"You saying she pushes you to get you to hit her?"
"Nooo... its not that. She wouldn't appreciate me being unfairly rough or mean or... being a bully... but... something happens with her sometimes that she needs me to - be rough with her, she needs me to grab her, shake her and become the aggressor... once I do that, a calm comes over her. Like I said its weird."
"Maybe she's wanting you to become more assertive and put your foot down with her?" Shawn was fishing to understand.
"I've tried that... nope... she won't stand for it. I've tried everything, but I'm not gonna be living like that. I'm not going to have my sons all screwed up in the head watching us. I can't do it. I'm not a violent person, my parents aren't... I've never heard my mother yell or scream, she's raised her voice now and then, but I don't know. My father, I've never heard my dad raise his voice one time for that matter. I've never seen them fight, and their arguments are weird - with my mother doing all the talking. Hmmm -" He stopped thinking about that, then carried on, "... I met Crystal, and she wowed me. She was so exciting, electrifying, smart, dynamic and talented... with this burst of energy and fervor - that I was hooked. Look at her... when you look at her, the last thing you expect to see her do is rip someone to shreds - she looks soft, pretty, delicate ... but she can. She definitely has a split personality... and I can only handle one woman at a time ... I can't deal with two... especially two inside of one."
They were at the store; Victor saw his mother waiting for him in her car, as soon as she saw them she stepped out to meet them.
"Shawn, my mom - Natalie Prescott - mom... this is Shawn - he and Sylvia are engaged to be married Friday." Victor introduced them.
"Hey grandma! How you doin'?" Isaac greeted her, she picked him up and hugged him, "I'm just fine thank you. Hi, it's nice to meet you." She went from greeting her grandson to shaking Shawn's hand. Shawn figured she must be in her mid-fifties, very tall, close to six foot if not, her hair mixed heavily with gray hanging to her shoulders, very coarse hair with strands of brunette. She wore a long sweeping skirt, with a top that looked as if it came from the sixties and seventies... a hippy, a free thinking, liberal he was certain. She carefully took her sons jaw in hand, turning his face this way and that looking at him. She sighed, inspecting his injuries this time.
"Well ... nothing serious, perhaps just your pride. Hopefully you've had enough now to have learned your lesson?" She asked calmly. Victor pulled his face away from her hand, "Please, not now mother."
"Yes, I agree, we'll discuss it after we get your things and go home."
Shawn felt instant dislike.
"I think all children discard their parents advice and must venture into a world that all seems for the moment, exciting... but... its a different world, a different culture... its always best not to mix into it... I mean... look at the results. I'm just glad this is the worst that came of it, from this... you can recover. We'll just shake it off son, and put it behind us."
"Excuse me ma'am... but ummm, you shake off dust and waste-..."
"Emmm, exactly... although I will admit... she's better than most, she is at least trying to make something of herself - I will give her that. But - they can't change what they are." She put Isaac down. Shawn stood with his jaw clenched and clamped tight and had to ask, "And what is that exactly?"
Natalie could see the signs, choosing to close the discussion she went to her door and opened it and climbed into her car, "Come along son, I don't wish to waste precious time."
Victor's look to Shawn was full of apology, he knelt down and hugged his son, kissing him, telling him that he loved him and promised to see him later; stood and got into the car and waved at them as his mother pulled away in her Audi.
Shawn stood fighting down his resentment.
"I've been really good." Isaac said from below.
Shawn looked down and smiled, "Yep... you sure have been, come on then... lets go ride on the motorcycle." He picked him up and hefted him over his head onto his shoulders to sit, holding his ankles as Isaac cheered over his head, "YEAH! We gone ride the motorcycle!"
Chapter 65
Sylvia stood in her front window looking out at the road. Looking out at Angela, watching Isaac and Darren as Shawn took Mundo for a ride on his motorcycle. She chuckled to herself, he was an overgrown kid himself. Shawn had been wonderful through this. He'd kept everyone outside, brought out both motorcycles, entertaining Mundo and Isaac with them, while taking each one for a ride. Angela had just gone and now he was off with Mundo, her son was so animated, she could only smile thinking about how his antics kept Shawn and Angela in stitches. She loved the sound of Shawn's laughter, to see him bent over with it.
Her daughter, it had taken her a great deal of effort to calm her down. To keep her from running after Victor, from driving off back to La Cross to catch him at the house and plead with him. Sylvia stood drained. She finally had to give Crystal something to relax her, she was now sleeping in her bed after crying herself to sleep. Sylvia had laid with her, held her and talked to her, knowing that she was too upset for any reasoning to penetrate, but finally her hiccups and sniffles had subsided and she was out cold. Sylvia turned from the window and went back to their room, carefully opening the door and looking in on her. She was snoring softly, sleeping hard. She stood staring at her, wondering what she was to do now? She pulled the door to and turned back to the kitchen hearing the motorcycle roar back into the yard across the road.
The kids should be getting hungry, and she set about preparing supper. She would talk Mundo and Crystal into staying the night, she didn't feel comfortable letting them leave after what had just taken place, and she was worried about her daughter. Going through her mind over and over was the desire to tell them to come and live with her and Shawn. Of course, Shawn had just rearranged the basement bedroom into his office so that took away one of her bedrooms. The sofa was a sleeper and a very comfortable one, Mundo could sleep there. She had blow up beds that the boys could sleep on, and maybe Angela wouldn't mind sharing her bed with Crystal, it was a queen size so there was enough room for both of them, that is - if she could talk Crystal into staying. She needed to ask Shawn as well, although she didn't think he would mind them being there for the night. Being a parent had its rewards as well as its downfalls. Sylvia realized once you had children, that was it. There was no such thing as them being grown and gone. It didn't work that way. Life, problems, baggage and drama always put mother smack dab back into the middle again. In this case, not their father, but Shawn.
In no time at all, Sylvia put together all three courses, making Spanish rice, refried beans, chopped steak for tacos, shredded her cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, and prepared soft, white meal and floured, tortillas; as well fresh taco sauce and fresh picante mix. With everything done, she stepped outside just in time to see Shawn's mother and sister pull into their driveway.
She went up to the Jeep. "Hi, nice surprise."
"We can't stay long honey, we just brought you your gown which is all cleaned and tailored." Gert said from her side of the Jeep as Shanna jumped out and opened her back door to pass it to Sylvia.
"Thank you so much... I really appreciate it. I'll take it into the house and hang it up, I got his ring back today, wanna see it? My daughter picked it up from the Jewellers, its beautiful." Sylvia asked.
"Sure... love to." Gert answered.
"You mind waiting here for me, she's sleeping in my bed and I don't wanna wake her... I'll bring it out for you two to see."
"No problem, we'll sit on the porch... it's beautiful out today."
When Sylvia returned, Shawn was standing by the porch talking to his mother and sister with Mundo there. Angela was sitting next to Shanna holding Darren who was nodding and barely able to keep his head up.
"Sylvia, I'm gonna take him in and lay him on my bed okay?" Angela asked.
"Sure... good idea, wash up while you're in, we'll be eating in a minute."
"Okay." She answered carrying
Darren into the house.
Shawn looked down at her, "You okay?" He asked gently. She smiled up at him, "Yep... I'm fine... if you all want, you can go in and start eating, I'll be in shortly."
"What you cook mama?"
"Spanish tonight baby."
"Yes! I'm in there!" Mundo took Isaac's hand and headed for the side of the house toward the kitchen door, "Don't wake Crystal you guys... keep it down." She called, he nodded and went in.
"I'm gonna go in and serve these guys, Shanna... tomorrow... we'll get started on that... getting the land and things set up."
She nodded and smiled at her brother as he walked by Sylvia, stopping to kiss her temple and whisper, "I love you." And walked on into the house.
She turned back to them smiling and sat on the step below them and presented the box with his ring in it.
"Wow... now this set you back a bit." Gert exclaimed over the platinum and gold men's wedding band with a swirl slash that encased 6, 16th cut size diamonds within it.
"Yeah it did... but he's worth it and then some." Sylvia was glowing despite everything happening, she thanked God that she had Shawn now in her life and knew she would not have to deal with it all alone.
"So you're happy Sylvia? Everything is okay then?" Gert asked.
Sylvia sat for a moment taking the closed box back from Shanna after she looked at his ring, and held it for a moment and made up her mind.
"I need to tell you something... and it needs to stay between us, not get back to Shawn... can we walk... I don't want him overhearing."
All three stood and headed around back of the house, walking slowly when Sylvia nervously confided in them. "I ummm... Gert, I don't mean to cause any problems... I don't want to cause any problems... but... I have to tell someone... Jake has been... bothering me."
Gert and Shanna stopped, looked at each other and then at Sylvia. They were far enough away from the house to speak freely.
"I knew it... I had a feeling." Shanna said shaking her head.
"What do you mean... has he been coming on to you?" Gert asked.
"Yes... he has."
"That's it... he is going to hear from me and good! I've had enough of this shit now! What has he been doing?" Gert asked, clearly not happy.
"Well... that first day we met at your home, after Shawn and I left, I was tired and needed to lie down, Shawn went into town to get us something to eat. Jake showed up at our hotel, saying things he shouldn't be saying to me. Then the next day... (She stopped to exhale nervously) ... remember that night, when we were all playing twilight hide and seek?"
"Yeah." Mother and daughter answered.
"Well... I was hiding in your big vehicle barn, he came in pretending to be Shawn, and kissed me, pinned me against the wall and held me there. I was furious! I'm telling you now Gert... I hit him, a few times and ... I just ran out."
"That's why you came and sat on the porch with us that night?! I knew something was wrong with you, but I thought it was because you were pregnant and just wasn't feeling well." Gert replied. "Wait till he hears from me... has he done anything else?"
"Yes... he came here the other day when Shawn went tool shopping with his dad. I was in bed napping, next thing I know... I wake up... there he is, in - our bedroom sitting on that chair that's there, staring at me as I slept. I told him off and made him leave... but... I just felt I needed to tell someone. I want to tell Shawn-..."
"No! You've done the right thing... we'll take care of his ass! Leave it with me. I swear to God.. the only thing that will free you from your children and their problems... is death! And I'm not ready for that yet... so I'm just gonna have to kick their asses! Let's go Shanna."
Shanna was chuckling and walked back towards the Jeep with her mother, she winked at Sylvia. "It'll be alright, you did the right thing by telling us instead of Shawn. Oh I can't wait, its just a few days away now... you nervous?"
"Yes... very nervous!"
"Well don't be... everything is going to be alright, and we'll just be one big happy family... you'll see." Shanna assured her as they both climbed back in the Jeep, waving as she backed out of the drive. Sylvia stood waving at them, glad that she'd at least told them, now Jake was one less thing to worry about.
"She's still sleeping." Shawn informed Sylvia at the sink. He'd just come up from the basement, leaving Mundo with Angela as they played pool. He had to quiet her down, she was laughing so loud they could hear her in the kitchen, on the way back up, he peaked in on Crystal... she hadn't stirred.
"I know... I can't believe she's slept this long, she's been out for at least 4 hours, can you run the boys a bath so I can get them in after I finish the dishes? I was going to ask them to stay overnight, but its a foregone conclusion now."
Shawn agreed and went into the bathroom off the hall and ran a bath for Darren and Isaac, and then went further by stripping them down and putting them in. Sylvia told him where she kept clothes for them when they stayed over... it was a habit of hers to pick them things up and bring them home and put them away, for times like then, they came in handy. She finished cleaning up the kitchen and put the food away, thinking one day she would actually load her dishwasher and use it. Yet, when it was time to clean up, she automatically did them by hand, she realized then that she could save herself a lot of time by just loading the thing and then wiping up. With that done, she went in to check up on Shawn and the boys. When she entered the bathroom, Isaac's mouth was going a hundred miles a minute and Darren was grinning and nodding his head at everything that was said as if he agreed. And Shawn was having a ball, seeing him there brought home to her that he was a family man. He actually enjoyed doing things with kids and having children around him, no matter how old they were.
"Well look at you, don't you look the part." Sylvia commented grinning at him, as he picked Darren out of the bath, sat him on a towel on his lap and dried him down, starting at his blonde hair. "This is what its all about. If I'd met you in the beginning Sylvia... we'd have children leaping out of windows, you'd be pregnant now." They both realized what he said and the fact that she was and started laughing, "Point and case!" Shawn laughed at himself.
"That would have been wonderful, had it been the case."
"Yes... and Mundo and Crystal would have been mine." He stated looking up at her as he put baby lotion on Darren.
"Yes... but then, they would have been totally different people, looks and all."
"True... but you know what... I still wish they were mine... just as they are." He said honestly, laying Darren back and putting on his diaper, he wasn't potty trained yet.
"Oh Shawn... how do I help my daughter... she's such a mess, through no fault of her own. I just don't know what to do." She admitted softly, going to lift Isaac out of the tub. "Ah ah ah ah... don't you lift him out of there. I'm handling it, relax... we're okay."
"Yeah grandma... we mens - Shawn's gonna dry me next afta' Darren... right Shawn?"
"Yep... I sure am." Shawn chuckled loving it. Sylvia smiled and left saying, "I'll get their bed ready, I have a playpen for Darren, and Isaac will sleep on the blow up mattress."
"YEAH! I like sleeping on that grandma! Can I watch tv too?"
"We'll see." She answered, walking out to set them up on her living room floor.
The boys were down, Sylvia put on Walt Disney's Monster's Inc. their favorite, turned down low and let them watch it until they fell asleep. Angela was next in the shower and Mundo took one in the basement, and then asked to use Shawn's computer to surf and check his emails, with permission granted he felt at home in the office room, having already stretched out the sofa bed to sleep on.
Angela was out of the shower and in the kitchen with her dad and Sylvia, "Is Crystal gonna sleep in you guys bed?" She asked.
"No, we thought she could sleep with you, will that be okay?" Sylvia asked.
"Oh yeah! That'll be fine."
All three went to the room where she slept on, "I hate to wake her, she obviously needs t
he sleep."
"Don't... go turn the bed down, I'll bring her in." Shawn directed. Sylvia looked surprised, and then touched by the gesture. "Okay." She and Angela went and turned down the bed, two minutes later Shawn entered carrying Crystal, she was still out cold.
"You think she's okay Shawn?" Sylvia asked worried.
"Yeah... she's exhausted, we'll just let her sleep." He responded, walking around the bed to the far side to lay her down. To see him caring for her daughter that way brought tears to Sylvia's eyes. "I'll go out now, get her clothes off of her so she can rest comfortably." He directed leaving the room. Sylvia nodded and with Angela helping, removed her daughters clothes. She stirred only once, mumbling in her sleep, but never woke. They put a sleeping shirt on her and she turned to her side, grabbed a pillow and slept on. Sylvia kissed her forehead and then did the same to Angela. "Thank you sweety for letting her share your bed."
"She's my sister... of course she can share my bed, I slept with her last night at her house, so now she gets to sleep with me here." Angela said happily.
"Oooh, I love you so much... do you know that? I don't think I could love you more even if I had given birth to you myself." Sylvia squeezed Angela to her tightly, declaring what she knew was true.
"I love you too Sylvia, and Mundo... and Crystal, and Darren and Isaac... oooh I wish so bad they could come and live with us, wouldn't that be fantastic! Then we could be a big happy family just like uncle Derrick's!"
"Aaah, we are a big happy family... even though they don't live here."
"But its not the same..."
"Nooo, it's not I know... but they'll always be around for you."
"I know... I just want everything to hurry up. I want you and dad to hurry up and get married, that way I know everything will be alright. I never ever want to leave you Sylvia ... not ever!" She hugged Sylvia close and received it in return.
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