Across the road, at the breakfast table, while her boys ate, Crystal was once more on her laptop, she'd been looking into a summer course.
She decided the previous night, it was time for her to learn how to cook, really cook. She wanted to learn to properly prepare nutritious appetising food. She noticed online with the local websites, the community center was offering a course on gardening and cooking what you grow. It entailed a complete course on various herbs and how to best utilize them for food and for medicinal purposes. She sat at the table and filled out the application online to join it. Completing that, a yahoo alert slid up notifying her that 1/4lb-BigMac was now online. Instantly, there was a quickening to her heart beat, her stomach tightened as she stared at the area where the notifier slid up and then back down out of sight. It was as if she was immobilized by the knowledge that he was up, on his laptop, checking his emails maybe? Working? She wasn't sure what he was doing, but he was online. She was so tempted to start a chat with him, but thought against it, when suddenly her yahoo messenger popped up before her.
1/4lb-BigMac: Good morning Crysta' Bella
A bright wide smile burst upon her face, light and joy infused her body, she answered back,
crysbell: Good morning, Ben
1/4lb-BigMac: You okay? My boys okay?
crysbell: Ben, they're really not your boys, are they?
1/4lb-BigMac: I beg your pardon, I was not the planter of the seed, but I will be the harvester of the crop, those are my boys - deny it if you wish.
crysbell: I don't wanna confuse them Ben.
1/4lb-BigMac: They're not confused, they know exactly who I am and that I love them. They also know who does not.
crysbell: Victor loves them Ben!
1/4lb-BigMac: You trying to convince me or yourself of that? Love is action and deed, not just words. Even so, I love you - I love them. They know it, you know it. Gotta go.
crysbell: Wait! Don't go already - are you coming by at all? Shawn is moving to the studio - he says, the other office is yours.
1/4lb-BigMac: I might be by later, not sure, a friend of mine wants me to do some photos of him and his girl for wedding invitations. Everywhere I look, people are getting married - sick, huh?"
crysbell: No, not sick at all. You staying away to punish me?
1/4lb-BigMac: Yes - because you know you should be with me. You should be mine. See'ya
He went off line and the door slammed closed so she could hear it. She sank back in her chair, as a layer of a strange sensation went over her. Her eyes rolled up to see Isaac staring at her. "What?" She asked.
"Where Ben at?"
"Busy, working - something like that."
"He gone come here today?"
"I don't know Isaac, maybe."
"Call'im tell'im come get me."
"Isaac, no - he's busy."
"Call'im tell'im come get me." He repeated.
"Isaac, did you hear what I just said?"
"Call Ben."
"You wanna talk to him, would that be better?"
"Yeah, call Ben."
She reached over, grabbed her mobile and dialed his.
He of course could read who it was, "Yes Crysta' Bella?"
"Isaac wants to speak with you, I think he misses you."
"Put him on."
Crystal gestured with the phone for Isaac to come and take it. He quickly climbed down and ran around the table to it, holding it to his ear. "Ben?"
"Yes, this is Ben. How are you this morning?"
"Come get me, Ben."
"Isaac, I told you - you could talk to him, he can't come and get you."
"Come get me Ben! Come get - me!"
"Boy - gimme the phone!"
"No!"
"Yes, now!"
"No!"
"Isaac, pass your mama the phone, please, for me?"
Isaac made a face and passed Crystal the phone.
"He wanted to talk to you, but I told him you were working-..."
"Get him ready, a couple of hours this morning won't hurt." He cut her off ordering.
"Ben!"
"Get him ready I said - Darren too! I'll have them back a little after lunch, they'll be fine. You know they will, I'm on my way."
"Ben!"
He hung up.
"Oh nooo!"
"Ben comin' get me mama, Ben comin' get me?"
"Yes, but only for a few hours this morning, and then he's bringing you back home. Your father will probably want to see you this afternoon."
"No!"
"Boy, that no business gone have to stop! I don't do no! And I'm not gone be arguing with you either. Come on, I have to get you two ready."
Upstairs, she packed them a bag with extra clothing just in case; diapers for Darren; wipes and their no spill sippy cups. She washed them up, dressed them, and by the time she was done Ben was there to get them. They yipped and screamed with excitement to be going with him.
"How are you gonna take pictures of your friend and his fiancée and keep up with them too?"
"I have my ways. I need Darren's stroller please."
"Follow me, it's in my car."
Out on the front, she popped her trunk, passed him the stroller, which he loaded in his car, followed by the boy's car seats. After strapping them in, he turned to her. "I'll have them back early this afternoon, promise."
"Okay, see you later." She bent down to look in the car at them, "See you later boys, be good for Ben, okay?"
"Okay mama, we be good!" Isaac cheered with Darren nodding his head in agreement, they waved at her, overjoyed and ready to go.
Ben climbed in, restarted his car, looking up at her, "Don't I get a kiss bye-bye?" He joked; even so, she could see there was a bit of serious hope in the request.
"Behave in front of the boys, Ben."
He gave up, winked at her instead and backed out of the drive, heading off with them. Crystal stood in the drive wondering what to do next? Turning back into the house, she cleaned up the breakfast dishes, and then checked to see what else needed taking over to the studio. There were pictures, books, magazines, software boxes, and bundles of cloth throws for backgrounds when shooting. She grabbed what she could and headed across, wondering where Mundo and Angela were? Inside the studio, she brought in the items she carried, sitting them down where he pointed. Vivian, Sylvia and Shanna were at her place, he informed her, discussing her wedding.
"Oh, well I'll be gone for a couple of hours. Where's Mundo and Angela?"
"I've sent them, along with her bodyguard, to shop for office supplies. Signs for the doors, waste baskets, message pads, appointment books, a cash register, a long list of stuff. That'll keep them busy for a while." He informed her. "So where you heading?"
"Since I'm child free for the morning, thanks to Ben, he came and got them; I thought I'd touch base with my girls, see what they up to, what's been going on."
"Ah, so Ben has them huh?"
She smiled, "Yes... Isaac was having a fit to see him, so I let him."
"I trust him, you trust him, Victor hates him, what do you think he'll say when he finds that his sons are going places with him alone?"
Crystal fell back half sitting on his desk that he and Mundo brought over first thing. He was sitting in his chair, leaning back taking a break with her there. "I know - he probably won't like it, I don't care. My sons need what he gives them, I just wish Victor had that in him, he doesn't, he never has - he really doesn't know what to do with them."
"Maybe his seeing someone be a better father to his sons, will make him try harder, put forth more of an effort." Shawn suggested.
"You hoping for him?" She asked.
"To get back with you? No chance in hell. However, he is their father, and that stands for something. I would never block him from his own sons, even though I don't see him being much of a role model for them. Heard from him yet?"
"No, nothing. I may run into him when I'm out and about."
"Do not, be alone with him - I don'
t trust what he might do to try and persuade you back, including forcing himself on you. You wouldn't cave in for that would you?"
"No way, those days are over. I don't know yet what I'm going to do, but going back to bed with him, is not in any plans I'm making. Off the subject of him, I've got a favor to ask you."
"Shoot."
"Teach me to cook greens the way you do?"
Shawn first looked stunned and then threw his head back and roared with laughter. "You got it pumkin'! And so uh, why me, and not your mother?" He grinned asking.
"If the truth were to be told, I kind'ah like your greens better."
"YES! Yeah! That's right! You said it! It's true! What can I say?!" He cheered, boasting.
Crystal stood laughing, "Be nice papah-Shawn, don't be bragging all hard on her, she'll never forgive me."
Shawn cleared his throat, calming down, "No ah, seriously, I won't - sure I'll teach you - my way!"
"Papah-Shawn be nice now, I see that devilish twinkle in your eye! I better get going so I'm back here before Ben comes back, if I'm not, will you or mama get the boys for me?"
"Go do your thing, we'll be here."
She hugged him placing a kiss on his cheek, "Thanks - see you in a bit!"
Chapter 281
Back at home, Victor hung up the phone after talking to his supervisor, letting him know he needed a few days off because he had serious family problems. He took the rest of the week off but would have to be back to work the following Sunday. The next phone call he made was to a lawyer. He made an appointment to see one stating it was an urgent matter and couldn't wait for days, he needed to see one immediately. They informed him of a retainers fee that needed to be paid upon arrival. He agreed and made his appointment to see one that afternoon. He sat a few moments trying to think of what he needed to do next, with Ben, heavy on his mind. The situation wasn't anything like it had been. There had never been anyone else in Crystal's sight - he had always been the one she wanted - he knew that. But now, now there was Shawn's son, "Shawn's fucking SON! FUCK!" He shoved a plate of food away from him, burgers and fries he'd picked up on the way home. Throwing himself back in his chair against the wall, he stroked his temples until they were red. With little else to do, he grabbed his mobile and dialed Crystal's phone number.
Crystal was at that moment pumping gas when her phone starting playing it's ring tone. She reached into the front window grabbing it out of her purse while her tank was filling up, catching sight of Victor's name on the display. She flipped it open, taking a deep breath.
"Hello?"
"Crystal..."
"Yeah."
Victor sat at the kitchen table, leaning with his elbows on it, hand with it's fingers squeezing and pinching the bridge of his nose as he held the phone to his ear, trying to think of what to say. "Crystal... I need to talk to you, I need to talk to you alone. No audience, no one else around, please."
It was Crystal's turn to fall silent a moment, thinking. "I don't want to Victor, I just want us to work out-..."
"Crystal! Listen to me will you, will you listen to what I'm saying to you? Please? I never wanted a divorce!"
"What was sleeping with Jeanine all about then Victor? If you didn't want a divorce? That act said, I mean nothing to you."
"That was just stupid Crystal, just stupid! I went through this crazy moment of insanity because I was free and - trying to - do things my mother's way! But Crystal, that's all over! I swear to God, that is all over! She will never come between us again, not ever again! Crystal I got a second job; I got our place back, babe, that house? You always loved that house Crystal and I'm working to buy it, for us, you and I - where we can raise our boys together, maybe, have another one, a little girl this time though - I've put money away. I'm gonna do things so differently now Crystal - if you just-..."
"Victor! Stop - look - I'm at the Kwik trip, getting gas, I have places to go and I can't drive and-..."
"Come here Crystal, please baby, come home - come here - even if it's just to talk, we need to talk, please Crystal, please, just to talk, that's all."
"I don't know, look ah, call me back in about fifteen minutes or so." She clicked the phone off with her heart pounding crazy in her chest.
"Nooo, God, I don't need this now! I don't need this! I don't wanna talk, I don't wanna fix it! I just wanna be free!" Shaking her head, she replaced the gas pump back in it's cradle, hating the fact that as she said the words, Ben came to her mind, taking over the visions and pictures she once always had of Victor inside her head. Driving she headed for the mall, the Buckle, where her friend Rochelle worked. Due to the time of day, the mall wasn't too busy yet, she headed for the shop to find Rochelle setting up a rack for jeans when her ring tones went off again. She looked at it, Victor once more. She decided not to answer it, he would have to wait. She smiled, she couldn't believe she was actually making him wait. There was a time when she would have been shaking to answer it, scared it would stop ringing before she got in her hello.
Rochelle spotted her right away, "Hey girl, wha's up? I bet you spinning huh?"
Crystal stopped in the doorway, not sure what she was talking about and then stepped further into the high trendy shop asking, "Spinning? From what?"
"Victor! Trippin'! Burning down his mother's house!"
"What?! You lying? Get out of here!"
"Haven't you heard?"
"When did this happen? I've been in California for the last two weeks, we just got back a couple of days ago, and I just saw him yesterday?"
"Last night girl! Yesterday evening, it's all over the place! It's in the paper! Hang on, let me show you this!" Rochelle lead her to the dressing room she monitored and picked up the paper she'd been reading. It was a local paper reporting all the news that happened in the area. While it wasn't front page news, it definitely made the news. She stood holding the paper before Crystal, reading to her what happened until Crystal took the paper and read it for herself. The article basically quoted witnesses, neighbors who stated that he'd been in a an angry tirade, shouting and forcing his way into his parents home, in a disorderly state, inebriated, raging and shouting obscenities as he broke out their windows, forced his way into their home and then proceeded to set it on fire, destroying it beyond further habitation. Those living near stated his reasons for doing so, that he blamed the failure of his almost 3 year marriage on his mother's interference. He was arrested, charged with disorderly conduct, DWI, and arson and will go before a judge who will set his bail for release. It had said a few other things but enough for Crystal to sit stunned by what she read.
"Oh my - god."
"So let's hear it girlfriend, what's the deal? I know you two were separated, but according to that, it's a straight up no go? So or no?"
"We're - divorced."
"Oh shit! When?"
"It's a big mess Ro' - just too much to get into while you here at work. I just came by to see what was going on, see if we can get together and then you show me this, damn!"
"So what you wanna do, 'cause I gotta hear this. I can't believe you two got a divorce. I know you were having problems, but not like that. So I take it, you divorced him?"
"Well - yes and no. Like I said, it's a bit complicated. Look, ah, I'm gone head out, call me when you-..."
Her ring tone started going off again. She checked it, Victor once more. Rochelle leaned over looking, she couldn't help herself. She'd also wondered if it had anything to do with what was circulating on the grapevine that he'd been seen with Omiyah on and off. Because it wasn't a sure thing, she wasn't going to be the one that spilled it, because so far, it was just hearsay, but one had to wonder. After all, before Crystal and Victor, he'd knocked her a couple of times.
"Girl, I have to get out of here. Call me when you get off?"
"Sure will."
"You mind if I ah, take this paper, please?"
"Take it - it's yours."
Back in her car, Crystal sat spinning, with what had taken pla
ce with Victor and his parents. She couldn't believe that he'd gone so drastic as that and in a way, she felt some how guilty about it. To actually set his mother's house on fire? The ring tone went off again, she answered it.
"Victor, I was driving, I couldn't answer it - I would have called you back." She fibbed, not sure of what to do now. Knowing what he'd done, seemed to add another layer to her confusion on their situation.
"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to bug you, but we need to get this resolved Crystal. You need to come home, our home, so we can talk!"
"Victor ... I've got a paper that says, yesterday, you set your parent's home on fire."
"I did."
"Victor - oh my god! Why?"
"Why do you think? I'm sorry Crystal, I'm so so sorry I let all that happened, happen. Crystal, don't let her win, please - this is what she wanted all along. I've called and made an appointment with a lawyer, I'm going to ask if the divorce can be reversed."
BOMAW 10-12 Page 133