Destined To Collide

Chapter 19

The very next day; a Saturday morning

Donny-

I'm still aching like a bitch all over; I have a black eye and possibly broken nose, my face still stings and I should probably get my groin checked out, but I don't care. I'm not wasting any time. I'm marching right over to Kenny's house right now to confront Candy. I couldn't stop thinking about what Chester said last night. This could be the bombshell of all bombshells if it's true. This could change EVERYTHING. Is this really why she's here now? Am I Naldo's father? Whoa! Just thinking that gives me the chills. Am I ready to be a father? Especially to a kid who doesn't know and can't understand me; a kid who thinks someone else is his father? If this is true, what am I going to tell Linnie and my other friends who already hate me?

I can take solace in that Craig and Chris were there when Chester dropped the biggest atomic bomb in history. Craig and Chris told me everything; the meeting that my ex-girlfriends had with Linnie and then the gathering they had right before they came to beat me up.

I get up to the front door and I totally forget Kenny and Gina are still pissed at me and I'm the last person they want to see. Hopefully, they're at work already. It does get busy on a Saturday morning at Ken's (as in Ken's Burgers I'm not calling it the Bistro).

I slowly knock on the door; I have no idea what I'd say to either of them if they do answer the door. 'Hey, guys, I know you're both still mad at me but I might be your nephew's father.' Someone opens the door.

"Oh, hey, Donny!" It's Candy in a white nighty, with Naldo behind her pulling it, he does look like me! "What the hell happened to you? You look like need a doctor or hospi-" I cut her off.

"Nevermind that. Is Gina or your brother here?" I ask pointedly. Again she looks surprised by the way I said something.

"No," she said shaking her head, "they got into a fight when they came home and Gina ended up staying somewhere else and Kenny already left for work." I just let myself in.

"Is it true?" I ask, again pointedly.

"What?" She's looking frazzled and confused.

"Can you please put in some cartoons for him in another room, please?" I ask. I don't want one of his earliest memories of me, his father, yelling at his mother because I sure am about to. "You and I need to step outside and have a talk. Alone!

"He doesn't understand English," she said, "he won't understand American cartoons."

"He's a kid, Candy," I say, "they like anything with funny voices and animated animals."

"Okay," she says; then she says something to Naldo in Italian, "I don't why you're speaking to me this way or what this is about but I'll do what you say." She takes him into one of the bedrooms and puts on the Saturday morning cartoons. She comes back and we step outside.

"I ask again, is it true?" I ask again.

"Is what true, Donny, you're scaring me?" I look straight into her eyes with intent

"Am I Naldo's father?" I say. She looks shocked that asked that

"What?" she says

"I don't believe I stuttered, Candy," I ask again, "Am. I. Naldo's. Father?"

"What would make you think such a thing?" she asks. She's got the nerve to play dumb now?

"Chester figured it out when you guys came over." I say

"Your brother Chester? You believe him? Isn't he...y'know, ret-" I cut her off

"Don't you dare call him that word!" I say, "He's very perceptive and smart and has never been wrong once! Look, you coming here has created a lot of problems for me; all my friends hate me, including your brother, and my girlfriend broke up with me, in no small part due to your kissing stunt last night."