The Broken Hearts
Chapter 6
"The Thanksgiving dinner"
The living room was full of waiters and the butler was at the door to open it to the guests. The first guests to arrive were Robert Hathaway and his wife Carole.
- Terrence! Good evening! Thank you for accepting to host the dinner here
- Good evening and you're welcome Robert, said Terry smiling, Mrs. Hathaway
- Miss Brighton, said Hathaway, good evening
- Good evening Mr. Hathaway, said Annie with a smile, Mrs. Hathaway.
- Good evening, said Mrs. Hathaway smiling.
- Welcome, said Terry
- Thank you very much Terry, said Hathaway
The couple entered the living room. Other guests from the troupe arrived.
- Good evening Terrence, said one actress
- Karen, said Terry
She completely ignored Annie and smiled with all her teeth to the handsome Terrence.
- I'm happy to spend Thanksgiving with you, she said with a sensual voice, I'm available for you, is you need my help
- Thank you Terrence
Karen walked away with a provocative walk. Annie and Terry looked at her.
- "I'm available for you if you need my help"? Repeated Annie
- She's very servable, said Terry
- Oh that, I'm sure of! Said Annie smiling
Eleonor Baker arrived, stunning and very beautiful in dress enhancing her breast. Her hair was up in bun, perfect. She smiled seeing the couple at the door.
- Terrence! She said smiling, here's an image I like seeing!
- Good evening mum…
- Miss Baker…
- You look like a young couple greeting theirs guests…
- That's actually what we're doing, but we're not a couple and Robert and his wife will come and take our place once they had something to drink…
- Robert is already here? Said Eleonor
She entered the living room. Robert's face lit up when he saw her come in. His wife was sulking. Eleonor went to say hi to Robert, just to get on his wife's nerves. She liked making fun of her, she felt like she was back in school…
Susanna Marlowe arrived at the door and she was sulking when she saw Terry with Annie.
- Oh, Terry and… what was your name again?
- Annie…
- Oh yeah! Why are you at the door greeting us? Asked Susanna
- Because this is my house and Mr. Hathaway and his wife will replace in a few moments…
- I can stay if you want, she said, euh, what was your name again? Oh yeah! Annie can go and sit for a moment and get a little rest…
- If someone want needs to sit, it's not me, said Annie, there are armchairs in the living room. There's even one where you can lie down with your leg. I'm going to continue to keep Terrence company. After all, he's nice enough to let me stay at his house, he even got a job for me, that's the least I can do, Miss… I'm sorry, I forgot your name, said Annie politely.
Susanna walked away.
- Another one offering her services, said Annie
- People are very generous theses days…
- You don't even need to lift you little finger and they come running… You're very lucky, said Annie ironically
- Thanks for staying…
- I was not going to let your ex-fiancée send me packing…
- You nicely put her back in her place…
She didn't have the time to reply, other guests arrived and they had to greet them. Robert Hathaway arrived a little while later to replace them with his wife.
- It's time for you to go get something to drink, said Hathaway
- Thank you, said Terry, let's go Annie…
He took her arms and they walked together to the living room. They got something to drink from the tray of the waiters and they ate some appetizers. Some young actresses arrived to speak to Terry. Annie found herself talking to Eleonor.
- I have to admit that it was a pleasure to see Terry and you at the door…
- It was nothing, said Annie
- Don't fool yourself. You've broken the hopes of all those little actresses who were hoping to get Terry's attention…
- Well, looks like that's what they're doing now, said Annie
- You left them the empty field…
- Miss Baker, Terrence is old enough to manage on his own.
- As a matter of fact, and it does nothing to you to see him surrounded by women…
- Should it do anything to me?
- I don't know, after all, you're only friends. You probably want him to be happy… especially with all those actresses spinning around him…
Annie didn't reply and looked a Terry surrounded by ladies… She was refusing to admit it, but she was jealous…
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At the Andrew Manor in New York, they had eaten Thanksgiving dinner at lunch time. Their guests had other invitations.
Albert was there, head of the family and he was presiding the table. The great-aunt was not very happy because her grand-nephew Archibald didn't come with Albert.
- He's alone in Chicago? William, you should've brought him with you!
- I couldn't force him to come here, aunt Elroy.
- But what is he doing alone in Chicago?
- He's going to go spend Thanksgiving at the Brightons…
- I thought he had broken up with Brighton's daughter?
- Well he decided that he missed her and he wants her back…
- What? Said Eliza, for once he does something good and he goes out with young ladies from good families, he wants to have that little twit back?
- "The little twit", apparently was treating him better than all those young ladies from good families, said Albert, he realized what he had done and he wants a chance to have Annie back.
- Jesus-Christ, said Mrs. Reagan, some people never learn!
- Well, I have to respond to an invitation, said Albert
- Which one? Asked Eliza
- If you want to know, Terry invited me to his Thanksgiving dinner…
- Oh, said Eliza, can I come with you, please?
Eliza's voice had become soft all of a sudden and very polite. Which surprised Albert. Then he remembered that Candy had told him that she was in love with Terry…
- Of course Eliza, you can come with me, are you ready?
- I'm following you… goodbye everybody!
Albert and Eliza stood up from the table. Eliza went to get her purse and her coat. She left with Albert and he was driving his own car. They went at Terry's.
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At Terry's a surprised guest arrived.
- Father? Said Terry surprised, what are you doing here?
The duke of Grandchester, very elegant in his black suit and his white shirt, had just entered Terry's living room. Terry left his group of women and walked towards his father. He stopped when he arrived in front of him. The duke took his son in his arms and hugged him hard, to this last one biggest surprise.
- My son! He said, how good it is to see you again
Terry hugged him back.
- It's good to see you too, dad, said Terry moved.
Eleonor Baker was talking to some acquaintance; she stopped when she saw Terry with his father.
- Excuse-me, she said walking away.
She walked towards Terry and his father. The father and son, let go of each other.
- Good evening Ellie, said the duke kissing her hand
- Good evening Richard, said Eleonor without a smile
- You're very beautiful today, as usual
- Thank you. Can we know what did you come to do here?
- Mum, that can wait a little, don't you think so? Said Terry, he had just arrived, said Terry
- I thought I heard you ask him the same question, didn't you?
- Yes, but that was before I knew he came with no hostility, said Terry
- So, that's it? One hug and you forget everything?
- Eleonor, I didn't come to create problems. I came to see my son on stage with his mother, said the duke
- I beg your pardon? Said Eleonor
- I'm proud that my son is managing so well, he said, looking at the house, and I couldn't miss the big even in Broadway; Eleonor Baker and her son on stage!
- You heard about it in England? Asked Terry
- He's got spies keeping an eye on you, honey, said Eleonor
- Oh… Thank you for coming father, I hope it without any ulterior motive… Make yourself at home dad. There are drinks… Mum, be nice!
Terry walked away leaving his parents alone. Robert Hathaway, who wasn't at the door anymore, because his guest of honor, his sponsors had arrived, was looking at the duke with curious eyes. That was the man who stole Eleonor Baker's heart all those years ago! Terry approached Robert Hathaway.
- Robert, Mrs. Hathaway, come with me, I want to introduce you to my father…
- All right, said Hathaway taking his wife's arm after apologizing to his friends.
While walking, Terry saw Annie with a group and he told her:
- Annie, can you come with me?
- All right Terry, said Annie
She excused herself and followed Terry and the Hathaway couple. They arrived in front of the duke and Eleonor.
- Dad, I want you introduce you to Robert Hathaway and his wife. Robert, Mrs. Hathaway, let me introduce you to my father, the duke of Grandchester…
- Pleased to meet you, M. Hathaway, Mrs. Hathaway.
And he kissed her hand.
- Please to meet you, your grace, said Hathaway
- I'm glad to make your acquaintance, your Grace, said Mrs. Hathaway smiling
- Robert, said Eleonor, have our sponsors arrived?
- Yes, but they are not easy to convince, said Hathaway
- Even knowing that I'm going to be on stage with my son? Said Eleonor
- I'm sure that after the premiere Saturday night, they will be ready to finance us, said Hathaway
- I'm ready to double the amount of your sponsors, said the duke
Hathaway and his wife looked at him, stunned.
- Really? Said Terry
- My son and his mother on stage, that's a big event, said the duke, I want to contribute…
- Thank you dad, said Terry smiling
- Yes, thank you Your Grace, said Hathaway smiling
Everybody turned to look at Eleonor who wasn't saying anything. She walked away from the group. Terry made a diversion by introducing Annie…
- Oh dad, I wanted to introduce you to Annie Brighton, my friend.
- Please to meet you, Miss Brighton, said the duke kissing her hand
- I'm please to meet you Your Grace, said Annie politely.
- Excuse-us, said Hathaway, we have to get back to our sponsors
He walked away with his wife. Terry stayed with his father and Annie.
- A friend, said the duke, is there any particular reason you're introducing me to this beautiful young lady?
- In a way, said Terry
- In which way? Is she a special friend like the young girl in college?
- Which young girl in college? Asked Terry.
- The young girl; when you left college. I got an anonymous letter telling me that you had left college because of a little schemer… the reverend mother told me she was a very good friend of yours and she could've known where you went. The young girl in question showed me the note you left for her… I was angry and I left saying that I wouldn't be making any more donations to the school. And the young girl in question followed me; she hung on to my carriage behind to speak to me. I stopped the carriage and she talked to her, she convinced me to let you pursue your dream and not to stop my donation to the college… Her name was… Candy, Candy Andrew!
Terry and Annie were stunned. Candy was the reason his father didn't come and look for him and force him back to England!
- Oh my God! Said Terry, she was the reason of your presence here? She softened you up?
- As a matter of fact, said the duke
- I can't believe she pleaded the cause of a school that treated her so badly! Said Terry
- She was special, she was an angel, said Annie with tears in her eyes
- "was"? Said the duke, Candy is dead?
- Yes, father, Candy has left us. She was ta the war… a stray bullet…
- Oh my God! Said the duke sorry, she was a young girl who cared a lot about you…
- And I cared a lot about her, said Terry
- She was my sister, said Annie; we grew up together in the same orphanage. Excuse-me…
Annie walked away to go powder her nose.
- I'm going to go look for your mother, said the duke
- She's playing hard to get, dad, you know her…
- Oh yes, I know her! Said the duke smiling.
Terry looked at his father walking towards his mother… he smiled. He thought about Candy, who had helped him and she had probably forgot about it… She wasn't the kind to boast about the good deeds she did.
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Albert and Eliza arrived at Terry and they could smell the turkey. There was a lot of noise. They entered the living room. Eliza spotted Terry right away.
- He's over there, she said pulling Albert.
They arrived in front of Terry who was talking with colleagues.
- Terrence! Said Eliza smiling
He turned around surprise to hear her voice. He smiled when he saw Albert. He gave him his hand.
- Albert! Welcome to my house! Eliza…
- Good evening Terrence… I'm happy to see you.
- Albert? Eliza? Said Annie who had just arrived.
Both of them looked at her surprised.
- Annie Brighton? Said Eliza
- What are you doing here? Asked Albert
- I live in New York now, said Annie
- Oh, said Albert, well Archie is in for a big surprise…
- Archie? Said Annie, is he here?
- No, said Albert, in fact he's your parents…
- At my parents?
- Yes, the Brightons
- My parents? Repeated Annie, why?
- Well… he wants to make up with you…
- WHAT? Said Terry and Annie at the same time.
- He realized he'd made a mistake…, said Albert.
- Well I say, he's made the right choice! Said Eliza with disdain
Terry looked at her.
- Always so charming, Eliza, said Terry.
Annie was too surprised to say anything.
Mr. Hathaway chose that moment to announce that the dinner was served in the living room. Everybody walked to the living room… Terry had to call Annie, because she was till daydreaming thinking about what Albert had just said… Archie wanted to make up with her?
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As a matter of fact…
- Archibald Cornwell? Said Mrs. Brighton surprised.
- Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Brighton, said Archie, I came to see Annie…
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