Never Borrow From Your Brother

"Candace!" Was bellowed through the house a few minutes after her brother came home from his vacation. She rolled her eyes, wondering what she did now. He had a problem with his little sister often, even with her being a grown woman.

"What," she yelled back and looked at Consuelo the maid. She has been with them for years and knows how they fought. 

"Did you take condoms from my dresser?" Cameron demanded, after he stormed back into the kitchen grabbing her arm firmly pulling her up to face him.

"Why," she asked, trying to pull loose.

He pulled her down the hall away from the nosy help and his mother's informant. Shoving her into her room he slammed her door, he again asked in a hateful hiss, "Did you take and use condoms you found in my dresser drawer?"

She was trying to back away from him, he was livid. Lord, he had dozens, how could he miss five. "Yes, a few, what is the big deal? You knew I was having sex."

"You are so stupid. You don't take things out of other people's rooms," he said, dropping her arm after he jerked her around to look at him. "What is the problem?" She asked, hoping to God there wasn't one. Sure, they had been wild, but he used a condom each time she made sure of that.

"You're my problem, when did you use them?" He prayed it was last night she could take a pill if it was." 

"Before my finals about two to three weeks ago,"

 "Some of those had holes poked in them, you fool. I was thinking about using them with Delisa. She won't commit to anything, and I thought if she got pregnant, she would marry me." 

"Marry you, you live at home. What do you have to offer?" Candace snapped back her head was spinning. Holes in the condoms, what was he thinking?

"Aah, shut up. I can change things around if I need to," he said knowing he had a nice Porsche out front of their home for proof and he is paying for it. He had a job in pharmaceutical sales that his father set him up with and was doing well. 

Running his fingers through his hair he told her, "go and buy one of those tests we can only hope you're not pregnant. Who is this guy? I didn't know you had a boyfriend," he asked. He was still angry with her irresponsibility, shoving twenty dollars in her hand. 

"I don't know, we met at the Red River Club. I can't even remember his name."

"Oh, really slutty, and he didn't even have his own condoms real slick. Was he some homeless bum," Cameron said rudely? 

"Oh, screw you, you jerk, who keeps sabotaged condoms in his drawer," she yelled, grabbing her purse, she charged out of the room. 

"Oh my God," Candace screamed as she started her car. She was pregnant, she was already wondering where her period was. She was hoping it was the tension of the final exams. She aced them all, but she had been worried until the grades came in. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she drove to the local pharmacy. 

An hour later Candace sat on her bed with the pee stick perched between her fingers. She looked at it for thirty minutes and it hadn't changed its answer. She handed it to Cameron when he entered her room.

"I'm sorry Candace. I never in a thousand years thought you would come into my room for condoms. I had those hidden over there for safekeeping. I was not sure I would use them. You really can't remember his name?" He asked as he sat next to her on the bed now showing concern for her. That was strange for him; she can't remember him ever sitting next to her showing his concern. Unless it was at dinner, and he had to sit by her. At least he understands how bad this is for her. 

"It was Toddy, Tommy, or Teddy, something along those lines. I had been drinking damn-it." She knew she called it out a few times, but she just can't remember it now. "I remember he was very handsome, and liked women with meat on their bones. He commented a few times how he loved my body," Candace said, looking down at her stomach. She knew she would blow up to be a beach ball. How dumb of her to not ask for more information. She knew nothing except he was at the club that she and her friends went to. 

She would never have an abortion, she decided that was out of the question immediately. If she did, she would be no better than her mother. She had overheard an argument when she was seven between her parents. Her mother was telling her father it was not convenient to have another child, so she had already killed it. 

Her father was pissed, but he forgave her when she got rid of it. He always lets her do whatever she wants, Candace thought, getting pissed off at her mother all over again. She learned quickly they didn't mean much to her mother; they had messed up her figure enough already. She screamed she was not going to start over getting her figure back again. 

The strange thing was her mother had blamed him. She had been excited when she heard her mother was pregnant. But in the same sentence she said she didn't want any more damn kids. Every time she sees her mother, she remembers she is just a damn kid to her. She guesses she was lucky she was convenient. 

Well, this one is not convenient, but she will put it up for adoption before she would kill it. Having and raising a child right now is not convenient for her. But first she must find that man or at least try. Maybe put up a billboard saying, Hey, if you had sex with a girl named Candace three Fridays ago call blab, blab, blab, NO, I think not. She will get her friends and go back to that club until she finds him. Hell, she can't even blame him, he had done everything right. Cameron did this. He is an idiot. 

Whatever his name was, it looked like the type to go there often. It shouldn't be that hard to find him, she thought as she picked up her phone. She needed to call her friends to go clubbing this weekend. She had the summer to find him. 

At first, she didn't explain why. That all ended when she began to show. Then the laughs and sneers from the people telling her no they didn't know him sent hatred for him deep into her soul. She was having to deal with this whole mess by herself. 

* 

Toby preferred installations because he seems to get in less trouble out of the show room. He was doing well so far, not having a single complaint from anyone. His main worry in the beginning had been holding the TV and installing it at the same time. But Louise has a neat contraption that holds it in place for you. You just hook it around the TV and then line the stand with the wall, simple. 

Kind of like the ad he has seen to replace your car windows, as seen on TV. He was happy when she showed him how to use it. It made life easier for him and much cheaper than hiring a helper. He would load up the van and install whatever all morning, come back change and work the sales floor until closing time most days. 

 This was his life wandering around Dallas following the GPS installing these big screens and speaker systems in fancy homes. It has made him buy lottery tickets more often. He knows without winning a large pot he could never be able to afford to live like these people do. But he has found that they for the most part are nice polite people. He drove by Candace's the other day. He didn't stop, but he found it easily. He is still pissed about the way she treated him. 

He has taken on the attitude of fuck women as of late. He was friendly, but not as flirty and has only gone out once with Marcus since. He did buy a cheap laptop and was content at home now. The nonmoving beautiful thick women that didn't speak to him or stab him in the back. They entertained him quite well. He could fantasize about how they would react to him going down on them. He loved the feeling of them trying to contain themselves as he worked them up.

Marcus found a new running partner. He was a hound dog just like Marcus. They met when Toby and Marcus met up at their old stomping grounds. Those two were competing for the same women, but Toby's heart was not into it. He was still hurting from the Candace snub and just looking to have a beer and watch the people get their hearts broken. He left them to hunt and went back home. 

Marcus hasn't called him in a few weeks. Toby couldn't decide if it is good or a betrayal of their sleazy friendship. He figures once he is ready to go out again, he'll call him and catch up with him. Who knows, maybe he found a girlfriend. Not likely, but he can hope for him. 

Collecting up his dirty clothes Toby made another trip to the laundry. He didn't even get his washer loaded before the lonely girl showed up. He has noticed she has the most amazing reddish brown hair. It is long, thick, and shiny. It shimmers as she turns her head. It is beautiful.

"You know it is kind of silly for us to live so close and not talk to one another. I'm Toby," he said and pushed the long line of quarters in to start the washer.

"I'm Regina," she said, giving him nothing more. 

Working at the store has brought him out. He is not as shy as he used to be. He can start a conversation with just about anyone. Once he saw his paycheck with his percentage, he became very friendly. The girls complain he tries to steal all the customers. Which is BS they have all morning while he is out installing what they sold. He figures it is his chance once he comes back for the day. He also knows they are teasing. He has learned not to be overly flirty, mostly let the women set the pace. If they become too interested, he backs off turning their attention to the merchandise. 

*

It was the weekend and laundry day. He has to keep up with his appearance and he goes through the shirts quickly. 

"Well, Regina, it is nice to know your name after so long. Do you work?" He asked because he has never noticed her being gone.

"No, my father set me up with disability from Social Security before he died. I was depressed, so they give me twelve hundred a month and I live just fine with that," she told him looking a little embarrassed she just rolled out her life to this man.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Toby told her he had been concerned she was depressed just by looking at her. But damn she must be really depressed to get monthly checks.

"I'm fine now that was a year ago when my dad was so sick. That is why I was depressed. He died and I got over it, I'm fine now. I just don't want to lose my check, so I tell my doctor I'm still depressed. Oh, who knows, maybe I still am," she said, looking at her basket thinking she just blew it with him. Her one chance and she blabbered on like a schoolgirl freak. She was so starved for human contact she just spilled her life story at his feet like a big blob of vomit. 

"That is true, that the number one complaint with American's is depression. I'm glad to hear you're better and I promise not to tell anyone you aren't," he told her and smiled. 

"Well, it was nice talking to you," she said, lifting her basket and heading towards the door. 

"Hey, aren't you going to stay and wash?" Toby asked, watching her leave.

"No, they are clean," she told him and kept walking away.

"Well, it was nice meeting you," he called out and mumbled "and you are as strange as I thought you would be." 

*

This was his life, work all day and if he was in a good talkative mood, he would stop at Regina's window, and wait for her to slide open the cheap aluminum window and ask her how her day was going. Once he picked up burgers at the local McDonalds and bought her a quarter pounder and fries. The shocked look on her face kept him smiling all evening. He should have asked to eat with her. She has a dining table, but he has never seen her sit there. He assumes everything she has, had been her fathers and she moved there after he died. She does have a big flat screen TV one like you buy at Wal-Mart. He has heard Louise comparing those TVs to hers with disdain. He must admit the picture quality was not as good as the ones at their store. 

*

He started walking to work when the heat died down. At least he was getting some exercise. He had chin ups daily and walked, but he felt his body was shrinking more each day. 

Complaining bitterly to Liz, she was checking the computer for gyms locally for him. He could spend the morning from seven to nine pumping iron and then come to work. She was tired of hearing him complain and mope about his disappearing biceps. His pecs don't bounce the way they used to. He lamented one day when they hadn't had customers all day. He saw this job going out the window. The girls laughed at him knowing the people are waiting for the Christmas season and they will be swamped, they told him. This was the time of year they took vacation and Alli just came back from Cabo. She had pictures and stories that were crazy. She took her cousin with her, and they partied. 

Sure enough, two weeks after Halloween they had a steady stream of customers needing new systems before the family came to town. Some only wanted to upgrade to the latest flat screen. Their components were fine. The curved screen had many men salivating over them, and the better 3-D sets were selling and the expensive glasses to go with them. He went from one every other day to setting up three or four a day. Selling three set-ups on Saturday Toby was in a good mood. Louise bought the movie Avatar and had it playing on all the really big screens daily. The pictures and colorful backgrounds sold the screens.

Finding Regina sitting in her same spot looking out to the world he pounded on her door startling her from her perch. She opened her door looking scared, making Toby feel bad. He just wanted to make her jump and add some excitement to her world. Not scare the crap out of her. She must not have seen him come up. 

"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry I scared you," Toby offered. She smiled letting him know it was Ok. She was thrilled to see him stop by. He hasn't been too friendly lately. He would come home from work looking tired and concerned and just pass by. She wasn't sure what was going on with him. She has learned he is a very private man. She has never seen him with a woman or man at least since he has lived here. Sure, he could have snuck one by, if he brought her home at 3:00 am but she hadn't noticed him going out like he used to. She wondered who has hurt him. The man was too good looking to be on his own, unless he proved to be a jerk. She knew something had to be wrong with him or someone would have scooped him up. 

"I'm going to give you twenty minutes and we are going to go out to eat. I made a fortune today and want to celebrate," Toby said, wanting so badly for her to say yes. She looked down at what she had on and was glad she took a shower this morning. Most days she was rough looking. 

"Sure, where to," she asked even before she could process the invite. 

"I'm not sure, but nothing too fancy. I don't have a coat and tie," he told her with his cute smile.

"Well, that is good I don't have to dress up clothes either," she said and started to close her door.

Toby stopped her with a hand on the door and said. "I'll be back in twenty."

"I know," she said and quickly closed the door.

Walking by her window, he saw her do a happy dance to her room. Her happy dance was like his, he noted. Smiling, he opened his door. Now he must figure out something to wear and where to go. It had been a brain fart to ask her out, but why not. It is only a dinner with a neighbor. Friends have dinner together all the time and he has a bunch of money in his account. He has been thinking about moving to a nicer place, but he is comfortable here. 

Liz went hunting for him on the computer. She found ones close to the store were small. She says their one bedroom is going for twelve hundred a month. It is half the size of the one he has now. Toby balked at that immediately; he was a big man and can't imagine being in something smaller. He will wait until he is forced to move when the old man dies. The last time he saw him, he looked ready for a nursing home, but he still came to collect his rent payments. 

Ok, Toby was pleased when Regina opened her door. Gone were the baggy sweats suits. She wore a form fitting dress, yes, it was a little outdated, but she looked good. Toby smiled and told her he was pleased. It took her nineteen minutes to decide on that dress. She bought it at the local Goodwill a few weeks ago. It was cheap and who knows had been her attitude when it caught her attention. She was pleased when she tried it on that she has lost so much weight it fit. She remembers seeing someone wearing something similar when she was in school and always liked it. Who knows it could have been hers and it excited her to think she was the same size as that girl.

*

The nicest place he knew of without a dress code was an Olive Garden just outside the ritzy enclave they lived in. If Toby took the side streets he could be there in no time. 

She was thrilled to take Toby's arm and he was happy to see she didn't have a ton of make-up on. That was because she didn't have the time. She would have poured it on to try to look better for him. When he told her as they sat at a red light how he didn't like make-up she was pleased she stopped when she did with mascara. 

This was beyond her wildest dreams to be going out with him. It was a dream fantasy she has played out hundreds of times in her mind. Every time he walked by her she thought up a new one. Now she was sitting across from him eating bread sticks as he shoveled salad into his mouth. Maybe it was his eating habits women can't take. Her mother warned her to watch her manners, even when she was by herself. She looked around and noticed the other men were just about as bad. She gave him a light chuckle and asked, "Are you hungry?"

"I don't buy salad for home, but I love it. Why do I look like a pig?" Toby asked, looking down at his almost empty bowl. 

"Stop by my place anytime I always have salad."

"Why," he asked, munching away.

"Because it is good for you and I'm also trying to lose weight."

"Why," he asked, taking another bite.

"Because it is healthier for me," Regina told him. 

"Not true, they say people with a little fat on them live longer than skinny people," Toby told her, "The fat reserve helps in times of famine." 

"Well, I have never been thin, so I should be Ok. I don't think there will be a famine anytime soon either."

"True, but I like my women with a little more meat on them. You're fine," she was informed. 

Her face flushed red. Was he calling her his woman? 

Looking across the restaurant he missed her reaction. He was looking for his dinner, the salad was gone, and he had to decide if he was going to refill his bowl or wait. The place wasn't packed; they got there right before the dinner rush. The kitchen staff must be moving slowly tonight he surmised. 

Regina watched his every move as he scanned the place. Ok, he isn't much for conversation, bad table manners. But he has a decent job and a nice truck. She has never seen him drunk, which are points for him. She knows women will put up with a lot from ugly men so why is he not taken? She knows that for a fact, her mother was beaten and abused for years by her father and he was an ugly pig. 

She committed suicide, leaving her to contend with her father at a young age all alone. She tells people he was sick for years, but in truth he poured his disease down his throat day and night. Proving depression was easy, she tried to eat herself to death, ballooning up to over three hundred pounds in her five-foot small frame, trying to keep her father off her. He did her a favor and drove into the Trinity River and drowned. She acted unhappy when the neighbors came around. But she did her happy dance when the door was closed, the light was off, and he was nowhere to be found. 

The depression pills helped drop the weight, but she would cry to Edward her therapist each time she saw him. They were tears of relief not sadness, but he couldn't tell the difference and she wouldn't tell him. Her Mother's and Father's suicides meant she was far more likely to commit suicide. 

The pills her doctor prescribed went in the trash each month, but he didn't know that either. She had everything her father did to her tucked deep inside. She was not willing to release the abuse. She had her life under control now after a few overdoses of meds she was past that now. Toby was sitting next to her, so she was thrilled. She was still trying to figure him out, but she was happy to be out with him. She noticed how the women around them looked at her. She was sure they wondered how she got him. 

Their food was coming that brings her out of her sad thoughts when she looked up Toby was smiling at her. 

"Where did you go sweetheart," Toby asked.

"I was just thinking about my father," she said dismissively.

"Well, I hope they are good thoughts. My father was an abusive jerk all my life," he said and looked to see what had her attention and saw what looked like their waiter coming with their food. 

"So was mine, he never left me alone. That is why I was depressed." Nothing like a pig faced drunken letch always looking for sex when you come home from school to bring you down. That had been her life. 

Toby turned to look at her. Ok, now he knows too much. One more reason not to get involved with her. Abuse issues nope, he had enough of his own. He didn't want to play well. Mine did this to me and compared their abuse. He has a feeling hers would win. 

"We'll have to compare shit fathers later," Toby said as his food was set in front of him. He wasn't in the mood to ruin his dinner. Just thinking about his father usually turns his stomach.

Dinner turned out well. He was a people watcher, and she was a people judger. They got along great. If someone caught his attention, she would give him her impression. He was impressed how well she read people, pointing out the unhappy families sitting around them. Then the miserable ones gave her opinion on what the problem was with the family. She left the happy ones alone. Happily she couldn't describe that family dynamic.

The days went by and some days he stopped to visit, maybe eat a salad with her and watch whatever she had on TV. Other days he walked by and only waved. It didn't bother her; she was there anyway. Her monthly visit to the therapist was her biggest distraction in life. As long as she can cry on cue for him her life goes on. 

This last trip her therapist changed her medication to something new. He expects to see a major change in her depression, he told her. Regina read the instructions thoroughly, paying close attention to the adverse reaction of the pharmaceutical warnings. She could cause all kinds of problems with this stuff including sudden death. That may be a tricky one she thought and laughed at her wit. She would be OK if she had no plans of taking any of it. 

*

A loud rap at the door told her Toby was stopping by. She was shocked it was a Sunday afternoon and he usually spent it asleep or looking up things on his computer. He was grinning when she opened the door, so he went in. "Hey sweetie, if I buy the pizza can we watch the game here," he asked, knowing they had about three minutes to kick off. 

He has a bet on the points spread of the Cowboy's game at work. He wants to make sure the ladies keep it legit. The Cowboys were for shit this year, but he plans to write down everything and win at least a quarter with the points on this football pool for the stores in the area. He figures she would enjoy the company and her TV was much better than his.

"Sure," she said and opened the door for him. He knew she was on a diet and tried to sabotage her efforts often she noticed. She has a plan to lose half of her body weight before Christmas and she had ten pounds to go for her goal. That will be her one-year mark. It has been dropping off and not leaving a bunch of loose skin, so she was happy. 

Her Christmas present last year was a dead father floating down the Trinity River. What was he doing down there in the dead of winter? She doesn't know, but she was glad he got lost. That was what the police officers said when they came to inform her of his death. It looked like he just drove off the road and kept going into the rain swollen river. She thinks God decided to put a stop to him on that most holy of nights. It was ruled a suicide they found he never tried to stop. His blood levels weren't high enough to prove he was drunk which shocked her. Maybe he felt so horrible about what he was doing to her he decided to end it. She could hope for his soul; he was trying to make amends to his God. 

Regina brought out two slices of pizza and a salad for her at half time. The pizza took forever to come, but they told him they were swamped. He made two trips over to his place for beer; he offered to give Regina one, but she refused. He only started drinking when he turned twenty-five, which was right before he tried out for LaBares. He cut back after that. He has a self-imposed limit, it's a six pack a weekend that includes Friday or two a day and he has two left. 

"How much more are you trying to lose," Toby asked as he took a bite of pizza.

"Ten pounds by Christmas is my goal. It's better for my health," she told him, looking at the pizza in her lap. 

"True, but I like my women with a little more meat on them. You're fine," she was informed. 

Her face flushed red. Was he calling her his woman again? 

Snorting, he went back to the game.

"So, if I buy all the stuff for Thanksgiving would you make the meal? I mean I will help," he asked so sweetly, how could she refuse. 

"Yes, but please don't buy a bunch of pies, Toby wanted. I don't want to pig out." Pies were her Achilles heel; she loves a good pumpkin pie.

"Oh no I'll be pigging out. That is the best part of turkey sandwiches from leftovers and pie. Do you know how to make stuffing? That makes the best sandwiches too," he told her, she could see the desire in his eyes. 

She decided this man is crazy, but it did sound good. Her mouth began to water. She started looking forward to a nice holiday for once.

A touch down caught his attention and he had to write it down. What quarter and which team scored. "I better damn well win something for all this work," he told the TV. 

"Yes, I can make dressing. Do you want me to make a shopping list," Regina asked, drawing Toby's attention back to her? 

"That would be helpful. I know what I want, but not what it takes to make it. The last, Oh Lord, ten years or more I have gone to Luby's, the food is good, but no leftovers," he complained, and he also sat by himself that was sad. This year he was going to insinuate himself into her life and she will cook for him. He was tired of being out in left field. The holidays suck when you spend them alone. He listened to the others making plans for their holidays all happy about them and all he had was Regina who didn't want to eat. 

She thought that sounded sad, but she spent so many of hers being abused. She had something to look forward to this year. But where is this going? Is she his new best friend of convenience? 

"Oh well," she mumbled, "at least it is not boring."

*

Oh well is right, Toby brought the groceries on Monday. Louise told him the turkey had to defrost in the refrigerator for days. So, he went shopping after work and bought way too much. Everywhere he looked something reminded him of fond memories and he bought it. He covered Regina's dining room table with bag after bag of food for this one meal. Regina stood back dumbfounded, and he expects her to cook it all in one day. He looked at her expression and realized he may be overwhelming her. 

"I'll help, don't worry and we can use my oven too," he told her without much change in her expression. He only bought what she had on the list. 

"What is the problem?" He asked.

All she could see is fifteen pounds added to her hips. "You will be taking home all the leftovers, do you understand?" She told him wondering why he bought a 15-pound turkey. 

"I do, but I expect you to eat too. What fun is there in sharing a meal if you don't eat," Toby asked in an almost whine. She figures he must have gotten away with a lot with that whine as a kid. His mom was probably a soft touch. Hers had been. She was trying to make up for her crappy life. By the sounds of it, so was his mother when she wasn't drunk. 

"I plan on eating, just not for days after. Quit trying to keep me fat! It's not like you're touching my fat anyways," she complained bitterly. She could not believe she said that aloud and made her escape to her room. 

He could put the food up by himself, she thought and slipped into her bathroom closing the door. She was so embarrassed she prayed he hadn't heard that outburst. After ten minutes of loud stocking shelves and rustling bags she heard the door to her apartment close. Regina came out to see what she had to work with. She opened her refrigerator to see what all he crammed into it. Her door opened and when she looked back, he stood at the entrance to her kitchen.

"I'm not trying to keep you fat. I want to spend a nice holiday with you and this holiday is all about eating. I will walk with you every evening until Christmas so you can lose your extra weight if you want me to. I think you look great and always have." He turned around and left her apartment, he wasn't looking to fight with her. 

*

Tuesday evening, he knocked on Regina's door. After changing his clothes, he expects to be messy as he cooks and is looking forward to making pies. He brought enough for four pies one apple, cherry, pumpkin, and pecan that didn't seem too difficult on the nut package recipe. 

Regina answered her door in very baggy sweats. He wondered if she had been that big before. He was not about to ask her; he wanted to keep his ears. "I was wondering if we could start on the pies tonight."

"Sure, I was wondering when you expected to start cooking."

"Right now, and I'm sorry if I made you mad. I have been on my own for so long, I don't think about anyone else's feelings. Again, I'm sorry," Toby offered. 

*

He complained to Louise and the girls about Regina's attitude, and they ripped him a new one with Liz leading the pack. He was learning a lot about women, but that doesn't mean he externalizes it well. Regina is not his mother, she isn't his girlfriend either, and to expect her to cook all that for him was a bit much. That is what he took from their advice that was given in snips and lectures. They all seemed to be steaming about his attitude all day. 

It was nice it felt like he had a family, he wished Louise was his mother. She would have been a good one. He has met two of her sons, as she calls them kids, who are old enough to be his father almost so that makes Louise much older than he thought. Or she started having her kids very young. She doesn't look like the type to be a young mother. 

He also learned he could have gone to all three of their homes if they had known he had no family to spend the holidays with. He was lectured and that was another reason to let people into his life. He knew everything about Alli and Liz, maybe a little too much about their lives. They thought he was out picking up women and partying every weekend. He had done nothing to dissuade their image. It embarrassed him for them to know he was almost a recluse. Regina was his only saving grace once he left his job. Marcus had disappeared completely, but Toby hadn't called him either. People disappoint you, so he limited the people in his life.

*

Thanksgiving went off without a hitch. Regina was actually a very good cook. She had cooked for her father for years. It all came back as she made the different dishes Toby dreamed of for this meal. Sitting down to eat at six left them the evening to relax and cart the leftovers to Toby's. 

Toby was warned that black Friday was crazy. They open at eight and close at ten. They must deal with the long hours, and they make lots of money. His offer of walking went out the window when he heard about the long hours he needs to work starting the following day. He apologized for the situation, and she accepted the change as he explained what was expected of him. She hadn't eaten that much so she was fine. She enjoyed watching him eat and compliment her cooking. She was quite content with her holiday. The first time ever. 

Louise offered to hire more people, but they all nix that idea. They would all lose money, and this supplements them for the year as in all consumer driven business. 

*

"Well, the idea of the billboards by the club isn't sounding too bad," her mother smarted off to her. From the day Candace informed them of her predicament she has been on her case. Their maid had already told her that there was a problem, so she jumped her when she came home. Her mother's biggest complaint was she was too young to be a grandmother. "Here we are paying all this money for your education, and you go out slumming." When she told them, she planned to put it up for adoption when her father got busy. Their attorney has been on her to find the father. "His biggest fear was him coming back and demanding the child back after they placed it in a home," Candace's mother snidely remarked which had been her attitude about the child since day one. That would make finding an adoptive family difficult without his consent. 

Recent reports of a man demanding his child after the child was with the family for three years was forever etched in every adoptive parent's hearts. The news had repeatedly shown the removal on the cable news stations. They showed the police ripping the screaming child from the adoptive family's arms. The father was some punk kid who planned to have his mother raise the little girl in government housing. But he was the father that was all the law could go by. No one had informed him he had a child before the adoption, and he wanted it. 

*

"I know Mom and I have looked. Shelly and I went back to that club every Friday and Saturday for months looking for him. Problem was he told me when we met, he had never been there before. Apparently, he never went back either. People remembered him because he was so handsome and he was with me, but he hasn't been back. They all questioned what was wrong with him." 

"Well, I hope you learned your lesson," her mother said, showing her contempt as she turned her back to her and walked away. Finding a nice upper-class family to adopt it is out the window now. It will be CPSs problem, the attorney told them, seeing that the finder's fee flew out the window.

Candace knew she was a major embarrassment to them. Having her walk around the same hospital her father works for has sparked several arguments in the family. Now she has had to put her internship on hold. She has gotten too big, and the hospital isn't going to be liable if she goes into labor early. Internships are exhausting for a normal healthy person let alone an overweight pregnant woman. She has taken to wearing big mumu dresses and house slippers after gaining some sixty pounds already soaring close to three hundred pounds. She was out of control with her eating, but she was so miserable and eating helps as she blows up to be a beached whale. She was just waiting for the blow hole to appear. She wonders if it will be on her head or back that would be interesting. Who cares it just would give people another reason to look at her. Well she at least hadn't lost her sense of humor. And if she ever finds that man again, she was going to rip him a bigger asshole because he already was a big one.

*

Thanksgiving had been hell for her with the family coming in from all over the country. At first, they were all happy for her, but once the full story came out that attitude changed. This was unheard of in this upper crust family she comes from. Of course, her mother made sure everyone knew she was a slut having a child by a one-night stand. At least she didn't add she didn't know his name. She hid in her room most of the holiday. The only good thing coming out of all this is her brother has her back. The golden boy took the blame and stood up to his parents when they dumped Candace for getting pregnant. Candace figures he is concerned that Delisa will hear the true story and dump him. She knows for a fact that she doesn't want to have kids. That was something Cameron must come to terms with, if he does want this woman as his wife. No way was she going to ruin her perfect size two figure for him. He followed in his father's footsteps going after beauty queens but he wants no kids at all. 

*

The conversation during dinner turned away from Candace and her shame to entertaining the family and the game room upstairs. They had a large screen TV in the den but seating in the room was limited. So only a few people could watch the game, or they had to sit on dining room chairs or on the floor. Her father and his brother went up and plotted out a plan for a theater room that was the old playroom for the kids. They came down excited at the prospects and over desserts they told everyone the idea of how to rearrange the room and set it up for a more adult population. They were all aging and so were their kids. No one gave a thought to grandkids that are to be given away, Candace thought snidely. 

Her father's family gathered at their house for the Thanksgiving holidays because they had so much room, money, and her father was the oldest. Money seemed to be no problem and if need be Dr. Davis Masters will pay your way to make sure his family of five siblings and their families come to his house for Thanksgiving every year. Even with his loving wife Maureen pushing him to cancel it this year they still went forward. Candace was too much of an embarrassment to them. Shaming her was the best option for that side of the family and her mother used it to the extreme. 

Christmas was Candace's mother's family's time, and she spends freely to ensure they all have many gifts on Christmas morning. Her mother's side of the family was not as big as her fathers. She had three sisters; they each had one grown child and her mother was still alive. She lived in a local nursing home. Candace knew she would spend hours wrapping gifts for her mother's side, but hey what else does she have to do her mother pointed out. Eat. 

Her father made money operating on the artery clogged people who make Dallas their home. This overeating population keeps him rich. Candace hadn't decided what kind of doctor she wanted to be. She had three more years running rotations before she needed to nail it down to a specialty. Once she drops this baby, she can lose this weight and she can get on with her life.