"We're staying in Shawn's house across the road from my mom, come there for them."
"I'll be there."
Crystal clicked the button, ending the conversation, the tears in her eyes gathering and dropping onto her cheeks. She couldn't think, didn't know what to do. Desperation surrounding a need to reverse time was almost choking. Isaac burst into the room laughing and running from Angela. Crystal quickly wiped her face, "Mama Angela gonna get me! Hide me - hide me!" He laughed out as she came charging in with Darren held high as her biting monster, both growling.
"OH NOOOO! Hurry Isaac... they're gonna get you!" Crystal switched over quickly, ignoring the pain in her chest as she scooped her son up and rolled over on her mother's bed to help him escape the Angela-Darren monster team. They played through the house, the basement vibrating with base from Mundo mixing and jamming, his friends talking loud and laughing.
Paul & Diane Pewsey, both white, late 30's and early 40's sat to Shawn's left, with Sylvia at his right side, and David Minty and his live in partner, Jessica Langdon, mid forty's sat to the right of Sylvia, all occupying a large round table at the German Restaurant in Camp Daniels. To be the only restaurant in town, it wasn't bad. The food was right up their guest's alley, all but for Sylvia and Shawn. Making up for this was an excellent salad bar. With more than enough variety and selection to satisfy anyone, pasta salads, green salads, potatoes salads, fried and broiled fish, barbecue rib tips, sliced ham, fried chicken, meatballs in mushroom gravy, sliced beef in gravy, rice pilaf, Chinese noodles, with so much to choose from, there is where they chose to eat, declining to order from the menu.
Shawn had set up the reservation for the party of six - deliberately holding off until he knew they would be there, so he and Sylvia could arrive after they were already seated. Sylvia shook her head, "Shawn, I swear, I think you derive some sort of pleasure out of shocking people, especially when it comes to me. You should have warned them." She had gently scolded as they were leaving the house.
"Hell no... I'm not warning anyone of anything. Besides, I want to see the look on their faces when they see you. Dressed like this, we may end up in a hotel somewhere anyway." He bent and whispered in her, "I'm gettin' a hard on."
"Shawn!" Sylvia was afraid to look down at him.
"I'm serious, Otis growing right down my leg. I'm telling you now, its gone be one uncomfortable evening... look at you - smellin' all good, got my nose all open."
She was wearing a burnt orange jumpsuit with a flared, multi color print ethnic drape jacket. With deep hues of gold, maroon, burnt orange, green and black. Clearly designed by African American designers, for African American women. She curled her hair and comb it up and back, off of her forehead, and the sides away from her face, Crystal styling her back and adding a perfect swirl to her hair on the top. Then added the matching large costume jewellery necklace, small to large carved beads and balls, with the largest in the center, her earrings hung from her pierced ears the same way and she was wearing Este Lauder, Youth Dew. Her favorite for going out. Her make-up was done to perfection, giving her a bronzed, burnt orange hue to her skin, and her lips, lined and colored in a way that kept making Shawn stare at them, making her self-conscious, but proud. When she was done and ready to go, Shawn was staring with his lust meter banging in the far right red zone.
"Shawn... stop staring." She whined, a bit breathless when they got in the SUV.
"I can't help it." He returned, climbing in the other side and starting the engine. "You lady, clean up well. And you smell so good, I think we should go straight to a hotel."
"Shawn... they're waiting for us!" She reminded him, grinning. He leaned over to her side and stared into her face, leaning in to sniff behind her ear, kiss her. "Shawn - NO! You're gonna mess up my lipstick! Behave yourself... lets go."
"Feel me... feel my dick... it is hard-..."
"Shawn! Stop it... your crazy ass! All you think about is sex. Give me back my hand." She squealed, but felt herself pool with moisture as he put her hand on his erection, and most certainly it was there... no doubt.
"Now how am I gonna walk in there like this? Come on let me get just a quickie."
"No you NOT! You can forget that... ACH! Don't you touch my hair! Hands away from the body! The hair, the make-up and the clothes, including the way I smell must remain as is, until I have been seen by your friends! So you just scoot back on your side of the vehicle... and lets be on our way."
Shawn sat another moment staring, she could see him battling with what he really wanted, and that was to have his way with her, his eyes were glazed with passion, she knew that look, and had to squeeze her thighs together because his eyes did crazy things to her body.
"Shawn... stop it now." She pleaded softly, her heart pounding in her chest.
"You know what... you the kind of woman, that would make a man kill somebody - you know that?" He spoke with such a deep, husky passionate voice, Sylvia had to gulp, staring at him made her heart beat heavy in her chest. "I don't know what the hell God had in mind, giving you - to me. Don't know what he had in mind." He whispered touching her hair gently not to mess it up, then down he let his index finger trace the outer shell of her ear, caress her soft skin.
"Shawn..." She called his name breathless.
"Tomorrow... you will be my wife. MY wife... mine... mine and mine alone. Don't ever forget that Sylvia... that you're mine. Don't ever forget that."
Sylvia inhaled deep and gulped as his finger traced her jaw line.
"I got this awful feeling in my gut... that I'm obsessed with you. That's unusual for me, you see... I'm more accustomed to women being obsessed with me. Now look at you, sometimes I swear, I think you could take me or leave me."
"That's not true Shawn... you know I love you." She spoke gently.
"I know you say it... but... you don't love me like I love you. I know you don't. That's okay... that's okay." He caressed her skin once more, corrected himself back to his side. Sylvia felt totally and completely possessed by him. The magnitude of his words, the look in his eyes, the way he touched her, shook her and gripped her to her deepest core. She shivered, this man beside her, he must be the devil himself. While he spoke of her, the way she looked, he himself lodged a catch in her throat to behold his presence. No man had she ever known had such a riveting effect, as far as she was concerned. He looked at her gesturing that she buckle up. She did, he did the same and backed out of the driveway. He was wearing all black. Black turtleneck knit, black dress pants, black polished ankle boots, and a black leather jacket over it all. Sitting next to each other as he drove with the radio playing, George Benson,'Masquerade' she felt the vibes from him like power charges leaping to her side, burrowing into her body and stimulating the tiny atoms in her system, surrounding her womb, where she carried his child - yes... Sylvia knew the sensation of being totally possessed... and he indeed was the devil.
They walked into the restaurant, with his hand possessively at her back, giving his name to the host, who smiled, and were it not for the nervous flickering of her eyelashes, might have pulled off not being stunned. However, they both looked so good, Sylvia wasn't sure what made her lashes flicker. His dynamic incredible presence, or her stunning black elegance, either way, they were a sight to behold together.
Approaching the table, David and Paul stood - they could not hide the stunned look on their faces. Diane could not disguise her deep blush, turning to red. Jessica Langdon, David's live in love didn't realize that her mouth had dropped open.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting, we had to get the kids in order before we left. Paul, David... this is Sylvia, the lady I'll be marrying tomorrow."
"Wow... whoa... nice to meet you." David almost tripped over Paul to be the first to shake Sylvia's hand, she smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you, David right? I'm terrible with names, so you'll have to forgive if I need another reminder sometime during dinner."
"No problem... and this is Jessica... stand up Jessica."
"That's not nec
essary - nice to meet you Jessica." Sylvia held her hand out to her, Jessica had to remember to close her mouth and realize her hand was there. "Hi... Sylvia - nice to meet you." She stood briefly nodding her head, sitting back down the same time David did. Sylvia turned to Paul, "Paul and Diane right?" She included them both as she shook his hand. He smiled and nodded, his eyes going from Sylvia to Shawn's and back again. "Yes, nice to meet you." He greeted her, his wife recovered enough to smile, although she was still stunned, and was struggling with the embarrassment of knowing it showed on her face. She looked at Shawn, and Sylvia caught the subtle narrowing of eyes, and wondered what that was about? They were all finally seated. Shawn pulled his seat over right next to Sylvia's so he could put his arm across of the back of it. He wanted no doubt that they were indeed together.
"Wow... you're going to have to excuse me Sylvia... because there's just no way for me to hide, well... you know... the surprise."
"Of me being black you mean?"
"Well... yeah... we weren't expecting this." Diane admitted outright.
"And you all can blame him -(Sylvia pointed to Shawn)- for that. I wanted him to warn you, but he wanted to see the look on your faces." Sylvia turned to a grinning Shawn, "Happy now dear?" She asked him, he was gazing at her with just a tad bit of his passion toned down, but not much, then grinned and winked at her, "Yes, for now... until later." He flirted grinning again, Sylvia's eyes grew huge and for once was happy that a blush could not show on her skin. "Behave yourself." She muttered through tight lips, as if she were a ventriloquist. Shawn simpered even more; Sylvia turned back with a nervous smile, hoping to God that he did behave himself.
"Okay...I'm just dying to know, how did you two meet?"
Shawn reached for his water before him as their waitress approached the table. Taking their orders, Shawn informed her that he and Sylvia would be eating from the full salad bar. Once the waitress left, their conversation went immediately into Sylvia answering the first question.
"Shawn purchased the property across from mine."
"Oooh! You live in that house across the road from him?"
"Yes."
"I see, so how much are they renting that property for? That's a beautiful piece of land, and the house is just gorgeous." Diane commented.
"Ummm, I'm not renting it... I own it."
"Oh... wow... the mortgage must be quite the stretch."
"I wouldn't know... I paid cash for it." Sylvia replied battling with her need to correct their stereotypical assumption of her, feeling Shawn's hands on the back of her neck, his fingers caressing and squeezing, touching her as if he couldn't resist. Sylvia wasn't used to such public displays of affection and wanted to tell him to stop... but endured it just for the satisfaction of the other two women who looked on. Especially after Diane's assumption that she was a renter instead of a home owner.
"Ca - cash? Wow... so what do you do for a living?"
"Right now, I'm not doing anything... just having his baby..."
Shawn spit out his water and barked out laughing, almost choking - it stunned him to hear her being so blunt and daring. The others around the table were just as stunned, as the women's gasps attested to.
"You okay?" Sylvia asked looking at him as he coughed and cleared his throat a few times to recover.
"Yeah... I'm fine... having my baby..." He recovered with the shake of his head; turning to his friends, he went on to explain, "...besides having my baby, Sylvia is also a writer. However, having met me, and then having me sweep her off her feet, has interrupted it a bit... but as soon as things calm down, and we're married..." He turned to look at her, "... she'll return to completing that best seller... won't you dear?"
"That's the plan." She responded.
"Ummm, have you anything published?" Diane asked.
"Not yet I don't."
"So... is this your first?" Jessica asked.
"No... it will be my third. I have two older children, both adults. A 21 year old daughter, and a 18 year old son. Two grandsons as well."
"Grandsons... as well?"
"Yes... 3 and a half years old and the other is 18 months old, both by my daughter."
"Oooh, okay... well Shawn, I guess you should be happy. What does Angela think about this? That's his daughter by the way." Diane pointed out to Sylvia as if she didn't know.
Shawn and Sylvia looked at each other and smiled, Sylvia decided to let him speak to that.
"She knows... that Angela is my daughter Diane, no big secret, especially considering that she lives with us... here in Wisconsin, where she will remain."
"What's that? Since when?" Paul asked, stunned.
"Since Deidre and I both decided that she would be better off with me. As you all know, I practically raised her alone the first six years of her life anyway... so now, I have her. She lives with Sylvia and I, and she's perfectly happy. She's looking forward to the baby, and she loves having an older brother and sister."
"Ah... well, excuse me... I didn't know so much had happened in such a short period of time. I mean, the last we heard, you were dating the stewardess... what's her name?"
"Doesn't matter now - does it? This is the woman I'm marrying, and her name is Sylvia Martin Payne... soon to be Sylvia Martin McPherson... right baby?"
"Sho'yah right." Sylvia answered in her smooth black dialect, winking at him, flirting a bit.
"Now if you all will excuse us a moment... we're starving, haven't had dinner. Gotta keep the baby fed... come on sweetheart, lets check out this salad bar." Shawn moved his chair back and stood, removing his jacket to hang over the back of the chair; reaching to pull Sylvia's chair out as they made their way to the salad bar.
"Oh - my - God! I cannot believe it!" Jessica was the first to speak with her hand to her chest.
"Oh I know... he did that on purpose! Shawn can be such an asshole! I've never been so embarrassed, I must have been red as a beet."
"Well what about me with my mouth open... David did you know?"
"No... not a clue, this is the first that I knew."
"Good grief, what's the big deal? One thing is certain, she's a knock out! Lucky sonofabitch. Shawn could always pull... I can't really say that I'm shocked. I mean look at her, you gotta admit, they do look good together." Paul imparted.
"Well one things for certain, he'll save a bundle from going to KFC - getting all hisfried chicken at home." David joked, Jessica giggled, Paul and Diane sighed shaking their heads. "David, you're playing with fire. Make a comment like that in front of him, and he will dislocate your jaw. Don't be an idiot, you know how he is-..."
"It was just a joke... lighten up." David defended.
"I'm telling you now, you start with the racist jokes, you're going to end up flat on your back. I'm telling you, I know him, he'll be on you before you can blink. Matter of fact, I'm gonna give Eric and Pete a call, because one of them will get to drinking and say the wrong thing, they're better off staying away."
"I don't understand why people can't just stick to their own kind, makes life difficult for the normal people, so now we have to walk around on egg shells and be cautious with what we say... bullshit-..."
"Shut up their coming!" Diane warned and smiled as they approached the table with their plates, setting them down. Shawn pulled Sylvia's chair out, and then pushed it up behind her and took his seat.
"You all get it all out...what you had to say about us? If we weren't so hungry, we would have given you five more minutes... but I thought, screw them, I'm eating! This sure looks good don't it baby?" Shawn shocked them again, as well Sylvia. They hadn't discussed any such thing at the salad bar, although Sylvia thought they might be talking about them, but she hadn't discussed it with Shawn. With her elbow on the table and her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, she shook her head. She had a feeling, even after 20 years of marriage to this man, he would still shock her with the way he was, thought and things he said.
Dinner went well, they recovered from Shawn's com
ment, although Diane glared at him and rolled her eyes at him. Shawn was however un-fazed and after everyone's food arrived, they were able to ease into a variety of discussions, including their plans for the bed and breakfast. Shawn's friends thought it was a sensational idea and would be glad to spread the word to other friends, family and neighbors in Minnesota; California as well when there were members coming east to visit and vacation. Sylvia was happy with the way it ended. On the ride back home they were in a good mood highlighting various observations, which prompted Sylvia to enquire about what she noticed concerning Diane.
"Alright... so tell me, what's the deal with you and Diane?"
"What makes you think there's a deal?" Shawn asked with a mischievous look on his face.
"The way she cut you certain looks when she thought no one was looking, the things she said to you... very indicative of a woman who is intimate with someone or has been."
"Nope... never been intimate with her, although she's wanted me to be."
"Ah ha, I knew there was something... and you never have?"
"Sylvia... I would never go to bed with a friend's wife or girlfriend."
"So how do you know she's after you then?"
"She's your typical cock chaser, she knows how big I am and that's what she wants... that's all."
"How does she know your size?"
"She saw it."
"How - when?"
"I was tanning in the back yard at the house Deidre and I owned. I fell asleep on my back, she came over... knocked - I didn't hear her. She came around to the back and saw me laying out in the altogether, I must have been dreaming something erotic, because I was semi-erect. You ever lay sleeping and just know when someone is watching you?"
Sylvia gulped, and shrugged it off... yeah... she did know, but she wasn't going to admit it.
"Where was Angela?" She responded instead.
"At school, she was in the first grade at the time. Anyway, I woke up and there she is, staring down at me... well, not me, but what was laying in full view. I grabbed the towel laying next to me and covered myself."
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