An Angel's Vice

Chapter 25 - Sugar's Most Priveleged Prisoner

January, 25th. 2009
Coral Gables, Miami-Dade

"You know, it would've been fine if you stayed at the villa; you have people working for you who are more than happy to take care of these things," Cici says to Candy as the boss pushes the shopping cart down the tea/coffee aisle of a Publix, in search of the herbal blends the doctor recommended for her morning sickness and cramping.

Candy swipes a chamomile ginger blend from the fourth shelf and tips back to show the box to Wandel, who quickly glances at his notes and then gives a thumbs up before checking it off the list of approved teas. "I don't trust my people to get the right things for me without having to go back because they messed up. Plus, it's good for me to see the foods and know how I'll react to them now before I buy them, instead of someone buying the things I thought I wanted, and then throwing up because it turns out I can no longer stand half of it when they show up with the grocery bags."

"Ayy," Cici's neck muscles tighten as she grits her teeth in disgust. "Are you always sick now?"

"Pretty much," Candy frowns, her troublesome emotions spiking.

Wandel sidles up to the ladies and insists that Candy walks ahead of him while he pushes the shopping cart and watches her back at the same time. He prides himself on having the eyes of a hawk and the reaction timing of a Formula 1 racer with his gun. Candy walks arm in arm with Cici, discussing the details of her most recent doctor's appointment and some of the symptoms she's currently experiencing, and the lack of confidence she suddenly has about getting through her entire pregnancy term without jumping ship because the symptoms may become too much to withstand. Cici shares the wisdom passed down to her from the women in the maternal side of her family, despite never being pregnant herself to make use of it. And when they get to the yogurt section, the topic changes along with Candy's mood.

A couple passes by to get to the deli meats, and Candy's attention flickers like a light switch to one of them, who triggers the emotional breakdown Cici's spontaneously dealing with. Cici doesn't know how to help her because she doesn't know what's wrong, but she holds and consoles Candy while perpetually demanding answers so the problem can be solved. Wandel stands back, outwardly puzzled, and appearing as though he's judging Candy for not having it together when in actuality he's just waiting for her to calm down and use her words. He has a wife back home with four children; his days of being fazed by the episodes of a hormonal pregnant woman are long gone.

"Ya. Ya, nena, ya," Cici gently dabs the damp spots underneath the boss's eyes with the tissue she collects from her shoulder bag, and moves them out of the way for a shopper to get their share of Greek yogurts. "Qué fue?" (What's wrong?)

"Why am I falling to my knees because someone smells like her? Oh my God, I'm so pathetic!" Candy laments, sniffling and wiping her face some more.

"What?" Cici looks around this section of the supermarket. "Who are you talking about? Lauren?"

Candy earns a fresh set of tears to clean up again as she confirms with a weak nod, crumbling from the sound of her name and the memories of them constantly napping together on their trip—enveloped in the older woman's embrace, nestled in her chest or the crook of her neck that consistently smelled so strongly of her unchanging creamy, citrus body wash and that new cologne she started wearing. One whiff of that scent and she's instantly transported back to those days she admittedly (but secretly) took for granted. She hasn't seen Lauren in five days because they've both been trampled with a never ending marathon of problems to solve and responsibilities they couldn't stray from. And the doctor's appointment Candy had early this morning, Lauren couldn't physically attend because she was driving down from a complicated, discreet business deal in New Orleans. She was present on the phone, but that isn't the same, and it's still bugging Candy.