Authors: Mercedes Keyes
Shawn looked at Angela and winked at her, "We'll be right back okay? Help Mundo take care of Darren."
She nodded smiling and turned, walking back with Mundo, he immediately launched into being his funny self, making her laugh. He told her the funniest jokes that left her breathless and wanting more.
The two men walked, one older, the other younger, with Isaac swinging between them as he held their hand.
"So what are you planning?" Shawn asked as they strolled the short distance into the small town.
"For now... I just need a rest. I need time to clear my head. I don't know what I'm gonna do yet."
"Can I please ask that you not - jump - to the divorce solution?"
Victor was quiet not so quick to reply then finally said, "She's not gonna change."
"How is she with the boys? With other people?"
"She loves our boys. They aren't the problem with her, she's never abusive to them, her discipline might be a bit strict sometimes, but she doesn't abuse them. With other people, she's fine as well unless someone makes her angry, then she'll go off on them! Believe me, when she gets done, they won't make the mistake again. Its just me. There are times, when I think she hates me. She doesn't want me to tell her how anything should be done. She takes the smallest criticism from me as an insult. Anything I oppose or object to, she feels she has to defend, as if I'm saying she's stupid, or inept. She has mood swings, where she's quiet and won't talk to anyone. She has these crying spells where she can't stop and won't let me in to help her. Shawn... she wants to do everything ... now! She tries too hard to accomplish too much! And is scared to death of failure. She takes failing, personal... as if something is wrong with her. I've tried to tell her that she takes on too much, gets overwhelmed and then I get it... like today. She won't listen, she won't slow down, she won't ask for help. If it weren't for Mundo moving in with us, I think it would be worse. But she has him to hammer on, so she leaves me alone somewhat. He gets on her nerves. She feels that he should be like her, taking on the world and doing as much as you can, the best that you can. Anything less is unacceptable. I've felt sorry for him sometimes and told her, for goodness sake, leave him alone! Ooooh man..." Victor shook his head and suddenly started laughing.
"Man one time she was going off on both of us, she kicked my ass and his too!" He laughed because to think back on it was funny, although it hadn't been at the time. "There we both were, sitting outside on the porch, mad as could be, we looked at each other and busted out laughing. Because we both were looking rough... she's a trip - I've never met nobody like her... she is crazy as hell. I told Mundo... man can't you do anything with your sister?! And he said, "Hell - she yo' wife! What the hell!" Oh was that funny, so we got up, took the car, that made her even madder... and took off for the day, left her home alone."
He quieted as they turned up around the big curve that led to the right out of town or to the left into town.
Shawn was smiling and taking it all in.
"Are you still in love with her?"
"I don't know... to be honest with you... I don't know. I thought at first, that I could handle her. I thought all she needed, was some tlc. But - it goes deeper than that, tlc is only a band-aid that keeps coming off before the wound can heal. I've tried to just hold her down, just pin her to the bed until the rage passes, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It depends on what its about. I think she needs to be on medication... but that makes her angry for me to say that. I've tried Shawn... but she pushes me to the edge. I've hit her twice and its two times too many, I had no choice though, its like... she needs me to hit her or something. The two times that I did... the rage dissipated, she starting crying and apologizing and she was as sweet as could be for days. Its weird."
"You saying she pushes you to get you to hit her?"
"Nooo... its not that. She wouldn't appreciate me being unfairly rough or mean or... being a bully... but... something happens with her sometimes that she needs me to - be rough with her, she needs me to grab her, shake her and become the aggressor... once I do that, a calm comes over her. Like I said its weird."
"Maybe she's wanting you to become more assertive and put your foot down with her?" Shawn was fishing to understand.
"I've tried that... nope... she won't stand for it. I've tried everything, but I'm not gonna be living like that. I'm not going to have my sons all screwed up in the head watching us. I can't do it. I'm not a violent person, my parents aren't... I've never heard my mother yell or scream, she's raised her voice now and then, but I don't know. My father, I've never heard my dad raise his voice one time for that matter. I've never seen them fight, and their arguments are weird - with my mother doing all the talking. Hmmm -" He stopped thinking about that, then carried on, "... I met Crystal, and she wowed me. She was so exciting, electrifying, smart, dynamic and talented... with this burst of energy and fervor - that I was hooked. Look at her... when you look at her, the last thing you expect to see her do is rip someone to shreds - she looks soft, pretty, delicate ... but she can. She definitely has a split personality... and I can only handle one woman at a time ... I can't deal with two... especially two inside of one."
They were at the store; Victor saw his mother waiting for him in her car, as soon as she saw them she stepped out to meet them.
"Shawn, my mom - Natalie Prescott - mom... this is Shawn - he and Sylvia are engaged to be married Friday." Victor introduced them.
"Hey grandma! How you doin'?" Isaac greeted her, she picked him up and hugged him, "I'm just fine thank you. Hi, it's nice to meet you." She went from greeting her grandson to shaking Shawn's hand. Shawn figured she must be in her mid-fifties, very tall, close to six foot if not, her hair mixed heavily with gray hanging to her shoulders, very coarse hair with strands of brunette. She wore a long sweeping skirt, with a top that looked as if it came from the sixties and seventies... a hippy, a free thinking, liberal he was certain. She carefully took her sons jaw in hand, turning his face this way and that looking at him. She sighed, inspecting his injuries this time.
"Well ... nothing serious, perhaps just your pride. Hopefully you've had enough now to have learned your lesson?" She asked calmly. Victor pulled his face away from her hand, "Please, not now mother."
"Yes, I agree, we'll discuss it after we get your things and go home."
Shawn felt instant dislike.
"I think all children discard their parents advice and must venture into a world that all seems for the moment, exciting... but... its a different world, a different culture... its always best not to mix into it... I mean... look at the results. I'm just glad this is the worst that came of it, from this... you can recover. We'll just shake it off son, and put it behind us."
"Excuse me ma'am... but ummm, you shake off dust and waste-..."
"Emmm, exactly... although I will admit... she's better than most, she is at least trying to make something of herself - I will give her that. But - they can't change what they are." She put Isaac down. Shawn stood with his jaw clenched and clamped tight and had to ask, "And what is that exactly?"
Natalie could see the signs, choosing to close the discussion she went to her door and opened it and climbed into her car, "Come along son, I don't wish to waste precious time."
Victor's look to Shawn was full of apology, he knelt down and hugged his son, kissing him, telling him that he loved him and promised to see him later; stood and got into the car and waved at them as his mother pulled away in her Audi.
Shawn stood fighting down his resentment.
"I've been really good." Isaac said from below.
Shawn looked down and smiled, "Yep... you sure have been, come on then... lets go ride on the motorcycle." He picked him up and hefted him over his head onto his shoulders to sit, holding his ankles as Isaac cheered over his head, "YEAH! We gone ride the motorcycle!"
Sylvia stood in her front window looking out at the road. Looking out at Angela, watching Isaac and Darren as Shawn took Mundo for a ride on his motorcycle. She chuckled to herself, he was an overgrown kid himself. Shawn had been wonderful through this. He'd kept everyone outside, brought out both motorcycles, entertaining Mundo and Isaac with them, while taking each one for a ride. Angela had just gone and now he was off with Mundo, her son was so animated, she could only smile thinking about how his antics kept Shawn and Angela in stitches. She loved the sound of Shawn's laughter, to see him bent over with it.
Her daughter, it had taken her a great deal of effort to calm her down. To keep her from running after Victor, from driving off back to La Cross to catch him at the house and plead with him. Sylvia stood drained. She finally had to give Crystal something to relax her, she was now sleeping in her bed after crying herself to sleep. Sylvia had laid with her, held her and talked to her, knowing that she was too upset for any reasoning to penetrate, but finally her hiccups and sniffles had subsided and she was out cold. Sylvia turned from the window and went back to their room, carefully opening the door and looking in on her. She was snoring softly, sleeping hard. She stood staring at her, wondering what she was to do now? She pulled the door to and turned back to the kitchen hearing the motorcycle roar back into the yard across the road.
The kids should be getting hungry, and she set about preparing supper. She would talk Mundo and Crystal into staying the night, she didn't feel comfortable letting them leave after what had just taken place, and she was worried about her daughter. Going through her mind over and over was the desire to tell them to come and live with her and Shawn. Of course, Shawn had just rearranged the basement bedroom into his office so that took away one of her bedrooms. The sofa was a sleeper and a very comfortable one, Mundo could sleep there. She had blow up beds that the boys could sleep on, and maybe Angela wouldn't mind sharing her bed with Crystal, it was a queen size so there was enough room for both of them, that is - if she could talk Crystal into staying. She needed to ask Shawn as well, although she didn't think he would mind them being there for the night. Being a parent had its rewards as well as its downfalls. Sylvia realized once you had children, that was it. There was no such thing as them being grown and gone. It didn't work that way. Life, problems, baggage and drama always put mother smack dab back into the middle again. In this case, not their father, but Shawn.
In no time at all, Sylvia put together all three courses, making Spanish rice, refried beans, chopped steak for tacos, shredded her cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, and prepared soft, white meal and floured, tortillas; as well fresh taco sauce and fresh picante mix. With everything done, she stepped outside just in time to see Shawn's mother and sister pull into their driveway.
She went up to the Jeep. "Hi, nice surprise."
"We can't stay long honey, we just brought you your gown which is all cleaned and tailored." Gert said from her side of the Jeep as Shanna jumped out and opened her back door to pass it to Sylvia.
"Thank you so much... I really appreciate it. I'll take it into the house and hang it up, I got his ring back today, wanna see it? My daughter picked it up from the Jewellers, its beautiful." Sylvia asked.
"Sure... love to." Gert answered.
"You mind waiting here for me, she's sleeping in my bed and I don't wanna wake her... I'll bring it out for you two to see."
"No problem, we'll sit on the porch... it's beautiful out today."
When Sylvia returned, Shawn was standing by the porch talking to his mother and sister with Mundo there. Angela was sitting next to Shanna holding Darren who was nodding and barely able to keep his head up.
"Sylvia, I'm gonna take him in and lay him on my bed okay?" Angela asked.
"Sure... good idea, wash up while you're in, we'll be eating in a minute."
"Okay." She answered carrying Darren into the house.
Shawn looked down at her, "You okay?" He asked gently. She smiled up at him, "Yep... I'm fine... if you all want, you can go in and start eating, I'll be in shortly."
"What you cook mama?"
"Spanish tonight baby."
"Yes! I'm in there!" Mundo took Isaac's hand and headed for the side of the house toward the kitchen door, "Don't wake Crystal you guys... keep it down." She called, he nodded and went in.
"I'm gonna go in and serve these guys, Shanna... tomorrow... we'll get started on that... getting the land and things set up."
She nodded and smiled at her brother as he walked by Sylvia, stopping to kiss her temple and whisper, "I love you." And walked on into the house.
She turned back to them smiling and sat on the step below them and presented the box with his ring in it.
"Wow... now this set you back a bit." Gert exclaimed over the platinum and gold men's wedding band with a swirl slash that encased 6, 16th cut size diamonds within it.
"Yeah it did... but he's worth it and then some." Sylvia was glowing despite everything happening, she thanked God that she had Shawn now in her life and knew she would not have to deal with it all alone.
"So you're happy Sylvia? Everything is okay then?" Gert asked.
Sylvia sat for a moment taking the closed box back from Shanna after she looked at his ring, and held it for a moment and made up her mind.