TWENTY THREE & FOUR
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CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
The Catfish Festival was something Eddie had attended every summer since he could remember. His father and mother brought him when it was mostly a local gathering with free entertainment, provided by anyone willing to bring an instrument, a stool and a music stand. Bands changed on the hour while grills smoked, fryers bubbled and iron skillets sizzled. Eddie and his family sampled every way possible to cook the flaky white fillets. The faces seldom changed. They got older and ordered their offspring to do the cooking while they drank beer and socialized. Eddie was always recognized by the old timers and most of their daughters.
Nicole and Justin found old friends they had not seen in quite a while. The two of them agreed to stay together and meet up with their parents in front of the band stand in three hours. The tall blond in the summer dress stood out in the crowd. She walked arm in arm with another woman. The bulging belly announced she was with child.“ How are you Kate?” Tanya asked.“ Pregnant!” Kate answered and Tanya saw her gently elbow the shorter dark haired woman.“ Congratulations. I haven’ t seen you in a while.”“ I received a permanent position finally,” Kate said. Tanya asked Eddie if he could find her a chocolate ice cream cone. Eddie happily went in search of an ice cream vendor. Anything to get away from the baby talk that always followed.“ I can do the math. Are you carrying Eddie’ s child?” Tanya asked.“ Do you have any idea how much it costs to have this done at a clinic? Sandra and I could not afford to do this any other way.” Kate said.“ You planned this?”“ Not exactly. The opportunity seemed to present itself. Eddie was a healthy male with both parents still living.
From the conversations we shared, you told me you were the one who stopped the baby factory. We wanted to have a child,” Kate said. The pieces fell in place and Tanya felt used.“ Are you planning to tell Eddie?”“ We were trying to get jobs together out of town. Bumping into you and Eddie is simply unfortunate.” Kate stated.“ So you had no intention of telling my husband you were carrying his baby.”“ If you didn’ t know would you really give a shit?” Sandra hissed. Her dark, short hair framed her round face. Her dark eyes squinted as she scrutinized Tanya. Tanya tried to stay calm.“ Did Kate tell you how many times she made me come? Or did she just tell you she fucked my husband?” Tanya cut deep, Sandra’ s jaw clenched.“ Have you told your husband about your latent lesbian inclination?” Kate swung back.“ Tell him whatever you want. But if he tries to see this baby, I will slap a paternity suit on him so fast it will make your head spin,” Kate spat, and turned as Eddie approached with Tanya’ s ice cream. Grabbing Eddie by the arm she hustled him away.“ It’ s yours,” she said, pulling him to an empty table and sitting beside him. He handed her the cone and stared blankly.“ Kate needed a sperm donor, your it!” she said, slapping him lightly on the back.“ What did I miss?” Eddie asked, his head was spinning.“ Not a thing. You were right on target, stud!” Tanya was still in battle mode. She tried to get hold of herself. She did not want to fight with Eddie. This was not his fault, for a change. The lights came on in Eddie-Land.“ I have to talk to her.”“ Why? She doesn’ t want anything to do with us.”
“ But that’ s my baby too,” Eddie challenged.“ She said she would take you to court if you tried to see the baby.”“ Works for me. I’ ll be financially responsible.”“ You do understand the ramifications of the legal system getting involved in our life. It is our life.”“ Are you saying you would not back me if this is what I wanted?”“ Of course I would back you in that decision, but I hope I have a voice in this matter.”“ I have to know what they plan to name the baby,” Eddie said, getting up and searching the crowd.“ I’ ll be right back,” he said, running the direction he last saw the pair. Tanya wanted to cry. The chocolate ice cream helped.