CHAPTER 2: Sir William

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After staying for a week in Pony's home, Candy decided it's time to go home and stop running from her life problem. Ms. Pony and Sr. Lane were very supportive and repeatedly told her to stay with them if needed.

Candy was waiting in the bus station waiting for a bus to Chicago when she saw someone coming.

"Sr. Lane? Oh dear, did I forget to take something?" asked Candy.

Sr. Lane shook her head. "I forgot to give you something." Sr. Lane held out an old looking brown envelope to Candy. "Take it." Sr. Lane pushed the envelope to Candy's hand.

"What is this?" Candy opened it and saw some money inside.

"That is my saving before joining the convent. It's not much just some. I worked as a nanny for several years. When I became a nun, I gave it to a neighbor. She passed away a few months ago from the flu. I was heartbroken, she's such a dear. His son mailed that to me and to my surprise she had been keeping it unused. And now, I want you to have it."

Candy almost cried. "No! How could I? I can't!"

"I can't have wealth due to my vocation, you know that dear," Sr. Lane said gently. "I have always wanted to give it to you but have always forgotten. Now that I remember, please take it."

Candy burst into tears.

Sr. Lane kissed Candy's temple. "Just take it. You don't need to use it if you don't want to. Return it back to me when you're back on your feet."

Candy hated herself for making her mothers worry. Back in Chicago, she tried Sr. Lane and Ms. Pony's suggestion and went to a local Job Center. She attended training classes with other participants who mostly looked as gloomy as hers. It's disheartening. She revised her resume and submitted it to many job hunters.

Today, after enduring countless of screenings and rejections, she sat with another job hunter. He was a kind looking old man.

"Looks good!" He nodded as he read Candy's resume.

Full of hope, Candy shifted in her seat.

"Ah!" suddenly he exclaimed. "I'll be right back." He stepped aside.

Candy heard him making a phone call. He's back a few minutes later. Her heart beat nervously with anticipation.

"Uhm have you considered a career in modeling?" He scanned Candy from head to toe. "They like blondes."

Not a good sign. Feeling deflated, Candy shook her head.

"Entertainment industry?"

"I have a friend who's an actor." Candy was thinking of Terry.

"But it's you who're looking for a job." The man lifted his eyebrow.

"I'm not interested that's what I meant."

"Coffee shop? You can try first for a week and we-"

"No. My degree is in nursing, I want to be a nurse."

"Then… sorry, Ms. There's no job opening for you in the hospital-"

Before he finished talking, Candy had banged the table and got up.

"Can't be!" She had had enough of rejections and couldn't take it anymore. "I was the best nurse of the months for many times. I know that I am one of the best nurses in town and you are telling me that no one wants to hire me? Laughable! The hospitals are in shortage of workers because of the war and now the influenza outbreak! Even if I were a slob, they would have begged me to join them!"

"It must be upsetting, I understand. But I just passed what the hospital staff told me," he said without raising his voice.

"Sir you must help me," said Candy desperately. "I have been without job for months. You've got to help me. I need money…"

"It's not up to me–"

"Please," Candy pleaded and pleaded, didn't care about personal pride anymore. She really had nothing to lose. If anything, she might even gain something.

The old man sat back on his chair and looked at her with unreadable expressions.

"I had a granddaughter once, with brilliant green eyes. She just succumbed to the influenza last month." He picked a piece of paper and scribbled something on it.

"I'm sorry," said Candy.

"All your resumes that I submitted was returned with a message to call this phone number." He passed the paper to Candy. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the matter further with you. This is all I can do for you."

"Thank you," said Candy.

"If you reconsider the modeling position, come back here again."

Candy went home. She threw her handbag and coat on the floor and picked up the phone. She punched the number the job hunter gave her.

Her heart beat excitedly which soon stopped when someone answered, "Leagan office. May I -"

In shocked, Candy slowly put the phone down. She understood what happened now.

Neal! That wicked devil. Candy slapped her own forehead. Why didn't she suspect that before? Neal made these hospitals reject her resume! That wicked man! Candy was very angry before she broke down and cried, pitying herself for knowing Neal.

Among her sob she heard her housekeeper knocked at her door and said, "Sir William is here, Ms. Candice."

Albert was very concerned when Candy told him she wanted to live in her apartment instead of in the mansion. To make him happy, she compromised by accepting his offer to have a housekeeper helping her in the apartment.

Albert?, thought Candy excitedly.

It was so unexpected. She hadn't heard anything from Albert for almost a year! Shortly after the earth-shattering announcement that Albert was Sir William, he had been busy going to business trips around the world.

Candy dried her tears and quickly flew outside.

"Albert!" Candy fell to his arms.

"Hi little one!" said Albert, hugging her tight. "What's up?"

"I'm fine!" Candy lied. "How's work?"

"It's challenging but I'm making progress," he said.

Candy looked up to see him. He's wearing a formal business suit, looking very different from "Albert". But the twinkle in his blue eyes was still the same. He would always be her good old Albert. She had to bit her lips in order not to get emotional and cry.

"I came here to drop this." Albert showed her a light creme envelop with intricate motives. On the front is written with large golden letters "Wedding Invitation. Ira and Albert." It had two little pink hearts at the corner. "I'm getting married." Albert grinned.

"Oh Albert, congratulations!" said Candy, beaming. For a while she forgot about her life problems. "Aunt Elroy has been talking about this. Ira is a lucky girl!"

Albert laughed.

"Thanks. Ira and I plan to visit you this evening but I happened to pass by so I felt like dropping it first." Albert passed his wedding invitation card to Candy. "Hey, how come you're home?"

Candy looked embarrassed suddenly. He watched her sharply, scrutinizing her face. The last time she gave him that look was when she was fired by Dr. Leonard.

"Candy what's wrong?" Albert had a bad feeling about it.

"I- I am jobless," said Candy. "It's been six months…" Seeing Albert's kind face made tears flew from her eyes and she started to cry venting off her frustration. "Neal is destroying my career." She told Albert about Neal who blocked hospitals from hiring her. "I'm hopeless."

"But isn't Neal in Florida?"

Candy nodded. "I don't know how he does it but he somehow manages to make these hospitals not to hire me," Candy whimpered.

"Neal is not nice," said Albert. Candy only sobbed, couldn't respond. Albert closed the door and gently took Candy's hands, led her to her favorite chair in the living room. It's so touching that Albert still remembered about that chair so Candy sobbed even louder. "Don't cry little girl." He patted her back.

"I am so devastated." She wiped her nose. "But, I don't know what to do... I make Sr. Lane and Ms. Pony very worried too."

"Don't worry. I'll talk to the hospital head. You will work again tomorrow. I promise."

"Huh! T-tomorrow?" cried Candy in disbelief. Albert was always her angel of hope.

"Yes. Tomorrow. So, cheer up," said Albert most kindly. "But you must promise me, if this happens again you'll tell me promptly, okay?" His expression turned to serious. "You've promised to not keep your problems to yourself, haven't you?"

Candy nodded between sniffs. "Yes, Albert."

"Good girl," said Albert in a softer voice. "Tell me, where do you want to work?"

"I don't care. Anywhere." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Chicago Hospital is the most prestigious. But… Neal had strongly threatened Dr. Leonard from rehiring me. I also had a big fight with Dr. Leonard about-" Candy hesitated to continue.

"I'll talk to Dr. Leonard, then," said Albert. His voice was reassuring. "He should know that I am not a vagabond or a dangerous spy* by now." He smiled.

Candy laughed.

"It shouldn't be hard." Albert straightened up, glancing at his watch. "There's still time to talk to Dr. Leonard before lunchtime. I'd better go now."

Candy accompanied him to his car. George was there, opening the door for Albert. He nodded at Candy, too. She smiled at him. Today was the first time in six months she felt happy.

That evening, Albert came back again with his fiance, Ira. He brought Candy the good news. Candy got her job back! Candy was extremely proud of Albert. His prowess as Sir William was undeniable. He's well known and very successful worldwide yet was so down to earth and nice.

The following day, Candy happily returned to work in Chicago Hospital.

Infuriating jerk, Candy thought of Neal as she passed through the hospital gate. Neal used to park his car there, beeping to attract her attention then notoriously forced her to accept his flowers or to have lunch with him. Good that she never obliged, Candy thought triumphantly.

Enough, she scolded herself. Today was a day to be thankful. She shouldn't pollute her mind with unpleasant memories!

-To be continued-

*taken from manga: The people in hospital suspected Albert was a spy when he had amnesia

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Thanks for reading.