HE'S MY HEART'S DESIRE
Chapter 18
"I can't live without you…"
Candy entered Terry's room; the atmosphere was different compare to a few moments earlier.
- Freckles… come in, said Terry
She entered and went to sit by his bedside like moments before.
- The doctors told me what happened. So I want to ask you, because I heard your voice calling me from the black pit I was in, I followed the sound of your voice and I opened my eyes, everything you said was it sincere or was it only to bring me back? This morning you said you were staying with Brown…
- What do you think, Terry?
- I know what I think; I want to know what you have to say…
- Terry knowing you were going to die gave me the impression that I was also going to die… you're my other half, I can't live without you… I… I love you. If you still want me, if you still want us…
Terry was finally hearing what he wanted from Candy all those years ago. She put her head on his chest; he was caressing her hair softly.
- I love Candy, ever since the second I laid my eyes on you
- I can't live without you. After having had a taste of what it was in my mind only,… I never want to feel that way again
- Candice White Andrew, Dr. Freckles, will you marry me?
- You're not losing any time I see
- After almost dying… I almost died without hearing your declaration of love, I don't have time to lose
- No, you little dirty mind, said Candy laughing, you want to make love with me as soon as possible…
- I gave you my word of honour…
- And a gentleman always keeps his word…
- I'm still waiting for your answer
- Terry, I'm still engaged to Anthony, but between us only, yes Terry I want to be your wife…
- After what happened to us, I think that Susanna and Anthony understand that we're made for each other…
- Yes, but we still have to talk to them… I'm going to talk to Anthony and I'll tell Susanna to you want to see her
- Ok
Candy got out of the room and told Susanna that Terry wanted to talk to her. Susanna knew it was the end; she'd lost Terry forever. Candy walked toward Anthony who also knew it was the end. They went to talk away from the others.
- How are you? Asked Anthony
- A little tired, and relieved
- I suppose Grandchester was right, I was you're consolation prize
- Anthony, why are you talking like that? You were there before him…
- I don't know… maybe seeing my fiancée declare her eternal to another man, who loves her so much that just the fact of hearing her voice brought him back to life?
- Anthony I'm sorry she said with tears in her eyes, you know I love you; we were going to get married…
- You love Grandchester more…
- I'm in love with him
- So that's it, isn't it? It's over… You want to be with him…
- I never wanted to hurt you, Anthony. That was never my intention…that's why I waited so long to get back together with you
- It took him almost dying for you to realise it, otherwise you would've married me…
- I'm sorry about what I said at the restaurant
- It was not my intention to hide the truth from you, I just wanted to tell you the news on a full stomach, and spend my last hours with you because I had the feeling that it was the end… I love you Candy
She hugged Anthony. She was sorry she had hurt him, but she had to follow her heart. And her heart was with Terry.
Susanna was with Terry in his room.
- I'm happy you're feeling better she said
- Thanks. We have to talk…
- I know, you want to be with Candy… after seeing how her love brought you back to life literally, I can only remove myself, she said with tears in her eyes
- I tried, Susanna, I tried to love you…
- But she's the one you love. I knew it from the beginning. I thought I could make you forget about her and make you fall in love with me in time…
- I'm sorry Susanna. I will never forget what you've done for me. You saved my life…
- But Candy brought you back to life…I suppose she wins. I loved every second I spent with you, Terry I love you and I will always love you
Susanna got out of the room and left the hospital, she met Anthony at the exit
- You got dumped too? He joked
- Welcome to the club! She said with an uncertain voice
- You want to come down in the damps with me?
- Why not? It's certainly better than to cry alone all night… misery loves company…
- Perfect, I know a palace where we can do whatever we want…
Anthony took her to the Andrew manor and they drank glass after glass and were sharing their grief together.
Annie and Patty arrived with their husbands and found Anthony and Susanna drinking together, in their misery.
- Anthony said Archie, what's going on?
- It's over with Candy; she's staying with her actor…
- And what is Susanna doing here? Asked Annie
- Misery loves company, said Patty
- It's over with Candy? Said Stear what about Rosemary?
- I think I can tell you the truth now, said Anthony
- You're going to let him raise your daughter? Asked Archie
- She's his daughter said Anthony
- WHAT! Said the others in the room
- Yes, she's Grandchester's daughter
- But we thought that… Said Archie
- Yes, and I just didn't deny it, that's all
- Oh my God! Said Annie, talk about a surprise! Even I didn't see anything!
- Susanna, did you know about it? Asked Patty
- No, I'm as surprise as you are! My God, another unbreakable bond between them! Said Susanna, he was with her, while he was still with me? What about you Anthony?
- No, we were on a break since college, we just recently got back together… said Anthony
- Their love was stronger than them said Annie
Terry was freshening up while Candy was waiting for him in the hallway. He was now, fresh and clean. Candy entered the room and sat on the bed this time, instead of the chair. She put her head on his chest.
- Are you ok, Freckles? It was not too hard?
- Well after what he saw, it was a little easier…
- Same here…
- This time, something happened to bring us together
- What do you mean…?
- Well at St. Paul, there was the barn incident, which stopped us from being together
- I sacrificed myself and left wishing you to be happy with him…
- Then, there was Susanna's accident, I sacrificed myself and left wishing you to be happy with her
- It seems like we're too good, for our own good
- For me, it's proof we're made for each other, we think alike…
- It's time we think about ourselves said Terry
- It's long overdue!
- You know what I want to do now?
- What you felt like doing and did the second you saw me for the first time?
- You read my mind…
- So what are you doing there talking?
He smiled and put his lips on hers in a passionate kiss. He held her in his arms with strength, like he wanted to make sure she won't disappear like in his dreams. Candy savoured the kiss of the man she loved and she missed so much for all those years.
- Hum Hum…
It was Eleonor who was at the door. The two lovebirds stopped.
- Mum? Said Terry
- I'm sorry said Eleonor, but Candy, there's someone here to see you
Candy was wondering who could come and see her. She saw her little girl with a stuffed bear in her hands.
- Rosemary? Oh my God, I forgot the babysitter! Come, honey said Candy
- Mommy? Terry? Said the little one
The little one ran, laughing, into her mother's arms. Candy kissed her and put her between her and Terry. Terry kissed the little girl too. Candy looked at Terry who understood what she wanted her to do.
- Mum, said Terry, we have something to tell you…
Eleonor gave them a curious look. What was happening?
- Mum, you'll probably hear it somewhere else, but I want to be the one to tell you
- You're getting married? Said Eleonor
- Yes, mum, but…
- Right away?
- Mum, are you going to let me talk or not?
- I'm sorry, go ahead, honey
- Ok, mum, Rosemary is my daughter…
Candy felt all funny, Terry knew what to say even before they discuss it. Anthony would probably tell people that he was not Rosemary's father, that it was Terry. She thanked him in her mind
- Oh… said Eleonor, looking at the three of them
She was still in shock; Terry, Candy and Rosemary? She was a grandmother?
- I'm a grandmother? Terry! How could you hide this from me?
- I only found out a few weeks ago, at the medical conference
- It's my fault said Candy, I'm sorry…
- Terry is my daddy? Asked Rosemary uncertain
- Yes, I'm your daddy said Terry
Rosemary was looking at them. She now had a daddy like her friend? She hugged Terry in her little arms with love.
Candy was glad no one was asking for details on their meeting which "resulted" in a baby name Rosemary. She didn't like to lie, she just followed what Eliza had put on the papers and under the father she'd put… Terrence Grandchester… Eliza wanted to make sure that no one would link her to the child she'd abandoned.
Eleonor approached the bed and hugged Rosemary.
- I'm going to take care of her tonight she said, take advantage of your reunion. Let's go Rosemary… come with Granny we're going to eat chocolate, and cake and sweets…
- Mum, don't spoil her too much said Terry
- If I don't do it, who will?
- Bye mommy, bye…daddy said Rosemary
- Bye said Candy
- Bye said Terry
They remained silent for a moment.
- I didn't tell you the best part, said Candy, under the father's name, Eliza put… Terrence Grandchester…
- What? That girl has an illegitimate child and she makes sure that you're responsible for it, literally, and she throws me in too!
- She has no remorse either. But she never says anything bad in front of Rosemary. It's like she's frozen every time she's in her presence
- She probably thinks about the child she abandoned, without knowing it's her… or maybe unconsciously she knows it's her daughter…
- But, since she put my name and yours on the papers…
- … it was probably to cover her tracks…and to play a mean trick on us. She could've invented names… but she chose ours… she really vindictive…But don't worry, every thing is in order. We're going to get married and Rosemary will bear my name…
- You're sure it doesn't bother you? I don't want you to feel bad for any reason…
- I only feel bad to have had a baby with a woman who's never been mine
- Likewise! Said Candy laughing
- You're spending the night?
- You've got space on your bed?
- You think the doctors will let you?
- I think that for them, I'm your safety buoy…
- Yes, I need you to live he said laughing
She spent the night on the bed with him. They were in each others arms. The doctors let her spent the night in Terry's arms. After all, without her, he would've been dead. They let him take advantage of the one they nicknamed "His freckled angel".
The next day Candy went to the clinic to change. She got ready there. She didn't go back to her house. She had patients and Anthony wasn't there. Around noon he arrived with a headache due to the alcohol he drank the night before with Susanna. Annie came to see Candy with Patty. Just by seeing the expression on their face, Candy knew what it was about.
- Candy? Said Annie
- Annie, Patty said Candy, what brings you by?
- Hi Candy said Diana coming in, what's going on?
- You don't know Diana…Don't play innocent with us, Candy, you know why we're here said Annie
- Euh… because you're my best friends and you want to wish me good luck? Said Candy
- Candy! Said Annie who was losing patience
- Ok, I'm sorry I didn't tell you; I have to say, you never asked me… you assumed that Anthony was the father and we never corrected you, that's all…
- That's all? Said Annie, that's all you have to say?
- Wait a minute said Diana, did I miss something? Terry is Rosemary's father?
- It's true, Diana, you didn't know, I'm sorry said Candy
- How could you hide this from us? Said Diana
- Like I was telling Annie and Patty, no one ever asked me, aside from Anthony who assumed Terry was the father. You all assumed that Anthony was the father
- You know he was with Susanna at the manor drowning their sorrow in alcohol? Said Patty
- Misery loves company said Candy, I have to go, I'm going to the hospital to see Terry. Diana, can you take my patients, please?
- Of course said Diana, go be with Terry
Candy went to the hospital. Annie and Patty stayed with Diana
- Diana, there's you chance said Annie
- What? Said Diana
- For Anthony, said Annie, he's free now
- But…
- How do I know you love him? Like I knew Candy loved Terry but was too stubborn to admit it. Anthony will need a shoulder to cry on…
- But you said he was with Susanna…
- That was "misery loves company", said Annie, and she left for New York this morning
- But.. Anthony is not here
- He probably has a hangover after all the alcohol he drank last night… He's going to come and don't miss the occasion to make yourself useful! Ok, let's go Patty. Bye Diana
- Bye Diana said Patty, and good luck
- Bye said Diana and thank you Annie
Annie and Patty left. Diana remained thinking, a chance? Did she really had a chance with Anthony? She hoped so with all her heart! Candy was with Terry and their daughter, Anthony was alone and vulnerable. The universe was giving her an opportunity, she couldn't let it pass!
- Diana? Said Anthony softly, Candy is at the hospital with…
- Oh, you're here? Yes, I'm taking care of her patients. Anthony I'm sorry for the two of you and for Rosemary
- Thanks
- If you ever want to talk, I'm here…
- Thanks, Diana
Diana saw glimpse of hope. In her most crazy dreams, she would've never imagined that such an opportunity would show up so quickly.
At the hospital, Candy was with Terry and Rosemary who had come to visit her "daddy" with her "grandma". The grandmother took her back to the hotel leaving the couple alone.
- Guess what? Said Candy
- What? said Terry
- Anthony and Susanna were getting drunk together
- Misery loves company said Terry well it could've been worse, they could've end up together…
- No, Diana is in love with Anthony…
- What? And she told you?
- No I guessed it and I saw the way she looks at him and her pain when she saw me with Rosemary for the first time, thinking Anthony was the father…
- Oh… and she doesn't even hate you? I hope they're as happy as us…
- Ok, honey , we can talk about our future… you live in New York, Rosemary and I will come an live with you
- I have a few weeks off because of my accident. I can stay here with you, you make the necessary arrangements and then we can go to New York together. Does it bother you to leave the clinic?
- Not at all, I want to stay home and take care of Rosemary for a while, we'll see later
- Since I'm going to stay here…
- The logic would be that you come and live with me…
- So I would be tortured every night…
- Well there's a way to avoid that…
- The only way would be…
He looked at her and stopped talking.
- You would agree?
- Of course, honey. We can do it tomorrow during Rosemary's visit. We can keep it a secret. Albert and the rest of the world are expecting us to have a big wedding. The news of our broken engagements, respectively is going to make headlines…But that is if you agree, I'm not forcing you or anything she joked
- You're kidding right, Freckles? Do you know how much I dreamed of being with you? Life kept separating us…
- I felt bad the day of the accident as soon as you left. Then it was like everything was reminding me of you…
- What do you mean?
- First Anthony tells me "Penny for your thoughts.." like you, then I had a patient named Henrietta, another one who had just played in "Much ado about nothing" at school and he wanted to become an actor, another patient named Teresa and that they called…
- Terry he finished
- And that's how it was for the rest of the day. I went to the restaurant with Anthony who wanted to celebrate… even he, realised that I wasn't myself. He didn't tell me anything about the accident, he wanted me to eat first, and spend those last hours with him, and he knew that once I found out… I went to the washroom and heard two women talking… I thought I was going to faint… we I got back at the table, Anthony saw that I knew just by looking at my face. Once at the hospital, Susanna tried to stop me from getting into your room, your mother let me in, she said I was the miracle you needed
- Wow, no pressure or anything…. But you did it. If my mother hadn't been there…
- I think I would've hit Susanna to get into your room, she said laughing
- That's the Miss Tarzan I know!
- Stop it! I'm going to see the priest to make the arrangements, she said laughing