BOMAW 7-9

by Mercedes Keyes

  "I take it you guys brought all of the groceries in?"

  "Yep."

  "Who put them away?"

  "We did."

  "Who is we?"

  "Jake, Angela and myself."

  Sylvia shifted back to look up at him, "Did you all wipe out the refrigerator first, before putting new food in it?"

  "Yep... I did it."

  "And when you put the dry goods and can goods away, did you bring the old to the front and put the new in the back?"

  "I remembered that, too - done!"

  "Oh, man, did you leave out all the ribs, chops, skirt steak and that long tube of ground beef so I could make hamburger patties?"

  Shawn pursed his lips, "Noooo, we put it all in the freezer."

  "Shoot. Let me get up. I wanted to get it seasoned so it could marinate all night." She went to get up from the bed, but her husband held onto her just a bit longer, "No rush, I like this. Holding you ... how's your head?"

  "Tender. I'll be glad when my hair grows back there."

  "It'll be back over it in no time. Those guys have left, I set up everything and negotiated a date for the building to begin. My work load is growing and uh, I've decided I'm going to let them build it entirely. We talked for some time, going over what I want, what I envision, the guy in charge is spot on. He knows his stuff, even gave me some pointers."

  Sylvia shifted from his lap to sit next to him, facing him, "When you say, let them build entirely, are we talking in terms of more money now?"

  "I'm afraid so, yes." He gazed into her eyes, admitting.

  Sylvia's head went back in dread, but she kept all comment to herself.

  "You okay?" He asked.

  "Yeah... I'm okay. I'm not gonna think about it, if I do - it'll make me crazy. How long are we talking? When will they start?

  "They start right after the Memorial Day weekend. Which means, we have to move everything from across the road here, and get rid of what we don't want. Jake is going to be moving in with Shanna now; Crystal will share Angela's bedroom, and Mundo will have to share the other room with the boys. I've already told everyone. I invited Shanna to take what she needed from the house, and I talked to mom, she doesn't need anything, I even spoke with Kathy Ann - she wants the living room set and my bedroom set, and asked if she could have the stove out of there as well, I told her yes. I hope that's okay?"

  "Of course it is, whatever is left, we'll see if we can use it here and if not, in the garage sale." Sylvia commented, smiling at her husband, her hand caressing his strong arms. They were really solid, thick strong arms, she couldn't resist giving them a squeeze. Shawn flexed, hardening it even more, showing off the thick mass and biceps, "Look at that! Pure beef, baby! You keep stroking my arm like that and looking at me, something else gonna be even harder." He warned her.

  Sylvia laughed and jumped up from the bed, "I knew it! You'll never last! It's already on your mind!" She reminded him of his, "no sex" declaration in the hospital.

  "I'll last, it's you! You're the one wantin' it! I can tell. Feeling on me."

  "I can feel on you, if I want to - you mine! If I wanna touch you, I'ah touch you! Don't mean I want nothing though, but just - to touch you. Otherwise - I'm fine."

  Shawn rose smiling from the bed, "Oooh, my woman all possessive! I like that!" He grinned, approaching her. "Just to let you know, you can touch me, anywhere, anytime."

  Sylvia grinned, "I know that." She bragged smartly.

  "Yes... you wantin' me already, I can tell. Won't be long now, you'll be wantin' this wonderful body of mine - admit it - it's startin' already, isn't it?" He stood in the bathroom door watching her, she'd gone in to wash out her mouth, brush her teeth, and smiled up at him when she was done. "Come on, admit it - you want me already - don't you? You wanna touch me again, right now - don't you?"

  "What I'm wantin' right now, is to pee! Now get outta here, so I can!" She pushed him back out the door and closed it to use the bathroom.

  Sylvia was standing at the sink, preparing the meat that Shawn would be cooking for the barbecue. She'd been informed that the three guys who had been there earlier, were invited to it. Mundo stated that two of his friends may show up. Angela's Indian friend Thomasa St. Cloud would be coming. Sylvia was trying to count all the heads and plan enough sides for plenty. Bart and Gert, her mom and dad, Derrick, Meribel and all of theirs. Sheila, Dennis and their three boys, Jake and Vivian. As far as she knew it, Kathy Ann, her husband and kids would be there. Sylvia sighed, registering that one. She just prayed they could all get through an evening without one of them getting into a fight. They'd be drinking, including Shawn - she didn't fear Jake and Shawn so much anymore, but she wasn't so sure about Kathy Ann. Sylvia had never met a white woman with so many issues, including a tremendous chip on her shoulder. There would be Shanna, whom mentioned, Officer Collier would be coming, Crystal and the boys. Although she advised her to take Victor up on his offer to get them for the weekend. Sylvia shook her head, her daughter was turning out to be quite the trip with complex issues as well, so she wondered, considering that - who was she to wonder about Kathy Ann. She was trying to enjoy the last day of peace while it lasted. Sheila and Dennis called to say that the kids begged them to take them to the Dells, so they wouldn't be back that evening, but would come over sometime the next day, when her parents were due. She'd not long since spoken with her mother. They had planned to follow Sheila and Dennis down, but when they chose to come early, there was nothing Lydia could do to get Lucas to rearrange their schedule, so they would be down Friday, as planned. Her mother promised they would be there. While standing and wondering if they would make it or not, the phone rang. Shawn was in his office working, and his instructions were, that he needed to get a few hours of work done, uninterrupted. He'd locked himself away, and because it was their livelihood, she above all else would see that he was not disturbed.

  "Hello?"

  "Ohhh, no." The woman on the other end groaned, at hearing that she'd answered.

  "Let me guess, Christine?"

  "Look - I don't want an argument with you-..."

  "Well, that's nice to hear, considering the last time you called, you disrespected me, not I, you."

  "Can we not get into that? I need to speak with Shawn."

  "He's working."

  "Working? Where?"

  "None of your business, where! He's working! What do you want?" Sylvia wasn't about to give an inch with her, it was obvious that she was still trying to work around her, instead of through her, and that she was not about to let happen. Not calling her home, to speak to her husband - she didn't care what it was about. Not even Deidre had carried on to this extent, and if she would give anyone a bit of license to be nasty, that would be Deidre - at least she had been married to Shawn, at one time. This Christine? No... Sylvia wasn't having it.

  "Is Jake there?" She asked, instead of answering Sylvia.

  "You don't learn, do you? You must have one of those impenetrable skulls, don't even aid you to have ears, because you're not listening, and ain't - learned nothin'. I asked you, what do you want?"

  "Why - is it any of your-..."

  Sylvia hung up on her. "Lord, please, I don't need this - I do not."

  The phone rang again. She turned back and looked at it, would have left it to ring if Shawn were not working. She answered it again, "Yes?"

  "I don't know where my son is!" Christine launched quickly, afraid that Sylvia would hang up on her again.

  "Benjamin?" Sylvia asked.

  "Yes! We haven't seen him for the last two days. His girlfriend hasn't heard from him. He hasn't called and told anyone anything. Kevin doesn't even know where he is, and if you knew my sons, you'd know how close those two are. Please... has he been there? Has he spoken with Shawn, or Jake?"

  Sylvia could hear the worry in her tone, when it came to kids, all the BS could easily be set aside.

  "He's all right, Christine, he's in Chicago."

  "Chicago!? How do you
know that?!"

  "My mother told me he's there."

  "Your mother?! Who is your mother?" She asked in disdain.

  Sylvia sighed, begging the Lord to give her strength and patience. "My mother, owns a brownstone; 2 flats, and a basement apartment. Jake rents the basement from her, Benjamin is there."

  "Since when?"

  "Why don't you ask him that!" Sylvia informed her, "Now, if you will excuse me, I'm busy!" She hung up again, but this time laid it on the counter. It was a good thing that she did, because sure enough, the phone rang again. She picked it up on the first ring.

  "I wish you would stop calling here."

  "I can't get a hold of him." Christine went on.

  Because of the phone ringing so many times and hearing his wife's tone, Shawn opened the door to the office, standing there with questioning eyes. Sylvia blew out exasperated, "Hang on a minute." She instructed Christine, impatient. Pulling the phone away from her ear, "I'm sorry, babe, but-..." Sylvia started when Shawn cut her off asking, "Who is that?"

  "Christine." Sylvia answered.

  "What does she want?"

  "It's about Benjamin. She was looking for him, worried, so I told her where he was."

  "How did you know where he was?"

  "I've spoken with my mother, she said he'd come there the other day. Was still there."

  "In Jake's apartment?"

  "Yep. I told her-..."

  "HELLOOO - CAN SOMEONE TALK TO ME, PLEASE! "

  They stopped talking, hearing her blaring out over the phone. Shaking her head, Sylvia handed it to him.

  "Christine? What is going on? What do you want?"

  "I'm trying to get a hold of my son."

  "Well, he doesn't live here."

  "No shit, Sherlock!"

  Shawn clicked the phone off and passed it back to Sylvia, "Turn it off."

  "Shawn, I can't turn it off, what if my mother, or Sheila tries to contact us?"

  "Call them and tell them, due to a nuisance caller, they'll have to reach us through our mobiles. Give them the number to yours." He instructed, going back into his office and closing the door; irritated at Christine's continuing interruptions and then the nerve to get rude with him.

  Sighing, Sylvia did as he said.

  As she turned back to finish up marinating the meat, wiping up the counter, and then prepare dinner, Angela came into the basement with a strange look on her face, as if she were ready to start crying.

  Sylvia had glanced at her to smile and speak, when she saw the look in her eyes. She put her finger to her lips and gestured for them to go upstairs, not to disturb Shawn. With her arm across her shoulder, they made it up the stairs and went to her room, closing the door.

  "What's wrong?"

  Chapter 163

  "I was at the house playing with Darren and Isaac, Darren was - was sitting on my lap, and he threw his head back and hit me in the chest. It h - hurts so bad."

  "Ohhh, ba-by ... where exactly does it hurt?"

  "Here." She pointed to the right side of her chest. Her face was fiery red, her eyes flooded with tears, now that she was with Sylvia. She'd tried to play it off when it happened, because Victor had come to get the boys, and she used that distraction to ease away. Crossing the road to come home, she thought she would faint from the pain.

  "Here - let me see, can I look?"

  "Nooo, don't." She shied away, feeling embarrassed.

  "Sweetie, don't you trust me? I need to see what's going on, come on, let me look. It's perfectly normal, it's what mother's do."

  With her head bowed, sniffing with rolling tears, she slowly unbuttoned her blouse so Sylvia could see. Right away, Sylvia knew what the problem was, she was starting to develop. Heading into puberty, and going through the early stages of her breasts growing; which was very painful. Her nipples had started to bud with a slight mound behind them. She was no longer completely flat-chested.

  "When he threw his head back, did it hit right there, where you're starting to change?"

  Quiet, Angela nodded and closed her blouse back up. "How long have they been feeling tender, like an ache?"

  She at first shrugged, then looked up at Sylvia, "Is something wrong with me?"

  "Nooo, not at all. You're going through what every woman has gone through and what every girl must. You're starting to cross over, puberty. You'll probably be getting your period within another year or so, more than likely by the time you're twelve."

  "Oh." She responded softly. "Why does it hurt so bad?"

  "Baby, I don't know why it hurts, but I remember that it does. It hurt me, it hurt Crystal, and I bet when your mom started developing, she ached as well. So, you're going to have to be really careful from now on, no more rough and tumble with the boys, okay?"

  Angela nodded, "I - I tried to call my mom - but I couldn't reach her. I tried her place and her cell phone, there was no answer."

  "You leave a message?"

  Angela shook her head.

  "Well, you can try again later, okay?"

  She nodded.

  "Just to be on the safe side, I'm gonna make an appointment at the clinic for you, just to be sure, okay? But I'm certain that that's all it is."

  "You don't think I have breast cancer or leukemia, do you?" Angela pleaded, worried.

  "Nooo, baby, I don't think that at all." Sylvia pulled her into her arms and hugged her carefully. "I only want to take you because you haven't been to the clinic since you've joined us here, and I should register you."

  "Are they gonna want to look at me, too?" She asked, worry clear in her tone.

  "Well... to be honest, I don't know. I automatically assumed what was happening with Crystal, so I didn't take her in to see anyone."

  "Then, I don't wanna go, either."

  "Well, let me ask you something, have you noticed anything else different about your body? Have you had sex education in school, yet?"

  "No... not yet."

  "I see, well - have you noticed anything else different, besides how it aches where your breasts will grow?"

  Angela could only stare at Sylvia, undecided, and then leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Uh - there's - uh - a little - hair - there." She whispered, as if that would make what she was saying somehow less embarrassing. Sylvia smiled and leaned and whispered back, "You mean, down between your legs?"

  Angela threw both hands up, covering her face, and fell back on her bed. Sylvia chuckled, "Baby, it's okay. Is that where it is?" She asked very quietly.

  Angela kept her hands over her face and nodded.

  Sylvia stretched out on her side next to her, and started speaking in very soft, low tones, making sure that only she would hear. "I see. Yeah, I'm thinking - that you're going through what Crystal did and what I did. And it's alright. It's okay, its' very natural. Pretty soon, you won't be a little girl anymore - but a young lady. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

  "Already, though?"

  "Well... everyone is different. Some girls, this all happens to, at nine years old. I went to school with this girl, Dina, and Dina didn't have no boobs, no figure or anything. She was just nine, and she had her period already."

  "That's when you bleed." Angela stated knowingly, still speaking in hushed tones.

  "Yep."

  "Because you can make a baby then?"

  "Emmm, yep... that's what it means."

  "Oh. When will I get one?"

  "I don't know. If you're like your mother, you'll probably copy her pattern. But - you look like your grandma Gert, you could develop the way she did."

  "I don't like it! I don't want boobs! I don't want hair growing down there! And I sure don't want to bleed! It's disgusting!"

  "I know, it sucks! I hated it too, still don't like it much." Sylvia announced, leaning with her elbow bent and her cheek in her palm.

  "But, you're having a baby. Does it stop when you're having a baby, or does it keep on going?"

  "It stops. And then, after you have the baby, it
starts back up."

  "Oh." She murmured softly, hands no longer over her face, but down by her side now. Sylvia reached over and pulled a long strand of her black hair from her face, slicking it down with the rest, she could see that Angela was thinking. "Does it hurt, having a baby?"

  "Yes. A lot."

  "Does it hurt as bad, as it hurt me, when Darren hit me in the chest with his head?"

  "Ten times as worse, and for a lot longer. Labor, when you're having a baby, can last for hours and hours and hours and hours. That's why many women scream a lot when they're having a baby." Sylvia emphasized that fact, for good measure.

  Angela's eyes were huge. "How many hours?"

  "When I was having Crystal, my labor started on a Friday night at 10 o'clock and I didn't have her, until the next day at midnight." Sylvia confided, of course leaving out the part that most of that was easy labor; it didn't get really painful and hard until they broke her water, and then it was four hours of the worst kind of pain one could imagine.

  Angela gasped. "You were in labor all of that time?"

  "Yep."

  "Did you cry?"

  "Yep ... I sure did. I screamed a few times, too, couldn't help it, it hurt soooo bad. I just wanted the pain to go away, but it wouldn't. It was like that pain you felt. Is it starting to go away now?"

  "Yeah... doesn't hurt so bad now, but I'm really sore."

  "Yeah, you're bound to be. That's good its going away, because if you were in labor, that would be just the first level of pain." Sylvia couldn't help herself, one had to use all one had to strike the fear of sex and pregnancy into them, this was too much a good opportunity, she wasn't about to waste it.

  "You mean, it hurts worse that this?"

  "I told you, it's ten times as worse. It starts with the pain you felt, and then it grows and grows with every new contraction."

  "OH, SYLVIA!!! I don't want you to feel that kind of pain! You're gonna hurt like that when you have Jesse James?"

  "I'm afraid so."

  "Oh, Sylvia..." She reached up and hugged her, Sylvia said a prayer to the heavens above to forgive her, for taking it to extremes, but it did hurt like hell, so she felt she was being truthful. Sylvia hugged her back, patting her back. "I'll be okay. That's why it's best to be a full-grown woman when you have a baby. If you have it before you're 21, it hurts worse than if you have it over that age, because the body has toughened up for it. But - when a woman is really young, like teenage girls, they suffer the most. It's agony."