She only grinned at him, winking as she often did.
Paul shook his head from the reflection back. And now, in Jackie's basement, his thoughts went towards wondering about her. She wasn't a classical beauty, but she was feminine, and plenty, pretty enough, with glowing, smooth brown skin. Eyes full of mischief and sparkle, a perfect mouth, lips so full, as he'd seen on black women, plenty full enough for him. Her figure was solid, firm, rounded, curves aplenty, pert and enticing. She had nice shapely legs, full hips and buttocks, a real nice rear, high - perfect as far as he could see. She had nice boobs as well, not too big, again, just right. Paul felt his mouth water at the same time he broke out in a cold sweat, feeling his genitals stir, in fact they were throbbing, he could feel himself getting an erection just thinking about her, wondering what it would feel like to touch her, maybe even, kiss her? He swallowed the growing moisture in his mouth, his heart starting to pound as his mind began playing a scene of him going up there. He would look at her, let her see him looking, he wondered if she would know, that he was feeling things? She was thirty-one years old, she had two kids already, so that meant she knew things. A man had made love to her, kissed her, touched her, done all the things to her, he wondered about. He shook his head, realizing that he was day-dreaming instead of getting on with his work, the reason he was there. He closed his eyes, he felt heavy down low, throbbing, getting hard.
"Oh Jesus!" He muttered, "Come on, not now - not now! I gotta get my mind off of her, think about something else! Think about what you're doing, you moron!" With steeled determination, he fought his thoughts of her, his day-dream that was trying to slip into a fantasy. He had to repeat to himself, over and over again, "She's a mother! She's a mother! Two kids, she's a mother! You do what you come to do, and get your mind off of anything else!" He grappled with it and made himself get on with what he was doing in the basement, prepping her wall, jamming it with wood blocks, tight and secure; the way his grandfather had instructed; once all were in place, he would drill a bolt through them to fasten them to the concrete wall and add a bracket to the floor they were wedged against from below. He would use them to anchor the insulation in place he would run along the wall to block any cold air transferring upward once he went upstairs and cut the new floor board to fit in the open slot, which would also be secured to the wedges he put into place.
Once more he smiled and listened as he worked hard to finish as much as he could that night, her little girl was questioning her about him. "How come that white man here again, mama?"
"He's fixin' stuff baby, so we won't be cold this winter."
"What he fixin'?" She asked more specifically.
"The floor baby, this way heat don't go off everywhere and the cold can't come in this winter."
"Oh," she answered and then a little space of silence and next, "That mean I can't come get in yo' bed when it's cold mama?"
"You won't need to, 'cause you gonna be nice and warm in your own."
Hearing that made Paul nod his head in agreement, that's the reason he was there. He would make sure of it, that they would be nice and warm and secure. More conversation ensued as he finally had to put on his safety goggles and turn on his drill, which prevented him from hearing anymore from them. He made quick work of it all in the basement and then gathered his things and made his way back up the stairs. Coming out of the basement, her son turned from the kitchen table to look at him. Paul smiled at him, winked his eye at him but carried on. The young boy was impressed with his tool belt, he was dying to talk to Paul, but his mother wouldn't let him bother him and besides, he wasn't quite done with his homework yet and it was kind of hard. Jackie enrolled him in the summer courses to help him get ahead, he had only two subjects for the summer, math and english - they were the toughest, so a summer with them would help him get ahead for the normal school year.
From the room, Paul listened in more as Jackie struggled to help her son with his math problems. Unable to resist, Paul came out of the room, walked to the table where they sat, and looked at what he was doing. "Mind if I help? I know that like the back of my hand." He once again volunteered.
Jackie looked up and smiled, "Would you mind? I have never been good at this, I can eventually figure it out, but I'm not getting it tonight."
Paul knelt on the floor beside him asking, "Explain what you're trying to figure out?"
Jackie stood and walked back to her stove, listening as Ronnie explained the problem, what he didn't understand and then, Paul - showing his age, using young slang lingo went into total agreement involving her son right away and then into how he learned to master the problem. Because he wanted to get more done in the room, he invited her son to bring his books and homework in the room where he was working to guide and assist him as he needed. Ronnie was eager to go. He laid on the floor as Paul went back to work, stopping to answer him, direct him, but letting him figure it out once he gave key clues and reminders.
As Ronnie went through each new problem, it began to dawn on him how to do his figuring, and before long, he was getting one after the other on his own, laughing and kicking the floor in his joy! Paul laughed as Jackie came in to see what all the nose was about.
"I got it mama! I got it! I understand how to do it now! I can't believe it's this easy! Oh man oh man, I can't wait to turn this in, I'm gone get a A on this!" He crowed in joy.
"We'll see." She smiled, "Foods done, you two put down what you doing and come eat." She turned from the door, going to fix plates when Paul looked at Ronnie as he stood, challenging him, "Las' one t'the bathroom t'wash is'ah'rotten egg!"
A rotten egg was a big deal when challenged; Ronnie charged for the door, fighting to get through it before Paul, who laughed pulling him back, making Ronnie laugh out, "You cheatin'! You cheatin'!" He held Paul's shirt as both of them made a big racket getting to the bathroom.
Usually Jackie would have yelled about the roughhousing, but she was too busy smiling and enjoying how Paul was drawing her son out and giving him a bit of what he needed. Being the only son, with a little sister, didn't make much fun for him to have. Neither did she let him play off in the streets much because there weren't any boys on their block, but two blocks over, where she wasn't willing to let him go. So this, was nice, and she would ignore the noise because he needed to have a bit of fun, needed something to laugh about, the way he was with Paul. She finished laying out dinner, setting the table, her daughter putting the silverware in place, when Paul and Ronnie entered the kitchen.
"You can sit here Paul, next to me." Ronnie invited eagerly, feeling like he finally had a friend.
"Thank you, but we should seat the ladies first." He directed Ronnie, who stood watching and wondering, why? When Paul went to Jackie's chair pulling it out for her, and then directing Ronnie, "You hold Stephanie's chair for her, like I am for your mother."
Ronnie looked at his little sister, who cocked her hip and did a head rotation, "Well?!" she sassed.
Making a face, he went along with it muttering, "Why we gotta do somethin' so dumb like this?"
Jackie nodded her thanks to Paul as he pushed her chair beneath her and went back to his chair explaining, "Because that's what a gentlemen does for a lady."
"My mama may be a lady, but she jus' a lil'o'goofy girl! Don't get used to this!" He warned his little sister.
"I did it for my mother all the time, and if I had a little sister, I would have done it for her too, you're lucky Ronnie to have a little sister. I only had older brother's."
"Left up to me, huh, I rather have brother's any day - than some lil'ol'sista!"
"Older brother's tease you, tackle you, put you in head locks." Paul informed him, taking the food Jackie passed him to place a portion on his plate.
"Well little sisters, they bite, they scratch you, they pinch, they tell on you, everything you do, they run tell - you can't do nothin'! They don't even know how to play right, wanna play with dolls. Don't make no sense, dolls don' even do nothin'."
Laughing, Paul looked at him, making a smirking face and nodded agreeing, "That's true, but they're girls, that's what they do."
"I know, I live with'em, two women - a man can't get no break."
Jackie cracked up laughing, "Ronnie, boy - you need to stop, it ain't that bad."
"It sho' ain't that bad for him," Stephanie loosened up to say, "I be helpin' you clean yo'room! Pick up yo'dirty, stanky dra's! An' next time mama bake cookies, ain' stealin' you no'mo - you jus' gone have to wait from now on now - talkin' that smack!" Paul and Jackie both rolled with laughter as they sat enjoying dinner, listening as brother and sister ribbed each other, but neither going too far. Paul sat enjoying himself; he was hungry, the food was delicious and the lady across from him, with her infectious, low and throaty laughter, and everything else about her, went through his system faster than the best heady wine. Unable to help himself, he kept looking at her mouth, wondering what would it be like, to kiss her?
* * *
Madison Wisconsin
Derrick was starting to get really worried, this incident with Margaret Wheeler was starting to put a constant strain on his marriage. For days now, there was an unsettled tension between him and his wife and he hated it. His once happy home was slowly unraveling. Despite his reporting it to the police and the school district, she was still calling. Saying nothing, she would hang up immediately when Meribel answered; they finally ended up having to get their number changed. Having done that, they could breathe again when the phone rang, and yet, Meribel still was not relaxed. For that reason, he rushed to wrap up his end of the school year matters so that he could distance himself from the school all together and while doing so, he made plans to take his family out of town to visit with Derrick Jr. They made reservations at a hotel where he was in training camp, so that they could have dinner out, check on him spending a little time with him and just get away to try and recapture what peace there was to be found.
It was late, the kids were in their rooms across the hall, and they lay in their own room with Derrick leaning over Meribel, her back to him as he gently stroked her hair back from her face. He was happy that they'd had a good day with their son, they'd gone sight seeing, picked up all kinds of memorabilia, and now, he wanted his wife. Wanted to make love to her, draw close to her the way they'd been drawing close before things got so out of control. He moved up snug and close behind her, so she could feel his arousal, pressing against her rear, growing harder at the thought of making love to her. "I know you're not sleeping, hey, come on honey, please..." He kissed her ear, moving closer behind her, giving gently nudges with his erection, his arm going around her to hold her against him; his large hand went to one of her breasts to cup and squeeze, "Meri, come on, let me make love to you..."
"Leave me alone, I'm not in the mood." She mumbled trying to ignore the things he did to her body to stimulate it, her.
"Why? You must be in the mood, it's been a while, over a week, more - I'm in the mood, please?"
"No!"
"Meri, come on, don't let her in here as well."
"I haven't let her in, you have! You let her in!"
"Please not tonight! Not now - I've brought us away so-..."
"You mean you've packed us up and run! She has come into our lives and has us on the run! We can't even enjoy our home, our lives anymore! And you think I'm supposed to be in the mood to make love to you?!"
"We're not on the run, we're just-..."
"Running from her! That's what we're doing! Running! This entire situation has me so I don't even want to go home anymore! In fact, why don't we just move? I don't even want to go back there!"
"Move? Move where Meri?"
"Any where! As long as we're away from there - from her! I know it's not over - I can feel it. I mean look at us, she has the freedom to go about as she pleases, but us - well look at us!"
"You contradict yourself Meri, one moment you say we're running and the next, you say you want to move, it's the same thing."
"You know what, this whole situation is pissing me off Derrick! It's pissing me off! I want to move because she can find me, but I can't find her! You're protecting her - over me! You're just like the law of this land Derrick - protect people like her, while people like me, becomes the victim-..."
"Wait a minute now, at least be fair about it! I'm not trying to protect her!"
Meribel finally flipped to her back, "You - are - protecting her!"
"Because I don't want my wife doing something that could get her locked away?! That means I'm protecting her?"
Shaking her head, Meribel turned back to her side away from him, "I'm tired - don't wanna talk about it anymore. We're here to see my son-..."
"Excuse me, my son as well!" He reminded her.
"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever you say Derrick." The sound of her being resigned, settling, but not happy ate at him.
"My God Meri, what is happening with us?" He asked exasperated.
She turned her head back feeling a need to defend herself, "Don't you dare make this out as if my fault! The fact that we had to change our number to stop her calls from coming through says loud and clear, she doesn't get the message! So you will have to beg my pardon if my mood is spoiling things for you!"
"So that makes it my fault, right? Is that what you're saying? You tell me, what else can I do, Meri?!" He was growing impatient about it.
On the verge of frustrated tears, she pleaded, "Make her - leave us alone! Or - let me - make her!" She cried patiently, "Because let's face it, it's about me!"
"I said - no!"
"Hmmm - maybe I'm the problem here. What is that called, you know, let me think, ah yes, thinking outside the box! Maybe I don't get it huh? This could all be a plot between you two. She badgers me until I leave you and you pretend to be doing something about it, this way, I get tired and leave the marriage, we divorce, she gets you, you get her, done deal, that it?"
Derrick stared through the dark down at her wondering at what point had the switch been flipped in his life to make this all come about, "Your imagination Meri, with this whole matter, is getting way out of control."
"You think so huh? Well you know..." She sat up in the bed to face him, "...actions speak louder than words! Your actions are saying to me, you're on your own! Good luck!"
"How can you say that to me?!" He blasted incredulous. "I did nothing to draw that woman's attention to me, she is obviously sick - why are you letting her come between us?"
"IT'S YOU! You, Derrick, are the one letting this happen to us! I've had it with this! I tol'you I was tired, no more! We are going in circles here! You either don't want to see the reality of what is happening, or you just don't care!" She hissed fighting with the pain of it in her chest. "You refuse to believe what she is capable of, I bet were this happening to Sylvia - Shawn would have ended it from the start! He would have never let it get this far, but you-..."
Derrick shot up from their bed, "Don't compare me to Shawn! I'm not Shawn!" He bit out.
"No, you're not! As I said, were you him, it would be done! I've heard plenty of how he handles any threat to his family!"
"You know what, it's a damn shame he's already taken, poor you - that you should end up with me!" He went and grabbed his pants from the chair thrusting his legs into them. Panicking, Meribel began to weep, "Derrick please! I'm sorry! I didn't meant it! Don't go - please don't go! I can't help the way I feel! You don't understand - I don't think you ever will! Not really! No one hates you simply because of the way you speak, because of where you come from, because of the color of your skin! You think I want this happening to us? My family, my children, you ... you mean the world to me! I love you more than you will ever understand! How am I to act, Derrick? She hates me! Do you understand that? It's me! Not just because of you, but because of what and who I am! I am nothing more than a roach to her! And if she could crush me beneath her heal, she would crush me! You can't even begin to imagine what it is like to be me, to be Hispanic, or black! She hates my
entire existence and race! That to me spells danger Derrick! She is sick! She wants you - and if she cannot have you - she will not be able to live with me having you either! I don't know, maybe - you will take this more seriously when I'm dead and gone and you have our children to raise alone. But hey, there is always-..." She could no longer speak past the sobbing that racked her body, "You're gonna let her - kill me - I can feel it - go! Go!"
Derrick was in the bed in an instant, taking his wife into his arms, "Meri, God, please! I would never let anyone hurt you! You're letting your imagination get the best of you - you can't let her scare you this way, she's nothing!"
"You leave me defenseless Derrick, you leave me fearing for my life! She - she can get to me - anytime she - she wishes! But I-..."
"Sh sh sh, okay! You want to move? We'll move, where do you want to move to? Tell me where?"
"Do you mean it?" She cried.
"I mean it, any where you want, just tell me." She sat in his tight embrace, holding onto him, thinking about it, he was kissing her brow, her temples, wiping her tears away, "Tell me where."
She thought about it, and glanced up saying, "I want to feel safe, I want to be around family. Chicago, with my family, or - near yours. I want to feel safe, I just want to feel safe."
Derrick took a long deep breath, nodding his head, hugging her, holding on tightly, "I don't want to raise my children in Chicago. So, that means we go home, back to my folks and then, well - we'll see where from there, okay? Will that make you feel better?"
"Only just - the only thing that will really make me feel better - is dealing with her, my way."
"Meri, that life, that time - your past - is just that. I don't want you ever going back to that again, not ever. We'll move, I'll give up my coaching job there and we'll move back home near my folks, promise, okay?"
Sniffing, she nodded her head as it lay against his chest, but in her heart - something told her, not even that would be enough. But at least, she would no longer know where she was - that was a start she supposed.
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