BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (179 page)

"Since I'm child free for the morning, thanks to Ben, he came and got them; I thought I'd touch base with my girls, see what they up to, what's been going on."

"Ah, so Ben has them huh?"

She smiled, "Yes... Isaac was having a fit to see him, so I let him."

"I trust him, you trust him, Victor hates him, what do you think he'll say when he finds that his sons are going places with him alone?"

Crystal fell back half sitting on his desk that he and Mundo brought over first thing. He was sitting in his chair, leaning back taking a break with her there. "I know - he probably won't like it, I don't care. My sons need what he gives them, I just wish Victor had that in him, he doesn't, he never has - he really doesn't know what to do with them."

"Maybe his seeing someone be a better father to his sons, will make him try harder, put forth more of an effort." Shawn suggested.

"You hoping for him?" She asked.

"To get back with you? No chance in hell. However, he is their father, and that stands for something. I would never block him from his own sons, even though I don't see him being much of a role model for them. Heard from him yet?"

"No, nothing. I may run into him when I'm out and about."

"Do not, be alone with him - I don't trust what he might do to try and persuade you back, including forcing himself on you. You wouldn't cave in for that would you?"

"No way, those days are over. I don't know yet what I'm going to do, but going back to bed with him, is not in any plans I'm making. Off the subject of him, I've got a favor to ask you."

"Shoot."

"Teach me to cook greens the way you do?"

Shawn first looked stunned and then threw his head back and roared with laughter. "You got it pumkin'! And so uh, why me, and not your mother?" He grinned asking.

"If the truth were to be told, I kind'ah like your greens better."

"YES! Yeah! That's right! You said it! It's true! What can I say?!" He cheered, boasting.

Crystal stood laughing, "Be nice papah-Shawn, don't be bragging all hard on her, she'll never forgive me."

Shawn cleared his throat, calming down, "No ah, seriously, I won't - sure I'll teach you - my way!"

"Papah-Shawn be nice now, I see that devilish twinkle in your eye! I better get going so I'm back here before Ben comes back, if I'm not, will you or mama get the boys for me?"

"Go do your thing, we'll be here."

She hugged him placing a kiss on his cheek, "Thanks - see you in a bit!"

Back at home, Victor hung up the phone after talking to his supervisor, letting him know he needed a few days off because he had serious family problems. He took the rest of the week off but would have to be back to work the following Sunday. The next phone call he made was to a lawyer. He made an appointment to see one stating it was an urgent matter and couldn't wait for days, he needed to see one immediately. They informed him of a retainers fee that needed to be paid upon arrival. He agreed and made his appointment to see one that afternoon. He sat a few moments trying to think of what he needed to do next, with Ben, heavy on his mind. The situation wasn't anything like it had been. There had never been anyone else in Crystal's sight - he had always been the one she wanted - he knew that. But now, now there was Shawn's son, "Shawn's fucking SON! FUCK!" He shoved a plate of food away from him, burgers and fries he'd picked up on the way home. Throwing himself back in his chair against the wall, he stroked his temples until they were red. With little else to do, he grabbed his mobile and dialed Crystal's phone number.

Crystal was at that moment pumping gas when her phone starting playing it's ring tone. She reached into the front window grabbing it out of her purse while her tank was filling up, catching sight of Victor's name on the display. She flipped it open, taking a deep breath.

"Hello?"

"Crystal..."

"Yeah."

Victor sat at the kitchen table, leaning with his elbows on it, hand with it's fingers squeezing and pinching the bridge of his nose as he held the phone to his ear, trying to think of what to say. "Crystal... I need to talk to you, I need to talk to you alone. No audience, no one else around, please."

It was Crystal's turn to fall silent a moment, thinking. "I don't want to Victor, I just want us to work out-..."

"Crystal! Listen to me will you, will you listen to what I'm saying to you? Please? I never wanted a divorce!"

"What was sleeping with Jeanine all about then Victor? If you didn't want a divorce? That act said, I mean nothing to you."

"That was just stupid Crystal, just stupid! I went through this crazy moment of insanity because I was free and - trying to - do things my mother's way! But Crystal, that's all over! I swear to God, that is all over! She will never come between us again, not ever again! Crystal I got a second job; I got our place back, babe, that house? You always loved that house Crystal and I'm working to buy it, for us, you and I - where we can raise our boys together, maybe, have another one, a little girl this time though - I've put money away. I'm gonna do things so differently now Crystal - if you just-..."

"Victor! Stop - look - I'm at the Kwik trip, getting gas, I have places to go and I can't drive and-..."

"Come here Crystal, please baby, come home - come here - even if it's just to talk, we need to talk, please Crystal, please, just to talk, that's all."

"I don't know, look ah, call me back in about fifteen minutes or so." She clicked the phone off with her heart pounding crazy in her chest.

"Nooo, God, I don't need this now! I don't need this! I don't wanna talk, I don't wanna fix it! I just wanna be free!" Shaking her head, she replaced the gas pump back in it's cradle, hating the fact that as she said the words, Ben came to her mind, taking over the visions and pictures she once always had of Victor inside her head. Driving she headed for the mall, the Buckle, where her friend Rochelle worked. Due to the time of day, the mall wasn't too busy yet, she headed for the shop to find Rochelle setting up a rack for jeans when her ring tones went off again. She looked at it, Victor once more. She decided not to answer it, he would have to wait. She smiled, she couldn't believe she was actually making him wait. There was a time when she would have been shaking to answer it, scared it would stop ringing before she got in her hello.

Rochelle spotted her right away, "Hey girl, wha's up? I bet you spinning huh?"

Crystal stopped in the doorway, not sure what she was talking about and then stepped further into the high trendy shop asking, "Spinning? From what?"

"Victor! Trippin'! Burning down his mother's house!"

"What?! You lying? Get out of here!"

"Haven't you heard?"

"When did this happen? I've been in California for the last two weeks, we just got back a couple of days ago, and I just saw him yesterday?"

"Last night girl! Yesterday evening, it's all over the place! It's in the paper! Hang on, let me show you this!" Rochelle lead her to the dressing room she monitored and picked up the paper she'd been reading. It was a local paper reporting all the news that happened in the area. While it wasn't front page news, it definitely made the news. She stood holding the paper before Crystal, reading to her what happened until Crystal took the paper and read it for herself. The article basically quoted witnesses, neighbors who stated that he'd been in a an angry tirade, shouting and forcing his way into his parents home, in a disorderly state, inebriated, raging and shouting obscenities as he broke out their windows, forced his way into their home and then proceeded to set it on fire, destroying it beyond further habitation. Those living near stated his reasons for doing so, that he blamed the failure of his almost 3 year marriage on his mother's interference. He was arrested, charged with disorderly conduct, DWI, and arson and will go before a judge who will set his bail for release. It had said a few other things but enough for Crystal to sit stunned by what she read.

"Oh my - god."

"So let's hear it girlfriend, what's the deal? I know you two were separated, but according to that, it's a straight up no go? So or no?"

"We're - divorced."

"Oh shit! When?"

"It's a big mess Ro' - just too much to get into while you here at work. I just came by to see what was going on, see if we can get together and then you show me this, damn!"

"So what you wanna do, 'cause I gotta hear this. I can't believe you two got a divorce. I know you were having problems, but not like that. So I take it, you divorced him?"

"Well - yes and no. Like I said, it's a bit complicated. Look, ah, I'm gone head out, call me when you-..."

Her ring tone started going off again. She checked it, Victor once more. Rochelle leaned over looking, she couldn't help herself. She'd also wondered if it had anything to do with what was circulating on the grapevine that he'd been seen with Omiyah on and off. Because it wasn't a sure thing, she wasn't going to be the one that spilled it, because so far, it was just hearsay, but one had to wonder. After all, before Crystal and Victor, he'd knocked her a couple of times.

"Girl, I have to get out of here. Call me when you get off?"

"Sure will."

"You mind if I ah, take this paper, please?"

"Take it - it's yours."

Back in her car, Crystal sat spinning, with what had taken place with Victor and his parents. She couldn't believe that he'd gone so drastic as that and in a way, she felt some how guilty about it. To actually set his mother's house on fire? The ring tone went off again, she answered it.

"Victor, I was driving, I couldn't answer it - I would have called you back." She fibbed, not sure of what to do now. Knowing what he'd done, seemed to add another layer to her confusion on their situation.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to bug you, but we need to get this resolved Crystal. You need to come home, our home, so we can talk!"

"Victor ... I've got a paper that says, yesterday, you set your parent's home on fire."

"I did."

"Victor - oh my god! Why?"

"Why do you think? I'm sorry Crystal, I'm so so sorry I let all that happened, happen. Crystal, don't let her win, please - this is what she wanted all along. I've called and made an appointment with a lawyer, I'm going to ask if the divorce can be reversed."

"Don't Victor."

"Why? I can't believe you're saying that! You got something going on with that Ben now? Is that it?"

"Ben and I, are nothing but friends."

"Well, regardless of anything, I'm still your husband Crystal, I am! I never saw any divorce papers, I never signed any divorce papers. That was all my mother, she lied - she went behind my back and some how signed my name and then lied to you! Crystal, I love you. I love you Crystal, please - come here so we can talk, please."

"Nooo Victor."

"I promise you, that's all we'll do, just talk, nothing else - unless that is - you want something else to happen."

Crystal sat a few moments, tempted to go there, but in the pit of her stomach, she didn't want to go. "Victor, if we're going to talk, it has to be somewhere public."

"We're married Crystal, this is crazy! What are you saying, that you don't trust me now? That what you're saying?"

"Do you want to talk or not? If you do, it'll be on my terms, or, not at all."

"Okay fine, where?"

"Johnson's Vienna restaurant, meet me out front."

"Okay, I'm on my way."

Because Crystal was closer, she arrived first. Because they'd be occupying a table, she went in and ordered drinks for them, as well an Italian Beef sandwich for him and a Italian sausage for herself. Walking back out to the table, she watched him pull up, park and step from his car, walking to her table.

She smiled up at him, "Got you a beef sandwich." She offered.

He sat down, never acknowledged the sandwich but instead had his eyes on her. Her hair was curled into the style she wore when she went to L.A., it was very flattering, she was lovely, fresh looking, and soft with the style. He wanted to reach over and touch her skin, unable to resist, he caressed her cheek with his knuckles. Crystal pulled away, "Don't Victor, we're here to talk, remember."

"You never used to mind me touching you, what's changed?" He asked softly. He wanted to kiss her. He hated that she wanted to meet here instead of going to their home, had she gone there, he knew he would have been able to get her in bed, and he thought, that's why she wouldn't go there, because she knew it too.

"Everything has changed Victor - I've changed. And I've done a lot of thinking in the last two weeks, serious deep thinking. One of the things I realized, is that - you and I - we should have never gotten married, me pregnant or not. I wasn't ready for marriage, especially being married to someone like you."

Victor's eyes grew wide, "What does that mean, someone like me?"

Crystal sat a few moments thinking about it, how to say it, but then, she'd already said it, yesterday, "Look Victor, I don't feel like talking in circles. Let's just leave it alone. It's done, we're divorced, let's just leave it at that. You're free now-..."

"I'm not leaving it there! That was not what I wanted!" He insisted.

"I think we need to spend our time agreeing on times for you to see the boys."

"If you come home, come back to being my wife, I'll see my boys everyday, the way I'm supposed to. Where are they by the way?"

"Had I known I would be seeing you now, I would have brought them with me, so you could see them now, but I didn't know. I do think you should come by, spend some time with them, they need you in their lives."

"I need you Crystal, in my life! My God! Don't you love me anymore? You won't even hold eye contact with me, you keep looking down, have you done something? Have you been with someone?"

She met him eye to eye then, "I don't sleep around! I have never been that way! You know it. I have never been unfaithful to you! So don't even go there!"

"Alright, alright!" He reached out and tried to take her hand, she pulled it away, placing them in her lap under the table. "See, what am I to think when you won't even let me touch you, hold your hand? And, you haven't answered my question, do you still love me?"