"NOOO!!!" All three shouted, ducked and threw their hands up, afraid he might pop them again.
"No! You're damn right you're not! I - WILL - NOT - HAVE IT! I WILL NOT! You're not going to have some young girl's parents knocking at this door, claiming one of you idiots as father to her expected baby! Look at Jake, yeah, I know you all think he's cool! Oh yeah, Tio Jake is the man! Women everywhere! Yeah - he does, and god-damn kids too! Frankly speaking, to be honest with you, I have my doubts of whether your three cousins are it! It wouldn't surprise me one bit, if one or two more suddenly appeared out of the blue!" Derrick was breathing hard, nose flared.
"I swear before God, I hear of such nonsense as this again, the guilty party will find my foot, lodged deep and twisting up your ass! I'm telling you now! You're not going to end up getting some young girl pregnant, ruining her life! Ruining your own! You're not going to be gambling with the possibility of VD or AIDS - and you are not, going to conduct yourselves as if you've had no parenting whatsoever! This summer, I'm putting all three of your asses to work! From the moment the sun rises, and falls you will be busy with something productive! You will earn breaks, from this point forward! You will earn time to play on that fucking play-station! You will EARN your allowance! No more just handing you money! I can't believe I've let this happen! Oh yes, I'm just as much to blame! Another reason I'm so pissed off! You wanna play at doing adult things, we might as well start you off at work! Get ready boys, a new day dawns come next week! Get ready!"
Derrick went to the door, snatched it open, looked back at them, "Marcus - outside, get the front and back lawn cut - now!"
"Dad its getting dark out."
"Wait a minute, were you told what to do? Or asked?"
Marcus gasped incredulous, but didn't make too much noise passed that, choosing a wiser course, he headed out to do what he was told.
"Luis, you get the edge trimmer out, and make it neat as can be on the edges of the walkway! I want every blade of grass or weed, cut out that's growing up in between the sidewalk cracks or slabs! Along the front of our home and down the side of the house to the backyard! Then take the lawn scissors, and cut the grass along the fence bottom, neat, level and even, from in front of the bushes, and along to the stones of your moms flowerbed! NOW!"
Luis headed out next.
"YOU! Get the hedge shearers, I want the bushes that run along the back gate, up the side and around the front cut into a perfect square! Top flat, face like a wall and I want a noticeable box corner to it and I want all those little twigs and limbs trimmed away from the ground six inches up into the bush, exposing the base."
"Ah dad! That's a lot! That's gonna take me all night!" Shawn2 whined.
Derrick bit into his bottom lip, he wanted to pop him so bad.
"Okay okay okay! But it's gonna get dark." Shawn2 whined.
"That's okay, I'll bring out the flood lamps! Now get out there!"
He marched down the stairs behind his sons, making sure to supervise and direct them so they knew exactly what he wanted. Stopping by his wife, he took her by the chin, leaned down and kissed her lips. "Sorry it took me so long. You take care of Sasha, I have the boys from here."
* * *
Chicago...
Wishing to know and see exactly where Vivian worked, Jake took the downtown route so she could show him the way straight to her job. They arrived right on the edge of heavy traffic with the majority of those who worked downtown leaving, so it wasn't so bad. Jake realized he would have to master the downtown set-up, one-ways, Michigan Avenue, Wacker drive, Lake Shore drive, Wells st., Canal, Dearborn, Jackson and Lasalle street - one street after another. Jake took serious note of each, which fell before and after the other, going south, east, north or west - taking into consideration that their travel was south-east, his mind was setting up how to come back from the opposite end. Intrigued, Vivian watched him, she loved studying him, seeing how he thought and assimilated things. "It'll take you a while to get used to it. Working here, it took me months not to turn down the wrong street." She offered kindly.
He grinned that famous grin and returned, "That's because you're a woman. Most all women have a bad sense of direction."
"Ach! Why am I getting this feeling that you sir, are a male chauvinistic pig!?"
Jake laughed, winked and admitted, "Because I guess I am, just a bit of one. Just a bit."
"Yeah right just a bit, more than a bit!"
"Maybe - but I bet you, after we get down here and head to your place, I'll bring you back here in the morning with no problem."
Vivian started laughing, "No way! There's no way, you can drive through here one time, and then come back without getting lost."
"We'll see, if I do, I want a big dinner when you get off work tomorrow."
"I beg your pardon, I know you don't think I'm gone work all day, to get off and then come home and fix you a big dinner? I know you don't think that?"
"Yeah I do. I'll tell you what I want too. Greens like they were at the barbecue! Man I ate three bowls of'em they were so good! I wanna a big roast like Sheila fixed that time when Sylvia had taken off on my brother."
"Because of you!" She entered immediately.
"Whatever, past tense! Over and done with, let's focus on that roast! It had mushrooms and gravy, I'm telling you man, it was out of this world good!" He smacked his lips. "I want that, its been on my mind. Only thing I can't make up my mind on is the potatoes. Mashed, baked or the way Sylvia made them a while back, smothered in onions. Yeah, I want my potatoes like that, onions and butter, just enough pepper. And corn bread - gotta have some corn-bread. God I'm hungry."
"You trippin'! You - are - trip-pin'!" Vivian laughed. "Cause I can tell you now, ain't nothing like that coming up off of my stove, after working all day! You might get it over the weekend, but not tomorrow."
"Cook it tonight for me then." He asked.
"Jake! We just left a restaurant."
"Woman that was almost four hours ago! That was lunch! Late lunch, but lunch still the same. It's almost 6:30! I'm hungry."
"I can see it now. We gone get married and within a year, you gone have a big'o pot belly!"
"You see one on me yet? And if by some chance I do, long as I can get my willy out-..."
"JAKE! You are so crude!"
He only laughed glancing at her, winking from the side of his eye. "But you love me anyway, don't you? Hm?" He flirted with her, his hand reaching down between her thighs to caress the heated juncture there.
"Jake! Would you stop." She squirmed as he used his long center finger to rub her mound, especially one spot. "Stop it Jake. You driving."
His eyes were on the road, back and forth with looking at her reaction to his touch, keeping his hand in place, refusing to move it, rubbing her, touching her so that even though she protested, he could tell by the way her thighs shifted; by the way they squeezed his hand, it was feeling good to her. "Think I can make you come like this? Driving, I bet I could."
Vivian grabbed his hand and tossed it aside. "Behave yourself. I ain't yo'property yet! Just gone touch my stuff!" She said, trying to deflect him and the growing moisture and throbbing he'd ignited.
"Shit! The hell if you aren't! That goddamn ring on your finger! You mine! My goddamn property! You better believe it baby! I'll touch your stuff anytime I feel the need. Much as you're costing me already!"
Vivian had to turn her head, unable to control her laughter.
"Yeah, laugh all you want! But you still mine! Ha ha ha ha!"
Turning back to him, trying to tame her mirth, she informed him, "Excuse me, I beg to differ, we haven't said any vows yet! I can take this ring, right off you know!"
"Now why would you do that? Hurt me that way?"
"You so full of shit! You know that?"
Jake barked with laughter, he couldn't help himself.
"Em hm, you know it. So do I." She informed him with the lift of her brow.
Coming down from the belly shaking
chuckles, he put his mind back to their destination, "Yeah, okay. Now where, I'm ready to head for home."
She directed him to the fastest route, on the Dan Ryan. After twenty minutes, with them laughing and teasing each other even more, Jake saw a Church's chicken restaurant and with the smack of his lips and a growling belly, he made his way to it. Pulling up to the drive-up he made it simple, "Get the works and plenty." Having seen his eating in action, Vivian did as was told, happy that she wouldn't have to cook. Leaving there, they headed for her home, once they reached a certain place, Jake knew where he was and didn't waste a moment getting there. The smell of the chicken teasing him so he was tempted to grab a piece just to stave off his hunger. Because Dennis and Sheila still had her keys, they had to swing by there first. Jake parked out front while Vivian jumped out, running up to the door to get her keys. Dennis leaned out the door and waved at him. Licking the chicken juice from his fingers, Jake opened his window and waved back. Then went back to eating his chicken breast. A moment later, Vivian made her way back to the truck, this time with Sheila standing in the door waving at him. Again, he waved while Vivian jumped in.
"Jake, why didn't you wait!"
"I told you I was hungry. Close the door, lets go." He ordered, finished with that piece, leaving nothing but bones. Within the next five minutes, he was parking in front of her place.
He grabbed all of her bags, and his while she carried their dinner. He had to make two trips, making faces as he did. "What?" She asked.
"All these bags Vivian? And how much of this did you wear?"
"Look, I had to have my options. Choices, life is far more interesting when you have choices, okay? Thank you." She informed him, did the head thing for emphasis and lead the way inside, looking around; a tad bit weary, after leaving her place for a while under the circumstances that she had, not sure what she would come back to. All seemed fine as she headed for the kitchen, setting their food on the table. Jake took her bags into her bedroom, smiling as he viewed the vanity, anticipating when she saw it. He sat her bags along the closet, and his next to hers, leaving out of the bedroom heading for the kitchen when someone knocked at her door.
Spinning in place, he redirected himself towards the front door. He could hear her in the kitchen, taking out plates and glasses so they could eat. At the front door, he opened it to see a woman standing there. She was acting as if she had to use the bathroom, fidgety movements, obviously restless, too impatient to face the door until someone opened it; she was facing the street and turned suddenly - realizing the door was open.
"Whoa!" Was the first word that came out of her mouth upon seeing the tall, white male standing in the doorway.
"Can I help you?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, like - well maybe, this my sister crib?" Candace asked, unsure of where she was.
"Who is your sister?"
"Vivian - Vivian Cooke. She live here?"
Before Jake could answer, Vivian called from the living room, "Somebody at the door?"
Jake stepped back, opening the screen door to let Candace in, the same time answering Vivian. "Your sister?" He formed the question as she stepped in.
"Hey - wha's up. I's me. Man where you been? Been tryin' to catch you at home and thangs. Come by, day after day - can't catch you. Where you been?" Candace asked Vivian straight away, sniffing, her nose twitching. Vivian stood staring at her as if she had come from out of space.
"What are you doing here Candace?" She asked. It was clear to Jake, this was not a happy meeting. Not sure what to do, he closed the door, and got his introductions in first, "Excuse me ladies, before you two get into a discussion - I'm Jake, or rather, Jacob." He held his hand out to Candace. Who sniffed, and turned to him holding hers out, "Uh yeah, cool, I'm Candace, one of Vivian's older sisters. How you doin'?"
"Just fine thank you, nice meetin' you. I'll leave you two now to talk." He excused himself, making eye contact with Vivian; she was not happy. There was also something else in her eyes he wasn't so sure about. However armed with the knowledge that they were sisters, he made his way from the room to the kitchen to eat.
Vivian couldn't believe it. Her sister Candace was at her new home. Her stomach crapped as something occurred to her with blinding clarity.
"I repeat, what are you doing here Candace."
"Why you got to come off like that? What's wrong wit'you?"
"No, the question is - what's wrong with you, and what are you doing here? How did you get my address?"
"Who me?" Candace asked, stalling for a moment to think.
"No! The mailman! Of course you."
"You tol'me!"
"When? I don't remember any such thing."
"You a busy lady, got too much shit on yo'min'. You'on know if you comin' o'goin' sometime I bet, huh? Shit - you probably don't even know what day it is. Do you? So uh, who 'dat?" She asked, clearly referring to Jake.
Vivian stood a moment staring at her. She was so skinny, she was almost gaunt. Her clothes had a musty smell to them, bedraggled, sloppy. Her skin, with an oily sheen and she was forever sniffing as if she had a cold.
"Cat got'yo' tongue?"
"He introduced himself, his name is Jacob, Jake."
"OOOH! Oooh shit! Look at that!" Candace exclaimed catching sight of Vivian's ring. She came up to her and grabbed her hand looking at it. "When you get this?" She asked.
Vivian pulled her hand away, folding her arms across her breasts, she put that hand under her arm, hiding the ring away. "I wanna know what you're doing here Candace? I want to know, how you found out where I live?"
"I talked to one of your friends." Candace grumbled back impatiently, waving it off, as if to say, drop it.
"Who?"
"I'on know her name! You know I can't be rememberin' peoples names. Look, I ain't got all night, can you loan me some money?"
"No, I can't."
"Why? You got money. I told you what my situation is, I need to get caught up on some bills and shit. It ain't like you ain't got it! Look at that ring on yo'finger. Ask him if he got some money. He your man now?" She nodded her head towards where she figured the kitchen and Jake was. "He put that ring on yo'finger? See if he can loan you some money. I pay you back. I know he got some money."
"We were getting ready to eat. You need to go."
"Just like that? You just gone show me the doa? You could give me twenty dollars or somethin'."
"Candace what has happened to you? Look at you. You need to go somewhere and get yourself some help. Honestly, because what you need, I don't have. Would you like something to eat?"
"Naw, I already ate. You got a ten or something? Maybe I can follow you to a cash machine, I know you got money in the bank."
"Are you working Candace? What about that? That's a good way to get money when you need it."
"Why you gone be that way? I'm yo'sista'! I'on ask you for nothing much! Leas' you could do, is when I ask you er'now and then, you could give it to me."
Suddenly Jake came into the room, with his wallet out, he gave her fifty dollars. "There you go. Have a nice evening."
"OH - straight! Tha's what I'm talkin' 'bout! UH! Wha's yo'name? Jake? You cool - ah'ight! I'm gon' go'on up out'a here so ya'll can eat and thangs! Sweet!" She hustled to the door, wasting not a moment getting out of it. Jake went behind her and locked it. When he turned around, Vivian was standing in the middle of the floor livid. Humiliated, ashamed, feelings of disgrace assailing her at such a pace she couldn't breathe. For him to see her, made it even worse because he was white.
"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"
"I was afraid she'd start begging. Or worse, you two start fighting. She got what she came for, she's gone. End."
"No its not the end! Look at her! My sister's a damn crack head! You just filled her pipe again! I don't need you doing her those kinds of favors!"
"So what were you going to do Vivian?"
"I wasn't going to give her any money, that's for damn sure! I work hard for my money! You
work hard for your money! You might as well have taken that bill you give her and lit it on fire... same thing! Not only that! She'll be back now! You just so much as told her, harass us a little bit, and we'll give you money!"
"I'm sorry okay, but we just got in the freakin' door! I'm tired! I want us to sit and have a nice meal, close on a pleasant evening! Not sit and have to endure someone begging and pleading for a fix!"
"Well excuse the hell out of us! It probably thrilled you to do us a favor!"
"WHAT?!" He yelled incredulously.
"You heard me! I'm tired too! I'd like to relax too!" She argued. "But the solution to the problem is not to start shoveling out money to the crack head! One who happens to be my sister! For all I know, that money you just gave her, could have bought her coffin! But then, one less black junky right, good riddance!"
"WHAT!? I can't believe this shit!" He bit through clenched teeth.
"YEAH YOU BELIEVE IT! ITS WHAT YOU ALL THINK ABOUT US! THANK YOU VERY MUCH! HEAVEN FORBID THE CRACK-HEAD WRECK YOUR EVENING! YOU'RE SO SELFISH JAKE! EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU!"
"Thank you, I'm glad you feel that way! I'll see you later!" He marched passed her to the bedroom while Vivian stood boiling in the middle of the room. "Jake!"
He came out with his bag and keys.
"Oh so you're just going to run! Avoid the issue!"
"FUCK THE ISSUE! I'm too selfish and all about myself to be bothered with it; according to you! So yeah, I'll just do what you seem to think I do best!" He fired back at her heading for the door.
"FINE! GO! Think I give a damn?! Don't have to worry about me blowing my brains out about it either! Too bad that other one did, then you'd have someone to run back to!" Vivian felt the words, sharp, cruel and hitting below the belt rush from her mouth before she could stop them. Hated each one that tumble out from her mouth like vomit you couldn't hold back. It was bitter tasting and vile. She wanted to yank her own hair out for saying it. Especially when she had to endure the look on his face, the effects of her barbarous words.
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