BOMAW 12-14

by Mercedes Keyes

  "Paul, don't do it. Don't get yourself in the deep end like I have."

  "It's too late, I'm already as deep in, as I can get. She and I, we click together. We get along so well, it was as if-..."

  "You were made for each other, you know her, she knows you. There are moments when you're together, that neither of you, need say a word, your comfortable with each other that way." Ben finished for him.

  "Yeah - exactly. We were made for each other."

  Ben sighed, glancing his brother's way once more, "It's not enough Paul, it's not enough. No matter how much better you are for her, than he is, in jail or not, he'll find a way to get her back from you. Just when you think you've made her see, how much you love her, that - you know her - would put no one, nor things before her, and treasure all that comes from her, just when you think, she's yours - he'll come back into the scene and snatch the rug out from under you. Paul - the fall from it - hurts like hell - I've - I've never known anything to hurt so bad. Step away - before it's too late, step away." Ben softly pleaded, turning his eyes from him, they'd been welling up as he spoke.

  Paul reached over gripping his shoulder, giving it a brotherly stroke, "You giving up on her?"

  "I wish I could, I wish I could give it up. I don't know..." He paused, turning back to him once again, "I'm thinking about heading out - a change of scenery, that might help."

  Paul was quiet a moment, not sure what he meant, asking, "What'a'yah mean, heading out?"

  "Leaving. I have job options, I don't know, maybe go back to L.A. - I met a team of scuba drivers who told me there was always lifeguard jobs at the beaches, and - I'm on as a freelance for PenTab publishing - I might go there, try my hand at it."

  "So you're gonna just give up on her? Just leave her behind?"

  Ben didn't know what to say, he had no answers. All he knew is that it was hell going day to day with her on his mind, visualizing her back with Victor. He couldn't get his heart under control, or the way it raced madly when images of him came to mind, touching her, kissing her, and maybe, making love to her, now that she was back with him. It was happening again, his heart started hurting, he threw his door open, "I'm gonna get back to work." He blurted suddenly, slamming the door behind him. Paul sat watching, sighing, understanding; he stood from the car as well.

  Not far behind his brother he watched him cross paths with their father, Jake. "Hey, rest a bit longer, we're good." He heard his father cheerfully advise.

  "Naw, I wanna finish that bathroom up for her."

  "What's to finish, it just needs tiling and papering." Jake reminded him.

  "So I'll tile it then." Ben grumbled.

  Vivian, Sylvia and Gert were not far behind Jake; Sylvia was cleaning up to leave when they paused to wonder about Ben.

  Jake grabbed his shirt to stop him, "Aye, what's going on with you?"

  Ben stopped, turned to look at his father, "Sorry, it's nothing - I just need to keep busy, that's all, got a lot on my mind."

  "If you need to talk ..." Jake let it hang.

  "I know, it's okay - I'm fine." He turned eyeing the women, Sylvia, asking, "Can I keep the boys here with me? They like to help me, I'll bring'em back home in a bit, please?"

  Sylvia's eyes grew wide, she didn't really want to make a habit of leaving Victor's sons, with Ben. Granted, they were her grandsons, but still - regardless of how much she liked Ben, it wasn't right. "They'll be in the way Ben, all of this going on - just come by the house when you get done." She encouraged instead, feeling bad for him; but her hands were tied. Turning to them, she gathered them up, "Let's go, back to the house with grandma-..." She called to them.

  "I staying wit', Ben, gran'ma!" Isaac shouted out and ran for the porch to climb it and join him.

  "Oh no you don! Let's go - now!" Sylvia informed him firmly, reaching down to grab Darren, picking him up; it was long past his nap time, he was getting cranky.

  Isaac stomped his foot, now on the front porch, "Nooo, stayin' with Ben." He tried again, whining.

  "Do I look like your mother to you? I ain't even tryin' to play that - let's go - if I come get'cha, it's gone be worth the trip!" She promised.

  Drooping, lip poked out, he came back down the stairs as slow as he could.

  Shawn was giving her the eye for being so stern with him; she cocked her hip, gave a head and neck roll with her expression clearly stating; her word was it, rolling her eyes from him, back to Isaac, "Don't take all day either, lil'boy - move it!"

  Ben sighed, realizing he had no say in the matter, turned into the house and headed for the main bathroom, one of the three that needed tiling and papering. Inside, he closed the door, shutting everyone else out and got busy.

  In the yard, Bart stood along with his sons, watching as his grandchildren played in the cleared open garden, Sasha hobbling about on her crutches, trying to keep up with Angela, Joseph, Shawn2 and Luis - they were all surrounding Paul, who'd taken up the mission of getting a rope and tire swing on the giant oak in the back. From them, he turned to Marcus; who remained stretched out, dead to the world - making him wonder why and should he wake him and question him about last night, and where exactly had he slept, or not? He turned to Shawn, just as he was wiping his hands up after eating; Jake was still munching away on chicken.

  "That young man stay up all night?" He asked, the tilt of his head, direction of his eyes made both brother's look towards Marcus.

  Shawn and Jake's eyes met, and shrugged, Shawn spoke up, "Don't know, he wasn't at our place."

  Bart's expression changed, eyes narrowed, then turned to Jake, "He with you all night? At Shanna's?"

  "Nooo, I was out last night myself - no idea."

  "He wasn't there when you got back?" Bart drawled in his Southern fashion.

  Jake only stared, sensing trouble, "Dad, I know - nothing." He wasn't about to get into anything with his father; practically his whole life had been spent getting into trouble for his own deeds, he wasn't about to get into one about Derrick's young male and something he had nothing to do with.

  Gert and Vivian strolled near after Sylvia left with the boys, having overheard Bart's questioning, Gert solved the mystery right fast with her suspicion. "Land-sakes Bart, ain't it obvious, the boy's been out Tom-cattin' all night, just look at'im!"

  "Not on my time, he'd better not been!" Bart grouched.

  Gert made a face, rolling her eyes at her sons and Vivian, shaking her head; all had to bite their tongue not to laugh out loud - working to keep a straight face. "Bart - I swear, the boy's 6 foot or more of nothing but hormones, got just one thing on his mind, nasty bugger!"

  Vivian worked to remain quiet, smiling as she cleaned up around everyone, especially her future husband who was ignoring all while flirting with her, nudging her rear with his knee, as if needing her attention.

  Bart barged over to where he lay, moving up to where he could reach his head, and thumped him hard on it with his tough as nails, middle finger. Meaning for it to hurt like hell, and it did.

  "HEY! Who the f-...grandad?" Marcus shot up, rubbing his head, biting his tongue when he realized who.

  "I'm wantin' to know, where you slept last night, boy?"

  "Huh?" Marcus rubbed his head still, staring with bleary eyes at his grandfather.

  "Don't look to me, like he got no sleep last night, you bes' rephrase that." Gert hollered to him. She looked at her sons, "Hope to goodness he wore a condom, this usually when it starts to happen, leavin' babies left, right and around." Gert murmured, looking at both her sons, "This 'bout the time you two did your dirty business."

  Vivian couldn't help but laugh, "Mama Gert, you such a trip." She had to say it.

  "Why? That's what sons get you - babies all over the place; if they healthy, strong, red blooded and able! An' I got me six grandsons able; hell, I suspect at least three ov'em gone trip up 'fore summers through, can betcha that! It's great-grand time - can't hol'a McPherson back, when they burstin' with seeds to be planted!" She bragged as
a matter of fact. "Hell, you aught'ah know that b'now, Velvet." Brow lifted, head titled, looking Vivian right in the eyes, calling her by the nickname she'd given her.

  Jake grinned, winking at Shawn as they both had a chuckle at her expense.

  "Makes no sense him gettin' upset about it, hell - we couldn't keep up with these two out Tom-cattin' - how in blazin' hell he think he can keep up with any of them now, when there's more of'em - which means, more babies - bound to happen!" Gert went on, watching as her husband cross examined Marcus; who was stuttering, trying to think fast, but his brain was sludge at the moment.

  "I - I drank too much grand-dad, I uh, passed out in Ben's car - that's where I slept last night." Marcus gulped and supplied that lie quickly, wondering where Ben was.

  "Boy - don't you be lying to me, Ben drove up this morning; I ain't seen you gettin' out his car."

  "That's cause - I had to go in, use the bathroom and he - he just left me, came on; I come walking up later... remember?" He lied on.

  "Where would that be - where you used the bathroom?"

  Just then Shanna drove up, having just returned from home where she met Royce for lunch.

  "Where? Uhhh, in the uh, bushes, in the woods, by-y-y Tia Sylvia's - nobody saw me."

  "How convenient! Lying through his teeth! Boy you gotta come better than that! Lies like a amateur." Gert roused Bart even more. "Just leave'im Bart, too late now - the dirty deeds done."

  "BEN-JA-MIN!!!" Bart bellowed out, "BEN-JA-MIN CAESAR - GET HERE!"

  Smirking, happy to exact revenge, being left out, Luis volunteered, "I'll get him for you granddad!" He shot into the house, calling for Ben.

  Marcus started squirming, "Granddad I tol' you what happened." Marcus whined.

  Gert stood by laughing and shaking her head, "Bart it don't matter now, we all know the boys lying through his teeth!"

  "Gertrude, do you mind?!" Bart reprimanded.

  She snickered looking at her sons, "Oh well, I tried to help him."

  Jake was cracking up, "You call that help?!"

  Ben stepped out on the porch looking at his grandfather, and of course, Luis had filled him in on what had taken place while he was inside, "Yes granddad?"

  "Where'd you sleep last night?"

  "At Sylvia's." He answered, which he had, in the room with the boys again.

  "Was this varmit here with you, knocked out sleep in your car?"

  "No sir, we parted ways at the club, he went one way, and I went the other." Ben turned around and went back into the house; figuring Marcus should have known better than try and use him for an alibi - he knew he wouldn't lie for him, why he even tried it, was beyond him.

  "You lyin' pole-cat! You'll be working that lie off - up out'ah that truck now! There's work to be done!"

  Marcus made faces, controlling himself from throwing a fit, he wanted to sleep, this day was going to be hell with his granddad riding him, he didn't know when to let up.

  Once more, Shawn and Jake looked at each and burst into laughter, enjoying seeing someone else get a fraction of what they experienced growing up, this generation had it too good. "Can you believe it, if that's what they're like now - what will they be like when Jesse James and ours get to that age? What's worse, hell - we'll be, holy shit - I'll be 58 and you - you'll be 62, Shawn! Chasing after Jesse James? You gonna be up for it?" Jake asked, projecting forward.

  Shawn smiled, "I'll have help - there's Mundo-..."

  "Yeah..."

  "Crystal-..."

  Jake shivered, blowing through his teeth, "She'll kick his ass!"

  "Exactly! In fact, I'll send her in first!" Shawn grinned, "Hey, and there will be Ben, and Angela! Yeah, I'll be fine."

  Jake smiled, nodding, watching his mother and Vivian disappear around back of the house where the kids were, playing around the ancient oak tree. Shawn suddenly nudged him with an elbow, "You know what, if you have girls, even one - and she's half as good looking as her mother, you're the one that's gonna need help!"

  Jake turned back, "I thought of that, look at this," He instructed using each one of his fingers to count the points, "I got Paul, Ben, Kevin, and Mundo too for that matter; there's me, there's you, shit - even Jesse James, I'll have all the help I'll need, not to mention the women in this family."

  Shawn smiled, looked at Jake as what they were talking about suddenly occurred to him, "Are we fucking nuts? Who would have ever thought we'd be here, like this, doing something so stupid as to have more kids at out age?"

  "Yeah, you started it-..."

  "I started it?!"

  "Coming back here, scooping Sylvia up, knocking her up - showing off! Can't let you out do me; trying to pass me up."

  "Left you in my dust, young man - what'aya'mean, pass you up?"

  "I've got you beat by three sons-..."

  "Ah ah ah, don't forget, one of those three - mine! Can't count him, I'm counting him, which gives me four, one on the way! Eat my dust!"

  "That's okay, Vivian's young, and I'm able! Ha ha ha!"

  "Yeah right, good luck with that one - you gotta get her to stay home first, she's a career girl." Shawn pointed out.

  "Hell with that, she's home to stay. Which brings us to last night; Shawn - I blew'em away! I got up on stage; I did it - preformed live! They were calling out for more." Jake shared, proud of the outcome.

  "Any recordings?" Shawn asked right away.

  Jake just stared at him, "Oh shit, I hadn't thought of that."

  "You need to get a hold of the club owner, see if they auto record performances - many do to advertise - get on it right away, you'll want a copy of that for future reference, especially if you blew'em away. Give me the name of the club, the owner, I'll handle it. In fact, I should be your manager." Shawn pointed out.

  Jake laughed, "You don't miss a beat, do you!"

  "I'll be easy on you, 10%!"

  "What?!"

  "Hey, don't talk shit - I could place it at 25% - only because you're my brother, am I willing to give you the best promoting you'll find, for 10%! Booking you gigs; getting your songs copyright protected and registered; setting things up for recording with PenTab; I'll take care of your website; I'll take care of your flyers; posters; and you get a excellent recording or two out, I'll get them played on the radio; ten percent! We got a deal or not?"

  Jake could only stare at him, "You're serious aren't you?"

  "Serious as hell; you want my help? Do as I say, the way I say it, perform your ass off and I'll take care of the rest. In fact, I just may add a recording studio in the house; Mundo will be making use of that, you might as well. We'll need a sound proof studio - the works. Yeah, so - what's it gonna be? You want me to be your manager or not? Which means I take care of everything, your public relations; interviews; spots on tour."

  "Whoa whoa whoa - slow down - I haven't even started recording yet."

  "I want to sit in on it when you meet with that band, I wanna hear'em for myself." Shawn aggressively asserted.

  "So, you really think I can do this?"

  "Look, you tell me - here and now - if you're serious or not. If you're going, go all the way! If you are, I've got your journey mapped out - and will do it all for 10%. And because I'm only asking for 10% - you have to go in with a number one selling album in mind, or that 10% is gonna do fuck'all for me! That means, busting your ass, working towards sold out tickets at just the mention of your name - doing that - is going to show me something for my 10%!"

  Jake's heart took off at the thought of what all of that meant, and he trusted his brother. "Okay, let's do it."

  "I'm not shaking on it, I'm talking contract."

  "Hmmm, how long of a contract? I suspect we'll be fighting at some point - the way we are." He stated, as a matter of fact.

  "Why the fuck you think I'm talkin' contract!? Having said that, no matter how we may fight it out; I won't fuck you over; business is business."

  "All right, draw it up - I'll sign it. Let's do it."

  "Fir
st thing I need to do, is pray your performance was recorded last night so I can watch it; follow me." He led the way to Jake's truck, "Got paper and pen in here?"

  "Yep."

  "Write down the club, club owner, I'm getting on this, now."

  As Jake was doing so, Shawn's mobile ring-tone rang, noticing that it was Sylvia he answered right away, "Yeah babe?"

  "Shawn, just got off the phone with Crystal, she's at the hospital -..."

  "WHAT?! What happened? She-..."

  "Wait Shawn, she's okay, it's not for her - it's Victor, he suffered a really bad shock at work last night. He's in surgery - I'm going to the hospital to see about her."

  "Swing by and get me, I'll go with you. What about Darren and Isaac?"

  "They're sleeping, Mundo is here, he already said he'd see about them while I'm gone."

  "Okay, come and get me." Shawn clicked his phone off while Jake finished writing out the information he requested.

  "What's going on?" he asked, overhearing enough to make him curious.

  "It appears that Victor is in the hospital, electrocuted himself at work - he lives - sonofabitch can't do shit right! Fuckin' waste of a shock!"

  "Ach! That's cold as hell!" Jake shook his head.

  "Yeah well, Crystal is at the hospital with him; I can just imagine what this is going to do. I can just see him using this to bind her more tightly to him."

  "I wonder, does Ben know?" Jake wondered out loud.

  "May not, not sure."

  "You want me to tell'im?"

  "That's up to you. There's Sylvia, I'll call you later, let you know what's going on; while I'm at the hospital, I'll call about this, let us pray." Shawn waved the paper with the club info as he walked towards the SUV Sylvia drove back in; climbing in, he waved as they drove away.

  * * *

  He'd come out of surgery with no problems, all had gone smoothly. His surgeon had preformed a clean up of the jagged flesh left from the exit wound, and burns along the way. According to her; she didn't foresee any lasting effects of the accident, other than scarring. However, that wasn't absolute, it wouldn't be fully known until some time passed after therapy, and follow-up checks on his condition. For the time being, all that could be done, had been.