BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (59 page)

"Yes sir."

"Do you believe me?!"

"Yeah." Mundo answered quick.

"See, you are smart after all!"

Shawn looked at Ben then, who stared back at him with hostile eyes, filled with resentment.

"Something you wanna say to me?" Shawn asked him.

"No."

Shawn twisted back around in his seat, checked the mirror and pulled off back into traffic.

At home, they entered the house to find Sylvia and Crystal, anxiously waiting to hear what happened. Tired, Mama JoJo had gone to bed.

The minute Sylvia saw his hand, "What happened to your hand Shawn?" She asked worried.

Mundo and Benjamin headed straight up the stairs and to their room, Crystal wasted no time following them, wanting to know what happened.

Shawn went into the kitchen to take an Ibuprofen from his throbbing hand.

"Shawn, where did all that blood on your shirt come from? You been fighting?" She asked with her heart pounding.

He took his shirt off, standing bare-chested leaning on the kitchen counter with his wife next to him, trying to calm his nerves.

"Did I actually ask you, for more sons?"

Sylvia gave a sad smile, her palm caressing the back of his head, "I'm afraid you did."

"Remind me to get my freakin' head examined."

He stood, pulled her into his arms, hugging her, with all things considered, glad for the way the day had ended. His sons were home, alive and safe. God only knew, what tomorrow would bring.

"Let's go to bed, shall we?"

Sylvia lifted up on her toes, kissing his lips, "Let's ... and there, you can tell me what the heck happened."

Earlier in Wisconsin...

"You're back."

"Yep, back."

"You okay, everything go all right?"

"Everything is official - we're now divorced. I even took my maiden name back."

"So, you're a McPherson - once again."

"Yes - and a McPherson is what I will remain." Shanna smiled informing Royce, stepping back from the door to let him in, heading for the kitchen, leaving him to enter and close the door. "Want something to drink? You off yet? Or is this a lunch, a break?"

Royce stood in the center of the living room stunned by her declaration. "Lunch." He managed to get out, caught feeling strange as if it was his first time there.

"Great, what you feeling? Coke? Pepsi? Coffee? Water?" She was leaning in the refrigerator, taking things out waiting for his answer.

"Coffee please." He returned.

"Coming right up," She announced filling the coffee pot and grabbing the canister of ground coffee knowing that he'd want to fill his thermos. "I made the most amazing Lasagne, a nice salad with it, I think you're gonna love it. While I heat it up, bring your thermos in, I'll fill it for you."

"Yeah, sure, I'll do that, thanks." He turned and went outside while she was busy getting things in order for him to eat. A moment later, he was back in, setting the empty thermos on the counter for her. He took his hat off, laying it on the counter as well while leaning there watching her.

She realized how quiet he was and looked up at him from cutting a few slices of French bread to make him fresh garlic bread. "Why you so quiet?"

"I don't know." He answered, not sure how to proceed from there.

Shanna stopped buttering the bread, "You don't know why you're quiet?"

"It's not a big deal."

"Something must be a big deal, it's not like you to have nothing to talk about."

"You saying I talk a lot?"

"No - but you're not the quiet type either. And, we haven't seen each other in a couple of days, didn't even give me a kiss, or offer one."

"Emmm." Was his only response to that.

Now, he had her undivided attention.

"What's crawled up your ass and set it on fire?" She put her hand on her hip, looking into his eyes. "What is going on?"

"Look, don't worry about the food, if you wouldn't mind, I'll just take the coffee." He turned, grabbed his hat, plopped it back on his head, then the thermos, removing the cap/cup, the coffee was almost done.

"So you're not going to tell me what's going on? You're just gonna fill up your thermos and leave? Just like that?"

"Yeah - I am."

"Well hell, don't let me hold you up." She grabbed the filled coffee pot and then his thermos from him and started pouring the coffee, filling it. He stood staring at her angry profile, feeling like he should say something, but then thought,
'What the hell am I supposed to say?'

She screwed the lid on, put the cup back on it, and passed it to him. "Here you go, have a nice evening."

He took it from her, starring into her hostile face, went to say something, changed his mind, shaking his head he turned and headed for the door. Shanna followed him to the door and outside onto her deck, watching him, waiting for him to say something. As he was leaving, her brother pulled up. Parking, he came off the bike - just getting off work, overtime hours, she could tell. He and Royce crossed paths, "Hey." Jake greeted him.

"Yeah, hey." Royce returned grumpily.

Jake stopped, looked at him and next, Shanna.

"Royce! Officer Royce Collier - you get in that squad car and drive off without talking to me - telling me what's going on - you drive off - don't you come back!"

By then, Jake was on the deck, standing beside his little sister, whose eyes were shooting daggers at Royce. He stopped beside the squad car.

"Excuse me, you cook?" Jake asked, not in the least interested in their problem.

"Yes I did! Lasagne and salad!" She answered without looking at him.

Grinning, Jake entered the house with the screen door closing his sister off outside with Royce.

"Well - you leavin'?!" She called to Royce, who was still standing with his back to her.

He turned, his gaze on her.

"Well? Spit it out!"

"Fine - I thought we had some kind of - well - that there was something serious between us! I thought, we had a future together." He finally forced out.

"In that case, why are you leaving like this?"

"I'm going by your comment in the house, Shanna!"

"What comment?!"

"You're back to being a McPherson now, and a McPherson you're going to stay."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well, were I to - let's say, propose - that statement kind of gets in the way, if you know what I mean."

"Oh come on, let's not start stressing over something like that! Let me put your mind at ease right now, I have no desire, whatsoever to get married again. Things are perfectly fine, just as they are, don't you think?"

Angry he strode to her with quick steps, "I beg your pardon Shanna -
McPherson -
I'm from an old fashioned family with an old fashioned up bringing. I plan to marry one day and I've been giving a lot of thought of marrying you!" He announced.

"Well forget it - I'm a McPherson - that's what I'm staying this time. Come on Royce - you must admit, you've got it made; come by, get fed, thermos filled, get a little piece now and again, even spend a night here and there, don't blow a good thing." She smiled saucily stepping down from her deck towards him.

"I don't want a good thing! I want a wife! A home! A couple of kids!"

"Well I don't mind a couple of kids, later on down the road, but right now - what's wrong with the way things are? Just you and I? Besides, I gotta get on my feet, get my business started, my pole barn built, then maybe we can start on one, maybe two, hm?" She asked putting her arms around his waist, looking into his gorgeous face.

"Shanna, I don't know if you're aware of this, but - you're not getting any younger." He stunned her saying, "Just goes to show, I guess I read you all wrong! When I bring a child into this world, it'll be with my wife! No child of mine is gonna be labelled a bastard!"

"Royce! First of all, I still have plenty of time to have babies and second, nobody gives a care nowaday about marriage! In fact, the bastards out number the legal I'm thinking."

"Thank you very much, but no thank you - I'm not adding a child of mine to the bastard census!"

"You're being ridiculous!" She snatched her arms from his waist, hands back on her hips.

"That's my stand and I'm not budging! You won't be gettin' a child from me - unless - we say our vows."

"I'm not - getting married - again!"

"Fine! I'm gonna see what your father has to say about this!" He threatened.

"You threatening to go to my daddy?"

"I am - you better believe it I am! See what he thinks about his little girl, willing to shack up and have his grandchildren out of wedlock!"

"You think ours will be the first of his grans out of wedlock!? Hell - Shawn and Jake has us beat! Benjamin, Kevin and Paul - bastards all three! So there! Ain't gonna shock my daddy none!"

"They come from his boys, that's to be expected! But from his little girl? I'm thinking he'll be having a totally different look on it! We'll just see what he thinks!"

"Royce Collier, don't you
dare
- dare go to my father tellin' him nothin'!"

"I will if I want to, and matter of fact, I'm thinking that's a pretty darn good idea."

"You do - you'll be sorry!"

"I guess I'm gonna have to just try it and see!"

"You get out of here Royce Collier! You get going and don't you come back! An' stay away from my daddy too! You hear me? You stay away from him!" She yelled at him as he walked to his squad car, ignoring her until he opened the door to climb in, "I'll be back!"

"Don't you come back here!"

"I'll be back, and I'll be talking to Bart too - you better believe me what I say!"

Mad, Shanna picked up rocks from her gravel drive way and started throwing at him, "HEY! Cut that out! I'm an officer of the law! Quit for you - HEY! Stop that! You gonna crack my windshield! OW! You hit me that time!" He jumped into the car, slamming the door. Started it up and backed out quick as she continued throwing rocks at him, "GET ON AWAY FROM HERE! DON'T YOU COME BACK EITHER!!!"

Jake was standing in the doorway with the screen open, plate in one hand, fork in the other eating Lasagna, mouth full, "Shanna - why are you throwing rocks at Barney Phife?"

She spun on him, glaring - "Don't you be calling him Barney Phife!" She marched up the porch, pushing him out of her way.

"Well you were throwing rocks at'im!"

"That's different, I can do that, but I'm not gonna have you and Shawn calling him names, especially not Barney Phife!" She fussed from the kitchen where the empty lasagna pan sat. She stared at it a moment and then looked at her brother and into his plate as he made his way back into the kitchen, still eating.

"Jacob Patrick McPherson! Where's the rest of that lasagna?"

"What rest - I thought it was for me. Whose is that on that plate, in the microwave?"

"I put that in for Royce, but he left before he could eat it. Where's the salad?"

"I ate that while I was waiting for my lasagna to heat."

"Damn you Jake!"

"Hey! Mind your language!" He ordered.

"I made that for Royce!"

"You just ran him off, throwing rocks at him! If he's got any pride, it'll be bad, gone off by the time he comes back! 'Sides, didn't want it going to waste. Fix me them garlic breads." He went on, taking a seat at the table. Shanna sighed, walking to the counter, placing the slices she made on a pan, adding the garlic, a bit of seasoning and cheese, popping them into the over.

"So you divorced now?" He asked enjoying his meal.

"Yes I am, and if he thinks I'm going to just turn around and get hitched again he's nuts. I'm done with marrying - I was McPherson born, McPherson I'm staying."

"Never, ever getting married again?"

"Nope, not ever."

"Bullshit! Then you can't have no man!" He declared.

Shanna spun on him, "I will just have to beg your pardon - what business is it of yours?"

"I'll tell dad."

"Hello-o-o big brother, I am a grown woman, independently living on my own, feeding you - by the way, I do, as I please."

Jake grinned, continuing to enjoy the lasagna, "Don't let my bread burn." She turned checking it, wasn't ready yet. "You're gonna tell dad, hmph, you got some nerve, you do!" She fussed, checking the bread again, it was perfect brown, smelling wonderful, taking it out, she passed it to him. He picked up a slice, smiling, bit into it, "I'm still gonna see what dad has to say about your behavior."

"Don't you worry about me and my behavior, what about you, when you two setting the wedding date?" She asked running dish water.

"August 1st - so there!"

"Really? Yes! Oh can I organize your wedding? I didn't do too bad with Shawn's. I would love to do yours."

"Talk to Vivian about that - got nothing to do with it. All I'm planning is to show up in a suit ready to say my,
I do.
"