"I thought we could talk about anything, mama."
"We can, but -..."
"Well, do you two... have good sex?" Crystal smiled, flexing her brows, asking.
"Nosy heifer ... I'm gone be calling you Sheila in a minute."
"Well? Do you?"
"Yes - indeed baby!" Sylvia bragged, "It's all there - and it's all-l-l good!" Sylvia added, with the same raunchy laughter her daughter used earlier.
Crystal chuckled, "See ma, that's how you got knocked up - fifty-hundred years old, and having a baby!"
"Fifty-hundred years old!? Girl please - I still got it - and his butt be wantin' it... all-l-l the time!"
Both of them squealed out laughing and slapped a high five, doing a little dance. They laughed for a few minutes before Crystal wiped her eyes, and Sylvia sat in Shawn's chair by his computer, thinking about it. "Then mama, why was you trippin' earlier, mad at him?"
"I ain't mad. Do it look like I'm mad?"
"Mama, you crazy!"
"I ain't crazy! You crazy... got the nerve to give your husband a piece on my sofa... and then gone tell me about it!"
"OOH, OOH, OOH! Mama, mama, nah - I tell you who crazy... that friend of yours, Edwina!"
Sylvia sat forward and got serious again. "Hang on one minute!" She stood and looked out the office door, checking to make sure no one was there, then came back in and closed the door. Sitting back across from her daughter, she asked, "What happened that night?"
"She was trippin' mama - I'm tellin' you now - prepare yourself, because I'm fixin' ta' cuss! I wanted to kick - her - ASS! You hear me?! I wanted to spread that bitch out on the lawn, like fertilizer! In my mama's house?!"
"What happened?" Sylvia asked, eyes narrowing, as she got ready to hear what Shawn wouldn't divulge - how far things went.
"First, mama you have to promise not to get mad! Its over now."
"I ain't gone get mad!" Sylvia snapped, "Come on, tell me girl! What she do?"
"She tried to get papa-Shawn to get it on with her. In yo' bed!"
"I already know that - what I wanna know is, how far did things get?"
"Well - all I know is, that she - umm - well - she sucked his you-know-what."
"Nasty ho'! Did he stop her?" Sylvia's eyes narrowed even more.
"See, mama! Dag! I should'nah said nothing! Don't be mad at him; it wasn't his fault."
"Excuse me! Hold on here, sista'. He brought that thing back here to my house!"
"Yeah, but mama, he call himself doing her a favor because he thought she was your friend. He was so scared when he called me mama, he just wanted her out of here!"
"Em, hm."
"He did, mama! He didn't know what to do with her; that's why he called me. If he was up to no good, he could have did whatever and got rid of her, and no one would have known."
"Em, hm. Did she get to finish, or not?"
"According to her, she did. But she could have been lying! He denied it. Anyway, point is - we got her out'ah here."
Sylvia was stewing, and Crystal could see it. "Mama - you know doggone well that man in love with you. He wasn't thinkin' bout her!"
"I suppose. Anyway, Vivian kicked her butt, let me tell you!"
"Vivian? Why?"
"Because, obviously she met up with Jake, and he gave her what Shawn wouldn't."
"WHAT?! Uncle Jake did her!"
"The dawg sho' did!!!"
"Oh, my goodness! No way!"
"Em, hm. But she gone try and say, he took it! That he raped her!"
"WHAT?! Lying ho'! He wouldn't have had to!"
"Yeah, well - you and Vivian in the same boat! She thought she was lying too, and kicked her butt about it. The way I see it, you both need to tell these men to take a hike."
"You telling me, that Vivian got a thing for Jake?"
"Big time!"
"Get out'o'here!"
"Sure do! I think he got a little something for her too - but I don't know. Maybe he would rather continue on being a dawg and alone, 'cause so far, all he wanna do is go to bed. Vivian, thank God, ain't about to let him disrespect her like that. I'm so proud of her. You need to do the same.... just say - no!"
"Wow... Uncle Jake and Vivian, huh?"
"Not if he has his way."
"SYLVIA-A-A-A! CRYSTAL!" Shanna called out, entering the basement holding Darren's hand, with Isaac running ahead of her. "MAMAAAAA - Where you at?!" He called, running through the basement. Mundo had been keeping an eye out for them while they napped, so that Crystal could come across the way. Now, he was joining Shawn and Jake. Shanna hadn't long arrived, and talked to her brothers about what she wanted, afterwards agreeing to take the boys across the road.
"WE IN HERE!" Sylvia yelled out.
The boys charged in, with Shanna showing up in the doorway to look at mother and daughter, her gaze stopping at Sylvia as she smiled down at her. Sylvia smiled back. "Well, you don't look like you're in a bad mood to me." Shanna commented.
Sylvia laughed. "I guess it all depends on who I'm talking to. Have they left yet?"
"On their way out. They piled into the truck, and were about to pull off, when I left them." Shanna informed her.
"So, what your brother say about me?"
Shanna started laughing. "Oh, he was scratching his head, mumbling about mood swings and trying to ignore Jake laughing at him."
Sylvia sighed. "I'm gonna have to cook him a big dinner tonight; that'll make up for it."
"The way they eat, for sure. In the meantime, you and I have plans to discuss - I've brought along swatches and samples - we need to start deciding on the decor here, agreed?"
Sylvia clapped her hands. "Oh, yeah! True, true - lets go up to my office. Have you seen it yet? I've moved in. Oh, Shanna it is fantastic - I love it."
Chapter 142
Last weeks of school.
Marcus was using the van to drop off the kids, as he excitedly anticipated prom night.
Everyone had something to be excited about. For the kids, summer vacation.
Meaning... five kids at home, around the clock.
Three of which, would be whining every 2 to 3 hours.... "I'm bo-o-ored."
Meribel stood at the kitchen sink, replaying last summer in her head. And, the summer before that. And, the summer before that. She wasn't looking forward to this summer. Something told her, this would be her summer of discontent. Thinking of her kids infamous cry, made her mutter it as well, "I'm bo-o-ored." This, as she dropped dirty forks, spoons, and butter knives into the silverware container of the dishwasher she was loading.
The kids were gone, and her husband was upstairs getting dressed. He'd be down any moment. Since classes were less and school was coming to a close, he needn't be there so early, of late. Meribel finished loading the dishwasher and made shallow dishwater to wipe down the table, stove, and counter tops; now that the storm that was her children had passed. She was wiping down the table, when the wonderful scent of her husband entered the room before him. This was a new cologne he'd begun wearing. She'd always preferred that he wear Black Suede by Avon, but this scent... the one he was wearing now - nice. She liked it. Problem was, she hadn't gotten it for him. Question was, where did he get it? When had he the time to go cologne shopping? What gave him the idea that that cologne would smell good? On him? How did he know?
Her eyes narrowed... she smelled a rat!
When Derrick walked into the kitchen wearing his coach gear, trainers, gym pants, tank top and hooded jacket over his arm, it was to see his wife glaring at him.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
Her eyes narrowed even more, as her gaze traveled over him. Unlike his brothers, Shawn and Jake - Derrick was not, by any means, a man of model looks. His features were rough and masculine. No cuteness, no softness, nothing extra needed to make him look more like a man. Which, Meribel felt, Shawn and Jake did. Granted, they looked masculine in their own way; however, their features were - in her opinion - too Elvis-like. Too model-like - so, they bo
th kept hair on their faces. Growing older had most certainly gone a long way, to make them not so pretty-boy looking. Both men were more attractive, now that they were older, than when they had been younger. Meribel couldn't stand perfect features on a man. After all, a man should look like one. Leave the soft prettiness to women. Shawn and Jake, due to age - were no longer soft-looking pretty - thank goodness. However, her husband - had never been pretty. In her estimation - he had always been masculine in looks, very rugged-featured. She noted another trait of the brothers. Shawn was very athletic and buffed with muscle, that had helped him as well, not to be so pretty anymore. She suspected that too was the reason for his fighting over the years, while she knew that Bart instigated a lot of that, forcing Shawn into being meaner. Truly, it had worked to destroy the sweet-boy image. In the case of Jake, he was not as muscle-packed as Shawn, because he was lean, whipcord-strong; with long, natural muscles hardened from manual labor, and working outdoors just about all of his life. That had given him the hardened edge that he needed, yet he too was a brawler - too many had made that error believing he couldn't rumble with the best of them - she knew better.
Derrick, her husband - wasn't a quick brawler. Nevertheless, he was thick with muscle. Stocky - bull strong - naturally rough around the edges, with the combination of working outdoors all the time, and being an athlete. At school, he was in the mix with his football team and then when summer came, he worked small construction jobs for people, mostly carpentry work. Summer hadn't come yet, and already he had scheduled jobs waiting for him to get started on. With the combined activities in his life, he was thick in his tall frame; thick of arms, thick strong body and big legs. Shawn and Jake were fast runners, Derrick was a blocker! He wasn't a man of speed in running - but hell on anyone, if he tackled them.
Derrick was Meribel's kind of man - well - as far as features and stature was concerned. Having compared all of that, unlike his brother's, he was a gentle giant. Tender, compassionate, ever seeking to please, while holding steadfastly his father's belief's and the role of a man over the weaker sex, the woman.
One, at the moment - who was not happy about the fact that he was wearing new cologne. Cologne that she hadn't chosen for him.
He was standing in front of her now, waving his hand to and fro in her face, to get her attention. "Hellooo, anyone home?" He asked, joking with her. Meribel slapped his hand away, snapping, "And what does that mean, you think I'm stupid?"
"WHAT?! Meri? Of course not? What's come over you?" He grumbled, staring down at her.
"What's the name of that cologne you got on? Hm?"
Derrick gulped. The question wasn't so bad, its how she asked it. It never failed, there was always a distinctive increase in his wife's Hispanic accent, when she was in one of her moods. "The cologne I'm wearing?" He asked, inanely.
"Yeah. That smell - that's not your usual. What is that?" She asked, with her hands on her hips, peering up at him.
"Uh - not sure - Lacoste - I think - something like that."
"Where'd you get it? I didn't buy it for you."
"Uh - no - I know."
"So, where did it come from? You buy it?"
"Who, me?"
"Well yeah - did you? Of course you did-n't - so who did?"
"My students." He finally answered, staring down at her, not quite fearfully - but carefully.
"Why did-dn't chu say that at the beginning, hm? Wha's to hesitate for - hm?"
Derrick chuckled in disbelief - "Meri, you took me off guard, asking. I didn't think you'd notice."
"You did-dn't think I would notice? You are my husband - I notice everything about you!" She stomped. "You know what it is... it is because you notice nothing! Never have noticed! Because of that, you think that I don't notice nothing either!"
"What?!"
"What students bought you cologne?"
"Huh?"
"Hellooo - anyone home?!" She waved her hand in his face this time. "What - students - bought - you cologne? Need I repeat it?"
"What's obvious to me, is that you're in the mood to argue. I'm off to work, we can argue later, when I have more time."
"Yes - that's well and fine for you... go off to work! Treat me like I'm invisible! I might as well be!"
Derrick stopped at the door and stared at her, as she resumed the chore of cleaning the kitchen. "Meri, come on; don't be like this now, while I'm off to work." Derrick pleaded.
"Go!"
"I don't wanna go, with you like this."
"You have no choice."
He stood a few minutes more, unable to leave. "Please, tell me what's going on? I thought everything was fine."
"Of course, you would think that - its easier to believe that - than to notice me, and what it is I might need." She was back and forth from the counter to the sink, dropping more dishes into the dishwasher, as she tried to carry on despite feeling like crap.
"What do you need Meri... tell me?" He asked.
She bit into her lip, because there was no way she could tell him what she really needed. She wanted him to know already what she needed. She wanted him to figure it out for himself. As unlikely as it was that he would, that's what she wanted. Because, to come out and tell him, that - she couldn't do. As much as she loved her husband, there was an area of their marriage, missing one very important ingredient that might help to improve it in all the other areas.
Communication.
Because of the way he was, and because of the way she was - to say how she felt, would make him look at her strangely. They were in love, but they were different people, with different needs. Meribel hadn't a clue as to how she might get around to telling her husband, that - at times - she was bored. That - HE - bored her. She needed him to be more stimulating, more exciting, daring - adventurous. In life and especially - in bed. She felt like his housekeeper, that he might be inclined to bed now and then. Nothing exciting or electrifying - just a quick toss and then to sleep.
"Meri-..."
"Go, coach your team Derrick - you haven't the time." She started the dishwasher, tossed her towel in the sink and walked away to the upstairs. It was time to start the laundry.
Derrick stepped down from the back steps and walked around the side of the house, through their gate, shifting bikes, skate boards and rolling balls out the way, to walk around to the garage. He opened the door of his truck, and stood there with it open a few moments. He threw his jacket inside and turned back to the house, back through the gate. Going back through the backyard and up the back porch steps, and then into the house. Quietly, while trying to figure a way to get through to her, he went looking for his wife. This worried him. He loved Meribel. Always had. She meant the world to him. Problem was, they were different. He knew that they were. She was bold, vivacious, flamboyant in some of her styles, expressions and needs. He was not. He was a simple man, with simple needs. She, his children, his job, his home - that's all he needed.
He quietly made his way up the steps, thinking as he went - trying to find a way to break into what was falling apart between them. Approaching their bedroom door, he could hear her voice. He stopped to listen; she was talking to herself.
Meribel was standing in her bedroom, looking at herself in the dresser mirror. "You are such a stupido! Just - tell him! Tell him, for once, for goodness sake! He's a grown man! He can take it; and if he can't - then - then..." Meribel wilted, her face crumbling. "I can't hurt him that way. How do I tell my husband - I love you - but - you're boring, and you're a lousy lover! You don't thrill me - excite me. You look through me, and not once, have you ever tried to see that I am not pleased. You never notice. Or, at least you pretend not to." Meribel backed up, and sat on their bed, staring at herself. "You wanton hussy. He does everything in his power to please you. Look at your home. Yet - you are not satisfied." She stood, and looked at herself in the mirror.
"You got some nerve. Look at you. Why would any man be excited about you? It's no wonder he wishes to get it over quickly. No reason a
bout you to linger." Meribel sighed, and stared for a few moments more. Lost so in thought, she never heard her husband back carefully away from their bedroom door. Creep down the steps, out of the house, into his truck and off to work. What she did instead, was stand, making a pact with herself.
"The weight comes off starting today! You want him to treat you sexy - to feel a thrill when touching you! You want to ignite his passion? Well, then you need to start looking the part, woman! No more size 16!" She turned from the mirror, walked into the bathroom and stood on the scale, staring at the numbers in clear view. 170lbs. "That's it. You may not notice me now, my husband... but you will, when I'm done. Oh you will! I cannot help you fix you - but I sure as hell can fix me! Then - maybe - you'll wish to fix you. Maybe..." Again she sighed, mind made up. She finished cleaning the house, and went shopping for everything she would need to start her diet.
* * *
Mundo loved being in the presence of Jake and Shawn. With them, he could basically talk about anything. He, of course, was proud to let Shawn know about the two nights of work he did, and the money he made.
"I still can't believe you continued on, with your sister and Victor down there fighting, and then taken off to jail! He kept right on playing." Jake laughed, telling Shawn.
"Aye, I was working! I wud'ah jumped in, if I had to. Good thing I did too; needed some of that money for bail! Which, by the way, I scratched with the sis and friends."
"Well, that was nice of you." This, from Shawn.
"Annnd, I did so well papa-Shawn - I got most of the money you spent on my equipment, to pay you back."
"What?! You made that much?" Shawn asked, from the passenger seat. Jake was driving, all three in his truck on their way to the DIY, to order the type of deck Shanna showed them from the Sunday paper. There were specials on the pricing of decks and porches at Menard's Spring Fling sale - they were on their way to it, in Lacrosse.
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