BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (214 page)

"Yeah, see you later."

When she climbed in the SUV, Shawn was looking at him standing in the doorway, "What in the hell, do you see in him?!" He had to ask.

She was buckling up, surprised that for once, she hadn't a clue of how to answer that, so lied instead, "I love him Shawn."

"You poor baby, you've got a long way to go if you believe that."

They pulled off.

*

Just earlier...

Ben went back to his grandparents, hoping to get to his room before they saw the state of him, shirt torn, stretched out of shape, lip swollen and bruised. His back was really starting to hurt, getting more sore and tender - burning as the welts dried and tightened. It just so happened he lucked out, they were gone, leaving a note for him - that they'd all gone by Jake's house. The inspectors were there looking things over, they wanted to be present. For that he was grateful. In his room, he took his shirt off turning to look at his back in the mirror. The welts were red and burning, trickles of blood from each, one in particular had bled down his back.

He stood in the shower, fighting the urge to cry out loud, the shower spray and heat made his back burn and hurt even more but he took it. He wasn't angry about it, accepting his mother's reasons for hitting him as she did, in fact, that was the last thing on his mind. His mind was occupied by all the what if's and possibilities of what his brother might have said to Crystal. He was still dying to know - just how bad was the damage he'd done? The thought of it all, made his stomach hurt again, making him want to cry. Out of the shower, he dried off, including his back as best he could, dressed and pointed himself back towards the studio. Parking out front, he was glad to see that the majority of all the trucks and machinery were gone, or at least out of his way. Thankfully, it was after five, so there would be some peace there now. Stepping from the car, he stood a moment - trying to decide what to do, but the aching was taking over his ability to focus, he turned crossing the road heading into the garage, out the back door that was now there to lead to the deck, and down to the basement door, knocking once he entered the vestibule.

"Who is it?" Sylvia called out, making her way to the door.

"Me, Ben, can I come in?"

She was there, unlocking the door to let him in, "Hi sweety, wasn't sure if you'd..." She paused staring at his face, "...you been fighting again, Ben?" She asked closing the door behind him as he moved into the basement. His broad shoulders seemed a bit more stiffer than usual with his back drawn inward as if he was trying to keep it from touching his shirt.

He turned, smiling, "Yeah - kind'ah. Where's everyone at?" He asked, the house was quiet around him.

"Mundo has Angela, Sasha & Joseph - they'll be out for a few more hours, they're doing a movie, then hitting Chucky Cheeses'. Shawn's gone to his anger management meeting, left ten minutes ago. I'm cooking and ah - Isaac and Darren are with Vivian and Jake across the road, they'll be back in a bit."

Hearing the mention of Isaac and Darren, his expression changed, eyes went wide, "She's, she's back?"

Sylvia felt so sorry for him, all she could do was shake her head, "No Ben, Shawn tried. But, he talked her into giving up the kids for a bit, so they're here."

"I see." He paused in thought, rolling his father's hazel blues back up to meet Sylvia's dark ones, he softly asked, "How long, will they be here?"

"For a while, why?"

"Can I - please - spend time with them? Please? Even if a little time? Whatever rules you lay out, I'll follow, we always have so much fun together, and they're so funny." he smiled, remembering things they'd said and done when he had them.

Sylvia wasn't sure, and then thinking of Isaac, "I'll tell you what, when Crystal and Victor aren't coming for them, I don't see any harm in them enjoying you, and they do, enjoy being with you Ben, in fact, Isaac has been asking for you already."

His smile brightened, eager to see them, eager to see the look on their faces when he snuck up on them surprising them. "I really appreciate that, like I said, whatever you say, I'll go along with - even if the time can only be spent here."

"It's a deal!" She chirped brightly, "You gonna join us for dinner?" She asked walking away towards the kitchen.

"Sure, if it's okay with you."

"Benjamin, don't be crazy boy, if I cook, and you here, it's time to eat, simple as that."

"Thanks, ah Sylvia - you ah - got any medication cream of any kind, like, for burns, cuts, abrasions?"

She glanced back over her shoulder surprised by the request, and then searching her home in her mind, "Yep - do. You needing it now?"

"Yes please."

"Follow me." She led him upstairs, into their bedroom, and then the bathroom, "I have all kinds of antibiotic creams and ointments, some for diaper rashes, those are the best." She explained, getting it from the top of the medicine cabinet, turning to him with the large tube.

He sighed, resigned with what he was going to have to ask, "I - can't apply it Sylvia, if you don't mind, would you?" He stood blushing.

She quirked a brow, grinning, "Hmmm, um - where exactly you need it applied?" She asked if fearful.

He chuckled at the look on her face, "Be rest assured kind lady, no where indecent, unless - my bare back offends you?"

"Your back, huh?"

"Yes."

"I can handle your back, have a seat. What'd you do, work with your shirt off, got a sunburn?" She asked.

He sat on the closed toilet lid, crossing his arms, grabbing opposite hems, saying, "No ma'am, not quite." And pulled his shirt off his back to his neck, groaning from pain the move cost him.

"OH MY GOD! What happened to you!? Who did this to you?!" Seeing the angry welts, dried blood, and pealing dead skin across his back was like a shove, she was so stunned by it.

"Calm down, it's okay. I'm all right, just a bit sore. My skin feels tight and it hurts when I make a move, I just need something on it."

"No, I wanna know who the hell did that?!" Sylvia felt hot, she couldn't see what situation he could be in that would warrant what she was looking at.

"Sylvia, it's my fault. It was the only way my mom could get me to back off my brother."

"What? Your mother?"

"Yeah, I ah - went home, to check on my dad, Quincy. While there, I found something out that pissed me off - something my brother did, and well - I tried to choke him into unconsciousness - and mom, liking him as mother's are known to do, didn't think it was a good idea." He joked.

Sylvia calmed down, "Aaah, I see. She had to hit you this hard though? And three times?"

"Yeah, trust me - it worked."

"By the looks of it, I'm not surprised. Okay, well - hold still - I'm gonna soften your skin up first with a warm towel, and then apply the cream, which will keep it soft and pliant."

"Thanks, Sylvia."

As she worked, she asked, "So, what exactly did he do, if you don't mind me asking?"

Ben hesitated, because he was ashamed of it, and still angry about it despite his talk with Quincy. But this was Crystal's mother, someone connected to her; besides, they'd already had a few talks and he really didn't mind talking to her about things he was feeling, she made it easy. She was applying a warm towel to his back, it felt wonderful even though it stung a bit, making him suck in through his teeth.

"I'm sorry sweety, aaah, I know it hurts, I'll try to be careful." She winced knowing it had to hurt.

He was leaned forward with his shirt over his neck and head, back rounded towards her, "I'm a big boy and actually, it feels good."

"Thank goodness for that. So, don't wanna share it huh?"

"I don't mind, it's just - I'm ashamed of it. He - Sylvia - is the reason Crystal went back last night. He came here looking for me, couldn't find me, saw her - and just took it upon himself to fill her head with nonsense. Something that messed with her head enough that - well - you know the rest, she's gone."

"What?! Why?" Sylvia was applying the ointment now, laying it on thick, he needed it thick. "Are you sure Ben?"

"Very sure, and as for why, excuse my language, but he's an asshole! He set out to shake me up, hurt me - and - it worked." He sat grinding his back teeth, jaw muscle ticking, tensing, fighting tears once more. It filled his chest, making him swallow back the building moisture in his mouth. "I'm - I'm so scared that - he may have said something to - turn her away from me completely. Maybe, make her hate me - I'm so scared. I mean, I've never done anything so bad to my brother, not to hurt him as bad as this, but he could feel fine doing this to me. He had the nerve to say to me, only reason I was after Crystal, was to get close to Shawn!" He turned to look up at Sylvia, eyes awash with tears, "I want you to know, right here and now - that is the furthest thing from the truth! Please believe me, I wouldn't lie to you about this!"

"Now look who's upset - calm down, I believe you. I believe you." And she did, standing behind him, listening to him, the way he was, she knew that this young male, was pure gold; her gut just told her so. "Turn around now, let me finish, and take that shirt off, I'll give you a white t-shirt, this ointment will ruin that one, too nice to ruin."

"Yes ma'am." He responded, leaning forward removing it completely, turning it back right to fold. Sylvia applied the last of the ointment, then screwed the cap back on.

"Okay, let me get you one of Shawn's white t-shirts." After passing him that, "Now downstairs, gonna fix you a tuna tostada like I fed your dad, so I can give you an ibuprofen for pain and swelling."

Putting the shirt on carefully, he was soon at the table eating after taking the pain reliever she gave him.

"Hope it's not too spicy." She asked.

"Nooo, this is good, I love it, what's all in it?"

"Tuna, cilantro, garlic, onions, avocado, fresh tomatoes, fresh jalapeno peppers, goats cheese - dash of lemon juice, lemon zest, tad bit of Olive oil and dash of sea salt."

"Fantastic, never had tuna like this before." If it wasn't for the things on his mind, he could see eating several tuna tostadas. Without him asking, she popped another one before him, he ate it as well, palming his forehead, elbow on the table, saying suddenly, "I'm never gonna forgive him for this, not ever. I could take him hurting me, but - he hurt her - I just know he did. Now that she's gone back, there's no way for me to make it better, to ask her what he said to make it right, and it's eating me alive." He cried.

"Ben, look - first of all, forever is a mighty long time - and he is your brother."

"Brother's don't do things like this to each other."

"Excuse me? How soon we forget. So what was all this drama about you needing a DNA test? Huh?"

Ben sighed, "Oh yeah - so then, maybe it's a curse with McPherson brothers."

She stood at the counter, prepping appetizers, "I don't know, one would think brothers, sisters, who could be closer right? Unfortunately, it's not always so."

Ben turned in his seat as something occurred to him, "Hey? Your brother was here earlier, he still here?"

Sylvia gave a sad smile, "No, he's gone. Hadn't seen him in years - and I'm talkin' since I was - ohhh a teenager, in fact, last I saw him, I was pregnant with Crystal."

"Holy cow that's a long time."

"Yeah, it was."

"He coming back tonight?"

"No, he's gone for good, or - the next 21 years."

"Apart for that long, and he's gone already? Didn't you miss him? Him you?"

Sylvia thought about it a moment, "Wasn't quite that way for us Ben, I wish we were closer. I wish he cared enough about me, to just call sometimes, or - I don't know. I missed what we weren't, and that was close. The one I'm missing is my other brother, David."

"Where's he?"

"I haven't a clue. He has problems, drug addictions, drinking, a drifter. Or, as some might call him, a bum. But, he is the nicest person in the world. Mundo is a lot like him, looks like him that's for sure. And you see how funny Mundo can be?"

Ben nodded smiling.

"My brother David was like that, at night, when we should have been sleeping, he would be telling me jokes, had me laughing so hard, my mother would come in, threaten to whip our butts. He was just silly and loving, and so - sensitive - when my father left us, didn't come back, it broke his heart - it broke him." Sylvia looked up at Ben, who was attentively watching her, listening. She couldn't believe she'd slipped into telling him things that she hadn't even shared with Shawn yet. "You didn't come here to hear that, I'm sorry."

"I don't mind. We were all lost, huh? You think maybe that's why we all relate so well? Because in truth, we're all cut from the same clothe, sort of speak?"

"Could be Mr. McPherson, could be."

Ben turned back to finish eating, enjoying his meal - he couldn't say why it was, but being there, with Crystal's mother, having such a comfortable discussion, made him feel better, that maybe, all was not lost. Finishing it, he stood carrying his plate to the sink, washing it. "That hit the spot."

"Glad to hear it, how's your back feel?"

"Not so tight, I can at least move without my skin pulling, thanks."

"Having a lot of company tonight, you should come back."

"I'll be back, if you don't mind to see to the boys, with all that company, you'll need someone to see about them."

Sylvia smiled, and thought the heck with it, she lifted her hand, caressed his cheek and told him, "She should have met you first. You hang in there, all that should be, will be."

Ben leaned down, hugged Sylvia, surprising her, he kissed her temple, "Thank you." Standing away he made his way to the door, "I'll be back after I get some work done, promise!"

*

At the meeting, Shawn and Crystal was of course, behind the other's and had to play catch up. They were given a form to fill out, a medical profile on all past injuries they my have had, especially if there had been any to the head. Any type of trauma to the body, he wanted it written down. The second form was about their diet, what they ate throughout the day, what they drank, including alcohol and how much of it. As they did that, they listened as Mr. Withering went into causes of aggression, and their various origins, explaining that the causes could be mental, chemical, hormonal - very similar to chemical - difference being, it would be more cycle triggered, and last, aggressions due to psychosis. The discussion was centered around taking notes to determine each persons cycle or events of aggression. As Shawn sat through the meeting, he truly was amazed by what he learned, the insight that each was given while Chad punctuated each statement with the fact that each person had a responsibility to how they conducted themselves in their daily lives while interacting with the various personalities they would encounter day to day. Of course, it brought to Shawn's mind how he went off on the foreman earlier about the parking, as he sat, he thought about how he could have maybe handled that better, and promised he would work on his auto-responses. With Mr Withering's next words hitting home; how each event, could be the start of negatives things to come, or positive. Negative begets negative, positive begets positive. The goal for the week, was the challenge of how to turn negative events, into positive ones. From there, the discussion opened up. Afterwards he met with Crystal and Shawn again.