BOMAW 7-9

by Mercedes Keyes

  "Oooh I'm hungry too!" Luis started, going straight for the chicken. Marcus following behind him to grab out of the box, when Meribel halted them both, "Wash your hands and get a plate! Both of you! Get out of that food! Grubby, nasty paws all over the food!" She fussed, only to hear her daughter, not home for 2 minutes start in on her brother, "Busted - disgusted, cannot be trusted - you monkey - you fool - to get busted at school!" She sang in his face before he could leave the kitchen. Marcus and Luis cracked up laughing, with Joseph joining in. Not seeing anything funny, Shawn2 palmed her face and pushed it out of his. Never one to waste an opportunity, she went back much harder than he had actually pushed, crashed against the kitchen table and rolled to the floor crying out. "DADDY - SHAWN2 PUSHED ME DOWN!!"

  "You liar! Dad I didn't even push her hard!" Shawn2 denied.

  "GET TO YOUR ROOM!! YOU DON'T PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR SISTER!!" Derrick yelled at him.

  Meribel had narrowed eyes on her daughter, "You little brat! Miha he didn't push you that hard! Now you get to your room!"

  "Mami he did! I could have broke something! Daddy, do I have to go to my room?" She whimpered.

  "No sweetie, you can eat first, then go to your room like your mother told you." Derrick stated gently.

  "Or better yet, you'll clean up after everyone eats, put a load of clothes in the wash, put away the clothes at the top of the stairs! Then vacuum down them and the ones to the basement as well!" She decided, "That'll keep you busy and out of trouble!" Meribel announced just as they heard something from upstairs hit the floor. The sound came from Marcus's room, who immediately dashed out of the kitchen with Luis behind him yelling, "YOU BETTER NOT BE IN MY ROOM!" In his haste, Luis knocked Joseph over, who started crying because he'd bumped his head on the door jab.

  "STOP RUNNING IN THIS HOUSE! YOU KNOCKED YOUR BROTHER OVER! Aaah miho - you'll be okay baby." Meribel pouted picking her youngest up and rubbing his head.

  Derrick was standing at the counter in the kitchen trying to eat, when over-head, his sons kicked off. Biting into his chicken, he whimpered as his wife took off up the stairs, yelling with Sasha behind her. He just wanted to eat and get back to the school. Joseph walked up to him, "There a bump on my head daddy, see?"

  "Here let daddy kiss it, that'll make it better."

  "Nooo, it needs a band-aid on it."

  "Its not bleeding Joseph."

  "It could bleed daddy! It could burst wide - wide open and blood - blood would be squirting everywhere - you gotta put a band-aid on it." Joseph whined.

  Derrick picked him up walking with him to the stairs when he heard his title role being yelled out.

  "DA-A-AD DA-A-AD DA-A-AD - COME AND GET HER! WE DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!"

  Derrick rush up the stairs to see his wife sitting on Luis's back, who was stretched out on the floor, with Marcus on his hands and knees in a head lock under one of Meribel's arms, with her slapping one head and then the other.

  "DON'T YOU MOVE - DON'T YOU MOVE! RUN FROM ME!" Meribel growled at either in her attack.

  "I DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!" Marcus cried out, trying to get away from his mother, whom, by his moving backwards in an attempt to get away from her, was dragging her off of Luis, who's arms were wrapped over his head protectively, "DA-A-AD - GET HER OFF ME! SHE'S LOSING IT MAN!"

  "MERI! What are you doing?!" Derrick barked, setting Joseph down, who stepped over and around everyone to get to the bathroom because he had a bump on his head, that meant he got to use a band-aid! And he knew just where they were.

  Derrick picked her up off of Luis's back, "Let go of Marcus's head Meri! Let go of his head! WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO YOUR MOTHER?!" Derrick yelled at them, trying to separate his wife and their eldest son.

  "DAD! We didn't do anything! She just flew up the stairs and started attacking us!"

  "Tell your father what you said! Tell him! Tell him what nasty disgusting thing you said to your brother! Tell him!" She ordered Marcus.

  "I didn't say it! Luis said it!"

  "Marcus you're lying! You said it! You know you said it! Shawn2 - who called you gold-finger?" Luis defended himself.

  Shawn2 was standing in his bedroom door, "Dad, Marcus said it! He hit me in my back too! Snatched his gameboy from me, said I couldn't play with it! Said my finger been playin' in some girls-..."

  "ALL RIGHT!!! STOP RIGHT THERE! MARCUS - You're too old for that - you should know better!"

  "They are nasty and disgusting every one of them!" Meribel yelled.

  "You hit me mom when I didn't even do anything!" Luis reminded her again.

  "You've done something! You've done something! You just haven't been caught yet!"

  "I know something he's done, want me to tell you mami? I'll tell you if I don't have to fold the clothes?" Sasha tried.

  "Oh really now! You know something about your brother that you haven't told me?! And using it for bribery?! Now, on top of everything else - you'll mop all the floors in the house and no phone for three days!"

  "NO FAIR - WHAT DID I DO?!" She cried out, "DA-A-AD! I didn't even do anything!" She stomped into her room.

  Derrick stood with both hands slapped to his face.

  "YOU SEE! You see what I have to deal with everyday?! Everyday! While you're at the school, having lunch - with the puta!"

  Sasha came back to her bedroom door, the boys all gaped at their father, unable to believe what they were hearing.

  "How many times do I have to tell you - I - DIDN'T - DO ANYTHING!?"

  "NO! - NO! - NO! This is where you think I am stupid! Go - go back to that school! Go back to where you've done nothing! I will see to my children! As ALWAYS!!" There is where her last words of English were spoken and from there on, all Spanish, hostile, cutting and directed at him, or his boys, flew heated from her mouth. She went into their room and slammed the door.

  "Dad! What have you done?! Is that why she's beating us up?" This from Marcus.

  Derrick turned from them all, he couldn't deal with them at that particular moment, he was about to head down the stairs, when they all heard a crash from the bathroom, followed by a scream.

  Joseph found the hidden band-aids.

  Chapter 194

  To the traditional musical arrangement of Pomp and Circumstances, the seniors took their practiced steps, marching down the three aisles made for them on the outer edges of the bleachers and from down the center, in pairs. Wearing caps and gowns of gold, with burgundy tassels from their caps, and burgundy sash collars, they all proudly paraded before a crowd of hundreds. In the crowd, Paul knew that his father stood. He'd come. He'd actually shown up and all he could do was grin knowing that he stood watching him now. With him, was Vivian, his grandma Gert, and grandpa Bart, and his brothers, Kevin and Benjamin, and last, his mother. Paul was happy because she was happy. She was engaged to be married, finally after devoting the majority of her life to him, he could breathe easy knowing that for once, there was someone for her.

  She'd been stunned upon finally meeting Vivian, although she'd heard plenty about her from him. He was proud of his mother, she'd smiled at her, shook her hand and introduced her fiancé to everyone. He too was really nice, and they all stood now, watching him, walk down the aisle to the designated seats along the center of the football field. From the bleachers, he could hear his brother's yelling for him to turn and wave. Smiling he did so a couple of times. When he looked back, Vivian was holding a camcorder on him, with his father standing next to her, laughing and smiling proud to be there as well. Paul was on top of the world.

  The ceremony lasted for an hour and thirty-five minutes, through speeches, awards, honor roll mentions, and scholarship awards, which Paul received neither. He didn't care, he gained the greatest joy from the presence of Jacob Patrick. When the ceremony ended with the launching of their caps, applaud rang out amidst, whistles and cheer. He couldn't wait to get to his family. He went straight to his mother, where she proudly hugged him and then to Jake.

  "Who's the man now!" Ja
ke grinned, hugging him and laughing. Touched in a way he couldn't explain to be made part of something he wished he'd been present for with his other two. They, the other two, were patting their little brother on the back and talking about how they were going to spend their evening celebrating. Paul was passed around to his grandparents for hugs, kisses and praises, with pictures taken from everyone. He took one with his grandparents, the McPherson's, because his mother's parents had died years earlier. He took one with his mom and her boyfriend, his brother's and with Vivian and Jake, and also, one with Jake and his mother, Jackie. Vivian observed Jackie curiously because she was so little. Not only petite, but tiny in frame as well. For the life of her, she didn't get how someone so little, had handled someone like Jake. Anatomically speaking, it didn't seem that they would fit, but considering Paul, something must have. From there, the celebrating group all met up for a meal out at the Target Bluff restaurant, where they served fantastic German cuisine. The restaurant was packed. It was obvious that many families of graduates had the same thing in mind. They waited twenty minutes for a table, and once they sat, they all sat around enjoying lively conversation. Benjamin's girlfriend Gail met him there as well, so she joined them. Vivian could tell that there was something going on between them, because they were stiff at best sitting together with the family surrounding them, trying to put on a good appearance. She was put out about Benjamin taking off and not consulting her. Excluding her as it would seem. She felt that he took her for granted.

  Gail was a blonde. Straight hair mid-waist, thick, gleaming, stunning. Very pretty face, and a long tapered figure. Big blue eyes. Vivian caught herself looking at her, and then at Jake to see his reaction to her. There wasn't any. He knew her already as their greeting testified to.

  They'd been seated at a very large round table, the ten of them enjoying their salads as Bart started in right away.

  "Well young man, now that you've made us all proud. Where you going from here?"

  Smiling Paul gave it some thought and surprised most by saying, "I think I'm going to spend this summer with my dad! What do you think dad?" He asked Jake.

  Jake stared, taken by surprise.

  Vivian as well, who's eyes got large, wondering what he meant by that.

  Finally responding, Jake's only comment was, "Huh?"

  "Well, if you don't mind, I thought that maybe, I could kind'ah hang out with you. Learn to build. You know, I was thinking, about that old man - remember him dad? When we were looking for Vivian? He needed his roof doing, we should go back there, check him out. What if we did that Dad? Spending the summer making repairs for people who can't afford to hire contractors? That way, I would get to learn how its done, and they get to improve their homes. I'm talking, mostly old people."

  "What a nice thing to do." Vivian commented surprised by his suggestion.

  "That is a nice thing to do, but where do we get the supplies to make the repairs?" Jake asked.

  "That's easy. We collect leftovers from building sites, lumber yards, and collect roofing tiles and sheets from wherever there may be, flawed or un-even batches. I found out about it while in school. Do you know that most of that material ends up going into burning or recycling? And companies pay a hefty fee for removal. But we could offer to go and load up on it clearing it from the sites, which helps them - because they don't have to pay, and often, they won't charge you for it either. And some that do, don't charge much. Do you know that when I took the class in building and structures the last two years, we learned that if you know how, and where to go, you could almost build a house on little of nothing, just by collecting it as our teacher explained it. I talked to him about what I thought would be cool and he gave me a list of places to go to get materials. That's what I wanna do for the summer. Help old people by restoring their roofs, gutters and windows. And I wanna do it with you dad."

  Jake sat back again, surprised. "Paul, I have to work." He brought to his attention.

  "Not on the weekends, besides, you'll be going to Chicago every weekend to visit Vivian. So I can come with you, and we can do that."

  "I see."

  "And dad, what if, instead of you working where you do, we did this to start up our own roofing business? McPherson and Son! Wouldn't that be cool!"

  "I happen to think that's a fantastic idea! What's more, I've been trying to get your dad to go back to school to earn a degree in business so he could do just that. What if you both went to school together, and did what you said Paul, think of the foundation and reputation your business would gain with such a humanitarian effort to show for it. And you could help your dad through school."

  "Cool! I didn't know you were going back to school dad?!" Kevin inserted.

  Jake glanced at Vivian, "I wish you hadn't said that here." He murmured with hopes of her ears only.

  "Why not? What's wrong with it? We're among family." Vivian reminded him.

  "Its not definite, that's why." He stated low.

  "Son there's nothing wrong with going back to school. Madison and La Crosse are perfect for that. Working and school might be a bit hard, but many have done it." Gert added her voice to the discussion, having obviously heard. "What you think Bart?" She asked her husband.

  "Is that what you wanna do son? Its never too late. With your boy along with you, might make it that much easier."

  "I only said, I would consider it. That's all."

  "Jake, it would free you to be your own boss. With Paul in it with you, its something you wouldn't have to do alone. And uh - I was actually thinking..." She turned to his parents, "That he would fair better, if - well - he didn't have to work. Just - went to school."

  Jake's head snapped around to her, and it was clear by the look on his face that he didn't like her bringing that out there. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

  Bart stared from Vivian to Jake, and then back at Vivian again, "Don't see how he could do that. Man's gotta work, take care of his family. First things first, and that's bringing home a honest wage, for a hard days work. If there's time for school after that, then - well, that's good - by all means take it. But - he's gotta make a living."

  "I make a good living." She spoke up again.

  "Vivian!" He bit out, his eyes shooting daggers at her. Clearly, he wanted her to drop it.

  "You not suggesting my boy, leave work, and lettin' you support him are you? That's not a mans place, to have a woman taking care of him. Didn't raise my sons like that." Bart spoke up and looked at Jake. "You thinkin' about that boy?"

  "No sir, I'm not. I've worked all my life dad, you know that. I'm not about to stop now, and have a woman seeing to me."

  Vivian turned to him, "Jake?"

  "Drop it, you should have never brought it up here!" He muttered at her.

  Trying to be understanding, Gert leaned forward towards Vivian, "It's just as well honey, it would have been too hard on you anyway. With him living here and going to school and you there, working, trying to get money to him, that's hard on a relationship."

  Vivian's mouth opened, wanting to comment, when Jake grabbed her thigh under the table and squeezed. He looked at her with warning. Vivian had a feeling that Jake would not be willing to move to Chicago after all. She looked away from him, back at everyone else who had resumed conversation with Paul. She was quiet from then on, smiling and commenting whenever it was appropriate. As she sat and listened, she found that she liked Jackie. She was a very nice person. Definitely in love with her fiancé Howard Fields. They were a well suited couple, so it would seem, not a care in the world. Soon the food came, and they could eat. Halfway through the meal, there appeared a fork with a bit of Prime rib steak on the tines. Vivian looked up to see Jake staring into her eyes once they made contact with his, "Try this, they make the best prime rib steak here." He offered, a piece offering. Her mouth opened as she leaned forward, taking the meat from the fork, chewing it. It was tender and good, she smiled, "You're right, its really nice." His hand was back on her thigh, rubb
ing it where he had earlier squeezed it. He smiled at her, leaned sideways and kissed her temple, whispering in her ear. "You've gone quiet."

  Her eyes rolled to him, whispering, "Once you've coached me on what I can and cannot say before your family, I'll talk again."

  "Vivian ... I haven't made any promises. Now, with my son wanting this time with me, I won't deny him that." He spoke gently to her.

  "I don't wanna talk about it here. Besides, I have no problem with you spending time with him. I wouldn't have a problem if he wanted to come and stay with us, you both go to school in Chi-..." He cut her off putting his finger to her lips.

  "We'll talk about it later." Then replaced his finger with his lips.

  She had no choice but to concede in that. The family dinner was wonderful. Two hours later, they all stood to leave, each saying their goodbyes. Vivian shaking hands with Gail, who was very polite, but obviously not in a joyful mood, she had been quiet for the majority of the dinner. Furthermore, Kevin, Benjamin and Paul were going out for the evening, she wasn't invited. She was not happy.

  To Paul, Vivian made sure that he understood that he was always welcome to come there to her place in Chicago, anytime. He promised to take her up on it. Jake spoke with him as well, letting him know that they would most certainly spend the summer together, and if possible, see what they could work out concerning his plans. Vivian and Jake spoke to Bart and Gert last, letting them know that they were heading for Chicago, Vivian had to be back to work the following morning. After a few more goodbyes, they climbed into his truck and set out on the I-90 towards the windy city.

  "You enjoy your food?" Jake asked as he drove.

  "It was good." Vivian returned.

  "You're mad, aren't you?" He asked.

  "No ... not mad. It would have been nice to open it up to the family, kind of let them know what we planned."

  "Vivian, I'm going to be blunt with you. There's no way in hell, my dad is going to like the idea of me moving to Chicago. No way. Neither my mom. When harvest comes in August and September, I'm the one he most depends on to help him get that in."