BOMAW 1-3 (113 page)

Jake stood at the bar, in the back corner, out of sight, just watching family members who did double takes when they saw him, smiled and came over to talk to him as he sipped on his Long Island Ice Tea. Night had fallen, only the main hall was lit up, the bar area was dark with just lights from the bar shining down. There were lots of dark corners to hide in, he was tempted to find one. Part of him wished that he had just stayed away. He was determined not to mess with anyone, as long as no one messed with him. He knew he should go congratulate his brother, but he didn't feel it. While he knew he was not in love with Sylvia, he most certainly desired her... given time to get to know her, he felt that desire might grow. Seeing her just then, stirred him - made his heart skip a beat, he wanted to touch her... to feel her in his arms again... to get that sensation of her body being up close to him once more, but not by sneaking up on her. He wanted her to want him, like all the others wanted him... but she didn't. It pissed him off because he knew deep in his gut, that that would never be.

"I should just fuckin' get the hell out of here." He muttered to himself.

"So you finally showed up at your brother's wedding?" Bart surprised him, making him look up.

"Yeah... what the heck, didn't have anything else to do tonight."

"I think you need to go in there and congratulate him."

"Yeah, maybe later dad." He returned looking to his left to see Sylvia passing them to return to the main hall. She looked up at his father and smiled at him, but kept on passed him, he looked from her back to his father, to see his eyes on him.

"Behave yourself son... okay. This is Shawn's night... and that is his wife... let him have what is his."

"Oh! Here we go! Maybe I should just leave!" He said growing irritated already.

"How about trying to be happy for him instead? You don't need to leave, this
isafter all about family. You should be in the other room with us instead of out here."

"I'm comfortable dad... okay... I'm fine right where I am." Jake lifted his drink to his father, as if a toast and took two deep swallows of it.

Bart stood a moment staring at his son. Here was another one, again... regret.

Jake turned sideways facing the bar, uncomfortable under his father's scrutiny.

"Okay son... take it easy on the drink okay?"

"I'm a grown man dad."

"You driving aren't you?"

"I'll tell you what... if I get wasted, I'll call a cab okay? Promise." He mumbled, then took another swallow from it.

Bart walked by him into the men's room.

When Sylvia returned to the main hall, she noticed her daughter talking to DJ, both of whom were standing up on the stage with Mundo, the three of them getting to know each other. Crystal was laughing rather loud, holding a drink. Everywhere Sylvia looked, people were drinking. Then she spotted Shawn talking to Sheila and her friends. He was laughing hilariously, a mug of beer in his hand, half filled. He was in a really good mood. The music was loud, and many of the kids were on the dance floor, dancing to Mundo's mixes, suddenly he turned them down a bit and spoke into the microphone.

"Everybody feeling good?!" He called out.

"YEAH!" All responded, including Shawn.

"Glad to hear it... I'm gettin' ready to put somethin' to the test! Let's see Papah-Shawn - can you feel it?!"

Shawn snapped around to hear Mundo playing one of his absolute favorites, the Jackson's Five,
"Can you feel it!"
Courtesy of his daughter. Shawn threw his head back and howled, he passed his beer to Edwina, and threw his arms in the air and started dancing. Shocking everyone around him, simply because, for that song... it hit him in that way that forced him to move, never missing a beat! Sylvia couldn't believe her eyes. He broke into a James Brown move and shimmied out onto the floor, turning and dancing he looked for her, spotted her and waved her onto the floor with him. Sylvia laughed and started dancing up to him. However, the floor was clearly his - the song moved all through him. Those near in attendance stood surprised and laughing as he found Angela and brought her onto the floor to dance with him and then his mother. Having a good time, Gert moved out there as all three of them, Shawn's favorite women danced around him. His body gyrating across the floor freestyle.

Sylvia laughed until she was crying... watching him dance as if he were flying high, displaying no hesitation, it was in his face - nothing but joy.

"SHEILA! COME ON OUT HERE WOMAN!!!" Shawn shouted without breaking a step. Laughing Sheila walked out there to free style her feelings for the song, all teeth showing, loving it.

"DAMN RIGHT... TIME TO BRING DOWN THE HOUSE!! AHH YEAH!!" Mundo shouted in the micphrophone, "That's what I'm talking 'bout! It's that time... everybody... ass on for the floor - NOW! Walls don't need holding up, they stand all by they'self! I'on care if you can't dance, do the twist or something! Everybody can do the twist!" Mundo shouted laughing, clapping and watching Shawn move. He didn't know what blessings they deserved, but already, he respected that man, and yes, loved him. The talks they'd been having spending so much time alone together, working with each other to get the ball rolling on what his mother needed, what Shanna his sister needed, and what they needed. Laughing and joking, Shawn telling him bits and pieces from his past, about an old friend of his, Jesse. He had Mundo laughing just as much, the other way around. Yes, that was his "Papah-Shawn" He'd been calling him that now for the last week straight and felt that he was. Immediately he went into the next song,
'Sean Paul, Gimme the light'
that he used to blend with other fast dance tracks, determined to keep everyone moving.

The teen element cheered, and because she danced with her father, Angela was feeling light hearted and decided to really show her stuff. With Shawn2 out there as well, she thought what the heck. Along with him, they danced blowing everyone away with their moves. Shawn2 thought he was the best until Angela turned loose on him.

"Oh - my GOD! Will you look at your daughter?!" Sylvia called her to Shawn's attention who was sipping more of his beer, he lowered it and took a look, his mouth falling open. He wiped the back of his hand across his moustache and beard, blinking to make sure he was looking at his daughter, and not another girl like her.

He nor Sylvia knew that she could move the way she was moving now. Even at the bonfire, she'd been reserved and was shy about dancing, though Sylvia had invited her to join them. Now... they could see it wasn't because she couldn't dance. Obviously, the girl had spent a great deal of time alone in her room watching videos and teaching herself to dance, because she and Shawn2 were in a dance battle. They looked like brother and sister instead of cousins.

"What the hell..." Shawn muttered staring at her. Her neck was moving one direction, her feet another, and her body was doing three different moves as well, all at the same time. Shawn looked at Sylvia and pointed his mug towards Angela. "When... how'd that happen?!"

"Don't ask me... that looks like something she learned all that time alone when she was with her mother! Oh my goodness." Sylvia muttered.

Crystal was howling with laughter, and then went out on the floor joining them, dancing up a storm as well, soon DJ was there with her and the floor was taken over by youth until Mundo put on
'Beyonce's, Baby Boy.'

"Ah shit now... my turn, now I'm goin' out there." Vivian said. Once again that red dress demanded attention while she worked her body as that song called for a body like hers to do. The beat had her hips moving like a dying mans last wishes. Hearing all the cheering and gasps, Jake slowly moved toward the main hall, and then stood frozen as his eyes fell on the red dress from Kwik Trip! He couldn't believe his eyes! She was there! Moving on the floor like sex on legs, she was definitely a goddess from another world.

"WOOO-WE! Look at her ass move!" Sheila laughed... because not a man there could take his eyes off of her.

Even Derricks son's were howling. DJ bit into his knuckles, "Mother..." He moaned.

Jake stared as she moved in a controlled gyration, looking as if there were no bones in her body, turning slowly feeling every single beat, until finally she faced him and then saw him. Her eyes grew momentarily wider, until she brought her surprised expression under control smoothing back out her exotic features. Mundo piggy backed both versions of the song, anything he could do to keep her on the floor and moving that way.

Vivian could not believe it - standing not twelve feet away, she saw him and with her heart beating she moved like she'd never moved before, turning like hot creamy liquid to give him a view of her back as she moved going low, her arms moving graceful like coiled snakes capable of striking any moment.

Gert looked in the doorway and saw Jake standing there frozen, his eyes on the red dress.

Gert smiled... all was good.

Next person to see him was his older brother, Shawn stared at him, a sudden rash of heat swept over his body as if someone had poured scolding water on him. Although he'd discarded Sylvia's words the previous night, he hadn't lived 42 years without learning a few things. There was a reason for everything under the sun. Including a reason why his brother went from happily greeting him the day of the sap rush - to suddenly finding no reason to attend his wedding. Yet... there he was.

The songs changed and Vivian laughed after that one, she felt good. She wasn't about to turn and look at him, she couldn't believe her luck, that the guy from the Kwik Trip would be
there!
She walked toward Sheila with wide eyes giving her head a light tilt towards the door so she could see him. With keen perception, Sheila looked that way and her eyes too grew huge. Ellen and Edwina followed suit.

Jake stood eyeing his brother, who was doing the same. He was wearing black dress pants and a silk olive/sage green long sleeve shirt.

Sylvia glanced toward Jake, and then away, unsure of what to do because Shawn wouldn't take his eyes off of him. Suddenly he was walking away from her toward Jake. Sylvia thought she would faint. Gert saw it, Derrick saw it, and Bart saw it. All of them moved toward them, Sylvia felt herself shaking and went to stand with her friends.

"Oh my God oh by God oh my God." She muttered in a whimper almost cry.

"Who is that?! And what's wrong with you?" Sheila asked.

"That... is Shawn's younger brother." She said.

All four women looked over at them and then at each other.

"You gotta be kidding me." Vivian said.

"Nope... that's Jake... and right now, I feel ill."

"Why?" Sheila asked.

"Because Jake and Shawn don't get along well."

"Ah hell... are we talkin' sibling rivalry shit?!"

"Big time." Sylvia muttered, unable to look back at them.

"Well look'ah here, lil'brother, fancy meeting you here. You showin' up kind'ah late aren't you?" Shawn started, the alcohol going to his head.

"Better late than never right?" Jake answered back.

"Well... no congratulations for your brother?!" Shawn asked.

"Congratulations... brother." Jake returned.

"Hmm, there's something there... that gives me that sensation... that you just don't mean it... why is that?" Shawn asked walking directly in front of Jake, who stood a few noticeable inches taller, especially with his black polished boots on.

"I don't know... why don't you tell me." Jake answered, looking down at his brother.

"All right you two... no nonsense tonight, not tonight." Bart walked beside them both.

"I didn't step into his face, he stepped into mine." Jake defended.

"Uh Jake, come this way son... someone I want you to meet." Gert said, pulling his arm to get him away from Shawn. He let himself be led away by his mother, but kept his eyes on his brother, thinking,
'Well dear brother, so be it ... you'll be sorry you just did that. Should have left me the fuck alone.'

Derrick could tell, he needed to stay close to them for the rest of the night, looking to his father, "Dad... I'll stick with Shawn." He said.

"Why?! I'm fine... I don't need a keeper. My brother, I don't need a keeper."

"I know Shawn, but lets just keep everything cool okay? He's here, lets all continue to have a good time alright?"

"Hell with that! Why the fuck does he show up here - instead of at my wedding? Why show up now? Huh?"

"Calm down son... you hear? Find your wife... and calm down." Bart spoke to him.

"Shawn, I also think you maybe have had enough to drink." Derrick stated with his father beside him.

"Look... I hardly ever drink! But tonight is my night... I married the woman of my dreams! I'm on top of the world! I'm celebrating... is that okay?!"

"Of course it is... just keep it under control Shawn."

"I'm always under control! I'm going to find my wife! Where's my wife?" Shawn turned from them to see Sylvia talking to Crystal and DJ. He made his way to her.

"WIFE! How you doing baby... you okay?" He asked walking up to her and taking her into his arms, kissing her temple, taking her chin in hand and turning her head for a kiss.