CHAPTER 18

Clay at some point during the very early morning made his way from the study to the master bedroom. Gone to black, he briefly looked at the moving figure in the babies bedroom her legs turning from him. Once again he collapsed on his bed but now his sleep would be unhindered under the influence of more alcohol.

Bloberta awoke early 6am. She noticed a blanket on her, Bloberta rolled her eyes and sighed. She didn't know why Clay would've bothered, throwing the blanket off her. She got off the ground rubbing her back in discomfort. In the end it was worth it not sleeping next to Clay. Besides Clay already made it abundantly clear he didn't like sleeping next to her.

Clay awoke an hour or so later, very unhappy his sleep schedule was constantly being an issue all of the sudden. Bloberta was in the kitchen cooking some breakfast. The smell of food was enough to make him get out of bed. Though he noted his hands were strangely cold, like blood wasn't flowing in them. It was uncomfortable. Clay in his pajamas made his way to the kitchen with his hands tucked in his armpits.

"Good morning, Clay." Bloberta smiled weakly offering him a plate of breakfast she made earlier. Her attention was drawn to Clay's hands firmly tucked in his armpits, hugging himself.

"G-good morning..."Clay offered his pleasantries and Bloberta frowned. She sat next to him unfortunately she couldn't help but sympathize with the nervous cold wreck he was at the moment. She related to an uncomfortable degree.

"Clay, give me your hands." Bloberta requested.

"What...why?"

"You are clearly cold, I'll help you warm them."

"Warm? B-but didn't you-" Clay tried to question Bloberta about the previous feeling in her hands. Bloberta forcibly took Clay's hands in hers at the table...Bloberta's hands were warm..."I thought-"

-

"Do you like this?" Bloberta placed her hand on Clay's face to petting his face and bruise.

"Uh...yeah.." Clay felt a little relief, it was like an ice pack was massaging his face. "Uh...your so cold..."

"Well I get no circulation in my hand." Bloberta proudly admitted to the more agreeable Clay she was looking for.

"Mmm...thats nice."

-

"Clay, you're just sick..."

Bloberta and Clay held hands for a few minutes, Bloberta and Clay just stared at each other's hands, Clay's hands slowly gained a bit more warmth. Bloberta's hands felt a little more cold. "Um...thanks...I just felt really shaky."

"I know." Bloberta refrained from giving him a lecture. He wasn't ready for it, she knew he didn't want it. "I made you some breakfast, get eating or you'll be even more weak at work."

"I am not weak, Bloberta I just feel sick like you said..." Clay ate some of the toast and sausage. "Thanks for the food. See-ya later." Clay left as Bloberta started to clean up the kitchen.

-

Clay in his office was externally panicked for the upcoming son he was expecting. Totally anxious and upset about everything. Clay called in his intern Dolly to calm his nerves, she was usually good at talking down someone.

"Clay to what do I owe the pleasure of my presence?" Dolly bowed as she entered the office with utmost courtesy.

"Can it with the respectful language dolly. Talk to me like a real person for God's sake."

"What do you mean, mayor?"

"My name isn't MAYOR its CLAY. CALL ME CLAY."

"Ahem Clay what is the problem?"

"Everything..."

"You had no problems with Mayor Forghetty's admi-"

"DON'T." Clay pointed at Dolly with command and anger. "That has nothing to do with my problems."

"What is it Clay?"

"You have no idea what its like to be a husband do you?"

"Well I am a woman, so no?"

"Further more you have no idea what its like to be a parent AND a mayor?"

"That not the path for me to be honest..."

"IT WASN'T THE PATH FOR ME EITHER." Clay threw a paperweight at a picture of Mayor Forghetty on the wall. He resented him for not being the better mayor. Forghetty couldn't beat him. There was no going back for Clay. Resigning was the cowards way out. He'd never be a coward like his father. Cowards are the ones who don't take responsibility. Dolly froze for a moment and met eyes with Mayor Puppington.

"Clay Puppington you are the mayor. You are not supposed to bring your personal life into all of this. This is your job." Dolly said in a definitive fashion, as she glared at him, he was hardly looking at her. "Look I only took your call so that I could resign as your intern. I'm quitting. Goodbye Clay." Dolly parted with a scoff and slammed the door. Clay hardly paid attention and swiveled in his chair.

As Dolly left the office, in came the reverend Putty full of concern.

"Clay its me, reverend Putty. we haven't talked in a couple weeks..."

"And whose fault is that?" Clay asked with his back turned to Putty in his chair.

"Ahah well I guess that question is up for debate." Putty joked. Clay spun in his chair towards Putty to address him.

"I'm mayor now, what do you want now?"

"I've hardly heard anything from you, Clay."

"So?"

"You have a life outside being mayor. You need to pay attention to your feelings to!"

"When have my feelings been important to anyone?." Before the reverend Putty could counter, a message came from Clay's messaging machine regarding Mr. Junior Christien, stating:

"A Junior Christien is here to see you, sir."

"Let em' in" Clay slurred hardly cared about the Christien problem as Censordoll did. Junior let himself in seeing reverend Putty and Clay bickering.

"Um, am I interrupting something, Mayor Puppington?"

"The reverend was just about to leave. Right revs?"

"Hmph yeah sure." Putty gave Clay a final look of pity and left the mayor's office. Clay had become increasingly hostile. Perhaps it was best to get his attention at church rather than his job. Clay slumped further in his chair and pushed a paper towards Junior at the opposite at the end of the desk. "Just sign this and we can get this over with sooner..."

-

A new Sunday morning brought with it a new feeling for Bloberta, one of terrible sickness. Clay was awake already in the study, he was up for a couple hours now. Bloberta darted down the hallway to the bathroom as she threw up stomach bile. Clay could hear the commotion, got up and looked for the source of the noise naturally coming from the bathroom it was Bloberta. Clay tried to offer his light concern: "Bloberta, whats wro-" only to be cut off by the worrisome and vile noises coming from her, Clay clenched his eyes closed, in disgust.

"I'm...I think I'm-" She threw up again. "Too sick to go to church today..."

"Well, well, well. When I used that excus-" Bloberta vomited. "You know what maybe I should bring you to the doctor?"

"Its o-okay...Its natural in my state..."

"What?" Clay genuinely clueless what she was getting at. Bloberta stumbled over her words in her sickness.

"Y-you ser-seriously don't know? Pregnant women get sick, mostly in the mornings. This is the first time I'm feeling it..." Bloberta educated Clay as well as she could. Clay groaned a little. "Maybe you should stay and help me with this..." Clay though a bit sympathetic, was repulsed by the very idea. Scheming as ever he found his response.

"You had to go to church alone when I sick, its only appropriate I return that favor by feeling the same way you did." Clay proudly remarked acting as if he was doing the right thing.

"Tha-that wa-was different.." She threw up again.

"I'm gonna be late to church at this point. Good luck doll face." Clay ran down the stairs out the door as he sped off in a rush. Bloberta could audibly hear the screech of the tires. She looked at her reflection in the bile water of the toilet her hair ruffled, unwarranted tears falling down her cheeks from the vomiting. She was beginning to half regret her whole plan. This was about to be the next several months. Looking back at a face she could hardly recognize adorned with repulsive body fluids.