BOMAW 7-9

by Mercedes Keyes

  "You could have checked to see if I'd made it back here all right." He grumbled.

  "Oh, Mr. McPherson, shame on me. I do apologize, I won't let it happen again. Aren't you tired yet? It's after midnight."

  "I can't sleep."

  "Have you tried?"

  "Nope."

  "Then how do you know you can't sleep?"

  "I'll be up half the night, thinking about you - as usual. That's how I know. When are you gonna let me make love to you? How long you gonna make me wait?" He asked low and husky.

  "Ja-a-ake." She whimpered his name.

  "What? I won't enter you if you don't want me to. I'll just treat you, make you feel good. It's about time you're needing it, isn't it?"

  "Jake... why do you have to ask? Can't you just wait and see?"

  "I just wanna - lay you down. Slowly take off all of your clothes... and ... look at you. Touch you. Kiss you - all over - what's wrong with that? You won't need to worry about me."

  Vivian sighed. "If I were to let it go that far, I would have to worry about you. Wouldn't be fair otherwise, would it?"

  "You know what, I'm telling you now - I'mo be down there - all the time. You know what I'm talkin' about, don't you?"

  "God, Jake! Why do you have to always talk about it?" She squirmed, feeling the effects of his words.

  "It's either, talk about it, or - do it. You won't let me do it, so - I have to talk about it."

  "Well - how much longer, are you going to be talking about it, because I wanna go back to sleep."

  "You mean to tell me, you're not feeling a little randy?"

  "I'm not feeling a little anything, I just wanna go back to sleep."

  "I guarantee you this, were I there, you most certainly wouldn't be feeling anything little."

  "You've been drinking, haven't you?"

  "Just a few beers with big bro."

  "Oh, how nice. Glad to hear you didn't go back in a bad mood about the forthcoming photo shoot."

  "You're trying to start a fight with me, aren't you? This is what you do, this is your tactic to turn the conversation away from me, making slo-o-ow, sensual - love to you." He teased seductively, and then brusquely added, "'Cause you know there aint' gonna be no goddamn photo shoot!"

  "Jake, your brother is a professional."

  "Yeah, and you haven't a clue of what kind."

  "What is that suppose to mean?"

  "Never mind. So, when is this all supposed to take place?" He asked.

  "I'm not sure to be honest, we haven't really discussed a date yet."

  "Well, know this, when it does happen, I'll be here to make sure it stays on the up and up."

  "Are you saying that you don't trust your own brother?"

  "When it comes to you, I don't trust any man."

  "Is that because you judge other men, by your own standards?"

  Her words took him so by surprise, that he snapped, "You think you're so goddamn smart, don't you?! Take your little cute ass to sleep." And hung up on her.

  Vivian shook her head and clicked her phone off.

  Chapter 161

  Before Shawn left the house the next morning to get Sylvia from the hospital, all the utility trucks pulled up, it seemed at once, to connect Shanna's home utilities. Every hour a new one rolled up. Since she slept there every night for the last three nights waiting for them, they finally showed up to turn on her power, water, phone, cable, and deliver her LP tank, connecting it to the house and then filling it as well. She'd been coming to their house to eat and shower. She was happy because everything had been unpacked, what she was going to keep, was set out and what she was adding to Sylvia's garage sale, was put into a box after she labeled it with a price.

  She was busy in and out there.

  Mundo had gotten in at 3:45 in the morning and Shawn had a go at him about coming back so late and not calling to say what was going on. It was 10:30 and he'd just gotten off the phone with Sylvia to say that he would be there to get her in another hour. He stood in Mundo's bedroom door, waking him up to help with what had to be done that day, saying, "What time did you get home last night?"

  "Huh? I'on know - it was late."

  "Damn late! I woke up at 2:20 and you still weren't home! I'm telling you now, I'm not having it! You have a phone, use it! Be considerate enough to at least let us know what's going on, where you are, so we know you're all right."

  "Ah, papa-Shawn, man, don't start trippin', man."

  "It's me or your mother! I'm not gonna have her upset with this! So it's me! Use - your goddamn cell phone! What the hell were you doing anyway?"

  "Man, I did a set, made some money."

  "And you been smoking weed, too! I can smell it in this room off your clothes. Don't fool around and get the Blazer taken away, you hear me?! Let's get moving, we have a lot to do around here." Shawn ordered, about to close the door.

  "Come on, man, lemme sleep one more hour - just one more hour - I be up." Mundo whined.

  "Get your ass up now, shiftless nigga!" Crystal called, from behind Shawn over his shoulder at Mundo.

  Shawn turned and glared at her.

  "Sorry! I'm sorry - I won't say that no more, promise!" She grinned, walking Darren from the bathroom, past that bedroom. She was still trying to potty train him. Angela was at Shanna's, who was going grocery shopping now that everything was just about turned on.

  "You got one more hour!" Shawn gave him.

  "Cool - cool - I be up! For real - another hour, I be straight." He mumbled turning around in his bed, to go back to sleep. Shawn shook his head and closed the door. He was leaving the house, heading to Shanna's to see what Angela wanted to do, stay with her, or go with him, when Jake's friends from work pulled up about the house. Jake was up and working on the the frame when they all parked at Shanna's to talk to him.

  Since they were there, they decided to help him get it done. Shawn spent another 30 minutes there, and promised them that when he returned with his wife, they could discuss the plans for the house. Shawn entered to find Angela happily helping her aunt out and stated she wanted to stay with her. So there is where he left her, going back to the house across the road, he went to get Sylvia some clothes to wear home from the hospital, when the phone rang.

  "Hello? McPherson residence."

  "Shawn! M'man - its me, Dennis!"

  "Dennis! What's up?"

  "Man, look, we headin' up there today, man. Gettin' ready to pull out in the next few minutes!"

  "What!? Fantastic! What made you decide to come earlier?"

  "Dude I work with goes to the Dells every year. He told me if we dared try and come up there Friday, a four hour trip would be a six, just sitting in traffic! Forget that shit!"

  "He's right, man! That ain't no lie. Memorial weekend too? Hell, you might be out there for longer than that!" Shawn backed his informant.

  "He-e-ell goddamn nah! I said fuck it! I shut down work and told everybody, enjoy the weekend, I'm fix'in'ta get the hell up out'ah here!"

  "Oh, I'm lovin' it! Come on, man! We'd love it if you guys got here today! I'm on my way out of here now to get Sylvia, she spent a night in the hospital."

  "What?! What's going on?"

  "She fainted in the bathroom yesterday and hit her head. Stitches, eight of them. Scared two years of shit out o'me!"

  "She alright?"

  "She's fine."

  "And the baby?"

  "He's right as rain! It's a boy! They caught the evidence on the ultra-sound yesterday, making sure everything was all right! Now, you know we'll be celebrating like hell!" Shawn just about cheered.

  "Any goddamn excuse is a good one for me! Ya'll need us to bring anything up with us?"

  "Just yourselves! Safe and all in one piece!"

  "Well, let me let you go, so we can get our ass on the road. If all shit run right, we'll be there by this afternoon."

  "I can't wait, man! I can't wait! See you then!" Shawn ended the call with a, "Yes!" He carried on looking for his wife so
me clothes. Went through the closet and and couldn't decide what to get her. It was a nice day, sun was out, he thought he better get her something comfortable. The phone rang again. He answered the one in their bedroom. "Hello?"

  "Shawn, it's me."

  "I'm getting your stuff together now. Anything in particular?"

  "Yes ... bring me a scarf to tie around my head. You'll find them in the top, left hand drawer of my vanity in the bathroom. Make sure it matches what you bring me to wear."

  Shawn made a sound of exasperation, "Sylvia-a-ah - I'm just gonna bring you a T-shirt and some sweats."

  "Don't you bring me no T-shirt and no sweats, Shawn!"

  He whimpered again, "I'll go get Crystal to come and find you something to wear, then." He said, thinking that a better idea.

  "Why? You get me something! You my husband, it ain't gonna take you but a minute, Shawn. All my clothes hanging in the closet, just bring me a set to wear."

  "Okay, I'm gonna bring you something, but I don't wanna hear no stuff if you don't like what I bring you."

  "I'm sure it'll be fine, just make sure it's something that's not gonna fit me tight!"

  "Oh, man..." He groaned.

  "And don't forget the scarf! Bring me my lotion, too! And a little bit of make-up, I don't wanna walk out of here looking like the Return of the Dead! And my brown suede sandals, they match anything, but not anything black! If you gone bring me something black to wear, you have to get my black suede sandals. But I don't wanna wear nothing black, so don't bring me nothing to wear that's black! Then you ain't got to worry about them black sandals. So, just bring me the brown suede sandals. Second thought, if you bring me something light in color to wear, like pastels; I don't wanna wear the brown suede sandals, bring me the white sandals. So don't forget, okay? For pastels, white sandals, for mid-tones, brown sandals, for dark tones to black, black sandals... but I don't wanna wear nothing dark, or black... but mid-tones and pastels is fine. Okay? Don't forget! You still there?"

  "Em-hm." Shawn answered, sitting on the side of the bed with the phone to his ear, holding his head with the other.

  "Okay, see you when you get here! I love you - bye!"

  "SHAWN! I can't believe you brought me this to wear home. I told you I ain't wanna wear no T-shirt, sweats, and sneakers, and this ol' sorry-ass bandana for my head! And where my lotion and my make up?"

  "Woman, put them clothes on and let's go! You can change when we get home. I got people at the house waiting on me. Dennis and Sheila on their way up-..."

  "Oooh! Today? They on their way, today?"

  "Yes!"

  "Shoot, Shawn, why didn't you tell me! I got to get my house clean! We gone have to go grocery shopping!"

  "Sylvia, I am not going grocery shopping! When you get home, you can change, do whatever you have to do and then go grocery shopping, I have stuff to do at home."

  "Em-hm, I see how you gone be today. Bring me them ol' sorry-ass lookin' clothes! You ought'ah be shame of yourself, have me walkin' out of here looking like something the cat dragged in." She fussed going into the bathroom to put her clothes on.

  "Hurry up! Day's wasting!" He called out to her, unfazed by her moaning and bitchin'. "You eat yet?!" He called, dialing Shanna's number.

  "Yes, I did!" She answered from the bathroom.

  "What time was that?" He asked.

  "Don't start, Shawn!" She called out.

  "Hello, Shanna? You gone shopping yet?"

  "No - why? Getting ready to go."

  "Can you wait and go with Sylvia? We have a lot of company coming by and she wants to go for groceries, I don't want her going without an escort."

  "No problem, I'll wait and go with her."

  "Thanks, sweetie."

  Sylvia walked out before him, her hands on her hips. "Look how you got me?!" She fussed when he clicked his phone off. Shawn looked up at her, smiled, and pulled her into his arms. "You've never looked more beautiful! I missed you last night."

  "Em-hm, I bet you did." She returned, trying not to smile, her hands at his shoulders while he stood with his arms around her waist. "You should have been enjoying the peace." She told him.

  "I'm at peace when I'm with you. Now, give me a kiss." He urged, holding her close to him. Sylvia wrapped her arms around him and stretched up and gave him a kiss. Following the brief welcoming smooch, he slapped her bottom gently, saying, "Let's get moving, I plan to be shit-faced and celebratin' by tonight!" He warned her.

  "Celebrating what?"

  "My Jesse James, dammit!"

  "Shawn, he's not even here yet! I'm not even at the halfway point yet, you should wait on that celebratin'!"

  "Ach! This weekend is my weekend and I'm having a ball! So, let's get going. Shanna's going grocery shopping with you. Make sure you get another grill or two, and everything we need, because we'll probably be cooking out, straight thru to Monday. First thing, however, soon as we get home, you'll be getting something to eat again."

  "Shawn, you gone make me gain too much weight! I'm not hungry yet!"

  "Sylvia McPherson, don't argue with me! Your husband has spoken, now let's go!"

  When they got back to the house, the deck was half done at Shanna's. Sylvia wouldn't go look at it because she had to do her hair, fix a scarf on it to hide the small bald patch where the stitches were, change, put on a little make up and then she was ready. She first went and got her daughter to start giving the house a thorough cleaning while she was gone. Crystal agreed, having already done the house that was Shawn's, and went to the other house to get started. Angela agreed to help her, since Sylvia was desperate for everything to be in perfect order when company arrived.

  She and Shanna soon left to get grocery's, both of them knowing they would be spending major money for stocking up over the weekend. Jake let them take his truck so they would have enough room for all the groceries. While they were gone, Shawn pitched in the help finish Shanna's deck. They would wait until next week to lay the bricks around the lower portion, they just wanted to get the deck done. As soon as it was finished, everyone went to the big house, Sylvia's, entering to get something to drink. It was after two and Dennis and Sheila pulled up. Their three sons jumped out of the van, happy to finally be there. Everyone was piled into the house, laughing and talking, when a delivery truck pulled up. Shawn excused himself going out to it, just as Mundo was walking from the other house, having just gotten up. He was sheepishly grinning as he approached. The UPS driver jumped out of the van, walked to the back asking, "McPherson residence?!"

  "You got it!" Shawn answered. Curious, Mundo stood there to see what had arrived. The truck driver pulled out a really big, oblong rectangular-shaped package. Easily, 35inches by 20inches. "What is this?" Shawn asked, passing it to Mundo to take into the house while he signed for it. Mundo, curious - anxious to open it, headed into the house straight away with it. "I think it's a portrait of some kind, says it's from Hodges Photography. I have more for you, hang on a minute." The driver informed him. Shawn nodded, waiting.

  Inside the house, Mundo walked the large, brown-wrapped package to the sofa, sitting it there because it was so big.

  Dennis, Jake, Sheila, Jake's three friends, Crystal, Angela, Tyrese, Jimmy and Zachary all stood before the sofa, wondering what it was.

  "What is that?" Sheila asked.

  "Just came." Mundo answered.

  "Oooh! Open it, Mundo and see what it is!" Crystal urged.

  Mundo reached forward and grabbed the brown wrapper and ripped it away exposing what it was underneath.

  Shawn was laughing and talking with the delivery man after signing for the second box. It was their wedding pictures, videos and all. The driver had just jumped into the truck, was backing out when a blood curdling scream lit the air from inside the house, making Shawn's hair stand up on end!

  He ran to the front door and inside, to see a hysterical Mundo screaming and contorting in the middle of the living room, while everyone else gasped, covering their mouths.
Shawn was barely able to decipher from the high pitched scream, what he was saying, but it finally sunk in.

  "WH-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y!! WH-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y - LORD, LO-O-O-RD - MY MAMA!!! M-M-MY MAMA!!! MY MAMA - NEKKID!! NOOOOOO - NOOOOOO - NOT MY MAMA!!! NOT MY MAMA NEK- KID!!! PLEASE, LORD - NOT MY MAMA!!!"

  "MUNDO!!! SHET UP!! SIT YO' ASS DOWN AND SHET UP!!!" Dennis barked at him.

  Whimpering and jerking, Mundo went and sat in the corner of the sofa, mumbling to himself, "My mama - nekkid, ya'll - oh, lord, my mamaaaa!"

  Sheila was holding her hand over her mouth, as Shawn rushed to the sofa, looked at the huge portrait of his wife, posing, naked for all to see!

  "FUCK!!" He shouted, just as someone, he didn't know who, but someone wolf-whistled!

  His eyes bulged out of his head in complete shock. He reached over and turned the portrait face back against the sofa so they couldn't see it anymore.

  "Was that Sylvia!? She was naked! She ain't have no clothes on?!" Tyrese exclaimed.

  "Ya'll kids go'on outside, now!" Dennis yelled at them and turned to Mundo, "Boy, quite carryin' on like that! Rockin' and suckin' yo' thumb! Take yo' thumb out yo' mouth! You be ah'ight."

  Jake was grinning as he turned to Shawn, a big smile on his face, he winked at him. Daring not to say a word, with a cold soda in hand he told the others, "We better step outside." With wide eyes of surprise, they all followed him out, Jake chuckled, stepping out the door. Shawn stood with steam rising off of his body.

  Crystal stood with her hands clamped over her mouth, trying not to laugh - but shocked as well.

  "It ain't that bad. Really, it ain't." Sheila tried to console a boiling Shawn.

  "I - am going - to - kill her!"

  "But - i's - i's m'mama! My mama nekkid... I seen my mama nekkid - she was nekkid! Oh, lord - not my mama!"

  "Boy! Sit yo'ass there, suck yo' thumb and shet up!" Dennis ordered Mundo, looking at Shawn.

  Shawn grabbed the portrait, keeping it close to his body and walked with it to their bedroom where he went inside, and came back out a moment later without it.

  Everyone still inside, stared at him.