Family Reunion (53 page)

“
Maynard!!"
Manny blinked back to awareness by Gloria's harsh call of his name beside him, scowling quite angrily now, he looked down at her.

"Why were you looking at that-... her that way!?!" She asked offended to be so thoroughly forgotten with Lena's presence. Never had she experienced such a lust filled, amorous look from him, yet that was what she saw him direct towards the other woman. "Maynard who is she!? What have I walked in on and caught you at?!"

"Call my mother a that – once more
lady – and you're done! That's right, my mother! Mama don't just stand there! Tell this harlot who you are!" Hope demanded.

"M - mother!? Harlot?!"

"Yes harlot –you- that's right!" Hope shot back, standing beside her mother who was gazing back at Manny, admiring him and the handsome figure he presented. The look in his eyes on her told her more than any words could. She needed no explanation from him about this woman, Gloria West. This man before her was in love with
her
, and it showed, in that she was secure.

"Maynard!! I wish to speak with you, alone! I demand you stop looking at that-...I demand you start explaining yourself this minute!! Maynard! I'm talking to you!"

Lena turned to her daughter. "Hope, this is obviously Gloria West, whom your father was engaged to, I think we should leave and give them some privacy." Lena suggested softly.

"Oh no we're not! If you aren't going to give this woman a piece of your mind, then she'll have a piece of mine!"

"Hope! We - are – leaving!"

"Oh no you're not!" Manny spoke up firmly. "She is ... and now!"

"That's right daddy! Did you hear that? You slow wit, laced up, perfume dipped trollop, sap suckin' hussy of a wanton bitc-"

"
Hope
!!!" Both Manny and Lena yelled her name at the same time, both of them thinking the same thing.
'Where did she learn to use such language?!'

Gloria put her hands on her hips, "Listen young lady, close your trap, I'm talking to him." She gestured with a thumb Manny's way. Hope took a step in her direction when Lena grabbed her arm.

Turning to Manny, Gloria demanded, "Well are you going to get rid of them or not?! I want to know if this is all true?!"

"Listen carefully, yes – it’s all true! She’s the mother of my children! And the woman I’m going to marry!! Gloria West, meet - Princess Ces alena!"

"Manny!!" Lena screeched immediately fearful of him admitting such a thing.

"What!?" Gloria repeated, stunned.

"You heard me, loud and clear!"

Lena felt her heart pounding in fear.

"My God you must be out of your mind! This ship-...you named it-...you can't possibly mean that!" Gloria sputtered. Lena couldn't help but fear what trouble this might cause them with her knowing.

"Manny don't!" Lena cried
and went to Gloria. "He didn't mean it, really he didn't!!"

"I meant that and more. I love you, and I don't give a damn who knows it!"

"Manny stop it! You're speaking and acting without thinking!" Lena scolded gruffly.

Gloria, who was quick to see things for the way they were smiled and mimicked her, looking up to Manny. "That's right...
'Manny'
you are speaking without thought! You can't marry her…at one time maybe, but times have changed Maynard – this is a new world. Who would accept her, as your wife! Come now, cease in this nonsense.”

“
Remember, we're engaged to be married, have you forgotten that? The engagement party is just a few weeks away! I've waited too long and planned too hard for you to even consider backing out now. Hundreds of people are to attend, and father has paid too much money out already for the party and wedding. You see, because - there -
will
be one!" Gloria threatened.

Manny's eyebrows pinched in anger as he faced her straight on. "I don't give a damn how long you've waited, nor do I give a damn about how much money your father's spent!"

"Apparently not, but perhaps you do give a damn how many people know about your bastard daughter and her Negro mother! Princess or no … beautiful as she
is
indeed; she's not the first I've seen like that. Don't test me Maynard…plans are made." She smiled.

"You bitch!" Manny spat.

Gloria smiled. "What can I say? And you, my dear Maynard, were the dog, sniffing behind my tail. After all, you mounted me enough to make me think you appreciated it."

Lena closed her eyes and turned away, heading for the door.

"Don't go…Ceś alena." Gloria called smiling. "You see, I can be reasonable. I'll tell you what, you can keep your mistress, doesn't bother me at all, just as long as you don't tire yourself out between the two of us."

Manny felt an overwhelming need to hit her but knew it was
so
overwhelming that he might do permanent damage. He would not draw this out before Lena, whom he was unable to face at the moment.

"I'll be in the other room." Lena said softly.

"No mother…you stay right here." Hope demanded, glaring at Gloria and then her father.

"I want you to get the hell off of my ship! The sight of you makes me ill! I don't like being reminded of the level I once sank to."

"Oh Maynard, come now, it's not so bad down here! It never
bothered you before. You know how our world works. Marriage is for convenience, not love. Look at all you will be gaining by making me your wife. As I said, you can keep her too; I can see where she would most certainly be desired ... and, who knows?" She looked at Lena in a way that made Manny's flesh crawl as his eyes widened in shocked understanding, he'd been around too long not to know what she meant by that statement.

He looked to Lena who had turned back stunned as well by her words. "Lena." She looked up at him. "I want you and Hope to leave us alone a moment." Lena shook her head; she didn't like the look in his eyes.

"Manny…just…no…leave it…we have-…"

"Maynard, let me warn you, I've tried to be patient with you. I've tried to be understanding, but if I walk out that door, by the time I get through with you, exposing your perversions, you and this ship you sail will-…"

"Hey, what's going on in here? What's all the yelling about?!" Rory and Mike asked standing in the doorway, capturing Gloria's attention. Seeing Rory there, her mouth fell open. Her wide eyes went from him to Mike, who was a younger model of Manny, yet better looking, at first glance he didn't seem as rugged looking as his father but what brought her attention back to the fore was Rory.

"What is he doing here!?" She almost shrieked with her finger pointing at Rory.

Manny smiled, "Oh yeah, let me introduce you, Gloria West, my sons, you've already made this one’s acquaintance if I remember correctly, Rory Everard –
Webster -
…"

"You lie!!!"

"Oh no, not at all, it's quite true I assure you. This young man, is my other son, Michael Ramsey Webster, all three of them are children of this woman who stands before me now." He pulled Lena over to him placing her at his side to give Mike and Rory better access to the room.

"Now…Gloria – back to this plan you have, what was that again? Telling people about my so called
'perversions'
, imagine that Rory, Gloria threatening to go public with our family business."

Gloria paled considerably looking from Rory to Lena, and then from Lena to Manny, next she looked at Mike, even under threat, Gloria couldn't control herself.
'God he is magnificent! So young! Bursting with virile strength and endurance.'
Even knowing that she'd lost, for the life of her she couldn't resist desiring his son.
'Oh being his wife could have been wonderful! Oh the fun we all could have had!'

She thought in regret but there was no way
she could endure an out right scandal concerning a fifteen year old boy, she would be shunned by all and her father would kill himself from the shame.

Hope smiled saucily crossing her arms over her chest very satisfied, as Gloria gave her one last look. Taking a deep breath, Gloria turned back to Manny, conceding with a smile.

"You've got me." She laughed good naturedly. "Oh Maynard, if only you'd shared this delicious secret, all could have turned out so differently." Again she pouted in her pretty way, slanting her eyes upward and to the side to get Mike's reaction to her. He only looked at her blankly. He could plainly see she was casting her bait for him and shook his head cutting a glance to his father.

"Goodbye - Gloria." Manny said for the last time.

With a grin and a shrug, she lifted her skirts, "Oh well, I tried...it was nice while it lasted ... enjoy him darling – but then by the looks of these, you already have." Gloria couldn't resist pausing before Mike, eyeing him with a silent message and rubbing against him deliberately as she made to squeeze through the door. Mike cut to his father again with the raise of a brow.

Gloria made her way from the ship as quietly as she had come.

"Where in God’s earth did you find her!?" Mike asked in disgust.

Lena stood staring at Rory, wondering what part he had played in this; after all, it was his presence that turned Gloria around.

"Rory how does she know you?" Lena asked.

Rory cleared his throat nervously looking down at his mother then up at his father for help. "I'll tell you about it later okay, it's getting late and we need to be on our way." Manny whispered.

"Yeah it's getting late! We better go before we're late!" Rory repeated running for the door to get away. "Rory! Get back here!" Lena called heading for the door, knowing he was running from the subject at hand.

Manny grabbed her arm. "Lena... leave it be." He implored softly.

"I want to know what just happened here between the three of you! Why after Rory appeared was she ready to give in so willingly?"

"It doesn't matter, it's over, as long as you're not angry with me about her…are you?" Manny asked gently. Lena smiled, "Is there reason to be?" Manny shook his head. "Of course not, you know that."

"Then to get angry would be a waste wouldn't it?"

Rory sighed with relief from his hiding place behind the door, where Mike had stepped out watching him. He had no idea of the details involved, but he wasn't stupid in the ways of men and even young boys with women like Gloria, after all, he’d had his Jessie, Esteban’s mother.

'I'll be damned, the kid had a go at her.'
He just knew it, as his father knew. Rory turned from his older brother's enquiring gaze and peaked in the door of the room.

"We're going to be late if you all don't come on."

"Yes mama, we don't want to be late, it's over now." Hope said, wanting to forget the whole thing. Lena turned from Manny and walking past Hope whispered by her daughter's ear, "Later on, you and I are going to have a little talk about that mouth of yours and the language you use…young lady!" Lena's eye contact with her spoke her dislike promising strict correction. Seeing that, Hope was not about to get it alone.

"Mike taught me and forced me to say all that stuff mama!" She volunteered innocently. Lena was taken aback. "He did, ask Maria!" Mike heard her and denied it. "I did not! I wasn't even in the room!"

Lena looked up at him sympathetically; her baby would never do such a thing. "I know son." She assured him. Hope's mouth fell wide open.

"Mama he did! Mike you know it!!"

"Drop it Hope, until later that is." Lena reprimanded.

Manny grinned and stuck out his tongue at his daughter, who retaliated doing the same. Stepping into the hall way, Lena started looking everyone over, nervous about going out together, unsure of the evening or what Manny had planned.

"Mike where's Maria and the children? Are they ready?" She asked as Mike came up behind his mother, draping her shoulders with her green hooded cape. "Yes mama they're ready."

"Hope where is Joseph?"

"He'll meet us there; he had an errand to run." She answered, giving her smirking brother dirty looks. "Hope stop looking at your brother that way, frowning and creasing your brow, and straighten your back, you're slumping. Come here, slick your brows, they're all wild, did you even check the mirror?!"

"Mama! My brows are fine, mama! Don't do that."

"Hold still!" Lena ordered as she stroked Hope's brows smooth and pulled her dress down straight and into place. Mike was grinning behind Lena's back at Hope. "Mama look at Mike's hair, don't you think it's far too long…he looks positively barbaric, worse than a pirate!"

Lena turned from Hope and looked up at her son. "Turn around Mike." She emphasized her request by turning him by his arm. "My goodness Michael, she's right."

"What?" He asked, turning back, glaring at his sister, who was now smirking, satisfied that the attention was turned to him.

"Your hair
, that's what, look how long it is. When was the last time you cut it?" Lena asked combing it with her fingers.