Not Him...Please
Chapter 6
By: Punk Lover
Candy kept waking up all through the night. Sometimes she would throw all the covers off her because she was to hot, or sometimes she would grab the covers and make sure she was secure so she could get warm again.
It was about 2:56 am and Candy was still as much awake as she was earlier that evening. She got up and went into the kitchen where she found Mili drinking some water. Mili looked at her and she jumped on the couch wanting Candy to sit down. Candy got herself a drink of water and sat next to Mili. She saw the picture she’s been thinking about all night. She toke it and looked over it. She would look at Cody then Marshall trying to think of what part of their faces looked alike. Then she would look at Joel then Marshall and see some of the same features.
“Mommy?” Marshall whispered walking out of his bedroom.
“Holy Shit!” Candy gasped while dropping the frame to the floor. “Oh Marshall you scared me.”
“Sorry Mom. What are you doing up?” Marshall asked while starting to walk towards her and Mili to help pick up the glass that had shattered from the frame.
“Came to get a glass of water. Then I sat down to look at the beautiful present you gave me. But I guess now I’ll have to get it fixed.” Candy said with a little giggle.
Marshall started petting Mili and nodding at what Candy was saying.
“Why are you awake?” Candy asked trying to avoid talking about the picture.
“Couldn’t sleep. Just to much on my mind I guess.”
Candy laughed lightly. “How can you have to much on your mind? You’re only seven years old.”
“I don’t know. It’s just mostly you and Daddy I guess. I just want to see him more that’s all.”
Candy felt horrible even though it wasn’t her fault that Cody didn’t want to come over often and just hang out with Marshall. But then again she could’ve pushed Cody to try harder. Candy gave Marshall a reassuring smile and picked him up to put him back in bed.
“Don’t you worry Marshall, I’ll get Daddy here more often, I promise.” Marshall smiled and soon enough he fell straight to sleep again. Candy walked back into the lounge and picked up more of the glass. She put the picture back on the little table and started walking back to bed. Before she went in her room she toke one last glance at it and closed the door.
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“Marshall! Hurry the bus will be here in three minutes!” Candy was rushing to get his lunch ready and his bag all set for him to leave. “Marshall, I mean it, you have to go!”
Candy ran into his room and saw him playing guitar.
“Marshall stop playing that thing and get your little butt in gear.”
Candy grabbed the guitar from Marshall and grabbed his arm and started dragging him into the kitchen. She put his bag on his back after stuffing him in his sweater and dragged him some more down the stairs, through the lobby and outside just as the bus came to a stop. Marshall didn’t say anything the whole time since she was going at super mom mode. She kissed him good-bye and lightly pushed him onto the bus. She waved to him as the bus started leaving and went back up the stairs to her apartment.
She entered her apartment and there stood Cody. Candy stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him.
“Hey, I just came by with more money.” Cody said almost in a whisper. Candy closed the door and walked into the lounge a sat next to Mili.
“But you just paid like two weeks ago.” Cody walked towards her and sat down next to her.
“I know but I’m going for a little while and I can’t pay next month so I decided to pay now.” Candy looked at him confused.
“Where are you going? Even though it’s not really any of my business.”
“I need to go see my friend down in Texas. He’s kind of sick and I just want to be there for him.” Cody said while petting Mili.
“ So let me get this straight. You would rather spend money to go to Texas to see a sick friend then come here for free to see a lonely boy? Wait! Not just a boy but your son? That’s pretty low you know that?” Candy was starting to get frustrated and started raising her voice.
“Look, I have nothing in common with a little six year old kid…”
“Seven! He is seven years old. And you probably do have something in common with him but you wouldn’t know because you never try to spend time with him to find out.” Candy said interrupting Cody.
“Look I’m not doing this now! I’m going!” He started turning and walking out again. The door was slammed shut and Candy was left alone again.
She had this evil grin on her face and re-opened the door and yelled down the hall. “Marshall might not even be yours anyways so I guess it doesn’t matter!” She slammed the door again and then realized what she just said. But after a quick thought she figured ‘well he deserves it for what he’s put me through.’ There was a light knock on the door and she slowly moved towards it.
The door had a small crack in it and all she could see was a bit of Cody’s face. “What do you mean he might not be mine?”
“Are you interested in him now? A few seconds ago you didn’t want anything to do with him.”
“Just tell me what you mean.” She let Cody in and he sat on the couch. Candy told him about the resemblance between Marshall and Joel and how Joel could be his father because they had sex almost before Cody and her got back together. “Have you told Joel?”
“Not yet, but I’m going to soon. What are you going to do if Marshall’s actually Joel’s son? Wait that’s a stupid question, you’ll be doing the same thing you are now…nothing.”
“Ok, let’s stop being negative. When are you going to find out who’s the father?”
“Well we need to do a DNA test so I need you and Joel there. After we’ll find out.” Candy couldn’t believe how grownup Cody was being about the whole situation. He seemed deep in thought about it all.
“Tell me when you want to do it and I’ll be there.”
Candy thought for a bit. She wanted it done as soon as possible so it could get all the stress off her back. But she also has to tell Joel what’s going on first before she can ask for a DNA test. “I need to talk to Joel first then I can let you know.”
“Fair enough. You can call me anytime. I guess I’ll stay home until this is all over with.”
Candy had a little smile on her face. She couldn’t believe how Cody was taking everything in. Cody left a little bit after they talked and Candy sat down with a little less of her stress and started watching TV when Marshall walked into the door.
“Hey sweetie! How was your day?”
“It was boring as usual but I guess all in all it was ok. What about your day?”
“It was interesting. I talked to your father about some things but other then that not to much happened.” Marshall just sat down next to Candy and started watching TV with her. It was about 5 o’clock when Candy was getting their super ready.
“Mom what are we eating tonight?” Marshall yelled from his bedroom.
“Food!”
“What kind of food?”
“Food food!”
“Darn Mom you always do that!” Candy just laughed at herself. After they ate some food Marshall sat back and relaxed by watching some TV while Candy cleaned up.
**Knock Knock**
“I’LL GET IT!!!” Marshall ran to the door as fast as he could and opened it to see a very tired Joel. “Mommy Joel’s here.” Joel didn’t say anything he just walked in and sat at the kitchen table.
“Marshall will you excuse me and Joel for a moment?” Marshall nodded with a look of concern on his face but left them there to talk. “Are you alright? You look like you were in a train wreck.” Joel didn’t say anything he just put his head on the table and gave out a big sigh. “Ok you don’t have to talk but there is something that I really need to discuss with you.”
“I just can’t take it anymore! All the people trying to get us for themselves, trying to be our friends when they don’t even know who we really are! It’s been pissing me off since you left because when you were around people just saw you and got jealous and didn’t even try to bug me into talking to them. My life is great no doubt about that but I’m just so sick of some people. I look like this because I’ve been running my ass off to get away from all these people who’ve been following me and the last place I wanted to lead them was here…the only peaceful place I have left. But whatever I guess I’ll just get over it by myself. So what did you want to talk about?”
Candy looked at Joel who had just poured himself out to her because she’s missing the little things in his life now that they’re not together. But even if he says that that problem is a small one the last thing she wants to do is pour an even bigger problem.
“Never mind. I’ll tell you when you’re not so tired and angry.”
“Well I’ve got time and I’m not that angry anymore because I’ve been talking to you and I’m awake enough to listen to what you have to say since you listened to me. So go ahead.”
“…This is really hard for me to say since your always busy and I don’t think this will help your life but…Marshall…might not be Cody’s and the only person I’ve ever slept with other then him was…you.”
Joel sat there wide eyed at Candy not understanding what had been just said but more believing that it was true. Down the hall Marshall was listening in on the conversation to see what was wrong wit Joel but then overhearing that Cody might not be his father.
I close my eyes when I get to sad I think thoughts that I know are bad
Close my eyes and I count to ten Hope it’s over when I open them
I want the things that I’ve had before Like a star wars poster on my bedroom door
I wish I could count to ten Make everything be wonderful again
Hold my mom and I hold my dad And figure out why they get so mad
I hear them scream I hear them fight They say bad words that make me want to cry
I close my eyes when I go to bed and I Dream of adventures that make me smile
I feel better when I hear them say Everything will be wonderful someday
Mommy says mean everything When you’re little and the worlds so big
I just don’t understand how You can smile with all those tears in your eyes
And tell me everything is wonderful now I go to school and I run and play
I tell the kids that it’s all ok I have to lie so my friends wont know
When the bell rings I just don’t want to go
Go to my room and I close my eyes I make belief that I have a new life
I don’t believe you when you say Everything will be wonderful some day
Mommy says mean everything When you’re little and the worlds so big
I just don’t understand how You can smile with all those tears in your eyes
And tell me everything is wonderful now
(Everclear “Wonderful”)