The Love Letter
Chapter 3
"Timeless…"
Terry was very impatient to receive Candy's letter with her picture in it. When it finally arrived, he was beside himself! He opened the letter held his breath, took the picture out and looked at it. He felt a tingling feeling when he saw her with her hair down with flowers on it, looking like she wanted to run to his arms. She had a face now, he could see her face he could finally put a face to his feelings. He read the letter.
Darling Terry,
There, now you have my picture. What do you think? Am I the way you pictured me? Am I the way I described myself? I hope you like my picture.
In a few days I'm going to meet my current suitor who is also a publisher and I will show him my verses to see if he could publish them. I am so excited. I hope he's going to find them interesting enough to have them published. Wish me luck.
I hope everything is fine with you…
All my love,
Candy
Janice arrived and he hid the letter but he forgot Candy's picture on the desk. She hugs him and he's all happy.
- Whoa! She said, you're in a good mood!
- I'm just happy to see you, he said smiling
Janice saw Candy's picture on the desk.
- What is this? Who is this? She asked
- That would be Candice White-Andrew…
- What? The girl from the old letter? Where did you get this?
- I went to her house…
- Her house? How did you know where she lived….?
- I called the owner of the store who gave me the address…
- Why did you go there?
- I was just curious…
- Well I guess I should be grateful you're interested in a dead woman…
Terry laughed with his fiancée, but mostly he laughed at the irony of the situation. He barely had the time to answer her, when he got another letter
- Candy, do you miss me that much? I was about to write you…
Darling Terry,
I couldn't wait for your letter; I had to tell you what happened with my suitor-publisher, Mr. Fender. He took a look at my poems and he told me it wasn't good enough to get published… I am very discouraged. I have decided to cease writing poetry; I know he's not going to take me seriously unless my work is validated by others… The truth is there are no other, my darling, I feel like I'm singing and nobody listens, except you. So I offer you the last poem I shall ever write…
Stranger not on this earth shall we meet
Thou surely I have lived a life with you
I would wed eternity to be with you…
But nature want it this way…
So I pledge my love for you forever…
There, my last verses ever… I hope you like it my love. I'm looking forward to hearing from you and I hope this letter finds you in good health… I've been having headaches lately, but I think it's mostly because of my poetry.
With Love,
Candy
Terry felt bad for her. He was thinking about helping her somehow.
"How can I help her?" He asked himself.
He was going to have lunch with Janice when they met one of their friends, a publisher at the restaurant… While Janice was taking care of something, Terry showed his friend Dan, Candy's poem.
- Can you look at this poem and tell me what you think…?
- You write poems?
- No, it's a friend's…
- Ok, let me see…
Terry gave him the poem; his friend read it out loud… and stopped…
- Tell your friend not to quit his day job…, said Dan.
- What's wrong with it? Said Terry.
- Despite the old English, over passionate and derivative?
- As opposed to the stupidities they publish nowadays? Said Terry upset.
- You asked for my opinion, I gave it to you…
- Well your opinion doesn't mean squat!
Janice arrived and asked:
- What's the matter?
- I insulted his friend's poem, said Dan going away.
- What friend? Said Janice.
- Nothing…., said Terry.
- It must've been something for the two of you to almost come to blows…
- It's… Candice White-Andrew, I found it in another drawer of the desk, I thought it might have a historical significance…
- It has significance all right!
- Janice…
- Candice White-Andrew? Again? You seem more passionate about her than you are about our wedding, now you're trying to publish her poems? I don't see you put that much energy into our wedding preparations…If you don't want this marriage, tell me right now!
- No Janice, I want you, it's not what you think, I love you, he said hugging her, that poem is insignificant! He lied.
- You hide her letter from me, you go look for her house, get a picture, find a poem and you don't tell me! She seems more important to you than me… is this about our wedding? Are you getting cold feet? Because if you don't want to marry me, just tell me now and don't waste my time!
- Janice, I promise you, said Terry, I want to marry you…I'm sorry honey.
She was crying and it took him a while to calm her down. But once he was alone in his room, he went to write to Candy again, he couldn't help himself.
Dear Candy,
Please don't stop writing your poetry. First of all, this Fender guy sounds like he wouldn't know a good poem if it smacked him in the face. You say you sing, but nobody listens… Maybe that's true for now, but what about in 10 years? In a 100 years? You once said we were doomed never to touch each other, but you did touch me on those stairs, believe me, and you touched me with your words. Keep signing my love, I'll always be here to listen.
With all my love,
Terry
He put the letter on the desk and he would mail it later. The next day he had a bike race for a charity they were going to race into the woods.
"That's the road to Candy's house", he said in his head
The race started, and the bikes left…
oOoOoOoOoOo
Meanwhile, Candy was getting ready to go spend a month in the city to see a doctor for her headaches. Her sister Stephie was there in the room with her.
- Candy, let me come with you…, said Stephie.
- No, I need you to stay here and wait for Terry's letters and send them to me at our cousin Rosemary's. Then I'll send you the response and you'll put in the secret compartment in my desk.
- All right, but if you need me just tell me. I'm going to miss you Candy…
- I'm going to miss you too, honey, said Candy hugging her.
Candy went down the stairs and she looked to see if she had any letter, but there was nothing for her. She said goodbye to her parents and got into the carriage taking her to the city.
OoOoOoOoOo
Terry was in the woods racing fast when he hit a branch and he flew in the air, hit a tree and fell on the ground and was knocked unconscious…
oOoOoOoOoOo
At the same time, Terry hit the branch, Candy's carriage hit a branch too and she almost jumped out from her seat, but the carriage continued its way. Candy felt something weird…but she didn't know what it was…yet…
"Terry!" She said in her mind.
She had a bad feeling about him and she was hoping to hear from him soon.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Terry was brought to the hospital and he hadn't regained consciousness; he was in a coma.
- Doctor, said Terry's mother, how long he's going to be like that?
The doctor, a young African-American woman with curly hair, said:
- There is no way of knowing …it could take weeks, months… even years…
- Oh my God! Said Janice upset.
- All we can do now, is wait…, said the doctor.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Meanwhile Candy arrived in Chicago and she went to see the specialist for her headaches. She entered the doctor's office she announced herself to the receptionist.
- Hello, I'm Candice White-Andrew, I came to see Dr. Martin.
- Please have a seat Miss White-Andrew…
Candy took a seat in the waiting room. There was another patient waiting, a man, who was reading the paper. Candy looked at him and she felt weird, she continued staring at him until the man, who felt stared at, took his paper down and looked at her. He had long brown hair and blue-green eyes, he was very attractive. They were looked at each other. The doctor came out of his office.
- I'll be ready for you soon, Miss White-Andrew, Colonel Baker? I'm ready for you…
The man stood up and went to the doctor's office, he had a sling on his left arm and he was wearing his uniform. A while later he came out and Candy replaced him. They looked at each other without saying a word. When Candy was done with the doctor, she got out of the office and she was walking in the street of Chicago. When she bumped into a man. She looked up and…
- Miss White-Andrew? Said the man.
- Colonel Baker…, she said smiling.
- I'm sorry for bumping into you…
- You must've been in a hurry, she said smiling, I don't want to keep you…
- No, it's fine. Would you like to have coffee with me?
- Well, she said hesitating a little.
- Come on, Miss Freckles, I'm not going to eat you…
When Candy heard "Miss Freckles", she thought of Terry, this man reminded her of Terry and she had no idea why… She smiled.
- You can call me Candy, she said smiling, but I like Miss Freckles too…
- And you can call me Graham…, he said smiling
- All right, she said smiling, let's go…
He took her arm and walked her to a very nice restaurant. They were talking.
- Forgive my boldness; can I ask you a strange question? Said Graham
- Yes…
- How is it that I have the uncanny feeling that I know you? He asked
- I don't know, said Candy, I have the same feeling…
They looked at each other smiling and from that moment on, they started spending all their free time together. She felt good with him. She wrote a letter to Terry the day she met Graham.
My dearest Terry,
Today I met a man named Graham Baker, from the moment I saw him I felt powerfully drawn to him and he felt a strong attraction to me too. Please do not fear my darling, that I am in anyway moving away from you. But what I feel, strange as it seems, being with Graham, brings me closer to you. I have the uncanny feeling that what we feel, was meant to happen.
I'll tell you more in my next letter.
All my love,
Candy
Candy was on the boat having a ride with Graham and she was reading her poems to him.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Terry was still in the coma with Janice by his side when a young nurse came to check on him.
"Hello there! the nurse thought, I got a crush on you! You're so cute!"
The nurse was blond her hair up in a bun and she was wearing glasses. She looked at the monitor to his brain.
- Oh, there's a lot of brain activity, she said to Janice
- What does it mean?
- That he's dreaming…, said the nurse.
- Oh… I wonder what he's dreaming about, said Janice.
The nurse smiled.
"What a lucky woman, to be engaged to this gorgeous man!" She thought.
She had the night shift so she would sit by his side and read Shakespeare to him and watch him for hours.
"I love you so much, but you're never going to find out…" She thought, you've never seen me… oh my God, I must be nuts! But these feelings are so strong. That's enough! Let me just love him from afar"
So on her night shifts, she would be in his room looking at him and pining for him.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Dearest Terry,
I despair of never hearing from you again. Stephie assures me that my letters to you continues to mysteriously vanish for the secret compartment. So I pray that you are still connected to me, reading this by one of you electrical lights and understanding…what I'm actually living now.
All my love,
Candy
A month passed, Candy and Graham were inseparable. They took a picture together so they can look at each other when they're apart. But she still had no news from Terry and she was getting worried.
One evening, Candy was with her cousin Rosemary at a ball when Graham arrived to make a speech about the war… She was stunned to see him. He came to invite her to dance. She happily accepted. She felt good in his arms.
- I didn't know you were going to be here…, she said.
- I thought I'd surprised you.
- Well done, said Candy.
- Freckles, I have to see you…
- When are you leaving?
- The day after tomorrow…
- Oh…
- Can I see you tonight?
- But my cousin…
Graham looked at Rosemary dozing off on her seat.
- She's practically already asleep! He said.
Candy looked at her cousin and started laughing…
- You're right, she said.
- Please come and see me tonight by the bridge…
- I will do my best, because I want to see you too…, she said in a sensual voice.
Graham smiled at her and they continued dancing, talking and laughing. Candy felt so good.
Candy went back home with her cousin and she waited a little while then she let her hair down, changed her clothes and sneaked out of the house. She went by the bridge and there he was waiting for her. She smiled and she ran to him and jumped to his neck. He looked for her lips and they kissed passionately. She thought she was flying. He thought it was the most wonderful feeling on earth.
- Candy, I love you, said Graham between kisses.
- I love you too Graham…, she said kissing him.
- This is so wonderful, he said, I want to marry you…
- Really? She said laughing
- Yes…
- Is that proposal?
- Well I need to ask your hand in marriage from your father, but yes it's a marriage proposal! I love you Freckles! Will you marry me?
- Yes, yes, yes! Said Candy laughing out loud.
He was kissing her neck and tickling her and she was laughing and they kissed again…She was happy, but she had the feeling that it wasn't going to last…Like her connection with Terry, she knew it was temporary…
- We have this big battle in Pennsylvania, then I'll come back to ask your hand in marriage from your father and marry you…
- A big battle? What if you don't come back?
- Don't think about that my love.
- I have to think about it, what if you die? It's the war, it's dangerous.
- I know that… what would you want me to do, desert my troupe?
- No of course not… but… I…
- What?
- I want to live everyday like it's our last, in case something happens to you…
Graham looked at her. Was she saying what he she was?
- Would you meet me at my place tomorrow for lunch? He said.
She looked at him.
- Are we going to be alone?
- Yes, just the help…
- Then I would be delighted to have lunch with you, she said.
He smiled and they kissed again, again and again…
Candy spent the night dreaming about Graham and thinking about Terry… The next day, she went to her doctor's appointment, then went to see Graham at his house for lunch. He opened the door for her. She smiled when she saw him.
- Hello, she said.
- Hello Freckles, please come in…
- Thank you, she said, you have a lovely house
- Thank you Freckles, lunch is ready
- Wonderful! I'm starving!
- Good! Because the table is full…
The table was full indeed, fried chicken, potato salad, rice, meat, fruit salad and so much more.
- Graham! I'm only one person!
- Well I wanted you to have a lot of choices…
- That's so thoughtful of you
They ate lunch trying not to think about the next day when Graham would have to leave for the big battle…
- Let me show you the house he said, after all you're going to be the mistress of this house when I come back…
- Yes, said Candy smiling
Graham took her by the hand and started to show her the house, the kitchen, the study… he had a lot of Shakespeare's books.
- You like Shakespeare too?
- Yes, that's why I love hearing your poems, one day we might read you in a book too…
- I don't know about that, I didn't get much encouragements for my family or editors
- You have to persevere and you'll get what you want…
- Thank you, Graham, she said smiling
They went upstairs and he showed her the bedrooms and when they got to the master bedroom…
- I love your room!
- Our future bedroom! He said smiling
He approached her and started kissing her softly and then he became more and more passionate! A part of her was telling her to stop, another was telling her she was never going to have another occasion, and the biggest part of her was telling her it was right, it felt right and she felt closer to Terry… and she didn't know why…but she lived that moment with Graham… They ended up on the big bed and they consummated their passion. Candy blocked everything else from her mind and she let Graham make love to her, he showed her what to do and he said she was a natural; she laughed and kissed him again.
- Are you ok? He said when they were resting
- Yes… I'm just feeling wonderful
- Me too…,he said smiling
- I love you Graham…
- I love you Candy…, he said taking her lips again
They were in bed for hours. She stayed for dinner too.
- I have to go now, said Candy
- I know…
- What time is your train?
- At noon…
- I'll come and get you to take you to the train station
- All right my love.
- I'll see you tomorrow, darling
They kissed again and she left. Her cousin was a little worry.
- Candy! Where on earth were you?
- I met some old friends who invited me for dinner…
- Next time, can you let me know in advance? Said Rosemary
- Of course, I apologise for worrying you, Rosemary…
- It's all right…
- May I be excused? I need to go rest in my room
- Of course…
Candy went to her bedroom and she took a bath. She had become a woman, Graham's woman…she dreamt of her first time, over and over again.
The next day, she went with him at the train station and she kissed him over and over again.
- Please be careful darling, said Candy
- I will be and then I'll come back and marry you and I will never leave you again…
- Oh Graham…
- I love you Freckles don't ever forget it
- I love you Graham…
He was the last one to get on board. And the train left. Candy had the weirdest feeling that she will never be this happy again…and she felt very very sad.
oOoOoOoOoOo
At the same time at the hospital, Terry's monitor was going nuts and he moved and finally opened his eye.
- Candy…, he said.
Janice was there and she turned around surprised. "Candy"? But it was not the time to talk about that.
- Terry! She said you're awake! I'll call the nurse!
She pressed the button and the nurses arrived and they took care of Terry.