CHAPTER 8: Lunch Auction
Candy spent Sunday morning on working and studying.
Taking Pouppe~ with him, Albert spent Sunday morning went with LeAnn to her brother's wedding.
Although looking cordial on the outside, in the inside Albert put a wall of infinite thickness to LeAnn. Yet, he had to admit that LeAnn looked amazing compared to her usual formal look in pencil skirt with suit or the engineer slack in the lab. On top of that, she's a brilliant strategist and researcher... a fascinating woman.
Just like Albert, LeAnn equally believed that one shouldn't mix business life with private life... She stayed impassive on the outside although in the inside her heart was jumping. She was so proud showing of her tall date to her friends and family. She wore shoes with the highest heel she had and yet, for the first time, her date was still taller.
oOo
Albert was already back in Chicago in the early afternoon. In the evening, he went to Candy's apartment to have dinner with her and to discuss the Monday's fund-raising activity in Pony's home.
Albert and Candy had been discussing about the event since Albert was in the business trip through their correspondence. Albert wanted to donate some fund for Pony's home renovation and other things. Ms. Pony and Sr. Lane accepted with gratitude, but they insisted to contribute some effort too. After exchanging ideas, they all agreed to hold an open house and a lunch auction in Pony's home.
"Albert, we haven't decided who should participate in the lunch auction," said Candy starting the discussion that evening.
Sr. Lane never was interested to participate in the lunch auction, so did Annie who only wanted to have lunch with her Archie. Ms. Pony wanted Candy to go. Candy's outgoing personality fitted so well for the job but Ms. Pony hesitated if Candy should go to have lunch with some unknown person. Candy shared Ms. Pony's concern to Albert.
"Sure, you could go, Candy," encouraged Albert. "If you decided the person's manner were inappropriate, you could always decline the lunch."
Albert called his lawyers and instructed them to prepare a set of legal rules to protect Candy from abusive participants. He'd provide a bodyguard and make sure the lunch was done in a crowded restaurant picked by Albert. Hence it's decided. Candy would volunteer to participate in the auction representing the Pony's home. Albert notified George to announce that decision in the press that night.
After taking care of fund-raising issues, Albert then cooked for Candy some new recipes he learned during the business trip. It felt just like in the good old days. Even better, now there're servants to do the clean up.
Albert didn't leave for home until late. Candy felt so happy to have his company.
OooOooo
On Monday
Finally, the anticipated fund-raising day in Pony's home was here.
Albert, Archie, Annie, and many other rich and famous guests came to support the program. Purely for friendship sake, Terry came all the way from New York to lend his star power. He took a couple of his famous actor friends with him too to spark the occasion.
Candy saw Eliza try to get Terry's attention as usual. But half along the way, she fell for one of Terry's friends. Surprisingly he seemed to be smitten too by Eliza. For the rest of the day, the two were quiet - drowned to each other.
Candy didn't see Neal and she felt thankful that he listened to her demand.
How easy it is to get rid of Neal these days, Candy thought, amazed.
Albert led the fundraising event with Archie acted as his assistant. The event started with the question and answer session. Much to Ms. Pony and Sr. Lane's gratitude, Albert handled all the talking. Candy proudly watched her responsible man do his outstanding speech, professionally answering questions. Then, Albert took the visitors for a tour around the Pony's home. After that, came the highly anticipated lunch auction!
Everyone excitedly went to the main hall. Each participant registered and got a number so they could easily be identified while bidding. Albert acted as the auctioneer.
"Here we have Ms. Candice," Albert announced. He explained briefly about Candy's Pony's home background. "Ms. Candice is kindly willing to accompany the auction winner to lunch and to answer any question about Pony's home."
The audience clapped their hands.
"Without further due, let's start the bidding," declared Albert. "What if we start at, say, fifty dollars*?"
The audience clapped again and roared excitedly giving their support. Candy was excited. She would be proud if she could raise at least a thousand dollars for Pony's home.
"Let's start," Albert began. "Fifty dollars."
"Sixty." Someone quickly made an offer.
"Seventy," said another making a counter offer.
"Eighty," said yet another participant.
Wow… Candy felt excited at the participation. People rock!
Bids were buzzing in and the price leveled around one thousand dollars.
"Five thousand dollars," said Terry who started to enter the bid. Candy looked at his friend, appreciated his participation. He smiled charmingly at her.
"Six thousand dollars."
"Seven thousand dollars."
"Ten thousand dollars."
"Twenty thousand dollars," continued Terry calmly.
Candy was hoping the auction would stop here so she could eat with someone she knew, her best friend, Terry.
"Twenty thousand dollars. Going once, going twice, going…," said Albert.
Great, Candy was about to jump up on her feet and walked to Terry to celebrate when a new voice entered the bid.
"Fifty thousand dollars," said the new voice bringing the bidding back alive. The voice was soft, coming from the back of the room.
An audible gasp filled the room as everyone turned to see the new bidder, including Candy. The bidder was a man, probably in the upper forties, half bald with glasses. He held number eleven.
"Sixty thousand dollars," countered Terry.
"Seventy thousand dollars."
"Eighty thousand dollars."
"One hundred thousand dollars," said the man who's holding number eleven.
A burst of excitement buzzed from the audience.
"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars," said Terry.
At this stage, mainly Terry and the man with number eleven exchanged bids actively. The audience excitedly followed the two of them.
… … …
"Three hundred thousand dollars," offered the man number eleven a few minutes later.
"Three hundred thousand dollars and ten," said Terry. He gave a hopeless looked to Candy.
"Five hundred thousand dollars," countered the man number eleven easily.
Candy weakly sank to her chair. The excitement soon changed to disbelief - someone really wanted to pay that much? She would already happy if she could raise one thousand dollars and someone offered five hundred times as much!
"Five hundred thousand dollars,… going once, twice… Last call." Albert pounded his gravel on the rostrum. "Sold to the bidder number eleven."
Thus, the auction was over.
Applause erupted. Thus, concluded the fund-raising activity for the day. The press swarmed around the man number eleven to take his picture to be put in the news.
From the far, Terry looked at Candy with an apologetic gesture. He shook his head forming sorry with his mouth. Candy smiled back at Terry forming that's okay with her mouth, blowing a thank you kiss to her kind friend.
Archie took the rest of the crowd for lunch hosted by the Pony's home while Candy nervously walked behind Albert to meet the auction winner. The short man number eleven had a friendly face and laughing eyes. Candy felt a bit relieved seeing his agreeable kind face.
"Sir William, it's an honor to see you," said the winner number eleven. He greeted Albert with a handshake and a formal bow. "John. John Stewart."
"The pleasure is all mine," returned Albert ceremoniously. He turned around to introduce Candy. "Ms. Candice Ardlay."
"Ms. Ardlay nice meeting you." John held out his hand for a handshake.
"Nice meting you too, Mr. Stewart," replied Candy accepting his handshake. "Thank you. It's very generous of you."
He nodded with much respect to Candy.
"Is Ms. Ardlay ready to go now? My master is waiting for you in the restaurant."
"'Master'?" blurted Candy.
"I came here on behalf of my master. He had an engagement this morning which prevented him taking part in the morning section," explained John in a polished tone. "Please accept our apology."
Albert and Candy looked at one another. From what Candy understood, Albert told her that the bidder must show up in person. Clearly this was a violation of the written rule. Candy stared at her prince silently begged for a guidance.
"May we know your master's name?" asked Albert.
"He'd rather not disclose his identity at this moment, Sir William," declined John professionally. "He will reveal himself to Ms. Ardlay at lunch."
"Would you excuse us for a moment, Mr. Stewart?" asked Albert.
John bowed.
Albert took Candy to the adjacent room for a private discussion.
"This is outside the outlined rule, Candy. You're supposed to meet the person first before going out to have lunch with him. You don't have to go."
"It'd be fine, Albert," persuaded Candy. "The lunch is held in a public place, isn't it?"
She wanted to go. Half million dollars! Just for a lunch with a stranger? She would do it for Ms. Pony and Sr. Lane who had been so kind to her since she was a baby.
After some negotiation and consulting lawyers, Albert arranged to have Candy go separately in a separate car with her own driver and two body guards.
Half an hour later Candy arrived at the destination.
John had Candy seated in the middle of the crowded restaurant.
"Ms. Ardlay, I'll be back soon," said John after Candy was comfortably seated.
Candy waited quietly, impatient to have the lunch and got the money deposited into Pony's home back account.
Who says there's no such thing as free lunch?, Candy laughed to herself. She played with her fingers, feeling hopeful and happy trying to guess how the person looked like. John said it's a "he" so he's a man. Probably a kind old rich man the way she used to imagine uncle William was or Mr. McGregor+.
From the corner of her eyes, Candy sensed someone watching her… soon she saw a man in a very expensive suit coming to her direction, approaching her.
Must be him, thought Candy.
Candy lifted up her head with a megawatt smile which fell apart as soon as her eyes hit the man's face. He's not the old kind man she's been imagining. It's that familiar wicked face with that trademark grin.
"Neal!" she whispered.
With one wave, Neal dismissed John who's scurrying behind him. He then came alone approaching Candy with the arrogant look she had often seen him put on his face.
"Good afternoon, Candy," Neal began.
…
-To Be Continued –
~ Pouppe=Poppi: Albert's skunk.
*I use today's currency so we could imagine the magnitude of the amount better.
+Mr. McGregor: The old man Candy, as a nurse, took care of in the manga.
Thanks for reading.
