Sylvia and Shawn looked at each, both sighing.
Shawn knew that when they finished dinner, they would have a talk on the way to the anger management meeting.
Chapter 195
Her husband was at the school where she was and Meribel's stomach churned in agony. She was closed up in their bedroom, leaving the kids to their own devices—all save for Joseph, who lay in bed next to her napping after his fall from the cabinet. He'd climbed up on the shelves which gave way under his weight, causing him to crash to the floor, along with everything else on them, giving him one good scare that left him crying himself to sleep. Meribel knew how he felt. She'd broken through everyone that had run in to see what had happened to him, and pushing her husband out of the way, she'd grabbed her baby, carrying him off with her to her room where she slammed and locked her door.
There as she calmed her son, rocking him to sleep, she had heard her husband telling Marcus to fix the shelf and clean the bathroom up. Shawn2 to get back in his room and not come out until he returned from the school, while the boys whined that they were hungry. "Can we eat first dad?" And of course, yes, he allowed that. She further heard him instruct Sasha to do all that she'd put to her and that it should be done by the time he came home from work. Last order, "Whatever you all do—do not—disturb—your mother!"
She lay on her side, stroking her son's back. Examining the wonder and beauty of him. He was most like her husband than the others. He was the only one of their children that was actually white. The others looked more Spanish, or close to mulatto in looks. Especially Marcus and Luis. Luis looked more Puerto Rican, but could easily pass for half white, half black. Marcus, tall, handsome, straight auburn/brunette glistening hair, was between her and Derrick in color, but closer to hers. He gained a serious tan in the summer that made him almost as dark as she was, in fact, he had gotten pretty dark more than a few times. Sasha looked like her, only lighter in skin tone, a light olive color. Shawn2, looked like a light-skinned Mexican, or a dark Irish or Italian. Her baby boy, Joseph, looked like his father, his hair actually blond. Meribel remembered the pictures of Derrick as a little boy that Gert had shown her years ago. He'd been fair as could be with blond hair as a young boy. Just as Bart had been. Their four, Derrick, Jake, Kathy Ann and Shanna's hair had grown a darker blond as they grew older. Jake's was the blondest of them all. Whereas the others were more strawberry, reddish blond.
She kissed her Joseph; he was like them.
Meribel lay long after her own tears had stopped. She was scared. She couldn't believe that she was in the dilemma that she faced. She never thought that she would have to suffer under the fear of infidelity. But it all fit. For weeks, if not months, he'd been busy at the school and yes, she believed with his team. Often he was, she knew that, but now, what if there were times when it wasn't with his team, what if he'd been with her? That teacher.
Meribel's stomach cramped up on her, bringing forward a rush of tears. She was tall, eloquent, very attractive, educated, a teacher—just as he was. Comparing herself to the other woman, Meribel could see where she would be more desirable to him. She was not out of shape from having a bunch of kids. Her hair was no doubt perfect every time he saw her. Unlike her own, which was pinned up most of the time because she didn't always take the time to do it. It was easier to just grab a clip or claw hair clamp and get on with her day. She was trying to lose weight, and had successfully lost 8lbs since she made that determination. Even with the barbecue over the holiday weekend, she maintained her regime for weight loss. However, something had happened. Her husband was suddenly all over her. Doing things to her that he'd never done before. For the life of her, she couldn't believe how he'd begun to act sexually. Where had that come from? Meribel's hand went to her mouth to choke back a sob. Another woman! She'd no doubt shown him things, gotten him to learn new methods to please her! Perhaps out of guilt he'd used it on her - her mind was in a whirl because it all fit.
She fit the profile of a wife doomed to be deserted by her husband for another woman.
She never went on to college after school, because she'd had Derrick Jr.
She'd started having babies for him right from the start, one after the other practically, which is what he wanted.
She didn't have a job; in fact, had never worked before because he hadn't wanted her to.
Had no particular administrative skills and therefore, no references.
Her life revolved around him, and his children.
And now, she lay there with all of that on her mind, believing that she was getting ready to face what hundreds of other wives such as she faced: that her husband suddenly falls for another woman and leaves her with the house and kids. Meribel built up a horrific set of scenarios that her imagination drove within her mind. Derrick packing his bags, telling her that he'd tried, but she was not as pretty as before, the way she used to be. He'd tell her, that she was a nag. A whiner. Complaining all the time. Not happy with her home. Hadn't been happy with him, and what he tried to give her. He would tell her that he never wanted to make love to her anymore, because she was fat. Unattractive. Out of shape. Climbing on top and getting it over with quickly was the best that "I could stand to do," he said inside her mind. He would bring his packed suitcases to the bottom of the stairs, saying goodbye to their children, while she stood helpless watching her life fall apart; the one thing that she had always trusted in, believed that would always be hers, there for her, walking out the door. In her mind, she saw that puta pull up in some fancy sports car, helping him load his luggage. Growing angry, Meribel saw herself running down to hurl big rocks and stones at the car, breaking out her windows, cursing her in Spanish; but in the end, it wouldn't matter, because laughing, she would pull away, with her husband in the car. She saw him looking back at her with a sad but accepting expression, as if to say, you drove me away—now she will.
Trying to shake off the nightmarish daydream, Meribel tried to think about the things he said recently. That he loved her. Cherished her. But—was it guilt? Did he say those things because he'd been cheating on her? Was he even now, fighting with himself over staying with her or going to the other woman? She'd had everything laid out on his desk, so joyful, comfortable before she knew that she faced his wife and not him, so familiarly as if it were a regular thing with them. Meribel sat up in bed with her stomach worked up so bad she had to use the bathroom.
Derrick returned to the school looking for Margaret; she was nowhere to be seen. For the life of him, he could not see how things had come to this. What had given her the idea that anything she did, would capture his attention to make him turn from his wife? Meribel was his first and only love. Period. She was the mother of his children and the electricity in his otherwise simple life. He liked his life simple as it was, with just one aspect that kept it interesting. His exotic Puerto Rican beauty. Despite her belief that she needed to lose weight, there was nothing about her he would change. He loved the way she walked, talked, and at times, went nuts with her fiery temper. He loved the fact that having his babies came above anything else. In these modern times, most women were all career-minded. Work first. Money first. Their figures first. Plastic boobs. Plastic surgery. Hair sprayed stiff, waxed hair, or over-gelled hair with crazy cuts, and even crazier colors. Make-up galore, so much so, you dare not touch their faces, their skin, or smudge their lipstick. You better not run your hands through their hair; ruffle their clothes. How many times had he sat with his colleagues over lunch or breaks to hear them go on and on about how their wives spent too much money on shoes that they may, or may not even wear, but had to have. Screeching, pissed because their make-up was mussed. Asking for money to get something done to their bodies. Derrick would only smile in sympathy, proud that his wife was not driven by things so trivial and shallow. Not that she didn't like nice things like the next woman, he knew that she did. However, she'd always put buying the kids things first. Buying things for him first. He would be the one to push her to spend money
on herself. To buy herself a new suit, new shoes, some pretty pin for her hair. While she had plenty of make-up, she hardly ever wore it—for that he was glad. She was prettier without it as far as he was concerned. He liked coming in, touching her skin. Kissing her lips. Tugging at her hair, teasing her by taking the clip out so that the thick, sometimes out of control mass fell. She had a relaxer now, but he'd told her not to get another; he missed the wild curls she used to have. Now that it was straight, it had taken away his wonder of the extremely thick mass. Even so, he would tug it loose, laughing from her spewing a string of Spanish at him following the shout of his name, where he would skip off from her in a joyful rush.
He loved the sound of her speaking Spanish to their children depending on her mood. While they didn't speak it, they understood her when she spoke it to them. That was a turn on for him. He hated that he let exhaustion, games, drills, and preoccupation with things at school distract him from her. The shame of it was, he let it come down to her leaving him, albeit for a weekend, and then overhearing her words of truth concerning their love life to shake him. Now, here he was facing this dilemma! Totally flabbergasted because after going through the humiliation of admitting to his brothers that he was a lousy lover, in front of Dennis at that, and asking for their help, it had backfired on him, thanks to Margaret Wheeler.
Derrick left the office where no one looked at him any different, which meant she hadn't gone back and said anything about the attack from his wife. For that small favor, he was grateful. It was by pure force that he was able to get the majority of his work done, a bit more than half of the grades distributed to each student's homeroom teacher. It was close to 5:30 in the evening and he wasn't about to stay a moment more. He had to get home to his wife, and then after her, deal with their son. He made up his mind that he would come in first thing tomorrow morning and finish the rest of the grades that needed to be distributed; they had to be done by Friday to be mailed out to all of the students' parents. Leaving the school he rushed by their Wal-Mart superstore and bought her three bunches of wildflowers with roses in among them, and a single card with a bursting heart in the center, bleeding, no words within. He laid it on the counter, wrote three words in the center and closed it, placing it into the envelope, licked it, sealed it shut while the three bunches were being bundled into one big bouquet by the florist.
When he arrived home, the house was quiet for the most part. His kids were all in the basement except for Shawn2 and Joseph. They heard him arrive, Luis and Sasha ran up the stairs to meet him the moment he entered the kitchen.
"Daddy, I finished everything you told me to do, or mami told me to do."
"Good girl."
"I helped her! After I helped Marcus fix the bathroom shelves."
"Good son. Where's your mother?"
"She's still in the room, with Joseph—think they're sleeping," Luis answered, eying the flowers and the small card.
"Oooh, you brought mami flowers? Good idea! You bring her candy too?" Sasha asked.
"No, I thought I better not, she says she's on a diet."
"That's not good!" Luis spoke up with wide eyes.
"Why not?" Derrick asked, stopped in his path.
"Because, dad, it's a known fact that when you bring them flowers, a card, there should also be candy. You not bringing her candy is as good as you agreeing that she's fat and that she should be on a diet."
Fear swept over Derrick. "Ohhh nooo! Nooo! What am I gonna do?" He felt panicky.
"You're gonna have to go back out and get her some candy, daddy; there's no way around it." Sasha leaned against her brother, looking like she and he were the authorities on this. Derrick stood for a moment thinking. "Is she still asleep?"
"She's been quiet all of this time," Luis informed him.
Derrick stood a moment. "Here—hide these flowers in the basement, I'll be right back."
"Want me to go with you, daddy?" Sasha volunteered. She wanted to make sure he got the right candy, because she and her brothers were picky. They knew that she was serious about this diet, which meant, they would get the candy.
"Yes, you come go with me. Luis, go in the basement and get Marcus, so he can come along and bring your mother's van home so I can get my truck."
"I wanna go!" He pouted.
"Okay, okay; hurry up though before she hears me in and out of here."
Five minutes later he was backing out of the drive with the kids with him. He took the boys to the school so they could claim her van, directing them to get straight home. He and Sasha went back to the store, and because she knew how her father was, not only did her mother get the biggest box of the most delicious candy there, she picked up a few things that she wanted that her mother might have said no to. Her father hardly ever said no to her; all she had to do was bat those eyes at him, and droop a bit and he would give in. Needless to say, there was a bit more junk food added to the candy. Sasha knew that her mother did not buy them junk food to keep on hand around the house, otherwise they would be eating that and not the food she prepared. Knowing this, she made sure to pick up some ice cream, cookies, bags of corn chips, potato chips, and Cheetos.
Derrick eyed the other things she brought to the conveyor dubiously.
"Sasha, I don't remember your mom bringing stuff like this home."
"Please, daddy, we hardly ever get any treats like this. Just for tonight, please?"
"Who's going to eat all of that?"
"The ice cream's for me and Joseph to have with the cookies. The corn chips are for Luis, potato chips are for Marcus and the Cheetos are for Shawn2—if he ever gets off punishment long enough to eat them, and if he doesn't, they won't go to waste." She smiled and informed him.
"Not before dinner!" He firmly ordered, reaching for his wallet as the items were rung up.
"What's for dinner, dad?"
He stood there looking down at her, and sighed. "Chinese?"
"YES-S-S!"
From there they went to Imperial Gardens and Derrick ordered everything he thought all the kids and Meribel might eat. He shook his head, so far, this fight had cost him $85! When he made it home, the van was parked in the garage; he pulled up behind it, his arms full, Sasha's arms full.
When they set everything on the table, the kids moved in like vultures; even Shawn2, whom he eyed suspiciously.
"I'm hungry, dad, I haven't eaten since earlier." He whined at the look on his father's face.
"When you get done eating, back in your room. Understand? I mean it."
"Well, when you gonna come and talk to me?"
"When I get there. That's when. Until then, you'll wait. Marcus, as soon he's done, I want him back upstairs."
"You got it, dad."
"Luis, run and get those flowers," Derrick ordered, he could hear Joseph making his way downstairs. When he showed up in the kitchen, it was clear that he'd been sleeping. Derrick looked up expecting Meribel to show, she didn't.
"Where's mommy, Joseph?"
"She's laying down watching TV," he answered.
Derrick nibbled on his bottom lip as Luis came up with the flowers. His kids all looked at him for a moment as if they all silently wished him luck. However, a blink later, they were back into the food like starving turkey vultures. "Hey, you guys, your mother and I have to eat!" He reminded them.
"I'll put you food aside, daddy." Sasha promised.
Turning his back to them, he headed through his large home, down the hall and up the stairs to the top of the landing turning right and went to his bedroom door. It was slightly open. He peeked in with the flowers, candy and card behind his back. His wife was laying on the bed facing the TV, the remote control in her hand, watching cartoon network—no doubt left over from Joseph. She clearly wasn't watching it, but staring through it.
She heard him enter the room, close their bedroom door. Then felt the bed dip from his weight, sitting behind her. The bed moved and shifted and flowers were laid before her there on the bed. She looked at them; the a
rrangement was large, colorful, fragrant and beautiful. The fragrance from the wildflowers filled her head and made her want to cry. She took them from him and sniffed them, and turned on her back. Her eyes were wet.
"Why didn't you tell me, Derrick?" she asked low.
"Because there was nothing to tell you," he answered gently.
"She was in your office…with…food out for you…on your desk." She swore she wasn't going to cry, but ended up doing it anyway. "She was shocked to…to see me…she's tall…and…and slender…and…and white…and…"
"And as attractive to me, as dog vomit."
Meribel sniffed, stared at him. "Dog vomit?"
"Yep."
She sniffed again, and shifted herself back and moved up and against their headboard. Holding her flowers, she looked down at them and then up at him. "She's pretty."
"That's a matter of opinion," he returned, staring at her. "You are pretty to me. Got a riddle for you."
She wiped at her nose, sniffed, made a face, clearly confused. "A riddle?"
"Yeah…see if you can answer it."
She stared at him as if he'd gone crazy and then shrugged and nodded. "Okay."
"What is…shining like the brightest star, warmer than the sun by far, closer than my skin to me, mine for all eternity, the one who owns my heart alone, the most precious thing that I own...what is it?"
She could only stare at him. Her eyes filled with tears and dropped off of her lashes. "Don't know the answer?" He asked softly, he reached over and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Here, see if the answer is in there." He passed her the card he had.
She wiped at her eyes, laid her flowers across her lap, and opened the envelope, pulling the card out. She looked at the bleeding heart on the front and then unfolded it. Inside, it said My lovely Meribel.
She crumbled into tears, started sobbing.
He scooted closer and pulled her into his arms.
"I'm more in love with you this day, than any other I've known. Thing is, it's only getting stronger."
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