Authors: Mercedes Keyes
Sylvia stood trying to get control of herself, she looked from her sulking future husband to his daughter. Who shrugged and waited to see what she would do. Sylvia looked back at him as he started searching through the cabinets for something to cook. Shaking her head, she walked to the phone and picked it up.
"Hello Gert, look... I need to fix Shawn-..."
"No... go on, I'll fix myself something." He interrupted.
"Hang on a minute Gert." She looked at Shawn. "Shawn, leave the kitchen, I will fix you something to eat."
"I don't want you to now, I'll fix something myself."
Sylvia picked up the receiver and could hear Gert laughing on the other end, she already knew what was going on, "Gert-..."
"Chile... I hear... you go on and cook, Shanna and I will get everything together and bring it over, you go on and feed Mr. Brat! You can see the other stuff I wanted to show you another day... there's plenty of time."
"Thank you... or else I'm gone have to kill your son before we say our vows!"
"Aaah, be gentle with him, he just like his daddy... he the same way - after 40 something years... they never grow up. See you in a bit."
"Okay thank you."
Sylvia hung up, "Okay... you happy now? Your mother and Shanna are coming here. Now get out of the kitchen so I can cook."
"You could have gone on." He went on.
"Well I didn't... don't make me regret that I didn't!"
"Yeah... but you gone make me regret that you didn't!" He mumbled heading out the kitchen door, back to sort through his supplies.
Sylvia let out a breath of exasperation and looked at Angela.
"Learn something here! Stay - single!"
*
"Oh Sylvia, I just love this house. Girl its gone be out'ah'sight when you get done!" Gert exclaimed as she and Shanna were shown around Sylvia's home.
"The minute I saw it, I fell in love with it. All the fixtures are nice, but they're from the original build and they do need upgrading for a really top notch bed and breakfast." Sylvia went on as they finally settled in her bedroom, just having come up from the basement. Shawn was playing Tetris with Angela so the three of them could visit.
While at first she resented him being so demanding, she couldn't for the life of her, leave him that way. Especially after he laid the effective guilt trip on her about always having been the one to take care of himself. While she knew it wasn't fair that he use it on her, she could not for the life of her, leave him to feel that she could care less. She did care and so fixed him another big meal with Angela's help. Stuffed cabbage with ground chuck, corn on the cob, baked potato, Cajun sautéed okra and Jiffy corn bread. Once Sylvia got into preparing the meal, she did it just so. And knew it was good, so did he, when he ate his fill and that was plenty, he was at the sink next to her while she cleaned up the kitchen with Angela helping. Looking at her profile.
"You mad at me?" He asked softly.
"Nope." She answered directly.
"Then why won't you look at me?"
"'Cause I don't feel like it."
He leaned down on the counter looking up into her face, grinning. Sylvia chewed on the inside her mouth trying not to smile at him, she was determined. "See, that's why I wanted you to cook, because I knew... nothing I ordered, or cooked up myself was gonna come even close to that."
"Emmmm, imagine that, I remember once upon a time you said I couldn't cook."
"I was wrong."
"Yeah... and you will be again."
Shawn chuckled, "You know you wouldn't be happy if I was right all the time."
"Ain't no chance of that happenin', now is there?" She sassed, fighting a smile. He was flirting with her, gazing into her face, deliberately staring at her mouth, then down at her breasts. "Is there something you want?" She asked tartly, finally looking at him.
"You sure you want me to answer that?" He muttered suggestively.
"You think you can act the way you did, get what you want, and then have me smoochy, kissin' and lovin' again? I don't think so."
"So you're saying, that it's wrong for me to want my wife to cook me something to eat when I know to be satisfied will only come through her hands? To get a high from the wonderful aroma that permeates the house when you cook, is wrong for me to want? To be spoiled a bit sometimes with you feeling the need to take care of me first, and then see to whatever it is you were going to do? Am I wrong? Guilty as charged. Because I want you to be all about me, the way I'm all about you. And you know I am Sylvia, you
know it
."
Sylvia stared down at him, again seeing that this man was going to totally consume her. She could just feel it happening already.
"Shawn... sometimes, not all the time - but sometimes - you will have to see to yourself."
"I know I will. But I just didn't want to today. Today, I needed you to be home here with me, doing what you've done. I needed that."
"Well, I did it. Is there anything else?"
"Yeah... you can stop with this face you have on, give me a smile, and a little kiss... and I would be well content."
Just then there was a knocking at the kitchen door, Angela ran from the living room to peak out of it. "It's grandma and aunt Shanna!" She called.
Shawn stood from the counter, still keeping eye contact with Sylvia. Neither said another word, he just bent down and softly kissed her mouth, Sylvia closed her eyes and kissed him back, feeling his tongue taste her lips and then slip inside. She felt a rush of heat that was short of nothing but sweet. They didn't care that his mom and sister stood inside waiting for them to get done.
"That's enough! Landsakes Sylvia... don't tell me it works on you too! I swear, these McPherson men!" She was grinning despite her words.
Shawn stood and glanced at his mom, smiling, winking and satisfied... to all those who looked on, he looked it. Turning his gaze back to Sylvia, he sent her a wink as well. "Come on Pum'kin'! Time for me to beat you at a little Tetris!"
Sylvia was all aglow before his mother and sister. Actually happy that they'd come to her instead, they sat on her bed discussing the plans for the wedding, his mother letting her know that the church was booked as well as the town hall for the reception. She held up the gown as they discussed the meal and Shanna volunteered to pay for the catering for the reception as her gift to them.
"What do you think, you like it?"
"I absolutely love it! Oh my goodness... you were married in this?!" Sylvia asked, holding it up to herself, looking into her wardrobe mirrors that doubled as doors.
"Sure was... believe me, my daddy paid a pretty penny for that gown. When I put it away, I made sure that it was stored to keep it just as beautiful as the day I first laid eyes on it."
"Well whatever you did... it worked, this is just gorgeous! I'd be proud to wear it!" Sylvia exclaimed, gazing at it in awe.
"Good, that parts done then. The church is on standby, the hall is rented, Derrick and Meribel took care of that."
"Aaah that was nice of them!"
"Another gift to the two of you."
"Has Shawn ever seen this gown?" Sylvia asked.
"Only in pictures of me wearing it. He didn't see your pictures did he?" Gert asked of Shanna who shook her head and then answered, "The fewer people who saw my mistake the better. So, the next time he sees it, it will be on you Sylvia."
"Honey try it on while we're here, see if it fits you well, if not... Shanna will measure you and adjust it, then we'll take it and get it cleaned for you." Gert went on. Sylvia tried it on, to find that it was a bit snug around the waist, it fit everywhere else but there. That's when, blushing she told them of the discovery that morning at the doctors, that she was further along than either of them thought.
"Lord I can't wait! Shame its got to take nine months! I wanna see my lil'baby now!" Gert gushed, excited every time she thought of it. They stayed a bit longer while Shanna did the measurements, writing it down. Before Sylvia knew it, they were done and leaving, calling down to the basement and saying goodbye to Shawn and Angela before they left.
Sylvia smiled closing the door, straightening up before she went down to the basement with Shawn and Angela, and the phone rang.
"Hello?" She answered.
There was silence, even so... she knew there was someone on the line. "Hello?" She asked again.
"It's... Deidre... Sylvia... hi."
Sylvia paused, swallowed and said, "Would you like me to get Angela?"
"No."
"I'll call Shawn up then, give me just a-..."
"No Sylvia... I - I want to... speak with you... please, if I could?"
Sylvia looked to the basement door, then turned with her back to the counter.
"Sure... ummm, speak away." She invited softly.
Silence followed for a while as Sylvia patiently waited for her to speak, then offered again, "You sure you don't want me to get Shawn?"
"No... just... no... I don't wish to talk to him. Give me... just a minute-..." Her voice broke.
Sylvia felt the beat of her heart speed up.
"I ah..." Deidre began. "I ah... packed up all of Angela's things today...all for... a few things. Some stuff I wanted .... I wanted to keep. But - the rest... I packed it up, and they're on the way there." She stopped a moment. Sylvia could hear her sniffing over the line. "I... went to the school, informed them that she would no longer be attending. All of her school records, will be there tomorrow, I had them sent... next -..." She stopped again.
Sylvia's eyes pooled, and a tear fell for her.
"Ummm... I had - it sent - next day. So tomorrow... her school records - will - (Echmm) - will be there. Her things, in - a few days." She stopped again, gathering her thoughts. "Syl - Sylvia... please... I beg you - please... take care of my daughter... please. Ummm, she needs... needs things... you know. Like... a hug, a squeeze... someone - that - that she can talk to. That's so important... little girls... they need a mother... so bad. I - I'm not all that good at it... you know. If you could just... do that for me please... you don't owe me that I know-..."
"She'll be fine. I promise you that." Sylvia swore.
"...(echm echm)... could you do me a favor... tell her that I love her. Tell her-..."
"Deidre... she's still your daughter. You will have many opportunities to tell her, you're welcome to visit her here anytime."
"Thank you... but... I'm gonna give her a little time with you guys... who knows... maybe... after a while... she'll - actually miss me, you think, maybe - a little?"
"Of course Deidre... of course."
"Well... I won't keep you. One more thing, in with her school records, I had an affidavit made up before three witnesses, that I'm relinquishing full custody to her father. So with that, he will be able to get her into school... or whatever needs to be done."
"Alright. You should be telling these things to Shawn though."
"No... I can't. Its best if we never spoke again. If its okay with you... I'd just as soon communicate through you."
"Sure Deidre... that's fine."
"Okay... well... that's it. I guess there's nothing left for me to say."
"If you ever wish to just talk Deidre... just call and talk... I'm here." Sylvia offered.
"Thanks... bye."
{{ Click }}
"Did she say why she decided to give her up to us?" Shawn asked in night tones, they were in bed, all was quiet except for the T.V. that played softly in the background at the end of their bed.
"No... she didn't... and I didn't ask. It broke her heart to do that. I don't think I could have done it." Sylvia admitted.
"You would have had no reason to. You know how to be a mother to your daughter."
"No woman knows how to be a mother to her daughter Shawn. Most of the time, we're scared to death, praying for the right words at the right time. Using what we were given, and adding to it what we assume is right. No one really knows until they turn out... if it was right or wrong. Deidre was a better mother than the one she had...and that's saying a lot. I'm telling you now... from this day forward... come what may... you will not insult her again in front of me... or her child. You will not!"
"Sylvia I've never insulted her in front of Angela."
"Oh but you have. Don't do it again!" She turned on her side away from him. Lost in thought. Shawn sighed laying on his back, looking up at the ceiling above their bed.
"I love you you know ... you do know that - right?" He asked her softly, turning his head to look at the back of her.
Sylvia sighed, and then smiled, feeling the bed shift as he turned and pulled up behind her, dragging her back against him.
"Did you hear me?" He asked wrapping his arms around her.
"Em hm." She returned, still smiling.
"Well? What you got to say?"
"Where's the remote? Turn the TV off dear."
"Yoooou!" He growled and rolled her to her back, tickling her, Sylvia's head went back into the mattress laughing uncontrollably as he tried to bite her neck, making her draw up and squeal. "Sha - Shawn... stop - stop - Angela's gonna hear us!" She squeaked, trying to keep it down.