The Crying Phone
Chapter 9
"The 12 days of Christmas"
The next morning. Candy was still asleep. Terry woke up to take care of his little girl. He got her ready and he had also ordered breakfast. He was telling her stories that happened on movie shoot with children…
- Sometimes it's so hard… those children are sometime so full of themselves…
- Full of themselves? Said Christelle
- Too sure of themselves when they're actually bad!
Christelle burst out laughing. They were at the table and they continued talking.
Candy was still in her bed and she didn't feel like getting up at all. She didn't need to wake up at dawn anymore to go to work. She was feeling very tired too lately…
Terry and Christelle when downstairs to shop in the hotel's boutiques.
Candy woke up sick. She didn't digest the food she ate the night before. She went to puke in the bathroom. She took a shower and got ready. She got out of the bedroom and she found breakfast on the table. She felt sick again. Her mouth was salivating, so she ate crackers with cheese and pickles. She turned on the television and she saw the news about them was still of actuality, but they had stopped accusing her… they were now looking for the source of information… and the reporter of course, were refusing to reveal their source… But Candy knew it was Eliza in a last desperate attempt to ruin her new relationship with Terry. She took the phone and call Albert.
- Candy? Where the heck are you?
- We're in security Albert, with Terry…
- Oh all right! How are you two doing?
- He asked me to marry him…
- Congratulations…
- I haven't said yes…
- What? Why? That's not your dream?
- Yes, but… I'm not ready…
- Candy, you were ready 7 years ago…
- Yes but…
- Christelle is confused...
- I don't want to rush…
- Terry has to convince you right? He has to convince you that he's serious this time around…
- What if he goes crazy again? I don't want to put Christelle in the middle of all this
- She's been in the middle of your story from the moment you conceived her…
- Exactly…
- Listen… Terry lived his life, it didn't bring him anything… he's ready.
- Well, I'm not!
- You want to make him sweat a little right?
- I fell a little too easily into his bed… I want to make him sweat a little...
- All right little one. I'm happy that everything is going well for you… Good luck.
- Thanks Albert.
Candy hung up the phone. Room service came to clean up the table. Terry and Christelle arrived. Christelle ran into her mother's arms.
- Good morning mommy!
- Good morning my darling…
- Good morning Freckles…
- Good morning Terry, she said smiling.
He approached her and kissed her on the lips.
- Where were you? Asked Candy.
- We were shopping! Said Christelle.
- Yes, and I bought you a gift…, said Terry.
He gave her a little dark blue velvet box. Candy opened it and it was a gold chain with three hearts intertwined: faith, hope and charity…
- How beautiful! Said Candy moved to tears.
- It's instead of the three hens, said Christelle.
- It's wonderful! Said Candy smiling, thank you Terry.
- You're welcome my love, nothing is too good for you… I'm offering you a spa day… While Christelle is going to be with her teacher…
- Oh, great! I'm going to relax! Said Candy smiling.
She went to the beauty parlor leaving Christelle with her father. She got the whole treatment; facial, hair treatment and trim, nails, pedicure, massages. But she refuse the epilation, there was no way she was going to get her hair pulled that brutally… She remembered when she was a teen with Annie and they went to the spa, Annie was getting waxed everywhere, to the bikini was…Candy always categorically refused… She called her friends and they talked on the phone the whole time, he had the Bluetooth in her ear, she was hands free.
- Did you get waxed? Asked Annie.
- No way!
- You have to suffer to be beautiful, said Patty.
- Then I'll be ugly, said Candy bursting out laughing.
The three friends burst out laughing...
- So you're going to marry Terry? Asked Annie.
- I don't know…
- You don't know? Said Patricia, did he proposed to you?
- I said no…
- What? Said Annie, but why?
- I'm not ready…
- You want to make him sweat a little, said Annie.
- You know me too well, said Candy laughing.
- Well, after what he did to you, he deserves to sweat a little, said Patty
- He's offering me the twelve days of Christmas…
- How is that? Asked Annie
- I got a wedding proposal, two key chains with two turtle doves and keys from his new New York apartment, and from his villa in Los Angeles… then I got a gold chain with three hearts intertwined: faith, hope and charity…
- Magnificent! I can't wait to see what he's going to offer you tomorrow…, said Annie
- Me too, said Candy smiling, he calls it fines…
- I like that! Said Patty and full of money!
- Can you imagine if he was poor? Asked Annie
- If he were poor, said Candy, it would've had more value, since he would've made some sacrifices…
- Candy! You know Terry loves you! Said Annie
- Yes, he loved me too 7 years ago, at least I thought so…
- What happened 7 years ago? Said Patty
- He woke up one day naked next to a girl and he had no memory how… so he broke up with me instead of hurting me…
- But he hurt you anyway, said Annie
- Yes… and he says it's over… he's ready… but…
- It's going to be fine, said Annie; Christelle put some lead back in his brain…
- Yes, he won't risk disappointing his daughter, said Patty
- I hope not, or I'm going to kill him! Said Candy
- Of course not! Said Annie, you love him and you'll find excuses for him!
Candy continued talking to her friends. They brought her clothes she had to choose to wear for the dinner in the evening. She took pictures with her cell and sent them to her friends and they decided together and chose a beautiful red dress with fine straps. Candy went back to the suite, all freshen up. She had a nice up do and she also had makeup on. She found Terry and their daughter working on her blog. He helped her answer to email and put up new topics…
- Mommy! You're very beautiful! Isn't she daddy?
- She looks magnificent! Said Terry smiling
- Thank you my darlings! Said Candy smiling, I'm going to go rest in a bath…
Candy was in het bath. She kind of felt funny not doing anything, but it was fun. She got out of the bath o get dressed and she found Terry in the room getting dressed too…
- Where are we going tonight?
- To the hotel's restaurant…
- You're not afraid of reporters?
- I booked the whole restaurant…
- Oh, ok…
- A babysitter is coming to stay with Christelle… the hotel offers babysitting services…
- What else could you ask for?
- That you marry me…
- Terry…
- All right, I'll stop…
They were ready and they went to kiss Christelle.
- Have fun mommy and daddy!
- Thank you sweetheart, said Candy kissing her on the cheek
- Good by my angel, said Terry hugging her.
They went to the restaurant. It was indeed empty, they were the only customers. The staff was there and an orchestra was playing some soft music. Terry invited her to dance while waiting for their order… He had forgotten how spending time with Candy was magnificent. They ate and he told her funny stories… They spend a wonderful evening… and a wonderful night.
The next day… Candy received four green parakeets in a cage… Candy burst out laughing.
- They're very beautiful! Thank you Terry! But we have to go back home… the hotel is not going to let us have animals…
- Yes, they will, when you're a superstar, you have certain privileges, for all the publicity my name is bringing…
- All right. What do those parakeets do? Do they talk?
- Look, said Terry whistling with his fingers...
- Candy, will you marry me? Will you marry me? Will you marry me my love? Will you marry me?
Candy burst out laughing went she heard the son on the music of "Happy Birthday"
- Awesome daddy! Said Christelle, so mommy?
- What mommy? Said Candy.
- Your answer?
- I'm not going to say yes to the birds!
- Right! Said Terry with a little laugh, you'll be answering to me…
- You didn't ask me for anything…
- Candy, will you marry me?
- I… not ready yet, said Candy
- She's making you sweat daddy, to punish you…
- And she's right for doing so!
There was a knock at the door and Candy went to answer and she heard:
- On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… 5 golden rings!
She saw men dressed in black suits and they had a little box opened with golden rings… Candy smiled looking at the rings, more beautiful one after the other…
- They're so pretty! She said.
She turned to Terry smiling.
- The 12 Days of Christmas? That's wonderful. I'm going to wait until I received all the presents and then I'll give you my answer my love…
- All right, I'm going to impress you, said Terry taking her lips in a fiery kiss…
That evening in the new, they saw all the present deliveries Candy got and the juicy comments from the reporters…
"Terrence Grandchester is spending a fortune to get his belle back, the mother of his daughter whom he abandoned and who has to forgive him for choosing the glamorous life instead of a life with her… The young and talented actor was right to live his life… he wasn't ready to settle by being stuck with a young woman and a child… now, he's ready and he's paying to make amends… Let's calculate how much all those presents are costing…"
- Incredible! Said Candy, we will never be at peace are we?
- I'm sorry honey, said Terry, you had peace without me right?
- But we missed you, said Christelle, we love you daddy… We're accepting your celebrity…
oOoOoOoOoOo
The 6th gift was 6 geese with 6 eggs and on each egg was engraved the creation in 6 days…
The 7th gift, was a little cribs with bows on which was written the 7 sacraments…
The 8th gift were t-shirts on which were written the 8 beatitudes.
The 9th gift was 9 hearts in gold in which were written the 9 fruits of spirit…
The 10th gift was the tables of law in gold with the 10 commandments of God engraved
The 11th gift, was a picture of the last supper of Jesus and 11 disciples…
The 12th and last gift was a representation of little figurines of Jesus and his 12 apostles.
When she got the last present, Candy was in tears. By adding the religious touch, Terry was asking for her forgiveness and was repenting for his family. He was promising to act on every present he had given her and never go back to the bad life again…
- Candy, please, forgive me, one more time… the craziness that took me will never come back… I was able to do live my life and I got nothing in return, she was still very empty… but since I've found you again, you and Christelle, my life is fulfilled, my life is beautiful and I've never been this happy… I love you Candy, Christelle and you I want you in my life for eternity… will you marry me my pretty one?
Candy looked at him moved.
- Yes, Terry! I'll marry you! Yes my love!
- Finally! Said Terry hugging her, it's about time! You're ready to move?
- Magnificent ! Said Christelle! Thank you mommy!
- Move? Said Candy
- Yes mommy, you've got the keys to the new villa don't you? When do you want to move?
- Oh yeah! Yesterday? Said Candy laughing.
Terry and Christelle burst out laughing. They moved to their new villa.
- We can say you don't do thing in half, Terrence Grandchester, the 12 days of Christmas and a house big enough to keep all the gifts…
- Let's go buy a Christmas tree, said Terry
- A real Christmas tree? Said Candy, you don't want a fake one?
- I've had enough fake in my life darling, I want a real Christmas tree with the smell of the wood!
- Let's go, said Candy
They went Christmas shopping and the reporters were seeing them and they didn't care… They were a family and they were happy. They decorated their villa together, wrapped up their gifts and they also cook together, on Christmas Eve.
On Christmas morning… Christelle woke up first to go see the presents under the tree. She couldn't wait for her parents to wake up.
Terry woke up and went to the living room. Candy woke up alone in her bed. She got up and joined her family in the living room.
- Merry Christmas! She said.
- Merry Christmas mommy! Said Christelle.
- Merry Christmas Freckles!
They exchanged gifts in the general joy…
- Oh mommy, said Christelle, this is the most beautiful Christmas of my life! We're a real family… all that's missing is a little brother!
- I know honey, but you'll have to wait for a few months, said Candy.
- Candy? Said Terry.
- I'm pregnant…
- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Screamed Christelle jumping to her neck, that's wonderful! I'm now like everybody! With a daddy and a little brother!
- Maybe it's a girl, said Candy
- No, it's a little brother, I'm sure of it! Thank you mommy! Thank you daddy! She said kissing them each.
Terry kissed Candy…
- I promise to make up for everything I missed with Christelle… I'm going to be your slave…
- Just be there, that's all I want my love, said Candy smiling
They went to the Pony Home to see the children and give them gifts, Then they went to the manor to be with Albert and the other. Eleonor also came to the manor.
- Candy, said Albert, Eliza has something to tell you…
- I…I'm sorry for selling your story to the newspapers, said Eliza looking down
- It's ok Eliza, said Candy , I stopped being surprise by you a long time ago! Merry Christmas!
- Merry Christmas Candy! Said Eliza, merry Christmas Christelle, merry Christmas Terrence, she said with a softer voice.
- Happy Christmas Eliza, said Terry.
- Merry Christmas, said Christelle.
- Let's go eat! I'm starving… and the great aunt made the stuffing I like!
- And the pie I like, said Candy smiling.
Every body was sitting on the table praying for the Christmas meal it was special especially of little Christelle who now had a daddy and a little brother to come. So she said this prayer:
- Thank you Lord for bringing my daddy back and for my little brother who's coming in a few months…
- What?! Said everybody. Candy! You're pregnant! Congratulations!
- I just love children's innocence, said Terry smiling.
- Congratulations, grandma, said Albert to Eleonor.
- Congratulations grandpa, said Eleonor laughing.
- Candy! Said Annie, you little sneak!
- I was expecting it, said Patty, congratulations! Merry Christmas!
- Thank you , said Candy laughing
- Candy, said Archie ironically, looks like you've been very busy…
- She had to catch up, said Alistair laughing
- Merry Christmas everybody! Said Candy smiling and thank you for everything that you've done for me…
- Happy Christmas, said Terry, Candy and I are going to get married on December 31st, the anniversary of our first meeting…
- Great! Said Eleonor smiling, how romantic!
- Yes,did I tell you how she found out she was pregnant with Christelle? Said Albert, I went to see Candy and she opened the door pregnant! I couldn't believe my eyes!
- Me neither! Said Candy, I woke up pregnant, overnight! You know what Terry did to make up for it? He gave me the 12 Days of Christmas, very very special!
They continued talking and everyday talked about their pregnancy experience. Even the great aunt talked about her experience…
Everything was going well for the little family. Terrence had everything he ever wanted and ever needed. He had lost everything on the illusion of drugs, which gave a short-live pleasure and very destructive in the long run. He woke up when he saw the picture of his daughter, whom he didn't know on television, by pure chance… and everything became clear for him all of a sudden. He had to get back the woman he loved with his child… The phone had cried for a long time before little Christelle decided to answer and invite him back into their lives. He had a second chance. Sometimes life doesn't offer second chances, but when the opportunity shows up, you have to grap it with all your strength and never let go again. Terrence Grandchester had has a spiritual awakening too, which allowed him to make good decisions for his family. The love of God and the family had won this time around, forever.
The End