She was laying against the back of the house watching quietly. Luis looked up, sweating, red in the face, the expression on his face clear that he wanted to be anywhere but there. Seeing her, gave him an excuse to stand up and distract his father.
"Tia Kate here dad." They all called her Kate. Starting wit DJ jr. who as a baby couldn't get her entire name Kathy Ann, out. First it was "Kat" and as he grew older it became Kate leading the rest into calling her the same, Tia Kate.
Derrick turned around to see her learning there watching, she looked at the boys, grinned and did a nod to them, they were hoping this meant take a rest. No chance. Walking towards his sister his command was, "Keep working, I want these done by this weekend, Sunday."
Kathy Ann smiled up at him as he approached.
"What's going on here?" She asked.
"Summer has begun and I'm seeing to it that they'll be working everyday of it. I'm making them build a storage shed for themselves. Once completed, I will begin in assisting them to fill it with their own tools as they need them. I'll be taking them to garage sales, flea markets, wherever I can find reasonably priced tools to make sure each has his own for building and constructing. Once they master that, they'll be building them for people that wish to order one from us, so I'm making sure they build different kinds." He explained leading the way to sit on the back porch where he could keep them in view.
Kathy Ann joined him, sitting on a lower step.
"What in the devils gotten into you? You making them do that all summer?"
"This summer, they're working. I've been neglecting them, been too soft. I let it go on much further, neither will be worth their weight in soil. I've always fought against being too hard on them, big mistake."
Kathy Ann didn't need to ask why he made such statements, she more than understood.
"You got good kids Derrick, really they are."
"They're human, believe me, human's are capable of doing shocking things, they are no less capable."
"If you say so. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, you're a good father, a good husband and a damn good brother."
Derrick glanced down at her, grinning, "Emmm, how can I help you?"
"Don't say it like that, like I come to you a lot."
"True, only when you need something from me, otherwise, we don't exactly socialize, do we?"
"Well Derrick, you're dad's good son - you don't smoke, you don't drink, you don't curse, you don't fight. Let's face it, you're as right as rain - therefore, you don't like me around all that much."
"That's not true, you know it."
"Well, I guess I'm about to find out. I need a place to stay for a bit. Not long, just - for a while."
"Mom's been looking for you, why don't you give her a call." Derrick encouraged.
Kathy Ann had been looking up at him, she turned away to gaze back out into the yard at her laboring nephews. "I'm not in the mood to talk with mom right now if you don't mind."
"Why? What's going on between you two?"
Kathy Ann shook her head, unwilling to volunteer any information in answer to that, then wondered if she'd said anything to him, her head jerked back to look up at him, "She say anything to you?"
"Yeah, she was here some nights ago; I hope you know that your husband has taken Jason and left. He's filing for divorce. Did you know that?"
She stared up at him stunned, sighed deep and then looked away. Shrugging it off as if it were no big deal she murmured, "'Bout time he did I suppose."
"About time that he did? Is that all you have to say?"
"What do you want me to say Derrick? He's gone, he's taken his son with him, I wish them the best."
"You wish them the best? Jenny Lee? What about her?"
"She's knocked up. I know you've heard. She's with that guy who did it, they have their own place."
"So now, you're just out drifting."
"Yeah. That okay with you? Can I crash here a while or not?"
"Of course you can, that goes without asking. As long as you wish; only thing, I'm telling you now; I don't want you drunk around my kids, understand? No smoking in my house. The language you can sometimes use? Not here, I won't stand for it."
"Yessir, father!" She saluted him. "Can I smoke outside?"
"I don't want cigarette butts all over the place."
"Gotcha." She returned right away.
They both looked up at the same time as Marcus was calling out in an urgent whisper, "Dad - dad!" He called out hurriedly, gesturing quickly for his father to come and see something, and by the way he was doing it, he didn't wish his targeted siblings to know. Both of them, Kathy Ann and Derrick quickly, quietly stood making their way to him.
Their backyard was set up, backed onto a gravel and grass break between properties, that gave them full view of their neighbors backyard with only the slight gravel/grass break between, not quite an alley. Every other garage was alongside their homes, even homes, had the garage at the mock alley. The slight twenty foot space is where often times, teens would gather in between the homes, or neighbors would stand talking. Most had shed's at their back gates or privacy fencing. At the moment, across it and down two houses, were three kids cleaning up around their back gate. They'd just moved into the neighborhood, a black family of five. Father, mother, daughter and two younger sons, all, it appeared, to be under the age of 12. The oldest, a girl; and at that particular moment, she and her younger brother's were to be pulling out all the weeds along their gate, cleaning up their yard. She however found herself distracted, there was a young boy, standing in his back garden staring at her. Well, she knew it wasn't her exactly, he was staring at her butt. She knew it. It was the biggest draw of all the attention she'd ever gotten.
Shawn2 and Louis both, at the same time were trapped and rudely staring, their mouths dropped open as they stood against their back gate. What held them so, was to see a dark brown skin young girl, made up with a figure they'd only believed existed in the cartoon playboy drawings. She had very slender arms, small breasts, narrow shoulders, very slender upper body down to her straight narrow waist and then all of sudden, protruding from the back of slightly curving hips was a butt that didn't seem it should be on her body. A big butt, slightly slopped but high, round and out there. You couldn't miss it. Her legs were very well shaped, brown shiny skin. She was wearing a bright white t-shirt, a yellow spring hooded jacket, and blue-jean shorts that held onto her butt tightly, white ankle socks and blue tennis shoes. She was wearing gardening gloves, holding up and open a large garden trash bag for her younger brother's to fill with the weeds they cut and pulled. Her thick hair was French braided on both sides, the ends pinned up in the back, with wispy soft bangs hanging over her forehead.
Her face was taken up by large, brown eyes, a slightly broad nose and seriously full lips over a small chin. Very unusual features that dominated her face and after staring a bit, because one had little choice, her eyes made you focus on them. Left to do so for too long, in no time at all, the features became not only appealing, but alluring.
Her pink tongue came out to wet her lips, she did that a lot. They were so full, Shawn2 imagined they probably got dry pretty quick, he figured she went through some serious lip balm.
Because they stared so blatantly, she threw her hand on one hip, dropped the other and did a head rotation asking with full blown attitude, "Can I help you?"
Just as she'd offered the sharp inquiry, a big white man stepped into view behind the ogling pair who, transfixed, stared at her. Catching them, taking them by surprise he slapped them both upside the head and yanked them from the gate. She threw her head back and laughed.
"MA'KEIBA!" A strong, deep male voiced called out to her.
"Huh daddy?"
"Hurry up and get yo'ass in that gate! Ain't nobody told you to clean out there! Get the work done inside this yard, don't worry 'about out there!"
"Daddy I tol'her that what you said, to get the inside done! See Ma'Keiba!" Her younger brother rail
ed at her, mad now because he wanted to be done. Now they still had the inside of the yard to do, thanks to his dumb sister.
"Shet up boy! I thought we had to do this too." She lied. Ma'Keiba knew what had to get done, however youth, boredom, burdensome chores and hanging with her little brother's was not on her agenda. Her family had just moved to the neighborhood, her parents buying their first home. Her father, Reginald Clarke, and her mother, Shelly Clarke, both worked at the hospital in alternate shifts. Her father worked in the radiology department, where he gave In and Out patients x-rays for whatever reasons ordered. Their mother, Shelly was a nurse. She worked third shift and their father worked second. Which always left them with an available parent. Today, both parents were off due to moving into their new home, and there was work to be done. Reginald and Shelly as parents, did not play. When they ordered their children to do something, it had better be done. This was the reason all three wasted not a moment to get back inside the yard to where they were supposed to be cleaning it.
Back in the adjacent yard...
"OW! Dad... that hurt!" Shawn2 whined rubbing his head.
Kathy Ann was laughing, shaking her head. "Mind if I go on in, lay down?"
"Go right ahead, Meribel will be back soon, she and Sasha have gone grocery shopping."
Kathy Ann headed for the house, where she would go into the basement and lay down in her brother's guest bedroom, while he dealt with his sons; the two whom he turned back to, "What are you two supposed to be doing? That right there, what I just caught you doing is the reason you'll be busy all summer, you better believe it!" Derrick ordered, guiding them back to their building projects.
"We wasn't even doing anything!" Shawn2 again, moaning.
Marcus was laughing at him, "Liar, your eyes were glued so hard to that little girl's ass-..."
"HEY! That's disrespectful! You shouldn't be referring to her that way!" Derrick corrected Marcus.
"What did I say dad? He was, he and Luis." Marcus defended.
Shawn2's eyes got big, "Dad, did you see her butt? I've never seen a butt that big, not on someone that small."
Luis and Marcus both sputtered, cracking up.
"Shawn2, are you cognizant of any discussion we've had in the last few days?"
"Dad you said we could talk to you about anything! What, girls not included in that? Beside, Luis was looking too!"
"Yes, but he's not arguing back is he?"
"I'm not arguing dad, I just wanna know how her butt got that big? She's little here, here, here and here..." He gestured arms, shoulders, breasts and waist, "... and then, pow! That butt!"
Marcus and Luis were laughing at the look on their father's face.
"You two - not enough to do?"
"Sorry dad..."
"Sorry."
The two tried to clear their mirth.
"Huh dad? Is that normal to have a butt like that?" Shawn2 persisted.
"Shawn2! Godalmighty, why me?" Derrick groaned. "Look son, all women are made up different."
"Never seen none made up like that."
"Yeah uh huh, you're crazy, on the music video's!" Luis reminded him.
"But that's not real life you moron! Those are music videos!"
"You're the moron, the women are real in the videos, what you think, its all cg?!"
"Wow... but they're on T.V." Shawn2 gasped, his eyes still big.
Marcus and Luis suddenly broke into, Sir Mix-A-Lot's - Baby Got Back song, "I like big butts - and I can not lie - You other brothers can't deny - That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist - And a round thing in your face - You get sprung..."
"HEY!" Derrick yelled at them as they were rapping and moving to the beat of the music in their heads. Of course they stopped, stood back at attention. "You three are simply out of control! Don't let me hear you singing, rapping stuff like that again - it - is - disrespectful - to women! They are not pieces of meat for your enjoyment, your entertainment purposes! I'm telling you now, I catch either of you, being disrespectful to that little girl or-..."
"Oh come on dad, like we would do that!?" Marcus returned.
"I'm talking here! When I'm done, you can speak. Its disrespectful, I will not have it. She's a little girl, couldn't be any more than 12 or 13-..."
"With a butt like that?" Shawn2 asked.
Derrick shot him a hard silent glare. He sucked up, shut up.
"It is obviously her genetic make-up." He informed Shawn2.
"Dad, are black women the only ones made up like that?" Shawn2 asked.
Derrick knew, the key was patience, answer the questions, and then get them back to work, "While it runs stronger among them, no - there are other women, other races made up similarly. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. One is no better than another. They all deserve your respect unless they do something where they no longer deserve it. Yet, even then, you don't disrespect them, its just not done. Not by me, its not what my father taught us, I expect the same from you three. Conduct yourselves at all times like you've been taught decency. Do you understand?" He asked looking at them.
"Yes dad." They all murmured at the same time.
"Can I ask you one more thing dad?" Shawn2 bold as usual posed the question.
Derrick didn't want him too, but he knew he had little choice. "Go ahead."
"When can I start dating girls? When I start, can I date whoever I want? Like, any kind of girl? White girls, Chinese, Mexicans, Black or Indian? There are so many different kinds, how do I know which one to choose from? There are just so many ... I mean, I don't wanna have to go, eanie, meanie, mini, mo... but I will if I'm forced. I will have to choose one day, can you help me out dad?"
Marcus and Luis couldn't hold it in, they erupted into uncontrollable laughter. Derrick looked from them back to Shawn2. He wiped his hand over his face and then over the top of his head, all he could think to say was, "That's more than one question Shawn."
"Sorry." He grinned up at his father, flexing his brows, being a comedian. Derrick didn't want to, but he chuckled, Shawn2 reminded him so much of Jake. Eager for girls, for women. "Look Shawn, you're too young to be even thinking about it. When the time comes, group dating is always the best. A large ring of associates out for a good time, nothing else. Right now, you're not allowed. Got me?"
Shawn2 smiled, "Yes dad."
* * *
Chapter 212
Chicago...
Earlier that evening, after Jake had calmed down a bit, following their making love on the sofa, they'd cleaned up and had dinner. Vivian noted how spotless he was in everything he did. She was seeing that now. One thing about him, she was happy about and that was that he would clean up after himself. Vivian figured it was from years of living as a single man. Gert had said her boys had always been very clean, they'd had little choice with her and Bart after them. Vivian had had to go on the internet to check her emails, pay a few bills that she did via; cyber secure connections, check on her accounts and as she'd done so, he used the phone to call his son, Kevin.
She tried not to listen, but it was impossible not to listen in. What she was soon finding to be true, is that her future husband was plagued with regrets, he was filled with them, as well driven by other things that consumed him.
"Hey, Kevin... it's me, your dad, Jake."
"Oh, hi dad, what's up?"
"Nothing much, I'm in Chicago."
"I know, we had dinner before you guys left remember? You okay?"
"Sure I am, why wouldn't I be?"
"Hmmm, well - I ah, just got off the phone with Benjamin, we talked for a long time."
"Yeah well uh, I don't really wanna talk about Benjamin right now."
"He didn't do it to hurt you dad. He would never intentionally hurt you."
Jake felt his eyes tearing up, "I didn't call you to talk about Benjamin, Kevin."
"Maybe not dad, maybe not - but I'm gonna say it anyway. He needs to know dad. He's been needing to know for years! Not any of you guys are aware of
what he's gone through."
"What has he gone through?!" Jake snapped, pinching away at a few small tear drops that gathered at the corners of his eyes, he didn't want to shed another tear over it, but damn them, they were pooling there anyway.
"Listen dad, for years now, Ben had been teased, ribbed, called names. I'm gonna tell you so you understand. Going to school, not one day went by, where someone wasn't calling out to us, "Jake's baby, Jake's maybe!" - referring to Benjamin as your maybe. People telling him, that Shawn was his father, that he took off on our mom because he didn't wanna get stuck with him. Dad, there are so many instances, so many things, I could be on this phone an hour or more telling you about it all."
"Well why the hell did he never come to me, tell me!? I would have knocked the hell out of anyone for fucking with either of you, you know that! He knew that!"
"Dad! Ben is not the run and tell kind! He's the kind that keeps it to himself and fights his own battles."
"Like his father." Jake murmured softly.
Kevin heard him, and asked, "Is he, Shawn - Benjamin's father? Do you know if he is?"
"More than likely, he is. It's, one of the reasons I loved him so much... you know." He was going to start crying again. Kevin could hear it in his tone.
"He always knew that you loved him dad."
"Yeah well... uh, I ah, well - do you - know? I mean, do you know... that I - ah ... love you? That - I'm proud of you. Even though I wasn't a good father to you-..."
"Ah come on dad? What's going on with you? You don't have to say this to me. You been drinking?"
"No! Dammit I have not been drinking. Not today anyway." He sniffed and wiped his eyes.
Vivian had stood at her up-right computer cabinet, there is where she locked away her bills, and did whatever needed doing. It was an expensive computer desk area that required standing, but she preferred that, it kept her from being on it longer than was needed for business, and then off. Everything inside of her ached for him, yearned to make the pain go away. She wondered how many saw this side of him? Everyone else, knew only the other Jake. This Jake, the one she stood as a witness to, was the kind of Jake that made you forget all of his wrongs. Because in truth, he hurt just like everyone else. Looking at him, Vivian wondered if anyone disliked him, as much as he disliked himself? Some how, she didn't think so.
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