BOMAW 1-3 (80 page)

"Yeah right - stand up and let me see." He asked making a face.

She did and turned it towards him. "See! Don't I have a butt?"

"Pssh! No! Maybe later one day... right now all you got is a little girls booty."

"Well maybe it's because - I am - a little girl!" She turned back and sassed him.

"I am - a little girl!" He mocked her, copying her words in her whiny voice.

"Don't copy me!" She snapped.

"Don't copy me!"

"You're a moron!"

"You're a moron!"

"Stupid boy!"

"Stupid boy!"

Deidre crossed her arms over her chest, angry and fed up with his teasing, standing by the fountain in the gardens, she then suddenly pushed him into it and ran off. He came up spitting, gasping from the cold water. "You better run! You better be glad I didn't get my shoes wet!" He yelled trying to figure out how to climb out without pulling his feet in. "Stupid white girl!"

He chuckled to himself, sitting in his car now waiting. He didn't have to wait long, because she showed herself. She was wearing the usual business woman attire, navy blue skirt, white sleeveless blouse. As he sat watching her, he realised she was right. She'd most certainly grown into breasts and a butt, not overtly large, but nice, shapely, well rounded from her small waist. She was tall. 5'10 and wearing heels. She sat gracefully in her car, buckled up, started it and then pulled out. He pulled out behind her, waiting for the right moment, it came as she pulled into a 7-Eleven for gas and coffee.

Inside the shop Deidre walked over to the gum and candy rack and picked out her favorite chewing gum, grabbed an Almond Joy and a Payday, then turned in the aisle and bumped into a man.

"Excuse me, sorry... I wasn't watching where I was going." She apologized and looked into his familiar face.

"No problem, guilty of the same." Jeremiah smiled in return, looking into her pretty face. "Hey... don't I know you from somewhere?" He asked.

"Hmmm, I have that same feeling, I never forget a face."

"Wait a minute... hey... ummm, let me think let me think... Deidre Wherrington?"

Deidre was stunned, and then she began to recognize him as well. "Oh my goodness... your mom - she - ummm-..." Deidre swallowed, afraid to go any further as her mind screamed with recognition. This was Jeremiah Franklin! The grown into a man-size, Jeremiah Franklin. She couldn't believe her eyes. He was tall, smartly dressed, obviously successful, clean cut with an immaculate white smile, she swallowed again stunned, he was handsome and dashing. She also remembered that her parents callousness had caused his mother to commit suicide.

"... worked for ... my parents." She finished tapering off and turning red.

"Yeah... well... not any more hm?"

"I'm so... I'm - I - sorry... so sorry about what happened to her."

"So you know then?"

"Yes... I know... knew... back - when it happened. I felt so bad."

"Don't stress over it - its not your fault. Its in the past right? Life goes on - but ummm, its nice to see you again. Maybe we could get together sometime, maybe do lunch or dinner, who knows?"

"Yeah... sure, I wouldn't mind that. How are you doing? You look - very successful."

"Thank you... I'm not doing so bad. Corporate lawyer - I make my way."

"Wow... corporate lawyer hm? That's good - I'm sure your mother would be proud."

"Perhaps... and you, how are you? Last thing I read about you, you were divorcing."

"Yeah... that's about the jest of me. Forever breaking off and rupturing ties. What can I say, sometimes its meant to be, sometimes not."

"Any children?"

"A daughter - she lives with her father."

"I see... well, I have to run... hey, here's my card. You ever need an attorney, corporate lawyer, give me a call." He went to turn away.

"Wait... here, here's mine as well. Just a minute..." She turned to the shelf beside her laying her card there, opened her purse and took out a pen, writing her home phone number, as well her mobile on the back of her business card. "Give me a call sometime... like you said, lunch... dinner... whatever... that would be nice."

"You bet." Jeremiah smiled taking it, turned back and reached for some gum and mints, holding them up to her in gesture as to say,
'Almost forgot.'
and went paying for them with her following not far behind, he took his turn at the register with Deidre studying him from behind, appreciating what a stunning man he turned out to be. She loved the way his hair looked. A natural afro that was cut to fit him, his features, his height, his type. He was a complete package and the package was sweet. She thought about Shawn, comparing the two as he made his way for the door and turned back to her, giving her one last look and wave. She nodded and smiled at him moving up in the line. The two men were complete opposites while both made one hell of a representation for their kind of male. Shawn had a carriage, walk and talk that was loaded with confidence with just a hint of black influence.
That
stood out in her mind about him from the moment she first spotted him striding through the halls at the University they attended together. While his walk was not as laid back and choreographed like the rhythm in motion of the black mans stride, he projected a charismatic sway or swagger that worked well for him.

Jeremiah Franklin stood center of the two. He did not overtly dap his steps as most black males, nor did he swagger, he was more subtle, smooth and in control. Both men were tall, six foot or more. Both were solidly built, broad shouldered and masculine with their physiques. Both attractive in that there was no struggle for attention from women. Deidre made her purchases, exited the 7-eleven and climbed into her vehicle wondering what lie on the road ahead for her. Jeremiah Franklin was on her mind and for once, she successfully dismissed any further thoughts of Shawn.

Jeremiah could start his day at the office now. The first step had been made, he'd give it a couple of days, then ring her for lunch first, he would see how that went, then work his way up to dinner. One step at a time.

*

Back In Wisconsin...

Shanna made her way from the cleaners holding Sylvia's wedding gown carefully, walking to her Cherokee Jeep, she opened the back and laid it carefully there, making sure the bottom of the plastic covering was closed protecting the hem. She'd mailed off all the invitations and was now going to order the cake, her mom and dad was paying for that. Her mother had found on the internet a place called the
'Meltingpot

' that dealt in interracial figurines for the top of cakes, she ordered one and it was on its way. Shanna was having such a good time at it, she was contemplating doing it on the side. Next thing she had to do was order flowers, that she was paying for. Closing the back of the Jeep she turned to step up the curb and stopped cold.

John Sykes, her soon to be ex-husband was standing there before her with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He stood 5'9, blond hair, features very similar to the young John Cougar Mellencamp. As a matter of fact, it was that look that caught her attention, that and his unrelenting pursuit of her. His method was to play on his Mellencamp looks, joking about the fact that they even had the same first name. From the first moment he laid eyes on her, he had latched on and wouldn't let go, promising her the world, but only delivering multiple black eyes, broken ribs, a broken arm, fractured jaw, two miscarriages and once choking her until she'd passed out. Yes, a nightmare marriage that she couldn't end soon enough was all she could think of when she saw him standing there.

"Hey sweetheart, how you doing? Look what I got for you... pretty aren't they? Reminded me of you... just had to get'em for you."

Shanna stood staring, taking a few moments to gather her nerves, fear was rising and whipping about, making her palms sweat, he was the last person she wanted to see, she couldn't believe that he'd actually come looking for her again. Putting on a brave front, taking a deep breath, trying to play off the riot going on inside, she asked, "What do you want John, there's no reason for you to come looking for me... our divorce date is still a few weeks away. You're not supposed to be here! Not anywhere near me - the restraining order, remember?" Her voice trembled, she couldn't help that, she fought with all that she had not to touch her stomach, it was griping something awful, making her nauseated from terror - no matter what, she wasn't going to show just how afraid she was right then, after all, they were in broad daylight, people walking around, he couldn't hurt her there.

"Now see, that's why I'm here... I mean come on, we don't need to do that - divorce, and a restraining order? Why you wanna..."

"You're breaking the restraining order!" She cut him off to remind him again, "Get away from me, or I swear, I'll call the police." It was no threat, she meant every word.

"Now now, I'm just standing here as calm as can be, just trying to talk to you... don't be like that...and besides, that restraining order, was for Ohio, don't count here in Wisconsin." He informed her smiling.

"JOHN SYKES! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY SISTER!!!" Kathy Ann yelled from her car, pulling over and double parking after driving through town to spot him standing before her. She threw her car door open and jumped from her vehicle not wasting a moment to get across the street where they stood. John looked up to see Kathy Ann charging straight at him with no intention of stopping, before he thought to react, she ran up on him and shoved hard, knocking him back to the ground, sending his bouquet of flowers into the air to land not far from him.

"KATHY ANN!!!" Shanna shouted stunned.

"You BITCH!" John growled leaping to his feet to charge at her and stopped dead in his tracks; something about having a sharp point of a switch blade at his jugular made him rethink things.

"I wish you would! I'm not Shanna... I'll carve your ass up and enjoy every slice! Fucking with me you'll wake up with a crowd around you! If - you wake up." She was breathing hard and hating him with every fibre of her being. John swallowed and backed away from her. "That's right... back up... unless you got a craving for hospital food!"

"That's my wife! You got no right gettin' between us! This is none of your business! Now Shanna-..."

"Why can't you just leave me alone?! I'm getting a divorce, it's over-..."

"Shanna don't argue with him - call the police, he's in violation of that restraining order!" Kathy Ann cut her off as people from around town looked on, stopping to stare at them.

"Ah ah ah - that's in Ohio... this a whole 'nother state... ain't gone do her a bit of good here. Look, I don't want no trouble... I just wanna chance to talk to my wife. I've changed Shanna... really I have - since you been gone-..."

"Shanna get in your Jeep now! I'll follow you." Kathy Ann ordered.

Swallowing nervously Shanna rushed to her vehicle and opened the door climbing in and started it up, "Come on Kathy Ann." She called from her front seat.

"Pull out now Shanna... I'll be right behind you!" Kathy Ann shouted to her, then back to John Sykes. "I'm gonna give you one last warning John Sykes... just one more. Go back to Ohio, wait for your court date, then show up and sign your papers to set my sister free. You haven't a clue of what you're getting yourself into by showing up here. My brothers will rip your ass to pieces... especially Shawn and Jake. Wanna live? You best start yourself a new life... because I ain't shit up against them - against Shawn - you don't wanna have to deal with him."

She kept her knife out and turned looking both ways and crossed the street climbing back into her palomino. With her eyes on him, she burned rubber, tearing out of town to catch up with her sister.

John Sykes stood staring at the dust she kicked up, then glanced down at the flowers on the ground, he turned and made his way towards his waiting car, got in, sat for a moment and then gave his steering wheel five hard wraps with his open hands. Breathing hard he sat and brewed a moment more, leaned over and opened his glove compartment to check and make sure his gun was there. It was. He slammed it closed and started his car and pulled off.

Back at the McPherson farm house, the sisters nervously told their mother what happened in town.

"We're just gonna have to get a restraining order here, that's all." Gert started.

"Momma that is not gonna do... I don't think she can get one here on him, he's committed no crimes here. He doesn't live here." Kathy Ann stressed.

"That can't matter! He's hurt her and beat on her... that has to stand for something!"

"Momma it don't work that way." Shanna inserted, sitting at the table scared to death.

"I'm gonna tell Shawn what's been going-..." Kathy Ann started.

"No - you are not! He just got back here! I don't want him in the middle of it!" Gert announced.

"I don't either Kathy Ann, you know how he gets!"

"Well then I'm telling Jake..."

"Kathy Ann... they'll go too far! One is no better than the other when it comes to protecting family... you know that! We're going to have to go down to the police station, explain what's happened and why you're here all of a sudden. You got your pictures to prove its true." Gert was trying to reason it out.