Authors: Mercedes Keyes
"Momma! Its not gonna work! The police aren't going to be there when she needs them to be. He needs to be stopped!" Kathy Ann argued.
"And just what is it that you suggest? That we kill'em... is that what you're hinting at?" Gert asked leaning against her kitchen counter, staring at her two daughters.
They were both quiet, especially Shanna... she knew it was wrong to think it... but she did wish he was dead. As she sat she knew that he was not going to leave her alone. "I'm scared of him mama... he's evil. He's evil." Tears welled up in her eyes. "He's going to be meaner than ever now, after what Kathy Ann did to him, embarrassing him - mama - if - if he gets a hold of me, he's - he's gonna kill me, I know it, I just know it."
Gert swallowed and felt her heart tighten at the look in her baby's eyes, but even so... she just couldn't tell her sons about it, despite how bad they got along, when it came to protecting their family... they came together and would wreak sure hell and havoc. While Jake could never really conquer Shawn in a fight, standing side by side, the two could do damage that would land them both in jail. In the heat of the moment, in the frenzy of the fight, they just didn't care. For some reason she could not explain, three of her five children had one hell of a temper. Shawn was the first and the worse, Kathy Ann was second and Jake third. Derrick would fight if he had to, but he preferred to be reasonable, calm and handle things in a more dignified adult manner, within the law. Yet, if his brothers needed him, he was there and would not let anyone sneak up on either. It was her oldest and youngest sons that were the worse. And Shanna had always been the baby girl, protected by all of them, especially closest to Shawn.
"Well mama, what do we do? You heard her - and I went to that hospital and saw first hand what he did to her." Kathy Ann pressed.
"We're gonna try the police like I said. Shanna... from now on, you don't do anything alone, you go no where by yourself. Either we'll go together or you and Kathy Ann, or you and Jake... not alone... understand?"
With a nod, Shanna took a deep breath praying her court day show itself soon.
"All Rise!"
The clerk of court called out for the session to begin in the case of prosecuting Ray Olivetti. Those attending and following court room procedure, rose as the judge walked from his chambers while the clerk introduced him. Shawn and Sylvia stood side by side, she held her hand against her stomach - on and off, the butterflies fluttering there would not calm down. She noticed all the familiar faces in the court room. The officers that were called to her home that night, the same ones whom she'd called when she suspected that she was being watched were in attendance. Called for testimony by the prosecution was the girl Sherry and her friend that stood outside the store with her and Ray Olivetti. Maggie from the store was there also to give her part of the testimony. Shawn was rubbing Sylvia's lower back, giving her waist a squeeze as silent support. In no time at all, the case against Ray Olivetti was being read out. Thanks to his pleading not guilty in an earlier trial, Sylvia was forced to endure this one.
Ray stood in an orange suit beside his lawyer, who had his brief case open on the table.
No one was aware that the trial would be in fact, very short and sweet. All were unaware, including Ray, that as he stood, it would be his last time. The man, his attorney, who looked to be just that to all present, was anything but. With his briefcase open on the table before him, he reached to the bottom, shifted a slide catch, which pushed out from the bottom of his briefcase a needle, just long enough to prick and do the necessary job that had to wait until this moment. Instructions were to keep it low key, nothing high production in the wrapping up of the loose end that was Ray Olivetti. All were told to be seated, Ray sat, and his lawyer removed 'necessary files' closed his briefcase, and sat, carefully lifting his briefcase from the table, swinging the bottom corner downward and as he went to slide it between his chair and Ray's, the needle caught Ray's leg, pricking it.
"What the fuck!" He exclaimed looking down at his leg and rubbing the spot. "What the hell was that?"
"Sorry about that, gotta get that fixed, jagged edge, just can't get good merchandise anymore." His lawyer apologized and explained. Ray gave him an evil look, rubbing his leg.
"Excuse me, court is in session!" The bailiff walked over to the table to bring them to order.
"Sorry... we're okay now." The lawyer spoke up with a smile.
The bailiff eyed Ray, and then his lawyer and walked back to his station in the court room as the prosecuting attorney stepped before the court to present his case against Ray. At the moment, who sat back in his seat, then took a look around the court room and found Sylvia and made eye contact with her. Shawn was sitting to her left, saw Olivetti eyeing her and leaned forward blocking his view of her so he could see him instead. Ray's eyes narrowed but then he sat back and looked ahead in the court room. Shawn turned and looked at Sylvia.
"You okay?" He whispered for her ears only. She nodded, trying to get herself ready for when she would have to go on the stand.
However, before the prosecution could get his presentation completed, a strange noise caught the attention of all those in the court room. Ray began having what everyone thought was an epileptic seizure, his body began violently convulsing, forcing his lawyer to grab his briefcase and move away from him. Those appointed to the court rushed over thinking that he was faking until his body violently catapulted from his chair, screaming and jerking madly. His attorney moved back playing his role brilliantly, pretending to be as shocked as the women who cried out. He carefully stepped back, bent down and wedged the corner of his briefcase against the bottom of his shoe, stepping on the tiny needle and breaking it off. With so many distracted by Ray, no one saw him use a Kleenex to pick up the small needle. No one saw him carefully roll it within, biding his time to dispose of it.
Needless to say, court was adjourned.
Shawn and Sylvia stood a few moments outside of the court room speaking with Maggie and the officers as an ambulance was called in to rush Ray to the hospital. As they spoke, Shawn noticed something, that Ray's attorney said little to anyone, he suddenly disappeared. Not even bothering to discuss the possibility of a new trial once Ray was better, he was just - gone. A weird feeling went through him, but he discarded it as he listened to Sylvia speak with the officers and Maggie.
"Oh my! You two are getting married? I didn't get an invitation to the wedding!" Maggie protested.
Sylvia looked up at Shawn, who smiled and informed her, "It's next week Friday, I'll have my sister give us a few invites and get one to you later." He promised.
She was overjoyed.
On their way out of the courthouse, they both encountered Sherry, who looked them over, but kept what may have been on her mind there, especially with the look Shawn gave her. In the SUV on the way home, Sylvia leaned back relieved.
"I know its mean, but I'm so glad this will be postponed because of his fit."
"Nothing mean in feeling that way. You mind if we run by my parents, I need to ask my dad for some direction on stuff I'll need to work on with the house."
"Oooh, I'm really worn out, I was kind'ah looking forward to going home and laying down for a bit."
"That's okay, I'll take you home then, you can go to bed and take a nap. I'm gonna run by my folks while you're resting, maybe get the ol'man to run to Sears with me."
"Thank you." Sylvia sighed, feeling heavy in the head from needed sleep. She was getting so that it was a struggle not to take a nap through the day.
The day was still pretty early by the time they got home, changed and Shawn left to shop for building tools. When he pulled out of the yard, Sylvia was standing there watching him leave and turned to go back and lay down. The day ended up being beautiful, spring was in the air, Sylvia left the kitchen door open with the screen locked and her patio sliding doors open with the screen closed to let the breeze blow through as she climbed in bed for a much needed snooze.
*
Arriving at his parents was a surprise for his mom and sisters. Kathy Ann came to the door to let him in. They looked at each other, neither mentioning their last encounter. There was a look on Kathy Ann's face that didn't escape Shawn's notice as he walked in pass her to the kitchen, she stopped him before he called out to their mom and dad. "We need to talk." She said to him, stopping him, surprising him, he looked back at her, wondering what was on her mind.
"About what?" He asked.
Looking to see who was there, Gert came to the door and saw him, then looked at her daughter, "Don't Kathy Ann!" She was firm in her request. Shawn looked from his mother back to his sister. "What's going on?" He asked, from one to the other. "Nothing son, and what do we owe for this wonderful visit?" Gert asked walking up to him as he bent and kissed her forehead, hugging her.
"I was hoping to get dad to give me a list of what I'll be needing in tools to get our projects started. So what's going on?" He asked immediately back to the subject Kathy Ann tried to open.
Kathy Ann looked at her mother, who's glances were filled with warning.
"Momma... she needs all the protection she can get! The police aren't enough."
Shawn looked from his sister to his mother again, then Shanna stepped into the doorway, he looked at her. "Who... needs all the protection she can get?!" He asked from one woman to the other, waiting for one of them to fill him in. Just then the phone rang, Kathy Ann answered, it was Jake needing to speak with their dad.
Shawn realized who it was by Kathy Ann's comments to him, "You tell him that dad is mine today! Whatever he needs can wait!"
Gert shook her head and walked back into the kitchen, old scene that she'd seen a thousand times between her children, all vying for time with her or their father, one would think they were beyond this sort of petty sibling rivalry, but her three were still driven by it.
Kathy Ann chuckled and told her oldest brother, "Jake says to go to hell Shawn."
Shawn stuck his middle finger up as his return, Kathy Ann grinned and told Jake, "Shawn says fuck off!"
"What is he doing there anyway!?" Jake asked irritated.
"I don't know, he wants dad to help him with getting some tools or something." She answered.
"Well how long is he going to be there?" He asked her.
"I don't know... Shawn how long are you going to be here?"
"Tell him don't worry about it, when I'm done with dad then he'll get his turn."
"Did you hear him?" She asked.
"Yeah... fine... I'll be by later then." He said and hung up the phone.
Kathy Ann followed suit with Shawn standing and waiting for her to get off the line, while Shanna made nonsense small talk about seeing to their flowers the next day. He wasn't stupid, something was up and he wasn't letting go until he knew what.
"So now... tell me, what is this you started saying about, 'she needs all the protection she can get?'" He asked.
"Shawn, stay out of it!" Gert called from the kitchen.
Shawn looked down at Shanna and then back at Kathy Ann and walked into the kitchen where his mother stood at the sink clipping her plants and re-potting them. "Stay out of what mom?" He asked at the door.
"Never you mind, you're home now, got a new family starting, you just take care of them, stay out of the rest."
"Well can you at least tell me what's going on?"
"No!"
"Momma please?" Kathy Ann asked. She and her brother had their differences, but one thing she knew and had confidence in, anything having to do with persons like John Sykes messing with Shanna would be dealt with quickly.
"For once in your life, will you listen to what I'm saying to you and not override me!?" Gert turned snapping at Kathy Ann.
"Momma I love you, but this is about Shanna! Shanna should be the one to say what she wants." Kathy Ann returned.
"Well I wish you all wouldn't go on about me as if I'm not in the room! And Kathy Ann, I agree with momma." She finished softly.
Shawn looked at the three about to say something just as his father entered the kitchen from the back. His mother cut them all a look daring either of them to say anything with their father present. He wasn't feeling his best of late and she wasn't about to have him stressed over Shanna's future ex-husband harassing her. Bart had always been soft with his girls, overly protective of them, he was part of the reason his sons were so vicious when it came to shielding them, defending them. He was old fashion, a traditionalist of the old school who wouldn't hesitate to resort to taking matters into his own hands when it came to protecting the women within his, 'clan' or family. Shawn and Jake were the exact same. Derrick was more law abiding and a believer in the justice system and letting the law see to matters. Not Bart, if for a moment he believed one of his girls were in danger, he would be after John Sykes without hesitation.
"Didn't know you was here young man, where's your lass?"
"At home resting, we had court today which was postponed, so I took her home so she could rest a bit."
"Where's your youngin'?"