BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (182 page)

"Who?!"

"You ain't no damn owl are you? Yeah, who goddammit!"

"Shit, let me get the list out the glove compartment!"

"You been keepin' a damn list?!"

"Screw it, I don't need a list, I can give you a few off the top of my head. Deidre's ex-husband; his sons; the white one and the black one; the terminal bag check guy at the airport in L.A. the security guard at the Madison airport; and the little Mexican back at the hotel."

Charlie stood grinning, "That Mexican was cute, shooot - you know what they say 'bout them Mexicans, they can get it on."

"Yeah - uh, thanks for that - as I said, teasing!"

"Harmless; just makin'em feel good."

"Well let's get something straight, you want me makin' you feel good, cease that bullshit asap!"

"See? See, naw naw, you talk too much. I ain't given you shit now. You should'ah just agreed with whatever I said, got you some and you would have been in, now, you back to square one! If - is now, not! You ain't gone be tellin' me what to do, no no sa', ain't gone work."

"Charlie, the fact that you're even considering it, openly, tells me, I don't have long now to wait. You know which room I'm in, just come knocking and the door will be opened to you. And Charlie, I will not disappoint, I don't serve up frustration - however, in order for you to know that, you'll have to come knocking. I'll see you tonight."

"I changed my mind. I told you, forget it."

"Tonight Charlie, tonight."

*

Angela and Mundo was in the studio with Shawn, helping him set everything up. They put all the signs on the doors, for the toilet room, the dressing room, the studios and the offices. They followed Shawn's direction on laying out all the things they brought back, and as they worked, Benjamin and Crystal showed up there. They also pitched in, helping get things organized where they could, all the while, noticing how quiet Shawn was. He was obviously preoccupied, with a lot on his mind. A few times he looked up at Ben, started to say something and then changed his mind. None of it went un-noticed. Finally Ben had to ask, "Is something wrong?"

Shawn was in the middle of making a list of office furniture that would be needed, including a desk for Ben's office, file cabinets, and a leased fish tank and fish. He wrote a few more things down and looked up at Ben. "Your mother called today, wanting to speak to Sylvia, wanting to apologize to me, to her."

"And, so - what happened?" He asked.

"I'm not buying it. I'm not biting. She took something from me, I can never get back, no - I'm not interested in her apology, thank you."

Ben sighed, looking to the side to see Crystal standing, listening. He turned back to Shawn, "I forgave her."

"You should, she's your mother - you owe her your life. I don't owe her shit. Especially when she knew all along, that you were mine. She had no right to keep you from me, none at all. It's going to take me a helluva long time to get past that one, I can tell you that right now. No way."

"Did you at least give her a chance to explain?"

"No, you know why Ben? I don't care. I don't want to hear her excuses, that she was young and all that other bullshit. Had you not taken it as far as you did, I still wouldn't know, you still wouldn't know - because she was unwilling to tell the truth. When it's all said and done, I owe you that money back that you spent to find out."

"No you don't - I needed to know, I paid for it. I'm not looking for anything back from you. Other than, for you to try at some point to come to terms with the way it is, and not hold it against her forever. She is sorry Shawn, she really is."

"Well you know what, good for her, she should be sorry."

"What did Sylvia say?"

"She forgave her of course! But I won't. Because of her, you are Quincy's son - Jake's son - when in truth, you are my son - but - you're not. There's something that should have grown between us, you and I over the years, had I been the man that raised you; however, I wasn't, so that special something won't be there. She had no right to take that away from me, and I feel that I could easily damn her to hell for it."

"Shawn, everybody makes mistakes, even you."

"That was not a mistake Ben, that was a deliberate act! She made a conscience decision to cut me out of your life - for whatever reasons she's using to justify it. So what, I'm suppose to just sit back and smile, say, Ohhh, don't worry about it Christine - no biggie, I forgive you, let's forget all about it? No chance, she had you, everyone else had you, I missed out on that, I'm not letting it go, until I fuckin' feel like letting it go! I don't wanna talk about it anymore. Shit's put me in a bad mood. Drop it."

Ben had little choice, he couldn't get mad at him over it, because he was more than certain, had it been him, he might have felt the same. In a strange kind of way, it brought a feeling of gladness to his heart, because it did mean a great deal to him to have him as his son. Knowing that, made him feel more and more as if he belonged, despite his words of him being Quincy's son, Jake's son; he fully understood what he meant by that.

"Why don't you go check out some furniture for your office?" Shawn calmed down slightly to suggest.

"Yeah, I think I will - I have some pictures that I took to get ready for a friend of mine, it would be nice to process them here."

"Well head out, and when you find what you're looking for, give me a call, I'll purchase it as business expense to reclaim later."

"I'll do that." He turned to Crystal, "Wanna go with me?"

"I can't, the boys, besides, Victor may be coming by later."

He nodded, said his goodbyes and headed out.

Crystal sighed, looking at Shawn, and decided to go back across the way, check on the boys, talk to her mother. Angela joined her, leaving Mundo there with Shawn. He walked in the door, stood there watching Shawn choose which paintings he would hang, and which to keep in the back.

"Shawn, can I say something?" Mundo asked.

He turned nodding, "Of course, that goes without saying."

"I completely understand what you was saying to Ben, and you right, but - him just knowing that, that you are his father, goes a long way. Hearing you say what you just did, that's got to go a long way too. You have to appreciate that dad, because you and him have something I will never have - not with my real father. He never cared about being my father, and I wished to God, he hadn't been. If you hadn't stepped into the picture, I can't even say where I'd be right now - I don't know. You know what I'm sayin'? Let's say that Ben and I, are two empty glasses, and you're the healthy drink. If you'd have been here for Ben, you could have slowly, dripped into his glass over the years, until he was full. Instead, someone else filled his glass - one drip at a time. But the good thing about life, you have to take a drink along the way to cope, you know? So now, when he takes a drink, there's room for more. Now that you two are together, you can add your bit in there, so really, it's not too late. Just like with me, my glass was empty, with no man around to drip in a bit at a time over the years. And then, you came along, saw my glass was empty, you didn't drop in a bit, you opened up all your good stuff and just poured until my glass was full. That means a lot Shawn - more than you can know. I know I'm not as important to you as Ben, 'cause he's-..."

"Hold it hold it hold it - you had me, hook line and sinker until that last bit. You were on course, speaking such wisdom and intelligence, I was like, wow - listen to him. Then, you went and spoiled it at the end. Your mother Mundo, is my heart and soul - she was meant to be mine, from the start. I know that as I know the color green when I see it. Everything connected to her, everything that has come to be because of her, I am connected to as well - it is impossible for me to say those things about that woman, without looking at you, at your sister, and feeling the exact same way. I should have been your father, but then you would be different from the man you are now. And you know what, I happen to love you Mundo, just the way you are. You do not mean less to me, than Ben. It's simply not true and I don't want to ever hear you say it, again."

Mundo smiled, nodding, "Cool, if you say so - I won't."

"Let's close up here for now, get back across the road, see what's going on for food."

"I'm up for that."

When they entered the basement, it was to see Sylvia waving a newspaper at Crystal, asking her, "That's all he had to say about this? Nothing else?"

Crystal was leaning back against the counter, hands braced behind her, shaking her head, quiet.

"What's going on now?" Shawn asked, noticing the paper.

Sylvia looked over at him, and then tossed the paper on the table, "I take it you haven't read the paper today?" She asked him.

"No, why? What's in it?"

"Read it for yourself, it's open to the article." Sylvia invited him. She looked at her daughter, all of a sudden not so sure anymore about anything with Victor. They were all quiet as Shawn found what they were talking about and read it. Halfway through it, his expression began to change, and it wasn't a good one. A moment later, his eyes slowly rolled up from the article to Crystal.

"Have you read this Crystal?"

She nodded.

"You talked to Victor today?"

"Yeah."

"So what did he say?"

"Nothing really, I asked him about it, and he said, why did I think he did it."

"Why do you think? That's all, why do you think?"

"Yeah."

"Well I know what I think, I think he did it because he's an irrational, self-centered, subdued psychopath! Crystal, he went too far! He went beyond what was his right to do! I mean come on, what kind of son sets his own parents home on fire, after storming onto the scene, drunk out of his mind, raging in violence? Does that not make you feel just a bit uncomfortable, knowing he's capable of something like that?!" He asked briskly.

Crystal swallowed, nervous - because it did bother her that he could be that out of control.

Shawn looked from Crystal to Sylvia, "What do you think? Think I'm overreacting about this too?" He gesture with the paper, slapping the back of his hand against it.

"No, I'm still reeling from it to be honest with you."

"Reeling because you know, that if he can go this far off on his own mother, the woman who gave birth to him, what does that make him capable of doing to Crystal if she should go too far, if she should do something he doesn't like!"

Sylvia couldn't argue with him on that one, not at all, because it was very close to the very thought that she had when she read it. She looked at Crystal. "Does Victor have a bad temper Crystal?" She had to ask her.

"Yes, but - he's never directed it at me. Not like that. I mean, he fights a lot. But Shawn, so do you."

"Yes I do, to defend my family, to protect my family, or in self-defense! But at no time ever in my life, in my mind, in my being, could I ever imagine, my mother doing anything to me, that would make me retaliate towards her like this! It's not done! You can tell your mother what you feel. You can tell your mother, what's her business and what's not. You can prohibit her from interfering in your life - to the point of even staying away from her if necessary - if she refuses to get the point. In this case, this went that far because he allowed it to! She did to you, to him, what he allowed! Now, here he is, going from 0 miles an hour to 100 within an afternoon! Fuelled by alcohol at that! Oh no no no, it's a good thing you're divorced! He's completely out of balance! Is he coming here this afternoon?"

"Yes, but papah-Shawn, I don't want you to say anything to him." Crystal pleaded.

"What?!" Shawn blurted in disbelief.

"Like you said, we're divorced. I'm doing what you advised, to stay here and chill, give myself time. I'm gonna follow that advice, but I don't want you jumping on him, threatening him."

"Are you still in love with him?"

"No! It's not that! I just - please - I'm here, I'm home - all is fine, just let me handle it from now on, okay?"

"In other words, stay out of it?" He asked, obviously not liking the idea.

"I don't wanna put it that way papah-Shawn, I know you're only protecting me, but I'm okay. I can handle him."

"Crystal Bella..." Shawn walked up close to her, looking her straight in the eyes, "... I don't think - even you - know him, not really. Should he somehow, come out of a new bag on you, I don't think you're going to be able to handle it - at all. You think you're tough, but you're just a little girl compared to him. He is a man, and he is much stronger than you, and I'm telling you this now, in front of your mother, in front of Mundo, in front of my own daughter who is sitting at that table - if he ever puts his goddamn hands on you, goes off, or hits you, God take his soul, because his ass is mine! And I don't care if you never speak to me again, Crystal Bella; that I will live with but not with anyone hurting you again - no no no! So you handle it, while you can - but if things get out of control, you know what to expect."

He backed away, everyone in the room was quiet. Crystal felt her guts twist, she felt like a little girl before Shawn, powerless, like a daughter blocking her father from tearing a guy apart whom he considered a threat to her. Part of her wanted him to just leave it alone, but there was a part as well, that made her feel good knowing, she was protected. "I need to go check on the boys." She murmured low to him, as if asking for permission to leave the room.

"Go on, I'm done, I've said all I have to say, for now."

She turned and rushed up the stairs, soon a wide eyed Angela followed her up.

Shawn turned to Mundo, "Go mix some music."

"I was just - just now - fixin'ta do just that." He made his way up the stairs.

Shawn turned to Sylvia.

"Hear me loud and clear on this - Victor is out! I don't even want her reconsidering him. I don't trust him. Do you hear what I'm saying?"

"Why are you saying this to me Shawn? I cannot force her, can I? All I can do is talk to her, which is what I was doing when you came in."