Truth Behind the Lies

Review Responses:

doesitmatter: Well here's another one for you.
Anon: Haha, me either!
Nekosune: Oh I'm not hatin', I watch Food Network too. Luv it. I'm a Paula Deen girl myself. :) It's only been 7 days since my last update....does that still count as "soon" cause I want my yamyams!
Sekre: I won't spoil it for you, I'll let you read to see what the outcome will be. But as far as you saying "...though I doubt things are gonna run smooth" you are correct-a-mundo.
bamibi4real: Very good, you got it. Don't feel like an idiot, cause I'm sure there are others who still haven't caught on yet.
Chrysler: Haha, well pull out the kleenex then cause the problems are far from over with this one. And as far as soul food goes, nothing brings you more more comfort than comfort food. Thank you, thank you, thank you, hope you like this chapter too. And yes it does get fast updates wooo hoo! I've got so many plans for this story, it's comin' out my pores!


Chapter five


Same late afternoon


Randy pulled into the driveway of his home and turned off the ignition. Grabbing his two large tupperware containers of food Richie made for him, he walked to his front door. But he didn’t open it. Instead, he gazed at a letter that was placed between his screen door. Sliding it out he looked on the front and saw it read simply: Randy Setting his food down on a chair, he opened the letter:

Randy,

You were right. I know nothing about you and it’s my fault that I don’t. You’ve tried to open yourself up to me millions of times, but I wouldn’t listen. I didn’t want to listen. And to be honest with you, it’s because I was scared. I haven’t seen too many good people come my way—willingly—and I guess you could say you shocked me. It felt like it was too good to be true. I’d like to learn more about you. I’d like to be your friend. I’d like to know your story, but it would be only fair if I told you my story first.

I don’t have a relationship with my father. Ever since I was a child, he always looked passed me and never spoke. I don’t know why. I don’t know if he ever wanted me or not. I never had the courage to ask my mother. I guess I’m too afraid that the answer would be, “No, he didn’t.” He does work overtime at the mill to avoid us and he does seek ‘entertainment’ in the next town. The town gossip about him is correct in that sense.

My mother is mentally ill. He has his bad days, but is the sweetest person you could ever meet. There’s a rumor around town that he took me out of bed one night when I was a child and drove off with me, intending to kill me. That’s not true. He was trying to protect me. From what, nobody knows. When he has one of his spells, he starts to talk about “them” over and over and how he needs to protect us, but no one knows who “they” are. There’s also been a story about him walking through the neighborhood at night, naked, and talking to himself. That’s not true either. That’s never happened. Mama wasn’t always like this. It was just something that took control of him over time. It’s gradually getting worse, but he likes living at home and I’m willing to take care of him at home, so I wouldn’t dare send him away. He not oblivious to the gossip. He knows what people say about him. This is a small town, so his illness IS the town’s biggest story. Mama hasn’t left home in almost five years.

And now me. You could say my official name—according to the locals—is Shay Gibson, Town Whore. Which I can’t be totally upset with, because I gave myself that name. I lacked affection, I lacked attention, I lacked the feeling of being loved. For years, people referred to me as Crazy Mr. Gibson’s son, Loony Toon, and other things. People started to think that if Mama was crazy, then his son is crazy too. Or his grandson. I saw what being labeled ‘crazy’ did to my mother and I didn’t want that. So I became known as being something else. It was a big mistake. It was wrong, immoral, stupid, and degrading. But I was 18 and I was desperate to rid myself of my family history. But Jack wasn’t a mistake. It’s trying, raising a son who’s approaching the terrible 2s by yourself but there has never been a day that I regretted having him in my life. Not one. I lived a promiscuous life throughout high school. Yes, some of the guys were fellow students and some were married. I knew this then and didn’t care. I had one—I thought—meaningful relationship with a guy and I gave up sleeping around. I thought he was the one, but he wasn’t. The problem with small towns is, is that once you make a mistake that’s all you’re known for. No matter how long ago it was. People around here still think I sleep around. The truth is, I’ve never even kissed another man in 2 years. I’m not a golddigger. I’m not trying to take anyone’s husband.

There’s the truth. Other than my immediate family, you’re the only one who knows. It’s not much better than the gossip, but it is what it is. Take it anyway you like. But I hope that by me opening up to you, you will embrace my courage to do this and not turn away from me.


Shay

“I’ll be damned.” Randy whispered. He suddenly heard the sound of a car and turned around to see a gray JEEP Cherokee in the distance of the setting sun pulling into his driveway. He watched from his place on the porch as Shay opened the door and walked out with Jack in his arms.

Shay’s face showed obvious nervousness. “Hi.”

“Hey.”

“I ah…I see you found the letter…” Randy nodded. “Have you read it?” He nodded again. “Oh good. It’s a bit corny and embarrassing writing you a letter nowadays, but I’ve never been good at talking about my feelings in person. I try to avoid those type of confrontations if at all possible, so when I came by earlier and saw you weren’t here, I was happy cause then I could just write you something. I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”

Randy smirked. Looks like I’m not the only one who gets edgy when we’re together. “Don’t worry about it.” He walked down the steps and stood face to face with the young brunette.

Shay’s eyes began to wander all over the place. Anywhere except into the blue eyes of the strikingly handsome blonde. “I guess the question is….now that you know the truth, what’s next?”

“What’s next….” Randy faked thinking over it. “Lets see. What’s next is, I invite you inside for coffee.” They both smiled and the blonde escorted Shay and Jack into his lakehouse.

***

“Wow. So how long had your parents been married?” Shay asked as they sat at Randy’s small breakfast table drinking coffee, his son in his lap.

“Um, 35 years. They married young.”

“How young?”

“21.”

Shay nodded. “I’m sorry about your parent’s divorce.”

Randy shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I knew it was bound to happen. They argued a lot and about everything, so I’m surprised it took them this long to do it.”

“It was probably for your benefit. So you wouldn’t have the hard choice of ‘Who will I stay with?’. So is that why you came to Plumsfield so many times growing up?”

The blonde nodded. “That was a big part of it. I was upset so often with my mother and father, that I’d come here, see Uncle Roy and Aunt Corrine, and wonder why weren’t they my parents, you know? They were the ones who loved each other, who supported one another, who made time for me because they never argued. And I felt so bad for them, because they were never able to have any children of their own.”

Shay took a sip of his coffee and set it down on the table. “You’re missing the big picture, Randy. They had a child. YOU. They helped raise you. Think about it, if they really wanted a child, they could’ve easily adopted. But they didn’t. You were it.”

Randy chuckled. “You might be right.”

Jack raised his now empty sipper cup in the air towards Randy. “Me juce. Mm juce.”

Randy laughed as he took the sipper and got up from his seat. “Yes sir. One juice coming right up.” He walked to the fridge and poured more grape juice into the sipper. Placing the top back on it, he walked back to the table and handed it to the smiling boy. Jack took it and immediately started drinking. “You’ve really got a special kid there.”

Shay smiled. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Ah sure. Yeah.” Shay handed Jack to Randy and he stood the child up on his lap. “Hey there Jack. How ya doing?”

“Mmrurah. Uhrambah.”

“Yeah? Same here.” Shay chuckled. “Do you know my name?”

“Huh?”

“Do you know what my name is?” the boy shook his head as he sipped his drink. “My name is Randy. Can you say Randy?”

“Ang-gi?”

“Raaannndy.” He said slower.

“Ambi.”

Randy smiled and Shay started to laugh. “Close enough.” He lifted Jack above his head and wiggled him. Jack giggled. “He’s a small little thing. Very light weight.”

“Carry him around with you all day, then see if he’s still light.”

“You don’t own a stroller?”

“I did when he was an infant, it was actually mine when I was a baby. But then it broke and my dad wouldn’t loan me any money for another.”

His father is a real class A asshole. Randy opened his mouth to respond, but the phone rang. “Excuse me a sec.” Randy handed Jack back to Shay as he got up and searched for where he left the cordless phone. He found it in the den on the couch. He saw on the CID it was his aunt Corrine. “Hello?”

“Hey, Randy. What’cha doin’?”

“Nothing really, just talking with a friend.”

“Oh yeah? Who? Do I know’em?”

Don’t tell her the truth, Randy. If you do, she’ll be on your case about being with him. However, Shay is in the next room. Will he hear me lie and tell her that it’s someone else, not him? Geez, we just got to being friends again, I don’t want this to bring a problem back into our now mended relationship. His heart was beating fast, but lucky for Randy, Corrine moved on.

“Nevermind. Look, just wanted to call and see if you were still coming in to the store tomorrow morning.”

“Yep. I’ll be there bright and early.”

“Good. Cause I have to do some errand running tomorrow and wont be in the store until late that afternoon, so I told Doug to come in with you. Is that alright with you?”

“Perfectly fine.”

“Great. Well, I’m getting tired so I’m gonna watch a little tv then go to bed. You alright over there? Got yourself some food?”

“Yeah. I ate over my cousin James and Richie’s house a little while ago. I’ll talk to you tomorrow Aunt Corrine.”

“Alright. Bye Randy.”

Randy hung up the phone and walked back into the kitchen. There he saw Shay holding a now sleep Jack to his chest, rubbing the toddler’s back slowly. “He’s knocked out, huh?”

Shay nodded, not taking his eyes off his son. “Yep. I knew it wouldn’t be long. He kept rubbing his eyes. I should go home and put him to bed.”

“Well you don’t have to leave, you know. You could stay the night here and leave in the morning.”

Shay smiled. “That’s nice of you, Randy, but my mama’s expecting me to walk through the front door with his grandson at some point tonight. Raincheck?”

“Sure.” Randy walked Shay to the front door and opened it for him.

“Are you going to be at the store tomorrow or the clinic?”

“The store. The clinic doesn’t open until Wednesday. Why, you thinking about stopping by?”

Shay smirked and shrugged. “I thought about it.” Randy smiled then leaned in to kiss Shay, but the brunette stopped him. “Randy………friends, okay?”

Damn The blonde nodded. “Friends. Goodnight then.”

“G’night.” He left.

Randy leaned against the door and shut his eyes. Friends. Friends? Before, I was so eager to know him, I was happy just being a friend. Can I be content with this arrangement…..forever?

***

Monday afternoon


Shay had just hung up the phone with Buggy after giving him a list of groceries to pick up on his way here, when the doorbell rang. On his way to the front to door to answer it, he saw his father lounging on the couch watching Days of Our Lives. Don’t bother getting up dad, I’ll get it. Shay opened the door but no one was there. Instead, he saw a very nice and what looked like very expensive dark blue stroller with a just as large wrapped present placed on top of it. They both had big, red, poofy bows stuck to them. On top of the present was a letter addressed Shay and Jack. Shay opened it and read:

Shay,


Just alittle something I wanted to give as a friend. No, I don’t want anything in return and yes you can accept it, so don’t say it next time you see me. I apologize for not being there. I would’ve loved to have seen you and Jack’s face when you see the presents I bought. I went shopping during my lunch break from the store and rushed over here to deliver them. The wrapped present is for Jack and the stroller is for you so your arms wont be tired. I also got it, thinking maybe instead of you ‘possibly’ stopping by the store today, you could take a walk with me in the new park they just finished making last week. Just to make up for the disaster I made at the pizzeria. Is around four good for you?


Randy aka “Ambie”


Laughing, Shay pushed the stroller with the gift inside the house. “Jackie, come’ere!” Leaving the dining room where he sat watching his grandmother dust the table, Jack walked into the hall and came to his mother, his fingers plopped in his mouth. “You’ve got a present from Randy, pookie. Look, it’s bigger than you are.” Shay grabbed the box and set it on the floor. Sure enough, the present was much taller than Jack was. The boy started bouncing in excitement. “Go ahead and open it.” Shay ripped a hole in the paper and let Jack practically tear the paper to shreds. The paper revealed a box with a large brown teddy bear inside.

Jack’s little eyes widened and his mouth curved into the cutest smile. “Mama, bia! Bia!” he yelled while pointing to the fluffy bear.

“I know. Isn’t he cute?” Shay opened the box and pulled the bear out, handing him to Jack. “What are you gonna name him?”

“Mmmmm………Ma……Mmmmoo-moo.”

Shay frowned smiling. “Moo-moo? That’s what cows do, isn’t it? You sure that’s what you want to call him?” his son nodded. “Moo-moo it is then.”