Remember me
Chapter 4
"I will come when you call…"
In New York, Terry received the report from the private investigator he'd hired. He had to call Annie, he thought, when he read it, but no, it was better if he went to Chicago in person. He went to talk to Robert Hathaway and asked him for a few days off. But Robert had a proposition for him.
- Do you know how long you're going to stay there?
- Euh… I'm not sure. This friend needs me and I don't know for how long.
- So here is what I had in mind; I just bought a theatre in Chicago, we need new actors to make another Stratford troupe from Chicago… What would you say to be the director, you could make the auditions and have a little more responsibilities?
- Oh, but Robert, there are more competent people than me for that position.
- You're an excellent actor, Terry and you'll be an excellent director, you could continue playing Romeo, when you'll be done finding the actors… and that will also give you a salary…
- Thank you, Robert, thanks a lot.
- I'm going to call Martin and tell him that you're coming.
- Thanks again.
He went back home to tell Susanna that he was leaving for Chicago indefinitely.
- Susanna, I have to go to Chicago…
- For Candy? When will this story be over?
- I don't know Susanna, when we find her in safe and sound? Said Terry ironically.
- But Terry, you're going to leave me alone…
- I'm sorry, Susanna. Like I told you before, Candy passes before everything, even acting. Robert gave me a job working at the theatre in Chicago while I'm there.
- Can I come?
- To do what? You don't like Candy and with your handicap, you won't be able to do much. Call your mother, you can ask her to come and stay with you.
- But I want to come with you, and wait for you at the hotel or the apartment that you're going to rent…
- Susanna, the days are going to be long, and I will often be with Candy's friends. And I don't think that hearing talking about Candy from dusk till dawn is your favourite hobby… it's better if you stay here with your mother.
- Ok, Terry. I wanted to come with you, that's all.
- If it were a trip of pleasure, maybe I would have taken you with me, but it's not. I'm going to look for Candy, she's in danger.
- How could you be so sure? Maybe she's hiding and she doesn't want to see anybody…
- Candy's first thought is for others. She will never disappear without saying anything, because she knows her friends would be worried and that's the last thing she wants. Susanna, I have to do this, otherwise, I will never be at peace. She's in danger, I'm sure of it.
- You dream about her…
- But how…?
- I hear you cry out her name in your sleep, from my bedroom, you call her and you ask her how to help her.
- Susanna, you now understand, why I have to go…
- I knew that you were in love with her. But I didn't know how much… You feel that she needs you…
- I'm sorry.
- Have a nice trip, Terry, she said sadly with tears in her eyes, I'm going to wait for you here.
She went to her bedroom to cry. Terry loved Candy, he will never love her. She loved him so much… He was taking care of her, he had asked her to marry him, but he never forgot about Candy. Was she doing the right thing by hanging on to Terry? He was not in love with her, he hardly smiled at her, to say the least. But having Terry taking care of her was a delight she couldn't do without…
"I'm sorry, Candy, you let him to me. He's mine, I love him too much."
Terry took the train the next day for Chicago. He had to go see Candy's friends to give them the result of the investigation for his private investigator in person. He left Susanna sad and he was sorry, but Candy needed him. He was in a compartment with a nice old lady that was looking at him.
- Hello, she said smiling, you seem lost in your thoughts. You miss your pretty one?
Terry smiled; this old lady had this warmth coming from her, a peaceful atmosphere.
- Actually, she's missing… said Terry.
- Oh… wait… May I?
- Yes.
She took his hands and closed her eyes for a while and she said:
- She's fine, but she's lost. Only you can find her…
- How do you know?
- You love her very much and you will need to dig in that love to find her and a lot of courage and perseverance. Terrence Grandchester, that's your name, isn't it? I recognized you. You're an excellent actor. My name is Clara.
- Hello, Clara, you can call me Terry.
- You are in a delicate situation, two women, madly in love with you… But, you only love one of them.
- Clara…
She closed her eyes and made a sign to him with her hand to make him stop talking.
- …but true love, real love, always wins at the end, like the truth.
- You're a…
- Clairvoyant… but I don't like using my gift…
- Why?
- It's not easy to see what's going to happen to others, especially the bad things… but enough, tell me how you met your beloved.
- You can't see that with your gift?
- I can, but I'd rather hear it from you.
- Ok, he said smiling.
He started to tell her how he met Candy on the boat and how he fell in love with her from the moment he laid his eyes on her… they talked like that until they arrived at Chicago. They separated.
- Clara, where can I contact you?
- If you need me, I will come.
- How?
Clara looked at him.
- Oh… said Terry, of course.
He kissed her on the cheek.
- Bye, Clara, and thanks.
- Terry, good luck, said Clara.
Terry took a cab and went at the Brighton's. He found Annie ready to go out to go at Archie's. She jumped at his neck.
- Terry! I'm so happy to see you!
- I can see that, said Terry, what's going on?
- Let's go see Archie and let's get Patty on the way. We're going to tell you everything…
Archie was in front of the Reagan's manor. The butler refused to let him in.
- You don't have an appointment, I'm sorry.
- But I'm their cousin.
- They are not waiting for you, they're out anyway.
- Are you sure?
- Yes. But leave, please.
Archie left disappointed. Neil and Eliza had forbid the butler to let him in, so he won't be able to see Candy. He went back home.
Neil was in Juliet's room. He wanted to kiss her, but for a strange reason, Juliet didn't want let herself be kissed by Neil.
- But we're engaged, said Neil, it's normal.
- But I don't remember anything. I'm sorry, as long as I don't remember being engaged to you, I can't…
Neil remained silent; he was stuck in his own trap, he told her they were engaged and it was a lie. She will never remember, because it never happened… unless she really falls in love with him…
- Ok, he said, I don't want to rush you.
- Thanks, Neil, said Juliet.
He got out of the room a little frustrated. Juliet still didn't feel close to Neil. Was she really engaged to him? It didn't stick in her head… well, time will tell.
Neil and Eliza were still happy about the events from the day before.
- I wished I had a camera so I could've capture the expressions on their faces, it was priceless! Said Eliza laughing.
- Yeah, but now, they will do everything to convince her to leave me.
- Neil, you found her alone and disoriented at the hospital, she didn't even know her name… you're her Moses, her saviour.
- But she doesn't even let me touch her, she so prude!
- Prude? Give me a break! She's a little slut!
- Eliza!
- Didn't you see how she was running after Terrence in college?
- Eliza, that's enough! If someone was running after Grandchester, it was you!
- Ok, no need to yell! Let her time to get used to you… you'll see her little slutty side will come back.
Neil wanted to answer, but Juliet arrived and they changed the conversation.
- Hello, said Juliet smiling.
- Hello, said the twins.
- Did you have a good night? Asked Juliet.
- Yes, said Eliza, what about you?
- Me too, said Juliet. What are we doing today?
- Well, said Eliza, we could go to the country club to have fun…
- Yes, said Neil, we could ride…
- Sleep on the sun and think about nothing, said Eliza.
- That sounds like fun, said Juliet.
Mrs. Reagan and the great aunt arrived.
- Good morning, said Mrs. Reagan.
-Good morning, said the great aunt.
- Good morning, said the three youngsters.
-You're going to the country club this morning? Asked Mrs. Reagan.
- Yes, said Neil.
- Have fun! Said the great aunt.
- There's a debutantes' ball in two days, you'll need white dresses, the both of you. You can go and buy them tomorrow, said Mrs. Reagan.
- Thank you, said Eliza and Juliet.
- Juliet doesn't need the ball, said Neil, she's my fiancée.
- But you could go to have fun, said the aunt.
- But others will see Juliet.
- And she will tell them that she's already engaged, said the great aunt, you'll be her escort.
- Ok, said Neil against his will.
- Neil, said Juliet, we're going to have fun, you'll see.
- With you, I'm sure of it, said Neil smiling.
- So, it's settled, said Eliza, let's go get ready for the country club…
Annie, Terry and Patty arrived at the Andrew manor and they found a discouraged Archie.
- Hello, honey, said Annie.
- Hi, Archie, said Patty.
- Cornwell, said Terry.
- Grandchester, what are you doing here?
- I have news about Candy, he said.
-So do we, said Archie, Annie didn't tell you anything?
- No, said Annie, I wanted to wait till we were all together. Go ahead Terry; you have the result of the investigation?
- Yes, you know I learned that the train Candy took had an accident a little outside of Chicago. I hired a private investigator so he could look for her in hospitals and clinics outside of Chicago.
- What did he find? Asked Archie.
- That there was in a clinic, no, the Hope hospital, a patient that was in a coma for months and that had just woke up with amnesia.
- Amnesia? It was Candy? Asked Annie.
-The staff called her "Sleeping beauty" and others "Angel face" and at the end they were calling her "Jane Doe" but she chose the name "Juliet". She was the joy of life, she cheered up the patients and created a group where all the patients would come and talk about their problems, and she would show them how lucky they were. When came the time to leave, she didn't really know where to go, when a young man who had come to give a donation to the hospital, recognized her as his fiancée and took her home with him. Unfortunately, he couldn't get the young man's name…
- Neil Reagan, said Annie, Patty and Archie at the same time…
- What? How do you know that?
- Well, said Patty, we were at a wedding yesterday.
- And we saw the Reagans from afar said Annie.
- But since they're so "adorable", we didn't really paid attention to them, but we noticed that they were with this young girl, said Annie.
- She's been with them for some time, but since we were avoiding them… said Patty.
- Only yesterday at the wedding, Neil and Eliza made a pleasure of introducing us to Neil's "fiancée" who was no other than our Candy, said Archie.
-…without her memory, completed Terry.
- Needless to say, that we were speechless, said Patty, in fact I still can't believe it!
- I tried to go to the Reagans, but they didn't let me in, said Archie, but I was expecting it.
- We have to try and talk to her, said Patty.
A butler came in and announced the arrival of doctor Green.
- I called a doctor, expert on amnesia, to ask him some questions explained Archie to the others that were looking at him with interrogatory eyes.
Doctor Green entered the room; he was in his thirties with light brown hair and grey eyes.
- Hello, Dr. Green, said Archie, let me introduce you to Annie, my fiancée and my friends, Patty and Terry.
- Hello, said dr. Green.
- Hello, said the others.
They explained the situation to the doctor who listened closely. Then he asked:
- Who saw her last?
- Me, said Terry, just before she went to the train station.
- In what state of mind was she in?
- We had just broke up, said Terry.
- So her heart was broken… I see. I suppose you loved each other?
- A lot, but …
- So you were forced to break up?
- Yes… she must have been depressed and telling herself she wanted to forget the break up, said Terry.
- The accident made her wish come true, said Annie.
- Literally, said the doctor, Terry you're the cause of her condition, she wanted to forget the break up, the love, the pain.
- Oh… he said sadly.
- But you're also the key…
- How? Asked Terry
- If I'm right, it's because of the pain of your break up that she unconsciously refuses to come back to reality. Her mind put everything in a room and locked the door. She gave herself a new identity… this new person, "Juliet", doesn't know Candy. In her head, she doesn't see the need to know Candy, because Juliet doesn't have a past, no memory, she's has no worries… when Candy has a broken heart. She has to get her memory back gradually, otherwise, if it's too sudden, she could fold up and refuse to let Candy out or Juliet out for that matter. Terry, you have to help her open that door. But without forcing her, it's better not to tell her anything about her life; she has to remember on her own.
- But that could take months, if we don't tell her anything.
- You said someone already told her lies. But since it's the first person who knew her and who told her her name…
- He's like her Moses, her Messiah, her saviour, said Patty.
- You have to be very careful, go gradually, meet her, and gain her trust so she could open to you. She has to remember on her own, so she won't confuse her memory with what she was told.
- Ok, doctor, said Terry, thank you, doctor.
- Come and see me if you have any problems, I have to go. Bye, he said leaving the room.
- Thank you, Doctor, said Archie, bye.
- Bye and thanks said Annie and Patty
- The pleasure was all mine, said the doctor, good luck.
The four friends remained silent for a while. Annie finally broke the silence.
- Terry, can you stay in Chicago?
- Yes, I even have a job…
- You put your career on hold?
- Well Candy comes before everything, said Terry, even my career.
- Good, said Patty, you heard the doctor, you're the key.
- But I'm also the cause…
- Terry, it's not your fault, it was an accident, said Annie, and Susanna saved you…
- She sacrificed herself so I could take care of Susanna… and now…
- Come on, Grandchester! Get a hold of yourself! We have to save Candy, said Archie, but how could we get into the Reagan's manor? I'm family and the butler didn't even let me pass the door.
- None of us will be able to get in, said Patty.
There was a silence; Annie, Patty and Archie all looked at Terry. They were all thinking the same thing. Terry felt observed.
- What? He asked.
- Terry, said Annie, Eliza has a thing for you…
- What? NO!
- It's for Candy, said Patty.
- You're the only one who could get in because of Eliza, said Annie.
- But, what if they don't trust me? Asked Terry.
- They're a little too comfortable, said Archie, Neil introduced us to Candy without fearing that she might remember something when she saw us.
- And they don't know that you're the key to Candy's memory, said Patty.
- Eliza… I hate her. I spit on her… said Terry.
- But when you came to Chicago, last year for the King Lear, she was nice to you, wasn't she? Asked Annie.
- She even came to the train station, said Terry.
- And she also went to your premiere in New York, said Annie.
- What I don't understand, it's Neil, said Archie, why would he tell her that they were engaged?
Annie and Patty had a sigh; boys were always so slow to understand matters of the heart, sometimes!
- Hello! Said Annie, Candy is beautiful; you all have a thing for her, why not Neil?
Archie blushed; even if he knew Annie was aware of his thing for Candy, he was a little ashamed.
- And she's Uncle William's heir, said Patty.
- Oh… said Terry and Archie.
- Finally you get it! Said Annie, Eliza must want some revenge, but Neil must really be in love with her, you should've seen how he was looking at her.
- Ok, girls, said Terry, what do we do now?
- Well, we have to think like Eliza, said Annie.
- And Neil, said Patty.
- The country club, said Archie.
- But I don't have a membership, said Terry.
- You'll be my guest, said Archie without laughing, let's go!
Archie went to get the car. Terry was wondering where Stear was. Like she had read his mind, Patty said:
- Stear enrolled as a pilot in the army, he's in Italy at the war.
- Oh, Patty, I'm sorry, said Terry sincerely touched.
- Thanks, Terry, said Patty.
- That's why Archie is a little on the edge, said Annie.
- Nothing out of the ordinary there, said Terry, he's always so nice to me!
Annie and Patty burst out laughing, and Terry smiled.