Letters to Juliet
Chapter 11
"The extenuating circumstances"
Terry was on his bed thinking about Candy, Was he ever able to think about anything else ever he has seen her again? He was writing his novel… he would talk to Tyler, who came to interrupt his thryst with Candy. How could he have let her go? He wanted to respect her. He didn't want a one night fling, he wanted a lifelong affair …
"If only life was as simple as romance novels!" He said to himself at that moment.
If only he could change everything like in his novel. He would've gone back and rewrote a few chapters…or he would've simply rewrote everything! He had made so many mistakes, that he didn't know where to start. She was his best friend, he had told her things he had never told anybody. And he had listened to her advice, despite the fact that she was younger than him.
When he took her for a ride in his red sport car, the day they met, she was only 12 years old. She couldn't stop talking, like all the young girls her age. But instead of being annoyed, he really liked to hear her talk.
- So you're British?
- In fact, I'm half British, my mother is American, he answered
- Really? Do you live with her?
He remained silent for a moment. The silence was so heavy that Candy turned around to ask.
- Terrence? Are you all right? She asked worried.
- My mother is an actress, he finally said, she and my father are not together anymore
- Actress in movies?
Terry nodded with his head. Candy looked at him with fascinated eyes. He felt a little funny to see her so impressed. It wasn't his attention at all. And why the heck was he talking about his life to a 12 year old kid?
- Do I know her? What's her name? She continued with enthousiasm.
- Maybe… it's Eleonor Baker…
Candy opened her big emerald eyes wide.
- You're the son of an English duke and the actress Eleonor Baker?
- Yes.
- You don't look too happy about it…
- She's not happy about it either…
- What do you mean?
- Since I was coming her for school, I went to see her and…
- And…?
- Let's just say that she wasn't pleased that I reminded her she had a son old enough for university
- Oh…she didn't greet you well?
- That's the least I could say…
- Maybe you took her by surprise…
- Her carreer is more important than me…
- Why are you saying that? She probably worked hard to be where she is. She even has an Oscar… You shouldn't be judging her too severely…
This kid was only 12? Really? She was kind of mature for her age.
- What should I do, according to you?
- Did your father remarried?
- Yes…
- Do you get along with your step mother?
- Not really…
- That's why you went looking for your mother…You should give her another chance… she's your mother Terry…
He had said that in his mind a lot of times, but hearing it his best friend's little sister, it was like all he was waiting for…
- You know you're very mature for your age?
- I know, I love discussing with my teacher, she said smiling.
Why did he listened to her? He didn't know. They say some people are made to get along and some not… He contacted his mother and he now had a relationship with her in deep secret/. Candy was the only one to know about it and he knew she would never betray him.
He came back to reality. The episode with Candy was not going to discourage him, he was going to continue pursuing her and try to convince her. He didn't go through hell to abandon now… Candy would've been his wife is only those famous "extenuating circumstance" hadn't happened…
Juliette my love,
Another day has passed in this horrible prison. I'm looking at the bars and I can see dawn rising, the sky was getting clearer and clearer as the day was starting. It was really a nice show, which reminded me that morning on the beach, the morning after our dream evening when everything went to hell…
Today, a guard gave me a Gideon Bible in English. It's an organisation that distribute Bible for free in the whole world, I don't know where he got a copy in English, but he said it could cheer me up. The Bible… The most read book in the world. Since I had nothing better to do here, I said to myself, I could read a few stories so time would pass. But as soon as I started, I couldn't stop reading. I heard of people studying the Bible coming out of it converted… I didn't understand where the peace that invade me came from. Since I was so concentrated in my reading, I didn't see you coming. I lifted my head and I caught your eyes, You smiled at me.
- I see, you found something more interesting than me, you said mischievously
- It's the bible, an relied
- It's like you've never read it before. You didn't have religion course at your private schools? You asked with a little smile
- I did, but it was more like a psychology course than religion, we didn't read the Bible… It's fascinating
- I'm happy to see you dig for hope in something concrete you said
With that you were saying that I was counting on you while you were not really there, only in my imagination.
- You're concrete for me Juliette
- I'm not jealous of our maker, Terry. If you need him to get out of this dump… pray the Lord and you'll see that things are going to start going well for you…
I smiled and I continued reading. Then you asked me:
- Romeo? Can you read out loud? I like hearing the sound of our voice…
- With pleasure my Juliet…
I started reading out loud, the guards didn't do anything. Maybe because I was reading the Bible, the world of God. I'm sure the Lord made it so that the guards would leave me alone. You had your head on my shoulder and that's how I fell asleep. It was wonderful.
I love you.
Your Romeo.
After that, curiously for Terry, the days didn't seem so horrible. All the injustice he was getting didn't bother him anymore. Everything he went through during the day, he was taking it and reading the bible as soon as he was in his cell was a relief. The guard were less tough with him too…
It was another horrible day in his horrible prison. He continued talking to his Juliette in his head to stay alive and read the Bible. They were his source of life.
There was a group of foreigner that came to visit the prison. He was wondering whether the prison were a interest to them of they were just routinely doing the visit. A prison was a place where there were criminals, killers, drug traffickers. Thieves. He was none of those, he had just written an article for his magazine and refused to reveal the location where the rebels were hiding, Even if he wanted to, he would've been incapable do tell them, since he was blindfolded… he was wondering what he looked like, he was filthy, dirty. The guards didn't even washed them for the visit, He knew the prisoners who were married had conjugal visits with their wives… he was just an insignificant foreigner, people thought was dead, so did his family, and his country.
They were in the court with other prisoners. They didn't have the right to talk, unless they were given the authorization. Terry looked at the group in questions and he saw that it was a group of foreign women, not locals, but Europeans, Americans, Africans and Asians. There was a guide explaining how the prison worked. The guides had a way of telling that seemed really too good to be true. They exaggerated the living conditions in this horrible prison The prisoners didn't have the right to talk to visitors. Terry was in fact surprised they let him out of his cell, usually, he would stay in his cell like they were hiding him or something, he was never allowed out during the visits. This time around, he was seeing people from the outside world for the first time. He wanted to scream like an hysteric to these ladies, but they were going to think he's nuts. He shouldn't ruin what could be his first chance with the exterior world.
He looked at all these foreign women. They were probably diplomats' wives or business men's or something like that. Sty were all in their forties and fifties or older except for one, who was younger, younger than the rest. She had beautiful blond hair with big blue eyes. He couldn't help comparing her to his dear Candy, is freckles, his Juliet. His eye caught the young woman's with blue eyes. She looked at him stunned like she was surprised to see him there… he had the impression it was Candy looking at him and he smiled…the big blue eyes, it was the big gree eyes of Candy he was seeing and he had a big smile… Candy had come to him, he felt good it was just an illusion. Was she going to run to him? Of course not, the young woman didn't know him from Adam… but in his head, he could imagine it was Candy, and he smiled at her. He was happy to see his Juliet, his Candy… the source of his life. He would do anything to get out of this hell, even sell his soul to the devil.
"Come back to me Terry, I'm waiting for you!" Said Candy.
He was hurting, because he felt like he was tiny like an ant in a world where evertythng seemed so big. But the eyes of his Juliet gave him courage. He was hallucinating, he would probably need to be shrink,but for the world, this imaginary world was the only thing keeping him alive. He continued smiling when he saw an incredible thing happen. He saw Candy approaching him smiling. He was probably hallucinating, but it was too good for him to let his mind convince himself that it wasn't real! Candy was now near him and he opened his arms… And he felt Candy's body against his. She smelled good... he hugged her against him and he wouldn't let go of her…
- Oh my love! This is where you've been hiding? Said Candy, I would have never guessed…
Terry's head was spinning. He might as well continued hallucinating, that's all he had in this morbid prison.
- I knew you'd come for me, he said.
- What are you doing here?
The guards were busy doing other things and they hadsn't realised yet, that he was talking all alone? They were probably going to make fun of him soon… he got out of his torpor, he had a young woman with blue eyes in his arms… and she was asking him something…
- Who are you? What are you doing here?
Quick, he had to talk, before the guards come to interrupt them. What was his name again? His mind was confused between reality and the imaginary… his name… what was it again?
"You don't remember? Said Candy's voice, that very long and pompous name?"
- My name is Terrence Graham Grandchester the third… I was imprisoned for something I didn't do, I'm a reporter for a London Magazine… Can you contact my family? I'm a British citi…
But he was interrupted by one of the guards who was walking towards him.
- He has no right to talk to visitors! Bring him back to his cell! What is he doing outside?
The guard has spoken in Spanish. Other guards approached them and all of a sudden the young woman spoke in perfect Spanish.
- He's my fiancé, I've been looking for him for months! What is he doing here?
- You know this man? He shouldn't have been outside during the visit…
- And why not? He's dirty, mistreated, is that how you treat your foreign prisoners?
- He's a drug dealer, said the guard.
- My fiancé is a reporter! You probably falsely accused him… I want his immediate and unconditional release now!
- You have no authority in this prison! The prisoner is going back to his cell.
The young woman looked at Terry with tears in her eyes. He was almost convinced she was telling the truth. In any case, she was a remarkable actress!
- My name is Susanna Marlowe, I'm the daughter of the Ambassador Marlowe, so you're going to hear from me, from my father and my country!
The ambassador's daughter? She had no authority, that's true, but he was able to tell someone from the outside world, the American ambassador's daughter, according to her accent, that he was detained in a morbid prison… Terry couldn't believe his luck. He was taken to his cell, beaten but he didn't feel the pain, he was too happy to have been able to contact someone for the external world.
He was lying in his cell, imagining Candy when they gave him a bag with the necessary for grooming. He looked at the sky. It was really a divine intervention that had happened to him. He knew the stories of the Bible happening in prison. There was Joseph's story that God managed to make shine even in prison… he was so happy that he continued reading the Bible. The world of God was transforming his hell into a paradise. Ever since he had started reading it, everything was going better for him…
That young woman, who had taken Candy's face, had brought him hope he had been waiting for so long. Why did she have Candy's face? Because Candy's face, ever since he got incarcerated, was the face of hope, it was his safety buoy in his living nightmare. He barely remembered the young woman's face, he only had Candy in his head.
Juliet my heart,
For the first time in months, I have hope. You saw what happened?
You looked at me and you frown and you said:
- You confused me with another woman? You've been in this prison for too long, to the point where any woman make me think of me? You said dryly.
- I was seeing you… I said to try to reassure you
But you were not convinced…
- I wasn't me… and looks like she's got a thing for you… you added with a sulking and pouting.
- She's going to help us… I tried saying
I felt guilty. Another woman came to my defense; she pretended she knew me to try to save me. She might have made things worse for me, but the little package I got, reinforced my conviction that she was going to help me. I saw it in her eyes…
- We? Let me remind you that she saw you, not me! You said with a hint of jealousy.
The green monster for jealousy had come out and I had to admit that I was beautiful to see you in that state.
- You're not going to be jealous! You'd rather stay in this horrible prison?
You sulk and pout for a moment and you turned your back on me after crossing your arms on the chest.
- No, of course not! I want you to get out of here… you finally said against your will.
- If she helps me, I don't know how I'm going to repay her, I said with a guilty tone.
- "Faith is the firm assurance of things that we hope and the demonstration of those we don't see. Hebrew 11; 1" you recited.
- You're quoting me the Bible… is it your way to tell me to accept this woman's help? I asked full of hope.
You looked at me, not very happy and you disappeared. I felt like I was betraying you, cheating on you, by counting on another woman. What I seen in that woman's eyes didn't seem good at all, but I couldn't afford to let this chance pass me by.
I would've done anything to get out of this horrible cell to come to you, even sell my soul to the devil. Be careful what you wish for. That's what I did, unfortunately. Even if I could refuse her help, she was determined to help me, with or without my consent. Forgive me my love.
I love you.
Your Romeo.
A few days later, he was deep into reading the Bible when a guard arrived to get him because he had a visit. A visit? Him? The forgotten one? The insignificant one? It was probably the young woman from the other day, the one who gave him hope, real hope coming from the external world. He had also noticed that he was treated differently, they were nicer to him. He was have baths regularly and they gave him more food also, which he would share with his fellow prisoners. They were not punishing him anymore when he helped other… something had happened, someone very important had pulled some strings, someone very important, like maybe an ambassador? He arrived to the visit rooms or what was for him the room where he got his first visit since… since how long ago again? In any case, she was there and they had allowed him to see her. She was with a man wearing a black suit, Hispanic looking. The young woman ran to him in his arms. He played along, all he had to do is to imagine it was Candy.
- Hello darling! She said smiling kissing him on the lips.
He didn't know whether it was paradise or hell, he had the choice, he chose paradise. When the kiss was over, the young woman continued.
- Did they treat you right? Did you receive the parcel I sent you?
- Yes, thank you…, answered Terry a little taken aback.
The young woman went to sit on a chair next to theman in the black suit.
- Let me introduce you to Esteban Rodriguez, your lawyer…
His lawyer? Did they even offered him one at his mockery of a trial they gave him? This young woman took the liberty to find him a lawyer, without consulting him. But it really wasn't the time to pay attention to this kind of detail… for the moment, he had to get out of prison, and this young woman was very efficient and it was his only chance for freedom…
- I also contacted Amnesty International, they are going to start sending letters for your freedom, she said, but it might take months, in the mean time, Esteban is going to take care of your case, which is not going to be easy, he had a hard time getting your file… it's going to be hard to prove that you were set up…
- How do you know it was a set up? Asked Terry
This young woman trusted him, like she knew him!
- You're not going to tell me that you're a drug dealer, with your upper class British accent?
- I'm a reporter and I refused to tell them where the rebel camp was… so they did everything to stop me from leaving the country, I was on my way to the airport…
- Why didn't you call the Embassy? She asked.
- I didn't have the time, I had to take my plane in an emergency, explained Terry.
- And they stopped you to prevent you from leaving, said Esteban looking at him.
- Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here, even if it's the last thing I do in this world, she assured him with a soft voice
Terry didn't know whether he should be happy or disappointed, because to count on another women, is kind of betraying his love for Candy.
- Thank you, he said,
"Thank you" seemed so weak. If this woman kept her promise, she was going to get him out of hell and he would have a huge debt towards her. Should he tell her to not do it? He didn't want to owe her… Could he really afford to let this chance go by? He was sentenced to 10 years of prison. They had let him know that he could get out in 6 years if he was a good prisoner… how long has it been since he's been locked up?
Everything had happened so fast after that. The long awaited miracle, arrived, he was set free to the good care of the American Embassy. For administrative reasons, he had to marry the young woman to get the diplomatic immunity. He had done that with a heavy heart. Susanna was so happy, she knew he was marrying her only because she hadn't given him the choice… but she was in seventh heaven!
