The Candyman

After about 30 minutes found themselves in front of Henry's house, though still on the sidewalk. Henry stopped walking, and Selma looked at him in an attempt to figure out what he was thinking. Then Henry turned to her with a look of anxiety on his face, like he wanted to say or do something but wasn't sure how to start. Selma rested her wrists on his shoulders, her hands dangling over his back, and gave him a welcoming smile.

They looked into each other's eyes, and Henry's hands found their way to Selma's waist, causing her to lock her hands around Henry's neck in response. Their faces moved closer, slowly closer, until the first very tentative touching of their lips. Henry pulled Selma closer to him and she welcomed him doing so.

As the kissing went on, Henry grew more and more uncomfortable. He was very fond of Selma and for the first time in his life had someone that he actually thought he could have a relationship with, but something was holding him back, even pulling at him, and suddenly it was imperative that he stop. He pulled away suddenly, pulling himself from Selma's arms.

"Damn it!" Henry shouted as his whole demeanor changed.

"Hey, it's okay," Selma offered, trying desperately to show her understanding.

"Selma, I'm sorry, I think I'm gonna call it a night. Let me walk you back to the party."

She took his arm once more and they head back toward Kalina's house. It was quiet, just like it had been when they started this walk, but now Henry seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. He walked her over to the gate but didn't go in.

"I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, Henry. Sleep well."

When Selma came through the gate all of the eyes again turned in her direction, but instead of seeing Henry come in behind her they watched as she latched the gate. She turned and smiled at all of the onlookers and then went inside the house. Cara and Liz were not far behind her.

"What happened?" Cara asked

Selma told them what happened on the walk, and they agreed that it seemed like a 'two steps forward, one step back' situation. The walk and the kiss were positive signs, but something happened that caused him to pull back, something internal that they could have no knowledge of or control over. The promise of a call tomorrow seemed to make that clear. All they could do was see what happened next. They returned to the party.

*****

Cara was home alone, David and the boys having left early that morning to go on one of their 'man-trips'. She never objected and looked forward to the lack of testosterone that days like this promised. She was cleaning the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

"Hey Henry. How are you this morning?"

"I'm okay, I guess."

"Did you need something?"

"Cara, are you free this morning?"

"I don't have any plans other than cleaning up a bit, but you should know my husband doesn't let me date."

"Oh no, Cara, it's nothing like that," Henry said, genuinely afraid his friend had misinterpreted what he said.

"Henry, I was kidding. What do you need?"

"Would you...be willing to go somewhere with me?"

Considering his hesitancy and tone of voice, Cara knew whatever this was would be hard, and he needed someone along for support. She'd have thought that would have been Selma but it wasn't her place to judge. What she was certain of was that he needed her.

"Do I get to know where we're going?"

"Not yet, if that's okay."

"That's fine. Let me get my coat."

They climbed into Henry's car and drove out of the neighborhood. Cara wasn't really watching the road as much as she was looking at Henry. He was anxious but determined; nervous but resolute. The drive went on for about 30 minutes.

At last he pulled into a subdivision that seemed to be his destination, and when Cara saw the sign on the side of the road that said 'CEMETERY - 1 MILE' she knew immediately that's where they were headed.

Henry navigated the complex system of roads and parking lots, knowing exactly where he was going and how to get there. At last he pulled into a small lot and into one of the five parking spaces there, all of them empty.

"Would you mind waiting here?" Henry asked after they had gotten out of the car.

"Of course not. I'll be right here if you need me."

Henry nodded, then trudged slowly across the grass and up a small rise. He was probably about 50 yards in when he finally stopped at a small collection of headstones.

Henry gazed upon the final resting places of his family. Tears came to his eyes as they always did, and he almost just turned and left. But somehow, he found the strength to stay.

"Hey Jess."

He shifted his feet and thought about how to start. He had spent all morning thinking about this and what to say, but now that he was here the words wouldn't come.

"I, uh, tried to come see you a few weeks ago," he finally said, a chuckle of dark laughter coming along as well, "but my travel plans changed at the last minute."

One of the things that Jessica has always loved about him was his ability to find humor in even the darkest time, and he hoped that she had laughed a bit.

"I also had a talk with God a few days ago. I asked nicely if I could come be with you. He very kindly said he'd rather I stayed here for a while. We argued, things got a little heated, but what're you gonna do. Can't really say no to God, right?"

Again, he chuckled but only briefly. It was time to get down to why he was here.

"Jess...I've met someone. I think you'd like her. Her name is Selma and she...well, she reminds me a lot of you. She's caring and gentle and kind. Baby, I'm so lost without you. You always knew the right thing to do. I need you to tell me what's right. God, I wish you were here, or even that I was there, but I guess neither of those is possible."

He moved over, standing in front of the stones that read ARIEL ALICIA WESTON and ERIC HENRY WESTON. Jessica had wanted their son to be a 'junior' but Henry had insisted he be allowed to have his own name so he could be his own person. Using Henry as his middle name had been the compromise.

"Hey baby girl. How's my undersea princess? How about you, big boy. How's my little prince?"

He got down on one knee, just like he always did when talking to them. It was important to bring himself down to their level, he'd always told Jess. He didn't want them to be intimidated by his size or scared to say something. They needed to feel safe to talk about anything.

"I miss you both so much. My friend, Selma, has a little girl. Her name is Marisela and she's 8. I think you'd all be best friends. Ari, Eric, it's important that you understand that I'm not trying to replace you. No one could ever do that. But she does fill a little of the Ariel-and-Eric-sized hole in my heart."

He stood up again and moved so he was right in the middle of all of them.

"Jess, you once told me that if anything ever happened to you that you hoped I'd find someone else to love and that could love me back. I told you I'd never love anyone like I loved you and I still think that might be true, but I think I still have enough for Selma. You're not here, baby, and God knows I wish you were, but I'm gonna take you at your word and hope you can forgive me if I've chosen wrong."

The tears were flowing freely now and Henry had stopped making any effort to stem the tide.

"I wanted you to know that when I finally see you in heaven that I may not be alone, but I promise you that I'll be there one day. But for now I have to stay here. God apparently has a plan for me and I have to see what it is. I'll miss you every day for the rest of my life, but I'm going to try my best to make you proud of me by living the rest of those days the best that I can. I love you, Jessica."

The final words were barely out of his mouth before he couldn't take it anymore and collapsed in tears. Cara, who had been quietly and slowly moving closer and closer knowing that when he needed her he'd need her right then, closed the gap between them in seconds and pulled him to her.

"It's okay, Henry, let it out. Just let it go."

He clung to her like a drowning victim grasps a life preserver, and the metaphor wasn't far off. They stayed there for several minutes until Henry's sobs finally went away and he pulled himself back from her.

"I'm sorry, Cara, but thank you for coming."

"No apologies needed, and you're welcome."

They walked back to the car and started the drive back to their homes. It was silent for the first 15 minutes, and then Henry spoke.

"Did Selma tell you what happened last night?"

"She did."

"I hope she's not upset. I...I couldn't...I had to talk to Jessica first. I had to explain to her that I was trying to move on, but I wasn't leaving her behind, you know."

"I know. She was only upset that you were upset. She knows this is hard."

Henry seemed to accept that answer and there was no more talking the rest of the drive home. He dropped Cara at her house and then pulled into his driveway. He pulled out his phone and called Selma.

"Hello?"

"Can I come see you?"

"Of course. You don't even have to ask."

"Are you at home?"

"I'm still at Liz and Victor's."

"I'll be right there."

Henry walked across the street and knocked on the door, which Selma opened since she knew it would be him. Henry took her hand and pulled her out on to the porch, and she offered no resistance. He pulled her close to him and without a word brought his lips to hers. She brought her arms around his neck and returned his kisses with passionate ones of her own. Liz and Victor watched from inside the house through the open door and smiled while reaching for each other's hands.

At last the kiss broke apart, but without the suddenness of last night.

"I'm sorry about last night."

"Don't be. It was your first try at intimacy. It was to be expected."

"Can Liz watch Marisela for a while. I'd like to go back to my place so we can have some privacy."

Selma just waved into the house and they waved back; no words were needed. Henry took Selma's hand and they walked across the street to his house, and then into the bedroom. He climbed on to the bed and held his hand out to her. She took it and joined him on the bed.

He again moved his lips to hers and they kissed sweetly and gently for several minutes. Selma was going with the flow of whatever Henry was comfortable with, and when he slid his hand under her sweater to reach the bare skin of her torso she let out a welcoming 'mmmm'. And when his hand finally reached her bra-clad breast she let out another one, this time louder and longer.

She had just one brief moment of hesitation as he slid his hand back down and found the roundness of her ass, though he was outside of her clothing. She broke the kiss.

"Henry, I should tell you that I'm a little self-conscious about my size. I'm kind of a big girl."

"Selma, you are absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way. There's nothing at all you should feel self-conscious about."

Henry's complete acceptance of her exactly as she was made all the difference in the world, and she gave herself to him, wholly and completely. They didn't go all the way this day, but over the next week they got together every day and explored each other on an intimate level.

It was a week later, the following Sunday, when Henry at last entered Selma for the first time, and it was like the heavens parted and the angels sang. It felt so perfect, so right, and somehow Henry knew in his mind and, more importantly, in his heart that he had made the right decision and Jessica was okay with it.

*****

A BRIEF EPILOGUE - 18 MONTHS LATER

"Thanks for the candy, Mister Henry."

"Bye kids."

"Bye Miss Selma."

"Bye guys. Be safe."

Henry turned around into the eyes of his bride of just over a year and gave her a mock angry look.

"You're supposed to be resting."

"I can't relax. My butt hurts and your son won't stop kicking me."

"If you need me to rub your butt to make it feel better I can probably manage it."

"You rubbing my body parts is what got us into this mess in the first place."

"Honey, I think you're confused. It isn't the rubbing..."

"Oh yes, it is. It's you rubbing that thing of yours inside me over and over again."

"If it bothers you I can stop."

"Don't you dare, mister. In fact, if you want me to rest I'll need some inspiration to stay on my back, and you're just the man to give it to me."

Henry and Selma had married after dating for another 6 months. Marisela had gone a long way toward healing Henry's heart from the break caused by the loss of his Ariel, and now ultrasound had confirmed that their new baby, due in about a month, would be a boy.

While no one could ever be sure of God's plan, Henry had decided that at the very least he was here to provide a husband for Selma and a father for Marisela, and he would take on other challenges as they came. Selma and Marisela moved into his house on the street, which made everyone happy.

Even as happy as he was with Selma, Jessica was never far from his thoughts or his heart. He loved Selma very much, but part of him would always belong to his first wife. Selma knew this and was okay with it; the part of him she had was more than enough for her.

*****

fin

*****

Author's Note: I debated on which category to put this in. I considered Romance but felt it was not enough of a focal point of the story as a whole so eventually decided on Non-Erotic.