BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (8 page)

"No problem, good idea on the safety guard. How deep is that pool?"

"From three to eight feet deep. Maybe I should drain it?" Shawn considered.

"No, don't drain it. If you get a safety barrier and with us all here watching them, it'll be fine." She assured him.

He looked at her and then looked down at Isaac and Darren pressed up against the sliding, glass, patio door. "Hey you two." He called to them bending down, "See out there?" He asked.

Isaac smiled and nodded, "Can we go swimming?"

"Listen to me, you do not go out there by yourself, you hear me? Only if I, your mom, Ben or Mundo, or your grandma takes you, can you go swimming, understand?"

"We gonna go swimming today?" He asked.

"Go swim!" Darren yelled pointing outside.

"No, not today." Shawn announced. "Grandpapah Shawn has to make it safe for you first. Okay?"

"Yeah!" Isaac agreed, and Darren nodded his head and then looked back out the doors, "Swim in there!"

Shawn stood up, looked at all of them standing there. "This door stays closed and locked at all times unless we're all out there. Got me?" He ordered Crystal, Mundo, Ben and Angela.

They all nodded.

"Mundo, Ben, we're going out to get pool safety stuff for them and a guard to block off the pool just in case." They nodded, he turned to his girls, "I'll pick them up safety floaters of every kind, the whole nine yards. Angela, put you and Crystal's things in your room, all the boys will be in the other. I'm going to pick up a crib and a small bed for these two. So we'll be gone for a while. If your mom wakes up, let her know where we've gone. Angela show Crystal around the estate; you know where the numbers are for ordering food if you're hungry, order for all of us. Get unpacked and we'll be back in a few hours."

"Okay daddy." Angela agreed happily.

"We'll have everything unpacked by the time you guys get back." Crystal promised.

"Good enough, boys ... let's roll!"

"Papah-Shawn, Papah-Shawn, large and in charge! Heh-heh!" He winked at Crystal and did a double dap following him out the door.

They climbed back into the Hummer, Shawn turned and looked at them. "Before it gets too late, first the pool safety stuff; then the beds and on the way home, we'll go by a friend of mine and let him know I'm back in town."

"Let's do it!" Mundo grinned eagerly.

They wasted no time, went by the DIY bought the child safety gating for swimming pools and paid for it to be delivered. They went next and bought a brand new crib for Darren and a new car looking, small bed for Isaac, shopping for sheets and blankets for both as they went. Next, arm floaters, rings, and safety jackets for them. From there Shawn took them to meet, King Louie, telling them on the way there.

"We're going to a pool hall where I used to hang out all the time, Jesse and I. Man when I first got to L.A. - I didn't know anyone. Getting with Jesse changed all of that. There's not a whole lot of the original guys left from that time. Too many met the same fate as Jesse."

"You never said how Jesse died?"

"Hadn't I? I thought I did?"

"Not really, you always talked about things relating to it, but you never said how it happened." Mundo stated serious.

"So how did he die? This Jesse, I know he was your best friend, from what you've talked about."

Shawn sat thinking about it, it wasn't something he really wanted to share with them, that part of his past.

Something occurred to Mundo as he watched him mill it over in his mind, if he would share it or not. Shawn suddenly, had a certain lean as he drove, a lean that hadn't been there in Wisconsin. It was like he was slipping into the old him. Thinking he didn't want to really share that event concerning Jesse, Mundo changed the subject asking as he laughed, "Aye dawg, what's up wit' the lean man? Wha's up wit' that?!" He ribbed Shawn. Who grinned looking back at him, "You haven't a clue when it comes to me, my life, what I used to be. What I have been, done and seen. Neither of you, have a clue." He was smiling when he said it. Looking back as he drove, one hand draped over the stirring wheel by the wrist as he leaned looking for all the world like he was down and then some.

"Drop some hints on us man, what's up?" Mundo asked.

They were in the midst of Crenshaw almost at the pool hall, "See this area, I used be here all the time. Got my nose broken here."

"You've had your nose broke?" Benjamin asked surprised.

"That I have, had my ribs busted on me one time as well. That's another story. Jesse and I have been in a few scraps. One time against about four other guys. Jesse could fight and kick asses coming and going because not only was he tough as hell, bad as hell, he also learned enough martial arts to master blocking. That's the key to learning how not, to get your ass kicked; blocking. I knew how to lay into someone with a solid punch, but I was weak in blocking. Jesse fixed that, he said punching to lay someone out, that's all good when its time to connect, but the true key, is not getting hit. Gotta learn how to block and move. In his own words he would say, "While you blockin' and movin' on a motha'fucka, you can make up your mind just how bad you wanna kick his ass!"

"OH SHIT! Listen at how you talkin' man! Where is this coming from!?" Mundo was so shocked he leaped back in the seat, slamming against the back of it in his surprise. "Oh hell naw, you sounded black as hell then!"

Shawn laughed, "Believe me Mundo, I learned from one helluva black man. Jesse always said, "Not everyone deserves the same ass beatin'! Its all about who you dealin' wit'!" He winked grinning so that he had Ben and Mundo with their mouths wide open. "Some motha'fucka's just need, a good bitch slappin' and otha's need a coma beatin'. So when they ass wake up, they have a whole new outlook in life."

"Oh hell naw, man... why I get this feelin' yo'ass is scandalous?"

"Emmm, well ... anyway. Let's just say, I've been wherever you two may think to go. So instead of going there, ask me about it, I can save you an unnecessary trip."

He pulled up and parked out in front of the pool hall. With it being a Sunday, there weren't that many present. Besides it was still early enough in the day that most who would be there wouldn't be showing up until about 7:30 or 8:00; they would be back at the condo by then. As it was, Shawn wouldn't bring Mundo and Ben there at that time of night because of the occasional fight even though King Louie kept things pretty much under control.

Stepping up to the place, once more, Mundo and Ben witnessed another shift in his manner, his
walk.
The way he held his keys in one hand and all of a sudden the other was at his crotch, nothing overt; blatant; it was just a subtle shift, one enough for them to recognize that he was slipping into another character. He pushed the pool hall door open with his shoulder looking at them smiling, winking and walked in and of all things playing on the jukebox, James Brown,
Papa Don't Take No Mess!

Mundo and Ben looked at each other surprised as Shawn called out loud and boisterous,

"KING LOUIE! I'm back man! Wha's up!?"

They looked toward the end of the pool hall and there was a rotund black man who looked towards them and then, all white teeth.

"HELL NAW! Moby-Dick?"

They looked at each other again, and mouthed simultaneously,
'Moby Dick?'

"Didn't I just see yo' white ass a while ago? Boy what the fuck you doin' back here again so soon?! Yo'ass movin' back to L.A.?!" He greeted happy to see Shawn, waiting for him to get there.

"I missed you King Louie! I had to come back!" Shawn laughed, hugging him and patting him on the back.

"Don't bullshit me motha'fucka! Don't forget, I know yo'ass! Miss me? Ain't this some shit! What you got yo'ass back here again for? Leas' you ain't all beat up this time!" He taunted laughing in his jolly way, looking behind Shawn spotting Mundo and Benjamin.

"Back this time King Louie on business, brought my family with me." Shawn informed him, taking the seat next to him.

"I
see
you got family with you! Who the hell is that right there, he look
just
like yo'ass! Last I know, all you had was the baby, Angela ... when and where the fuck this one here happen?! Yo' past catchin' up to you ain't it?!" He laughed looking at Benjamin, who blushed being the center of attention. Thing was, he wondered would Shawn claim him or not. It was weird, he was almost holding his breath waiting to see what he would say.

"These my boys, King Louie!"

"Well I know that one is! You ain't even got to say that, where this one here come from? Ya'll step ya'll grown asses up here and speak to King Louie! Yo' mamas tracked his ass down for child support? What? What happened? Saw his ass on an episode of
Cops
?"

"Fuck you King Louie!" Shawn laughed sitting there with a sideway glance at him.

"Moby-D I done told you once goddamnit - you can't have
me
now! I ain't like that, I'm for the ladies, the ladies like me!"

Benjamin and Mundo started laughing as Shawn blushed, "Motha'fucka you know I ain't gay! I'on play that shit!" Shawn tossed back, still light hearted.

King Louie was full of elation and shaking his head, "If you was you'd have to wait your ass in line to have me boy! Now introduce they ass."

"Benjamin Caesar McPherson, I went back home and low and behold, there he was."

Benjamin stepped up, "Nice to meet you sir." He offered his hand to shake it.

Shawn spoke up admitting, "We're waitin' on test now to make it official." Shawn explained to King Louie.

"Ain't this some shit! What motha'fuckin' test you need? Look at his ass." King Louie looked from Ben to Shawn.

"It's a long story, trust me when I say, it could go any way. But uh..." Shawn looked right at Ben saying, "I gotta a feeling I know what the test results will be."

"Okay, if you say so man, and this one here, where you find him?"

Shawn went on to introduce Mundo who stepped up to shake King Louie's hand as Shawn explained that he was his wife's son and now his.

Ben stood smiling, watching Shawn interact with King Louie and Mundo, who of course, without fail, had them both dissolving into laughter.

He would like to laugh as well, but he was overcome by emotions. Shawn had so much as admitted that he knew that he was his son. He'd presented both of them as his. For a bit, he'd been afraid that he wouldn't; he really expected him to say, his nephew, his brother's son. The fact that he hadn't, gripped Benjamin. He suddenly wanted those test results back. He wanted the hardcore proof that indeed, this phenomenal man who blew him and Mundo away, was truly,
his
father. That in itself, would make this trip, the highlight of it all.

They stayed for an hour, talked, shot a few games of pool until Shawn, checking his watch informed King Louie they had to get back. Besides, the hall was starting to fill in, some of the patrons recognizing Shawn, speaking with him and greeting them. However, his protectiveness of them wouldn't allow him to keep them there any longer. He promised King Louie that he would bring his wife by to meet him as well Crystal and Angela. Back in the Hummer, they headed for the condo.

First day of their time in L.A. down.

As Shawn drove, he was tempted several times to phone Jeremiah Franklin to arrange to meet with him. He couldn't do it. He didn't want to just yet. They'd just gotten there. He instinctively knew that whatever was going on, would stress him out. He wasn't ready to deal with it yet. Maybe he'd call him in a week, or ... maybe he'd wait until the day before they left to meet with him. Either way, it would not be that day, that night. Whatever was going on, it would wait until he was ready to deal with it. He had his family there and all he wanted, was to have a good time and show them a good time. The mess with Deidre and Jeremiah Franklin would wait, he would make it wait.

First thing that Monday morning, Jake road into work on Shawn's blue Harley; early before his time to punch in and start. He had one thing on his mind, more money. Carl Eachus, his boss was always there hours before the workers showed up. This was the perfect time, only a handful were already there for work; greeting Jake as he stood, swinging a long leg from straddling the bike, pocketing the keys as he waved at them. Wasting no time, he trotted up the tall wrought-iron steps leading to the top offices, skipping one or two on the way. He stopped at Carl's office looked in through the glass paned door to see him preparing a cup of coffee and knocked, opening it at the same time. Carl turned and looked back, a happy look on his face to see Jake standing there.

"Come on in! Damn vacation lasted forever! Never again, from now on, I'm telling you, you take your vacation before the year is up, or you lose it. Damn place just about fell to pieces, orders are not being met on time. Two goddamn batches of lumber shot to hell! Warehouse 2b racking fell, knocked two shades of shit out'ah Chris Beaman; had 10 stitches for that, now Osha's on my ass talking about health and safety! Tried to get a hold of you, couldn't reach you at home! Tried on your mobile! No such goddamn luck!" He suddenly stopped, switching gears, softening his tone. "The guys only just told me about your place bein' burned down; uh, sorry about that. But the least you could have done, is called in and told me where I could contact you!" His boss switched back to normal, "You know damn well, I don't hire from outside when it comes to correctin' things around here, when I got you! Now woods stacked up every goddamn where, two orders to clear a woods, haven't gotten done, 'cause three of your buddies up and put in final notice, say they're building your brother a house? Startin' their own business! You know anything about that?"