The winds of winter
Chapter 1
"A shock"
"The wind blows where it wants, and you hear the noise; but you don't know where it's coming from, or where it's going." John 3:8
Candice Bianca Grandchester was in a charity reception in London. She didn't like that at all, she thought they were boring. But it was to pass time. The mundane life was always the same to her eyes. What was she doing with her life?
She thought about the time when she was married, she was young and her husband too… That was so far away! He was a med school student, from a rich family in America. Everything was fine until they got married… Her husband's great aunt didn't like her at all. She had to take everything she did to her. She would create problems between her and Terry… Terry loved her, she was sure of that, but when it came to the great aunt, it was like he became someone else.
She thought about her nights of passion with her husband… Maybe she should've fought more for her marriage? But after what had happened, she didn't have the strength to fight without Terry's support…
There was that ski weekend during the time his cousin Daniel hit on her. She had rejected him the best way she could. But the great aunt had told Terry, who wasn't able to join them that weekend. Candy didn't understand why Terry was letting himself influenced by the old hag.
Then it was joy, she was going to have a baby… The first months of the pregnancy were like in a dream, but then as time passed, the old hag would come to influence Terry who would become cold and hard hearted against Candy, who didn't understand what was going on. One evening, Terry had to go on a trip…
- But Terry, I'm almost due…
- The baby won't be here before 3 weeks at least
- But what if it comes early?
- You send me a message and I'll come… if it's my child.
- What? But…
- My cousin Daniel says he's your lover… I'm not sure this baby is mine
- What? What you're saying is horrible! I hate you!
- I'm going on a trip, call me if you go in labour…
Candy looked at him go sadly. She was crying in silence. The pregnancy, the hormones, she was nervous…
A few days later, her contractions have started, she sent a message to Terry, and on top of that she was starting a flu which made her state worse… She didn't know what really happened, but she knew was that she was told her baby was stillborn…
She stopped thinking about all that. She came back to reality. She had to go to New York with her friends for a weekend among girls. She intended to have fun and forget about her painful memories of the past.
How long has it been since she's gone back to America? Since the death of her baby in fact. It was too hard and painful to stay there, so she went back to England and she never contacted her husband again. She thought he would've contacted her as soon as he had found a new wife and start a new family. You'd think he was very unlucky in love. He had lost his fiancée, Antonia a few days before their wedding… She has always had the impression he was a little insecure, or that he felt guilty, was it the reason he let his family influence him?
Should she go see Terry and fix their situation? They hadn't talked to each other since he had left for that trip before she gave birth…That was so far, all that, it was literally in another lifetime.
Should she go see her mother? The great actress Eleonor Baker, who had a lot success in Broadway. Candy was angry with her, but Terry had convinced her to make peace with her mom, explaining to her that he would've given anything to have a mom. After the death of her baby, she went back to England but she stopped by her mother's because she needed comfort. The death of her baby had ruined her life that was well planed all traced… And a lot of couples don't survive the death of a child… She was part of the statistics… She'll see when she gets in New York if she was going to go see her mother or not.
The plane arrived at Kennedy airport in New York. There were w a lot of people, as usual. Candy and her group went to the Waldorf-Astoria, big luxury. In the evening they would go out with friends in restaurants and night clubs. They were having fun like crazy. Candy was saying that she hadn't laughed that much in such a long time. But there was one thing she wasn't doing like her friends, she wouldn't have one night stands.
- Candy, you 're not having fun to the fullest
- I'm married, said Candy
- In the legal sense of the term, yea. But you haven't seen your so called husband for 4 years! You remember you're married?
- Yet, according to the law, I am married… and I don't feel like being a slut…
- The law also recognises divorce. You can get a divorce…
- No…
- After four years of separation, you'll get the divorce without difficulty
- No
- Why not? Don't tell me you still love him? Said another friend
- No, I don't love him/ Yet, I can't stand the idea of getting in contact with him. I don't want to see him anymore. I hate him. You get that? I hate him!
Candy stood up to go look out the window. She didn't feel like going out, all of a sudden.
- You have to live Candy, for you…
- Yes, when I'm ready to get a divorce, I'll move on with my life… but for the moment, I don't want to see him.
- Everything could be done through lawyers…
- I will have to see him and I'm not ready…
- Ok Candy, it's your life after all. Let's go get ready?
- You know what? You guys can go…
- You're not coming?
- No, I'm going to go see my mother…
She felt the urge to hug her mum all of a sudden.
- Are you sure? A little alcohol can make you forget.
- Nothing can make me forget. Have fun girls!
Candy's friends went to get ready to go out. Candy got ready to go see her mother. They left the room together but they took different cars.
In the taxi, Candy was looking at New York City. She was going to surprise her mother. She knew that it was the day her mum had the evening off. She was not at the theatre. She was going to surprise her. A good surprise? Well it depended on how her mother was going to greet her.
The taxi arrived in front of the residence of the great actress. There was a gate and guards who let the guess in. Candy had no trouble sneaking among them. She got into her mother's house and she remembered the last time she went to see her.
She had arrived, half sick, heartbroken. The main had opened the door for her and her mother was behind saying:
- Candy? What's going on honey?
- Mum…, said Candy with sob in her voice and running to her to jump in her arms.
Her mum hugged her tenderly.
- Come on, what's going on? Where is Terry?
- It's over mum
- What's over?
- My marriage…
- Oh… what about the baby?
- The baby…
Candy burst into tears again and harder. She couldn't stop. Her mother let her cry for a few moments. She had to relieved herself. When Candy finally calm down after using lots of Kleenex tissues, she looked at her mother sadly.
- My baby is dead mum…
- What? How?
- I don't know… there were complications during the birth… they say she had no chance…
- It was a girl? Oh Candy!
Her mother held her in her arms and cried with her and comforted her slowly and softly…
Candy came back to reality… This house had been a comfort for her after the horrible events that had happened to her. When she entered the hallway, she saw her mother greeting her guests. She raised her head immediately, like she had felt her presence and she smiled. When Candy was near her, she fell in her arms.
- My darling! I'm so happy to see you! What a nice surprise!
- Mum. I'm so happy to be here!
She hugged for a while, then, Eleonor continued greeting her guests and they got inside the living room were the reception was, and were lots of servers were working offering drinks, other had hors d'oeuvres on trays.
Eleonor took care of her guests without leaving Candy's side… The latter was used to receptions in London so she was fine making conversations during the dinner too. Candy's British accent was charming all the men and the women too.
After the reception when all the guests left, Candy and her mother were having tea in her mother's office. There was a couch there.
- So, honey, tell me! You're finally ready to confront your husband and ask for a divorce?
- No…
- Ok… you know that you're still legally married right? You don't have a boyfriend?
- Euh… no.
- You still love your husband…
For the second time of the day, Candy was accused of still loving her husband.
- I don't love him! I hate him in fact…
Her mother looked at her.
- What?
- There's a thin line between love and hate…
- Mum…
- But if you say you hate him…
- You've met Terry right?
- It was at a reception in Chicago. We, the theatre and I did a play for charity…
The lights were beautiful and lighting the reception room in a Chicago hotel. The play had been a success. The upper class was there donating money. Eleonor found herself in front of Terry and his great aunt Elroy. Terry's face was cold.
- Terry! She said! I'm so happy to see you again!
- Really? Said Terry coldly
- Yes, thanks to you, Candy made up with me. You made her understand the importance of family.
- Apparently, not sufficiently enough, said Terry
He was insinuating that Candy had abandoned her family and her marriage? Eleonor thought it was not the place to talk about her daughter.
- Terry, I'm not going to talk in Candy's place, because only the two of you know what happened and solve your issues.
Terry had looked at her surprised, apparently disappointed to see her not wanting to talk about Candy… The great aunt took advantage to take Terry away from there.
- Come with me Terrence, I see William McGregor's grandson over there…
And Terry had walked away, without adding anything else. Disappointed by his brief conversation with Eleonor Baker.
- He didn't say anything else? Asked Candy
- No, his great aunt seemed in a hurry to take him far away from me…
- That woman never liked me. I don't know what I've done to her…
- Didn't you tell me that Terry was engaged to her beloved granddaughter?
- Yes…
- So, you've replaced her granddaughter in Terry's heart…I
- Sometimes I wonder if Terry ever loved me…
- Candy, you have to confront him one day… I'm going to look for a suitor for you…
- What for?
- So that you could remarry?
- Mum…
- If you fall in love, may be you'll end up confronting your dear husband…
- When I'll be ready mum, I'll tell you. For the moment, I came her for some TLC from my darling mummy…
- Why don't we go to bed?
The two women went to Eleonor's room which was very big with a very big bathroom with a Jacuzzi. Candy decided to spend time there in the morning. She took a quick shower. Her mother lent her a night gown is pink silk and she went to sit in front of the white dresser of the bedroom which had Louis XIV furniture. Her mother arrived to brush her hair for a long time.
- I've missed you mum
- How's your father?
- Now you ask me about him? Said Candy smiling
- He's no longer part of my priorities, said her mother smiling
Eleonor went to get ready for bed and she lay down with her daughter in her arms.
- So, tell me what you do in night club…
- I dance, I have fun…
- Do you get drunk?
- No…
- Are you getting laid...?
- Mum! No…
- A lot would say you're not having fun…
They burst out laughing both of them. They continued talking, they prayed and they fell asleep in each other's arms.
oOoOoOoOoOo
The next morning, Candy woke up in the big canopy bed with satin sheets. Her mother got out of the bed room smiling.
- Hello, sleepy head! How are you?
- Good morning mum…
- You want your breakfast in bed? Or you're coming downstairs?
- I'll come downstairs…
- All right, I'll wait for you there.
Candy got out of bed and went to hug her mum. Then she went to the bathroom to wash up. Then she called her friends who were still asleep of course. She went downstairs in the big dining room.
- I'm going to spend a few days her with my mum, she was telling her friends on the phone
She finished her conversation and she went to sit down. On the dining room table there were lots of newspaper, some from New York, and some from other cities, but her eyes fell on the one from Chicago…
- You get the Chicago paper?
- Yes… sometimes we play over there. I like to see what the critics think about us…
Candy took the Chicago paper… it was the town were Terry lived. Was it a sign she had to contact Terry to ask him from a divorce? She looked through the paper and without knowing how, she was looking at the ads and one attracted her eyes.
"Mr. Terrence Andrew. Looking for a companion for a young child. Irregular hours, the candidate must at least be 21 years and have a certain level of education after high school. Second language would be appreciated. Room and food. Salary to negotiate according to the capacities. Serious references needed, Write or call Mrs. Harriet…"
The phone number, the address and the email address followed the ad.
Candy couldn't believe her eyes. It couldn't be her Terrence! With a little girl? Did he get remarry again without telling her? They were not divorced yet! No, there must be another explanation. Maybe he adopted a child? Maybe he was living with a woman who had a child?
An uncontrollable feeling of jealousy invaded Candy. Her heart exploded in her chest. Her face was pale and her mother asked her:
- Candy? What's going on?
- Mum…, said Candy unable to speak
She gave her the paper and her mum looked and she saw the ad and read it. She also became paler.
- Oh my God…
- What do you think?
- Your baby is dead Candy…
- I know… but, I have the feeling it's my baby mum.
- Wait a minute honey. I don't want you to be disappointed, I'm going to ask my assistant to call and get some information… Helene!
The assistant, who was in the kitchen to get something, came back in the living room.
- You called Madam?
She gave her the paper and said:
- Call this number and ask questions about this job, especially about the child…
- Very well Madam!
The assistant, a young woman with short hair and glasses, took her phone and called the number. She put it on speaker so that Candy and Eleonor would ear too.
- Andrew Manor, hello.
- Hello, I would like to speak to Mrs. Harriet, please.
- What is this about?
- About the ad in the paper…
- Please hold…
- Harriet speaking…
- I'm calling about the ad in the Chicago Tribune, can you tell me more about it please?
- What would you like to know?
- I would like to know more about the child. Is it a boy or a girl?
- A little girl. Her name is Esther and she's 4 years old.
- Oh… is it Mr. Andrew's child?
Mrs. Harriet's voice seemed surprised.
- But of course it's his child!
- Thank you very much for the information. I'm going to call you back and make an appointment.
- Thanks for calling…
Helene hung up the phone. Candy was crying. Terry was her husband and he had a little girl who was 4 years old and her name was Esther Andrew… Four years ago, she had given birth to a little girl and Terry was the father…so… Her baby wasn't dead! It was her baby, she was sure of it! Terry had lied to her! He kept her baby! An indescribable joy invaded and sadness too… How could Terry have done that to her?
Her mum looked at her.
- Candy, what are you thinking?
- Terry lied to me…
- You can't be sure it's your baby…
- I can feel it…
- Maybe, but that's not enough… you have to be undeniable proof.
- I have to see that child… how?
- Well why don't you just apply for the job, said Helene, what a better way to see if the little one is yours or even take something from her to have a DNA test…
Candy and Eleonor looked at Eleonor surprised.
- What an excellent idea! Said Candy smiling
- No, it's ridiculous! You're Terry's wife, you go to the manor to see him and ask him!
- No! If he stole my baby, I'm going to take her back…
- Candy think. The little one knows him, not you…
- That's why I'm going to apply for the job and make sure that I'll get it to spend time with my daughter.
- If it's your daughter…
- It's my daughter! I'm certain mum…
- Oh my God!
- I'm going to need your help mum…
- Oh oh…, I'm afraid to ask. What for?
- I need to look different… Candy can't recognize me!
Eleonor shook her head.
