"Can't we get her committed to the nut house?" Ella asked. "That's where she belong."
Betty looked at her as if she were crazy while Lacy cracked up laughing.
"Ella can you do me a favor today? Try not to say anything until it makes sense up in your head first, okay?"
"That's the problem mama, it do make sense up in her head." Lacy went on laughing.
"What's wrong with that? Saying she need to go to the nut house? She do!"
"Ella what nut house is that? Only white folks, and rich white folks at that get committed to the nut house. Crazy ass black people and dope heads end up on the street, or checked into the morgue with a toe tag. That's the only committing we get."
"Grandma, grandma..."
"Mama, mama!"
"They here! They here! They gettin' out the truck now! Mama he ta-a-all! He wearing a cowboy hat and ever'thing! He white!"
All three kids ran in at the same time to report, hyped with excitement.
"Oh lawd, here we go." Betty Cooke moaned following her daughter's out of the kitchen to meet them.
Chapter 217
Saturday Afternoon, Chicago...
"You nervous?" Vivian asked as they pulled up in front of her parents home and parked.
"A bit, you think we should keep the truck running?" He joked grinning.
"Not unless you wanna give it away." She smiled back.
Taking a few deep breaths, he cut the engine, leaned over to look in the rear view mirror, checked his hair, combing it back with the comb he kept above the visor. Done he turned to look at Vivian who was simpering at him.
"How do I look?" He asked.
"Like my beautiful man, that's how you look." She palmed his cheeks and gave him a gentle kiss to the lips, just enough not to mess up her lip stick. Using her thumb, she wiped a bit off of his lips, looking from them to his eyes. "Its not too late to back out. We could start this truck back up, go to your place, eat Chinese and chill for the rest of our day? You're leaving tomorrow and now I'm not so sure I want to spend our last evening together with them."
"Give me another little kiss." He said, looking at her lips. He opened his mouth put his tongue out leaning towards her.
Vivian leaned forward and gave it a careful suck, rubbing her own tongue against it, one last loving suck and then she leaned away, carefully licking her lips, her finger tips dabbing at the moisture on her mouth from him. He was leaning across the seat staring at her with narrowed eyes of lust, making her stomach tighten.
"You do know I'll never get enough of you don't you? Not ever. I will be making love to you tonight, before I leave here tomorrow, you know that, right?"
"You can't remember? I'm on." She reminded him.
His head tilted back with the closing of his eyes in disappointment, "Aaah hell, I forgot just that fast."
Vivian felt strange then, as if she should be taking care of him anyway, knowing how he was, before she discarded the thought she blurted, "Doesn't stop me ... well, from taking care of you." She offered.
His head came back and looked at her. All he could see, was his beautiful lil'girl, and the act that she just offered, it didn't match what he was looking at. He didn't want it to match. That's not how he saw her. Yes, he made love to her as if he couldn't get enough, in fact worshipped her. With her, there was no hesitation in him. But to have her doing to him, things that didn't match his vision of her; offered to him because she was on, went against something in him. Right then, he felt his father in him. For the first time, he felt his face turn red because in Bart's eyes, a man didn't lower the woman he loved, the woman he'd chosen as his wife. She had a special place, high on a pedestal and to degrade her was pure ugly and sinful for a man to do, to even consider pulling her down from there. No way. It bucked up in Jake strong and overwhelming so that he for once felt ashamed of himself with her. He knew he was a lowlife, but the hell if he was going to make her one. He reached up and caressed her skin with his knuckles.
"Don't you worry about me. You're gonna be my wife, the mother of my girls, think I would even ask that of you? You're on your period; end of discussion. I'm not like that, I would never, take take take, from you without giving you more in return. I'm a piece of shit, but not like that."
"Jake! Why do you say stuff like that about yourself? It's not true, I wish you wouldn't say that."
He pulled her close to him and kissed her nose.
"You're my special, precious lil'girl..." He chuckled, "... my black Barbie doll." He laughed, "I used to play with those with Shanna you know. Kathy Ann wouldn't be caught dead playing with Barbie dolls. You wanna hear something funny?" He asked.
"What?"
"I always had the black Barbie. She was the first one I grabbed, isn't that funny?"
Vivian smiled, "I can't imagine you playing with dolls."
"I did, I felt sorry for Shanna because Kathy Ann was so rough. I could make her laugh with some of the things we pretended." He was smiling broadly just thinking about it, "I don't know why, but I was always better with my sisters than with my brothers. My mom, we were always close. Women in general." He admitted grinning at her.
Vivian smiled. "Is that why you want little girls?"
"Yes. My little girls, by you ... they will always love me, no matter what." He sighed and sat up straight, checking his hair one more time.
Vivian watched him, in love with him. She now wished that even though she was on, they'd spent the rest of the day together alone.
"Well, fuck it! Let's do this."
"JAKE! Don't you dare go in there talking like that! Not in front of my parents." She mildly scolded.
"I know I know, I'm sorry; I won't. Give me credit for something, my mom did try to raise me right. I'll mind my manners, promise." He informed her, throwing his door open to climb out, grabbing his hat at the same time and putting it on his head. He turned shifting the front seat forward to grab the box of Chinese food; the smell of which filled the vehicle. Vivian climbed out on her side, grabbing her purse, she closed her door, walking around the truck, stepping into the square area of grass before the sidewalk.
They looked simply, incredible together. Dark and fair; purely complimentary. Even the colors they wore enhanced the overall picture.
Vivian was dressed in a stunning emerald green halter dress made of a luxurious satiny cotton that fit her figure perfectly, not too tight - just to accentuate her curves. Flowing down her body into a flared skirt that moved with her, stopping right above her knees to show off beautiful long shapely legs. She wore a bulky African style beaded necklace, matching earrings and bracelets. With her afro and make-up she looked like she'd stepped right out of vogue magazine. Her high heeled sandals gave her stature, an extra finishing touch with her matching clutch purse.
The man beside her, knew the colors that worked with his coloring. Jake, having a wardrobe made up of mostly western wear, wore a camel colored suede, long dinner jacket, with darker suede shoulder panels; short sleeved Tombstone ecru colored shirt, buttoned to his collar bones; and matching dark suede, heather woven pants; over matching leather cowboy boots with two inch heels. Topping it off with one of his best, camel colored cowboy hats, along the front of it on the band, a flared russet, black, tan and emerald feathers. He looked good, and smelled good with Vivian's added touch of Armani Black Code cologne.
On the sidewalk now, Jake waited for Vivian to come before him and up the steps, as she did so, the door opened.
"Too late to back out now." She murmured through a fixed smile like a ventriloquist.
He only chuckled following behind up the porch steps.
Stepping into view, her older sister Lacy, pushed the screen door open for them to come in.
"Hey baby sis! Look at yo-o-ou!" She sang with a beaming smile. "Intro's please..." She finished looking up at Jake.
'Wow!' Was the first thing that registered in Jake's mind upon seeing Lacy, Vivian's older sister. She was another exotic knockout. Her features were a com
bination of Asian and Black. She was gorgeous, even so, still not as beautiful as his Vivian, he decided - but certainly one to incite a double take.
Vivian smiled brightly, so happy that she was the first face to be seen; pride filled her as she turned, now on the porch with Jake making the finally step up to stand with her.
"Jake - my oldest sister, Lacy. Lacy, this is Jacob Patrick McPherson, or, Jake."
Lacy and Vivian had the same beautiful smile, same lips, lower face, teeth even. "Nice to meet you! Here, let me take that. Come on in you two, others here to meet. Buck up Jake, they don't bite." She whispered the last part for their ears only, knowing what they were about to face. Winking at her with a smile, Jake nodded and sucked up to get ready, steadying himself.
The next face he saw was Ella's, and 'Whoa!' was the first thing that registered upon seeing her. Jake had to fix his smile not to flinch, she was nothing like the others. For once he was happy that no one could read his mind, because his mind did a brief shudder at the look of her. Choosing to look away from her, he was happy to focus on the 6 other faces that came into view, all of them checking him out. Staring at him, not them - but him! Among them, three young boys whose eyes were wide enough for the whites around the irises to show, not to mention their open mouths.
Lacy passed them back into the room heading for the dinning room table; where stood another woman. It didn't need to be pointed out to Jake who she was, clearly she was Vivian's mother. Not due to looking older, no - it was the narrowed eyed, barely veiled boredom of her stance and expression. Vivian stood next to him and going clock wise, began introductions.
"Everyone, this is Jake, Jacob Patrick McPherson. Jake, this is my other sister, Ella."
Jake nodded at her, taking his eyes momentarily from Vivian's mother.
"The lady there, is my mother, Betty. Mama, Jake."
Upon intro to her mother, Jake took his hat off and made his way across the small living-room holding his hand out to take hers. "Ma'am, Mrs. Cooke, it's nice to meet you."
She was not at all impressed and did nothing to hide it. With a lifted brow, a smirk twisting her mouth, she murmured a, "Em hm, we'll just see about that." She ignored his hand and turned away, "Lacy, take that in the kitchen so we can set it out on servers there, then bring it back in here."
"Why waste the dishes mama, we can just serve it out the boxes."
"Lacy take it - in the kitchen." She emphasized heading that way herself.
Vivian wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Yes, she knew her mother, but for the sake of common courtesy, she thought she would at least be polite. Vivian wanted to scream, playing it off she walked up to Jake, an apologetic look in her eyes. He was none-phased and winked at her with a smile, he'd already prepared himself for the possibilities of what might happen. Standing next to him, she turned to the men; her father and and Ella's husband Andrew.
"Daddy, this is-..."
"Heard already, Jake! Hey!" Her father greeted, refusing to stand up to meet him, to shake his hand even though Jake approached with his out to do so. Milton waved it off not caring to shake his hand, "All that ain't necessary, said, hey."
Vivian wanted to leave now. Instead, she turned to Ella's husband, Andrew, "Andrew this is Jake."
Smiling amused, he stood and grabbed Jake's hand. "Hey man, nice to meet you." Andrews knowing grin said all there was to say, Jake got it. In other words, it wasn't all entirely due to him being white. It was just the way they were. Jake had a feeling he had an ally.
"Jake, whatever your name is, sit down, you blocking the TV." Vivian's father grumbled trying to see around him.
"Oh! Sorry about that."
Andrew chuckled under his breath sitting back down.
Jake turned to find a seat, the only two left were being occupied by the boys.
Vivian glared at them to get up.
"Reggie, Lemar, get up so they can have a seat." Milton called because they were occupying the love-seat. They did as they were told and went to shove themselves into the chair Lacy's son Cory was occupying and a miniature battle ensued with them pushing and shoving each other until Cory popped Lemar for almost un-seating him.
"Hey hey hey hey hey! Don't start! Start that shit, ya'll can take yo'asses outside! Don't make me call yo'grandmama in here! You know how she is about her furniture. Now sit yo'asses down and be still! Cory there first, ya'll sit yo'ass on the floor. When I was growing up, we couldn't even sit on the goddamn furniture. Let alone be in the living-room, shit - damn-near be let in the house. Sit yo'ass down! Ya'll know me! Get some company and get t'clownin'. You know it don't make me no difference, I'on care who here."
"Daddy why you got to be goin' off on my boys all the time? Cory can sit his butt on the floor too." Ella announced, still standing by the love seat over Jake.
"He was there first! Don't make me no difference, they can all head outside, hell. Don't you get me started either, you know me!"
Once again, Vivian called herself a hundred different kinds of fool for bringing him there.
Jake sat, placing his hat in his lap, chewing the inside of his mouth not to crack a smile. He looked at the three boys feeling sorry for them until Lemar crossed his eyes and made an ugly face. If that were not enough, he moved his hand back by his side and stuck his middle finger up at him. Vivian caught him.
"Come here little boy, come here!" She growled low.
Jake reached over and squeezed her wrist, looked up at her and shook his head for her to leave it alone.
"No, no no no - I'm not having that. Andrew! Lemar just stuck his middle finger up at Jake, what is that all about?"
Andrew looked at his son, "Boy! You do that?!"
"Na-a-aw daddy I ain't did nothing!"
"You callin' yo' auntie a liar? She lying then? That's what you saying? Come here, get over here right now."
"What I do daddy, what I do? I even do nothin'." He whined, sliding across the floor towards his father, his body already drawn up to block, one arm up to shield his head from the slap he knew he was about to get.
"Yes you did, yes you did. Know what you did! Ignorant ass, next time I'mo leave you at home."
"Make they ass go outside! Don't know how to act - hit the porch, don't leave the porch. Sit ya'll ass out there and watch the other kids play. Don't ya'll do shit!" Milton grumbled after Lemar received two slaps upside the head from his father. "Let's go - outside!" Milton told them when they hesitated.
"Grandpa I ain't even do nothin'." Cory whined standing from the chair, making faces at Lemar.
"I'on care, get ya'll asses outside! Kids don't wanna go outside no more, what the hell is going on? Get ya'll ass - outside!"
"Daddy they'on wanna go outside. They'll behave." Ella put in.
"You'on like it you can go outside too, shit! Don't make me no difference." He grumbled.
Vivian sat with an arm across her waist and the other with her elbow propped up on it, a hand holding her face, or rather, blocking it from embarrassment.
Jake chewed even harder on the inside of his mouth, determined not to laugh, he made sure to keep his eyes on the TV. Don't look to the left, don't look to the right, just keep your eyes on the TV, he coached. The boys shuffled out to the front porch dragging their feet. Cory had plans for Lemar once they were outside. All of a sudden, he was asked from over head by Ella, who stood staring down at him, "How long you know my sister?" He tilted to the side and glanced up, out of politeness, answering, "Ohhh, for a while now."
"She use to date a doctor. A chinese doctor, but he was married. My mama didn't like him either."
"Ach!" Vivian looked at her and gasped.
Jake chuckled and replied, a bit sarcastic, "Well that makes me feel better."
Andrew, her husband was watching TV, however Jake caught the fact that his body was doing a slight quaking to fight back laughter.
"Ella he don't wanna hear about that! For your information he already knows. Why don't you go in the kitchen and help
mama and Lacy set the food out!" She suggested forcefully.
"You go help, you brought it."
"We bought it and brought it, so you can at least help set the table."
"I bought and brought some ice cream. Them big'o'buckets? It was on sale, I bought two, took one home and brought the other one here. I ain't bring ya'll the strawberry to eat, that's the best kind, brought the vanilla. Was gone bring toppin's, cost too much. 'Sides I think mama gone serve it with cake anyway." She went on to explain. Vivian stared at her like she had lost her mind, giving her the dirtiest look, for talking non-sense. She turned away shaking her head, thinking she had no one to blame but herself.
A bit of a rumble came out of Jake. He shifted in his seat to collect himself not to let another escape him. Determined to keep his eyes on the TV. To the right of him, he could hear the sound of mirth trying to be controlled, Andrew. He wanted to look at him to see if it were so, but he dare not look, it would be his undoing. 'The TV Jakey boy, just keep your eyes on the TV.' His mind commanded.
"Vivian! Mama wants you." Lacy called from the kitchen door.
Vivian looked around towards the door to see her sister standing in it with that look on her face. A look that said, 'get ready.' She turned back to look at Jake. He was looking at her with amusement in his eyes, still un-fazed, feeling more sorry for her so it seemed. No matter, her mother had called her. He tipped his head towards the kitchen, gesturing that she had better go.
She hated leaving him but had little choice. She looked up at Ella, she was still standing there, staring down at him with that crazy look on her face. Vivian wanted to die a thousand deaths. "Ella come with me to the kitchen."
"Mama ain't call me, she called you. Better go see what she want. Don't worry, I'ah keep him company."
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