BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (17 page)

"I think you got your work cut out for you, that's what I think." Gert started out right away.

"Yeah, well, that's if I get it. And I really want it. Dad? What do you think?"

"Been walkin' around the property, that's one helluva tree back behind that house."

"I know, it was the first thing that grabbed me about this place."

"You been into any of the out buildings?" Bart asked.

"No, just around the house, inside of it. Have you been inside the house?"

"We have, mighty impressive. That barn over there, you know it has a tracker in there? Other farming equipment as well. Most of it needs cleaning up, repairing, but its all in there. That old Volkswagen there, another fixer upper. And an old truck on the side, the rest of this, just junk."

"I haven't had time to really look around the place, but ... I really want it, as is. You know dad, I can make this property shine."

"Yeah, well ... that's what your mom and I figured after spending an hour here this morning. We had a talk, then left and contacted the title office who gave us the name of the son whose hands it passed into. We called him up, I had a nice talk with him and uh, well ... considering how long it takes property to sell around here, how long it could just sit here, especially looking as it does, we came to an agreement. When I quoted him a price for it, he was only too willing to take it. So, my son, by proxy ..." Bart turned beside Jake, looking at the house, "... you are now proud owner all of you see. Make it shine. Its a gift from your mom and I. Your money is untouched."

Gert walked up to him, unfolding her arms, smiling, she handed him the manila envelope she'd been holding. "In here, is the title by proxy. We've paid for it, including the taxes on it for the year. There's more paperwork to be filed, but this land, the house ... its officially yours son. Congratulations! Now you can use your money, to fix'er up."

Jake stood staring back and forth from his father to his mother, then at a grinning Shanna. She was so happy for him, she was waiting for his reaction.

He couldn't believe that they'd done that for him, especially not his father, he looked at him, in the eyes, "Why? Why'd you do this?"

Bart felt uncomfortable with the question, but truth was, he felt guilty. He felt that he owed it to him.

"You gettin' married aren't you? Gettin' your life in order; every good turn, deserves another. This is your chance, to well, make something right of yourself. Got a good girl, just need to set your date, get it done. Now, you've got a home to bring her to... not like this of course, but ... you got what it takes to make this right. I may not have been over you, like I was the other two, but you learned. Fact is, somehow, you about the best out the three of you. So ... that's why."

"And we love you son!" Gert added, "We just want what's best for you Jacob. Aren't you happy?"

Jake looked down from his father, who could not hold eye contact with him for some reason, to his mother, he smiled. "Of course I'm happy! I'm over the moon! Wow! I can't believe it, so you sure its mine?"

"We wired him the payment, he received it, and right away, we received the proxy sign over of the property. Its all yours, every acre around here." Gert assured him.

"Wow! Now you're really sure about paying for it? I mean, I can pay you back."

"Jacob Patrick ... you got work to do, no sense in wasting time asking us about a deed that's now done." His father stated.

"Jacob Patrick McPherson! You are now a land owner! Owner of this magnificent castle! Is that the best that you can do to show your appreciation?!" Shanna asked with her hands on her hips.

Jake reeled back laughing and let out a mighty, "YI-I-I-I-HAAAA! Home sweet Home! Come on little sister, let me show you what I got planned!" He strode off from his parents, grabbing Shanna by the hand leading her towards the house.

Gert looked up at Bart. "Thank you, for this. He needed this."

"I just hope you're right. That this is the turning point for him. That he marries that girl and settles down. Time will tell, time - will tell."

Chicago/Wisconsin

"He probably thought that shit was funny! I would've been beatin' his ass until I got too tired to swing! Anything could have been in that water pistol! His sick ass could have put acid in there! Bleach! Any one of toxic chemicals out there! See, you know what he doing don't you? He harrassing yo'ass! Bring charges against him, Vivian!" Sheila pressed. They were in her basement, Monday evening, Vivian had come straight there from work, upset and telling Sheila what had happened as soon as she entered the door.

"For spraying me with a water pistol?" She cried out, still upset over it even though it was over.

"Vivian! He scared the living shit out of you! He came into your place of work, making it out that he was going to kill yo'ass! Bring charges against him! Don't let him get away with that shit!"

"Oh yeah! Which only prolongs the time I have to spend thinking about him, being bothered with him! I just want him to leave me alone!"

"Well obviously he's not into respecting your wishes."

Vivian sighed, looking up at Sheila, about to cry, "I love you, Sheila."

Sheila immediately turned to puddy sitting next to her pulling her into her arms. "Baby girl, I love you too. Why you crying?"

"Because, because he scared me so bad, that I ... I put in my final notice at work. 2 weeks notice." She confessed looking at Sheila.

"Oh ... I see. Relocating, huh? To Wisconsin?"

Vivian sniffed nodding her head, "I held off, as long as I could. But ... life is short. I could have died today. That could've been a real gun and he could have ... pulled the trigger. I thought I was gonna die Sheila, I thought I was dead, that it was all over. Everything gone! Right then, right when it was happening, all I wanted ... was Jake."

"Don't cry. Its not the end of us, is it?"

"But it's been you, me and Sylvia forever. Then she left and it was just you and I. You're like my older sister, much more than a best friend, what we have, is beyond that, and I don't know ... I can't stand the thought of just going there, leaving you."

"Aaaah sweety. That's life. I don't want you to go either, but ... that's where your man is."

"I tried so hard to get him to come here. I mean, we have a place here, a nice place in Ms. Martin's basement. We don't even have a place to live there, except with his sister, or his parents. But ... I don't know. I just don't know. I mean, it's not like we're married yet or anything. Maybe I'm rushing and making a decision based on fear, you know?"

"Vivian, you can't be like that girlfriend. You wearing his ring. You've pretty much accepted life with him on his terms. I'm gonna tell you something; you need to hear this, as much as I love you, and you know I do, if Dennis were to get a job someplace else, far from here ... away I go. Which means leaving you behind."

"Well of course, Sheila! You've been married to the man forever! You have kids, a life together that's already established. So naturally you would have to do that."

"Yeah, but Vivian, we started out with a beginning just as you and Jake have a beginning. And back then, in that beginning, I would have to leave you. That's what a woman does, follows her man. Jake is your man. I'm not gonna bullshit you, because you know me. Dennis will always come before you. Dennis for me, will come before anybody. Jake, for you ... should come before anybody. Nobody should mean more to you, than that man. Not even me. Not if you planning to spend the rest of your life with him. Not if you planning on marrying him. Now that's just the truth. I don't like the fact that we won't be able to see each other everyday, the way we're used to.; but look, we got telephone. We have the Internet. And shit, we only a four and a half hour drive! I can come there, and you two will be coming here, after all, he does have that place here."

Vivian sat back on the sofa, legs pulled up folded before her, chin resting on her raised knee. She sniffed, feeling like a young girl that suddenly must face that marriage means leaving all of what she's known, for the unknown. "You're right." She admitted after a moment.

"Of course I am, shit, I'm always right." Sheila grinned. The phone was ringing, she rose to answer it. Dennis and the boys were gone to buy them new bikes as he promised them the previous year.

"Hello? You got the Johnson's baby ... what can I do for you?"

"Hey, Sheila, it's me, Jake ... my lil'girl there?"

Sheila turned holding the phone smiling, looking at Vivian, who sat up gazing at her. "Yes, your lil'girl here. How you doing?"

"Great! Fantastic in fact! I called to Ms. Martin's, thinking she'd be at home, I should have known to ring there first."

Sheila laughed, "Yeah, if she's not at home, you can pretty much bet, this would be the next place, here ... here she is." Sheila was smiling, walking to Vivian, she handed her the phone and turned to go upstairs, her kitchen was waiting to be cleaned up.

Vivian took the phone, her heart going like crazy to speak with him, "Hi baby." Her voice was tiny, hurt, not her usual self. Jake felt it instantly, something was wrong, and said so, "What's wrong? What's going on?" He questioned on guard. He was at Shawn's and Sylvia's, in the basement. Paul was there with him cooking him dinner, or rather, burning it. Waiting for her answer, he stood, walked outside, opening the basement door so the smoke could go out.

"Missing you, that's all."

"Bullshit, what's wrong?!" He asked again, standing outside, against the fence, lighting up a cigarette.

"I - miss - you. That's all. I ah, put in my final notice at work today. Two weeks notice."

"Fuckin' hell, now I know there's something wrong! I figured I'd have to threaten you, hogtie and drag you here to get you to finally do that and you mean to tell me, you've done it and voluntarily? I don't believe that, I know you too well. You're too used to your independence to give it up without a struggle; no way in hell! So come clean, what's happened? Don't fuckin' make me have to drive down there! I'm gonna be working overtime, putting in a lot of hours as well other things. I can't be running up and down this fuckin' highway about you, trying to find out what's going on, but you know I fuckin' will! Like your father says, you know me! Now what happened?"

Tears were rolling now, to hear his voice, to hear his gruff demeanor, to hear his protectiveness about her. She wished that he could just jump on the highway and be there now. Right then, once more, she realized why she needed to give up her job, Chicago, Sheila. Her life was now different, altered. Changed and altered to her very core. She needed him, and because she refused to go with him, they were miles apart; when she needed him to be there more than ever and there was no one to blame for the distance but herself.

"I'm waiting and you're starting to fuckin' scare me."

"I'm sorry. I'm just in a mood babe, you know, my period and everything. You know how weepy women can be at that time of the month. I was sitting here, talking to Sheila, telling her how much I would miss her when I go there. It's just made me feel a bit down. Now that you're on the phone, hearing your voice, makes me realize ... how badly, I wanna be with you."

Jake sighed, softened. "Ah sweetheart, that's why I tried to get you to come back with me." He drawled low, sounding like his father, concerned.

"I know, I know. I've put in my notice at work, so, two weeks will be over in no time."

"Yes it will. Besides, Paul, Kevin and I will be up there this weekend. We have a roof to repair."

"A roof?" She asked, smiling. "Whose roof?"

"There's an old man that lives near the last place you left, he got a raw deal on a roofing and gutter job, scammed basically. Paul's out to save the world you see. So we're coming down there to fix that. I think when we come back, I'll be bringing more of your things with me, so we're not bogged down with a lot for the final weekend."

"That's a good idea."

"I love you Vivian Cooke, you know that? I really love you. And uh, I wasn't going to tell you about it yet, but I can't help it, I have to. We uh, have a home now."

"What? A home? We have a home?" She sat up alert.

Jake was laughing so excited about it, "Yes! We, you and I, have a home. Get this, it is also, on eight and a half acres of land."

"We have land? Eight and a half acres of it? Where?" She was starting to get excited now.

"Walking distance from Sylvia & Shawn, from my sister. And, using the back roads, thirty minutes drive from my parents!"

"But how? When? Can we afford it?"

"It's already ours! Full, clear, no monthly payments, just taxes! Just home owners insurance when we're done with it."

"Oh my goodness! I don't understand, I mean, you just left here, it doesn't work that fast!"

"Hey baby, it does when you're a McPherson. My parents really want you and I, to have a nice start. When I came back yesterday, Royce told me about some property that became available because the old man that owned it passed away. He took me and the boys by there, to look it over."

"Okay, and what's it like?"

"Big!"

"Big? Wooooo! I like big! I can do big! Big as in like what for instance? How big? Whose place would you compare it to?"