One Night Stand
by Liberty & Gentillefille
Chapter 1
"Life is surprising"
Every young girl has a dream. It might be different, some might be slightly different. Some dream of a career in show business, some of a career in the public sector, the government, the family business. Some even want to become nuns. But most young girls, aside from a career, would dream about finding a man, falling in love, getting married and having children to raise with her husband. It was the case of this young woman, who was engaged to be married to this young handsome young man. They were both blond. He had blue eyes. She had green eyes and she also had freckles on her nose. She was a very happy girl, adopted when her mother married William Albert Andrew a very very rich man who officially adopted her. She got attached instantly to her adoptive father's nephew Anthony, who liked her right away. They lived with two other cousins who were brothers, Alistair and Archibadl, so she had 3 handsome young boys to protect her everywhere, in school, when they went out. No boys were allowed to approach her. She was like a princess.
That's how she grew up. She was now engaged to be married and she was the happiest woman on earth. They were both in a restaurant eating.
- Are you ok honey?
- Yes, I just have to make sure the dresses for the flower girls are ready… I want everything to be perfect for our wedding.
- Calm down honey…it's going to be fine.
- I know but you know me, I want everything to be perfect…
- I love you so much, you know that?
- Yes I do and I love you so much too…
- We're going to get married and we're going to have hundreds of babies.
- Hundreds? I don't know about you, but one for starters would be fine for me…
- Of course we're going to start with one…and I want our own home.
- Our own home? You don't want to live in the mansion?
- Live like that with everybody, I feel like I have to share you with everybody…
- Anthony…
- Candy, I want us to have our own home, I want, for once in our lives, for the two of us to be together, with our extended family. What do you say?
- Live with you without your charming great aunt? Are you kidding me? Said Candy with a big smile.
- I thought you would like that!
- I didn't dare ask you to leave your family's mansion…
- I think it's time for me to have my own house with my wife, a little privacy…
- Oh honey that's fine, but the great aunt is going to blame me for influencing you…
- I will tell her it was my idea…
- She's not going to believe you , and you know it!
- But it is my idea!
- I know… you know how she is with me…
- Well you're going to be my wife and I love you, she would have to accept it…
- I love you, you know that?
- Not as much as I love you….it's going to be fine, you'll see…
Candy, didn't respond. She knew the reality. The great aunt of the family had never accepted her adoption. Why bring an outsider to soil their blood line!? But all her nephews adored her. Except for the other two who didn't live at the mansion, her niece's Sarah's kids, hated Candy as much as her…
Candy and Anthony went back home to find the great aunt sulking.
- Hello great aunt, said Anthony.
- Anthony! There was a phone call from a realtor looking for a house for you and your future wife!
- Great aunt…
- I knew you were bad for him! She said to Candy, I just knew you were going to contaminate him!
- Great aunt, it's not Candy's fault, I made the arrangements without telling her. It's my wedding present for her.
- She contaminated you! She wants you just for yourself! She doesn't care about your family!
- "She" is here, said Candy, and she has to go to her room.
She turned around and kissed Anthony on the lips.
- I'll see you later, honey she said.
- Ok, I'll come and see you later…
- No fornicating in the mansion.
- Great Aunt! Said Anthony, that's enough! I'm a man now, I can have my own house to live with my wife. We have the right to the privacy of our own home, without everybody prying in our lives!
- We've always lived like that!
- Well it's not healthy for me, especially when you hate my future wife.
- So you admit it, it's because of her!
- Yes, I want her to have peace in the privacy of our own home! Not here with you questioning her motive every single second!
The great aunt remained silent and left the room. Her favourite nephew was leaving the mansion because of Candy, he was talking to her disrespectfully because of Candy! That damn girl! If it were up to her, she wouldn't have allowed that marriage, never mind the adoption! What on earth possessed William to marry a woman who already had a childl!? What a disgrace!
William Albert Andrew was one of the wealthiest man in the world. He was married to a young woman named Clysen who was blond with pretty purple eyes, she was widowed and she had a little girl, Candy which he adopted and loved with all his heart. Clysen was very nice and she had to put up with the Great aunt, who thought she wasn't good enough for her nephew. She went to knock on Candy's door to see if she was alright.
- Hey baby, how are you?
- Mom…
- What did that old hag yelling about this time?
- Anthony is looking for a house for us, so we can go live there after the wedding…
- What? Oh my God! That's great!
- Yes, but.
- The old hag is blaming you for the idea.
- I swear to you mom, I had nothing to do with that…
- I know baby…
- But I can't deny that the idea of having my own privacy with Anthony is very appealing….
- I'm sure it is…you're going to get married, then you can do anything you want…
- What about dad?
- Your father is going to support yours and Anthony's decision.
Candy hugged her mother.
- Thank you mom…
- And I just want what's best for you.
- I love you mom.
- I love you too baby.
- Where's Billie Jean?
- Your sister is at the library studying…
- Really? When we have the biggest library of the world here.
- Well this house is not as calm as the local library…
- No kidding! Said Candy smiling, what about Junior?
- He's got a basketball practice.
- Ok…
- How was the fitting for the dress?
- It was fine, I just want Billie Jean's dress to be perfect…
- You worry too much…
- I intend to get married just once in my life mom…
- Life is full of surprises, honey.
Her mother seemed sad when she said that.
- I know mom.
- I was fortunate enough to find another man who loved me despite the fact that I already had you… The Great aunt was against me from the get go, so she will never be ok with you…
- That's reassuring…
- Hang in there…you're going to be out of this house soon! Ok, let me take a nap before your father arrives…
- See you later, mom…
- Bye baby…
Her mother left her room. Candy was looking out the window, when there was another knock on her door.
- Come in!
Anthony came in…
- Honey?
- Hey…
- I'm sorry about the great aunt…
- You don't have to apologise for her… I'm used to it…
- We're going to get out of here, and live far away… I promise.
She hugged him.
- Thank you so much honey!
- You're very welcome!
They started kissing passionately and they ended up on the bed, caressing each other… he stopped.
- The wedding is soon…
- Yes, said Candy smiling.
- I can wait…
- You don't mind, because if you do…
- No, we're going to wait like we said …
- All right, she said, I love you so much.
- I love you too.
And they started making out again…
At the dinner that night, the big talk was about the fact that Anthony wanted to buy a house…
- William, you can't let that happen!
- Well, he's big enough.
- Your sister asked you to take care of him… you can't let her down.
- He's not a baby any more, aunt Elroy.
- But…
- They need their privacy as a young married couple…
- You can't let it happen! I don't want Anthony to move!
- Anthony is old enough to make his own decisions...
- Anthony , said his cousin Archie, you're looking for a house? You little sneak! You want to abandon us?
- We've grown us, said Anthony we can't continue living like boys…
- Right, said Alistair, that's great.
- Candy is leaving us? Asked Billie Jean, who was blond like Candy.
- Yes, sweetie, but you can come and see me all the time.
- Are you going to have a back yard asked Junior.
- Yes you can come and play, said Anthony smiling.
- I'll come for sleepovers said Billie jean.
The conversation continue and the great aunt was sulking some more!
oOoOoOoOoOo
The wedding preparations were going fine. Everything was perfect. The Andrews had a barbecue where all the family members would come and so did the extended family members.
The Reagans were there. Eliza and Neil…
- I can do without those two, said Candy to Anthony
- They're blood relatives, said the Great aunt who heard her, they have more rights than you!
- Well auntie dear, I'm actually William Andrew's adoptive daughter, so this is my house, blood or no blood, I have more rights then them! Let's go honey.
She went out side with Anthony.
- Anthony, said Eliza ignoring Candy, would you walk with me to table over there?
- Why? Said Anthony, don't you have legs?
- Anthony, I want to tell you what a mistake you're making, she continued.
- Here we go again! Said Anthony, leave Candy alone, I love her and there's nothing in the world that you're going to tell me that would make me change my mind!
- She cast a spell on you! She's a witch!
- Enough, said Anthony taking Candy to leave.
They got outside.
- Leaving in our own house is going to be bliss, said Candy.
- You said it! Said Anthony smiling.
They went to eat.
- Candy, the fox hunt is going to start soon.
- You want to hunt a helpless little fox?
- It's for fun…
- I don't think it's funny…
- Don't worry about the fox, I promise you we won't kill him, you want to come with me to make sure...?
- Well…
- Come on, you can protect the fox and make sure he won't get hurt.
- All right, she said, I can't miss an opportunity to be with you my love…
So after they finished eating they went to get ready to ride. Candy didn't want to go, but Anthony wanted it so much. And she did want to spend the most time with him.
The fox hunt started . Candy was riding beside Anthony, she was wishing they wound find the fox so they could stop and have some alone time…
- You know, he said, you remind me of my mom…
- I do, you said I had the same eyes…
- Yes, the same green eyes, but people look alike
- They do, don't they
- Look at your father, when he was little, he looked exactly like me…
- So you're going to look like him when you grow get his age?
- If you don't …
He didn't finish his sentence. His horse got frightened buy a fox running away and the horses paw got caught in a trap, which hurt him violently, he reacted and since they were going fast, Anthony was violently thrown off the horse and fell brutally on the ground, he was killed instantly in front of Candy's horrified eyes.
- ANTHONY!NOOOO! She yelled with all her strength.
The other riders heard her cry of despair and they all came running, Alistair, Archie, Neil Eliza, William, Clysen, everybody! Candy was crying, frozen on her horse, unable to move. William went to his nephew… and he felt his pulse… there was none…
- He's gone, he said with tears in his eyes…
- NOOOOOOOOOOO! ANTHONY!NOOOOOOOOO!
Candy was yelling hysterically, unable to stop… her mother when to her to take her, she couldn't stop yelling. Clysen had to slap her daughter so she could snap out of it. Candy looked at her stunned, with tears coming down her eyes.
- Mom…
- I know baby…
- Mom, Anthony, the fox, the trap, it happened so fast!
- Trap? Said Albert
He looked around and he saw the trap in question, on the poor horse paw.
- It's brand new… someone has been putting traps on my property without my knowledge! We have some poachers in the area, who trespassed on a private property… I'm going to find the culprits and arrest them for poaching and for murder!
William was in rage. Everybody went back to the mansion. What started has a beautiful day, ended with a tragedy. A young man who was going to be married in a few weeks, was killed after falling off his horse who was caught in a trap set by poachers.
William Andrew was an animal lover; he would never set traps on his property for animal, so someone else is going this to sell the furs on the black market.
The funeral was very hard for Candy, who wondered how she was able to handle it, she like in a sort of trance. Her mother and father was a lot of help. The great aunt wanted to lash out at her but William explicitly forbidden her to do so. No one was allowed to lash out at his daughter for something that was not her fault. Anyway, no one lashed out at her in his presence; they would always wait until he was gone in normal time. But this time around they didn't even try, when he was away. The tragedy touched everybody.
Candy was locked in her room, crying all day long. She refused to come out for dinner or for anything else. Clysen cancelled the wedding invitations, all the reservations, the honeymoon, she sent back the presents but the people told her to give it to charity. She was worried about her daughter so she talked to her husband.
- Honey, she said we have to do something about Candy…we can't leaver her like that…
- I'm one step ahead of you…baby…
- Oh…
- I was thinking about sending her to Oxford…
- Oxford? As in England?
- Yes… just for a small business program, 6 months?
- You want to send her away?
- Just for a little while… She needs to get away from everything that reminds her of what she lost…
- You're right honey, she said sadly, maybe some time away is going to do her some good.
- I booked her a place on a boat
- A boat?
- Yes, it's the holidays, so school won't start until January…
- She's going to spend the New Year on the boat?
- Yes…
- Oh… all right then. Let's go talk to her…
- Let's go honey.
They both went to Candy's room. Her curtains were closed, she was sitting on the floor, holding her knees in silence. Tears would be coming down her tears, she would just wipe them.
- Candy, baby? Said Clysen.
- Candy honey, said William.
- Yes, she answered
- Baby, said William, we think you need to get out of this room.
- Get out of the house…
- Get out of the country all together…
- The country? Asked Candy surprised.
- Yes, said her father, you need a change, to get away from us for a while.
- Get away from what reminds you of Anthony and everything…, said her mother
Candy remained silent for a while. To be somewhere else, is a good idea, she wouldn't have a constant reminder of Anthony everywhere. Maybe the pain is going to go away.
- Mom, dad…, when can I go?
- You can leave as soon as you get ready, today…
- Where would I go?
- You can go to Oxford, for a little business program, 6 month training program…
- To keep my mind occupied, said Candy, yes, that would be perfect, I really need to get away…from all of this… Thank you so much for understanding!
She stood up and hugged her mother and father, she was crying again. She got ready, she went to take a shower. A maid came and packed her things for the trip and William had her passport ready. She said good bye to her family and she left with her parents to go to the airport.
- Mom, dad, thank you so much, she said hugging them, I promise I'll come back when I'm better…and I will stop worrying you…
- Don't be ridiculous, said her father, that's why we're here.
- Yes, said her mother, you can worry us with anything. We're always going to be on your side, no matter what!
- Thank you so much.
Candy got on the plane and left. She got to New York and a car was waiting for her to take her to the harbour. She was on the Queen Mary II. The cruise was going fine. She would only go out when it was dark so she wouldn't meet anybody.
oOoOoOoOoOo
It was New Year's Eve… New Year's Eve was the day she would've married Anthony… she would've become a woman on New Year's Day… But it was not the time think about that. Her eyes were filled with tears. She put on a gown, she let her long hair down and she went to the party to try to have fun, knowing it was useless. She took a sip of champagne and then she finished the glass of champagne and her head was spinning.
- I need some fresh air, she said out loud.
She went outside, it was cold and her shawl flew away, she followed it and caught it, then she saw a young man looking at the ocean and for a second, she thought it was Anthony…her heart jumped in her chest all of a sudden.
"Oh my God! Anthony! No, it can't be! This guy is taller and he has brown hair! That champagne and the pain of losing Anthony is making me delusional!"
Something made her approach the young man in questions.
"He's crying, she said surprised, I feel the need to be with him! But I don't know him from Adam! He's sad like me… misery loves company! Not good, I better get out of here"
The young man was crying looking at the ocean.
" I feel like a baby crying over his mummy, but all I wanted is to be a baby for once, for her to hug me, to feel her arms around me… I wanted my mother and she couldn't even be that for a second! Damn her! For making me feel like a little boy and not be there to console me!"
He felt he was being stared at, when he turned around and he saw a young woman with blond hair turning around to walk away.
- Yes? Who are you? What do you want from me?
Candy stopped and turned around and she said looking at him.
- I was just walking around to breathe some fresh air, an I saw you, and you seemed sad, and I wanted to talk to you to cheer you up…
- Really, and you walking away is your way of cheering me up?
- I said to myself that it was better not to disturb you, when I saw how hurt you were…
He looked at her touched.
- That's really kind of you but I'm fine, I don't need your help
- That's why I was walking away! I know you arrogant male chauvinist is going to play the though guy!
- You don't know me from Adam!
- And I don't want to know you! She said with tears in her eyes
She turned around to leave. He saw her tears, she was said about something, she wanted to help him, he couldn't let her go in tears, he would hate to be responsible for making her cry…
- Wait, Miss, Miss Freckles! I'm sorry…
Candy was walking away and she heard him call her, she wanted to ignore him, but something in his voice made her stop. She turned around
- What do you want?
- I'm sorry if I was rude to you, I've been in a very bad mood lately
- Me too, I was finally trying to make a normal conversation to forget about my pain…
- What kind of pain?
- I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours…, she said smiling.
He looked at her, he felt good with her. But this was not the time for him to become soft… his life was all traced… but she was irresistible, he never felt like that with a girl…
- All right you got it… he said, but it's freezing in here you want to go somewhere warmer?
- We can go to my cabin, she said innocently.
He looked at her, it couldn't be that easy…
"She's hurting! But so am I? We could numb each other's pain…"
- Ok, he said, are you alone? Miss Freckles.
- Yes, I'm a big girl…, but my name is Candy, not Miss Freckles
- Pleased to meet you, my name is Terry, he just said.
- Pleased to meet you, she said smiling, let's go then…
Candy didn't have any other idea back in her head when she made the suggestion… she just wanted to talk to someone who seemed to understand her pain, or at least who was in pain too. So they went to her cabin, which was a suite, a luxurious suite. There was a living room, a dining room, a bedroom, two bathrooms…
"She must be some poor little rich girl" He said to himself.
He thought that while he had practically the same suite as hers. They sat in the living room and they talked, he talked about his life, his childhood, his mother, her rejection… and she could see how hurt he was from his mother's rejection. He had tears in his eyes, and she approached him sat by his side and took him in her arms and he cried in her arms, he needed to relief himself, and she was there, and it felt right, she was so nice and so gentle. She was consoling him and she felt like she was a southing balm on his wounds. Then came her turn… She told him the story and he felt so sad and so sorry for her, tonight, that night, New Year's Eve was supposed to be her wedding day and New Year's Day was supposed to be her wedding night. He felt her pain like it was his, and he was surprised by the intensity of his feelings towards her pain; he was sharing them. But he has just met her… it was overwhelming but he stayed and it was his turn to console her, telling her that some things are meant to be but they don't make sense. That he pain would probably never go away, but life will continue…
Candy felt so good in this stranger's arms, talking to him like she never talked to anybody yet since Anthony's death. It was good for her to talk to unload herself on him and he took it well, he listened to her and since he was feeling her pain too, not even knowing why, he held her in his arms tighter…he kissed her hair… it was an impulsive movement… She felt that, and it felt good… she moved and looked at him… they looked at each other. He wiped her tears and they instinctively approached their faces at the same time and they kissed… it was a soft and gentle kiss at first… Candy had only kissed Anthony, so this was a new experience for her… she felt her head spinning, dizziness, like the whole world around her was turning upside down… she had never felt like that before, it was good it was fabulous, she felt guilty kissing a man after Anthony… but… she needed that, she wanted that! He was kissing this girl and he felt like it was the first time he ever kissed a girl, because it was unlike anything he had ever felt before, like all the other times, it was just something else and that now he was really kissing a girl for the first time! This girl was driving him nuts and like him, she didn't seem to want to stop… so they didn't stop…. They stood up, went to the bedroom took their clothes off and they both went to bed, kissing like there was no tomorrow… What was supposed to be her wedding night turned out to be a one night stand with a perfect stranger on the Queen Mary II. He put on his umbrella and he was very gentle since they were consoling each other, he continued in that rhythm, good thing he was because he realised she was a virgin… he felt a little bad, she was didn't tell him that she was keeping herself for her husband. Most young girls were sexually active before they get married… but it was so good … making love to her was so wonderful, he felt the same way like with the kiss, it was the best sex he's ever had, she was the one for him, but … he didn't want to think about that, he just wanted to continue feeling good with her. Candy felt the pain and his surprise but they continued and the pain turned into and surprise bliss for her and she felt so good. She was having what was supposed to be her wedding night with a perfect stranger and loving every second of it! The whole night was a night of pleasure for our young lovers…Terrence Grandchester and Candice Andrew were a match made in heaven.
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