Flowers in the Heart

"Uh huh, and over here's your bathroom," David pointed across the hall to a very small bathroom.

"As soon as we can, we're getting an apartment, you hear?" Scott had whispered to Fauna when her father was out of earshot.)

Cindy had threatened, several times, while Fauna and Scott were visiting, that 'as soon as I spit this little brat out, I'm out of here."

Cindy made good on her threat; draining their joint bank account of every penny in it and leaving just six days after giving birth to Mercedes Ann Davendorf.

Scott set his jaw; Cindy had sealed his and Fauna's fate; there was no way Fauna could abandon her father and her brothers and sister.

"Fine, fine, but we're going to have to get a bigger bed," Scott insisted.

"I'll tell Daddy," Fauna promised.

----

Rusty sneered as he drunkenly weaved his way up the walk. Jenna's pussy of a boyfriend was there; his car was right in front, where Rusty's car should have been.

Maybe after he showed Jenna what a pussy her boyfriend was, and after he taught Marie what happened to fucking bitches that get restraining orders put on their husbands, Rusty would fuck that ugly little bitch, show her what a real man felt like. If nothing else, he'd play with her big old titties until she begged him to fuck her, then he'd just slap her for being such an ugly slut.

"Open this God damned door!" he bellowed when his key didn't fit the lock.

"Go away, Rusty," Marie ordered.

"I'm calling the police," Jenna shrilled through the door.

"Aw, fucking cunt," Rusty yelled back, but staggered away before the police got there.

"And I told my Grandmother the campus is only about twenty miles away from where we'll be living and..." Jenna went back to telling Glen.

"But you know, I really don't like us living together when we're not married," Glen said.

"Yeah, Grandmother didn't like that a whole bunch either, but..." Jenna shrugged her shoulders.

"I mean, we could get married, you know, right after you graduate and then..." Glen said.

"...I told her it's like the twenty first century and she..." Jenna said.

"Jenna!" Marie said sharply, causing her daughter to look up, surprised.

"What?" Jenna asked, perplexed that her mother would interrupt her.

"Jenna, did you hear what Glen just said?" Marie asked, amused.

"Well yeah, he said..." Jenna struggled to remember what Glen had said.

"He said he wants to marry you, but you're just sitting there, running your mouth," Marie laughed.

"I already talked with your mom and with your grandmother and they both gave their blessing so I borrowed some money from my dad and I know it's not a real big ring, but..." Glen said, pulling a ring out of his pocket.

Jenna looked at the ring, then fainted.

"Well, THAT shut her up," Marie laughed as she went into the kitchen to get a cool rag.

----

Scott looked at his cell phone and smiled as the text message from Glen popped up.

'YES' was all it said.

----

Glen felt good. He felt great as he left his girlfriend...His Fiancé's house.

"Hey, fucking pussy, what you smiling about, huh?" Rusty sneered as he came around Glen's car.

"Go away, Mr. Charles," Glen said. "You're too drunk to fight me."

"Fuck, I'll whip the shit out of you before you even..." Rusty sneered as he swung at Glen.

He staggered as he missed Glen.

He swore as Glen lightly slapped him in the back of the head.

"Mr. Charles, really, I'm telling you, you don't want to do this," Glen told the man.

"Aw fuck you," Rusty mocked Glen's stuttering and swung at Glen again.

"Mr. Charles, I'm losing patience," Glen warned.

"Ooh, I'm scared!" Rusty laughed, again mocking Glen's stuttering. "You're losing patience!"

Police," Elise Simone answered.

"Yes, my ex-husband is in the front yard, trying to attack my daughter's boyfriend," Marie yelled into the phone.

"I'm sending someone right now, Mrs. Charles," Elise said as she dispatched a cruiser.

"Last chance, Mr. Charles, please stop this," Glen said as he again sidestepped a punch.

"I done told that ugly little cunt you ain't nothing but a pussy," Rusty sneered.

Glen angered at the man's words about Jenna and kicked Rusty in the face . The second blow came before Rusty even reacted to the first.

"Had enough?" Glen asked as Rusty spit out two bloody teeth.

"Fucking faggot!" Rusty yelled and charged Glen.

Another kick to the face, then a side kicks to the chest and Rusty slammed down onto the sidewalk, hard.

"Police!" Sheriff Dick Davis ordered and Glen raised his hands.

"Not you," Sheriff Dick Davis almost laughed. "Him."

"Did you see that?" Jenna came out, bursting with pride. "My man got him, didn't even break a sweat! You see that? Huh? You saw him?"

"Yes ma'am, I saw it," Dick shook his head as the stocky girl hugged the handsome young man tightly.

"That's my man!" Jenna beamed up at Glen.

----

"At Fauna's graduation..." Harriet said into the telephone.

"Sean," David forcefully corrected his ex-wife.

"At Fauna's graduation," Harriet continued. "I do not want you embarrassing her; she has been living as Fauna and has been very happy as Fauna, do you hear me?"

"So we should just encourage him to keep living a lie, huh?" David argued.

"How's it going, trying to take care of three kids, all by yourself?" Harriet asked.

"Really sucks!" David spat. "I cannot believe she would just up and leave like that!"

"Want someone to come help you? Then try to remember, her name is Fauna, not Sean," Harriet snapped.

"Fine, fine," David grumbled. "And what about that fruit loop he's running around with?"

"Scott? He is a fine young man that happened to fall in love with Fauna. Of course, when he found out about Fauna, there was a bit of a rough patch, but he's come around," Harriet admitted.

"So he's NOT gay?" David asked, slightly surprised.

"Scott?" Harriet laughed. "Not at all! But by the time he found out, he was already smitten."

----

Her wig had come back, just in time for the graduation ceremony. Fauna happily put it on; it was a lot easier to adjust than her old wig; she could do it by herself.

The strand of pearls looked luminescent against her skin; Scotty had remembered Momma saying how much she loved pearls.

"It's not, I wish I could get you an engagement ring," Scott blushed and stammered as he gave her the small box.

"One day you can," Fauna whispered. "And when you do, you know what my answer will be ."

She looked to her left; Scotty was sitting there, looking quite handsome. Somewhere behind her, she could hear Jenna chattering with whomever was sitting next to her.

Terri again admired Jenna's engagement ring and listened to the girl go on and on about her upcoming wedding and move to Odessa, Texas.

"Jenna, please, for the love of God, shut up!" Megan hissed.

Terri fought the urge to applaud.

A Yearbook staffer clicked another shot of the graduating class of 2010, just in time to capture Jenna giving Megan the finger.

David looked over at his ex-wife as she very easily handled Justin and Mercedes, keeping the fussy boy and the infant calm throughout the long ordeal. On his own lap, Dustin grew bored very quickly. Harriet simply reached over and jammed an animal cracker into Dustin's mouth, stifling any protest the toddler was getting ready to vocalize.

"That doesn't work, I've got a couple of bananas," Harriet whispered.

Finally, Brother Dominick concluded his presentation and began to give out the diplomas.

"Remember, it is Fauna," Harriet hissed.

"Yay Scotty!" Scott's family screamed and cheered as Brother Dominick announced his name and announced that he was the Valedictorian for the class of 2010.

Fauna blushed as her own family, as well as Scotty's family cheered as she was named Solitarian for the class of 2010.

"Got my brains," David bragged.

"And my looks," Harriet smirked.

Scott gave a very brief speech, in which he did mention that his brother had been the valedictorian of the class of 2008. He then thanked the teachers and staff of St. Thomas Aquinas for giving him and the class of 2010 the tools that they would need for the rest of their lives.

Fauna then gave a brief speech, also thanking the staff of St. Thomas Aquinas, then encouraging the class of 2010 to stand strong in their faith against the certain trials and tribulations ahead.

"And if anyone would know about trials and tribulations, it is her," Harriet reminded David.

"Uh huh," David agreed as Fauna spoke briefly of her cancer, then at her joy of returning to school.

----

"Okay, just one more," Scott smiled as his father tried to figure out his new camera.

And with me too," Jenna demanded, thrusting her way into the photograph of Scott and Fauna.

"Damn, my new daughter in law's pushy, huh?" Bobby teased his son Glen.

"Need help?" Harriet asked as David tried to figure out how to get Justin and Dustin situated.

Thankfully, Mercedes was already in her car seat, sound asleep. Dustin, however, was wound up and ready to burst after having to sit still for so long.

"Please," he finally sighed. "I really can't do this alone."

"All you have to do is ask," Harriet smiled and easily scooped Dustin up and plopped him into his seat.

"Okay, um, where are we going?" David asked.

"Over to Scotty's house and remember, it is Fauna; his family doesn't know," Harriet said as she made very quick work of getting Justin situated as well.

"Okay," David sighed.

"Yeah, his father brought some moose meat down? From Alaska, I think. But anyway, we're supposed to go there for a barbeque," Harriet said. "I think I'll stick with salad."

She got into the passenger seat and smiled as Mercedes began to wake from her all too short nap.

"Hey, um, Harriet?" David asked as he closed the door of the car.

"Yes" Harriet asked.

"I'm sorry," David admitted.

"For..?" Harriet asked.

"For everything. For kind of flaking out about Sean, about Fauna, and then his, her tumors and then running off with Cindy and, damn it, I'm sorry. I really shit all over you and Sean, Fauna and y'all didn't deserve it and I don't know what else I can do except to say I'm sorry," David confessed.

"Well, thank you; it's nice to hear," Harriet said.

----

David was again relieved of his duties as Fauna, Jenna, Marie, Linda and Harriet took over caring for the three babies.

"Come on out here and give me a hand with the grill, huh?" Bobby asked jovially.

"Moose meat, huh?" David asked as a beer was thrust into his hand.

"Nah, I just say that shit to piss Linda off," Bobby laughed. "It's just a couple of T-Bones I picked up at Early's."

"Um, Sean, um, Fauna says you live in Alaska?" David said.

"Yeah, let me tell you, there's probably no more beautiful place in the world either," Bobby agreed, arranging the ears of corn on the grill.

"Oh, hey congratulations; I hear there's a wedding in a couple of days," David said.

"Yeah, Glen's getting married," Bobby beamed with pride.

He lowered his voice.

"Got to admit, I was real worried about that boy; don't know if you talked with him, but that stuttering of his, man! Course, because of that stuttering, boys used to make fun of him, beat him up all the time, and girls? They'd laugh at him, make fun of him, tease him," Bobby confided.

He looked around to make sure the two men were still alone.

"That Jenna? Got to admit, she ain't no beauty contest winner, but good God! And run her mouth?" Bobby went on. "Just met her yesterday and damned near talked my ear off!"

"Uh huh, but she loves your boy; and it's real obvious he loves her too," David defended.

"Now that Fauna; she's a real sweetheart," Bobby smiled as he turned the ears of corn.

"Uh huh, uh yeah, and Scott seems to be a fine young man," David muttered.

"Daddy you pack another bottle for Dustin?" Fauna asked, sliding the glass door open.

"Yeah, in the, aw, damn it, I don't know," David sighed, exasperated.

He frowned; Sean was wearing a white mini-skirt and a pink button down blouse and pink sandals. It had been one thing when he was up on the stage, wearing the same cap and gown as all the other graduates, but now, watching his son running around in a skimpy little outfit was distressing to David.

"Hey, Mr. Bobby?" Jenna bounded outside, dragging Helen with her. "Mr. Bobby? This is my grandmother, Helen Jordan. Grandmother, this is Glen's daddy."

"Moose meat? My ass, that looks a whole hell of a lot like T-bone to me, buddy," Helen smiled as she inspected the grill. "Medium rare for me, all right?"

"He doesn't have another one," Fauna yelled to someone in the house.

"You got it; love a woman that can tell her meat," Bobby joked with Helen.

"Meat, yes, can't tell one sausage from another, though," Helen joked right back.

"Damn it, no matter how much you pack, you're always going to forget the one thing you need, you know?" David said to no one in particular.

"Grandmother! Really!" Jenna gasped, shocked at her grandmother's suggestive talk.

"Yep, remember how it is," Bobby sympathized with David.

"Daddy, Momma's going to the store; you need anything else?" Fauna asked.

"God damn it, I don't know," David whined.

"Here," he said, pulling out his wallet. "Tell your momma get whatever she needs."

Harriet stepped out onto the small patio and handed Dustin to Fauna.

"It'll be okay," Harriet said, softly touching David's arm.

"God damn it, Harriet, quit being so fucking nice about it, huh?" David yelled. "Huh? Yell at me! Tell me I'm an idiot! Tell me I'm a piece of shit! Do something!"

"Looks like you're doing a pretty good job of it yourself, David," Harriet smiled sympathetically.

"No, I'm not!" he said, frustration etching his face with lines.

"Look, we've made a couple of mistakes, we've moved on, it's all in the past now, all right?" Harriet smiled. "Today? Today is Fauna's day, it's Scotty's day, it's Jenna's day. You want to come over tomorrow and we'll have a fight, that's fine, but today, let's just focus on what's important today, okay?"

She snatched the hundred dollar bill out of his hand before he put it away.

"I'm nice, but I ain't stupid," she smiled as she put the hundred dollar bill into her purse.

"Here, David, looks like you could use another one," Bobby smiled as he thrust another beer into David's hand.

"Thanks," David said, still brooding.

"Be right back; save one of them beers for me, all right?" Harriet smiled.

"You got it," Bobby called out.

----

"So, um, where were you planning on spending the night?" Harriet asked David as he labored to repack the car.

"Aw, shit, I don't know," David admitted. "I mean, I kind of figured I'd zip down, go to the graduation, then just zip back home again."

"As many beers as you put away? I don't think so, buddy," Harriet said. "You even think about getting behind the wheel with those babies in thee car, I'll call the cops on you, you hear?"

"Then where?" David asked.

"Come on, cowboy, I'll take you home," Harriet smiled and yanked the car keys out of David's hand.

"Why, Harriet? Why are you being so damned nice to me?" David implored. "I mean, really, I have never been anything but an ass hole to you and..."

"Yeah, well, ass hole or not, you're still kind of cute, and you are Fauna's daddy, you know?" Harriet admitted. "Now get in the car."

"Did you...?" Fauna whispered to Scott as she watched her parents get into David's car.

"Uh huh, even got the same room," Scott said.

"Oh good," Fauna smiled up at him.

She leaned closer to him.

"I got this little baby doll? It looks so sexy on me; you're going to love it," she whispered in what she hoped was a seductive voice.

"Can't wait to see it on you," he groaned and she giggled.

"Can't wait to see it off of you either," he whispered and she gasped and slapped his arm, then leaned up for a kiss.

----

"It's just two more days, then we'll be together the whole time," Jenna assured Glen as she got into Grandmother's car.

"Enjoy it while you can; two days from now you'll never be able to get another word in edgewise," Bobby joked with his son.

"That's not very nice, Mr. Bobby!" Jenna shrilled at the man.

"Nice or not, it's the truth," Bobby muttered as he walked away.

----

"Good night," Scott said as he kissed his mother.

"Hey, hey, listen, no drinking and driving, you hear?" Linda ordered. "I know you and Fauna are going to all them graduation parties and I know there'll be all kind of drinking and carrying on; I mean it. I don't care if you only had one, no drinking and driving. I don't want you doing it when it's just you in the car; I damned sure don't want you doing it when you got Fauna with you too, you hear me?""

Yes ma'am, I promise," Scott promised.

"Oh, Baby, I can't wait to..." Fauna said and reached over the car's console to lightly stroke Scott's cock.

"Damn, Fauna, you just sucked me in the bathroom not even ten minutes ago!" Scott laughed.

"What can I say?" Fauna laughed. "I love the way you taste!"

The End; I'm sure you can figure out where everyone goes from here.

Scott and Fauna continue to love each other.

Glen and Jenna get married, Jenna rarely shuts up and Glen rarely talks and they are extremely happy with each other.

David and Harriet get re-married.

Marie finds another drunken son of a bitch to make her miserable.

Rusty continues to have run-ins with the police and with others until someone beats him to death in a barroom brawl.

Bobby runs back to Alaska and Erica.

Linda finally has the peace and quiet she deserves. (You try raising two teenaged boys with an absentee father and see if you don't want a little peace and quiet.)

Cindy runs out of the money she emptied out of her and David's joint bank account, but soon finds another middle aged man to siphon her livelihood from.