Best Intentions

by JT Pearson

Best Intentions

  By JT Pearson

  copyright 2013 Joseph Pearson

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  Best Intentions

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  Other short stories by JT Pearson

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  Best Intentions

  “Marvin?” Beatrice sat on the couch, drumming on her leg with the magazine that she had become bored with.

  “Yeah.”

  “Marvin, pay attention to me.”

  “What, sugar pie?”

  Marvin and Beatrice, who had been married three years, were the perfect example of the old adage, opposites attract. And they still loved each other as much as they had the day they married, but it wasn’t often a smooth ride.

  “Beatrice, look at these baby pictures. Just come over here for a second and take a look at this. Remember my colleague Roger from the office? It’s his baby.”

  “Marvin, can you please just give Facebook a break for a second? I’m so bored with you staring at that screen. I want to do something today.” Beatrice had days when she couldn’t seem to sit still and others when she barely wanted to move from the couch. Today she was full of excitement and energy and growing frustrated with her husband. She sighed and got off the couch. She walked over to the desk that he’d taken from the den and moved to the living room at her request, so that he didn’t spend so much time away from her. ‘Hiding in his nest and reading all of the time,’ was the way that she had put it.

  “Just take a look for a second, sugar pie.”

  “I just want to go do something, Marvin, please.”

  “Just look at this baby.”

  “Uh! Fine!” She stared at the monitor for a second. “Wow.” She leaned in closer to examine the picture. Marvin wrapped his arm around her waist.

  “Doesn’t that just make you want to have a little one of your own?”

  “That baby’s so ugly.”

  “Ugly? Really?”

  “Look at how fat its little neck is.”

  Marvin patted her back. “You don’t call a baby an it, sugar pie.”

  “Fine, Marvin.” She hated whenever he corrected her. “Then look how fat his little neck is.”

  “Her neck. She’s a little girl, Beatrice,” he said, rubbing her back.

  “Oh! Come on, Marvin! You’re so exasperating sometimes!”

  “I wasn’t trying to upset you, Beatrice. I was just telling you that she’s a little girl.” He smiled reassuringly and patted her back.

  “No. You weren’t. You were telling me that I was wrong.”

  Beatrice had been in and out of mental institutions and diagnosed with bipolar disorder before she met Marvin. The medications that had been prescribed for her had always quit working or had serious side effects so she was often between prescriptions as her doctors searched for another option. There were also times that she simply chose not to take the medications she was prescribed. Marvin was the first man to love her just the way she was and that was the only way their relationship would’ve ever lasted. He saw Beatrice as an original, a little bit quirky, and tremendously charming. She seemed to have no filter over the things she said and Marvin was fine with that, thinking of her as being refreshingly honest in such a dishonest world. He mentally tiptoed sometimes, during certain days, doing his best not to aggravate her. It was out of nothing but love. His patience with her throughout their relationship thus far had been virtually endless, even on occasions that he found himself in predicaments that he would’ve never been subject to without her.

  “Okay. I’m sorry that I corrected you, sugar pie. It really doesn’t even matter.”

  She sighed and gave Marvin a little hug.

  “That’s why I called the baby it, Marvin,” she said, her voice softer. “I couldn’t tell.” She touched the screen where the baby’s neck was. “But just look at all the little rolls of fat on her neck. It’s like she’s made of jelly or something. That’s disgusting, Marvin. I’m glad people don’t stay like that.”

  “Okay, sugar pie.” Marvin laughed. “Most people think babies are cute.”

  “Don’t take that attitude with me, Marvin. Don’t tell me about other people.”

  “It’s not a tone, sugar pie. I was just saying.”

  She straightened up and put her hands on her hips. “You weren’t just saying. You were criticizing me. You asked me what I thought about that baby and I told the truth. Unlike anybody else you might’ve asked. Everyone knows that babies are ugly. They’re just not allowed to say so. We’re all perpetuating this everlasting lie. I hate having to look at baby pictures and lie about how cute they are. I’m sick of it. Babies are fat. They’re bald. They’re toothless. And they drool all the time. They’re not fun to look at. Name me just one celebrity that fits that description. Come on. Just one person with those traits that’s considered attractive, Marvin.”

  Something inside him coached him not to answer but he couldn’t resist. “Jack Nicholson. And he can get any woman that he wants.”

  “You bug me so much sometimes, Marvin. You really do. I swear.” She pushed his arm off of her.

  “It’s okay, sugar pie. Settle down.” He reached around her waist and drew her back to him. “You think babies are ugly. I don’t care.” He shrugged. “That’s fine.” He kissed her stomach. “If that’s your opinion, then it is.”

  “It is my opinion, Marvin.”

  “I know, sugar pie.” He smiled, shrugged, and gave her a squeeze.

  “Then why are you still saying it like that and doing that whole shrug thing with your shoulders?”

  “Hey, Beatrice, let’s drive into the city tonight. Have some fun. What do you say?”

  “You’re changing the subject. That’s what you’re doing. We’re adults. We can have a discussion, Marvin. Why can’t I just admit that I think babies are ugly without you judging me for it? Of all people, the one person that I should be able to be honest with is you. And you shouldn’t get angry.”

  “You can be honest with me, Beatrice. Okay, sugar pie? I want you to.” He was still smiling. He pointed at his face. “Is this the face of an angry person?”

  “It’s the face of a retard.”

  He rubbed his face in her tummy. “Then I’m going to get retard all over you.”

  “Stop it! Get off, retard!” She pulled at his hair while he laughed and burrowed his face into her. “Enough, Marvin!” He pulled his head out of her stomach and looked at her. “Do you still love me, Marvin?”

  “Of course I still love you.”

  “More than everything else?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then say it.”

  “More than everything else.”

  “And can you admit that babies are a little bit ugly?”

  “I think it’s perfectly fine that you think babies are ugly. I don’t think so.”

  “Okay, you said that already but I don’t believe you.”

  “I’m not going to keep trying to convince you.”

  “You also seem like you’re still kind of mad at me or something because I said that I think they’re ugly.”

  “I’m not mad at you because babies are ugly, Beatrice. Obviously, that’s their fault.”

  “Are you making fun of me right now?”

  “No. I am not making fun of you.”

  “I don’t deserve that you know.”

  “I’m not.”

  “But you are still mad at me.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Then what are you thinking?”

  “Nothing. I’m feeling nothing about it.” I was a little surprised by your comment at first because I’ve never heard anyone say that about babies but I’m fine now.”

  “You’ve known me forever, Marvin. You’
ve heard me say how ugly I thought babies were.”

  “I don’t think so. I’ve never heard anyone say that.”

  “You have, Marvin.”

  “Then I apologize if I forgot that you told me that before. I can’t recall anyone ever telling me that they thought babies were ugly.”

  “Well, now you have, Marvin. Somebody’s finally been honest with you.”

  “Okay, sugar pie.”

  “Okay, what?”

  “I don’t know. Okay. What do you want me to say?” He smiled.

  “Stop being a smartass, Marvin.”

  “Okay, I love you then.”

  “And?”

  “And…your baby hating ways?”

  “Aaah, Marvin! I didn’t say that I hated babies! I said that they’re ugly. There’s a difference. And what’s more, you know it. You’re just trying to make me feel like a bad person.”

  “Why would I do that, Beatrice? I’m not. I’m not trying to do that at all. I’m sorry that we’re arguing. I don’t want to argue.”

  “You’re not acting like it.”

  “I am. I’m sorry.”

  “Why did you have to make me look at a baby picture in the first place? Look what you caused.”

  “I told you. I didn’t know how strongly you felt about babies.”

  “Well now you do.”

  “Okay. And I’m sorry that I brought the whole subject up. Okay?”

  “And will you please also admit that babies are kind of ugly, Marvin?”

  Marvin sighed.

  “Just a little bit, Marvin. You know that they are. Just be honest about it for one second and I won’t tell anyone else what you said. Not your mother, or your brother, or anyone.”

  “I don’t want to continue arguing with you, Beatrice. That’s not my intention. So, just consider that before you respond. Okay?”

  “Okay?” she said, sounding doubtful.

  He stood up and put his arms around her