CHAPTER 10: Some Decision

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For the next forty two minutes, out of the blue Gary sang outpouring loving words to Candy.

Gary…, thought Candy, crying silently. There's someone who still wanted her. And he said he'd love Cassey?

What a happy news!, she thought.

But as the clock kept ticking and Neal hadn't come home, Candy felt anger growing. Her face felt hot. She thought her face was red but it was worse. Accidentally she passed through a mirror and saw her face was purple. She was stunt to see how angry she looked…The next second… she cried… Hard.

What happens to me? Candy thought, trying to make sense of her emotional havoc. Why should I care whether Neal is dating or not? I have Gary!

Candy spent the next hour crying feeling so alone, unwanted, and outcast. Those stitches and dinner together apparently meant nothing at all. She wept herself to sleep. She was awakened by a bad dream around three. The first thing she did was to check Neal's room. The light blue sheet, deep blue pillows, and the gray comforters were still untouched. He hadn't come back.

Candy went back to her room to cry some more and didn't sleep until the sun broke. It's been something to anticipate to take Alen to meet Neal in the morning. But clearly he wasn't at home this morning.

The happy chirps of the birds and glorious sun shine finally sobered her.

I have Gary, Candy wiped her tears with her hand. Cassey's father... I should rejoice.

Optimistic as always, she didn't think it's smart to spend the whole night shedding tears for a man who's having a blast with another woman! Candy got up from the bed with resolution.

She dried her tears, washed her face, applied some powder, eye shadows and matching lipstick so no one could tell that she's been crying. When Neal came back home, she coolly came to talk to him.

"I ask your permission to visit my ex tonight," said Candy, feeling triumphant, spelled out the word ex clearly. She too could have a date! Her tone was calm, her look was casual - deliberately staged to provoke. It hit the bulls eye.

"You want to punish me because I went out with Lisa," said Neal, fully provoked.

"Punish? Punish what?" asked Candy pretending clueless.

"You could have gone with me if you wanted to," said Neal

'Could have'? Shit! thought Candy, fuming. He too 'could have' come back home last night!

Candy was burning to be reminded again of her heartache. All angered contained since last night exploded, right there. She couldn't pretend anymore that she's mad.

"You didn't ask!" growled Candy, snapped her elbow off his hand.

"You didn't let me!" blasted Neal back. "But, I can ask you now! Would you be my only date, be my life companion, be with me all my life?"

"Denied," hissed Candy coldly. Surprisingly, she felt good that she could retaliate and reject him.

Her voice turned softer briefly. "Between friends, do me a favor.., allow Cassey to stay here tonight. Just tonight. I'll come back tomorrow morning," begged Candy sincerely.

"Tomorrow?" Neal asked burned by anger. His usually kind brown eyes never looked as stern and burning. "You'll sleep with him?"

"What if I do?" Candy responded bitterly. "What time did you come back last night? Oops wrong!" Candy added cynically. "You didn't come back last night!"

"You don't have the permission to leave," barked Neal. "It's a weekday!"

"Fine, I resign," responded Candy boldly.

"You can't without submitting the resignation letter and singing the non-disclosure agreement." Neal deepened his voice. "That's stated clearly in the working term policy."

"Then, sue me!" challenged Candy. She shot him a furious glare then without looking back she left the room, slammed the door hard.

That night, Neal sat outside Candy's door waiting for her all night long. He sat straight, unmoved, frozen - his hand squeezed hard the chair arm. He was about to explode with impatience imagining what she's doing when finally Candy came back. As soon as he saw her, he jumped up.

Candy was stunt to find Neal sit in front of her door. His face looked tired, desperate, and in turmoil.

He's waiting for me?, thought Candy.

Her heart was moved briefly, before she toughened it back. He slept with another woman! Phew! And… Gary is Cassey's father. The choice is clear.

"Mr. Leagan, this is my resignation letter. I will..."

"Candy...," cut Neal. The words bursted out as if they had been waiting to be said all night long. "Whatever happens, just don't leave."

"I will go back to my husband," finished Candy with determination.

Without looking at the letter, Neal snapped it from her hand and tossed it to the floor. Madly, he gripped her elbow.

"Don't lie to yourself. You don't love him," he said, fully ignited.

"He loves me. He's my daughter's father, and you are not my moral guardian," Candy replied.

Candy bent to pick the letter. But he on purposely stepped on it.

"He loves me. Loves me! Loves me!" screamed Candy violently trying to pull the paper unsuccessfully. "Unlike someone who abandoned me. Now I am not sure anymore why you always come home late everyday!" Candy hissed chillily. She madly pulled the letter as hard as she could that it got torn into pieces.

"I work! I work! You know that I work," Neal responded agitatedly.

He ran his fingers hopelessly trough his hair.

"That night ... I had to expose our new line of business to the press…," said Neal, frantically trying to explain the situation.

"Expose?" Candy sneered. "Go on… What's next?"

"Candy… please," said Neal, brokenly.

"You exposed yourself to her too, didn't you!" screamed Candy.

She glared at him in contempt.

"But I don't care. Why? Because you are nothing to me! You hear me? NOTHING!" Candy screamed madly at the top of her lung and her fists were hitting him in the chest like mad.

Hearing her hatred words, Neal looked like he's going to expire. Frustratingly, he clamped her wrists and pushed her against the wall. He blew his fist as hard as he could to the wall next to her ear to vent of all his frustrations.

"But you're everything to me!" he cried back even louder than her, panting.

Didn't even flinch, she glared daringly at him. He stared at the pair of her daring green eyes. Last night, he barely could survive thinking she was with someone. His heart bled painfully at the prospect of losing her. Looking deeply at her face, his anger dissipated fast as pain took over.

"You're everything to me, Candy," Neal whispered hopelessly. "I tried to take you but you didn't let me… And I'm…" He stopped and sighed desperately. "I'm just a man..."

"I'm going!" said Candy coldly.

She pushed him easily and walked steadily to the door.

"Candy, don't do this to me," said Neal in despair.

"Gary is Cassey's biological father" said Candy drily. "Naturally, he's more qualified than you. He's everything that you can never be to her!"

His heart was shaken powerfully by her last words. She, too, realized the deep philosophical implication of the sentence she just said, but she refused to think more of it. Satisfied to have her revenge mission accomplished, she left.

Candy found Cassey was holding Allen's hands trying to support him walking.

"Mommy Mommy! Look, Alen is walking!" said Cassey excitedly. "Mom, last night I went out with daddy and Alen…"

"Cassey, I told you to call him Mr. Leagan."

The girl stared at her mother with a guilty look.

"Cassey, we go home to meet dad. Your dad, dear!" said Candy excitedly.

"Dad? Daddy who doesn't want us?"

"He wants us, honey. He always loves us. Come let's go," said Candy.

Candy carried Cassey outside. Finally Cassey noticed that Neal and Alen wouldn't go with her.

"Daddy Leagan and Allen don't come with us?" asked Cassey started to feel something wasn't right.

"Mr. Leagan is not your daddy, honey," repeated Candy, annoyed. "No, Mr. Leagan and Alen won't come with us."

Cassey instantly screaming, wailing, stretching her arms. "Mr. Leagan! Mr. Leagan!"

Candy ignored her.

"I want Mr. leagan, I want Mr. leagan," Cassey cried piercingly as Candy took her away.

"Cassey, shut up!" scolded Candy. She was furious hearing her daughter choose to side with the man who she's mad against.

Neal's heart melted hearing the little girl's piercing scream. He went outside to meet them.

"Candy, wait," called Neal.

Neal came to take Cassey from Candy's arms. Candy threw her face, looking at another direction refusing to see a glimpse of that man. From the corner of her eye, Candy saw Neal hug Cassey.

"Be a good girl," Candy heard Neal say gently to the girl. "Listen to your mom. You can always visit us and we go to have fun again together."

Cassey nodded sobbing.

"I love you, Mr. Leagan," sobbed Cassey.

Casey hugged Neal.

"Love you too, Cassey. Big girl doesn't cry." Neal wiped tears from her face.

Cassey nodded. "I will miss you. I will miss Alen," said Cassey, trying to stop sobbing, hugging Neal tighter.

"Good girl... We will miss you too," Neal said gently, hugging the little girl back. "Take care of your mom."

-TO Be Continued-

Thanks for reading…

Hopefully it's not too boring and predictable. See you in the next chapter, please!

Anthony and Stear will be back in a few chapters later, strong! Please be patient.