I Want Candy

by Laveen, Tiana

  Candy slammed the phone shut, her chest heaving unsteadily. A dull sense of satisfaction crept over her body as she gripped her phone and made her way back to her bed. She looked at her diary and hesitated.

  “Something’s telling me to finish reading this thing,” she said aloud. “I really don’t want to. Must I relive my own foolishness? The pain? The hurt?” She picked the book up gingerly and skipped ahead.

  * * *

  “So have you finished decorating?” Candy asked Dallas as she pinched her cheek.

  “Ha! When would I have time? My career’s kickin’ my butt. It feels strange not having Andre around, but I’m getting used to it,” Dallas sighed as she flipped through the home design magazine.

  “Well, your place is fabulous, and I’d like to stop by more often. You always come over here which saves me gas,” Candy laughed. “You look radiant, and when the time comes for you to start dating again, you’ll have a variety of men to choose from,” Candy said with a mischievous grin.

  Dallas shrugged. “To tell you the truth, Candy, datings the last thing on my mind. I mean, Andre and I tried to make a go of it. Counseling didn’t really help, and I just can’t get past the betrayal. He’ll always have a special place in my heart, but men in general are on my shit list.” Dallas took a sip of her wine before flipping another page in the magazine. “You did such a good job with your place, Candy. I think I should hire you to do mine. The stuff in these magazines is too pretentious, and when did country flair come back in fashion?” Dallas questioned.

  Candy laughed. “You know I’m more than willing to assist you.”

  “Where’s Eric at?” Dallas asked as she popped a Wheat Thin into her mouth and immersed herself deeply into the soft, leather folds of Candy’s couch.

  “Oh, he had to work late. This new downtown project’s ridiculous. Because of the traffic issues, he has to leave at seven in the evening and doesn’t return until two in the morning. It’s really taking a bite out of our love life, but I know it can’t be helped,” Candy sighed.

  “I’m just glad he has a job!” Dallas teased.

  Candy nodded and laughed.

  “Candy, you seem really happy. I’m thrilled for you.”

  “I’m thrilled too, Dallas. I can’t believe we just celebrated our one-year anniversary. Time sure is flyin’. We talked about tryin’ to have a baby in a year or two.” Candy smiled cheerfully.

  “I know I’m God Mama! I got dibs! Forget Jasmine!” Dallas laughed.

  “Jasmine would have a fit,” Candy giggled. “Do you want some more wine? I’m about to put this stuff up.” Candy shuffled across the kitchen floor in her silk robe, partially exposing a long, matching soft pink nightgown. Her hair was clipped up, two tasseled ringlets of hair cascading down the sides of her face.

  “No girl, I’m good. I’m gettin’ ready to go home anyway,” Dallas added as she stood up and stretched. Just then, Candy’s phone rang. Candy picked it up while simultaneously putting away the cheese tray.

  “Hello?” she said as she held the ivory cordless phone.

  “Hi, Baby,” came Eric’s voice. “Just callin’ and checkin’ on you. Sorry it’s takin’ so long,” he said.

  “Oh, I know, Honey. I understand,” Candy said as she winked at Dallas, who was putting on her jacket and grabbing her purse. “When will you be home, Baby?” she asked.

  “Not for a while. It’ll be at least two or three more hours. I gotta go, Sweetheart. I’ll make this up to you, I promise.”

  “OK,” Candy said in a pouty voice. “See you in a bit.”

  “I love you,” Eric said cheerfully.

  “I love you, too.” Candy hung up the phone, but it immediately rang back.

  Dallas was excusing herself from the house. Candy picked the phone up abruptly and laughed, “What did you forget to tell me?” she snickered. Candy heard a female voice. Dallas waved goodbye to Candy. Candy snapped her fingers, ushering Dallas back inside. Confused, Dallas re-emerged and stood close to Candy. Candy placed her finger up to her lips, signaling Dallas to be quiet. In muffled voices, Candy heard the unthinkable. Each syllable made her heart drop further.

  “I’m back,” said a cheerful female voice. “You better not have been talkin’ to her. I told you when I’m with you, I have you,” the woman teased. The ruffling of sheets ensued.

  “Well, then show me how much you value this time,” Eric laughed. From the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, Candy became an instant inferno. She could feel sweat around her hairline. Her heart felt as if it were going to leap out of her chest.

  “I will…” responded the female voice. Candy tried desperately to make out the noises. She put the call on speaker phone. Dallas slumped down onto one of the kitchen chairs. They heard more sheet rustling, pauses, then Eric’s deep moaning. The unmistaken familiar sound of licking and sucking shot like darts through the phone waves. Dallas covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes bulging and glossing over. Candy stood stiffly as she listened to a strange woman performing oral sex on her husband. Her entire body began to shake. Dallas whispered, “Hang up the phone, Candy!”

  Candy looked at Dallas, vigorously shaking her head “no.”

  “Yeah, that’s it,” Eric groaned. “Suck it harder.”

  Tears ran down Candy’s face. Dallas and she spent the next hour listening to Eric make love to another woman. The words they uttered, the “I love you’s,” the profanity laced in lust, and the obvious familiarity they had with one another made Candy’s very bones tremble and stomach do drunken cartwheels. Her phone’s battery gave out right before a second lovemaking session began. Candy slowly disconnected the call and looked at Dallas, whose face was down and hands clasped together. Dallas looked up at Candy and wiped tears from her own eyes.

  “I’d never wish this on my worst enemy. I know how you feel, Candy. I…I don’t know how to take your hurt away right now,” Dallas sobbed.

  Candy looked at Dallas. She was unable to move. Her body had become heavy and glued to the floor. Dallas rose and hugged Candy tightly. They were silent as seconds turned into minutes.

  “I’m OK,” Candy finally said. “Dallas, I can’t see him right now. I know this is my house, but I just want to go. I think I need to leave the house tonight.”

  Without hesitation Dallas said, “Quick, pack a fast bag and come to my place tonight. It still smells like fresh paint, but the guest room’s available and waitin’.”

  Dallas followed Candy upstairs as she pulled out a pink luggage bag and filled it with toiletries, pants and shirts, two pairs of shoes, and some work related materials. Candy grabbed her laptop, and the two women headed to the driveway before driving into the night.

  * * *

  “Open the door!” Eric pounded harder on Dallas’s door. Five days had passed since Candy had confronted him. Candy refused his phone calls and instructed her assistant at work to keep him away from her office.

  “Candy, I know you’re in there!” Eric’s words slurred. Dallas finally opened her condominium door and rolled her eyes.

  “Eric, you know she doesn’t wanna see you. Why don’t you just go away?” Dallas said calmly as she put her hand on her hip and held her half drunken cup of tea in her other hand.

  “It’s two in the damn mornin’,” she added.

  “I don’t give a fuck what time it is. That’s my wife in there!” he yelled.

  “You should’ve thought about that before you had sex with someone else,” Dallas said coolly.

  Eric laughed roughly. “That’s why your own husband didn’t want you anymore. You’re always puttin’ your nose in other people’s business, you ugly, goat-faced bitch!” he spat, trying to push his way past Dallas’s petite but sturdy frame.

  “Eric, I’ll call the damn police on you. No one has time for this foolishness. If she wanted to see you, she would!” Their struggling match continued. Candy emerged from the guest bedroom after hearing the commotion. She rushed towards the front door, wrap
ping her robe securely around herself.

  “What do you want?” Candy asked in exhaustion.

  Eric’s eyes watered up. “Baby, let’s fix this and make it right.”

  “Eric, are you outta my house yet? I asked you to move out so I could get some time alone to think. I’ve imposed on Dallas long enough.”

  “It’s not an imposition,” Dallas said softly.

  “That’s our house, Candy! I pay half of the bills. No, I ain’t gone, and you just need to come home,” he demanded.

  “It’s a house, not home, because you’re in it. I’m sure you can stay with the woman you were with. You’re drunk anyway, so just leave!” Candy yelled.

  Eric turned around in a circle and pounded his fist on the outside wall. Bugs flew frantically to the outside lights. He exhaled deeply, looked at Dallas, then back at Candy. He walked sluggishly away until he could no longer be seen. Dallas slammed the door and locked it. She closed her eyes and pushed her back up against the door, shaking her head as she breathed heavily.

  “Dallas, I’m so sorry. I heard all the mess he was saying. I regret putting you in the middle of this. Let me just grab my bags and go back to the house,” Candy said as she turned away. “I have some papers I need from there for tomorrow’s meeting anyway.”

  “You’ll do no such thing. You know your assistant makes copies of everything. Get the papers from her. Eric has completely lost his mind. Let him cool off before you step foot in that house,” Dallas warned.

  “Dallas,” Candy sighed as she let her weak body slump down into a chair, “I just want to be rid of him. I love him, but I can never trust him again. And then all the things he said when I let him know what I heard – what type of heartless man does that?” Candy’s eyes watered up.

  Dallas recounted the loud argument between Candy and Eric. Eric told her he would not have cheated if she had spent more time at home and been a more trusting and appreciative wife. He also added that she had gained at least fifteen pounds and said that that is not what he had signed up for.

  “Eric is childish, Candy. Don’t try to make sense of his little boy games. I think you’ve known for a while now that somethin’ wasn’t right with him, but like all of us who’ve ever been in love, we sweep it under the rug until the ugly truth is yellin’ in our face. I know that you love him, but at least you see his true colors now. At least you didn’t spend your entire twenties trying to make a boy into a man. You can turn your back on this and start fresh. I envy you.” Dallas smiled sweetly as she hugged Candy.

  “Are you hungry?” Dallas asked as she turned and walked into her kitchen.

  “No, not really, I’d eat just to eat. Hey, when did Jasmine say she’d be back from New York? This is the longest vacation she’s ever taken. She must be having a great time,” Candy smiled faintly.

  “Girl, she’s with that new man of hers. We may not see her for an eternity. She sent me an email chock full of photos of the two of them all hugged up. She sent it to you, too. Oh, and don’t worry, I didn’t tell her about you and Eric. That’s the last thing you need right now.”

  Candy nodded her head in agreement as Dallas put on another pot of tea.

  “Yes, thank you. I’d prefer to keep this between you and me,” Candy said as she accepted the warm, green mug filled to the brim with chamomile and cream.

  CHEATING-HEART-SHAPED COOKIES

  1/2 sugar cookie dough (room temperature)

  1/4 cup flour

  1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

  1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

  2 tablespoons red sanding sugar

  Black frosting (to draw crack down the middle of the heart)

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  Stay super mad and hot as long as needed.

  * * *

  CHAPTER 9

  “So in conclusion, the next fiscal year will have a lottery system for the top three awards,” Gabriel explained as he handed out a flyer for the new autumn line of products. “Please look these over and give me your ideas.” The marketing team rose from their seats and paraded out of the conference room. Candy gathered her notebook and reports and headed towards the door after discarding a paper cup in the nearby waste basket.

  “Uh, Candy,” Gabriel said, waving to her. Candy turned around and walked up to him.

  “Yes, Mr. Justice – I mean, Gabriel,” Candy smiled.

  “Thank you for sitting in on this meeting. I want you more involved with the marketing team from a control management standpoint. I know your plate is full, but I’ll reward you handsomely if you personally train the account manager on expense reporting. Time management doesn’t appear to be their virtue,” he laughed. Candy smiled and nodded.

  “I understand, Gabriel. Sure, no problem,” she said.

  “Have you been ill?” he asked suddenly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Well, um, I’ve been a bit under the weather but not what I’d consider sick,” Candy answered.

  “Candy, you’re a workaholic like me. It’s unhealthy, especially for someone so young and vibrant. You’re pale, and you look tired. Why don’t you take a couple of days off and see a doctor, too,” Gabriel suggested.

  Candy fought the anger building in her gut. ‘Who the hell does he think he is?’ she thought to herself as she frowned and remained silent.

  “I mean, no offense, but I recognize this all too often. Seriously, it’s not an option at this point. I insist.” He grabbed his briefcase and exited the room, leaving Candy standing there with the taste of fury in her mouth.

  Candy drove home and waited for Dallas. Tonight she decided to prepare a large chef salad as a surprise for her overworked friend. Humming to herself, she pulled out a large wooden bowl, baked chicken, eggs to boil, and two heads of lettuce. As she cut carrots into thin strips, she felt her head begin to pound. Queasiness started at the pit of her gut and rose like fiery embers to her temple.

  “Oh, Jesus,” she said faintly as she made her way to the half bath several feet away. Standing over the toilet, she pushed her hair back and purged. Much to her surprise, she didn’t feel better. She sluggishly walked into the guest room and grabbed her mouthwash before returning to the kitchen to finish preparing the meal. “That’s the third time this week. I guess Gabriel was right. All this stress from Eric’s bullshit is killin’ me.”

  Candy thought about the last forty-eight hours. Eric had repeatedly tried to call. He sent flowers and cards. He even got his mother to call Candy which did nothing but infuriate her further.

  Around seven that evening, Dallas walked inside and threw her keys angrily at her couch. “Candy! Girl, I’ve had a day that only Satan could’ve designed! Let me tell you!” she said as she marched into the kitchen only to see Candy slumped over asleep, her head resting on the marble island. Dallas smiled and carefully shook her friend. Candy woke suddenly.

  “Huh?” Candy said as she came to, rubbing her head. Dallas laughed.

  “Girl, you fell asleep. I figured you were in here ’cause the light was on, but I had no idea you were knocked out.” Dallas looked closely at Candy’s face.

  “Honey, you don’t look so hot. Are you feelin’ OK?” She put her hand up to Candy’s forehead and felt the heat.

  “I’m OK,” Candy said weakly as she rose from the chair. “I made you a nice salad. It’s in the refrigerator.”

  “Forget about the salad, you’re really sick. Have you seen yourself? Never mind, go lie down.” Dallas wrapped her arm around Candy’s and escorted her to bed. “Now sleep the night away. I’m gonna bring you a cup of tea, and I want you to see your doctor in the morning,” Dallas said.

  “You sound like Gabriel!” Candy barked as she pushed herself under the covers.

  “Well, I don’t care who I sound like. The truth comes out of the mouths of many. Good night, Sis.” Dallas closed the door behind her, leaving Candy to an evening of strange dreams and deep sleep.

  * * *

  “Well, you do have
a slight temperature. What’s been going on?” Dr. Kister asked as he sat down and reviewed Candy’s chart.

  “Oh, just my job and some personal issues with my husband. I’m just stressed out.”

  Dr. Kister nodded as he continued to read. “You’ve gained a bit of weight since I last saw you. Are you still exercising and watching your diet?” he asked as he stood back up and checked her ears.

  “Not the way I should, quite honestly.” Candy lowered her head.

  “OK, let’s get a blood test too, just to make sure you’re not anemic or anything. I want to rule everything out,” he smiled as he left to get the nurse. Candy waited as she pulled the flimsy robe around her body a bit tighter. A few minutes later, blood was drawn and she drove back to Dallas’s condominium to go back to sleep. As she stepped out of her car, she noticed Eric, clearly unshaven, waiting by the front door. Candy rolled her eyes and gathered enough energy to prepare for verbal battle.

  “Candy! I called your office and was told you were out sick,” Eric said with sincere concern.

  “Yes, sick of you! Leave me alone, Eric.” Candy pulled out the key Dallas had given her. The golden angel key chain dangled from it, swinging to and fro. “I suppose you disguised your voice again so you could be privy to that information. I wish you had put this much effort into our marriage,” Candy snorted, forcing down the tears that wanted to well in her eyes.

  “Just listen to me for a change! That’s been our problem, Candy. You never listen to me. It’s always your way or the highway. The hell with what I want. I know there’s no excuse for me cheatin’, but you do share some of the responsibility. You made me feel lonely, even when you were home. I love you Candy, damn, but you haven’t made this easy.”

  “You know what, the first time you said this crap to me, I thought my ears were deceiving me. Here you stand sober and are still sayin’ it,” Candy snapped.