Sweet as Candy: A Novel in Verse

Worry

Another week passes

Without anything happening.

I’ve given up on not stressing now.

In fact, I’d dare say that I’m more worried than I’ve ever been before.

Even worse, my fear is becoming apparent to everyone else.

I refuse to do anything with Todd

Leaving him to give me the cold shoulder

Which I don’t mind at this point.

Izzy seemed to catch on as well at dinner last night

Though she didn’t know the reason for my anxieties.

If she had any idea, I would almost certainly die.

Even Alex knew something was off

Eyeing me quizically across the table.

“You okay, Candace?” he asked.

A ‘no’ got stuck halfway up my throat.

I nodded, forcing it back down.

“Fine,” I choked out.

Izzy frowned.

“You sure? You look like you’re about to be sick.”

She was right.

I felt like I could throw up at any second.

Still, I had to play the game

Pretending that nothing was amiss.

“I’m okay, I swear,” I said.

“I might be catching a cold or something.”

Alex’s face softened.

He bought it, one hundred percent.

“Ah, summer colds. Those are tough.”

Izzy’s frown didn’t fade.

Having raised me, she would be much more likely to call my bluff.

“I can take you to the doctor tomorrow, if you think you might need to get something for it.”

My heart threatened to pound its way out of my chest.

Go to the doctor?

And risk having to pee in a cup?

No way, Jose.

I couldn’t imagine having to find out with Izzy in the room.

I could see it in my mind, crystal clear

Some deep-voiced, gray-haired doctor looking down at his clipboard.

“Well, Miss Noble,” he’d say.

“It would seem that your daughter is pregnant.”

I wondered who would keel over first

Izzy or me.

I wasn’t about to let us find out.

I shook my head vigorously.

“No need to go to the doctor. I can probably sleep it off. I’ll feel better in the morning.”

Izzy still looked doubtful

But Alex stopped her from saying anything else.

“Don’t worry, Iz,” he said.

“She’ll be fine. There was some little bug going around at work last week, too.”

With that, Izzy shut her mouth

Lips forming a straight line.

As Alex and I dug back in to our salads

Him thoroughly enjoying his

Me forcing down every last bite

Izzy watched us

And became nothing but worry.

If I could, I would have told her that I felt the same way.