He kissed her deep, thorough and completely, just long enough to get away with it, then turned her loose and stepped back.
Crystal staggered back from his arms trying to catch her breath, with white lights flashing before her. Realizing what he'd done, and her reaction to it, lit her fire!
"You! You - do that again, you gone make me kick yo'ass!"
"Ohhh, you're a tough one aren't you! Why I'm shivering!" He made the gesture, as if shaking in fright.
"You think this is funny don't you!? You think this is just a game you can play - and I'm supposed to just play along!"
He stood straight looking down at her in the dark, "I never once thought this, or you, were a game to play."
"I need you - to listen to me! I need you to take what I'm going to say to you, seriously!"
"Crystal Bella, I'm nothing but - serious mi querida amor."
"Don't do that!" She ordered, breathing hard.
"What?"
"Talk to me like that! Say my name like that!"
"What did I say?"
"I know what you said, I know Spanish! I have a Puerto Rican grandmother, I understood you perfectly well and I want you to cut it out!"
"My heart? You want me to cut my heart out?" He was using a Spanish accent that went to the quick of her.
She looked away from him a moment trying to get her bearings, taking a deep breath, her eyes darted up to his, "I'm a married woman!-..."
"In process of a divorce and for good reason!"
"Yes! For good reason! Reason being, I married too soon! I got involved too early in my life because I wasn't ready yet!"
"The problem was him Crystal, not you!"
"I wasn't ready for it! And I'm not ready for this! What you're trying to do!"
"What is that?" He returned.
"Dammit! Stop playing games with me Ben! I have a lot on my plate! I'm just going to be straight up with you! I can't afford to do what you're trying to lead me to! I have two sons to care for and see about and I cannot be tripping along making mistakes when I have them depending on me! And further more, I need you to back up off of them! You are not their father! They have a father, his name is Victor Prescott! You - are confusing them! You - are adding to the drama in my life! You - are starting to stress me out! I am not, do you hear me, not - about to leave one man to cozy up with another! I am not a piece of trash for you all to pass between you as if I have no integrity, morals or self-control! You have Gail, might I suggest that you-..."
"No, I don't." He broke in to inform her.
"What - what do you mean, no, you don't?"
"I mean, it's over. She and I are no longer an item."
"Since when?"
"Since last night."
"Who broke up with who?"
"She told me off after not contacting her all of this time, and rightly so. I'm not in love with her, I haven't been in love with her and I wasn't being fair. I apologized to her for any heartache I've caused and wished her nothing but happiness in her future."
"So, what do you expect me to say to that, Ben?"
"Nothing I guess, I just wanted you to know. And as for the boys, why can't I be to them, what Mundo is?"
"Mundo is my brother, their uncle, you're not! They shouldn't be getting close to you!"
"Look Crystal, I understand why you're trying to keep me at arms length. I don't like it, but I understand it. But know this, I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to be around. If you wanna deny what could be between us, well - fine - I have no choice but to accept that, but - there's no reason to keep me from the boys and the boys from me. So, let's compromise, shall we? I promise to behave myself, and not - bother you anymore - and you - let me spend time with the boys, be in their lives, please?"
"Why?! It makes no sense! Why my boys? Why me? There's nothing special about me!?"
Ben stood staring down at her a moment, shaking his head as if about to say something, he changed his mind saying instead, "Please? At least let me be in the boys lives, can I?"
"I some how don't see Victor, agreeing to this arrangement, Ben! What about him?"
"What about him? They don't even miss him, they haven't asked for him, why do you suppose that is?"
"Ben, I need to get my life in order."
"Okay, I heard you, loud and clear."
"I don't wanna be spinning crazy about you, I can't have you on my mind! Clogging up my thinking and making things tougher to stick to."
"Okay, I said okay, I apologize for kissing you that way - I had - no right." He returned softly, gazing down at her, a bit breathless.
The look of him, there in the garden, with a backdrop of the moon over his head, made her heart beat in a chaotic tempo, disturbing her breathing. It was his eyes, even in the dark, she could read what he was thinking, feeling, wanting. "Stop it, Ben!"
"What?! What am I doing now?"
"Looking at me like that! Don't look at me that way!"
"Well what'a'yah want me to do, look at the sky? Okay, I'll look over your head, at the fence okay, I'll look at that." And did. "And uh - last thing, leave the boys out of you fighting your feelings for me, they've done nothing wrong. And if their father, Victor, fills their needs Crystal, when we return - I'll even back away from them. Promise." He then looked back down at her, "Okay?"
"Okay." Needing to put space between them, she turned and strode quickly back to the house.
Ben stood watching her leave and wondered, had he made the biggest mistake of his life, falling for Crystal Bella Payne-Prescott, time - he decided, would tell.
* * *
Chicago...
Paul felt on top of the world! His dad and Kevin were back on the road for Wisconsin after they spent part of the day helping someone else at their home. Another older person who lived back behind Mr. Hunter, thankfully, the repairs to that home had been small in comparison, but they now had a sturdy reputation. They'd spent the better part of the day at Dennis and Sheila's, organizing his care and protection while he was there. He had Dennis' mobile number, Sheila's and her house number, Vivian's mobile, work number, home number. Lucas Henry's number, Lydia's number and even Ms. Earthaleen's number. He had to make Sheila and Vivian aware of his every move. And while Vivian was at work, Sheila was his mama. Period! In fact that had been her own words. Words that she drilled him on.
"Let's get this straight right now, during this week, while you here, I'm your mama! Who your mama?"
Grinning, he answered, "You, you my mama."
"That's right, and who am I?"
"Sheila?" He asked.
"That's right, Sheila - and Sheila is your mama - and your mama, Sheila - don't play! While your daddy gone, and Vivian at work, and you around this neighborhood doing work, who gots to know?"
"You gots to know ma'am."
"And who am I?"
"My mama, Sheila!"
"That's right, and your mama will be checkin' on you, best believe it baby! And you will be checkin' in with me, you got it?"
"Yes ma'am - ah - mama!"
Everyone had broke into laughter, half expecting him to salute to her.
For that reason, Jake left his son behind knowing that he was in good hands.
Before they left, all stayed by Sheila's for dinner, laughing and talking until it was time for them to get on the road. Now that they were gone, Paul asked Vivian to use the truck so that he could go by the lady's house he would be working on during the week. They'd gone by there twice during the day and no one had been home, so he wanted to try one more time before it got too late.
Although reluctant, Vivian trusted him to go out, understanding that he wanted to try his wings a bit, she really couldn't blame him, however warned, "Don't be gone long, I want you back here and in the house before I have to head to bed for work tomorrow."
"I promise, I'm going right over there, see if she's there, and if she is, see if and when I can help her and then, right back."
So there he stood, on her front porch, waiting on
her to answer the door. He knew that someone was home because there were lights on inside. Then her voice carried to him from inside the house through the opening of her front window, she was telling one of her kids to get their room cleaned up and now! He grinned, mother's were all the same. She came to the door, "Who is it?"
"Hi, uh - Paul McPherson! My father, brother and I - did Mr. Hunter's place for him, and Mrs Dorsey, behind him."
He heard the chain on her door being rattled as she slid it back, undid a couple of locks and then flipping on the porch light, she opened the door and peaked out at him. Upon seeing him, she smiled and opened the door wider. "Well - you came back."
"Yep, said I would. I'm a man of my word ma'am."
"Okay, well come on in, where's your father? Your brother?"
"My father had to get back to where we live, he has a great deal going on tomorrow, so - he left me behind to take care of you, if you don't mind?"
She closed the door behind him and turned smiling, "No, don't mind. Long as you know what you're doing." She added looking him up and down with a pleasant smile on her gentle, pretty face.
"For what you need ma'am, I'm plenty."
She was amused by him, flirty, "Are you now? You sure about that?"
Paul blushed, he was quick to pick up on the double-entendre. Looking away from her to the floor, bashful, he tried to stick with the reason he came, "I just wanted to meet with you, see if we could agree on a schedule for me to return and work on the place during the day?" He finally looked back at her.
"Perhaps, I should properly introduce myself, Paul - you mind if I call you, Paul?"
"No ma'am, that's my name." He blushed some more.
"And a nice one too, I like the name Paul, it's a name of integrity, strength, biblical as well."
"Yes ma'am, that's true. And, your name?"
She held her hand out to him, "Jackie Pemberton, nice to meet you, Paul McPherson."
He smiled, shaking her hand, "Nice to meet you ma'am."
"Jackie, Paul ... Jackie is just fine. Now, before we go any further, I have a confession to make."
"A confession, about what?"
"This house. You see, I wasn't completely honest with you, your dad about it. I decided, that if you came back to help me out, I would tell the truth. So, before we go any further, I will make my confession and if you still wish to help me, then the blessings all mine."
"I see, okay, what would you have to confess?"
"I'm not renting, the house belongs to me. It belonged to my parents before me, they passed away and left it for me. Unfortunately, with all that needs fixing on it, and having two children to see to, paying of taxes, home owners insurance, bills - you name it - I've neglected it because, well - can't get blood out of a turnip. There you have it. If you choose not to do the work, I understand."
Paul smiled, "This is fantastic! You see, the problem we had earlier discussing you, was that if you were just renting, we'd be doing these repairs for a landlord that might take the work for granted, but hearing you say you own the house - well - that takes care of everything, doesn't it?"
Jackie smiled at him, "Well I guess it does. Care to have something to drink?" She offered him walking past him further into her home for him to follow her to the kitchen. He turned and did so, "Okay, sure - whatever you have is fine."
Just then a seven year old, little, pecan brown, girl came walking from the side hallway, hair in three little braids, she had her pyjamas on, carrying a black Raggedy Ann doll that was half of her size, into the kitchen where they stood, "Mama, Ronnie bein' mean 'cause he got to clean his room, he throwin' stuff in my room! Messin' it up!" She whined out and then saw Paul, her eyes got huge in her dark face.
He smiled at her, "Hi, what's your name?"
She stared at him a moment more with wide eyes and open mouth then turned and darted from the room back into her own.
Jackie laughed shaking her head, "You'll have to excuse her, she's shy not used to anyone being in the house but us. Let me see to them and I'll be right with you." She explained handing him a Sprite.
Then disappeared from sight.
Paul popped the tab, looking around the moderately spacious kitchen. There were cracks in the ceiling, while freshly painted and clean. The cabinets were old, but sturdy, wood and the floor squeaked and was uneven. He listened to her straighten her son out, and make her daughter get into bed and stay there. He took a deep drink of the soda, looking around and then checked his watch, he had to get going, he promised Vivian after all. A moment later, she re-entered the kitchen.
"So Paul, what's your plan?" She asked coming back and getting right to the point.
"Well, it depends on when it would be a good time for you. Where I could come back during the day, do a thorough check over the house, see what you're needing the most, and doing what I can to help you in that."
"How much?" She asked gazing up at him. He stood a little over 5'10 - not as tall as his father and brother. She was just over 5' ft, barely. 31 years old, looking 22 - stunning compact figure, gentle smiling expression, brown skin, brown eyes, nice full mouth, a slightly square jaw, and medium length brown hair. Dressed up, made up, she could turn a many heads.
"How much?" He parroted.
"Yeah, as in, charge me for the work."
"With your list of bills, two kids to take care of, I don't know if that's a good idea, charging you."
"Can't let you do it for nothing."
"I'm not doing it for nothing ma'am, uh, Jackie - trust me, I'm getting something out of it. Experience, a public relations profile, portfolio, plus, I came to help someone who needs it. Who knows, maybe in turn, you'll give back in whatever way you can, to someone else I mean." He blushed red again.
Jackie smiled up at him, "You are some kind of bashful, blushing all red, with your young cute self. Okay, well - I'm off work for the next two weeks, so - your timing is good. I take my kids into summer school to keep them busy part of the day, I'm back home about 9:30 - don't have to leave again until 1:30. But if you're already here, of course you can keep on working while I'm gone. Don't worry about food or anything, if you're helping me out, I can feed you. That okay?"
Paul nodded, then smiled, "That's fine. It's getting late, I better get going. See you tomorrow, somewhere around 9:30?"
"Sounds like a plan, Paul - see you tomorrow." She walked him to her door, he nodded at her there, blushed, making her grin some more and departed. Jumping into his dads truck and off, making plans for what he would need to bring back the next day.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*Footnote - Recipes found here ... http://tonidunlap.com/kitchen/
Do to the direction of BOMAW and where it is going, from this point forward, and in the case of our fictitious character, Jacob Patrick McPherson, soon to be - aka -(Jake Patrick)- all mentioned lyrics, partial and complete, titles, verses, chorus, songs, and any music arranged for the development of this character - is strictly and entirely, copyright protected and "Registered" with Amber Swann Publishing Inc. Songs quoted for said character, -(Jake Patrick)- are original and written by, Mercedes Keyes & Lawrence James. First title song, lyrics, and chorus, of "Vivian" - is an original song, with the copyright to Amber Swann Publishing inc. Second title song, lyrics, and chorus of, "Alien Girl" is an original copyright song, with the copyright to Amber Swann Publishing inc. Third title song, lyrics and chorus of, "Good Son" is an original copyright song with the copyright to Amber Swann Publishing Inc. Fourth title song, lyrics and chorus of, "Here we come" is an original copyright song with the copyright to Amber Swann Publishing Inc. At no time - and absolutely without variance - are the above songs to be duplicated in written form to be printed to be distributed, discussed for any means without the expressed and certain notification of their creators, Mercedes Keyes & Lawrence James, this would also include their permission. ©Copyright 2006
, Amber Swann Publishing inc. - All Rights Reserved.
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Chapter 250
L.A. Jeremiah's place...
"I'm in love, this, has to be, the best stir fry shrimp I've ever tasted!" Deidre gushed in sublime pleasure, savoring the shrimp and the taste of wonderful spices bursting upon her tongue. "I can't believe you put this together right before my eyes, emmm!" She groaned in pleasure, talking with her mouth full, eyes rolling back from the bliss of it.
Jeremiah sat across the table from her, smiling, taking satisfaction from watching her enjoy it, "And you might have noticed, that my shrimp are thoroughly de-veined." He pointed out with his index finger from the same hand holding his wine glass, "Some how, the idea of willingly consuming shrimp shit, goes against everything I know."
Deidre almost lost her food from bursting into laughter, shaking her head, she saved her mouth full, fingers to her lips, chewing it, she swallowed, took a sip of her wine and informed him, "For that I am equally grateful." She grinned, her eyes flashing at him. "What's amazing to me, is that you cook just as good as Shawn did, perhaps, better?" Her eyes spread wide at the look that suddenly closed him off to her; she wanted to kick herself. Immediately, Jeremiah's smile dissolved as he stood from the table in smooth grace, taking his plate with him, heading for his slot kitchen to clean up.
BOMAW 10-12 Page 67