Chapter 223
Chicago...
Everything she wanted with her, had been brought into the basement; all that was going, was loaded onto the enclosed storage trailer. Everyone was gathered in the basement kitchen. Gert, Bart, Kevin, Paul, Lydia, Lucas, Jake and Vivian. Vivian, with Paul's help was clearing out the cabinets and re-arranging them. Moving things around the way she wanted it. Paul was right there, ready and jumping to her smallest direction. He liked her, not only because she was pretty, even though she was, very pretty; but it was because he thought she was cool and he especially liked the idea of his father with her, settling down for once. Maybe with her, he would become more like a father should be. He loved his father, looked up to him; in fact, he was his greatest hero. He hated it when everyone criticized him. He was who he was and no matter what many thought, he couldn't remember a time when and if he called on him, he wasn't there. It wasn't like he'd had to be either, as far as Paul was concerned. His mother, long time ago when she was a young girl, had fallen for him and tried to trap him into a relationship with her. She admitted this to her son, because she had always talked to him about everything. Paul had always been a good listener, maybe because his mother had talked to him so much.
She'd admitted to taking advantage of him when he'd been drinking; she even went so far as to admit that she'd broken the condom he'd been wearing on purpose; he never noticed that she'd done it. When she found out that she'd succeeded, she had been happier than she'd ever been in her life, she'd said to him. As time had gone by, she knew that she didn't have Jake, wouldn't have him, but she had something even more precious she'd said, "I had his son, a McPherson." The way she said it, it was like she'd gone on the hunt for a prize catch and succeeded.
For all of that, one thing he had never lacked and that was love from his mother. As a single parent, she'd been a good one, always reluctant to get into relationships because she didn't want anyone possibly mistreating him. She'd made sure of it that he spent a great deal of time with the McPherson's, his grandmother and grandfather and did her part in keeping him safe. Making sure that he had a close relationship with his half brothers. So for that reason, he had no reason to blame anything on his father.
Now that he was older, he would make it a goal to spend as much time with him as he could. He knew about Benjamin and what he was trying to do. Which was sort out the truth about which McPherson was really his father, Shawn or Jake. If things turned out so that it was Shawn, well then, his father still had him and Kevin. One thing for sure, he needed to settle down, and this Vivian, he felt, was just what his father needed. She was very easy going as far as he could see, with a ready smile for him and his brother. Always saying to them please and thank you, asking if they needed anything, asking for their help to lift up heavy boxes and stack things for her.
Because he wasn't all that out going, he didn't make friends easy. Most of his time was spent, studying, learning new things and thinking about how to make the world a better place, because he was a dreamer and a bit of a romantic. He was very proud of his family, his roots and his world that was made up of being a McPherson. He was proud that they were so mixed and that race wasn't an issue in their family. His grandmother had always made certain of that. In his mind, he kind of agreed with his grandma Gert, he figured if the whole world was forced to marry another race for five straight years, marry any other race other than the one they were, that might help a great deal with racial problems and tension. He hated it. But he loved that his uncle Derrick's wife was Puerto Rican and he was blown away and happy that his otheruncle had returned from California to also marry someone other than white. Now, his dad of all people, someone he never thought would marry, was marrying as well.
She was incredible from what he could tell so far from the various times he'd been around her. His dad certainly thought a lot of her, that he knew. He just hoped it was enough to keep him from straying. His father was a notorious womanizer, a rake, that was no secret. He decided that he would have to help his father stay on the straight and narrow, keep him in line. Keep him busy so he wouldn't have time to veer off into directions he had no business. He figured the way his father acted wasn't all his fault; it couldn't be easy to be as good looking as his dad was; he just wished he'd come out as good looking.
Because his mother was so petite, it looked as if he would only get to be 5'11. Which he thought unfair since Kevin and Benjamin's mother wasn't all that tall. Granted, she was taller than his mom, but still, look at them, they were both 6' and over. Kevin had many of Jake's good looks while not exact, but the features and coloring was there. Benjamin, the same, he looked either like his grandma Gert, or, like his father. As for Paul, he looked more like his mother than his father. Yet, everyone told him he was good looking in his own way. Now that he was crawling up out of his acne phase, he figured that maybe it was so. His looks were something he figured he would just have to accept. His height was something he would also just have to accept. He smiled to himself, because the one something from the McPherson's he had gained and that was his manhood. Joking, his mother had often told him, "Son, there's nothing you should ever have to worry about, because while you may have missed everything else of your father, the one thing you didn't, is the most important! Trust me son, trust me!" She would laugh while he blushed crimson. Because he was so shy, that, was not such a big deal to him, even though it was a big deal. It would not dictate his life or the way he was. There were more important things in life; and to him, the most important, was his father and his new life with a new woman.
She, Vivian was different from Doris, the woman his father had been with for the longest. Even though they'd always been around, she'd never really spoken much with them, kind of, looked past them unless she had to look at them for whatever reason, but never with a smile. He supposed she never really saw them as Jake's sons, as if in her thinking, they weren't his. Not that she'd ever been mean to them, no, not ever ... but she just never spoke to them. When she was over, she'd only talk to their grandma Gert, or their grandpa Bart. If Meribel was over, she'd speak to her, but only out of politeness, not because she liked her. For that reason, neither he, Kevin, nor Benjamin liked her or took her serious or the relationship she had with their father. While they'd been shocked over her suicide, it was no shock that their father had moved on so quickly. He hadn't been in love with her, just too lazy to find another. At least that's what their grandma had always said, that their dad was being lazy. It didn't stop him from cheating on her all the time though. Paul shook his head as he helped Vivian, thinking about his father. Lazy about getting women or not, he always seemed to end up with one without any effort. He'd smile at one. Stare a bit, look away, look back, give a nod as if to say, "Interested?" And 8 times out of 10, they would be and he'd have her. Easy as that. Never anything serious. Not even a one night stand. He'd get them some place, have what he wanted out of them and be done with them like dusting off old dusty jeans. Grinning about his conquest, sometimes telling them about this one or that one. His dad was like that, hardly ever taking any one of them serious, joking about them most of the time or about what kind of "piece" they were. Oh the times his father had him blushing, turning red at the ribald things he would say about women after he'd had them.
But Doris gave him money, treated him with things to keep him. He knew it, the whole family knew it; for a while, it had been all they'd talked about. His philandering ways and how foolish Doris had been to leave her family, for someone like him.Keeping him, as his grandmother had often stated it; which had worked for a bit, even though he cheated; once he grew bored and tired, he would end up back with her because she would go looking for him. Didn't matter where he was, or what he had done, sure enough, she'd come
for him. There had even been a rumor that they were married. Ha! Not his dad! So many times, his grandmother would shake her head saying, "He'll never marry her, he's not in love and she's a fool. It'll take a helluva woman to pull my Jake! Make him fall in love so he'll marry her."
So yes, this thing with Vivian, he knew was serious business. His dad was doing things, spending money on her, which was a switch, setting her up and of all things, leaving his truck with her; that was big. Paul couldn't help but wonder however, was it big enough to make him true to her? Meaning, no - cheating.
As he was helping her, they listened to the conversation that was taking place with those surrounding the kitchen table, Lucas was assuring Jake and his father, "She be ah'ight here. Now that I'm living back here most nights, and Ms Earthaleen right above her, no harm come to her here. Got two doors to get through at the front and two at the back." He stated.
"And when it come to security, I don't play. All my doors good and strong, got deadbolt locks, three each."
Jake was shaking his head with a grin, "Ms Lydia, that's why I brought her here, I'm still trying to sort out one key from the other."
"Land sakes, I swear, you two need to get a move on! Get married, so she can relocate to where we are! Vivian you hear me?!" Gert called across the room.
"Ma'am?" Vivian returned, setting down some glasses and turned towards the others; drying her hands on the dry towel, she laid it on the counter and walked to the small group.
"I'm talking about you and my Jake settin' a date! Gettin' married so you can get started on your home there, that's what I'm saying."
Loving Gert and with ample patience for her, she smiled and answered, "We're workin' on it."
"When exactly is this I'd like to know?" Jake challenged her before everyone.
"I would think you'd be wanting to hang onto your freedom as long as you can." She returned tartly. "I'm trying to do you a favor, give you, are you sure, time."
"I'm as sure as I'll ever get! Hung onto my freedom as long as I needed to, now I'm ready to give it up, just for you." He flirted in front of everyone.
"You need to stop! Mama Gert, you know he full of it!"
"I raised him, I should know." Gert agreed simpering.
"Aaah, but ain't he the cutest devil ever? Ya'll gone do just fine!" Lydia gushed grinning at him, then Vivian. She had come to care a great deal for him and Shawn.
"Mrs Martin, I can guarantee you this, the devil part of that what you just said, true and on the money!" Vivian informed her with a hand on her hip.
Gert started laughing, shaking her head looking up at her son, "Land sakes Jake, I thought you had better sense than to go showin' the real you, until after, the vows are said?"
"Lord'have mercy, he that bad?" Lydia grinned.
"Worse!" Gert and Vivian said at the same time.
"Hey hey hey, what'aya'mean worse? I'm not so bad." He grumbled looking at Vivian. Unable to hold himself, he grinned again, looking at his boys next, winking his eye at them, then back at his mother admitting, "'Sides, she's too smart momma, she sus'd me out from the start. Now, she's dragging her feet to the alter. You'd think that'd be me. Someone needs to tell this lil'girl what a catch she's getting! There are women in Wisconsin wantin' to have my babies!" He bragged pulling at imaginary suspenders, puffing his chest up looking back at Vivian with a flirtatious wink. She gave him a harmless swat on the arm with a narrowed glare.
"Wooo wee!" Tickled and grinning, Lydia shook her head, "Lord Ms. Gert, yo'boy somethin' else! I can't make up my mind which one my favorite, this one or your Shawn."
"Me of course! I'm the better looking one, I'm also more charming than he is, I'm definitely your favorite! And just so it's clear, I'll be lettin' him know that."
"JAKE!" All three women yelled his name at the same time, Vivian, Lydia and Gert. His father gave him a warning look which was followed up by, "Jacob Patrick, you mind yourself."
Not even Bart could quail the mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"I'm just kiddin', some people can't take truths like that." He grinned, tossing a little kiss towards Lydia, flirting was an illness with him.
"Lord lord lord, I know ya'll went through some stuff rasin' this one here!" Lydia shook her head, turned towards the door, "We gone get'on out'ah here, we be upstairs. Vivian, you'ah be just fine here, just come on up them back stairs if you need anything."
"Yes ma'am, I will." She returned.
"Phone'll be in Wednesday, Ms. Earthaleen will let them in and lock up afterwards." Jake informed those present.
"You'll be set then." Lucas added, "Ah'ight, nice see'in you again," he went following Lydia out the door. "Nice seein' you two again." Lucas repeated, this time to Bart and Gert.
"Feelin's mutual. You two gonna have to come back ain' visit again, get out'ah this city a while. We'll have ourselves a real nice time." Bart invited.
"You better believe we will, we mean that now." Gert piped in to back him.
"Tell you what, we'll save it for when these two tie the knot! When that gone be by the way?" Lucas asked grinning.
Jake elbowed Vivian and nodded towards Lucas for her to answer.
"Would you stop." She gently rebuked him, nudging him right back.
"Everybody's waitin'! So when?" He pushed.
Vivian made an uncomfortable face being put on the spot.
"Looks like another one I'm gone have to set the date on huh?" Bart spoke up.
"That's what it seems like to me." Gert once more in agreement.
"You best get to settling that date lil'girl, or else my dad will. If he does, that's that!"
"I know, we'll talk about that later." She said to Jake, and then to Bart and the others, "Promise, we'll have one set pretty soon."
"All right now, we'll be waitin'." Lydia finished leading the way up the back stairs.
Jake walked to the door, "Thanks for everything Mrs. Martin, Mr. Martin."
"No problem, you all have a safe trip back." They stated disappearing after the closing of the upstairs door. Jake turned back to the room, looked to his parents, his sons, "I guess we best get ready to head out, excuse us a moment, I'll be ready to go in a bit." He told them heading towards Vivian, taking her arm and leading her towards their bedroom, once inside, he closed the door behind him, leaned back against it and pulled Vivian to him.
"You gonna miss me when I leave here, aren't you?"
"You gonna miss me?" She replied saucily.
Shaking his head and smiling at her, his arms closed around her, pressing her body to his, "Damn right I am. You know it don't have to be this way. You could trust me, come with me now."
"I don't think you're ready for me-..."
"You mean you're not ready for me. I'm not that bad, really I'm not. I can, and I will, take care of you, you got my word on that."
"Well, when the date is set, when we're married, I'll find that out. Look, I can't just ... just leave my job, Sheila and everything, just like that."
"I'm trying to give you time, but you're running out. Your life is with me now, nothing else matters." He informed her, "Right?" He squeezed his arm against her back to emphasize the word.
"Yes, I know ... right." She returned, not very convincing.
Jake tilted his head sideways to look down at her face, almost hidden at his chest in worry. "Lil'girl, there are times when you make me feel like you wanna cut and run from me." He spoke softly, staring at her. Vivian looked up and admitted, "There are times ... when something tells me, I should."
"You love me or don't you?" He asked.
"Why do you think I can't cut and run? If I could ... I ... probably would." Her words came soft, laced with fear.
"Well, I guess we're more alike than we know ... cause if I could ... I would have too ... long time ago. Tried ... I tried. So, this is it. I'm not trying anymore. We are, you and I, it. Understand? You are going to be my wife and I swear before the God in heaven, you will lack nothing for it." He cupped the back of her hea
d and pulled her in for a deep, hard kiss, filling her mouth with his tongue. Vivian was at first hesitant, but then could not resist the pull of him, the feel of him, the power of what she felt for him. Her arms went over his shoulders as her body rode up high against him, kissing him back as deeply, passionately as he was laying it on her. His hands rubbed up and down her back, pressing her tighter still against him, holding her with a strength, hugging her with an embrace that was filled with what he felt. Yes, he was in love with this dark slender creature that was as close to being perfect as he would ever find. His perfect opposite, who was made just for him. The kiss grew to a sexual pitch that each knew could not be fulfilled due to her monthly, due to his family in the other room, due to his need to leave. Forcing themselves apart, they were gasping. Their eyes met, held as if both were clear on what they were feeling for having to stop.
"Now ... you listen to me. Tell no one where you are now. Not one person. Not your family, because of Candace. Not your job, not even HR. Understand? You're not going to be there much longer anyway. I still find it strange that he was able to get your number & new address. No chances this time. Got me?"
"Gotcha."
"Promise."
"I promise."
"That's my good lil'girl. I love you Vivian Cooke, God knows I do. Now give me one more lil'kiss."
She would miss him because she loved him to the point of being insane with it. No matter how she tried to back off now, it was a nailed shut deal. This kiss didn't last as long, they finally had to turn each other loose. "Trucks full, gassed it up on the way here. I'll phone and have you put on my insurance, so before I head out, write down your drivers license number and all of those details."
"Okay, you broke now?" She asked backing away to do as he asked, going for her purse.
"I'm with my family, I'm fine."
"That's not what I asked you, do you need some money? Let me at least give you back what you put in the tank." She was sitting on the bed, going through her wallet.
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