Chuckling, she shook her head, "I said I wan' some sleep."
"All right, all right - get some sleep. I'm gonna find Crystal, have her give me another hair-cut."
"You don't need no hair-cut, just a trim maybe - it's just starting to get back to the length I like."
"I like it short, no trouble. Go to sleep woman!"
Sucking her tongue, "Tsk - you just like looking menacing."
"Menacing?! Me? Menacing?" He grabbed her and started tickling her, "I - your humble husband, look menacing to you..."
Sylvia squealed out, curling inward laughing, trying to catch his hands and pull them away from her, "Stop - Shawn stop!"
"Take it back!"
"You're not menacing! You're not - I'm talkin' crazy!"
He stopped, hugging her closer beneath his one arm as his other hand gently caressed her temple, her hairline, smoothing it back away from her face, which he couldn't resist kissing once more, her forehead, her brow, "Oh I love you - I love you so much." He squeezed her, watching her drift towards slumber. "I love you too, I'll be up in a hour - just a little more sleep." She yawned, then reached out for his hand, pulling it to her breasts, intertwining her fingers with his and holding it close to her heart, "Stay with me 'till I drop off." She mumbled, not far from being asleep as he watched her. He didn't answer, but stayed, laying over her, adding his weight to her as if it comforted her, allowing her to easily fall asleep. Fifteen minutes later he carefully pulled his hand free from her grip and eased from the bed. Quiet as could be, he dried off, dressed, and left the room.
Downstairs he found Crystal at the kitchen table on Ben's laptop. "Mornin' Pumkin'."
Crystal smiled brightly looking up at him, "Mornin'." She greeted back.
"What you doing?" He asked, curious.
"Setting up an email account. Ben says that it makes no sense that at my age and the times we live in, that I have no computer with my own email account."
"You must be joking, you don't have a computer? Or an email?"
She laughed because Ben's expression was almost exactly the same.
"I had an email in college, the one they issue you in computer science. But there was no reason for one otherwise because we didn't have a computer. I never worried about it, because it was something we couldn't afford, besides, I have a telephone."
"So how did you do school assignments and research?"
"Library, there are computers there. Books, you know, the old fashion way - it still works, just have to walk around collecting whatever books you need. School was expensive enough, so there was no room for adding a computer, no big deal."
Shawn stood looking at her with his mouth partially open, Crystal cut a glance his way and busted out laughing again, "Stop looking at me like that. I'll get one eventually. See, and I've made the first step that way, because I now officially have an email, [email protected] - done! Now, the question is, who's gonna be emailing me?" She joked, and groaned inwardly because she could see and read what he was thinking.
"You know I can't have that right?"
"Papah-Shawn, no no no now! You've done enough for us. I'll do hair or something, a few weaves and start saving to get me one, I'll have-..."
"Crystal Bella, first rule of this house - what papah says, that's what goes! You'll have plenty of time later after you finish school to start paying your way, when you're earning top dollars. I can't believe you don't have a computer, or one in storage with your things, I can't believe it."
"Why is that such a big deal and so hard to believe?"
"It's just - unheard of in our day and time." He returned.
"Papah-Shawn, not everyone - can afford a computer. It's a luxury. Thousands of people don't have that kind of money just laying around. When you're trying to make ends meet, a computer is out of the question."
"It's not a luxury, it's a necessity. You mean to tell me Victor couldn't see to you having a computer?"
"I never asked for one. Besides, I learned the hard way, when it came to money, I was better off making my own and spending only that on what we needed."
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, that menacing look his wife commented on, sprung to life right there.
"Just that, well - there was his money - and there was my money. Let's just leave it at that."
"That's bullshit! The man makes the money, for the whole family, whatever the wife makes on the side, she needs to use for whatever little things she wants for herself, or whatever it is that women do with their money! But there should be no, your money, my money! That's bullshit! So did he, have enough money that he could have provided you with a computer?"
Crystal's brow drew in, sensing something in him, something not good directed towards Victor, "I'm not sure," She lied to avoid where the truth might lead, "What's wrong with you this morning?" She asked, picking up on his obvious mood.
"Nothing," he grumbled, "When you're done there, give me a haircut?"
"I'm done now - finished." She rose closing Ben's laptop and putting it away in his case where he'd taken it out to set before her, insisting she register herself an email address, with that accomplished, she put it away on the way to her room, to get her barbering case.
Back with Shawn, he sat before her, with his head down, the barber cape draped over him as she sprayed his hair wet to cut it.
"Can I ask you something? And will you be completely honest with me?" He started off.
"Sure, you can ask me anything." She replied combing through his hair, inserting before he got started, "How short?"
"Short, but not buzzed like before, your mom won't let me. She says leave some length, just trim it."
Crystal smiled, "I gotcha papah-Shawn, gone lay a sch-weet fade on you, she'll like that."
"Whatever you do is alright by me, long as it's short."
"Okay, now - what were you gonna ask me?"
He paused, obviously thinking about what he would ask, then went for it, "In the face of all that's happened over the last few weeks between you and Victor - do you think, or rather, are you still in love with him? Have you been, thinking about things?"
She was a bit surprised by the question, "Yeah, I've been thinking, doing nothing but; what makes you ask that?"
"I'm hoping - that your thinking about it and time away from him and home will help you to see things differently. I'm hoping that you're working on moving beyond this chapter in your life, placing him in a closed chapter."
"Well, I can't close him out entirely, I have his two sons."
"I understand that, but where you're concerned, he doesn't have to have a hold on you, right?"
"Right, that's true."
"Crystal, I just - god - I love you as any father would or should - love his daughter. That means, setting high standards and expectations for the man in your life! Sweety, I know you may not like what I'm saying, or for that matter want to hear it, but I have to say it anyway - he is not the man for you. You have needs, that he simply is not capable, perhaps due to his own choices, of seeing to."
"I don't understand where this is coming from? It's over, remember? He signed the divorce papers and took them in, when I get back, that Monday morning is our court date. It might as well be considered, over and done with."
Shawn squirmed on that one because of the calls from Victor.
"Hold still, you gone make me ruin your fade, no wiggling."
He sat still, and gave his reasons, "Okay, maybe - but - let's do a what if scenario here. Let's say, we went home, and he shows up on the scene, or calls you. Maybe he's had a change of mind, that is possible you know? I can't imagine any man with half a sense, willingly letting you go - giving you up."
She chuckled, "You're getting all worked up about nothing papah-Shawn, it's over. He has someone else remember?"
"Yeah! You just remember that, that he obviously couldn't wait to move on, which is my point! Fuck him, okay?"
"Papah-Shawn!?" She grinned, shaking her head.
"No
no, I mean it - who the hell does he think he is..."
"Hold your head still!" She had to repeat.
"Sonofabitch!" he grumbled, "I get this feeling, he's gonna wake up and think, 'What the hell am I doin'?'"
He used the voice or Pee Wee Herman for Victor and had Crystal weak with laughter, "That's wrong, papah how you gone be!" But she was laughing when she said it.
Shawn turned in the seat looking at her, serious as could be, because she moved away from him to laugh, his hand and finger gesturing and pointing at her, "Look, he had his one chance with you - he blew it as far as I'm concerned."
"Turn around, let me get done with your head papah, don't worry about it - I've accepted that it's over."
Grumbling once more, Shawn turned putting his head down, "I don't trust it, him - just when we get back, I think - well, you should let me deal with him, work out visits with the boys, I can take them to him if it means you don't have to deal with him. You don't have to ever look into his face again - fact, I rather you wouldn't."
"Papah-Shawn I'm okay, I can handle it. Coming here with you, was a good thing for me."
"Promise me Crystal, you won't go back to him."
"What? Why are you so worried about that when you know we're divorcing? There's no way for me to go back to him."
Shawn exhaled long and deep, "You're not saying what I want to hear little girl."
"What papah-Shawn, do you want me to say? Why are you so worked up over it?"
"I want you to say and mean, that no matter what - you'll put you first this time in your life. You were just a little girl and off to college, if I'd been in the scene, in place as your father then, you wouldn't be heading off to college, no way in hell! You'd be at home - with me -..."
"Papah-Shawn, had it been you, as my father, I wouldn't have wanted to go away to college, I went, well - wanted to go - because-..."
He reached up taking her hand in his, "I know why. You don't have to say anymore. My point is, you weren't ready then, and truthfully, you're not ready now. Give yourself now, the time you should have been using then - stay at home. Stay with me, with your mother. Don't ever think, you're forced to make any decision on anything, only man you need in your life is me, your Papah-Shawn - hell with the rest."
Crystal smiled shaking her head, "If it wasn't for all the cut hair on this cape, I'd hug you right now. Does that go for Ben as well, by the way."
Shawn looked up at her, "Hell yeah - that goes for him as well. I want what makes you happy. Right now, more than anything, you should be at home, with me - you need a father right now more than anything, someone looking out for you, watching over you, and well - that's more important for you than the rest. The boys will be just fine. They can still have him, for whatever purpose that will serve, and they'll have me, Mundo and Ben as well."
She gave a slight nod, "Lemme finish your cut papap-Shawn."
He turned so that she could get through, both silent, thinking about things. When she was done and brushing his neck clean before she took off the cape, he asked again, "Please Crystal, promise me - no matter what - you'll stay at home, put you first."
She removed the cape, careful not to let the hair spill out or on him. Moving it aside and dropping it on the floor for the time being she turned as he stood. Giving into the need, she hugged him, her arms around his waist, "I'm promise - no matter what - I'll stay at home with you, put me first."
Shawn hugged her back, a tight and squeezing father's hug they savored as they stood in the kitchen. Letting her go, he palmed her cheeks and kissed her brow, "I'm gonna hold you to that." He gave one more kiss to her brow and released her.
"No need, because I know you're right."
"Good girl, now let's go get you a laptop."
"I told you-..."
"Hush, let's go!"
"Okay okay, let me clean this up."
Following the clean up, she went to the sliding glass doors to speak with Mundo and Ben, who were out still working with the boys and swimming. "You guys mind if I go somewhere with Papah-Shawn, we won't be gone too long."
"Oooh! Where ya'll goin'?" Mundo asked from the water.
"Non'yah! You gone watch the boys?"
"Tell papah-Shawn bring back some Popeye's chicken!"
Shawn was standing behind her in the door, grinning, "Watch the boys, we'll be back - and I'll bring back some Popeye's!"
"Straight-up dawg, that's what I'm sayin'! Head out, we got it covered."
Crystal was watching Ben work with Darren, she couldn't help but notice, that now - he said as little as possible to her. His eyes still met hers from time to time, he was still gentle, kind and attentive, but - different, guarded, careful. At the very last minute, he turned and waved her and Shawn off, Darren doing the same, happy and content in his arms.
That was something else that could not be ignored by her. When Darren knew that she was leaving, he didn't cry for her to take him with her. Even with Mundo, every now and then, he'd put up a little fuss that quickly went away once she was gone. But with Ben, no fuss, he waved her goodbye.
On their way to shop for her a laptop, Shawn talked to her about the various laptops, memory, graphics cards, power, processors and speed. She decided to let him be the judge of which one was best to get for her. At the computer store, they played with various gadgets - looking over the new upgrades. Shawn bought two more video games, one for Mundo, one for Angela. They checked out the digital cameras and he ended up buying Crystal one to use along with her computer. Graphics software, the current student version of Microsoft Office, and loaded up, they headed for the check-out. They stood behind an older white couple with the woman casting furtive looks their way. Shawn picked up on it right away, especially when she attempted to subtly nudge her husband, who then also looked back at them. The man was so bold as to look at him and then at Crystal, and compounding it by shaking his head.
"Got a problem?" Shawn asked.
The man looked at Crystal again and then at Shawn, shaking his head, "Little young isn't she?"
"Daughters usually are! That's how they come, young! You should see them when we first get'em, babies, actual babies! Imagine that, but they eventually grow, still and yet though, compared to their father's, they still have a tendency to look - young! Even so, she's still daddies little girl, got another one, I'll bring her along next time - she's closer to my shade than my oldest. Now that one, whoa - she's really young, get this, only ten - years - old! Man, it's scary stuff - for real - beautiful as they are, can't leave'em at home all the time, every now and then, I'll bring one out, this time, it's my big girl's turn." The sarcasm oozed until the man and woman turned beet red.
Crystal on the other hand tried with all her might not to laugh out, but the looks on their face, was her undoing.
Mumbling, embarrassed, the man tried to repair it, "Oh - I didn't know - I thought-..."
"I know what you thought - mind your fuckin' business!" Shawn blasted him, sarcasm gone now.
Humiliated, the man grabbed up his things and gave his wife a shove for making him put his foot in his mouth, considering the fact that she'd said nothing the whole time.
Leaving the store, pushing their cart with their purchases, Crystal was still laughing, "You are too much!"
"I hate nosy prying ass bigots like that, trying to pretend concern for you, because you're so young. When the fact is, they didn't like me being with you because you're black! Trying to cover it up with that bullshit! I guarantee you this, had his wife not been with him, he would have been dying to ask, where could he go to find one like you! That my sweety, is your modern day honky! Fake fucker!"
Crystal couldn't remember a time she'd spent with him, where he didn't stun her, shock her or just crack her up. They went off to pick up some Popeye's on the way home. When they arrived, entering with the big box and other goodies, it was to find Sylvia up about to fix herself something to eat.
"Got chicken from Popeye's mama!" Crystal alerted her immediately
.
Seeing all the stuff, Sylvia groaned shaking her head, "Lord, what is all this?"
"Had to get my daughter a computer, a laptop - she needed one." Shawn defended from the look on his wife's face.
"When we get home, we are definitely tightening up the purse strings and getting on a budget and staying on it."
"I told him mama, I could work to buy it later."
"Baby, I'm not fussin' - you deserve it. You have always worked hard, this is fine, I'm just saying - we're all going to have to pitch in and keep things under control, especially with that house being built." Sylvia finished going for the chicken, taking out a drumstick, biting right into it, she was starving, grabbed a spoon and took the whole container of Cole slaw and started digging in, eating right out of it, instead of grabbing her a paper plate. Shawn chuckled, "You hungry?"
With her mouth full, she ignored him biting out of the chicken again, looking for a pepper. "Where the jalapeños at?"
Crystal rustled around until she found them. Sylvia grabbed one of them, as her daughter held the container for them, she took one out and bit off half of it, hadn't chewed up all the chicken and Cole slow yet.
"Hey hey hey, you wanna slow there for you choke?" Shawn laughed.
"Move, I'm hungry!"
"Dang mama! Don't get your hand in the way papah-Shawn!" Crystal joked.
Playing with her, Shawn moved up behind her, putting his arms around her, hand on her belly, "Oooh, ain't them greasy lips sexy - lil'pepper juice, lemme kiss them lips."
Sylvia cracked up, "Gone fool leave me alone, I'm tryin' t'eat."
"Baby you ain't tryin', you gettin' it done, get all that meat off the bone."
Sylvia had to cover her mouth from almost spitting it out with his joking, wiggling to be free of his arms around her, "Gone now Shawn, where the fried Okra?"
Shawn stayed behind her, having fun, passing her one thing after another, trying to keep from laughing out as she swatted and pushed at him from teasing with her.
"You wanna plate mama?" Crystal asked, grinning from ear to ear, she loved seeing them like this. Her mother being pampered and adored, with Shawn all over her, obviously he couldn't get enough of touching her, even though he was being a bit annoying as far as her mother was concerned.
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