Ugly Wishes: Chapter 16 - Gen 1

by Marty

Watching Summer die was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do!!!
I still can not believe that she has gone!! What am I going to do I am lost without her!!!!

She is now resting at the bottom of the garden and I know very soon that is where I will be too. I had always wanted to be the one to go first, I am a coward, I didn't want to have to deal with summer dying before me. Now she has gone I have lost the will to live any longer, but that does not really matter because my time is just about up anyway.

I was going for a stroll trying to clear my head - everyone was crying at home and I couldn't take it. I needed to get out. I was not paying particular attention to where I was going, I was just walking to I don't know where, and hours later realising it was starting to get dark and I was on the other side of town I turned round and retraced my route back in the direction of home. The next time I was aware of my surroundings I was, outside the stadium, I had not far to go to reach home. I had heard a familiar laugh and that's what had made me look up.

It was Tia I heard laughing, and my first thought was "has nobody told her about her Mom dying yet??" Of course not - I had been too wrapped up in my own grief I had not given a thought to Tia, Mattie or Mitch. Toby was too busy trying to console his own family and himself, I doubt he had thought about them either!!

Tia was talking to Pineapple Parfait, well that's what I thought at first. I realised then there was too much giggling going on, too much touching and they were standing way too close to each other!! So I just stopped and watched and listened.

They were stood there in the open for anyone to see, and anyone could see what was going on - they were flirting with each other and it was not playful flirting either, they were deadly serious!!!"

What was Tia playing at!!!! He is married with kids - she is married with kids, what the hell were they both playing at!!?? What about Apple - what was she thinking!!!!!!! This I have been expecting from Jade, but not Tia!! The things they were saying to each other was turning my stomach!! Seeing her kiss him was the final straw - I snapped.

"Tia!!"

"Dad!!"

"What on earth do you think you are playing at young lady!!!???"

"Nothing Dad."

"Well it did not look or sound like nothing to me - well - what are you playing at??!!"

"Well if you heard then why keep asking?"

"Don't you get smart with me young lady!!"

"Dad stop it your making a show of yourself, what is the matter with you?"

I couldn't believe they were both still stood there smirking at each other like love sick puppies!!!

"Do I really need to spell it out to you, I have eyes and ears - Tia - look at me, not him, when I am speaking to you!!!"

"Stop talking to me like I am a child!!"

"I am still your Dad and I will talk to like a child if your acting like one!!"

"What about your husband? Apple - remember him - what has he done to deserve this??."

"Nothing."

"So why?? Are either of you even thinking about what you are doing?

"Do you mind, Dad, this really has nothing to do with you, I am grown up now, I'll do what I want to do, I don't have to ask for your permission!!!"

"I am sorry Tia, but when it all goes pear shaped it will probably be me you come running to to help sort out the mess - you are already or plotting to cheating on your husband, who I happen to like, what do you expect me to do just forget what I have just seen and heard???

"Just listen to yourself, Dad, you don't have room to talk when you have done it yourself!!"

"That is why I am so angry with you Tia, think of the consequences when you two get found out - his wife and kids, Apple and the boys - his daughter and your brother, have you forgotten Lime and Mattie??!!! All the life's you will turn upside down - its not worth it, for what a quick fumble in the park and god forbid things get serious between the two of you - the devastation you are going to cause!!"

"You did it and got away with it!!"

"Yes I did it, but I did not get away with it, every day since the day I met your mother I have suffered - the trouble and heartache it cause - because of it I have a son and grandchildren in a different town that I hardly see or know - I have to live with that every day, what are you going to do if you alienate everyone and Apple takes the boys from you - how would you feel then - like I do now - I am just trying to stop you both from making the biggest mistake of your life!!"

"Now go home to your husband and kids, and I will be having words with you again tomoorow young lady - I am ashamed of you Tia, you have disappointed me, think about all the problems Apple had to go through with his family and society for you two to be together, he did that because he loves you and he really does not deserve this at all!!!!!!"

I turned to walk away then turned to look at Pineapple.

"I suggest you do the same Pineapple, go home to your wife and kids before you are both sorry!!"

I walked away and I was so angry, maybe a little more angrier than I normally would have been in this situation, the emotions of losing summer had made it worse, I was venting some of that anger too. I realised then that I had not told Tia about her mothers death.

When I got home I had every intention of phoning the Marmalade house and getting someone to sit Tia down and tell her about her mother. I needed to tell Mattie and Mitch too. As soon as I opened the door I could hear Jade shouting at someone, she was on the phone and had not heard me come in.

"I am not going to tell you again, don't phone me when I am home"

"No he is sleeping and his Dad is out, but still one of the kids might hear!!"

"Stop it Pear - that's not fair!!"

"Don't you dare - please Pear you know his Mom has just died, I am begging you don't tell him!!"

"No, I made a mistake I never should have done it!!"

"I mean it, it's the biggest mistake I ever made - you took advantage of me while I was weak!!"

"No Pear it's not happening - I love Toby!!"

"Oh so what are you going to do, tell Toby, I'll just deny it, he will never believe you, he thinks I was at work, nobody saw me Pear, only you - you can not prove it!!"

"Please Pear don't, if you love me you won't!!"

"Ok ok I will come see you tomorrow as long as you promise not to tell Toby!!"

I could only hear half of the conversation but I think I had heard enough to work out what was going on. Tia and Pineapple and now Jade and Pear - what the hell is going on???!!!!

"Hey little man you should be in bed its late!!"

"Grandad don't pinch my cheek its horrid!!"

"You used to like it when you was a baby."

"I don't like it now!!"

"Ok - I'll try and remember in future - now go on bed you have school in the morning."

"Do I have to go to school - what about Grandma I am upset."

"Well Grandma would not want you to miss school now would she and being with all your mates will help you take your mind off it so school in the morning - go on scoot!!"

I had hardly slept a wink, lying awake most of the night the two situations spinning round my head chasing each other like a dog chasing its tail, it never stopped. Jade I suppose had not let me down, I knew, and since the day she moved into this house I knew one day she would hurt Toby, I just knew it!!! But Tia was just a bolt out of the blue - I would never have seen that one coming so what do I do with what I know - do I tell Toby and Apple what is going on behind their backs or do I tackle Tia and Jade the two criminals in all of this - the cheaters!!!

Telling Toby the truth would tear him apart - but I couldn't let it go on could I, I would never live with myself watching her making a fool of him, one day he would find out so why shouldn't it be me who tells him and there is definitely no love lost between me and Jade, we have never got on!!! Apple, I reckon it would tear him apart to, if he knew the truth, he has been through so much to be with Tia I really don't know how she could even think about doing this to him!! Does she even realize that Pineapple must be nearing old age, she would be throwing away a good life and marriage for someone who is going to be dead in a few years. What do I do? What do I do? I wish Summer was here she would know what to do!!!!!! Do I tackle the criminals or break the hearts of the victims?

What shall I do???

Suddenly I no longer had to do anything.

The choice was taking away from me

I was taking two secrets with me

The Grim Reaper is here.