I only realize it’s closing time when Kelly comes in and tells me, “Everything is all put away and the floors are swept out front. I’m going to head home now.”
“Thank you. I can’t believe how time got away from me so fast. I’ll see you next week,” I tell her and then she’s heading to the employee lounge to pick up her bags and head out the door.
“I guess we should package all these up, want to help me?” I ask Johnny.
“Yeah!” he hops down off the stool and goes to where I have boxes already waiting to be used and grabs one.
It doesn’t take us long until we’re all through.
“Let’s help Ms. Candy clean up, bud,” Dylan tells Johnny.
“Oh, that’s okay. It won’t take me very long. There isn’t much to do except these few dishes,” I tell Dylan.
“Well, we can help. It’s the least we can do.” He’s pulling his jacket off, leaving him in a tee shirt, and the flexing of his muscles make me sigh. They’re muscular, but not overly so, and I can’t wait to be in his arms again.
The three of us work until everything is sparkling clean.
11
Dylan
Damn, Candy is full of surprises. Especially after today. It was something Johnny hasn’t really gotten to do, hang out with a mother figure and ice cookies. It builds an ache deep in my chest. I know life hasn’t been easy on him, but I know I’m doing everything I can.
Yet, one afternoon with Candy and it solidifies everything I’ve been feeling about her. She’s the one I want, now and forever.
Johnny and I watched her get in her car to head home. It sucked watching her leave, but I know we’ll be seeing her bright and early for the baseball game tomorrow.
“Let’s load up, Johnny. The faster we get home, eat dinner, and shower, the faster we’ll be at the game tomorrow and with Candy,” I tell him, as I open the back of the truck for him. He climbs in and buckles himself into his car seat. He seems so small compared to other boys his age. The doctor says he’s fine and all within his growth chart, but fuck if it doesn’t make me worry what his mother could have done to him while she was pregnant.
“I can’t wait. It’s going to be so much fun. Daddy, do you think I can color Ms. Candy a picture when we get home?” he asks, as I climb into the driver’s side and click my seat belt into place.
“I don’t see why not, we should have plenty of time until bedtime. How about you color while I cook us dinner?” I ask him.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” he tells me and then I back out of the parking spot and head home. Johnny’s mind is always going a million miles an hour, not to mention his energy. It’s all I can do to keep up with him some days.
It doesn’t take us long to return home. As soon as I’m parked in the garage, Johnny has his seatbelt off and is opening his door to head inside. I make it out in the nick of time to turn the alarm off as he tears into his playroom to get his crayons and paper out.
“In a hurry?” I ask with a chuckle.
He doesn’t respond. He’s already running back to the kitchen and is climbing on the bar stool. I look in the fridge and decide it’s going to be an easy night and pull out leftovers that we’ve seemed to accumulate the past couple of days.
12
Candy
This whole weekend has been a dream, especially watching the baseball game through Johnny’s eyes. He told me every play and all the baseball lingo while he was watching it.
That was just an hour ago, now we’re back at Dylan’s house. I told him he could drop me off, but he didn’t want to hear it.
He just said, “I’ll take you home later.”
I nodded my head and went along with it. If it gets too late, I can always walk home. Something tells me though, that Dylan wouldn’t have any of that.
We’re in their backyard now watching Johnny, he’s swinging and climbing all over his wooden playset.
“I need his energy,” I tell Dylan, as I come to stand beside him. He pulls me into his side, and I rest my head on his shoulder.
“Somedays I can barely keep up with him,” he murmurs, as he places a kiss on top of my head and gathers me even closer.
“Spend the night with us?” he asks.
“Do you think that’s a good idea with Johnny?” I respond with a question of my own. Tomorrow is Monday and while I have the day off, I know Dylan has work and Johnny has school.
“I don’t see why it would be a problem, he knows you. We both want you in our lives,” he states, as he shifts our bodies to where we are both facing each other. I look at his eyes and can see how he feels with his look alone.