BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (26 page)

Charlie laughed, "I'm sorry, chill - men like that in a woman. Ain't nothing to be shame about, it happens to the best of us."

Sylvia took the dress and went into the back room to change again.

Deidre turned heated eyes shooting daggers at Charlie. "Quit looking at me like that Dee-dee, I'll behave."

"Dee-dee? Dee-dee? Who is Dee-Dee?" Angela stood up to ask, looking from Charlie to her mother. Deidre grinding her teeth when Charlie answered, "That's yo'mama name, Dee-dee. Ain't that right Dee-dee? You don't like being called Dei-dra, you prefer Dee-dee don't you, tell her ... tell her that's your name?"

Angela started laughing then, "Oh my goodness, Dee-dee ... I kind'ah like it mom, its cool, Dee-dee?"

"Angela, do not call me Dee-dee." And then to Charlie, "Echm echm, Charlene ... next shopping trip, I'll be leaving you at home."

"Aaaw Dee-dee don't be like that. Don't leave me at home, you know I gots to stick to'yah like crazy glue. I'll behave, ya'll don't like to have no fun!" She turned around looking back over the store, shaking her head. Deidre sighed, turned to her daughter, and then Crystal. "I apologize for her, she's a bit different."

"She don't bother me none. My mother's got a friend just like her, named Sheila. I would not like to see them two in a room together, but as for me, she's fine." Crystal smiled back at her.

"Glad to hear it, I'm always afraid that she'll offend someone. So what are you going to be doing while you're here?"

"Whatever comes up. I'm just here to chill. Enjoy myself."

"Well, have I the perfect event for you." Deidre announced smiling.

"Oh yeah, what is that?"

"A ball... have you ever been to a ball?"

"A ball? As in, dancing? A ballroom? Gowns, stuff like that?"

"You got it. I have two tickets to go, but I won't be attending this year because, well, my bodyguard doesn't think it will be safe for me. And to be honest, I'm not really up to it, but you on the other hand, I think you'd enjoy it. All you need is an escort."

"Ben!" Angela happily supplied his name, turning to Crystal, "Oh you have to go Crystal, its so beautiful! You'll love it. You and Ben can go together. You'll have so much fun there Crystal, you should definitely go!" She then turned back to her mother, hyped, "Mom, you have to take her to get a really nice gown, really nice - so she can go!" Then back to Crystal, "Please go Crystal, I want you to go! You'll be so beautiful and if Ben dresses up and takes you, that would be fantastic!"

Crystal started laughing, "Girl what has gotten into you? I'll think about it, okay?"

Angela turned from Crystal to her mother, "Mom, don't pay that any attention. She'll go! I want her to go, I want her to have the best time of her life, because she deserves it mom, so you have to make sure she looks incredible." She was so passionate about it, her eyes were shinning.

Deidre smiled at her daughter, then tilted pass her to look at Crystal. "Looks like you're going to the ball."

"Ya' think? I guess so. But uh, Ms. Angela, what if Ben doesn't want to go?"

"Oh I'm not worried about Ben, he'll want to go. Especially since he'll be escorting you. Oh we have to get the most perfect tuxedo for him mom, wait until you see him." She went on turning back to her mother, "He - looks - just like dad! Just like him, just younger! Wait until you meet him."

Sylvia stepped out form the dressing room, arms out, striking a pose, "Okay, as much as I hate to admit it, she's right - I look much better in this."

All turned to look at her, they agreed, the maternity dress was perfect for her figure. It accentuated it, elongated her torso, giving her a very classy sleek like appearance. While there, she picked up a few more dresses made in a similar style. From there, Deidre took her to get her hair fixed. She was concerned about the area in her head where the hair was still short from her accident. The stylist worked around it and weaved a bit of hair into the area and gave her a high, fluffed, slightly teased style that moved when she moved. He even added a few painted in temporary streaks to her hair. Did her makeup and when he was done, all of them were blown away.

"Shit, it pays to be rich don't it?" Charlie commented looking at her and the difference.

Sylvia paused, not sure how to take that observation.

Deidre laughed it off, glared at Charlie and carried on.

They stopped, picked her up some accessories; shoes, a couple of purses, jewelery. A solitaire diamond pendent, diamond earrings and a tennis bracelet. Deidre paid for it all, what she considered small token gifts to Sylvia for taking such good care of her daughter. Besides, her daughter, Angela, did her part to egg it on. By the time they returned to the house, Shawn and Benjamin were back. Deidre declined to come in. But had hoped that Angela would come and spend some time with her. "This weekend maybe? We did just get here." Angela gently begged out of it. Deidre didn't push it, she merely nodded, gave her a kiss and hug and made Sylvia promise that the entire family would come over for dinner sometime in the week.

She promised.

When they entered the house, Shawn had been playing on the Playstation with Mundo, who had stayed behind with the boys, playing with them in the swimming pool. Shawn looked back at them with a smile and a glance and then did a double take at his wife. He tossed the controller to the sofa and stood to get a closer look at her.

"Holy cow... wow! You look fantastic! Wow."

"Stop it Shawn, you're making me feel self-conscious. It's almost 3:30, I better go get dressed." She blushed heading up the stairs. Shawn turned to the kids, clearing his throat, "Echm, yeah uh, I should go get ready as well and uh, you all - just - do what you do ... I'm gonna go get ready now." And then took off up the stairs after Sylvia.

"He pitiful! I mean pitiful! A man ain't supposed to let a woman know she got his nose all open like that! I'on care if it is my mama! He ain't even got no shame! Just hand her the nose ring why don'cha, let her lead you wherever! And you ... I ain't come to L.A. to baby sit! Hell with that! I got a life too! Shit, ain't nobody took my po'ass shopping! I'm just the po'ass house negra!" He fussed. Laughing Crystal walked over to the sofa between him and Benjamin, who had picked up the controller Shawn discarded. She wrapped her arms around her brother, grabbing his face, playing kissy face. Making exaggerated kissing sounds, smacking her lips. "Aaaaw, hims feelin' left out. My po'lil'o'brother. I'll make it up to you."

"Gone gul! Kissin' on me, ain't gone do you no good! I ain't keepin' they lil'bad ass no mo'! That one there..." He nodded towards Darren. "Go smimmin'. go smimmin' - I won'go smimmin'!" He mocked him.

Darren stood up, popped him on the leg, and said loud as he could, "GO SMIMMIN'! I won'go smimmin'!" He drew his face up into scowl that made all of them laugh.

"You can go swimmin' later on Darren! How much more you wanna go swimmin'? Man ... get on my nerve!" Isaac fussed from the floor.

"Darren you want me to take you swimming?" Benjamin asked watching the game and glancing at Darren.

"NO!"

"Why not?" He asked.

"'Cause, no'my daddy!" He grumbled.

"I ain't yo'daddy either, but you make my ass take you!" Mundo fussed.

"Stop cussing at my baby fool!" Crystal corrected him.

"I know, but I don't have to be your daddy to take you swimming." Benjamin stated.

"No!"

"Okay, be that way. I offered, could've gone swimming, but you don't want to go. Oh well." He shrugged with a shake of his head.

"How come ya'll ain't bring back no food?" Mundo asked.

"Boy! All that food in the kitchen, we just went grocery shopping. Go fix yo'self something to eat."

"I ain't fixin' nothin', I'm on vacation!"

"Vacation!? You ain't got a job! How the heck you on vacation!" Crystal asked.

"Ben? You see this man? This what a brother get put through. Can't get no appreciation. No respect. Ain't gettin' paid, ain't nobody offered me a dime. But I been babysitting they butts since, day - one! Both'uv'em! Am I lyin'? Am I lyin'? If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'! All I get ... is ... no vacation for you negro. If you hungry, just stay hungry, we'll - drop you somethin' off our plate in a minute. What was that? Was that yo' stomach growling negro? How dare you! How dare you be hungry, you ain't got a job, so what yo'stomach doin' growlin'?"

Angela was rolling on the floor she was laughing so hard at him.

"You need to stop! You know I take care of you snuky-boo-bbo."

"Aaaah here we go! Not the snuky-boo-boo! Anything but the snuky-boo-boo! That mean you want something else from my po', broke, unemployed, hungry ass!"

Benjamin sat laughing, playing the game, doing all that he could to distract himself from the sensation going through his body. The one caused by Crystal sitting right next to him, her thigh, rubbing against his. The sound of her laughter, being this close, was playing havoc with his senses.

"AAAH MAN!" He called out, doing anything to shake himself of the feeling coming over him. "Did you see that!? I can't believe I blew that!"

"Won't you move girl! That's why he lost, 'cause you got yo'ass jammed up in here. All in the way! Can't nobody play with you sittin' there! Move out the way! 'Cause you ain't gettin' nothin' ... snuky-boo-boo has left the building!"

Pretending to be in a huff, Crystal stood and pushed his head, "Fine then! Be like that."

Ben sat staring right at her firm rear end and felt himself stir a bit before she stepped over her brother away from the couch.

"You see that? See she push my head?"

"I
was
gone cook you something to eat!" She called to him heading for the kitchen.

"Em mm, don't cook me nothing! Angela, go see what she doing in there! That's good food in there, we paid good money for that food! Don't let her get her hands on that food."

Angela stood from the floor, weak from laughter, heading for the kitchen, "Crystal, wanna order something?"

"See!? She know ... she know better. See she gone in there to stop her. My sister can't cook, to save her own life!"

"Want me to cook?" Benjamin asked.

"You can cook? What can you cook?"

"I can make a pretty good pizza roll. I thought I'd cook it one night for the family while here, so I picked up all the ingredients at the story, want me to cook it tonight?"

"How long it gone take?"

"Not too long."

"Get in there quick then. For she start something and hurt somebody."

When Shawn and Sylvia came down for their evening out, they were all in the kitchen helping Benjamin prepare dinner.

They stopped in the doorway, "We're heading out. You all gonna be okay?" Shawn asked.

"We'll be fine, go and have a good time." Crystal called out, chopping up vegetables that Ben had assigned her to. He had Mundo browning the hamburger, sausage and bacon, while Angela grated the cheese and he made the dough for rising. They all looked up at them, "You look great Sylvia!" Angela was the first to compliment her.

"Man mama, you pretty fine ain't you!?" Mundo flirted, making her laugh.

"You behave yourself boy."

"Hey, I'm always good."

"Have a good time, and hey, you look incredible." Benjamin complimented her.

"Thank you Benjamin." She returned.

"How come you didn't say that to me? See Ben, see... see the difference?" Mundo teased.

"Mundo!" Sylvia called.

"Okay okay okay... have fun mama."

And they were out the door.

Angela went and turned the stereo on while they worked to cook dinner. All of them talking loud, laughing, each doing their own preparation and having a good time. Before they knew it, dinner was done and a success. Ben's pizza roll, Crystal's big salad. And Angela baked cookies for desert. Afterwards, Crystal stood clearing the dishes away from the table, Ben was pitching in to help.

"I'll do this, you did dinner. It was fantastic."

"Glad you liked it." He smiled.

"Go on, get back in there and enjoy your game."

He smiled, stared at her a moment and headed back into the living-room, taking a floor position to watch Angela play against Mundo. Isaac was sitting by Angela cheering her on. Darren was in the kitchen patting Crystal on the leg.

"Go Smimmin' mama."

"Not tonight baby, tomorrow. Promise, we'll go swimming tomorrow."

"No! Now!"

"Darren, out now! Go in there with Mundo and Isaac while I clean up."

Mad, he stomped off to go and stand in the arched doorway to look at everyone else.

Benjamin was laying on the floor, head bobbing to the beat from the music they were listening to. He was laying there thinking about the fact that he had to take a leak but didn't feel like getting back up to do so. He had the remote to the stereo that sat behind him in his hand, hitting the next button to the next song. Turning to angle the beam on the remote, he saw Darren standing in the hallway, mad at them. He held out his arms to him, beckoning him to come to him. Darren shook his head and went back towards the kitchen.