BOMAW 10-12

by Mercedes Keyes

  "A Hummer?" Sylvia asked, now fully understanding.

  "Yep, the safest vehicle on the road." He commented from the back. Crystal looked back at him, then at Ben, smiling she shook her head talking low to Mundo, "You can just forget that, 'cause ain't no way in the world, our mama gone come up off the duckies to buy no Hummer."

  "You'on know, shet up and turn around." He grumbled at her. She smiled, nodding her head, pointed at him, "You should have never said that." She turned back in her seat, "Mama you know how much a Hummer cost? He must be out of his mind! We talkin' about more than half of what you paid for that house."

  "What? I ain' paying that much for nothin' I use just to get me from point A to B!"

  "But mama, its the safest vehicle, on the road!" He argued his point.

  "Boy you startin' to sound like a parrot! We gettin' a mini van, ain't we baby?" She asked her husband.

  "Well, there is something to that, I mean - he's right. It is, one of the safest vehicles out here." Shawn had to agree.

  "See, see, see! What I tell you! And I think, we need to go on and get one, before the baby come."

  "I think that driving safely and buckling up will serve to keep us all, nice and safe. As for the baby, he will have a very expensive, shiny new, safety tested car seat."

  Crystal turned around, sticking her tongue out at him, grinning her victory.

  Ben shook his head laughing at her, he loved watching her. Sitting in audience to her antics with Mundo. Last night, had been incredible. They'd all been sitting around the table, playing cards, eating pizza, drinking beer and just talking. It had been great. Shawn had been telling them stories about his time there in L.A. when his friend Jesse had still been a live. They'd been almost rolling on the floor with some of the stories he told. Especially when he slipped into black slang and mannerisms. He could emulate his friend Jesse, or the way that some black men commanded attention by the way they spoke, joked or played. He could tell, that Shawn, really loved having been in the midst of the them for so many years. He was also anxious for them to meet Mama-JoJo, he'd kept saying the night before.

  "I just want you all to know, if it were left up to me, she would be with me now. With us. She's one heck of a lady, and when we get there to meet her. I want you all on your best behavior. You will not use any bad language whatsoever in front of her, do I make myself clear in that?"

  "Hey, we know better dad." Mundo assured him.

  "Are you kidding me, my mother would knock us all out." Crystal added.

  "I just want to make that clear. She's like my grandmother and I would do anything in the world for her." He'd said last night.

  Now, they were on their way there, in fact, pulling up in front of her home.

  They all looked toward the porch to see a somewhat, heavy set, black woman, standing to come to her screen door. She opened it, smiling looking out at them. Shawn was the first to get out of the car and announce, "We're here!"

  "Well sho'nuff now. Come on in this house. I cook you somethin' to eat too. You givin' me all that notice, I had some catfish I bought the other day, some greens. Lawd, lawd, lawd, would you look at all these fine chillin's comin' up here to meet me. Hey baby, come give Mama-JoJo some suggah." She smiled to all, greeting them, watching them get out of the vehicle and then, seeing Angela, the young face she knew, leaned down to give her a kiss and hug.

  "Hi Mama-JoJo, how you been?" Angela returned squeezing her in return.

  "I do just fine. I swear you don' growd since the last time I seen yah. Who the rest of these here? You gone have to introduce me." Mama-JoJo instructed moving back from the door to let everyone pile onto her front porch.

  Angela was on top of the world as she turned, with her arm around Mama-JoJo's back; who stood with an arm over her shoulder.

  "Mama-JoJo, this is Crystal Bella, my older sister!" She proudly announced.

  Crystal came in with her boys in front of her, "Crystal Bella, huh? And who these two youngin's?"

  "My sons ma'am. This one's the oldest, his name is Isaac, say hello Isaac." Crystal coaxed him.

  "Hi you doin'?" He greeted brightly, making Mama-JoJo laugh out. "Lawd'ah'mercy! Ain't he somethin'? And this one here?" She pointed at Darren. Who was drawing back into his mother's leg, shy. "This is the baby, Darren. Say hi Darren." Crystal asked.

  "No!" He grumbled, moving further away.

  "Fine then! Mama-JoJo don't mind young man! You don't wanna speak to me, I ain't gone speak to you!" She turned her nose up at him, smiling at Crystal with a wink. "Come on the rest of yah'll in here, who these fine young men?" She asked, squinting trying to see them, the bright sun was shinning in on them and all she could see, was one dark face and a white face. "Hey there you? This they daddy, yo'husband?" She pointed at Ben, assuming that he was.

  He and Mundo stepped out of the sun all the way onto the porch as Crystal, a bit embarrassed, quickly corrected her, while Angela thought her mistake funny, laughing out.

  "No ma'am, he's not ... he's uh, well-..."

  "Hush chile, I see my mistake. Come here boy." She called to Ben, now seeing him clearly that he was in the shadow of her porch. "Yes ma'am?" He answered walking towards her. She looked up into his face, giving it a good look over, "Lawd chile, how old is you?"

  "Ah, 22 ma'am." He answered, then smiled at her.

  "Woooeee! Shawn?! Young man where you at? Get in here right now, 'cause I know you done did this!" She laughed looking up at Ben.

  "Here I am Mama-JoJo, I have my wife with me." He announced, the last to come onto the porch, his hand to Sylvia's back.

  "I'm sho'wantin' to meet her, you best believe I do, but fo'I do ... who dis chile?" She asked speaking of Ben. "'Cause I swear'fo God, you had this'on here yo'self!"

  All Shawn could do was blush, grin, scratch his head nervously as all stood looking at him, waiting. For once, tongue tied, the sight of him made Sylvia laugh out as she decided to step forward, "Mama-JoJo, I'm his wife, Sylvia. And that child there, is his son. His name is Benjamin and just like you, I knew it the moment I gave him a good lookin' over, don't he look just like'em?"

  "Chile, if Ray Charles was the judge in court, he couldn't deny him! Blind as that man is, he could see this boy was his! Come here sugah, let Mama-JoJo look at you now. I hear you havin' a baby?"

  "Yes ma'am, I am, its so nice to meet you." Sylvia walked up to her, hugged her, placed a kiss to her cheek.

  "Precious lawd, look at you. And who that?" She nodded looking at Mundo.

  "That's my son, Armundo. We call him Mundo."

  "Come on baby, give Mama-JoJo a kiss and hug now, don't be shy. Lawd, lawd, lawd, everyone just as handsome as can be. Beautiful girls." She looked up at Shawn, who stayed back, standing tall, shoulders squared, proud as ever.

  "You sho'done made your Mama-JoJo proud of you. Look at yo'family. You ain't no young man no more, is ya'? You sho'nuff a man now."

  "I had to bring'em, so you could meet'em. I told you I would Mama-JoJo. I couldn't wait to get them here, so they could meet you." He had tears in his eyes, so moved with emotion, to have her proud of him.

  "Come here chile, what you got tears in your eyes for? It mean that much to you, fo'me to see yo' family?"

  Shawn stepped forward right up close to her, he was quite the height above her, so she had to reach up to cup his cheeks. He however, bent low, hugging her to him. "Yes ma'am, it means everything to me. You know I love you Mama-JoJo, you and I - we're all that's left for Jesse."

  Sylvia stood back in disbelief; who was this man?

  Everyday, in every way, she learned something new about him. Something deep, stirring, incredible. And to think, that God had led him to her ... or ... had he led her to him? Either way, no matter, they were together. As incredible as it may have seemed, Sylvia realized that she loved him more today, than yesterday.

  Amazing.

  * * *

  When Jake pulled into the yard of the property that he set his heart on, his parents were the
re waiting for him. His sister was there. He pulled up and parked next to his father's truck. Un-straddling the bike, he walked towards them as they were coming from one of the out buildings. Shanna was bringing up the rear, smiling at him. He looked from her, to them, "Well, what'a'yah think?" He asked right away.

  "I think you got your work cut out for you, that's what I think." Gert started out right away.

  "Yeah, well, that's if I get it. And I really want it. Dad? What do you think?"

  "Been walkin' around the property, that's one helluva tree back behind that house."

  "I know, it was the first thing that grabbed me about this place."

  "You been into any of the out buildings?" Bart asked.

  "No, just around the house, inside of it. Have you been inside the house?"

  "We have, mighty impressive. That barn over there, you know it has a tracker in there? Other farming equipment as well. Most of it needs cleaning up, repairing, but its all in there. That old Volkswagen there, another fixer upper. And an old truck on the side, the rest of this, just junk."

  "I haven't had time to really look around the place, but ... I really want it, as is. You know dad, I can make this property shine."

  "Yeah, well ... that's what your mom and I figured after spending an hour here this morning. We had a talk, then left and contacted the title office who gave us the name of the son whose hands it passed into. We called him up, I had a nice talk with him and uh, well ... considering how long it takes property to sell around here, how long it could just sit here, especially looking as it does, we came to an agreement. When I quoted him a price for it, he was only too willing to take it. So, my son, by proxy ..." Bart turned beside Jake, looking at the house, "... you are now proud owner all of you see. Make it shine. Its a gift from your mom and I. Your money is un-touched."

  Gert walked up to him, unfolding her arms, smiling, she handed him the manila envelope she'd been holding. "In here, is the title by proxy. We've paid for it, including the taxes on it for the year. There's more paperwork to be filed, but this land, the house ... its officially yours son. Congratulations! Now you can use your money, to fix'er up."

  Jake stood staring back and forth from his father to his mother, then at a grinning Shanna. She was so happy for him, she was waiting for his reaction.

  He couldn't believe that they'd done that for him, especially not his father, he looked at him, in the eyes, "Why? Why'd you do this?"

  Bart felt uncomfortable with the question, but truth was, he felt guilty. He felt that he owed it to him.

  "You gettin' married aren't you? Gettin' your life in order; every good turn, deserves another. This is your chance, to well, make something right of yourself. Got a good girl, just need to set your date, get it done. Now, you've got a home to bring her to... not like this of course, but ... you got what it takes to make this right. I may not have been over you, like I was the other two, but you learned. Fact is, somehow, you about the best out the three of you. So ... that's why."

  "And we love you son!" Gert added, "We just want what's best for you Jacob. Aren't you happy?"

  Jake looked down from his father, who could not hold eye contact with him for some reason, to his mother, he smiled. "Of course I'm happy! I'm over the moon! Wow! I can't believe it, so you sure its mine?"

  "We wired him the payment, he received it, and right away, we received the proxy sign over of the property. Its all yours, every acre around here." Gert assured him.

  "Wow! Now you're really sure about paying for it? I mean, I can pay you back."

  "Jacob Patrick ... you got work to do, no sense in wasting time asking us about a deed that's now done." His father stated.

  "Jacob Patrick McPherson! You are now a land owner! Owner of this magnificent castle! Is that the best that you can do to show your appreciation?!" Shanna asked with her hands on her hips.

  Jake reeled back laughing and let out a mighty, "YI-I-I-I-HAAAA! Home sweet Home! Come on little sister, let me show you what I got planned!" He strode off from his parents, grabbing Shanna by the hand leading her towards the house.

  Gert looked up at Bart. "Thank you, for this. He needed this."

  "I just hope you're right. That this is the turning point for him. That he marries that girl and settles down. Time will tell, time - will tell."

  Chapter 229

  Chicago/Wisconsin

  "He probably thought that shit was funny! I would've been beatin' his ass until I got too tired to swing! Anything could have been in that water pistol! His sick ass could have put acid in there! Bleach! Any one of toxic chemicals out there! See, you know what he doing don't you? He harrassing yo'ass! Bring charges against him, Vivian!" Sheila pressed. They were in her basement, Monday evening, Vivian had come straight there from work, upset and telling Sheila what had happened as soon as she entered the door.

  "For spraying me with a water pistol?" She cried out, still upset over it even though it was over.

  "Vivian! He scared the living shit out of you! He came into your place of work, making it out that he was going to kill yo'ass! Bring charges against him! Don't let him get away with that shit!"

  "Oh yeah! Which only prolongs the time I have to spend thinking about him, being bothered with him! I just want him to leave me alone!"

  "Well obviously he's not into respecting your wishes."

  Vivian sighed, looking up at Sheila, about to cry, "I love you, Sheila."

  Sheila immediately turned to puddy sitting next to her pulling her into her arms. "Baby girl, I love you too. Why you crying?"

  "Because, because he scared me so bad, that I ... I put in my final notice at work. 2 weeks notice." She confessed looking at Sheila.

  "Oh ... I see. Relocating, huh? To Wisconsin?"

  Vivian sniffed nodding her head, "I held off, as long as I could. But ... life is short. I could have died today. That could've been a real gun and he could have ... pulled the trigger. I thought I was gonna die Sheila, I thought I was dead, that it was all over. Everything gone! Right then, right when it was happening, all I wanted ... was Jake."

  "Don't cry. Its not the end of us, is it?"

  "But it's been you, me and Sylvia forever. Then she left and it was just you and I. You're like my older sister, much more than a best friend, what we have, is beyond that, and I don't know ... I can't stand the thought of just going there, leaving you."

  "Aaaah sweety. That's life. I don't want you to go either, but ... that's where your man is."

  "I tried so hard to get him to come here. I mean, we have a place here, a nice place in Ms. Martin's basement. We don't even have a place to live there, except with his sister, or his parents. But ... I don't know. I just don't know. I mean, it's not like we're married yet or anything. Maybe I'm rushing and making a decision based on fear, you know?"

  "Vivian, you can't be like that girlfriend. You wearing his ring. You've pretty much accepted life with him on his terms. I'm gonna tell you something; you need to hear this, as much as I love you, and you know I do, if Dennis were to get a job someplace else, far from here ... away I go. Which means leaving you behind."

  "Well of course, Sheila! You've been married to the man forever! You have kids, a life together that's already established. So naturally you would have to do that."

  "Yeah, but Vivian, we started out with a beginning just as you and Jake have a beginning. And back then, in that beginning, I would have to leave you. That's what a woman does, follows her man. Jake is your man. I'm not gonna bullshit you, because you know me. Dennis will always come before you. Dennis for me, will come before anybody. Jake, for you ... should come before anybody. Nobody should mean more to you, than that man. Not even me. Not if you planning to spend the rest of your life with him. Not if you planning on marrying him. Now that's just the truth. I don't like the fact that we won't be able to see each other everyday, the way we're used to.; but look, we got telephone. We have the Internet. And shit, we only a four and a half hour drive! I can come there, and you two will
be coming here, after all, he does have that place here."

  Vivian sat back on the sofa, legs pulled up folded before her, chin resting on her raised knee. She sniffed, feeling like a young girl that suddenly must face that marriage means leaving all of what she's known, for the unknown. "You're right." She admitted after a moment.

  "Of course I am, shit, I'm always right." Sheila grinned. The phone was ringing, she rose to answer it. Dennis and the boys were gone to buy them new bikes as he promised them the previous year.

  "Hello? You got the Johnson's baby ... what can I do for you?"

  "Hey, Sheila, it's me, Jake ... my lil'girl there?"

  Sheila turned holding the phone smiling, looking at Vivian, who sat up gazing at her. "Yes, your lil'girl here. How you doing?"

  "Great! Fantastic in fact! I called to Ms. Martin's, thinking she'd be at home, I should have known to ring there first."

  Sheila laughed, "Yeah, if she's not at home, you can pretty much bet, this would be the next place, here ... here she is." Sheila was smiling, walking to Vivian, she handed her the phone and turned to go upstairs, her kitchen was waiting to be cleaned up.

  Vivian took the phone, her heart going like crazy to speak with him, "Hi baby." Her voice was tiny, hurt, not her usual self. Jake felt it instantly, something was wrong, and said so, "What's wrong? What's going on?" He questioned on guard. He was at Shawn's and Sylvia's, in the basement. Paul was there with him cooking him dinner, or rather, burning it. Waiting for her answer, he stood, walked outside, opening the basement door so the smoke could go out.

  "Missing you, that's all."

  "Bullshit, what's wrong?!" He asked again, standing outside, against the fence, lighting up a cigarette.

  "I - miss - you. That's all. I ah, put in my final notice at work today. Two weeks notice."

  "Fuckin' hell, now I know there's something wrong! I figured I'd have to threaten you, hogtie and drag you here to get you to finally do that and you mean to tell me, you've done it and voluntarily? I don't believe that, I know you too well. You're too used to your independence to give it up without a struggle; no way in hell! So come clean, what's happened? Don't fuckin' make me have to drive down there! I'm gonna be working overtime, putting in a lot of hours as well other things. I can't be running up and down this fuckin' highway about you, trying to find out what's going on, but you know I fuckin' will! Like your father says, you know me! Now what happened?"