The Broken Hearts
Chapter 1
"My sister, my friend, my twin…"
Her head was heavy, it was hurting her. She looked out the window and she saw the day was finally up. It had seemed to her like the night was eternal and that the day would never come. Seconds seemed like hours. Annie Brighton was up; her eyes were swollen and red.
The day was up, the day was finally there…The day they were going to bury Candy for good.
Annie got up, took a shower and she looked for a black dress and a black hat to go bury her sister.
"Annie, this is a kiss from your mommy, said Candy kissing her on the cheek"
Annie started to cry. Candy had done everything for so she wouldn't feel the urge to be adopted, but she had betrayed her by abandoning her, by getting adopted. Candy never held it against her, since she was happy with her new parents. Candy always wanted what's best for her.
"Oh Candy! I miss you so much" She thought
She looked in the mirror and she saw that her eyes were swollen. She took black glasses and she put them on to hide her eyes.
She went downstairs and she found her parents ready to go to the cemetery.
Archie arrived at the cemetery and he was still wondering how he managed to get ready to be there. He wanted to sleep and never wake up again. He had already lost his beloved brother and now, he had lost the woman he loves for good…
Albert was at the cemetery with his nephew. They were not saying a word. The rest of the family was also there and a lot of people that Albert didn't know… The Pony Home was also there and Candy's colleagues from the hospital, her superiors; Miss Mary-Jane, Professor Leonard.
Annie arrived at the cemetery with her parents and she went to sit next to Aunt Elroy. Archie didn't even look at her.
Patricia had also come for her friend's burial. She couldn't stop crying.
Terrence Grandchester arrived at the cemetery with his lady companion in her wheelchair which their driver they hired when they got to Chicago, was pushing. Eleonor Baker was also there, very elegant in her designer black dress. Her up do was impeccable and her little black hat with a little veil was very chic.
There were also reporters and photographs. The news of Candice White Andrew's death made front page news. The adoptive daughter of billionaire William Albert Andrew was known for her work at the hospital and her charity work, for being a philanthropist. By going to the war, she had surprised everybody. Her death during the war had saddened so many people.
The sky was cloudy during the ceremony and it started to rain. It was like the sky was also weeping Candy's death. Annie couldn't stop crying. When the ceremony was over, the rain stopped falling and the sun started to shine.
"Oh Candy! The sun came out to say goodbye to you" Thought Annie
Terry was thinking.
"Freckles, my love, the sun which had given you that beautiful present, comes out to say goodbye to you" He thought
Everybody stood up to put a flower on Candy's casket.
- Goodbye little one, said Albert
- Goodbye Candy, said Archie
- Goodbye my love, said Terry
Susanna was heartbroken when she heard that.
- Goodbye, my sister, my friend, my twin, said Annie crying
She almost fell and she would've if Terry hadn't caught her. Annie was in Terry's arms, hold on to him like a leech. She needed comfort. Terry held her against him.
The others were too sad to realise anything. Annie and Terry didn't even realised what they were doing either.
When the casket was going down, the cries became louder and louder.
- Candy, Candy! Don't leave me! Candy, please! Don't leave me!
- Candy! Said Annie, oh Candy, you're going to miss me… don't leave me! I'm lost without you! Candy! NO!
Annie wanted to run to the casket, and Terry held her back and she put her arms around his neck and she cried against him. They were both crying.
Susanna was furious. Terry was making a spectacle of himself in front of everybody with that girl who couldn't stop crying. Candy's sister! She didn't know that Candy had a sister! And she was holding on to Terry…
After the ceremony, everybody was at Albert's at the manor. Annie was in Candy's room with Patricia lying on the bed crying. Terry and the others were in the living room. Susanna was in her wheelchair next to Terry.
- Can we go now? She asked Terry
- Susanna, please, don't piss me off today!
He stood up to go for walk in the garden. Susanna blushed and Eleonor went to sit next to her.
- What are you doing here? Asked Eleonor
- I came with Terry…
- To the funeral of the woman he loves?
- I wanted to be there too; Candy left me Terry
- Yes and if she hadn't done it, maybe she wouldn't have gone to die at the war!
- It's not my fault!
- Whose fault is it then?
- I saved Terry's life…
- Yes, and now Candy is dead because she wasn't with Terry
- What are you insinuating
- Nothing. I'm just making conversation… but you should've stayed home…
Eleonor stood up and left. Susanna had a bad feeling. Candy's death had completely changed Terry. He didn't even talk to her anymore, he came back late. She knew he spent the night with cheap little actresses. Candy dead was more lethal than Candy alive somewhere…
Annie was with Patricia in Candy's room.
- We have to go downstairs, said Patricia
- Yes, said Annie wiping her tears
- Archie must be looking for you…
- I don't think so… ever since we got the news of Candy's death, Archie stopped talking to me
- But you're engaged!
- For him it doesn't mean anything, believe-me!
- I'm sorry Annie
- I love him so much… I know that Candy had asked him to look after me… it's the only reason he's with me…
- It's going to be fine Annie said Patricia hugging her
The two young ladies went downstairs to join the others. The house was full… Who knew Candy knew so many people?
Archie was talking to Albert. He saw Annie from afar with Patricia.
- Excuse me uncle, I have to speak to Annie…
Archie left Albert and he walked to Annie.
- Can you come with me in the study? Said Archie walking towards it
Just like that, with no warning and he hadn't spoken to her ever since they got Candy's news about her death… Annie looked at Patty and followed her fiancé to Albert's study. She closed the door behind her. The study was big with book shelves, full of all sorts of books: a place of dream for those who love to read.
Archie, in his black suit was very attractive. Annie always melted in front of him; he was the man of her dreams. But at that moment, se knew that the man of her dreams was not going to make her dream…
- I wanted to tell you that… I don't want to be your fiancé anymore…I want to break up… it's over
Annie felt like her whole world had already crumbled with her sister's death, was falling further down…
- You…you want to break up? Today, the day I buried my sister and best friend? Ever since we got the news of her death, you didn't even speak to me! She was my sister! And finally you come to speak to me to dump me? I never thought you'd be so cruel, Archie…
- Listen, it's over, ok?! I don't have to pretend anymore! I don't love you! I loved Candy! She asked me to take care of you… because you couldn't stand that I declare my love for her! You were just a selfish brat who only thought about herself, without caring about what I was feeling! I loved Candy, not you! I've never loved you! I had to force myself to kiss you and I had to imagine Candy in your place!
- You could've chosen another moment to tell me that, don't you think so? How could you be so cruel? On Candy's funeral?
- She was the woman I love! I would've done anything for her, even be with a woman I don't love just to make her happy! But now, she's not here anymore, I don't need to pretend to be with you! You disgust me!
Archie got a big slap. Annie hit him so hard his cheek was red with her hand mark…
- You stupid coward! You didn't have enough guts to tell Candy that you didn't want me and now you're punishing me because Candy is dead? She must me be really proud of you at this moment! You're a disgusting human being and now I'm wondering what did I ever saw in you! I don't need your pity! I deserve a man who loves me for me, not one who is forced to just to please his beloved!
She took her engagement ring off and she threw it to his face.
- Fuck off Archibald! Candy would be very proud of you!
Annie got out of the study with tears in her eyes. She walked to the door. Patricia followed her.
- Annie? What's wrong? What did Archie want?
- What do you think? Said Annie in tears
- He broke up with you? Today? The day of Candy's funeral?
- He never loved me! He finally told me the whole truth…I disgust him Patty; he had to thing about Candy to kiss me… if that!
- I'm sorry Annie, said Patty
- No, it's my fault… I behaved like a spoiled brat. I wanted Archie and nothing else mattered… I was jealous of Candy because I saw that Archie liked her, he even asked me to be nice to Candy since she was an orphan… Anyway, it doesn't matter! There are worst thing in life right? Like loosing my sister and best friend
Annie continued crying on her way back home. She went to lock herself in her room.
Patricia was closer to Archibald ever since Alistair had died. She went to see him in the study.
- Archie?
He turned around. You could see the mark of Annie's hand on the cheek.
- Oh my God! You're not pretty to look at!
- Annie fixed me up. I had to restrain myself not to hit her back…
- You had just dumped her; you were not going to hit her too on top of it…?
- I couldn't continue the comedy; Grandchester is the actor, not me!
- It was Candy's funeral Archie, you couldn't wait?
- No…
- Candy asked you to take care of Annie, it meant for good Archie, not only if she's alive
- I never should've agreed to that… Annie interrupted my love declaration for Candy… you can't know how much I resent her for that! If Candy was with me, she would never have gone to the war! But my hands and feet were tied because I had to pretend to be with Annie Brighton!
- Annie loves you Archibald, you can't resent her for loving you! Annie and you are lucky to be alive, you're wasting your time dreaming about Candy, whom, you know would never had gone out with you because of Annie! Anyway, she was in love with Terry!
- Don't say that!
- Denying the obvious won't change things…
- How do you do it Patty? How do you live without the person you love the most in the world?
Patty approached Archie and she hugged him. He cried and she consoled him.
- I know it's hard, but it will get better with time…take it one day at a time; you'll see it will get better… Tu had Annie, you could've consoled each other, but…Archie, having someone who loves us is also very important in our life… you're pushing Annie away for something you did… you shouldn't have please Candy, you should've said no to her and continue to pursue her… But what's done is done… I miss Candy so much…it turns out, she was what we had in common… and she was the one uniting us…
Patricia continued consoling Archie, in Annie's place. Albert opened the study door and he shook his head. Patricia and Archie? Who was consoling Annie?
He went to the garden and he saw Terry with a glass in his hand.
- Terry…
- Albert, said Terry a little drunk, you were suppose to take care of her, how could you have let her go to the war? How could you let her go and get herself killed? You were her adoptive father! You should've used the authority and stop her from doing that craziness!
- And you, you should've chosen to be with her instead of your duty! You should've found another solution! The break with you started everything! All her plans went up in smoke! You should've seen her when she got your invitation for the premiere; she was the happiest girl in the world! She was dancing in the street, careless, thinking about you! All she found was bad luck in New York… I know it's not your fault, the circumstances were against you… but
- You should've stopped her! Said Terry angry, she was your responsibility!
Eleonor arrived at that moment.
- It's no use to blame ourselves now! She said, it's not going to make Candy come back! Terry, let's go home. Mr. Andrew, all my condolences and thank you for your hospitality.
- You're very welcome. And call me Albert please
- All right Albert, she said smiling, come on Terry, let's go
Terry followed his mother and they went to get Susanna to leave the mansion.
- It's about time, said Susanna sulking
- Susanna, you shouldn't have come! You really had nothing to do here! Said Eleonor
- What about you? Why are you here? To support Terry in his love for another woman?
- For your information, I owe my relationship with Terry to Candy! She's the one who convinced Terry to reconcile with me, during a certain summer in Scotland! She gave me back my son!
- Oh… I came because she gave me Terry…
- So a little respect for those who are suffering because of her death!
- I'm sorry, said Susanna ashamed
They left the manor to go back to the hotel. They did their luggage and they took the train back to New York. Once they got to their apartment, Terry went to change in his room. Eleonor went back to her house. Susanna was in her room changing with the help of her mother.
- So, how was it?
- Very sad! It was a funeral mom!
- Your rival is no more; you'd think you'd be happier…
- Mom, a young woman is dead at the war…! It's awful!
- Yes, it's sad, but you don't have a rival anymore…
- How could you be so cruel?
- I'm realistic honey
- Mom, get out of my room please…
- Very well, when you calm down and you think about it a little, you'll see I'm right…
Susanna looked at her mother go. She finished getting ready and she went to the living room. Terry was sitting down. He had a cup of tea in his hand.
- Susanna, we have to talk, he said
- Of course Terry, what do you want to tell me?
- Susanna, I'm sorry, but it can't continue…
- What?
- The two of us, our relationship…it can't continue
- But why? I love you, we have to get married
- Candy's death showed me that life was nothing, it could end at anytime and I'm sorry, but I don't see myself living by your side… I don't love you Susanna… You saved my life, your mother wants me to take care of you, and I can do that, if you need anything, but my life belongs to me… and I want to live like I please Susanna…
Susanna was in tears, she started sobbing very loudly.
- Hang in there Susanna, said Terry indifferent, I'm going to go spend the night at my mother's and live there, while I find a place to leave
And he left without turning back slamming the door. Mrs Marlowe heard her daughter's cries and she ran to see what was going on.
- Susanna honey? What's going on?
- Terry is gone…
- What? He went out? He's going to come back…
- He's gone mom! He's not coming back! Candy's death showed him that he shouldn't be wasting his time with a woman he doesn't love! He doesn't love me mom! With Candy dead, he doesn't feel obligated to stay with me anymore! Oh mom, what am I going to do! I love him so much!
- The bastard! He's going to hear me…
- No mom! Leave him alone! You've done enough! I 'm going to get Terry back my own way!
Susanna Marlowe had made a decision; she was going to get Terry back.
Terry had made the decision to leave his duty which was making him unhappy.
Albert had made the decision to travel…
Archibald had broken off his engagement and he was wondering if he had taken the right decision.
Patricia was going back to Florida; Candy's death had upset her. She needed to be far away from everything that reminded her of Candy.
Neil Reagan turned to drugs and booze to try to forget Candy… But he felt bad when the effects of the drugs were over, he would feel bad and he would start over…
Eliza Reagan saw Candy's death as a way in to try to win over Terry… She was going to show him, that he was really in love with her, not Candy!
Annie Brighton was in her room crying her sister, friend and twin… and nothing was able to console her… she was feeling lost, ripped apart, the funeral was horrible, then Archie break off their engagement… What horrendous day… but… when she cried in Terry's arms, she felt better for those few moments, when he had caught her, when she almost fell…
"What on earth am I thinking about!? I'm officially sure now that I'm totally loosing it! Oh Candy, I miss you so much!" She thought
So she forgot about Terry… And she thought about the Pony Home when Candy and her were little girls…