about Jake. It seems, that he called her last night while drunk out of his mind."

  Both women looked at each other, smiled, and then turned back to Shawn; Shanna would leave the questioning to Sylvia while she listened.

  "So, what did she say?"

  "Just that he phoned her. Said uh, that she was too good for him, and she said he sang her a song."

  "Get out of here! You're kidding!" Shanna exclaimed. Then turned to Sylvia, "Jake has a beautiful voice. He use to sing in the choir at church when we were growing up. Doesn't he have a beautiful voice, Shawn?"

  "Then he did. Does he still?"

  "Yes! But he'll only sing now when he's drinking, to me or mom. Not in front of anyone else, just us. So for him to get drunk and sing to her... oh my goodness! I think he's in love, Shawn! He has to be in love with her!" Shanna was so excited, she was clapping her hands, "Oh my GOD! Wait till I tell mom! She's gonna flip!! I'm telling you now, Vivian is all she talks about! And the baby, of course! We saw Dana Mocker in town with her grandson the other day - you should have seen the look on momma's face, coveting that baby!"

  "She the one with the mixed grandson who's father is black?" Sylvia asked.

  "Yep... and mama said, 'wait til' my Sylvia get done... I'll have mine to show off, too! Oh, and if Jake gets Vivian... I'm sho gonna have me one then!'." Shanna shook her head laughing at her mother, "So when she hears this... oh my goodness!"

  "Who's Vivian?" Angela asked, trying to catch up and understand what was going on.

  "You remember at our wedding reception, when my friends came?" Sylvia asked her.

  She nodded with wide eyes.

  "Well, the one who was really dark, on the tall side, you remember her?"

  Angela shrugged. She couldn't remember, she was too busy having fun.

  "No worries, Pum'kin, you'll meet her again this weekend when she comes up." Shawn put in.

  "Dad, does this mean that I should marry someone black, too?"

  Shawn spit out his coffee, taken by surprise at the question. Shanna covered her mouth, not sure how he would respond. Sylvia's eyes got big and remained quiet as her husband coughed to recover.

  He looked at his daughter, taking a deep breath. "You're too young to worry about it. That's years, and years, and years down the road." He stated.

  "Maybe... but when years, and years, and years finally get here... who do you want me to marry? Someone black or white?"

  "When that time comes... waaay down that road, I want you to marry someone who will treat you right. Won't matter to me if he's black, white, red, or yellow. Long as he treats you right, and can take care of you. That's what I want... waaay, waaay, waaay down the road." Shawn answered, about to sip more of his coffee again when she said.

  "I'm ten years old, you know... its not that waaay down the road. Besides, boys already like me. Especially this Indian boy." Angela threw out, testing the waters.

  All was quiet as Shawn's cup of coffee hung suspended before his lips, while his eyes stared sideways at his daughter. He looked like a frozen statue, as Sylvia and Shanna held their breath practically, watching him and waiting. Shawn couldn't move. Finally, "What - Indian boy?"

  "At school. He's in my room. He's always looking at me. I think he likes me."

  Again... silence.

  Sylvia thought, surely his arm would be tired holding that cup there at his lips. Suddenly, his eyes rolled from staring at Angela to staring at her. Sylvia looked down and continued to eat. Shawn finally lowered his cup. Then looked back at his daughter. "Are you testing me?" He asked. "Because if you are, I'm not ready for this test yet. Nor are you in a position to be considering some little boy who sits in class staring at you. Does he talk to you?"

  "No... not yet. He just looks at me, but looks away when I catch him."

  "So, what are you thinking about that?" He asked.

  "He's cute."

  Shawn gripped the coffee cup so hard that Sylvia reached over and peeled his fingers from it, taking it out of reach. He took a very deep breath.

  "That's all you're thinking, that he's cute?"

  "Well, it's not like I'm thinking about sex or anything, dad!"

  Shawn reacted as if he'd been punched in the stomach, a burst of the sound and all erupted. He leaned forward on the table, grabbing his face with one hand, his hand to his stomach with the other. Shanna was sitting with both hands over her mouth now watching, trying not to laugh.

  "Baby... that's enough, for now
. Come on, let me get you off to school. Daddy can't take no mo', stop while you ahead sugga'. Stop while you ahead." Sylvia warned, finishing and pushing away from the table.

  Shawn couldn't move.

  "We're gonna get going, baby." Sylvia leaned down and kissed her husband's head, smiling.

  "Bye daddy, see you later." Angela leaned down and hugged her father, kissing his temple, grinning. He grabbed her arm suddenly. "Stay away... from the Indian boy, understand?" He warned with a low growl. "Daddy! I don't even like him. Not yet, anyway." She grinned.

  "Go - go!" He felt shaken to the core, as Shanna walked by, chuckling softly. "You're such a victim Shawn, she was just pushing your buttons." Shanna giggled, following Angela and Sylvia up the stairs.

  "Yeah... thanks! HEY! WIFE! Don't forget to make those phone calls for this weekend!" He shouted in direction of the stairs.

  "I'll call when we get back!" She returned from the door at the top of the stairs.

  Shawn stood, slowly recovering from that small talk with his daughter. He cleared the table, stacked the dishes in the sink and cleaned everything up. He folded the sofa sleeper back up and straightened up there, picking up Jake's things and laying them on the washing machine. With all restored to order there, before he went up to get Mundo, whom he would draft to help him cut the grass; the good weather had it shooting up already. He went into his office, and grabbed the phone book looking for the name "Jacobs", in the Hillsboro directory. He didn't have long to search, he found them listed, *Jacobs, Quincy & Christine* - in bold, their address and phone number. With his heart pounding in his chest, Shawn stared at the names, pulling out the same paper with Quincy's name on it, he wrote - Christine, the telephone number and their address. Sitting back, he closed the book. Took a deep breath and slid it back in his pocket.

  The day was going to be a hectic one, getting all of the lawn cut; and there was a lot to it with his property and Sylvia's, now - both of theirs. Dealing with the double wide when it was delivered. Finishing the kitchen upstairs, so that the appliances could be put in place once Sylvia made up her mind on what she wanted. No sooner had he crossed the road to get Mundo up, with details on what they would be doing that day, a truck pulled up. Angela's things from California had finally arrived.

  Chapter 146

  Chicago...

  Vivian stood in the copy/stationary room making copies of the report she was working on, when Jenna, her at-work buddy leaned in to say, "Hey, guess who's here?"

  Vivian looked up with the sound of the copier going in front of her, "Who?" she asked, her mind on the upcoming weekend. "Dr. Chan. He said he needed to discuss some type of discrepancy with his account."

  "Are you kidding me?" She asked.

  "Nope... he says he wishes to speak to you. Since, you were the one that last handled matters with it." Jenna went on further to disclose. She was a very tidy, neat, redhead with shoulder-length hair. They were a close pair when at work. Took all of their breaks and lunches together. Discussed various events happening in their lives. One thing she hadn't told Jenna about, was Jake. She was too unsure of him to disclose it; although Jenna suspected she was holding back on details of what was happening in her life now.

  "What do you wanna do?"

  Vivian stood a moment, unsure. The last person she wanted to face now was Laek. She didn't understand why he didn't get it. She stared into Jenna hazel eyes and nodded, "Where is he?"

  "In your office, down in the lobby."

  "Okay..."

  Jenna flashed a brief smile of sympathy and backed out of the door, leaving Vivian to gird herself. Picking up the copies she's already made, she gathered the stack and walked over, placing them in a box to complete when she came back from the lobby of the bank. She was wearing a long, olive-color, lined skirt, and ecru silk blouse. With three inch olive leather pumps. Half a carat diamond stud earrings, and half a carat stud diamond pendent hanging from a gold chain. She was slender, graceful, and elegant, smiling as she flowed down the corridor towards the elevators. Passing men - some white, some black, that had all either made a play for her, or imagined doing so. The skirt fit her tiny waist loosely, and hugged her rounded hips and rear. She looked like something straight out of a magazine. Splendidly eye-catching and worthy of a stare. Waiting for the elevators doors to open, she needed to figure out a way to get it through to Laek Chan that this had to stop. She had no intention of going back to him. These little episodes of him popping up at her job now, because he didn't know where she lived, was not going to work.

  The elevator stopped at the lobby and the doors opened. She walked to the opposite end of the large bank lobby, towards her office that was enclosed within glass walls. He was standing, waiting, watching for her.

  Laek Chan saw the elevator doors open to reveal Vivian framed in them. Right off the bat, his heart leapt to his throat. He'd never known such obsession as he was experiencing, as he tried to move on with his life. All that he'd done to keep things under control, and both women content, had failed. When he'd first laid eyes on Vivian, he'd immediately been transfixed by her. She looked like something out of a dream. Her eyes were the most startling. Light brown, close to being gold, staring out from such dark skin. Her hair was dark brown, close to black and rich, thick, shiny and perfect. Unable to help himself, he had been driven to know her. To talk to her. To see her smile. Leaving the bank after the first encounter, had him occupied with ways and excuses for returning to catch a sight of her again. Her first smile at him, to see straight, full, gleaming, white teeth, made him long to kiss her mouth. Never had he seen someone so outstanding and unique as she. An affair hadn't been what he'd planned, it was just happening day by day as his need to converse with her, touch her, grew. Flowers, cute little things, he brought her to bring a smile to her face. He would tell her jokes, and didn't care if the joke was what made her laugh, or that of a Chinese/Japanese man telling it and trying to be funny.

  It took him 6 months to get her to respond and have lunch with him. And then three more to get her into bed.

  A virgin.

  He hadn't known it then, but he knew it now. He could never let her go.

  His wife was leaving him. This brought him a degree of shame. His parents were not pleased. He had little care, as far as they were concerned. He knew what he wanted, and she was slowly making her way towards him. Being stopped by co-workers who needed to ask her this or that, now that she was present. Had he met her before his wife, he would have gone against all traditions and married her. He would marry her now, were his divorce final. He wanted to kick himself a thousand times for ruining what they shared. Now, now - he wished he had thrown caution and care to the wind, and divorced his wife. He hadn't done so, because he knew that Vivian was in love with him. He'd worked long and hard to get her to accept him, love him. He'd spent many hours, worshipping her skin. Promising her the world, and delivering from it what he could. The hell had been in that he couldn't devote to her and the relationship, what she wanted. Gradually, all that he'd done to hold onto her, began to lose its power. As she'd grown more stable in her job, gaining promotions, and earning more money, his hold on her began to loosen. She was no longer content. Discontent with their arrangement, arguments between them became frequent, loving - less frequent. He'd tried threatening to break it off, and at first, that worked. Then too, those threats lost their potency.

  She wanted marriage!

  He was already married!

  When she broke it off finally, he thought if he gave her some time, she would miss him and come around. That had been his error. He shouldn't have allowed her to become use to him not calling or being around. He gambled that she loved him so much, that when he finally showed his face again - she would never challenge him again.

  He was wrong.

  He tried to move on and forget it. But he was in love, it sure felt that way to him.

  He could never let her go. Not so some other man could have what he - and he alone felt was his.

/>   She opened the office door and entered, trying to keep from looking at him as she closed the door slowly, her back to him. She was wearing heels, which made her a couple of inches taller than him. In bare feet, he stood an inch taller. He saw her visibly sigh as if preparing herself, and turned to him with her back to the door. It was solid and could not be seen through.

  "Are you here about your account... or ... to see me?"

  "I love you."

  "It's over."

  "I love you... please?"

  "It is over. Why can't you get that through your head? You need to focus on your wife, your children. Focus, why don't you, on getting her back."

  He stepped towards her, Vivian quickly moved away from the door, to her desk and around it to sit down. In it, all could see them once he took a seat in a chair across from her desk. Chan turned standing where he was in front of the door, staring down at her as she looked up at him from behind the desk.

  "I don't want her back. I don't love her the way that I love you. You loved me once, I know you did."

  "I was too young and foolish to know what love is. Our relationship should have never happened-..."

  "I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did!"

  "Doesn't matter. It was still wrong. It doesn't matter how many times you come to me - my answer will still be the same."

  "Please, I'm begging you. I am so sorry... I have never been so sorry of anything before. Leave me with some dignity! Do you get some kind of satisfaction seeing me beg?"

  "There's a simple remedy. Don't - beg. Hang onto your self-respect and leave. Forget about me-..."

  "I can't!" He growled through tight teeth, feeling his eyes fill with tears. "You wanted me to get a divorce and now-..."

  "That was before, it's too late now. Look, your wife has the house, and before she cleans you out, you need to focus on getting back with her. If you do that, you can get past this thing you have for trying to hang on to me."

  "You in love with someone else? That it?"

  "My life at this point, is none of your business."