Maybe There Was Something in the Food, After All

Story Submitted by Bill:

Chelsea was a single mom I met on a dating website.  I normally wasn't into dating women with children, but Chelsea's profile was tempting enough for me to overlook that.  It was clear that she was proud of Casey, her six-year-old son, but she also was very intent on having as much of her own life as possible. 

She worked a few part-time jobs and was a painter.  After some messaging back and forth, we met up for a first date.  It went well, and she invited me to her house for our second meet-up.  She promised to make me homemade casserole, and that "Casey won't bother us.  I told him to stay up in his room while you're over."

I said, "I don't mind meeting him."

She said, "I'd rather wait for now."

So that was that.  I went to her house, she sat me down in her dining room, and served me a plate of her wonderful-smelling casserole.  "I'll be right back," she said as she returned to her kitchen, presumably to serve herself.

While she was out, Casey walked into the room, stood right next to me, leaned over my food, and said, "That has shit in it."

I raised an eyebrow at him.  Chelsea walked in with her plate that moment.  "Casey!" she yelled, "What did I tell you?  Go upstairs!"

Casey ran out of the room.  Chelsea sat down and asked, "He didn't bother you, did he?"

I smiled and said, "He told me that there was shit in my food."

Her eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.  "He said that?" she asked me.

I replied, "Yes, but it's not a big deal.  I'm sure there's no shit in your casserole."

She jolted up from the table and pounded upstairs, after Casey.  I called, "Chelsea, it's really not a problem!" but she wasn't listening.  I heard her open a door, slam it closed, and the sound of her raised voice.

Great, I thought, now Casey's going to dislike me even more because I told on him.

Chelsea's voice raised a few octaves into hysteria, and I felt a strong desire to go upstairs and intervene.  Still, I thought, he's her son, and this was only a second date.  Best not to get involved.

Something that sounded like heavy furniture fell over, and I heard glass shatter.  Both Chelsea and Casey were screaming at each other.  Feeling as though I no longer had an excuse to do nothing, I bolted upstairs, just as another tremendous crash sounded from what I guessed to be Casey's room.

I opened the door, or at least, I tried to open the door.  It would only open a few inches before hitting against a fallen wardrobe.  "Hello?" I called into the room, "Is everyone okay?"

"Get out!" Chelsea yelled, "Get out of this house!"

I paused for a second, and asked, "Me?"

She said, "Get out!  Get out!" again, and I closed the door, returned downstairs, had a few bites of her casserole, then left.  Never heard from her again.  It's possible that she and Casey killed each other.  I just don't know.