A Candy Candy Miracle on 34th Street
Chapter 1
"A drastic change"
It was the month of November and it was cold in New York. The boat had just arrived at the harbour. The passengers were getting off and but it was taking a very long time. Some residents were going back home but the majority of passengers were new immigrants coming to the United States to start fresh and become rich… A young elegant woman was with a beautiful little girl by her sis who was her splitting image. The mother had Venetian blond hair held in a very tight bun. The little girl had her hair down held in half a pony tail. They both had red coats with matching hats. A man was waiting for them and he took care of all the formalities. The two ladies were patiently waiting for him on a bench. After all the formalities, the man took care of their luggage and they went outside where a car was waiting for them. They got in and the driver too them to their apartment. She didn't want something too flashy…How did she get there? She was living at peace on a pacific island, enjoying the sun for years with her little girl. She recalled the visit of the adoptive father, one afternoon.
- Candy…
- No Albert, I'm fine over here, I don't have any problems
- You mean you're avoiding your problems…
- Albert, please…
- That's not the solution and you know it, it took me years to find you
- And I wished you had just left me alone and not look for me, I just wanted to disappeared …
- You did a major disappearing act!
- I wanted to be alone…
- That's not healthy; you were the cheerful one, the one who would bring sunshine in our lives…
- Albert…
- You've become so… so…
- Cold and brittle? Funny, since I'm in a place where the sun always shines…
- Yet, you've never been so cold inside… Candy please, I want to help you…
- Albert, I'm very happy to see you, but I didn't ask for any help…I wonder how on earth did you find me here!!!???
- Believe me, I've practically hired all the best private investigators in the world
- I bet you spent a lot of money too… what a waste! I'm not coming back Albert…
- I don't understand… why? You disappeared on me without a word! How could you do this to me? To us???
Candy remained silent. She had just took off one day without a word to anybody.
- For the longest time I thought you were dead! He said upset
- I'm so sorry Albert; I never wanted to hurt you…
- I was your friend, I wanted to marry you, you could've told me anything… you just disappeared without a trace
- That was wrong of me, please forgive me…
- You have to come back with me, to reassure everybody back home…
- You don't need me to live, do you?
- Well, we all loved you and you let us down…
- I needed my space…
- You kind of put several continents between us…
- Albert…
Candy stood up and she said.
- All right, I'll think about it, give me your hotel number and I'll come and see you…
Albert looked at her surprised…
- What's with the 180? He said
- Nothing, you convinced me…
- Just like that?
- Yes, you're pretty convincing, you know that… aren't you a very good business man…
- Candy, what are you hiding
- Nothing…
She barely finished pronouncing her words when the door opened and a very beautiful little girl made her entrance. She had long and wavy blond hair like her mother without the freckles. She was wearing a dress with flowers and bright colours. She had a school bag…
- Hi mommy! How was your day, oh… we have a visitor…
Albert was flabbergasted! What???
- Hello, said the little girl smiling, my name is Cia…
- Hello, said Albert smiling, my name is Albert…
- Albert? Mommy's friend Albert? Said the little girl
- Yes, mommy's friend Albert, said Albert laughing
- Oh, then I'm very pleased to finally meet you! She said hugging him…
Albert hugged her back, in fact he carried her in his arms and he had tears in his eyes, he was so moved. That was Candy's secret… a very beautiful little girl! He put the little girl down who went to hug her mommy, who hugged smiling…
- Cia, go to your room and do your homework, I'll call you when dinner is ready…, said Candy
- Ok, mommy, she said, have my books arrived?
- Not yet baby, hopefully tomorrow
- Ok…see you later…
The little girl left of her bedroom… Albert was looking at Candy who was avoiding his eyes.
- Candy? You have something to tell me?
- Well, I kind of got married…
- You what?
- I got married and it didn't work out, so we separated amicably…
- You got married?
- That's what I just said…
Albert looked at her like she had just fallen from the sky.
- One morning you decided to just pick up and leave and get married to someone else???!!!!
- Albert, she said sadly, it didn't happen overnight…
- Is that supposed to make me feel better?
- No, I know you're hurt, believe me it wasn't my intention to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you… I told you I wasn't ready…
- I would've given you all the time in the world, if only you had asked me…
- It wasn't fair to you Albert, to make you wait like that…
- But you married someone else…
- It was a spur of a moment kind of thing and it didn't last, he would always be away and it didn't work for me, so we drifted apart…
- Candy…
There was a silence, a heavy one filled with emotions. Albert had tracked her down after years to find her divorced with a child! A child!!!!! Candy … he had given up on her a while ago, but as her adoptive father, he wanted to make sure she was fine and the newly found granddaughter was a sight for sore eyes… she looked like Candy so much, he remembered her on the Pony Hill… but that was so long ago… So many things had happened since then, too many things.
- I still want you to come back with me to America…
- Why?
- Because you're family…, you're my daughter and I want to get to know my granddaughter…
- But…
- Candy, you owe me this, for running out on my without a word…
- Your granddaughter who would've been your daughter if …
- That really sounds too weird…
Candy smiled.
- Candy, listen, can you come just for a few months, for the fall and winter season, at least until after the holidays…?
- After the holidays?
- Yes, I just made a major acquisition…
- An acquisition? I just purchase the Macy's chain story…
- Macy's?
- Yes, they were having problems, despite their popularity, due to bad management from the new owners and partners… to make a long story short, I'm the new owner…
- Oh… congratulations…
- Thank you… so we're going to spend the holidays in New York…
- The whole family?
- Well you and I…we have several villas…
- Albert, I don't want to live with every body yet…
- All right, I can give you the apartment not too far from the store then…
- Why close to the store?
- Because I would like you to help me with something for the holidays…
- Don't you have enough employees world wide?
- I would like to work with my daughter for the holidays…
Candy looked at him.
- If I do this, you promise to leave me alone?
- I want to see my granddaughter…
- How's a few days during the summer?
- Why does it sound like we're discussing custody arrangements?
Candy smiled at Albert; she had missed him so much! She was happy to see him, but yet, she wished she had stayed in her hiding place longer without being discovered
- All right Albert, I'll do it. I'll come for a few months and then I'll come back here after the holidays
- Or during Spring time…
- Springtime?
- How about the Summer…
- Albert!
- Next Winter then…
- Stop it! Said Candy smiling
- Keep an open mind Candy, you might like it with your loved ones again once you're back…
- I'm sure I'm going to love it… but…
Albert knew what was bothering her, but he didn't want to talk about it.
- Let's not think about that and concentrate on your trip… I'm going to have to go in a few days, but I'll make all the necessary arrangements for your return to America
- All right…, said Candy. Now that's settle, come and help me with the dinner…
- Those fruits look so delicious…
- They are, help yourself, said Candy smiling
She had to talk to her daughter about their trip. She did after they had had dinner altogether. They were in Cia's bedroom, whose walls were covered of pictures of handsome stars…
- Cia, honey…
- Yes, mommy?
- Albert wants us to go to America with him…
- Oh… we are Americans aren't we?
- Yes…
- Until when?
- Just for a few months, until after Christmas or the new year…
- So I'm going to have to leave my friends? She asked sadly
- We're going to come back Cia…
- Promise?
- Yes, I promise, we'll come back here to our little paradise…
- All right, mommy, it would be nice to see America…
- You're not afraid of the cold?
- No, it's going to be fun to play with the snow…
- All right honey..., said Candy hugging her
Albert left a few days later and Candy followed a couple of weeks later. That's how she found herself in a car in New York City going to live in a apartment she had never seen before with her little girl, no one in her family had seen or heard of.
The apartment was big and spacious, very beautiful. Candy and Cia were still tanned and they looked very exotic and very pretty. She rested with her little girl and then in the evening they both went to the mansion to se everybody who had come from Chicago to see her. Albert hadn't told them about the baby…It was a shock!
- Candy? Said Annie looking at them… oh my God!
She hugged her sister and Cia too.
- Hey you! What's your name?
- Cia?
- That's a very nice name…, said Annie smiling, this is my little girl, her name is Candyce…
- Oh Annie! Said Candy hugging her
- I missed you so much Candy, said Annie with tears in her eyes
- I missed you too! I'm sorry for everything
- We're not here to judge you Candy, said Archie hugging her hard, we're just happy to see you!
The Great Aunt was the only one indifferent, but she was a little happy to see the girl she used to call a bad luck charm…
Around Thanksgiving time, Albert went to see Candy and asker her for her help.
- How can I help you?
- You remember how you liked working with children at one point
- Yes? Said Candy
- Well since it's the holiday season, can you come up with something fun?
- Something fun? For marketing? I have no experience what-so-ever
- You don't need experiment, you need something fun …What would you want to see as a child
- Well toys and cartoon characters…
- Yes… how?
- What about a parade? With the characters and…
- A parade! Said Albert, that's a great idea!
- You really think so?
- Yes, that's marvellous, can you take care of it? Make a list of the characters you would like to see, I can have them made in no time…
Candy started working with Albert and he was happy to have her so close to him.
Cia was enrolled to a public school, because Candy didn't want her to feel the pressure of those rich preppy kids. She was happy to be in America, even though sometimes, she didn't really get their way of thinking.
Not too far from there, in the apartment right across from theirs, as a matter of fact, lived a young actor with his lady friend who was in a wheel chair, due to an accident which resulted in the amputation of her leg. She was all excited about cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for her beloved.
- Terry, she said, are you sure you don't want to invite anyone for Thanksgiving?
- I don't want you to be tired, Susanna, said Terry coldly, besides, most families are celebrating with their loved ones…
- Then, it's going to be you me and mama only, then… that's fine, you two are my loved ones…, she said smiling
- Whatever, said Terry with a weary tone
He went to his study to read some documents.
Candy was outside trying to organise the parade, it was a lot of work and she had help and she loved it because it kept her mind at ease.
- Miss Andrew, Miss Andrew! Said her assistant
- What is it Mona? Said Candy
- Our Santa Claus…
- What about Santa Claus?
- He's drunk!
- What? At this time of the morning? Oh my God! How bad is it…?
- You can come and look for yourself, said Mona
Candy followed Mona and she saw the drunken Santa falling in disgrace showing his butt to the poor children standing there and they all screamed with horror.
- Oh my God! Said Candy running to the disgraceful Santa Claus
- Uh? Said the Santa
- You're drunk! Said Candy
- You think? Said the Santa breathing in her face
That scene brought back a bitter sweet memory for Candy… that was so long ago…
- Cut that out!
- That's one drunken Santa you got there, said a old man with white hair and a white beard, what a disgrace! Those poor children… So people have no shame at all! Getting drunk act stupid in front of children who are waiting for their idol… if only… oh well, I'll have to go anyway. Good Day Miss, good luck with your Santa Claus.
The old man started walking away. Candy was stunned. She talked to the Santa Clause!
- How could you be drunk so early in the morning? The parade is tomorrow! Said Candy
- Uh…I…got the jitters…
And he started puking. Candy was disgusted and angry.
- You're fired! She said
- But Candy, said Mona, we need a Santa Claus, he's the star of the show
- He's drunk Mona, drunk!!! And it's 10 am in the morning!!!! I can't work with someone like that, especially since he showed his butt to the kids! In some country that's considered to be a curse! He cursed those poor children!
- But Candy, we don't have the time to put an add and look for another Santa
Candy was thinking
- We might not need to put an add or to audition…
- What? How? Said Mona
- There was an old man here passing by…
- On old man? You want to hire an old man who was just passing by?
- We're desperate here Mona…, said Candy looking around everywhere…
She finally spotted the old man from a far, walking calmly. She ran to him as fast as she could.
- Excuse-me, sir! Sir! Said Candy panting
- Yes? Said the old man turning around
He smiled when he recognised Candy.
- Miss Andrew? What can I do for you?
- Thank you for stopping, said Candy, I would like to ask you if you could be our Santa Claus…
The old man looked at her smiling.
- You want to hire me?
- Yes, please, say yes. I'm desperate…
- Well that's flattering
- That's not what I meant, I'm sorry…
- I was kidding, he said smiling
- Oh… sorry. You have experience in playing Santa
- I've done a few performances, said the old man
- That's perfect then, you're hired! Said Candy smiling and hugging him, you just saved my life!
- I did? He said, that's good to know
The old man was smiling and Candy felt good with him right away. She had her perfect Santa.
- Thank you, show up here at 9 am and we're going to give you your costume and accessories…well you don't need them, said Candy smiling
- I don't need a suit either…
- Why? Said Candy worried
- Because I have my own! He said laughing
- Oh, of course! Said Candy laughing
For a second there, she thought she had fallen on a pervert old man with dirty mind. She had a sigh of relief.
- Now we need you for the parade…, said Candy
- Of course, I'm at your service now! He said smiling
Candy smile at that nice and warm old man, he made her feel good. She kept working until it was time for her to go home to her beautiful little Cia.