Authors: Mercedes Keyes
"Come on... don't be like that... it'll be okay. Its only because I want to protect you. I can't imagine letting anything happen to you. Anyone hurting you, it would make me crazy Sylvie... I need to feel as though my family is safe, against whatever... against whomever." He kissed her cheek, she lifted her head from his shoulder and their lips touched softly, then again, and again, tasting, inhaling and feeling close.
"I love you so much." He inhaled deep murmuring low against her mouth. "I love you too Shawn." She whispered back, rapping her arms around him as they sat for countless moments, smooching and enjoying being close and in love.
*
"Okay... that's it... questions anyone?" Shawn asked leaning against the pool table before all present, that would be Mundo, Crystal, Victor, Angela, Isaac and Darren and of course Sylvia all sitting comfortably as he explained his desire to get a gun. Making them aware that his permit had come through and he was in fact going to get one as soon as everyone that was important was made aware of it. He also emphasized the importance that now - everyone should be cautious. If for whatever reasons, they needed to just show up at night, to make sure they used their cell phone to ring them, wake them and let them know they were there to be let in.
"Well what if I lose my cell phone and can't ring you?" Mundo asked.
"Then knock on the dough! DUH!" Crystal returned shaking her head. "You know the old fashion way of getting into somebody's house. Knock knock knock - Who's there? - Its me! - Oh, well come on in! - You know what I'm talking about right? That might be where all the knock knock jokes come from? You think?"
"Sis, you could be a comedian, only problem... you ain't funny!!" Mundo blasted back who was laughing at him, "You sittin' on my lap playin' a dummy, that would be funny! Oh wait... you wouldn't be playin' though would you?!"
"Mama you see how she get? See what I have to put up with? Its Negro women like her, that make a brother wanna escape!"
"Boy you ain't in prison...
yet
- you can leave!"
"Yeah and when you ain't gettin' that fi'ty a week to spend... see how you feel then."
"Oh - would you two - stop it already! Good grief! Do you two have to get into it all the time!?" Sylvia stopped them as Shawn leaned laughing at them. He enjoyed them, it brought back memories of he and Jesse; yeah they were being petty with each other, but it was to be expected between brother and sister, he suspected they enjoyed this kind of banter, they did it enough.
"It ain't me mama! It's yo' daughta' - she got problems, the girl has issues! And I think they all mental!" Mundo defended.
"You sho' right my issue is mental... that would be you, Mr. mentally lacking!" Crystal blurted. "And anyway... back to the subject, I don't see what the big deal is to be honest with you. So what - you gettin' a gun." Crystal stated matter of fact.
"So you have no objections to that with the boys coming here?" Shawn asked.
"No! Just put it away safe so they can't get to it. They know better anyway, I have a gun."
"Crystal?! You have a gun!?" Sylvia blasted in disbelief.
"I sure do... and both of them know, even though Darren is a baby... he ain't crazy. I don't play when it comes to that. I keep it put up so they can't get to it of course, but they know I have it... and Isaac has seen it and we've had our little discussion which I continue to have with him about it when the need arises and he knows - I'm not playin' with him about it."
"Why do you need a gun Crystal?"
"Mama why you think? Crazy butt people! Victor went from that swing shift to working nights full time, its just me and the boys in the house alone. I'm not gonna lie to you, I get scared sometimes, if somebody comes up in there with me and my boys... they eat bullets... no ifs, ands or butts about it. My friends know... they coming there, they better call first - or as the commercial puts it...
'Phone first'
... because at night, I lock the house up and I'm studying and the boys are in bed, and you better believe I have it ready." She admitted.
"Where's Mundo? And Crystal this is not Chicago or Milwaukee, or New York." Sylvia pointed out.
"Mama... what does that have to do with it? People are getting broke into all the time in La Crosse, have you been watching the news? And Mundo is out clubbing most nights, so I can't rely on him." Crystal was speaking seriously, dropping her bantering slang. "I'm telling you now... if they come in on me... its all over. Shawn has the right idea as far as I'm concerned. That's just the way I feel... and you were in this house by yourself mama for so long, I'm surprised no one ever tried to mess with you, just 'cause its a little small town of white folks and farmers, that doesn't mean anything. Man mama you don't know how that use to scare me, I don't know how many times I lay up worrying about you here alone ... all I could think before I went to sleep is,
'Lord... don't let nothing happen to my mama in that house all by herself.'
" Crystal eyes watered up just thinking about it, she always came off rough and tough to persons that knew her, but when it came to her mother and her children, nothing shook her and made her more protective or defensive.
Sylvia felt her own eyes grow moist with her daughter admitting her fears for her, she was so glad that she never shared with them what happened with Ray Olivetti and his attack... it was the right thing to keep it to herself. Her babies, they were all grown up and off into their own lives, but for so much of their lives, all they had was her. She did everything in her power to be available for her children, because she was so very protective of them. Even when she had to work, her job understood that she could only work after they were dropped off at school, and she was done when it was time for them to get out of school, she was there before the bell rang. The area they'd come from in Chicago had not been a nice one. The school they were forced to attend left much to be desired. She suffered constant fears of something happening to her children, fears of them being chosen for an after school fight. Nope, she was there standing by the door for them, gathering them up and straight into the old Chevy wagon she once drove. Those were the days when they were poor and struggling all the time. Counting every dollar down to the penny. Her babies were her life, and now they seem to take on the role of looking after her, fearing for her. She looked up at Shawn, there was a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite decipher. She turned to Victor... he was mighty quiet.
"What about you Victor - what do you think?"
"I think - it doesn't matter what I think. I just come along to show my face from time to time." He stated staring at his wife's back. Crystal bit into her tongue, ignoring the deliberate jab, she was not going to get into an argument here in front of her mother and Shawn. But she would give him a piece of her mind for showing this in front of them. Shawn and Sylvia looked at each other and then at Victor, they didn't need to hear any more to know something was not right with Crystal and Victor.
"Well you are their father Victor... so you have a say as well." Sylvia pressed.
"Excuse me Sylvia, I don't mean any disrespect to you, but I learned a long time ago, I don't have shit to say on anything! Long as I go to work, bring her my pay, and accept the way she lays it all out, everybody's happy... well some of us."
"Oh man here we go... Angela, Isaac, come on lets go outside." Mundo stood and gathered the kids, picking Darren up to take them outside just as Crystal stood up and turned to Victor who had been leaning against the back wall by the fire place.
"Oh no you did not just stand there and bring up our problems in front of my mother and Shawn... oh no you did not!"
"You know what Crys', I'm gonna tell you now, I would have to stand here and talk for the next six months straight to get out all of our problems! I'm just telling it the way I feel!"
Sylvia sat with her mouth covered in disbelief as she looked at them arguing, she couldn't believe it, for some reason she thought they were doing okay.
"Umm, Victor... look man, maybe this is not a good time."
"You know what Shawn, it'll never be a good time! Not ever!"
"If you have a problem Victor, why you wanna wait until we get to my mother's house to start airing it?!" Crystal demanded.
"Because at home, I'm too busy defending myself! Blocking blows, scratches and punches from you!"
"What?!" Sylvia stood with her heart pounding, looking from Victor to her daughter. "What the heck is going on here?!" She asked unable to believe what she was hearing.
"Your daughter has a serious problem man... and I'm getting tired of it! Every time we get into an argument, she'll haul off and slap me! I'm gonna tell you now why I don't come here Sylvia, because half the time, I have to let my lip heal, or my eye heal or somewhere on my face heal from her attacking me!"
Crystal felt rage surge through her and rushed to attack him then, hurt and humiliated that he would tell her mother in front of Shawn what she'd been doing. He saw her coming at him, flying in a rage, tired of it, accepting, he spread his arms as if Jesus on the cross, opening himself up to her to do her worse. She went straight for his face, a slap punch to his cheek with her right, and grabbing him by his hair with her left, in a rage.
"NO YOU DON'T... HELL NO... LET HIM GO!!! I SAID LET HIM GO!!! NOW DAMMIT! CRYSTAL DO YOU HEAR ME TALKING TO YOU!!" Sylvia tried to get between them as Crystal was screaming and yanking on him, snatching a hand full of his hair, punching him in the face and neck. Shawn rushed over afraid for Sylvia, "CALM DOWN... WHAT ARE YOU DOING... WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!!!" Shawn shouted trying to block her blows from Victor who was taking it for a moment, then his anger too lit, it was the last straw.
"LET ME GO! CRYSTAL - SWEAR TO GOD, YOU DON'T LET ME GO... I'M GONNA PUNCH THE FUCK OUT OF YOU RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR MOTHER!!!"
"GO FOR IT... GO FOR IT... I DON'T GIVE A SHIT... HIT ME ASSHOLE!!"
Sylvia grabbed her daughters arm, as Shawn put his body between Crystal and Victor, squeezing her wrist, "LET GO OF HIS HAIR CRYSTAL!!!" He shouted at her, she let go and her mother shoved her as hard as she could.
"GET UP STAIRS NOW... I MEAN RIGHT NO-O-O-OW!!!" Sylvia shouted making eye contact with her, daring her to cross her.
Crying, Crystal turned and ran towards the stairs, Sylvia rushed behind her, her heart pounding, her temples throbbing.
Shawn was stunned as Victor wiped at his bleeding nose. His face was red, his blonde hair standing up. He reached up and stroked it back. "Why don't you go in the bathroom and wash your face, splash it with some cold water."
"Naaaw man, I'm gettin' out of here. I'm done... it's over dude... it's over. I can't take the shit no more. I'm a fucking man... know what I'm saying? I go to work, and I bring my money home... I pay the bills and if I make comment on anything, show any displeasure, or push it too far... I gotta deal with her attacking me. I don't wanna have to hit her, but there have been times, when I've had to hit her to get her off of me. Ask Mundo what I go through with her, her own brother argues with her about how she is... I don't know what her problem is... but I'm done!"
"Just calm down first-..."
"I don't need to - to calm down man..." Tears gathered in Victor's eyes and started to roll, "There are my goddamn sons... watching their dad get the fuck kicked out of him by their mother... what kind of shit is that!?"
"I don't mean to seem insensitive... but... were you guys fighting last night when Angela was over?"
"No! We weren't... I worked third shift, got off this morning, tried to lay down and get some sleep when I was told to take a short nap because I was coming here, she doesn't like it that I don't show my face enough. Well... here I am."
"How long has this been going on?" Shawn asked as Victor stood, clearing more blood from his upper lip.
"Too long, too goddamn long! Look man... I need to wash my face, excuse me." Victor walked off toward the downstairs bathroom.
Shawn took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair, clasping them above his head. "Armundo Payne... you fucking asshole, look what you've done to your daughter... look what you've done to her - you sonofabitch ... be glad you're dead!" Shawn shook his head, feeling sorry for Victor and Crystal as well. She had a serious case of snap rage. Shawn suspected it was psychological and chemical. He'd seen it before and knew she needed to see a doctor for it. He wondered if Sylvia realized that? Of course he knew it wasn't all just that, it ran deeper than the obvious, there was no way that Sylvia was to blame for that. Shawn glanced up towards the ceiling of the basement, he could hear Sylvia shouting from down there. Sylvia didn't need this stress right now, not while she was pregnant, but he had to leave her alone on this one. Fighting with everything in him to stay out of it, he went into the room he'd made into his office to do a few things waiting for Victor to come out of the bathroom, that room sat directly below their bedroom, so he could almost make out what they were saying, he imagined that Victor could hear them in the bathroom as well.
"I cannot believe what I just saw! I cannot believe - you rushed across that room and attacked that man! Have you lost all sense of
everything
?!
What is wrong with you
!?" Sylvia slammed her bedroom door shouting at her right away. Crystal stood across the room on the other side of the bed staring at her mother with tears still running from her eyes, unable to speak.