Chapter 13
The first thing she heard on her way to the artists' dressing room, was a heckling like all the devils of hell. She quivered. A swarm of hysterical girls was blocking the entrance, chanting Terry's name. The theatre staff member who had guided her until here did not allow himself to be intimidated, and puffing out his chest, stepped towards the crowd, forcing his way through with his impressive stature.
- Excuse-me, ladies. Please…
Candy was behind him, looking down to avoid the hateful gaze of the groupies who were probably suspecting her as a serious rival. The man knocked several times on the door, which finally opened on Sidney Wilde, who, seeing her, invited her to come in with a quick gesture. She rushed into the opening under the crowd of admirers' indignation shouts, and felt the slam of the door behind her.
- My humble respects miss Andrew! – Cried out the director as he shook vigorously the young woman's hands, the euphoria that inhabited him making him forget the required hand-kissing – I've to leave Terrence to your care while I'm trying to calm down this bunch of hotheads.
He was laughing, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction.
- I think they are not going to make it easy for me but I am not complaining. I had not known that for many years, and if it has to be the price of success, I'm very inclined to comply with it. Hand-to-hand in this kind of context never frightened me… - he added moving suggestively his eyebrows.
He did his hair again then, pretending to take a deep breath, he opened the door. Screams whipped his face as he appeared on the doorstep, quickly followed with grumbles of disappointment, making Candy smile. A slight distance away, immune to the curious, she was looking at him, striving to push the determined intruders back.
- Come on, ladies, calm down! Mister Graham will come and sign some autographs in a few minutes. Be patient, please!...
The door, by closing, covered up his last words. Some murmurs from outside were still be heard but nothing compared to the over excitation to which she had just attended. Sidney Wilde had apparently everything under control, but for how long?...
Squeezing stronger her small handbag that she was holding with a febrile hand, she looked around the room that extended along a whole twenty meters. The troupe was there, busy undressing and getting its makeup off, laughing and singing, while an assistant with a trolley, was painfully snaking in and out it to get the costumes that littered the ground, for bringing them to clean up. A party atmosphere reigned in the dressing room. Tensions had given way to decompression, encouraged by the champagne and the appetizers offered by the Arenas director to celebrate the success of the night. In equilibrium on the tips of her toes, stretching out her neck, Candy, searching for Terry, began to scrutinize each corner of the room, which oddly looked empty of his presence. Disconcerted, she wondered if she had correctly understood the director's words.
- Terry? – She said with a worrying voice, as she stepped forward.
- I'm here, Candy – answered a male voice hidden by a screen behind her – I'm finishing dressing…
- That's too bad… - she thought, pouting – I liked you in your costume of Romeo…
The young man appeared from behind the screen, dressed up casual: a clear blue cable cotton sweater, a flannels white trousers and a pair of two-coloured brogue shoes. A chic outfit that remained comfortable. Candy liked particularly this faded blue colour that emphasized his carnation and the bright of his eyes, that some rests of kohl underlined. He was really of an overwhelming beauty and she shivered with emotion.
An amused smile appeared on his face.
- What? – He asked, giggling.
- What then? – She answered, confused.
- Well, I don't know. I think the way you're looking at me is embarrassing…
Feeling caught, Candy froze and mumbled, blushing.
- I… I was thinking that… that you really impressed me by your performance!
- Thank you! – He did, his smile getting mischievously bigger – But certainly not as much as yours when you appeared in the enclosure…
- You… You saw me?
- Aaaaah Candy! – He laughed, shaking negatively his head – You shouldn't have worn this dress if you wanted to go unnoticed!
Candy's face turned even redder.
I was behind the curtain, busy looking at the audience when I saw you, like a rose in a flowered meadow, majestic, sitting down on that square under every man's hungry eyes. I would have wanted to run to you and admonish each one of them for insulting you with their lust, but I had to stay here and content myself with your contemplation. I distinguished your face tensed-up with apprehension and concern, similar to the ones I was feeling. I had played hundreds of times Romeo and Juliet, but, at this time, I was feeling the anxiety of beginners because I was going to perform in front of you, and there was no more determining judgement than yours. Later, carried away by the storm, I comforted myself with your presence, so easily identifiable to the flaming crimson you were wearing, of which I bless the choice, now that you are standing in front of me, so beautiful that I can't find the words to describe the emotion that you make grow in me.
- You look gorgeous, Candy. You look very beautiful in this dress – he finally said with an admiring tone that painfully dissimulated his emotion – but…
Candy's blood froze.
- But? – She asked, swallowing with difficulty.
- I wish you did not have to take it off, because I'm taking you to a place in which this dress may not be very appropriate…
Saying that, he took from behind the screen a costume of page with little boots, and proudly handed the whole set to her.
- This is the only thing I found in your size and comfortable enough for what I've planned to do…
But before her surprised and melted with misunderstanding gaze, he added, smiling mysteriously:
- Trust me…
Sidney Wilde reappeared at that time, and holding the door with effort, he cried out:
- Terry, please! Come and sign those autographs and be done!
- I'm coming! – Sighed the young man with rolling eyes. Then, bending over her, he whispered to her ear:
- In the meantime, get changed. I'll be back soon.
He tenderly kissed her forehead and hurried to join the troupe manager. The hysterical screams she heard in return made her start and she ran to get shelter behind the screen. She looked with perplexity at the costume and wondered what Terry had in mind. The "trust me" he had said earlier was not making her feel comfortable. All of this was putting confusion in her mind and leaving her doubtful. But curiosity finally prevailed over her doubts and she complied.
When Terry came back, Candy had changed of clothes. Standing before the makeup table, turning her back to him, she was busy handling bottles, cosmetics and other ointment he had used on his face for the performance. Her nose into a box of power, she raised her head and sneezed, displaying a cloud of powder all around her. Before the funniness of the scene, he let out a laugher. Candy couldn't imagine how her clumsiness made her look irresistible! He loved when she behaved that way: natural, spontaneous. It was those "imperfections" that some self-righteous had formerly blamed her for, that gave her all her charm, and he did not want it to change. He loved her so much!...
- Candy?... – he did, with a moved voice.
She turned around and he stayed dumbfounded for a few seconds. The memory of an unforgettable moment of his youth had just revived in him, the May Festival's one in Saint Paul. A memory, that, in flashes, was sending back to him the images of a young boy disguised in Romeo, who had broken into the feast and whose mischievous gaze under his velvet mask had captured his attention. With her feline look, her suppleness in the moves and her insolent eyes staring at him, he had finally recognized her and concluded that one's could only fall madly in love with a girl like her who dared everything and who took great delight in her recklessness. That girl was standing before him, in a similar costume, but the insolent gaze of his souvenirs had worn appearances of reproaches that disconcerted him.
- You look like coming from a battle field!... – she muttered, crossing her arms, and pointing with her chin his tousled hair and his torn sweater.
- Well… - he giggled, rubbing his neck with embarrassment – You're not wrong. The Veronese girls have a special way to show their contentment…
- They look also very easy to get on with… - she grumbled while trying to wipe with her thumb some suspicious lipstick marks on his cheek.
He struggled, mocking.
- This is not my fault, Your Honour, I've been attacked by surprise!...
But before her lasting severe look, he took her hand and brought it to his lips.
- It doesn't suit you at all to be jealous… - he murmured, languorously kissing her finger pads.
She wanted to fight by withdrawing her hand but she was unable to hold a moved grin to flicker on her pretty face.
- I'm not jealous, come on!... – she did, shrugging.
- Too bad… - he answered, pretending disappointment.
Helpless, she let out a little laugh and looked at him with adoration.
- I'm defeated… - she admitted with fluttering lashes.
- You'll have your revenge!... – he said, kissing her hand once again.
- As soon as possible, I hope so!... – she answered with a predatory smile.
- No need to boast. You know that I'm an easy prey when it comes to you…
- It has to be proven!... – she emboldened herself, blushing, his lips still on her fingers.
- In that case, follow me! – He cried out, dragging her to the other side of the room, while pretending to ignore, with a knowing smile and narrowing eyes, his friends' whistles and mocking commentaries. He moved aside a scenery panel and pushed a door leading to a stairs particularly dark – It leads under the arenas and allows to exit discreetly by an adjacent street. You are not afraid at least?
A challenging smile grew hollow on Candy's lips. As an answer to the said provocation, she took and electric torch hanging on the wall and pressed on the switch. The yellow light slightly enlightened the first steps to disappear in the deep darkness. The young American thrilled but willing not to show anything of her fear, sank with dignity in the dark under Terry's admiring gaze.
- My Gosh! She has guts! She really fooled me! – He thought while hurrying to follow her not to lose sight of her.
The stairs stopped on a long narrow and wet corridor that the lamplight penetrated with the same difficulty. Firmly holding Terry's hand, Candy moved forward, starting several times as they crossed rodents becoming monstrous under the effects of lights and shadows on the walls, and making her bite her lips not to scream. Her heart was beating fast in her chest and it was with a big sigh of relief that she saw a new stairs leading to the exit. As they moved forward, the streets noises became more audible, and when she pushed aside with a nervous hand the latch of the door, they welcome like a liberation the coming air from the outside. Candy got out, trembling, in the street. This little interlude of terror had rather shaken her. She hated this kind of sinister places, above all since the traumatizing episode of the Andrew ball in Lakewood, in which Elisa and Neal had locked her in the attic. She easily remembered the terrible fear she had felt and since then, she had always avoided to be in this type of situation. She turned to Terry, whose pale face was regaining colours and she smiled of enjoyment.
She was not the only one who had been afraid…
Stung by her mocking look, he narrowed his eyes with a sarcastic little laugh, seized her hand, and without any explication, dragged her with him. The tunnel they had taken led to Fratini Street, just next to San Nicolo church, whose bells rang in the same time its twelve strokes. Despite the late hour, many people were still in the streets. The restaurant and café terraces were packed, with certainly starving spectators of the arenas.
Under the darkness of the walls, the two lovers discreetly walked up few blocks to arrive on the piazza dell' Erbe, and more specifically, before the medieval Lamberti tower. They turned around it and stood in front of an elaborated door that looked as old as the edifice. Terry looked in the pocket of his trousers and took a long and rusty key from it that he inserted in the lock.
- This tower puzzled me since this afternoon… - he explained, noticing Candy's interrogative look – I've had the opportunity to talk about it with the director of the arenas this afternoon. It turns out that he's friend with the person in charge of the historical buildings…
Candy nodded, her eyes wandering with curiosity over the old stones. The door creaked as it opened, and the two young people came inside. Terry switched again the torch on and pointed it to the highs. The young blonde looked up and discovered above her ghost-like reliefs of a stairs that spirally went up on tens of meters until disappearing in the night.
- Eighty four meters… - she moaned, remembering the book about Verona she had offered to Patty – Do you… Do you want us to climb all the way up there?
- I've been told the view is amazing! – Answered Terry, nodding cheerfully.
- More than three hundred and sixty stair steps… - she followed, dismayed.
- You understand now why you couldn't keep your pretty dress?
She let out a squeaking noise, which was supposed to be affirmative, and sighed with resignation.
- Come on, let's go up! – He said, reaching out his hand to her – I'm sure you'll think me when we get to the top!...
Candy returned him a doubtful pout, but, defeated by the sincerity of his enthusiasm, she nodded and let herself guide in their climbing. As they climbed, without any break, they passed before a big clock of the 18th century, then three bells that served to ring the hours and alert the people in case of fire. Up to the top, in its octagon-shaped shelter, was the biggest one named Rengo which used to be used to convene the meetings of the City council or to call in the citizens to defend their town. Breathless by the climbing, she untied the first links of her blouse to clear her throat and approached the parapet. Pierced with eight openings, the belfry offered a panoramic view over the city. From this observation post, the highest of the town, one's could let wander his gaze over the checkerboard of roofs and terraces from which emerged in some places a church steeple, its spire proudly soaring apart in the clear and transparent night flooded by the light of the moon. Beyond these brick walls, one's could see the waving waters of the Adige River, which, in a shimmering ribbon, wound between the stone bridges. Terry had not lied to her. It was magical!
Leaning side-on against one of the pillars, Candy closed her eyes. Voices and music whisperings coming from the square let imagine a nocturnal excitement that contrasted with the deep silence that reigned in the tower. She was guessing Terry, very close, observing her. With a beating heart, her blood began to ring to her ears. They were alone, with no one around them. At last!... It was a moment she had often dreamed to live, that she had experimented in her dreams, but which, now, becoming real, was making her lose all her control. She was feeling so awkward and was so afraid to break the spell if she turned to him that she preferred to stare stupidly at the horizon as he came closer and leaned against the pillar facing her.
She was so beautiful!
Her alabaster skin shined with an iridescent glowing under the white light of the moon. It looked like someone had embroidered some silver yarns in her hair. The tightness of her costume emphasized the slender shapes of her pretty body, and more specially her legs that a pair of dark tights revealed thin and nicely curved. The lovely teenager from Saint Paul Academy had changed into an irresistible and overwhelming woman, whose charm penetrated him with a delightful tenderness. She finally turned her head to him and smiled, shyly, without suspecting the troubling sensuality that was coming from her. Before this savouring sight, a flood of impure thoughts mislaid him for a while and he shuddered before the fertility of his imagination. He looked at the starry skies to hide his embarrassment, and from his quivering lips, went out his tender and deep voice.
The Moon more indolently dreams to-night
Than a fair woman on her couch at rest,
Caressing, with a hand distraught and light,
Before she sleeps, the contour of her breast.
Upon her silken avalanche of down,
Dying she breathes a long and swooning sigh;
And watches the white visions past her flown,
Which rise like blossoms to the azure sky.
And when, at times, wrapped in her languor deep,
Earthward she lets a furtive tear-drop flow,
Some pious poet, enemy of sleep,
Takes in his hollow hand the tear of snow
Whence gleams of iris and of opal start,
And hides it from the Sun, deep in his heart.
- It's beautiful, Terry! – She stuttered with a moved voice – Who is it from?
- It's a French poet named Charles Baudelaire. He baptized this poem "The sadness of the moon".
- Sadness? I don't see any sadness here but only beauty! This poem is wonderful, Terry, but recited by you, it turns into into a bewitching melody. I'd like to know how… how you get this ease? It remains a mystery to me who is unable to say a line without looking bumbling and ridiculous. Please! What is your secret?
The young man leaned his head backward against the pillar of the old tower and looked around, sighing, in the nocturnal sky.
- I don't know where this facility comes from, but I thank the Lord every day for this gift he gave me. When I read a text, the sounds coming from it possesses me and an irresistible force seizes me. It's like the scene is happening right before me and that I am turning into that person. These words become mines without realizing it. It could appear pretentious to some people while I never took any acting classes, but I am at my best when I don't think about the way I play. I just let myself go, drifted by the richness of the text. It's like a liberation… I have a real feeling of freedom!
Candy, her head slightly tilting on the side, was listening silently to him, both attentive and interrogative. He lowered penetrating eyes to her and she thrilled with emotion. She wondered if she would be able one day to stop being so overwhelmed each time he looked at her. Her heart began to beat faster as her members were getting stiffed, so that a simple breath of wind could make her fall. But the dark veil that she saw suddenly fading the brightness of his aquamarine iris, immediately withdrew her from her thoughts.
- You know, every night, I used to looking forward to being on stage – he continued (He shook his head and his voice became trembling) - …. I used to looking forward because it was the only thing able to give me the feeling to live. For some hours, I used to forget, forget that you weren't there anymore and that I had lost you forever. But as soon as the lights went down, I used to sink again into the emptiness that summarized my life…
Candy's eyes began to get clouded with tears. Noticing it, Terry moved forward to her and put a fondly hand on her cheek. She perceived a movement of his Adam's apple showing the emotion that was seizing him in his turn. But this time he looked at her serenely.
- Theatre saved my life, but you, Candy, you saved my soul. I was wandering without any purpose, opening indifferently my eyes every day and closing them every night without more enthusiasm. I don't have any memories of this time, if not a feeling of absolute emptiness that nothing could fill. And then, you reappeared to me, Candy, and everything looked so simple then! All around me was meaningful again, colours, and smells! I had the feeling to wake up from a long sleep, and I knew that… I would never be able to live without you… Oh, Candy, if I had to lose you again, I don't know if I would be able to surv… I… If I lost you, I…
- It won't happen!... – she interrupted him, pressing an index finger on his trembling lips – Never!
She tried a smile that wanted to be comforting and reassuring, and stared at him with her emerald gaze. He nodded slightly with his eyelids. It seemed to her that he was able read in her mind and guess what she wanted to tell him.
" It won't happen because nothing can separate us anymore. Nothing can affect us anymore! I swear an oath by everything that I hold dear in this world. No, believe me, Terry, I'll fight strongly so nothing or no one will ever take me away from you!"
Overwhelmed by the wave of love overcoming her, she could not help a tear that came running on her cheek, then on Terry's that was caressing it. Her hand joined his own and she pressed it against her face to better feel the soft contact of his palm against her cheek. They stayed that way for a while, staring into each other's eyes, without saying anything, with only echo, the peaceful pace of their breath. But little by little, Terry's gaze began to shine a light that troubled her in return. The hand he had put on her cheek moved back and went down to brush the hollow of her throat. Her heart raced as his long fingers followed their path towards her breast that her untied doublet covered. With her hand, she shyly guided his wrist, her cheekbones turning pink of her own boldness, and she closed her eyes. She felt like butterflies were vigorously flying in her stomach and she hiccupped of stupefaction. Terry was standing now very close to her and she could feel his breath caressing her hair and brushing her face. His hands withdrew to come around her waist. He embraced her powerfully. Her head tilted backward and her gaze crossed his half-opened lips slowly coming closer. In an ultimate burst, she plucked up courage and came to their meeting, sealing hers to his, with slight touches in the beginning, then impatiently. But suddenly, he stepped back. The colour of his eyes had changed and she got delighted of the storm that was raging in them. The air in the tower crackled with electricity, like a thunder about to break…
With a quick movement, he pinned her to the pillar against which she was standing, took her hands and raised them up above her head. His leg came to place itself between hers, preventing her from any movement. Her eyes wide-opened, she tried to recover her breath. Her heart beat so fast!
- You have your revenge… - she heard him whisper to her ear and she thrilled with amazement.
Terry's beautiful and rounded lips found back their way to hers, but this time, eager and biting, playful and conquering. She felt his fresh tongue coming to meet hers, explorer, tying and untying, and she held a moan. It was for her an odd feeling, disconcerting, but that kindled in her unknown sensations, that she guessed delightfully indecent, dizzy-making.
- He's kissing me! Terry is kissing me! – She thought, arching herself even more to better welcome his kisses.
She was feeling an intense pleasure in tasting a more intimate part of him. She loved the savour of his warm and wet lips that leaped on hers, the rough contact of his jaw against her skin that let guess beginnings of a beard, exciting with much more vivacity the hunger she had for him. With a delightful and exciting shamelessness, she was gorging herself with the sensual melody of their muffled moans, with their voices becoming low, saying words that faded under the frenzy of their breathing.
It was the time when the perfidious tower bell took them away from their spirited occupation by ringing the half of midnight.
Terry slightly stepped back from Candy to better look at her, and joyfully discovered her eyes full shining of fever.
- "Please, don't stop" – she seemed to ask for.
She had a movement towards him, and sighed with relief when seeing his face bowing again to hers and kissing her. He took greedily her lips, licking and nibbling them until perceiving with a triumphant smile, the enchanting sound of her moans escaping from her throat. With the lascivious friction of their clothes against each other, he could not dissimulate anymore the passion possessing him. Troubled, she then felt coming up in her an intense warmth, violently delightful, intoxicating that spread in her body and she wanted to attract him ardently against her, but could only note her powerlessness. Prisoner of his caresses that slid impetuously along her neck, her back, her hips, she began to struggle, to move about tremendously, renewing with a growing rage her attempts to free her hands from his grasp and be able to touch him in her turn, roll her arms around his neck, melt her fingers in his hair, feel quiver his skin that she guessed soft, so soft!... Finally able to get free, she seized his face between her hands and clang to him in an ardent kiss, moaning, her tongue in search for another exchange, a confrontation she wanted intense, determined to give each hit back. With eyes half-opened, an imperceptible smile on his lips, like a tomcat that would hesitate on the fate of its prey, he embraced her, moaning, answering to her kisses with the same requirement. Thoroughly given over to his assaults, she felt her muscles tensing in an exquisite pain that was possessing all her being, invading each of her body's nerve ending until she let out a shout that he gagged with his lips, leaving her sighing in his mouth…
He stopped then. Crazily breathing, she looked at him interrogatively. He pulled himself out and laid his tensed arms in arcuate manner above her. Panting, he leaned his forehead against hers, trying to recover control of himself.
- I think it would be better that I bring you back to the boarding house – he murmured with a hoarse voice – I would blame myself to much if my lack of restraint harmed your respectability. Candy, you create in me feelings that I would have never imagined to be able to feel, and I fear to lose all control if we continue what we were doing…
With her cheeks on fire, the young woman nodded with regret.
- If it makes you feel any better, Terry – she murmured, scarlet – I wanted to do it as much as you…
He stretched up and a knowing smile enlightened his face. Dumfounded by the boldness of her own words, she ran to hide herself in the hollow of his arms. Nestled against him, her heart beat very fast in her chest and almost exploded when he closed his embraced on her.
- Nothing forbids us from staying like this, right? – She asked, burying even more her head in his chest.
Terry nodded, delighted of this initiative.
- So, let me hold you tight! – She said, embracing him stronger against her – Let me get filled with the warmth of your body, your heart beatings! I've so much dreamed of that moment, Terry, I'd like it to last as long as possible! I'm so afraid to wake up and to…
With his index finger, he lifted her chin up and obliged her to look at him. Dazzled by the seraphic features of his beautiful face quivering of emotion under the moonlight's blue-tinted light, she thought for a minute, that she could faint once again before such perfection.
- It doesn't matter, my sweet, as long as we have the same dream… - he answered with a reassuring and caressing voice – It doesn't matter because we won't leave each other anymore….
Thrilling with contentment, she felt him drawing her to him, his hand sinking into her golden locks. She closed her eyes to the soft contact of his palm against her neck and filled her nostrils with the smell of his skin. Their bodies nestled against each other, they stayed a long time without moving, listening to their breath recovering a regular pace until the big clock rang the first hour of the day, moved witness of their love.
Terry closed the taxi door in which Candy had just settled, and leaned to the driver to give him his recommendations.
- Drive slowly and be sure the lady is into the boarding house before leaving!...
The taxi driver nodded, mumbling something in Italian that the young actor didn't understand but sounded not very friendly.
This dandy is not seriously going to teach him his job! Of course the lady will arrive safe and sound, of course he won't leave without checking she's really in! He was not irresponsible!
He wished he had recalled him that it was almost two o'clock in the morning and it was not a time to flirt with a young woman but he preferred to shut up. The young man had been very generous with him for the fare… He pricked up his ear and guessed to her accent that the young beauty was American.
Pfffff! Those American women are all hussies! They travel alone, they spend the night with a man, they… Gosh! If she were my daughter, she would be married with at least three kids, or she would still be at home and would not go out without being chaperoned by her three brothers! Really, they have lost all sense of values in the other side of the ocean! Pffff! Look at them devouring each other with their eyes! Moreover, the two of them really made me feel bad earlier when arriving! With that girl dressed like a boy, I thought I was dealing with… well… with people with… say, particular tastes!... I thought I had seen everything in my career, but really! Well!... We are not going to spend the night here, seriously! And now I send you kisses through the window, and now, I bill and coo! Those two lovebirds will be tossed seeds soon! Grrrr! And to think that it's my last fare before going to bed, but at this rate, I'm not about to go there!
Unable to wait any longer, the irascible driver got his head out off the window and, tapping the door with the palm of his hand, he cried out:
- Well! What are you waiting for? Christmas? The meter is running!
Terry was floating on such a cloud that the Italian impoliteness sounded to him very amiable. With his hand, he sent a last kiss to Candy and stepped back with regrets. The driver, muttering, readjusted his beret, and pressed on the pedal of acceleration. The car quickly drove up Erbe Square and disappeared in a few seconds towards Rosa Street that led straight away to Garibaldi bridge, this bridge that Candy used every day to go to town and go back to the boarding house. The driver had started up so quickly that she barely had time to wave goodbye to Terry before the buildings walls came to chase him to her sight. The driver looked obviously eager to return to his home because, less than five minutes later, the vehicle stopped in front of Roberta's boarding house, getting rid of Candy just as fast. He nevertheless made the effort to be sure she entered the house then, at the very moment when she stepped in, he immediately left, his car backfiring, waking up half the neighbourhood on its way. Candy grinned, hunching her shoulders and, trying to be as discreet as possible, she climbed the stairs very carefully, praying that nothing creaks or squeaks. But, as she arrived before her bedroom's door, she realized that she had forgotten the key in the small handbag that was with her dress. Except that the key and everything else were in the dressing room of the arenas!... Heaven help us!... How was she going to do? She did not want to wake Patty up especially as, being curious like a jaybird, she would harass her with questions and would not allow her any respite. The only thing she wanted now was to go to bed and join Terry in her dreams… Hmmmmmmmm!
Hopefully, Patty didn't lock the door!
She turned the handle and sighed with relief, noticing that the door opened. The light was off.
Patty was sleeping, thank heavens!
Taking her boots and holding her breath, she crept in the bedroom, trying to see shapes in the darkness not to stumble on. And that was when a light broke out from the other side of the bed. Candy started with a little frightened scream. Patty, her arm still stretching towards the bedside lamp, was sitting in the bed and looking at her with curiosity and mischievousness.
- Well, well, Cinderella! Is this a time to come home?
Candy's heart was racing. Swallowing with difficulty, she cried out, whispering.
- Patty! You scared me! You were not sleeping?
- No, I wasn't…
With her head tilting on the side, staring at Candy, she invited her to sit down with tapings on the mattress. Sighing with resignation, lowering her shoulders, that latter accepted the invitation and went, with a shuffle, to have a seat at the bottom of the bed. Patty, with a devilish smile, said then those so dreaded words:
- I was not sleeping… and you won't sleep either, until you explain the reason of this medieval dressing and this fluffed hair!... I've got time!...
End of chapter 13 – part 1