The Hm From Outer Space, science fiction from Tillyville kids stories

The Hm From Outer Space#5: Cupcake

A girl with a pink-and-purple backpack enters the room. The eye that she rubs is the same color. She sucks on the end of her ponytail when she gets nervous; now it falls from her mouth.

She crouches.

"How did you get in there, Max Pym?" The gray cat huddles inside the Barbie playhouse. Through the windows, his blue eyes bug in fear. His tail whips from side to side.

The girl opens the playhouse. The cat backs out and darts from the room. The girl stalks down the hall after it.

"Chris, Mom said not to go in my room!" She kicks the teenaged girl lying in front of the TV. "How did the cat get in my room?"

"Go away, Candace," Chris says.

"You're supposed to make dinner!" Candace says. "Your weird friend is in the kitchen, writing on a scrap of paper."

"I said, go away," Chris says.

Candace stomps the carpet, fists by her side. "I'm telling Mom."

"Go ahead," Chris says. "She's working a double, so you won't be up when she gets home anyway."

Candace returns to her room, slamming the door.

Sobbing, she picks up the Ken doll. She says in a low voice, like her father's, "I miss you, Cupcake."

She picks up the Barbie. "You'll see me this weekend, Daddy," she says in a little voice.

The Ken doll says, "I know, but can I call you tonight?"

Barbie says, "Yes, but not too late, because there's school tomorrow."

Ken says, "I know, I'm picking you up after school. I brought you a present until then." Ken picks up the sparkly object beside the playhouse, and gives it to Barbie.

"It's very pretty, Daddy." Barbie lets Daddy kiss her forehead and tell her he loves her. She waits until he lies down asleep inside the playhouse. Then Barbie and Candace go to bed.

Candace pulls the blanket over their heads. A teardrop runs over her cheek. It falls to Barbie's cheek, and down to the sparkly object in Barbie's arms.

The object purrs against Candace's face. Hmmm, she hums, falling to sleep.

A grin crosses her face. In her dream, she plays with Max Pym. Mom and Daddy clap, watching their tricks. They both call Candace by her nickname, Cupcake. Cupcake snuggles her pillow.

At the screech of the alarm from Mom's room, Candace sits up in bed. She frowns: Daddy didn't call last night. But at least he would pick her up after school.

She plods to the kitchen and pours a bowl of cereal. While she chews she stares at the sparkly ball on the table before her.

Mom pats Candace's head while she stumbles past in her pajamas. "Good morning, baby. You slept in your clothes?" Mom rinses a mug for coffee and pops it in the microwave.

Candace watches her lean on the counter. Her eyes are closed somewhere beneath all that long brown hair. Mom always says, "I'm no good in the morning." Being a nurse is hard work. Candace reaches around her to drop her dishes in the sink and go get ready.

She brushes her teeth. She dresses and does her hair. She kisses Mom and walks out the door. She walks with her head down, so the sun won't glare in her eyes.

At the corner, Mae, Marlene and Bette say hello and move away. The boys say nothing at all.

The school bus pulls up, and the children climb in.

Candace takes the empty seat in front of the three girls. They immediately begin to titter.

The bus jostles and grinds as it moves down the street. Candace rests her head on the window, watching the houses go by. The girls whisper behind her. Especially Bette, giggling like Betty Rubble on the Flintstones.

The bus bumps over a pothole, and Candace's forehead bangs the window. Bette cackles. They all do.

Candace spins in her seat. Her mouth barely moves: "I'm going to beat you up at recess."

Bette smirks. "Yeah."

"I'm going to beat you hard," Candace says. She stares until Bette stops smirking. Then she turns back.

Mae and Marlene chuckle under their breath. After a few minutes, Bette joins them.

Ms. LeBaron and the other teachers wait outside the school while the buses park along the sidewalk. Candace stands. She glares down at Bette a long time, then steps off the bus.

All day long, Candace stares at the clock, waiting for afternoon. It moves so slowly. She sets her lunch tray of macaroni and cheese near a couple of boys, Clark and Cary. She looks around the lunchroom. At Mae, Marlene and Bette. At the other kids too, talking and laughing.

After lunch, she watches them across the playground.

After recess, Candace asks Ms. LeBaron if she can go to the bathroom.

Only Math and Social Studies before she gets to see Daddy, she thinks. That's, like, forever. She stays very still, because someone else walks into the bathroom. She fishes in her backpack, and pulls out the sparkly thing. She closes her eyes and holds it to her cheek.

After a minute, she feels better. She pulls her ponytail from her mouth and leaves the bathroom stall. At the mirror stands Bette.

Bette sees her and backs into the corner.

Candace looks at her. Really looks at her. Bette's eyes are big and white. Bette holds up her hands, her fingers twitching.

"I know what you're doing." Candace steps closer. "I know why you make fun of people."

"I'm sorry," Bette says. Her eyes glisten with tears. Candace feels her hot, frightened breaths on her face.

Candace brings up her hand. She takes Bette's in hers. "This will make you feel better," she says. "Promise."

Candace walks away, eager to see her father, and leaving Bette staring at the sparkly object in her hand.

Story by John Mohler Jr.,
Illustration by Dave Dziedzic,
Copyright 2003 John Mohler Jr.

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