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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
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Cards on the Table - 34. Chapter 34 Queen of Spades

Gambles and greed.

Cards on the Table

 

 

Chapter 34

 

 

“Babe, I think I should call Dad to see if he can recommend a lawyer for us. We need those papers drawn up for Candy to sign, and we need someone to handle the house-buying stuff… I meant to ask him today, but I forgot in all the excitement.” Michael had entered the kitchen, fresh from their second shared shower in the last hour, and Kendall’s heart sped up a little bit at the sight of him. They had just rocked each others' world, and he could still feel Michael’s body beneath him as if they were still connected, and still gyrating in rhythm.

“Great idea. It slipped my mind too. It’d be nice to get all of this taken care of sooner, rather than later.” He smiled at his sexy partner.

“Are you blushing? Why are you blushing?”

“What? I’m not blushing… I was just remembering, that’s all, and I think I’m red from the hot water in the shower.” He turned away from Michael to hide the now deepening color change.

It didn’t work. “You are so fucking cute… you are blushing. Is it because of all those naughty things we just did?” he teased.

“Shut up, Michael. And they weren’t naughty… they were hot. You just caught me daydreaming about your ass, if you must know.” Kendall grinned a little shyly as he turned his head to meet those dark blue eyes with his.

Michael wrapped his arms around his partner and turned him fully around to face him. “You better be careful. If you tell me to shut up again, we’ll have to have another go-round,” he said. “My ass and I are ready anytime you say… I can still feel your tongue there, tiger.”

“Oh, God… tiger?”

“That’s what you were, and if the shoe fits?” Michael laughed as he watched Kendall’s receding blush return full-force. “So how about it? You game?”

“You can’t be serious, after what we just did? I think I need a little recharge time, and I’m not talking about my dick.”

“What are you talking about? What else needs recharging?”

“My heart. It came pretty close to exploding."

“That’s funny, because it was your dick I felt exploding. It sure made a hell of a mess all over me.” Michael laughed outright, and Kendall joined him. “And that wasn’t a complaint. I fucking loved it!” he practically shouted.

“Well, you do have a point,” Kendall said, continuing to laugh. “And to be honest I was thinking about how I’d love to still be in the bedroom with you, but we have other things to take care of. You know, it’s occurred to me we said we were going to invite Janine and Lanny over for dinner soon. What do you think about asking them over tonight?”

“Way to change the subject, Babe,” Michael pouted. “It’s fine with me, as long as we make a date for later.” He leered as sexily as any man could, sending a shiver through Kendall, “but isn’t it a little late to ask them? It’s ten after seven.”

“Maybe, but there’s no harm in extending the invitation, and I have an ulterior motive. I have to admit I’m curious about whether Janine has heard from Candy.”

“Yeah, and you want to see if Lanny and Janine are finally getting it on, don’t you?” Michael was giving Kendall a hard time about his need to match-make, but Kendall knew he was teasing.

“I just do what needs to be done,” Kendall responded smugly, earning a lingering kiss from his big guy.

 

Michael returned from the den, where he’d called his father from, to find Kendall still on the phone, sitting quietly with it plastered to his ear, looking like he was listening intently. He gave Kendall a questioning look.

Kendall explained quickly to Michael that he was waiting for Janine to come back on the line, and how it turned out she and Lanny had just gotten home from watching a hockey game… she hadn’t had dinner yet and was just about to fix something for herself, but she was running to catch Lanny after Kendall invited them to dinner. Kendall filled his depleted lungs back up with air, which clued Michael in to the fact he’d said all that in one breath. He continued by saying that Lanny had gone out the door a second before Kendall called. Michael shook his head, and chuckled at Kendall’s fast explanation and his eager look. Despite Michael’s amusement, Kendall saw pride, even a bit of awe, as well. It made him feel good that his partner understood and enjoyed this part of who he was.

When Janine came back on the line, she apologized for the delay, explaining how she had missed catching Lanny and had to take the elevator down to his apartment. She accepted the invitation for both of them, saying Lanny was pleased to be included. When asked, Janine assured Kendall Chinese food was fine, but that while Lanny liked big shrimp, he hated anything with little shrimp in it. He’d complained they looked like curled-up grubs, and Kendall and Janine shared a laugh over Lanny’s little quirk before he hung up.

“I see you called at the right time, Babe. That was a stroke of luck, that they were going to eat separately, and now they’re going to be eating together. Kendall strikes again,” Michael’s eyes were twinkling.

“Oh, sh… never mind.”

Michael guffawed at Kendall’s attempt to cover his little slip of the tongue. “You were going to tell me to shut up again, weren’t you?”

“Maybe,” he said with a grin, “but I didn’t want to turn you on with company coming.” His eyes showed a twinkle of their own.

“Makes sense, Deuce. Save it for later?” Michael’s eyebrows rose.

“We’ll see, horn-dog, we’ll see.”

Michael gave a fist pump and said, “Yes!” while Kendall rolled his eyes.

“So, Babe, I talked to Dad, and he’s calling a lawyer friend as we speak; if a guy named Stuart Barnaby calls, that will be him. He apparently practices family law, and handles surrogate agreements and adoptions as part of his practice. Dad says he’s a smart guy. He’s played golf with him every summer for years.”

“That’s great, but what about the house purchase? Will he deal with that, too?”

“Dad wasn’t sure, but he’s part of a firm so Dad says he’ll know somebody, if he doesn’t do it himself. It’s all coming together, Babe. I’ll be a lot happier when Candy signs off on custody. I don’t trust her in the slightest.”

“I don’t either, Sunshine.”

 

Lanny was a little nervous, even awkward at first, but Janine and Michael clicked so well, talking and laughing easily, he eventually settled down and became a part of the group. He laughed when Kendall teased him about his aversion to small shrimp, and after that became more animated in the conversation. It turned out the hockey game they’d attended that afternoon was one Lanny, Kendall and Michael’s old team, the Unionville Badgers had played in. When Kendall asked how all their teammates were, Lanny’s answer threw him.

“I couldn’t say, Kendall. They don’t talk to me. They don’t even really look at me. I said hello to a few of them, but they just walked away. They have no use for me and I can’t say I blame them.” The resigned look on his face said it all, and both Kendall and Michael looked at one another.

Michael’s voice interrupted the dead silence. “I haven’t been to a hockey game for a while. What say we all go see a game soon? Maybe one of the next games the Badgers play? What do you say, people?”

“I’m in. I think it would be fun.” Kendall noticed the incredulous look on Lanny’s face but didn’t say anything.

“I’ll go,” said a very pleased Janine. She was beaming as she looked around the coffee table at the men.

That left Lanny, who had put his head down. “I know what this is all about guys, but I deserve to be shut out. I’ll take my punishment, and maybe someday they’ll forgive me… like you two are trying to do.”

“Lanny, we’re not trying anything. I already told you I forgive you, and Kendall does too. This woman here, this beautiful woman thinks you’re something special, so there are three people here that don’t hold anything against you.”

Kendall watched as Michael’s words turned Janine’s face a pretty dark pink color. Lanny’s eyes darted to and away from her, blushing himself, before he settled his eyes back on Michael.

“I understand that, Michael, but I don’t think….”

“Look, Lanny, do you want to be friends, or not? You’re in our home because we invited you. We consider you a teammate, and Kendall and I don’t give up on teammates. So what’ll it be?” Michael asked Lanny softly.

“I would like to be friends… I… I really would. You’re great guys, and even though I was jealous of you, I always knew that.” He lowered his head again.

“Then it’s a done deal. We’re friends… friends that can count on each other, and go to hockey games together,” Michael said with emphasis, “and no more apologies, right?”

“Right,” Lanny said as looked back up to see Michael’s hand stretched out across the table, and with little hesitation he shook it.

Kendall’s reaching hand followed, and the deal was sealed. Lanny smiled at the two of them, while Janine looked on with glistening eyes.

“Now that we have that taken care of, can we please get back to eating?” Michael suggested with a whiny voice, making them all laugh, and relieving the tension. “This is good stuff, Babe,” Michael said while shoving a spoonful of food in his mouth.

Kendall glanced at Lanny to see if he had a reaction to Michael calling him ‘Babe’ but all he saw was a grinning nod of agreement at what Michael said, followed by a groan of approval of his own. Lanny seemed more comfortable now that their friendship had been verified and reinforced.

“I had to order some different dishes than usual since our friend here doesn’t like curly grubs, Sunshine,” Kendall teased. “I wonder if Mr. Snuffles likes them? Lanny? Does he?”

Lanny looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and everyone went quiet as all conversation ceased. That lasted about ten seconds, until Michael started chuckling with glee. “Mr. Snuffles? Oh yeah, I forgot about him. Really, Lanny? How in hell did you come up with a name like that?” Michael was so obviously enjoying this.

It was Kendall’s turn next. “Well, I think it’s an adorable name.” Kendall stretched out ‘adorable’, making Lanny wince. “I can’t wait to meet ‘the adorable Mr. Snuffles,” he snickered.

“Guys… come on… it was what I called my cat when I was a little kid, and it was the first name I thought of when I rescued the little fellow,” Lanny tried to explain.

That just got him in deeper. “I’m sure the ‘little fellow’ loves his name.” Michael’s laughter had become full blown, and tears starting wetting his cheeks.

Finally, a crimson-faced Lanny turned his attention to Janine with a wicked smile. “I am so going to get you for this,” he promised her. “I am never going to live this down, am I?” He groaned while looking from Michael to Kendall.

They stared back at him until Kendall said, “Nope… not a chance Buddy,” and gave him an evil grin.

Janine tried to keep a serious and apologetic look on her own face, but then giggled with a little snort at the end, making them all of them lose complete control. Through his own tears of laughter, Kendall saw the adoring look Lanny gave Janine; he contemplated that he had just a little bit of work to do to get these two to admit how they felt about one another. Kendall surmised that Lanny’s temporary infatuation with Candy was the biggest roadblock. When the laughter eventually died down, Kendall saw that Lanny had relaxed even more. It was good to see he didn’t mind being the brunt of a joke. The old Lanny would have.

After a bit more bantering back and forth, talk did eventually turn to the subject of Candy, and surprisingly, it was Janine who initiated it by giving them a warning.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Candy pulls something when it comes to signing those custody papers,” Janine confided in them. “She called me Saturday morning, and asked me why I gave you the information I did.” Janine avoided looking in Lanny’s direction. “So, I told her… she said it didn’t matter because she ended up the big winner, so I assumed everything would go ahead just fine.”

Kendall moved forward in his seat, fighting the sick feeling that was taking over his stomach. “What’s changed, Janine? Why do you think she might pull something?” He met the eyes of an equally concerned Michael, and drew some strength from him.

“I’m not saying she will, Kendall. I just want you to be prepared. It’s just a vibe I got this morning, when she called me again. I think she was trying to feel me out. She was in a bad mood because she’s having a lot of morning sickness, and Candy doesn’t handle discomfort well. She thought it would be over by now, but it’s getting worse.” Janine smiled before continuing. “She complained that you and Michael were getting off too easy, while she had to put up with the pregnancy… said it wasn’t right. She repeated that a couple of times, but I didn’t agree with her. When I pointed out it was her who made the decision to get pregnant, she hung up on me.” Janine didn’t look too upset by Candy’s action, judging by another little smile.

Michael spoke up this time. “Do you think you’ve heard the last of her now, Janine?” He looked more apprehensive now, and that caused a trickle of fear to send tendrils around Kendall’s heart.

“No I don’t. I know it sounds weird, but knowing Candy, she’ll still expect me to be her friend. I’m the only one she has who has stuck by her in the past. I’ll continue to be there for her, at least until the baby is born. I might be able to help you guys in some way, but she knows things have changed between us. She’ll be more careful around me, and she won’t confide in me like she used to, but she has no one else. Most women, except maybe for some of those bar-flies she hangs around with, take a dislike to her pretty quickly. I won’t be surprised if she calls me tomorrow like nothing’s happened.”

Lanny had been sitting quietly, but when no one said anything for a minute, he stated his own warning. “You can’t ever trust her guys. She’s a vindictive bitch, and I can see it so clearly now. There’s a lot of nastiness in that girl, and I’m thankful I’m done with her. I don’t know how she got me wrapped around her finger so fast, but she did. Never again,” he swore, and Janine looked pleased at the conviction in his voice.

If Kendall wasn’t so worried, he had been pleased at this little advancement he saw happening between them. “Janine? Do you have Candy’s father’s phone number? And maybe the army guy’s?”

“What are you thinking, Babe?” Michael looked worried.

“I’m not sure. I just want to be prepared. We may have to fight fire with fire though. I have to admit this is scaring me. So have you got those numbers, Janine?”

“I’m sorry for scaring you guys, but I thought you should have a heads-up, just in case. I don’t have Lionel’s phone number, but I have his email from something Candy forwarded to me a week or so ago. I’ll email it to you when I get home. I’ll send Reverend Kilroy’s number too.”

“I’m glad you said something, even if it is just a vibe you’re getting. Thanks, Janine, you’ve been a great friend in all this, and we appreciate you going out on a limb for us like you have.” Kendall smiled at her sweet face, and stood up to hug her, with Michael following suit.

When an embarrassed but pleased Janine sat back down, Kendall asked, “So who wants to hear about our new house?”

 

It was 3:30 the next afternoon when Kendall got home from work. It had been a tiring day that had followed their busy weekend, and Kendall was looking forward to a relaxing evening with just him and Michael and the television. When he walked into the apartment, he was surprised that Michael didn’t greet him at the door with his usual welcoming hug and kiss. He called for him, and received a response from the bedroom.

“I’m in here, Deuce.”

Kendall walked down the hall after putting his coat and shoes in the front closet, and when he went through the doorway, he knew something was wrong. Michael was sitting on the side of the bed, hunched over with his head in his hands. When he walked towards him, Michael raised troubled eyes to look at Kendall, obvious distress emanating from him. He stood as Kendall approached him and held out his arms.

“C’mere, Babe.” Michael wrapped his arms around his partner like a drowning man. Kendall returned the hug and held Michael tight, not sure what was going on, but sensing Michael needed this.

“What’s wrong, Ace?” Kendall asked once he felt Michael start to relax, his embrace loosening.

A sigh from Michael became a groan. “That fucking bitch is refusing to sign the papers giving us custody.”

“Oh, God, Janine was right. I’ve been wondering about what she said to us, all day. You look wiped out. Get on the bed and tell me what happened, okay?”

Michael nodded and they both sat against the headboard, holding hands. “That lawyer friend of my dad’s called a couple of hours after you left, and agreed to represent us. Stuart’s his name.”

Kendall nodded that he remembered his name.

“So, I sent him the email you’d drawn up about what was to go in the agreement with Candy; he called me back after he got it, and said it would be done by the end of the day. He also said I could inform Candy that it would be ready to sign tomorrow morning. So I did,” he grimaced. “I should have called you first, Deuce,” he looked regretful.

“Never mind that,” Kendall said softly to his partner. “Just tell me what happened.”

“When I called her, she said ‘hold on’ and I could hear her puking, so she must have been in the bathroom. I thought she’d forgotten about me, but she finally came back on the line. I asked her if she was okay, and she screamed at me something like ‘Why the fuck should I care?’ and then she called me a lying bastard, and hung up on me. It freaked me out quite a bit, and I guess I should have called you then.”

“Why didn’t you? I mean I’m not saying you should have, but maybe I could’ve helped.” There was no judgement on Kendall’s face. Looking at Michael, he felt bad he had to deal with Candy alone because he just knew the story was going to get worse.

“It was stupid, but I’m always bothering you at work, and I know how much you have to take care of in a day, so I didn’t want to ask you to rescue me,” he said dejectedly. “I thought I could smooth things over by myself.”

“Michael, you never bother me when you call me… not ever. I’m the boss, remember? I understand you wanting to handle this yourself, but we’re a team, right?”

“Right. I just hope I didn’t screw things up too bad.”

“What happened after she hung up?” Kendall steeled himself for the rest of it.

“I waited a while, and then I called her back. there was no answer, so I called back again. She answered that time, but wasn’t very receptive. I told her I was sorry she wasn’t feeling well, and I really tried to be nice to her, Deuce. I told her the papers would be ready tomorrow morning for her to sign and that we put in everything she wanted.” Michael stopped talking, and Kendall could see his reluctance to continue.

“Then what happened?” Kendall coaxed. “What did she say about the papers?” He was holding his breath.

Michael sighed. “She said she wasn’t going to sign them. I was shocked, so I got upset and told her we had a deal. Maybe I yelled that.” He looked guiltily at Kendall.

“That’s understandable. Then what happened?”

“I asked her why the fuck wasn’t she going to sign them, and she said she wasn’t going to go through all this and then hand the baby over to us fags for a paltry twenty grand. It’s about money. That fucking bitch wants double that now. Can you believe her? Since when is $20,000 paltry? I freaked out. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help it… she was such a bitch and she pissed me off so much… I think I fucked things up pretty good. I told her she was despicable and I wasn’t going to barter for a child that was already mine. She said to suit myself, and if I changed my mind to give her a call, but it had better be soon. I think she was threatening to have an abortion if she doesn’t get what she wants. I hate that fucking bitch.” At that, Michael’s eyes welled up. “I’m sorry, Kendall… I should have called you first. You’re better at this stuff than I am. I lost my fucking cool again, just like last time. I didn’t learn a fucking thing,” he chastised himself.

Kendall fought down the terror he felt at the word abortion. This wasn’t an abstract thing to him. This was his child… their child, but Michael needed him to figure this out, and to put his mind at ease. He knew damn well his partner was experiencing the same fear, only his was compounded by that unwarranted guilt Michael was prone to lately.

“Ace, listen to me. Candy’s playing us again… the same way as before. This is a fucking game to her, and she figures it’s worth a try. You did not fuck things up. You’re just not as evil as she is. It wouldn’t matter what you said or how you said it. Trust me on that.”

“Yeah? You think so? I should tell you she said if we can afford a fancy house, we can afford to give her more money to carry this baby for us. She must have called Janine this morning and found out about the house. I told her the house and our money was none of her fucking business.” He returned to looking guilty.

“It still doesn’t matter,” Kendall said as he mustered up a smile. “She wanted to antagonize you, so in a way, you were still playing the bad cop. We need to decide how to approach this, and beat her at her own game.”

“So, you think you can fix this, Babe?” It was Michael, the little boy asking, and Kendall wanted nothing more than to reassure him, so he ignored his own fears for his partner’s sake.

“First of all, you didn’t break anything… this is Candy being Candy, and I have no doubt we can get her to sign those papers. We may have to bargain a little, and let her think she won something, but we are not paying her $40,000 for our child, and it’s not because of the amount… greedy people don’t stop,” Kendall said with conviction.

Michael looked relieved, as his trust in Kendall took over. “You’re right about that, and I’m sorry I didn’t call you. I thought you’d be mad at me.”

“Oh, Michael, I’m angry, but not at you... not in the slightest. Don’t apologize for not calling me, or for anything else. It wouldn’t have mattered what you said to her today. That bitch started this and we’re going to finish it. If she hurts our baby in any way, we will ruin her sorry ass.”

“I’m all for that. Are you going to call her back now, before she does anything?” Some of the worry had reappeared on Michael’s face.

Kendall didn’t want to make a mistake, but his instincts were in high gear. “I don’t think so. I know you’re worried, and I am too, but we can’t play her game. When she screamed at you and hung up the first time you called her, I think that was her setting the stage, just like not answering the first time you called her back. She wanted you off-balance. That’s why nothing worked with her. If you trust me on this, I think we should wait it out, and not talk to her until tomorrow. I’m sure she expects us to call today, but my gut tells me we should let her stew for tonight. And… I think we should get our lawyer’s opinion on our approach. He might be able to advise us on how to handle this. I’ll call Jeremy, and get him to cover me for tomorrow, and see if we can get an appointment with Stuart as soon as possible.”

“You’re amazing, Babe, and of course I trust you on this. You’ve thought so much of it through already. I think it’s the right thing to do… to wait until tomorrow, now that you’ve calmed me down. Thank you.” He managed to deliver up a weak smile for his partner.

“Calming you down is in the job description, right at the top of the fourth page,” Kendall joked, and got a bigger smile in return this time.

“How many pages are in this job description, Babe?”

“I don’t know, Ace. I haven’t finished the book yet, but it's pretty thick.”

As always, thanks to Timothy M, and to all the faithful readers of 'Cards on the Table'. Please join us in the COTT forum:
www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/-39932-cards-on-the-table-by-headstall/
Copyright © 2017 Headstall; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

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Tell me Gary, is Candy's character modeled after anyone you personally know, or just observations of bitches throughout your life? You have created a souless, miserable ...................Great chapter, tho' :)Mike

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Candy is the queen of something - not sure if it's spades :huh:
I was worried that Candy was going to get greedy and go after more money. Turns out she is just as vile as I gave her credit for. I hope that Kendall comes up with something to keep her at bay and convince her to sign the papers. Maybe the lawyer will be able to give them some good advice.
On a positive note - it was great to see Lanny and Janine getting along so well. I think that Janine encourages Lanny and brings out the good in him.

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I am really starting to like Lanny, as surprising as that is. He is trying so hard to atone for his mistakes and be a better person. I don't think he's doing this for Janine, which is good. It's better that he is doing this for himself. The change might actually stick that way. The good thing about Janine being there is she is encouraging him in the changes he is trying to make.

 

Candy is an incredibly selfish person. She doesn't seem to have empathy or sympathy for anyone. I'm not sure what made her so jaded but she is poisonous. I hope that Kendall and Michael can come up with a way to deal with her threats because if they give in she is never going to stop. She'll blow through the $40,000 and be back for more.

 

I feel bad for Michael. It can't be easy trying to hold your temper talking to her. I'm not surprised he lost it. Unfortunately now he feels bad. :/

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For right now, Candy thinks she holds all the cards. Can't wait for when she folds...(see my clever attempt) Michael and Kendall have more to lose if they don't play this right. They have to keep their anger in check and pretend to play nice. I get why M is mad at himself for blowing up at her. Plus she's looking to bleed them. She's probably not even thought that she can't lose, with all her grandiose delusions. I hope this lawyer has some answers for our guys.

 

The dinner with Lanny and Janine was very nice. I am grudgingly warming up to Lanny, but I'm happy that the guys genuinely want to help him move on. For his part, he is trying, and having people who believe that he is worth it will make all the difference.

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Well, you did it again, G-Man. These people are so well-drawn that I can see them not only in my head, but in my heart...and I'm beginning to know their reactions as soon as they do themselves.
Kendall is right, this ends now, or she will just do more things as the pregnancy advances...only thing which bothers me is that no matter what they come up with, I could still picture her ending the baby's life, even if it isn't through an abortion--as she said, there are always 'accidents'. If it were possible, I'd see her in a psych ward strapped down to a bed at all times until delivery, then just lock the door and leave her there.
You better be writing the next one already! Lanny and Janine are so right for each other, and he's becoming such a great guy.

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I knew Candy couldn't be trusted. What a bitch. I think Kendall is handling it right and they need to contact their lawyer PDQ.

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Candy is being true to her nature and what a vile nature it is. The greed and the game playing didn't really surprise me, people like her never stop.
The phone numbers for her dad and new beau could be useful to drop into their conversation but she is a nasty piece of work so they will need to tread carefully. I like LL's description, Candy is poisonous.
And it would seem that Kendall still has a little work to do in the Lanny/Janine area. That should keep him busy. :)

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Candy is showing even more of her true colors. All she wants is money, she is basically selling a baby she doesn't feel anything for. She only sees it as a paycheck. :pissed:
please please let her get her just deserts in the end, maybe her family could find out? Or maybe they could video a confession and post it on youtube? Or maybe she could have all her plans with her army fella fall through because he relises what a ***** she is?
Anything. :evil:
lastly it was wonderful to see the nicer side of Lenny and i think he is going to be enfolded into the family whether he wants it or not - coz he definitely needs them. :heart:

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Candy is setting herself up for disaster--both with her fiancee and her parents. I'm suspecting just the hint of notice to either of them or the threat of a court battle and its publicity may be enough to get her to settle down. Gonna be interesting to see where you take this part of the story.
As for Lenny, he's coming across as a blowhard "good ole boy" who let his mouth/heart/dick outrun his brain. Suspect he's gonna prove to be a great friend in the long run; maybe even helping to deal with the Candy situation.
Another fine chapter!

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:) Another great chapter.
It was nice to have all that sweetness before the harsh reality that is Candy reared its ugly head.
As for the 4 page (and growing) job description? More like a 4 page love letter...

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On 07/28/2015 04:57 AM, flamingo136 said:

Tell me Gary, is Candy's character modeled after anyone you personally know, or just observations of bitches throughout your life? You have created a souless, miserable ...................Great chapter, tho' :)Mike

Thanks, Mike. Actually, Candy is a combination of two people I know, and one is a guy :) . I had two close family members 'trapped' and while one was a good mother, the other pretended to be pregnant, and then faked a miscarriage. The evil gameplaying comes from the guy I know. He(transvestite sometimes) has ruined more relationships and caused more heartbreak, and it makes no sense as to why he does it. I think he is soulless. Glad you liked the chapter, and sorry we had to see Candy again... I just hope our boys are up to it this time... Cheers, and thanks for the review... Gary...

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On 07/28/2015 05:06 AM, EagleIsaac said:

Candy is the queen of something - not sure if it's spades :huh:

I was worried that Candy was going to get greedy and go after more money. Turns out she is just as vile as I gave her credit for. I hope that Kendall comes up with something to keep her at bay and convince her to sign the papers. Maybe the lawyer will be able to give them some good advice.

On a positive note - it was great to see Lanny and Janine getting along so well. I think that Janine encourages Lanny and brings out the good in him.

Well, the ace of spades is the death card... so... Candy is acting like she has been the victim which is ridiculous...I think the reality of pregnancy, ie morning sickness, is making her worse. She failed at something and she can't handle that... she wants someone to pay. She's like a bad smell that won't go away, but Kendall has the right idea... greed doesn't go away.

Lanny and Janine are the high point, the balance, for me here. As noted by Kendall, the old Lanny wouldn't have been able to handle the ribbing about 'the grubs' or 'Mr. Snuffles'. Not only did he handle it... it made him feel more accepted, and that was Kendall's goal. Kendall shows once again, what a people person he is... As always, a great review... thanks and cheers... Gary...

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On 07/28/2015 07:04 AM, LitLover said:

I am really starting to like Lanny, as surprising as that is. He is trying so hard to atone for his mistakes and be a better person. I don't think he's doing this for Janine, which is good. It's better that he is doing this for himself. The change might actually stick that way. The good thing about Janine being there is she is encouraging him in the changes he is trying to make.

 

Candy is an incredibly selfish person. She doesn't seem to have empathy or sympathy for anyone. I'm not sure what made her so jaded but she is poisonous. I hope that Kendall and Michael can come up with a way to deal with her threats because if they give in she is never going to stop. She'll blow through the $40,000 and be back for more.

 

I feel bad for Michael. It can't be easy trying to hold your temper talking to her. I'm not surprised he lost it. Unfortunately now he feels bad. :/

You are so astute, and one of my best gauges for how I'm doing with what I'm trying to accomplish. Lanny is changing because of what Candy was able to get him to do. He is ashamed of himself. It's why he's a little blind to how Janine feels about him. He's always liked Janine, but thought she wouldn't be interested in him, and because of her shyness, it reinforced that idea. Candy came along and sunk her claws into him, and he fell for it. He's never had a feeling of self worth... hence the bravado and acting like a jerk. His motivation to change is being fueled by M and K, and as he does, he'll be able to see that Janine is interested in him romantically. We can tell he worships her, but as yet, it is from afar.

 

With Candy... I hated doing that to Michael again, but he has so much resentment for her that I couldn't see him being able to keep his cool... and I think Candy knew that, and fed on it, setting him up. Kendall is a different story... it is not so easy to use his emotions against him. He has had a lifetime of having to possess self control. If anyone can stop the Candy Cycle... it's him. Superb review, Lit... thanks and cheers... Gary...

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On 07/28/2015 07:33 AM, Defiance19 said:

For right now, Candy thinks she holds all the cards. Can't wait for when she folds...(see my clever attempt) Michael and Kendall have more to lose if they don't play this right. They have to keep their anger in check and pretend to play nice. I get why M is mad at himself for blowing up at her. Plus she's looking to bleed them. She's probably not even thought that she can't lose, with all her grandiose delusions. I hope this lawyer has some answers for our guys.

 

The dinner with Lanny and Janine was very nice. I am grudgingly warming up to Lanny, but I'm happy that the guys genuinely want to help him move on. For his part, he is trying, and having people who believe that he is worth it will make all the difference.

Excellent!! Very clever indeed. You know, I think the scariest thing is that the reality of the pregnancy is sinking in to Candy... it's no walk in the park, and she wants to make M and K suffer like she feels she is. As Janine says, Candy's not good with discomfort. Is it enough to make her reconsider her personal stand on abortion? That is probably the guys biggest fear. My guess is K has already clued into this as a possibility. I also think, as you point out, Candy's biggest enemy is her arrogance. I'm glad you're warming up to Lanny... he was a victim of Candy as well. Thanks for the great review, Def...cheers... Gary...

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I really wish that some day candy realises what she sold away because then the guilt inside her will kill her slowly, after all feeling guilty is the biggest punishment a person could ever face. I understand why Michael has difficulties talking to her, anyone would be disgusted to face such a heartless and selfish person. I almost felt like jumping right into the story, pulling the phone from Michael and telling candy that both our men would make her regret the day she was born if anything happens to the baby :pissed: .
anyways bad things aside, seeing Lanny become a better person is a nice thing and Kendall has proved that he is good with people and this time Kendall made me feel like :kiss: him this time, though I wouldn't as I don't want to incur the wrath of a fat ass...oops...badass police officer :gikkle::lmao::rofl: . loved the chapter Gary :hug:

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LOL, Gary, I think I'm a bad influence on you: Gambles and Greed is something I would have loved to come up with for a title or chapter note, and now you've caught the alliteration bug. And so apt, Candy is greedy so she tries to hold out for more, but we all hope her greed will be her downfall. Even better it served to bring Michael and Kendall still closer in their support and understanding of each other. I loved how Kendall made sure to tell Michael he was there for him, even when at work. Michael should learn how to send a text 'Call me when convenient' ;)
Mr. Snuggles, sigh, you're so hard on Lanny, I almost feel sorry for him. I think he must be one of the most surprisingly reformed characters in a GA story. Who would have thought it. :o
And Queen of Spades, is this a hint of Candy having a Black Heart with two horns attached? Anyway, I have faith in you and all the good COTT people, and the lawyer will soon put the QS in her place. Although I know from my cousin that prolonged morning sickness is awful, so maybe we should spare her a small dose of sympathy.
Now we're waiting for their 'date.' :P

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On 07/28/2015 08:43 AM, ColumbusGuy said:

Well, you did it again, G-Man. These people are so well-drawn that I can see them not only in my head, but in my heart...and I'm beginning to know their reactions as soon as they do themselves.

Kendall is right, this ends now, or she will just do more things as the pregnancy advances...only thing which bothers me is that no matter what they come up with, I could still picture her ending the baby's life, even if it isn't through an abortion--as she said, there are always 'accidents'. If it were possible, I'd see her in a psych ward strapped down to a bed at all times until delivery, then just lock the door and leave her there.

You better be writing the next one already! Lanny and Janine are so right for each other, and he's becoming such a great guy.

Thank you, CG, for truly getting these characters. They're very real for me too. There is definitely a fear that Candy could end the pregnancy, and I think Kendall realizes he has to ensure the baby's safety at all costs, but not by giving in to Candy... she has no limits, if you don't control her. There are other ways. I do have the first scene written... had it done before I posted this chapter, and I'm so glad you see the good in Lanny. I think I would be disappointed in M and K if they didn't try to bring out the best in Lanny. Thanks for a great review, Buddy... cheers... Gary...

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On 07/28/2015 12:01 PM, avidreadr said:

I knew Candy couldn't be trusted. What a bitch. I think Kendall is handling it right and they need to contact their lawyer PDQ.

Hey, Avid! Thanks for the review. I think it's good that Kendall is taking the reins in this. It's what he's good at. I really hate bringing Candy back into the story, but I knew she wouldn't behave for long, and yeah... a lawyer should help... cheers... Gary...

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On 07/28/2015 07:44 PM, Bucket1 said:

Candy is being true to her nature and what a vile nature it is. The greed and the game playing didn't really surprise me, people like her never stop.

The phone numbers for her dad and new beau could be useful to drop into their conversation but she is a nasty piece of work so they will need to tread carefully. I like LL's description, Candy is poisonous.

And it would seem that Kendall still has a little work to do in the Lanny/Janine area. That should keep him busy. :)

I love getting inside Kendall's mind. He pieces things together, and has little things occur to him without seeming effort. It comes I think, from his ability to organize. Asking for the phone numbers are an example of that... glad you pointed that out. The more Lanny feels accepted by the guys he hurt the most, the more he will forgive himself. Only then will he think himself worthy of Janine. He carries the shame of Candy and what she got him to do... it's his cross to bear and he is doing penance. The guys will get him there. Thanks for a great review, Bucket... cheers... Gary

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On 07/28/2015 11:09 PM, Caz Pedroso said:

Candy is showing even more of her true colors. All she wants is money, she is basically selling a baby she doesn't feel anything for. She only sees it as a paycheck. :pissed:

please please let her get her just deserts in the end, maybe her family could find out? Or maybe they could video a confession and post it on youtube? Or maybe she could have all her plans with her army fella fall through because he relises what a ***** she is?

Anything. :evil:

lastly it was wonderful to see the nicer side of Lenny and i think he is going to be enfolded into the family whether he wants it or not - coz he definitely needs them. :heart:

LOL Remind me to never piss you off, Caz! Candy is angry and bitter, and she can't let go of it. She can't escape what she sees as failure till this baby is born or terminated, and that's a scary thing. Getting the money appeased her for awhile, but now she needs to punish Michael some more, and that makes her truly hateful... she still doesn't see that what she did was despicable. The high point od the chapter to me was the bantering with Lanny, making him feel like one of the group. Thanks, Caz, for another great review... cheers... Gary...

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On 07/29/2015 12:29 AM, Robert Rex said:

Candy is setting herself up for disaster--both with her fiancee and her parents. I'm suspecting just the hint of notice to either of them or the threat of a court battle and its publicity may be enough to get her to settle down. Gonna be interesting to see where you take this part of the story.

As for Lenny, he's coming across as a blowhard "good ole boy" who let his mouth/heart/dick outrun his brain. Suspect he's gonna prove to be a great friend in the long run; maybe even helping to deal with the Candy situation.

Another fine chapter!

Thanks Rex. I'm always glad to hear from you. Candy is maybe a little to full of herself for her own good. While she's devious and conniving, I don't think she is as smart as she thinks. Kendall is on high alert now... and they boys are united in their goal. If she terminates the pregnancy, she will face some real ire.

 

Lanny is not complicated. He's learned a lot since he became Candy's puppet. Shame is a powerful motivator. Thanks for all your support, Buddy... cheers... Gary...

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On 07/29/2015 01:57 AM, Reader1810 said:

:) Another great chapter.

It was nice to have all that sweetness before the harsh reality that is Candy reared its ugly head.

As for the 4 page (and growing) job description? More like a 4 page love letter...

Thanks, Reader. I wanted to balance the coming evil with some good :) . Thanks for commenting on the ending banter. It was a funny comment by Kendall that was filled with love...great review... much appreciated... cheer... Gary...

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On 07/29/2015 03:45 AM, Victor Gutte said:

I really wish that some day candy realises what she sold away because then the guilt inside her will kill her slowly, after all feeling guilty is the biggest punishment a person could ever face. I understand why Michael has difficulties talking to her, anyone would be disgusted to face such a heartless and selfish person. I almost felt like jumping right into the story, pulling the phone from Michael and telling candy that both our men would make her regret the day she was born if anything happens to the baby :pissed: .

anyways bad things aside, seeing Lanny become a better person is a nice thing and Kendall has proved that he is good with people and this time Kendall made me feel like :kiss: him this time, though I wouldn't as I don't want to incur the wrath of a fat ass...oops...badass police officer :gikkle::lmao::rofl: . loved the chapter Gary :hug:

Another wonderful review from Victor! You got everything I wanted you to feel from this chapter. And you expressed it all in your own heartfelt way. Thank you for that, little buddy... cheers... Gary...

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On 07/29/2015 04:45 AM, Timothy M. said:

LOL, Gary, I think I'm a bad influence on you: Gambles and Greed is something I would have loved to come up with for a title or chapter note, and now you've caught the alliteration bug. And so apt, Candy is greedy so she tries to hold out for more, but we all hope her greed will be her downfall. Even better it served to bring Michael and Kendall still closer in their support and understanding of each other. I loved how Kendall made sure to tell Michael he was there for him, even when at work. Michael should learn how to send a text 'Call me when convenient' ;)

Mr. Snuggles, sigh, you're so hard on Lanny, I almost feel sorry for him. I think he must be one of the most surprisingly reformed characters in a GA story. Who would have thought it. :o

And Queen of Spades, is this a hint of Candy having a Black Heart with two horns attached? Anyway, I have faith in you and all the good COTT people, and the lawyer will soon put the QS in her place. Although I know from my cousin that prolonged morning sickness is awful, so maybe we should spare her a small dose of sympathy.

Now we're waiting for their 'date.' :P

LOL... I just noticed you used alliteration in your CC title. I've always been a fan of alliteration and have used it throughout COTT, but no one has ever commented :) . I think the not is apt here too. The boys may be gambling a little, but when it comes to stopping greed, you have to play a smart game... something Kendall is good at. This is, as you said, bringing the guys even closer.

 

Lanny loves the banter. It's embarrassing but it means he's accepted and included, and he'll gladly take that. They guys succeeded in putting him at ease. It is surprising that he is reformed, but as I said in an earlier response, I would have been disappointed in the boys if they didn't make the attempt. That same quality we all saw in Chet is in M and K as well. And no doubt Candy is feeling rough with the morning sickness... which in my ex wife's case, was never restricted to just mornings... which probably makes her even more of a bitch. Thank you for your faith and another awesome review, my friend... cheers... Gary

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Ok...loved this chapter because it pulls Lanny and Janine in closer and shows Lanny that forgiveness is possible and love could be right in front of his 'blind' eyes!! He's slowly forgiving himself, so now we'll truly have the 'Tenacious Ten' to battle this new threat from Callous Candy! I'd really like to see Ace be the backbone once in a while, instead of relying so heavily on Deuce to always pull him back from the brink of disaster...that might start to wear a little. But nevertheless, I'm very curious to see what surgeon Candy is going to hire to remove Kendall's foot and ankle from her rear end, after this latest stunt, 'cause it's about to go down'!!! lol As always, this chapter advanced the story sooooooooo nicely!! Next chapter.... 0:) ..just saying... :P:thankyou::thumbup:

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