He's So Aggravating, But I Think I Like Him

Chapter Twenty Four

The Next Day; 6 PM

Mandy

"And whatever she destroys, I'll pay for. And I'm sorry if it's something valuable," I, again, apologized in advance for anything Macy destroys. I couldn't even explain how nervous I was about Max watching Macy, but literally no one else was available to do so, and I'd hate to drag her along with me tonight. I scribbled on a piece of paper.

"Here's the numbers for Jacky and Derek. They're out at a restaurant, but you can call them if you need help. If all else fails, my number is on there, too," I said, and handed Max the note with some money, "For whatever you decide to do for dinner."

Clayton came out of the back of the bus, looking pretty sharp and making me feel underdressed in my skirt.

"You ready to go?" He asked. I nodded. He grabbed my by the hand and led me to the door.

I turned around, "And if it's an emergency, call me. Please,"!I said. I knew my amazing, but sometimes hard headed daughter could get herself in trouble sometimes. Like walking away at stores and running into the street type trouble.

"I will," Max muttered as I walked out the door.

Clayton hailed a taxi and we got in, giving the driver the address of the restaurant we were going to. We laughed and talked and joked the whole thirty minute ride to the restaurant, a nice looking little place behind all the big buildings of the city.

"My family used to come here all the time. They have possibly the best spaghetti I've ever eaten. And I've eaten a lot," Clayton informed me once we reached the restaurant.

Once we got in, I thought the place was beautiful. It was dimly lit with candles and strings of lights. The interior was brick and gave a kind of vibe that just really made you want to kiss someone. I looked over at Clayton, who was talking with the host.

No, Mandy, you can't kiss people you just met. Maybe later...

We were taken to a table in the corner of the restaurant, where only a candle and a small vase of flowers sat. Clayton pulled my chair out then sat in his own. I looked over the menu, where mainly Italian dishes were, because I love Italian. After we gave our waitress our orders, we began to talk.

"So, Balery, tell me your entire life's story," he said, as a joke.

I laughed and responded, "I was born, went to school, joined a band, went on tour, had a one night stand, got pregnant, quit the band, moved in with Ronnie, and here I am now," I summed up. It was the truth, after all, but hopefully he'd take that as a joke.

He laughed, clearly thinking I wasn't serious, before he straightened out, "If this is too personal, you don't have to answer, but who's Macy's dad?" Clayton asked.

What to say, what to say... Most people always assumed Ronnie, and usually he lets people think that, but I didn't want to have that rumor circling around all the people touring with us, so I took a different route.

"Just some guy at a club. I don't even remember his name," I lied.

Max

Macy sat on the couch and looked at me while I stood across the room. After forty five minutes, we still haven't done anything, and I haven't thought of quite the right things to ask her about Balery. It wasn't long though, before she piped up, "Can we go to McDonalds?"

"Sure," I said and grabbed my wallet and the money Balery gave me.

I got us both into a taxi without losing Macy, who continually got distracted and tried to run off once. When we got to McDonalds, I ordered my cheeseburger and her happy meal and we sat down together.

"So, Macy, how old are you?" I asked her.

She stopped sipping her drink to answer me, "Five."

I nodded slowly, "And, where's your daddy?"

She shrugged.

I raised my eyebrows. I was not expecting that, "You don't know who he is?" I asked. She shook her head. Hm.

"Has your mom dated anyone since you were born?" I asked. She shrugged again.

"Did your mom ever tell you about your dad?" I asked.

I know Balery from somewhere. I have to. Maybe I knew Macy's dad or something.

"She said he was an old boyfriend that she left because she didn't feel like he was ready to be my daddy," Macy said.

I don't really know anybody whose girlfriend left him because she was pregnant. So, scratch the idea that I knew her dad.

"Mommy was in a band back then though," Macy said, almost under her breath.

My head shot up, "What did you say?" I asked.

She ignored my question and kept talking, "I don't know what it was called," she added, "But she quit it five years ago."

My brain started running a mile a minute. She left a band five years ago and because she felt like the father wasn't ready for a kid. I stared into Macy's eyes as she rambled on, the bright green was so strikingly familiar. A kind of hope and dread rose in my chest, along with a suspicion.

Maybe I do know Balery.

I batted that thought down. And maybe I'm being completely delusional.

By this time we had both finished our food and I could tell Macy's little mind was trying to find something to do.

"Can we do something else now?" She asked.

"What would you like to do?" I asked back.

Her tiny eyebrows drew together as she thought for a second before her eyes lit up, "I wanna watch a movie."

"What movie?"

She had to pause again, "The Addams Family. The real people one."

And I had to assume that by "The real people one", she means the one with Angelica Huston and Raul Julia. We ran to the nearest Wal-Mart and grabbed The Addams Family and The Addams Family Values, for good measure. She also tried to talk to someone that had "funny rainbow hair", as she put it.

After wrangling her back into a taxi, we headed back to the bus. I shoved in the first movie and plopped down on the couch with candy and sodas that we also got at the store.

Oh yeah, Balery, sending her home hyped up on sugar.

After a few minutes, Macy was the quietest that she was all night. She slowly ate M&Ms out of a bag and stared at the screen. I ate almost everything else. We finished the movie, and then the second one.

And Macy was talking again, about whatever popped into her little mind.

The puppy she hoped one day she'd get. Her hamster. Her favorite animal and why, which was a snake....because they're pretty.

And everything else under the sun.

And this whole time, I couldn't take my eyes off her. I was thinking about how Macy could pass as mine. Her brown hair, green eyes. She even kind of has my lips. Or I could just be imagining things. Plenty of people have brown hair and green eyes. And there isn't anything spectacular about my lips. I can't help but wonder though...

"Macy, what's your mom's name?" I asked, and I felt a knot tighten in my stomach at what her answer could be.

She looked at me with doe eyes, "Mommy?"

"No, her actual name," I said with a chuckle.

Please god, I don't know what I want to hear, but please let me hear it...

"Mandy."