The Love Letter
Chapter 2
"The visit"
Terry was looking at the letter still flabbergasted. When he pulled himself together he sat on the chair at his desk and started writing back to Candice.
Dear Candice,
I'm sure you're going to find this as impossible to believe as I do. My name is Terrence Grandchester and I live in Chicago, but not the Chicago you know, a Chicago that doesn't exist yet. As I write these words on my desk or should I say your desk, because I now own the desk that sits in your bedroom, I tried to imagine how all of this could've happened. The only explanation I could come up with is that for some reason the connection we have is so strong that we're able to talk to each other across the chasm of time. If I haven't utterly terrified you, please sit at our desk and write again soon.
Yours,
Terrence Grandchester
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy received her letter and she went to her bedroom to read it. As she read the letter, she couldn't believe her eyes. This Terrence was from the future? And he now owned her desk. She looked at the desk and touched it as she read the letter. That's how he could get a hold of her letter from her secret compartment…She actually got a letter from the future! From a man who now knew her deepest secret. His words touched her…She decided to reply to him.
Dear Mr. Grandchester,
I have decided to accept that the laws of nature, as they apply to you and me, have been, for whatever reason, temporary suspended. You have the advantage over me that you know my deepest secret and I know none of yours. Tell me who you are and how are you living in your time so many years in the future. Most important of all, tell me if this conjunction between us which I confess, I feel as strongly as you, means that you too yearn for a deep and passionate love or is there somebody you already love? Write soon before the laws of nature reassert themselves.
I can tell you a little bit about myself. Like you know my name is Candice, but they call me "Candy". You can call me "Candy" too. I'm blond with green eyes and I've got freckles on my nose. What do you look like? Can you tell me? I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours truly,
Candy
oOoOoOoOoOo
Terry was preparing his wedding but he was mostly distracted by Candy's letter, he would hide it in a magazine, Janice wouldn't see what he was reading. He was so happy to have received Candy's letter. He couldn't help looking forward to be alone in his bedroom to write to her.
Dear Candy,
"Mr. Grandchester" is so formal and my father would answer to that name, not me. You can call me "Terry", that's what they call me.
You have asked some crucial questions. Do I yearn for love? Yes of course. Am I in love now? I'm engaged to be married I guess I believe I'm in love. A friend once told me that when you're in love, you light up like a Christmas tree when your lover enters the room. I don't think I've ever felt that way, at least not until last night when I found your second letter…
I like the description you made of you. You've got freckles on your nose? How many? You know that freckles are presents from the sun? I love them and I envy you… Freckles, can I call you "Freckles"? It's going to be my pet name for you, Candy all right?
Now it's my turn to describe myself, I'm tall, I have long brown hair, don't ask me why I love long hair, I just do. My eyes are blue-green and girls think I'm very good looking.
I can't wait to get your next letter. I'm like a child on Christmas morning waiting to open his presents.
Yours sincerely,
Terry
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy got Terry's letter while she was making pancakes in the kitchen with her mother and sister. She was talking to herself while she read the letter.
- "Believe", she whispered out loud when she read that part.
- What? Said her mother.
- Nothing, Mother, said Candy.
Her sister was looking at her. Candy's face changed when she read the part where Terry was happy he got her letter. That made her day. She spent the rest of her day singing and dancing around. In the evening, her sister went to her room.
- Candy, what's going on?
- Nothing…
- You're happy for some reason, are you in love?
Candy looked at her little sister, she needed to tell someone or she was going to explode.
- All right Stephie, promise me you're not going to tell anybody.
- I promise…cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.
- All right… yes I think I'm in love!
- What? Is it Father's suitor?
- God no!
- Then who is it?
- I've never seen him…
- What?
- But I'm corresponding with him…
- Corresponding?
She told her little sister everything.
- You've got to be kidding me! Said Stephie.
- I'm not!
- Oh, my God!
- I don't know how long that's going to last, but I know I'm going to take full advantage of it.
- You've been dreaming of passion and you get it with a man from the future?
- Yes… incredible hein?
- Are you sure this in not a scam?
- How would he know there's a secret compartment on my desk? It's real, I know it, I can feel it… I'm going to respond to his letter…
- I'm going to give you your privacy, said Stephie hugging her, I'm so happy for you!
- Thanks honey…
Candy started thinking what she could ask Terry. She had so many ideas in her mind, so many questions…
oOoOoOoOoOo
Terry was entering his house and he found his mother reading his letters, Candy's letters.
- Mom…
- And how many does this make? Said his mother.
- 3 counting the first one…
- Oh my God! This is impossible!
- Mom! You're the one who drove me into this madness in the first place!
- Well I didn't believe! It's incredible! Are you sure this is not a scam?
- No, mom, it's real…
- Oh my God! What does Janice think about all this?
- She doesn't know…
- She doesn't know?
- Isn't all this just fantastic? Incredible?
- I'll tell you what's incredible; my son who's engaged to be married is having an affair with a woman who's been dead for over a 100 years!
- Mom, we write letters…
- Love letters that you keep secret from your fiancée! And what about Candice White-Andrew?
- What about her?
- You don't have the right to interfere with a life that's already been lived!
- She doesn't love the guy, she shouldn't be marrying him…
- I can't believe we're having this conversation! This woman doesn't exist!
- Then who wrote these letters?
- She doesn't exist in our world!
- Then why do I feel… the way I feel?
- And what way is that?
Terry didn't answer.
- Snap out of it Terry, she's not real! You have a life here, don't waste it with a life that's already been lived…good bye baby. Think about what I said.
His mother left him and Terry started to think. Why was he feeling that way for a woman who's been dead for over 100 years?
"This is too confusing! She's not real! She's been dead for over a hundred years! I have to stop this madness! And I should concentrate on my real life with Janice!"
He found another letter from Candy in the compartment.
- Oh, Candice…!
He read the letter…
Dearest Terry,
I got your letter and I was the happiest woman that ever walked on this earth. Reading it made me feel something… all the passion I reserved for my dearest one, is now directed to you. I hope it's all right with you.
I confided in my little sister because I was about to burst. Like me in the beginning, she couldn't believe her ears when I told her our story, which is impossible in real life.
You want to call me "Freckles"? By all means, be my guest! I would respond to any nicknames you call me, because you are dearest to me. I actually never counted my freckles, I tried when I was little but it always seemed to be out of count every time.
I've been writing some poems for a while and I've yet to find an editor with enough confidence in a woman to publish my work. I'm still trying but it gets discouraging sometimes. Ever since I know of your existence, my mood to write has tripled…You are my muse, the one person who inspires me to write with so much passion. And I'm looking forward to reading you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Candy
Terry read the letter and he put it away. But he was tempted to respond to it. He even started to write to her on his computer
My Dear Candy,
I can't begin to tell you how wonderful I feel as I read your letters; I only wish I could hold you in my arms…
But he stopped and erased it. He was going to try to forget about his nonsense. So he started to participate more in the wedding preparations and continued his life.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy was waiting for Terry's answer but it didn't come. She would even ask the mailman to double check his bag, but there was nothing for her. She was very sad and she said to herself maybe something had happened to Terry and that's why he was not writing her. Then she started thinking she was just not worth it for him, that's why he stopped writing.
She told her sister, who was sad for her.
- I'm so sorry Candy…
- I don't understand, I thought it was working.
- Maybe he's just a little confused, since he's got a fiancée you told me, give him so time to get used to the idea of you here in the past…
- I hope you're right.
- Why don't you write him again and express your concerns?
- All right, said Candy, I pray he read this one and start writing again! I miss him so much!
- Write him, you'll feel better.
- Thanks Stephie!
Candy used to be in her room crying. She wasn't writing her poems anymore discouraged. But she decided to try to write him one more time, per her little sister's advice.
Terry got the letters
Dearest Terry,
Another week gone by and still no letter. Are you afraid I would think you're a scoundrel for professing tender feelings for me, when you're engaged to be married?
- I'm worried about those tender feelings in the first place!
I'm not as innocent as you may think Mr. Grandchester, I have danced the waltz with many men and I am an avid reader of the modern novel, so I am au courant in the subject of forbidden passion.
- I'm afraid this… waltz will have to be mine and Janice, Miss White-Andrew…
The hard truth is, we are doomed to be chaste, to never touch each other, hear each other, see each other, talk face to face, so what harm would there be for us to write each other? If you are still there write to me quickly and explain to me what it means to light up like a Christmas tree.
This thing happening to me is so wonderful, it's magic. I wrote my secret first love letter and you got it… This was not by chance, you were meant to get it and I wrote it for you… I'm convinced of this. So my love, please write to me and let's take advantage of this incredible opportunity that was given to us through the ages and time and write to each other… I miss you so much… I'm looking forward to reading your letter.
Heartbroken,
Candy
Terry was torn… He missed her too. He's never going to see her or touch her, all they had were those letters which miraculously traveled through time to reach them. It might be a permanent thing; it might be only temporarily… He thought about Janice… she was always going to be there… Candy…was dead, but she was alive in another dimension and she had feelings for him, and he had feelings for her…
- This is just crazy! I miss her! And I … love her! I've never felt like this before… not with Janice or any other girl! And it's for a woman who's been dead for over a hundred years! Good job Terry! You finally fall in love and it's with a dead woman! A ghost!
He started doing other stuff. Janice came and they went out, to the movies, but Terry's mind was elsewhere, he was distracted …. After he took Janice home, he went back to his place unhappy.
Thinking about Candy and hearing her letter in his mind over and over again! He made the decision to go see the house again, Candy's house. He had to try to see it again, to be in the house where she lived… So he got in his car and drove to the ancient house. He was going to try again. He had to get in that house. He rang the bell and the same African American woman opened the door.
- You again!?
- Please, said Terry, I just want to ask you about the White-Andrews…
- Why? You know the White-Andrews?
- Well I just bought a desk that belonged to one of them and I wanted to know more about the family. I'm trying to write a book…
- A book? About the White-Andrews? They were just regular folks.
- I would like to know more about them.
- Well Miss Carissa's grandma was a White-Andrew…
- Really? Said Terry, you mean there a White-Andrew living here right now?
- Yes…
- Can I speak to her?
- She's sleeping…
- Can I just take a peak at the house?
- Why?
- Well…. I'll paint it!
The woman burst out laughing!
- You better not be one of those lawyers, because Miss Carissa is going to have a cow! Come in, you seem nice…
- Thank you so much! Said Terry entering the house.
He had this feeling… This was the house Candy used to live in, or is still living in, in a parallel word… He saw the living room, the piano, the fireplace. She would be sitting there with her family. He went to the kitchen, then upstairs to the bedrooms. He visited a few, but when he entered Candy's room, he knew it was hers. He felt so good in it…He closed his eyes and tried to imagine her writing her letters to him and putting them in the secret compartment waiting for his response.
- Can we go now? Said the housekeeper.
- Wait, said Terry just a little more, please…
- We have to go, she said.
A voice was heard from one of the bedrooms…
- Elsa? Who are you talking to?
- You see what you did?! She told Terry.
They both walked to Carissa's room.
- This gentleman wants to write a book on your family, said Elsa.
- That's one of them lawyers! Said Carissa, you've been fooled!
Terry decided to intervene. Carissa was in bed resting, she was old and cranky…
- No, said Terry, I just wanted to know more about Candice White-Andrew…
- Go away! Said Carissa upset.
- You really have to go, said Elsa, she's getting upset…
- All right, said Terry, I'm sorry…
He started walking out of the room when…
- How do you know about my aunt Candy? Said Carissa.
Terry stopped and turned around.
- I found a letter she wrote in a desk I bought that used to belong to her…
- My grandma used to tell me about me of her aunt Candy, she was so beautiful, so brilliant…
- Did she ever get married?
- I need to sleep said Carissa turning around.
- Please, said Terry, tell me if she ever got married!
Bur Carissa was already asleep.
- Come on sir, said Elsa, let's go, she's sleeping.
- All right, said Terry, thank you…
Elsa was in front of Terry and she walked down the stairs. Terry was going down the stairs slowly when he stopped in the middle…
oOoOo
At the same moment, Candy was going up the stairs and she felt a presence and she stopped… it was him! She could feel it…
oOoOo
Terry felt a presence, her presence and he reached out his hand and he felt like he was touching her cheek, yet there was nothing there… but he knew she was there…
oOoOo
Candy reach out her hand and she felt like she was touching his cheek and felt all sort of emotions…
oOoOo
He felt like she was touching him and he closed his eyes savouring the dizzying and incredible feelings that this touch from the past awaken in him…
oOoOo
She closed her eyes as she felt his hand softly touching her cheek, he was there, he was touching her and her heart was about to burst! She smiled in a dreamy kind of way and she had tears coming down her cheeks.
oOoOo
Elsa saw that Terry was not following her and she turned around and she saw Terry on the stairs with his eyes closed. He looked so… so… happy and serene… He snapped out of it…
- Yes, I'm coming, said Terry with a lot of regrets as he continued going down the stairs feeling Candy all over him.
They arrived at the door.
- Thank you very much for this visit, said Terry hugging her, you have no idea how happy you've made me!
- Oh! Said Elsa smiling, I'm glad I could help!
- Good bye Elsa.
- Good bye…
- Terry, call me Terry…
- Ok, Terry!
Terry left on a cloud, he was in 7th heaven. He had been in Candy's house and he had "touched" her! When he got home he wrote her a letter, he went by a little store first.
oOoOo
Candy after that wonderful sensation in the stairs knew it was Terry and she knew he was going to write her, they've had "physical" contact and the feeling was absolutely out of this world! She started waiting for his letter impatiently. When her sister came to her bedroom, she found her on cloud nine.
- Candy? Did you get a letter from Terry?
- No, I…felt him…
- You felt him?
- Yes…
- Where?
- On the stairs…
- The stairs?
- Yes…He was there as I was going up, I felt a presence, his presence I'm sure of it! I could almost touch him and I felt him touch me…
- Oh my God! This is incredible!
- So he's going to write me, I'm sure of it.
- I bet he will, if he felt you too…
- I can't wait…
oOoOoOoOoOo
When the letter arrived she was at the door waiting for the mail man.
- Miss Candy…
- Mr. March, there's a letter for me right?
- How do you know?
- I just do, said Candy, please give it to me fast!
- All right, calm down, Miss Candy, here it is…
Candy practically ripped the letter from Mr. March's hand.
- Thank you so much!
- I'm just doing my job, said Mr. March smiling, you're very welcome, Miss Candy!
She hugged him and ran to the garden on a big swing and started reading Terry's letter.
Dear Candy,
Ben Franklin called it electricity; we now used it to light our homes and our Christmas tree. To light up like a Christmas tree, means to glow with pleasure and I am glowing, right now.
I went to your house… yes it's still there. A very old woman, your sister's Stephie's granddaughter lives in it. And I actually stood in your bedroom. But what I will never forget is how I suddenly felt your presence on your stairs, almost as if you touched my cheek. It's crazy but I felt as if I could touch you too. Candy, to ignore what happened would be to deny a miracle. Forgive my silence, I was a fool, it won't happen again, I promise.
I missed you so much.
All my love,
Terry
Candy was crying of joy when she read those words. She was feeling so much love for him. They had "touched" each other and that only made their feelings for each other stronger than ever. Terry had also include a post card with a lighten Christmas tree and she was able to see what it was.
- Wow! She said that's so beautiful! Thank you, Terry! I love you…
She was crying some more. She went to her room to write to him.
My darling Terry,
I beg you please keep your promise and don't stop writing again! Or I feel I shall stop breathing as my breath stops now at the thought of you in my house in this very room! Amazing as it seems I felt it too in the very same place at the stairs, the touch like a sweet promise. I know that we are tempting faith and in reality there is your time and my time. And we shall live and love across time and ages…
- Deal, said Terry with a smile.
I was so happy to read you and to see the wonderful picture of the Christmas tree in front of the White House. Is it still the President's Residence? You've allowed me to see things I could never have imagined… Electricity? It must be a wonderful thing not having to use candles anymore…That Christmas tree is a sight for sore eyes… thank you so much for sending me this picture with all the colours like a live picture…It blows my mind. But not as much as the feelings I'm having for you, my love. I love you so much. Maybe you're going to think I'm arrogant to assume that you feel the same way, but I know you do or we wouldn't be writing each other across different time lines… I am convinced we're soul mates and that we were meant to be…
I'd love to know more about this future world of yours.
So, my love I'm going to go to bed thinking about you and our wonderful out of this world touch…Dreaming about how it would've felt if our lips actually touch each others…
- I'm sure it would've been the most wonderful thing in the world, I dream of kissing you too Freckles…
All my love,
Candy
- I love you too, Freckles.
Darling Freckles,
I dream of you, but I can't see your face, please send me your picture. I want you to look as you were about to walk into my arms… I can't wait to see your picture.
You're not arrogant; on the contrary, you're reading my mind. I love you with all my heart, Candice White-Andrew… you are my soul mate, we were meant to be, but nature seemed to have played a cruel trick on us, by putting us on different time lines… Whatever it is…there must be a method to this madness! To quote our dear Shakespeare and I'm sure we're going to find some kind of sense in all this soon or not… But for the moment, let's continue our correspondence, which has become the reason I wake up in the morning now…
Yes, the White House is still the President's Residence; I bet it still looks the same in your time. You're very welcome for the postcard, I'm glad you liked it.
Sweet dreams my love,
Your Terry
Candy got the letter and she was beside herself. He loved her too! She was on cloud nine. She was crying of joy. Her sister came to her room.
- Candy?
- Oh Stephie! He loves me! Like I love him!
- I'm so happy for you! Said her sister hugging her.
- He wants me to send him my picture.
- Then let's fix you and make arrangements with the photographer!
- Thanks Stephie! Look at what he sent me? Said Candy giving her the postcard.
- That's so beautiful, that's to "light up like a Christmas tree"!? Amazing!
- Stunning!
Candy made arrangements for her picture to be taken, so she could send it to Terry. She let her hair down and she put flowers on it.
The photographer came and took Candy's picture. When the picture was ready, she paid for it and she sent it to Terry…
oOoOoOoOoOo