Disclaimer: Candy Candy and all characters belong to Kyoko Mizuki, images to Yumiko Igarashi and anime to Toei Animation.

Note: Thank you very much for all your feedback! I hope you will enjoy reading this. Wish you a Happy New Year!

-Ms Puddleglum

Chapter 3

Neil has caught Albert completely off guard, and Albert staggers back from the force of it. My brain can't quite process what is really happening, but when I see Neil trying to break his wine bottle over Albert's head, I scream Neil's name and push open my door. Albert ducks and his first instinct is to strike back, so he lands a blow in Neil's abdomen. As Neil stumbles back, he drops his bottle on the ground, but the bottle is not entirely shattered.

Albert is now posed, ready to defend himself should Neil fight back. The blow Albert gave Neil must have been so serious that Neil clutches his abdomen for a long moment, groaning, "What is it? Chinese Kung Fu?"

"Taekwondo," [1] Albert corrects him curtly. Then he demands, "Who are you?"

Perhaps I feel somewhat guilty about misleading Neil or giving him false hope in the past, I scramble to his side with the intent to talk some sense into him. However, while giving him some support by holding his right elbow, I can smell the wine in his breath. "You're drunk!"

He glances up at me, his face grimacing. "Looks like the man you love is a tough one." His tone can't be more injured.

"Neil, you're out of your mind!" I snap. "Albert is just a friend!"

Neil eyes narrow before he emits a loud, bitter laugh. Then Albert relaxes a little and asks me, "Candy, so this is Neil? Your possessive boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?" Neil sobers up a little when he hears Albert's question and speaks through gritted teeth. "I never was her boyfriend."

"Why are you stalking her?" inquires Albert with a deep scowl, taking a step closer and pulling me away from Neil.

"I miss her..." Neil retorts in a murmur, sadly chuckling while slowly straightening up his back. "Then I found out that she's been going out with you almost every weekend lately."

In response, Albert stands in front of me protectively and explains, "This is a misunderstanding, Neil. Candy and I are very good friends, but that's it."

"Friends? Only friends?" questions Neil sarcastically with a dubious smirk.

I nod exaggeratingly at Neil to show that I agree with what Albert said.

Yet Neil shakes his head disbelievingly and says to Albert while pointing his finger at me, sounding dispirited, "Tell you what... I've been trying my best to woo her since I first met her last fall, but she never looks at me the way she looks at you..." His voice trails off as if he was lost in his thought or in his memories.

The first thing that comes to my mind is, this can't be true, can it?

Aloud, I counter, "That's ludicrous, Neil!"

Nevertheless, what Neil said has caught Albert by surprise, and he acts like he's in some sort of stupor. Then Neil takes this opportunity to leap forward and give Albert a big push, causing Albert to lose his balance. He slips because of black ice [2], falls backward and hits the back of his head on the sidewalk. All these happen so lightning fast that the force of the impact must have been huge. I instantly hurry to crouch down by his side, and I'm aghast to see that he has passed out. Though I'm relieved there seems to be no blood splatter or pool of blood on the ground, I'm unable to contain my anger at present, so I whip my head over my shoulder and shriek accusingly, "Neil, look what you have done!"

But to my horror, I see Neil raise the broken wine bottle toward us. Without second thought, I wrap myself around Albert to protect his head from the imminent strike, hollering with all my might, "No! Don't!"

Further enraged by my reaction, Neil commands fiercely, "Go away, Candy!"

Of course I refuse to cooperate, and his bloodshot eyes tell me that he is under the influence of alcohol, so I admonish him, "Don't do anything you will regret, Neil!"

But he is unrelenting, and he grabs my shoulder in an attempt to yank me out of his way with force. Thus, I tighten my grip around Albert's neck even more. I don't know how much longer I can resist Neil, and with real fear pumping through my veins, I cry in a desperate voice, "I won't let you hurt my prince!"

"Prince?" Neil sounds as if he isn't sure he has heard it right, but within seconds he gives a hoarse guffaw, and I feel his grip loosening. "Now... that's really something, isn't it? I see... so he's your prince!" He stresses the last word mockingly.

I finally realize what I have just said and honestly don't know how to respond to Neil at this instant, but he presses further, "Just admit that he's more than a friend to you and I will leave you guys alone!"

"Promise?" I ask with my head raised a bit, my voice shaking.

He firmly replies, "I just want to hear the truth from you."

Hence, I spin my head sideways to face Neil, who gazes at me expectantly. I bite my bottom lip and answer him tersely, "I used to love and adore Albert, but not anymore. Yet I owe him my life, so he will always be special to me."

"You owe him your life?" he echoes with doubts. "You can't be serious."

"I am serious!" I affirm. "Without him, I wouldn't have been alive right now."

While Neil is registering my words, I plead on the verge of tears, "Please let me take Albert to hospital now, Neil. There's not a moment to lose!"

Just then, a car skids to a stop right behind Albert's car. My parents practically jump off the car, scurrying their way to us.

"Oh God!" Lynn murmurs when she takes in the sight of all three of us somewhat tangled together.

My father swiftly snatches the broken bottle from Neil's hand and demands with an authoritative tone, "What's going on here in front of my house?"

What a relief to see them now! Instantaneously I respond, "Dad, you must do something quick! Albert might have concussion because I think he hit his head pretty hard."

Having said that, I shift my focus back to Albert and shockingly learn that he is looking at me with wide, startled eyes, our faces only inches apart. When exactly did he come to?

Embarrassingly, I hasten to withdraw myself away from him, pulling myself up to a sitting position. I clear my throat nervously and try to act as though nothing peculiar has happened, asking, "Albert, does your head hurt?"

Albert seems a bit disoriented, but manages a strained smile. Then he is about to shake his head, but my father stops him, "Don't move yet." So my father kneels down beside him, wanting to diagnose him and checking if he has concussion symptoms.

After a couple minutes or so, my father turns to me, "How long has Albert been passed out, Candy?"

"I don't know," I reply in all honesty. In fact, I've been worrying if Albert has heard what I said to Neil earlier.

Then my father states, "I believe Albert's alright, but I will take him to hospital for a quick scan just in case."

Only then we notice Lynn has taken Neil aside, talking to him, who lowers his head in shame. While my father is gingerly pulling Albert up, Lynn and Neil advance toward us. She remarks, "Joe, Neil is too impaired to drive right now, so I will take him home. He will send someone else to pick up his car later." After some discussion, Albert gives his car key to my father and asks my father to drive his car, and Lynn will go to the hospital to meet with them after she has dropped off Neil.

Then Neil expresses his remorse to Albert, "I'm awfully sorry for my insolent behavior, Albert. If you want to call the police, feel free."

Albert replies, his voice even but a bit hoarse, "It was an accident, and Dr. Watson said that I should be alright."

Neil nods at him appreciatively and implores, "Please take good care of Candy."

Albert concurs without hesitation, "I certainly will. You need not worry about that."

Then my father comments, "Neil, we should get going now. You take care too, ok?"

With a contrite smile on his face, Neil acknowledges that and takes a step back to make way for them. While my father and Albert head toward Albert's car together, Neil strongly suggests me go with them, "Candy, stop denying your feelings. Actions speak louder than words, so I perceive that you love Albert from the bottom of your heart."

Next, he suddenly takes me into his arms, saying in a crying voice, "This is a goodbye hug, Candy. Now that I know you're in good hands, I won't bother you again."

I willingly return his hug and apologize, "Neil, I have my fault too. Please forgive me."

Then he places a kiss on my cheek before he whispers, "I wish you all the best." I see moisture in his eyes, so I feel tears coming to my eyes too.

When Neil goes to the passenger side of our car with Lynn, I run to his side, trying to encourage him, "Mark my word, Neil! You're a decent guy... it's just that we're not meant for each other."

His face contorts into a melancholy smile as he nods. Then he waves at me and urges, pointing to the car in front of us, "Now go, Candy. Your father's leaving!"

So I hastily run after Albert's car, and luckily my father happens to spot me from the rear-view mirror, so he steps on the brake, halting the car abruptly. I hurry to the driver side as he rolls down the window, frowning worriedly at me. "What's the matter, Candy?"

I have pushed my legs a bit too much, but I can't care less now. I respond, catching my breath, "Can I go with you, Dad?"

"Go to sit with Albert then," he replies while pointing his finger towards the back of the car.

I open the rear door on the driver's side and find Albert sitting behind the passenger seat. I don't know why he is not sitting in the front, but my father must have a reason for that. Smiling at Albert, I get on the car and buckle my seatbelt. Then I announce, "I'm ready now, Dad."

We don't live far away from the general hospital because my father works there. About few minutes down the road, Albert unexpectedly takes my hand in his and says, gazing at me with his striking eyes, "Candy, thank you."

While I can't quite comprehend what this is all about, his next words confirm my suspicions. "I don't know how long I was knocked out, but I overheard your conversation with Neil while you were using your body to protect me from his attack. I think I was in a trance state until you screamed. I wanted to move, but I couldn't because your arms almost choked me."

Meanwhile, he regards me with tenderness, a sweet smile gracing his lips, as he is seemingly waiting for me to respond, but I can't help feeling mortified, hot blood rushing to my face and neck. I have no clue what I'm supposed to do or say to him for the time being. Isn't this the moment I have been dreaming of all this time? That he is available and also knows my innermost feelings for him? But how come I am not happy? What's wrong with me?

While I attempt to gather my racing thoughts, Albert leans over and kisses my forehead lightly. Then something dawns on me. He just confessed to me about half an hour ago that he hadn't got over his ex yet. Therefore, he's grateful to me for what I have done, but that's it.

So I finally muster up my courage after beats of silence and remark casually, "Don't mention it again. Friends are supposed to look out for each other, right?"

He stares at me quietly and thoughtfully for a moment before his face breaks into an understanding smile. He puts his arm around me and gives me a friendly squeeze, saying, "That's right. We are good friends, aren't we?"

I nod, putting up a mischievous smile on my face. "Not only that... we are even now, Albert."

"What are you talking about?" he responds, apparently confused.

"You owe me your life too!" I answer, giggling.

It takes him seconds to grasp my meaning. Then, clearly amused, he bows slightly at me and replies, "Yeah, I guess so. But didn't you say I was your prince? So should I call you Princess Candice?"

Then we begin chortling out loud, and even my father is shaking his head after shooting us a glance. As our laughter subsides, I speak to Albert in a low and soft voice, "Don't call me princess, Albert. I like the nickname you gave me better." I won't let Albert know the real nickname I gave him, which is likely too corny for his taste.

He lets out a chuckle. "You mean the glamour girl of the slopes?"

I look up and give him a playful grin. He then plants a peck on my forehead and says, "Guess what? I was proud to have come up with that nickname myself when I was scribbling the note to you."

"Talking about that, Albert, your note means a lot to me, even now. I have it framed to remind myself that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it."

Then he tightens his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him as if this is something natural between us. I have longed to be this close to him, and my dream has come true right now even though he doesn't reciprocate my feelings. I must admit my love for him, being repressed for so long, has revived when I thought Neil was going to kill him.

Neither of us speak a word during the rest of the ride, and we are comfortable with each other even in silence. Leaning my head on his broad shoulder, I can hear his strong heartbeat and feel his warm breath on my hair. His scent envelopes me, filling my senses. This whole situation seems surreal, and yet that feeling of wanting time to stop so that the moment would be frozen forever comes back to me. I simply close my eyes and savor it while it lasts, aware that I will cherish this memory from now on, just like our kiss under the mistletoe.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take us long to get to the hospital. My father was right. According to the scanning result, Albert is fine despite having two big bumps on the back of his head. By the time Lynn has arrived at the hospital, Albert is discharged. The doctor has told him that if he does not feel well later or have hard time concentrate or remember things, he should check with his family doctor again.

Albert thanks all of us and insists he is able to drive although my father offers to take him home. As we bid him goodbye, he eyes me and remarks, "See you again, soon?"

I shake my head and explain, "I have a few midterm exams starting this week, and I have projects to work on too."

Disappointment flashes across his face, and I suggest, attempting to cheer him up, "You can go skiing yourself or with other competent skiers in the weekend. Without me, you can enjoy skiing in the more scenic and challenging terrains."

He nods with a smile and responds, "I can probably do other things too, not just skiing. Anyway, good night, Candy." Then he leans down and whispers to my ear, "You will always be special to me too, the glamour girl of the slopes." My throat thickens, and my heartbeat quickens, but I know full well that I am merely one of his more special friends.

During the ride home, my father wants me to recount everything in detail. I don't feel like doing it for the moment, and Lynn senses my reluctance. Then what she says to my father blows me away, "Joe, I will fill you in later... Neil has told me a lot. In a nutshell, the fact that our dear daughter is obviously head over heels for Albert has finally set Neil free, honey."

=o=o=o=

I am tied up with school work for the following weeks, so I haven't seen Albert, not even once. As much as I miss him, to avoid harbouring false hopes myself or giving him the wrong impression, I do not take my initiative to find him. We keep in touch through occasional emails however.

On Valentine's Day, Annie and Patty insist I join their party in a restaurant, where live music and dance floor is provided. After my last lesson for the day, Annie drags me to Archie's car, ignoring my protest. Her reason is, "Who knows? You might meet someone single over there too!"

When we arrive, I see Patty and Stear waiting for us by the table already. After dinner, my friends can't wait to get out to dance, so they tag me along without asking if I really want to dance. Since it's fast music, I don't mind dancing with them as a group. After a couple of upbeat songs, the band plays a romance song, so I excuse myself. At that instant, I decide to leave the party since I feel so out of place anyway. Luckily, Annie and Patty enjoy slow dancing with their boyfriends so much that when I sneak out, they do not notice at all.

It begins snowing outside, so it's freezing cold, but I'm only glad that I'm alone again. I gather that both Annie and Patty wanted to keep me company tonight, but they don't understand that it actually makes me feel lonelier than ever. By the time they find my note on the table, they will get the idea that I do not appreciate being forced to come. This is what I have written down:

'Valentine's Day is so commercialized now that couples are pressured to act romantic on this particular day every year. For singles, it's even worse. Without having a "special someone" in our lives, we are like losers in the world. Have fun, my friends. I'm going home, and please don't call me.

Candy'

I admit that I did that on an impulse, but I couldn't stop myself from ranting. I probably will apologize to Annie or Patty later in school, but all I want to do right now is to hide in my bed and sleep. So I call a taxi, but when I am almost home, I happen to spot Albert's car parked along the street near my house. Why is he here?

Then I realize that if I'm in a bad mood because of Valentine's Day, the pain Albert feels must have been excruciating! It only reminds him of his loss of someone truly special to him. Thus, after I have paid the taxi driver, I carefully saunter over to Albert's car. The snow is getting heavier now, and it begins to stick to the ground.

I have expected to see him inside the car, but I'm still surprised when he appears sleeping with his head down on his folded arms on top of the steering wheel. It's about nine o'clock now, and is he this drowsy already? At any rate, I determine to wake him up or he may catch cold. So I take off my gloves and tap on his window repeatedly until he is awoken.

When he opens his eyes sluggishly, I tap on the glass even louder to catch his attention. He's seemingly delighted to see me, and he swiftly opens his door and gets off the car.

"Hi Candy!" he greets me with a genuine smile.

I banter, "Albert, don't tell me you're looking for a date here."

He grins and asks without answering my question, "Have you eaten yet, Candy?"

"Yes. Why?"

Just then, his stomach growls. He looks embarrassed at me, stammering, "Sorry... I have skipped my dinner... I shouldn't have assumed that you're home."

I offer, "No problem! Let me fix you something to eat."

But he turns me down, "Never mind, Candy. I will buy some take-out myself."

I know he must have a reason to see me tonight, so I plead, "Please keep me company, will you? My parents have gone for a romantic getaway, and it's so quiet in the house."

He hesitates for a brief moment before he concedes and trails after me. Stepping through the door and into the living room, we hang our winter coats on the coat rack. I remark, "Please help yourself, Albert." He nods and replies, "I will. Thanks!"

I steal a glance as he begins to unbutton his collar and loosen his tie. I believe he has come straight from work because he is in his work attire. I must admit he looks rather dazzling in his dark suit, sky blue business shirt with a navy blue tie.

We have an open kitchen family room design, and the first thing I do is to turn on the gas fireplace in the family room by flicking the electrical light switch mounted on the wall next to it. While I am looking inside the pantry, Albert remains standing in the family room, watching me quietly. Then I ask, spinning my head around to face him, "Is instant noodles ok? I'm an expert in making yummy instant noodles."

Just then, his mobile rings. After taking a glance at his phone, he smiles and gives me an 'ok' sign with his fingers. As I pour water into a pot for boiling, he picks up his phone, "Hi mom!"

I don't know why he doesn't go somewhere else to talk to his mother. He probably doesn't mind, but I do. I feel as if I'm eavesdropping, but then what he says next astonishes me, "Yes, it's snowing... don't worry, I'm with Candy right now... ok ... love you too, bye!"

Then he hangs up and finds me staring at him, bewildered. "What?" he questions, obviously puzzled too.

"Your mother knows about me?" I ask dubiously.

"Of course," he answers, putting his mobile back into his pants pocket. As he takes off his jacket and lays it on a chair, he elaborates, "My parents know that you were the girl I met in Whistler years ago, and they are happy that you're picking up skiing again. In fact, they were disappointed that they didn't have a chance to meet you back in Mexico. Remember that I asked you about it but you declined?"

I nod my head but I don't know what else to say at this point. I do realize that I don't want to be reminded of that trip for I have put in a lot of effort to place it securely at the back of my mind, so I shift my focus to cooking. Before long, his meal is ready, and I place the bowl and chopsticks on our casual dining table near the kitchen right beside the family room.

As I beckon him to sit down, he perceives that I have cooked more than one portion, so I comment, "I assume you must be starving by now, so I deliberately cooked two portions. Don't worry if you can't finish it all."

He thanks me for the extra ingredients I have thrown in, such as meatballs and different kinds of vegetables like broccoli and mushrooms, and proceeds to eat with great relish. I love watching him eat while I'm having my bedtime snacks. It doesn't take him long to devour them all, so he responds after wiping his mouth, "This is more delicious than I thought, Candy! Thank you."

"You're very welcome, Albert. I see that you're pretty good using chopsticks."

A smug grin spreads across his face as he replies, "Guess what? Instant noodles are my constant companion too when I was a student. I love cooking, but I just didn't have the leisure or time. But whenever I had a break between projects and exams, I would cook a gourmet dinner for Chantal-"

He suddenly stops talking as if he has inadvertently touched on something sensitive, his face contorting into a deep frown. Well, he just mentioned his ex-fiancée's name after all.

So I utter, striving to sound eager, "Please go on, Albert. I actually want to know more about your life as a student in Boston." Well, that's half true because I'm not completely certain if I'm ready to hear about Chantal, but my gut feeling tells me that Albert wants a pair of listening ears tonight.

Yet he shakes his head dejectedly, saying, "No. I don't want to talk about her... maybe later, but not now."

I hide my surprise by standing up to clean up the table, but he stops my hands. I look up to meet his captivating blue eyes, and my heart skips a beat as I hold his gaze. Then he offers with a warm smile, rolling up his shirt sleeves, "Please let me do it."

I am standing right beside him while he is washing the dishes in the kitchen sink. He expresses his wish to know more about me as a person, so I answer his questions one by one.

"So you want to be a medical doctor too, Candy? Like your father?"

I nod with pride and reply, "Yes. I want to be another Dr. Watson in the family. Do you know my father used to have a nickname? His peers teased him as-"

Albert emits a chuckle and finishes my sentence for me, "Dr. John Watson, the friend and assistant of detective Sherlock Holmes."

"Right on!" I respond out loud, laughing with him.

I have prepared some green tea for both of us, so when he's done all the washing, we sit down on the sofa in the family room together, relaxing. As we sip our tea, I inquire, interrupting our companionable silence, "Albert, do you know why green tea is good?"

He contemplates a bit before he shakes his head, "I only know that it's good, but don't know why."

So I provide the standard answer to him, "Green tea is beneficial to our health because of its antioxidants called catechins. I can continue to talk more about it, but I won't bore you out tonight." [3]

He takes another sip of his tea, a radiant smile forming on his perfect lips. Then he remarks, "You're simply fascinating, Candy. Frankly, I can forget all my troubles when I'm chatting with you. That's why I decided to come here tonight hoping to get a chance to see you."

As I have suspected, something must be bothering him, and I take that he's ready to talk about it at last. "It's my honor indeed, Albert. I'm all ears." I mean what I say this time because I do want to help him in whatever way I can. I consider him my best friend now.

Putting his cup down on the coffee table, he sinks in the sofa and lets himself fall in a pensive and reflective mood. Minutes tick away slowly when I'm patiently waiting for him to speak up. A long moment later, he asks softly, "Forgive me for bringing this up, but how did your father get over your mother's death?"

He regards me with his gentle eyes, which are glittering with emotions. I was right. Valentine's Day does have this powerful effect on people who are grieving of a past love. Then I begin with a deep sigh, "I don't know all the details, but according to my father, he cried himself to sleep every night, only to be awakened by nightmares, in which he relived the accident and the moment before my mother breathed her last, like a movie playing over and over. After weeks like that, he sought help by seeing a therapist, and Lynn was the one who helped him to overcome."

When I'm done talking, I am shocked to see a single tear escape his eye. While I watch it slowly slide down his cheek, he's suddenly aware of it and wipes his face with the back of his hand. He seems to be just as shocked as I am when he notices that his hand is wet. Then he throws me a swift glance and utters, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't cry-"

"Why not? Don't give me the nonsense that being a man means that you can't cry!"

He exhales exasperatedly and responds, "When I was growing up, I was taught not to cry or to mourn because I was going to be a leader one day. I should toughen up and-"

I interject his sentence again, "I know you have been trained and conditioned to suppress your emotions, but then you're fighting against yourself, which can have a negative impact on your emotional health."

I must have sounded professional enough, so he's looking at me with tears brimming his eyes. Then, he lowers his head as though he is grappling for words. Some time later, he speaks up, "During the course of dinner with several close friends tonight, her boyfriend proposed in front of them, and she happily accepted."

"What?" I can't believe my ears. A lump rises in my throat. "She is dating already? And she's engaged too?"

Then he buries his face in his hands as he murmurs a reply, "One of my buddies in Boston, Jonathan, informed me about two weeks ago that he could no longer keep his mouth shut... that Chantal had been going out with a prosecutor in his early thirties. I haven't been able to talk to anybody else about this, not even Rosemary... for she's late in her pregnancy."

I'm weeping while listening to him. Presently, I hear him snuffling, and I realize that he finally allows himself to shed tears over this. The sight makes me lose it, and without much thought of decorum or consequence, I have moved closer to him and drawn him to myself protectively, letting him cry on my shoulder. I'm relieved that he doesn't resist at all and is willing to open up, revealing some more about his injured feelings.

When he calms down later, he continues in a stuffy voice, "Jonathan called me up again when I was about to leave my office this evening, telling me the 'good' news. You know, Boston is three hours ahead of us... My original plan was to go home for dinner with my parents, but I just couldn't..."

"So you came here instead," I reckon. He nods slightly and gradually pulls himself away from me. My eyes are now locked in his gaze when he whispers to me, "Thank you, Candy. My heart is so much lighter now."

"Glad to be of help, Albert," I reply in a soft voice, embarrassed about what just happened between us. I can feel my cheeks blushing and my pulse racing, so I avoid his eyes, check his cup and find that it's empty, which is a good excuse for me currently. "Let me pour you some more tea. It has soothing and calming effect on people." He nods with appreciation as I walk away.

However, when I return, he dozes off on the sofa, so I place his cup on the coffee table and sit down beside him. He looks so peaceful, nearly childlike. Perhaps he hasn't been able to sleep much lately knowing that Chantal has begun a relationship with another man. I can imagine how immensely wounded he was when he first got the news.

About ten minutes or so later, when I'm absolutely certain that he's sound asleep, I help him lie down on the sofa, pulling his legs up and using one of the cushions as his pillow. After I have placed a warm comforter over him, I kneel by the sofa to watch his even breathing, and a smile finds its way to my face. As tender feelings are evoked within me, I reach out to caress his tear-streaked cheeks. While lightly brushing his blond hair off his forehead, I prayerfully wish that someone who really deserves his love will show up one day. Then I become so emotionally stirred that I lean closer to kiss his forehead.

At this instant, my senses come back to me. His parents may be worried, so I give them a call. His father answers the phone, "Hello?" After I have explained the situation to him, he agrees that I shouldn't disturb Albert's slumber. Before I go to bed, I turn off all the lights, but I decide to leave the fireplace on for the night to keep him warm.

Early next morning, a white blanket of snow covers everywhere, including the rooftops and trees. The scene is breathtaking because the snow glistens under the bright winter sun. I wonder if Albert is up yet, so I hasten to put on my morning robe and walk to the family room, but to my chagrin, he's already gone. Not only the comforter is neatly folded on the sofa, but his belongings are no longer here.

Then I smell something good, and I spot a scrumptious breakfast on the dining table nearby, including pancakes, scrambled eggs, fresh fruits and a cup of coffee. The food is still warm, so I have just missed him. Feeling moody, I see a handwritten note next to the plate, saying,

'Dear Candy,

I can't express my appreciation enough for what you did to me last night. I knew you would understand my feelings. This morning when I woke up, I felt as though I had been given a new life. Rather than wasting time to pine over someone who does not truly love me, I should move on. I still remember your words to me earlier, "nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it."

Hope you like the breakfast I made. Have a wonderful day! I will give you a call when I get home.

Sincerely yours,

Albert

p.s. Based on what Neil said the other night, I have later figured out that you had been resolutely hiding from me (to forget about me I surmise?) before we crossed paths again on Grouse Mountain. I will follow your example and do my utmost best to get over Chantal. I promise.'

(to be continued...)

=o=o=o=

Author's note: I can't finish this story by Christmas as planned, but rather than jamming everything into one long chapter, I have decided to split the chapter again. If any of you spot any mistake, please do not hesitate to let me know. If you like this chapter, I would love to hear from you too. Thank you in advance!

Footnote:

[1] Taekwondo is a martial art originating in Korea. It combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, and in some cases meditation and philosophy. According to wikipedia, in 1989, taekwondo was the world's most popular martial art in terms of number of practitioners. It remains quite popular among kids, especially boys, in Vancouver nowadays.

[2] Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, refers to a thin coating of glazed ice on a surface. While not really black, it is virtually transparent, allowing black asphalt roadways to be seen through it, hence the term "black ice". It can form even when the temperature is above freezing. This makes driving or walking on affected surfaces extremely dangerous. Thus, a concussion may result from a seemingly innocuous fall on a hard pavement. The taller the person, the larger the impact.

[3] There are four primary polyphenols in green tea which are often collectively referred to as catechins. Powerful antioxidants, catechins, have been shown in recent studies to fight viruses, slow aging, and have a beneficial effect on health.

=o=o=o=

Revised: Dec 29, 2012

Revised: Jan 30, 2012 (Gave Albert's friend in Boston a name)