The memory of the heart:
The Forgotten Lover
Chapter 10
"The beautiful warm voice"
Candy asked for a DVD copy of the ultrasound. Seeing the baby on that little screen made her realise that it was really real. The baby she didn't know who it's father was. There was a man with whom she had slept, who had made her a baby… But until then, since the baby was not visible, it didn't seem real to her… This is was not the time to think about that… Terry was with her and she was happy.
- Here is a copy of your baby's DVD, said the nurse giving her a case with the DVD inside.
- Thank you, said Candy smiling.
Terry took her arm and they left together.
- Let's go and have lunch, said Terry.
- Thanks for coming with me Terry.
- What were you afraid of?
- I'm not afraid when I'm with you Terry, said Candy smiling, thanks again for coming with me…
They went to have lunch in a restaurant, where the customers would chose themselves big fat steak, well marinated and they would grill it in front of them. There was a salad buffet. Candy took everything that was sour in the buffet and the meat was so tender… It came with sauté potatoes and slightly season with rosemary. The plate was huge. Terry carried the plate for her and they went to sit. A server brought Terry's plate. They brought them some little bread in a little basket with butter on a little plate. They brought a lemonade for Candy and a coca cola for Terry.
- Oh my God Terry, I've never eaten a meat to tender, it's melting your the mouth!
- Like chocolate? Said Terry laughing.
- Yes, M&Ms, said Candy laughing.
- "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands" he sang
- And this salad, the vinaigrette is excellent!
- With the mix you made…
- It's excellent! Said Candy.
- By the way, you remember the M&M commercial?
- Looks like it, she said smiling.
- Your memory is coming back
- Very slowly, yes!
She was happy and Terry was glad. He was wondering why he wanted to blew her off. There was a man who was the father of Candy's baby, walking around in the nature, unaware of it… Albert… where was Albert and why wasn't he contacting Candy? She was pregnant, that was a fact… and sooner of later, Albert was going to show up…
In front of Candy's door after lunch, Terry kissed her softly.
- I'll call you after the play, all right?
- All right Terry, said Candy smiling.
She got in and she closed the door and Terry left. Candy was on cloud nine and she saw the light on her answering machine; there was a voicemail. She pressed on the button, thinking it was probably the doctor's office calling about the DVD, and she heard:
"My little Candy, said a beautiful and warm voice, which was totally unknown to her, I know I promised to call you earlier, but I was very busy with meetings in South America. Then I'll go to Europe… unfortunately I won't be able to free myself as fast as I thought before. I will be busy, for God knows how long…"
Candy put her hand on her belly instinctively. Not that she thought he was the baby's father, but because of the sincere affection she felt in the message.
"I will let you now once I'm back in America and I hope you would have solved your problem and that we could continue our little duo where we interrupted it… Love and kisses, my little Candy."
Candy looked at the answering machine horrified. "Our little duo where we interrupted it"? What did that exactly meant? Was it her baby's father? No, no, no! Did he know? He's been on a trip for a while, maybe he didn't know she was pregnant… No! She didn't want him to be the baby's father! He was on a trip, international meetings, he must be rich. She wasn't poor either! She went to sit on the couch and she cried. She knew a man who seemed wealthy and responsible and who was probably her baby's father… No, no, no! Her head was refusing to register that information…
"It's Terry! I don't care what the doctors are saying! It's Terry… I don't care about the beautiful warm voice on the voicemail! I want Terry!"
Marcia arrived a little while later. Candy opened the door, when she rang.
- You look like hell! Said Marcia.
They were very friendly now.
- Thanks, said Candy trying to smile.
- What's wrong? Did you cry?
- Let's go and make supper, said Candy.
- You did cry! Did you have a fight with the King of Broadway?
- No…
- Then, what is it?
- I found a voicemail on my answering machine when I came back from my lunch with Terry…
- And?
- The man has a nice voice… it might be the baby's father.
- Great! You recognized him then?
- No, nothing at all, it's still the black hole…
Candy had tears in her eyes.
- I want to remember so much!
- It's going to be fine Candy, the doctor did say it was going to take some time, right?
- I don't want him to be the baby's father…
- Then why are you thinking it's him?
Candy didn't say anything. Why was she thinking that?
- Did he ask questions about the baby? If he's the father, he should've mention his child, said Marcia
- Maybe he doesn't know, said Candy, maybe it's not him…
- "Maybe it's not him", repeated Marcia, do you know how many judicial errors were made based on that sentence?
- Oh Marcia!
- Candy, you're assuming, stop worrying yourself. Haven't it been told to you to never assume?
- But…
- Maybe it's not him… but he must be wealthy if he's travelling like that
- My bank account is well furnished… I don't care about money
- Candy, stop worrying yourself sick! Your memory is going to come back one day and you'll get the answers you're looking for…
- You're right, said Candy a little more calm.
- And if the beautiful voice is really the baby's father and you learn that it was the result of a drunken evening, are you going to marry him?
- No…
- Not even to give your baby a father?
- No…
- But if he's the baby's father, maybe you're madly in love with him…
Candy didn't need to hear something like that. That would mean that she loved another man and she forgot about him, then she couldn't be in love with Terry… No, no, no! She loved Terry and it's Terry she wanted!
The two young women cooked their supper while talking about everything and nothing.
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The next day, Terry started looking for lots of reasons to go see Candy, even if he was kicking himself. He said to himself that he should've let her friends take care of her if it was for him to coward out like that. He loved Candy like crazy, but every time he imagine his best friend Albert with his Candy, he was getting sick. The baby, he had seen on that screen, he loved it already, there was no doubt in his heart, he loved the baby, like he loved the mother. Nevertheless, she has slept with someone else, and she was pregnant by someone else. He called Candy…
Candy wasn't feeling well ever since she had heard the message from the man with the beautiful voice and she was asking herself somany questions, but of course her mind remained mute, her memory was refusing to come back to give her some answers. The phone rang and she was startled. If it was the beautiful warm voice, what was she going to say? Well there was only one way to find out… she picked up…
- Hello? She said her heart racing.
- Freckles?
It was Terry! Another beautiful voice she wanted to hear this time! But could she let him hope? Did she have the right? Her good sense was saying no to her… she had to take a step back…
- Terry…
- Hi Freckles, how are you?
- I'm fine Terry.
- It doesn't sound like it…
- What do you mean?
- That you sound… preoccupied…
Damn that Terrence Grandchester who read in her like in a book even over the phone!
- No, I'm fine, I woke up with lots of morning sickness, that's all…
She felt sick thinking about the beautiful warm voice!
- Shouldn't it be over yet?
- Some women throw up until the day they give birth…
- Oh, ok, said Terry who felt even more bad about what he was about to tell her. Candy, I won't have time to come and see you today...
Candy didn't know whether it was consciously or inconsciously, but Terry always seemed to know what she needed. He was just wonderful! She smiled…
- Oh, it's ok, you don't have to come and see me every day, you know. You do what you have to do and take your time. I'm fine. If I need you, I'll call you.
Terry was disconcerted! It was like she didn't care whether he come see her or not! She even felt relieved! But shouldn't he be happy? He wanted to avoid her and she told him to "take his time"! In other words, she didn't care! What was going on? Did he wish she had burst into tears and begged him to come and see her? Not really, it was Candy we're talking about, a girl who never let anyone take advantage of her, with or without her memory… So… he got what he wanted, a little break from Candy… and he was disappointed she took it so well!
- All right, he said sealing his disappointment, I'm going to send your lunch and dinner to make up for it, you won't have to cook… send me the menu on my voicemail or my email…
- All right, said Candy relieved, have fun without me!
- Impossible! Said Terry trying to laugh.
Terry hung up and had a sigh of relief. He didn't know what to think…
Candy hung up the phone and looked at it. Terry and her were on the same wave length! He was simply magnificent and she loved him even more! Which broke her heart, because of the beautiful warm voice. She might be in love with another man and she would never be able to act on her feelings for Terry…
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