BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (27 page)

Ben shook his head, laughed and turned back to watch them with the game, waiting on his turn to play the winner. Unable to bare it a moment more, needing to use the bathroom, he hopped up and went to the bathroom, passing the sliding glass doors. It never dawned on him that they were slightly open.

Crystal thought Darren was in the living-room with everyone else, and everyone else, thought Darren in the kitchen with Crystal.

Darren wanted to go swimming. He loved to swim. Nothing was as much fun as being in the swimming pool splashing around and playing.

If no one would take him swimming, he'd go by himself. The patio door was open just enough for him to squeeze through and push it open just a bit more. Just enough to get through it. He made it outside and laughed so happy to be out on his own. He stopped, kicked off his shoes, ran to the barrier and couldn't get pass it to the pool. Then looked towards the lawn chairs. He ran to one, pushed it over right up next to the barrier, picked up one of his floater rings, climbed onto the chair, and then turned across the arm of the chair and lowered himself over the side of the barrier. Holding onto the ring, he lost his grip, dropped to his feet, stumbled back onto his butt; the momentum rolled him over and right into the swimming pool. The ring floating out of his reach.

"Holy shit! Call 911 a baby just went into the swimming pool!" One of Angela's body guards yelled, who saw the whole thing, as another ran to the property to alert them.

Ben had just come out of the bathroom, noticed the patio door slightly opened, went to close it, when to his horror, he looked into the yard and saw splashing in the pool, and then a small head coming up for air before he stopped.

"HOLY FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK - DARREN NOOOOOO - JESUS - NOOOOOO!" He roared shoving the sliding door aside as he charge out into the yard, leapt over the barrier guard and dived into the pool stroking with all his might.

Mundo, Angela and Isaac leapt to their feet and ran to the sliding glass door right after Crystal arrived to step through it, having heard his loud distress call. She was still unaware of exactly what was going on until she saw what Ben was swimming towards. A child floating in the pool. As if in a dream, she heard screaming, over and over and over and over again, so loud it was deafening, too far gone to realize that it was her own voice, screams so high and shrill that they shut down all her other senses.

"ANGELA CALL 911 - CALL 911 - NO-O-O-OW!" Mundo shouted, shaking, leaping over the barrier and into the pool as well. By the time he made it half way there, Benjamin had Darren and was making his way to the side. He quickly laid him there and pulled himself quickly out of the water rubbing Darren's stomach, tilting his head back.

"Darren Darren Darren Darren, please please please please!" He cried clearing his passageway and then going down to give him emergency mouth to mouth. Crystal's body was not her own as she struggled to the barrier, screaming over it, "DARREN - DAR-R-RE-E-EN! PLEASE BEN ... PLE-E-E-E-EASE DON'T LET MY BABY DIE - BEN - PLE-E-E-E-ASE!!" Crystal screamed hysterically.

Mundo stood in the water next to where Ben worked, shaking, tears rolling from his eyes. "Darren come on man ... don't do this man... come on baby, Ben come on man ... please please please - oh God! Ben..."

Ben kept breathing into his mouth, continuously rubbing his chest, then turning him over, rubbing his back tilting him forward with his hand beneath his diaphragm, squeezing and then turning him back again to blow once more, the third time did it - suddenly, he started coughing. Ben turned him, rubbing his back as he coughed up water and struggling to breath, his arms and legs flailing and next, he started crying. Wailing loud and scared, looking for his mother. Crystal shook so bad she could barely take hold of him. Ben held him there against her as he put one leg over the barrier and then the next. Mundo finally came up out of the pool and cleared the barrier. Two men rushed through the patio doors, saying they lived in one of the condo's across from them, that they'd already called 911. Angela stood in the patio door, holding Isaac, both of them sobbing.

Soon they could hear the sirens of an ambulance, Mundo could barely talk but was trying to speak with the men who showed up suddenly. Ben was holding Crystal up, as she held onto Darren, hysterical from gut wrenching sobs; dizzy, in shock and frightened beyond anything she could imagine.

At the hospital, the emergency room team checked him over. Finished clearing his lungs of any more water and assigned them to a temporary room for observation. Crystal had Isaac with her and would not be separated from Darren for even a second. They were all at the hospital together. Ben, Mundo and Angela explaining to the police what took place. They filed a report as they quickly concluded that it had been an accident. After an hour, they were all sitting in the waiting room, wondering what was to come next. Mundo sat with his elbows on his knees, his head hanging.

"I was ... the last one ... out on that patio ... I was the last one."

"Mundo ... hey man ... don't do this to yourself man, don't do this."

"I ... almost killed my nephew man ... I almost..."

"No you didn't Mundo. I was the last one out there." Angela cried, "I ran out there to get my mp3 player because I wasn't sure where I left it when we got home. I was scared, that it might have gotten wet. When I came in, I thought I, slammed the door and locked it."

Mundo looked up at her, her face was blotchy, red and ravaged from crying. He reached over and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight, "Shhh, don't cry. We should have checked that door, made sure it was locked. Dad said, keep the door locked. I should have checked it. God almighty, it happened so fast. Don't cry, its not your fault."

"Both of you calm down, we all dropped the ball on this one. Me included. I'm gonna go check on Crystal." Ben told them, then rose and walked towards the ward where they placed her with the boys. When he walked into the room, the doctor was taking to her, saying, "Baby's rebound pretty well. He's wide awake, looking around, talking, clinging to you. This is a warm climate state and unfortunately, this is a regular occurrence I'm afraid. It happens more often than we care to see. I've had a lot of experience with it and I can tell you now, God was on your side. If he hadn't come to, then we'd have plenty to be worried about. He's just fine mother, believe me. We'll give him a couple of more hours, see how he's doing and if all is well then, I don't see why you can't take him home."

Crystal had nothing to say, she could only sniff, nod and hold on tightly to her boys.

"I'll be back to check on him in a bit."

"Bye bye!" Darren smiled and called out to the doctor. He laughed, "I'll be back Darren, not going bye bye yet." He smiled, turned to leave the room, saw Ben standing just inside the doorway. "You can come on in if you wish."

Ben nodded, "Thanks." He smiled and then looked at Crystal. She was sitting on the bed, holding both of her sons. Isaac was on the bed, leaning under her arm, and Darren was on her lap, playing and looking up into her face, trying to get her to smile. His little hand on her cheek, turning her face to him to look close into her eyes. "I love you baby, I'm so - so sorry." She started crying, bringing him closer to kiss and hold, doing the same with Isaac.

"I think he's gonna be ... okay Crystal."

She looked up at Ben, was about to burst into more tears when he made his way to her. She stood, holding Darren and grabbed Ben to her, her face into his chest. "Thank you, thank you thank you thank you ... I don't know ... what would have happened... if ... if you hadn't been there." She cried holding onto him. He put his arms around her and Darren and picked up Isaac as well. "Its all right. We learned a lesson the hard way today didn't we? One we won't ever take for granted again, right?"

Crystal nodded against him.

He looked at Darren, "You scared us good little man. I think its time for swimming lessons, don't ever want that to happen again. Huh?"

Darren hauled off and smacked Ben in the face, then laughed that he'd done so. Benjamin laughed, "Was that a love tap?"

Darren laughed at him, "No!"

Crystal lifted her head, moved away from Ben to get a napkin to blow her nose leaving Darren in his arms. Darren didn't struggle, just looked at him laughing.

"I'm teaching you how to swim." He told Darren again.

"No!"

"Yes I am."

"No!"

"Yes Darren, you almost drawnded... you scared us to death. Can you teach me how to swim too Ben?" Isaac spoke up.

"You bet I will ... you bet I will." He affirmed, hugging both of them to him.

"No! No mo'smimimin." Darren made a face, shaking his head.

Crystal stood sniffing, wiping her nose when Angela and Mundo came into the room. "Is he all right?" Mundo asked. Darren leaned to the side from Ben's arms to look at Mundo, then held his arms out, pumping his hands for him to take him. Mundo stepped up and grabbed him, wrapped his arms around him, holding him close, he fought back his own sobs as tears rolled down his face. "Thank you Lord, thank you Lord Jesus. I love you man, you hear me lil'man? You gone break my heart boy, I swear, you gone break my heart, don't never do that to me no more, you hear me?"

Darren leaned forward and kissed Mundo straight on the lips, certain, that that would make it all better.

"Don't be nervous, you'll be fine. They're really nice." Shawn reassured his fidgety wife. She was constantly checking herself in the overhead visor mirror; taking deep breaths, asking about her hair, her make-up, was he sure she looked okay.

"I hope you're right." She worried.

"Of course I am."

"Who are the other two couples?" She asked, thinking about them.

"No clue. All I know is that they're published authors who aren't too happy with their current contracts. They're contemplating Pen-tab publishing. So to sweeten the pot and break the ice, they're being wined and dined a bit."

"Oh Shawn! I have a novel started and one finished! Did I bring it with me? NO! I can't believe it! I didn't even think to bring it. Oh well, I don't know. And the other one, I'm pretty well along with it, you know, the one I started while I was gone and this would have been the perfect opportunity to present one of my manuscripts and what do I have, nothing?! Not one of them! UGH!" She looked away, feeling frustrated.

Shawn sighed, his face burning a bit because he knew that it was his entry into her life that had halted that dream of hers to get something accomplished with her writing; since he'd come along, she was hardly ever at her computer, and if she was, it was to make plans on the bed and breakfast.

"Well, honey, at least you have that one that's finished, no doubt Mercy James will be interested in hearing about it."

"That is so unprofessional, I should have had it with me! I don't know what the heck I was thinking!" She shook her head, quieting down a moment, and then, after a moment of thought, she muttered, "Besides, it's crap. I hate it. I've read it over, trying to see it from a publishers point of view. Garbage." She grumbled.

"Well how do you know its garbage?!"

"Uh, maybe the fact that I've only gotten rejection slips back on it from publishers, not even the slightest bit of interest." She turned to him to say.

"But it's finished right?"

"Yes, but I don't like it anymore. Especially after reading some of Mercy James' stuff and from a few other authors. I keep blaming you, and - making excuses, when in fact, I just - simply - suck as a writer. I should just give up and forget it."

"I don't want to even hear that. Look, let's just enjoy this evening. Think of it this way, you'll be in a position to sit back, observe, listen and get a feel for what they're looking for. Hey, ask questions."

She turned to look at him, once more, a light brightening for her, "You know what, I'll probably learn quite a bit tonight huh? I mean, like you said, I'll just relax, enjoy myself and pay attention. Ask a few questions. Plus they'll get to know me a bit, they already know you, I mean that can't hurt."

"Of course it can't. You might say, you already have a foot in the door."

"Let's get something straight right here and now, I'm not going to be depending on you to help me make it. One thing I'm not going to do, is just write up anything and present it just because I have a foot in the door. Whatever I submit, has to be good, really good."

"Sweetheart, trust me, you being my wife, will make no difference to them. They're only interested in really good writers, so ... you'll have to be good, your story will have to be one that hooks them from the first 25 pages."

"First 25 huh?"

"Yep."

"Well, I'm not gonna stress about it tonight, I'm just going to watch, pay attention and ask a few questions."

"That's my girl. So take a deep breath, relax and dazzle them with that amazing smile."

"Okay, okay. One good thing going for us about them, they're an interracial couple as well, that helps."

Shawn glanced at his wife, thinking about that, reflecting back on how she reacted in Madison when they went walking to pick up food. Unable to resist, now that the topic was ignited he began his inquiry,

"Let me ask you something, if I were to give you a scale, to rate how comfortable you are, being married to me - a white man - not how I am - but - that I am, white - on a scale of 1 to 10, how comfortable are you with me? 1 being, not comfortable - 10 being, very comfortable. Where would you rate it?" He asked as he drove, his eyes on the road, occasionally glancing at her as they talked on their way to the restaurant.