Chapter 13: Missing

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A week later...

Candy brushed the curls of her golden hair and put the finishing touch on her make-up. Tonight was the night she would go to have dinner with Neal. She opened her drawer and picked a necklace and earrings that she had prepared days ahead.

Would he look with that passionate look or would he mock at the cheap jewelry?, she thought.

She wore her necklace and earring and looked in the mirror. Smoothing her palms over her gown, she shrugged. Great smile with confidence is worth a million.

She switched off the light and left her bedroom.

"You look fabulous, Ms. Candice," said Betty, her housekeeper.

"Thank you!" said Candy, truly appreciated the compliment. It soothed her nervousness. "No need to cook me dinner tonight." She smiled.

"Have a good time," Betty said and closed the door for her.

In the hallway, Candy met her next door roommate.

"You look pretty, Candy," she said.

"Thanks!" Feeling a bit self conscious, Candy touched the front of her hair and went downstairs.

Her cheeks felt warm imagining all sort of compliments Neal might say. Would he attempt to kiss her again? That familiar tickle began again in her stomach. She lowered her head so that Mrs. Smith didn't see her smiling to herself.

Candy opened the front door and lifted up her head. Neal was not there yet. She walked to the gate and waited there. Some neighbors passed giving her compliments and she got even more impatient for Neal to see her.

Clock ticked and Neal still hadn't showed up. She paced around the gate back and forth. Neal always came on time or even early usually.

Some more time went by...

Candy started to feel hungry. Her feet were hurting too from the high heels. Suddenly, it occurred to her that Neal perhaps was waiting in the hospital. She checked her watch and found she had not much time left before tonight's late shift. She decided to go to work directly after dinner.

Candy sneaked back to her room. She felt relieved that she didn't meet anyone so she didn't need to explain abut her fail dinner. Feeling deflated, she changed her figure hugging date gown to the regular working attire. She exhaled as she wiped the makeup she had painstakingly put.

Candy left a note at her door and the apartment front door in case Neal came looking for her and left for the hospital.

She went to their usual meeting place but there's no sight of him or his car, no note from him either on her desk. She checked if he called and left a message with the operator. Nil. Nothing.

She then went to the food stall to grab a sandwich. Thoughts slowly drifted into her mind.

Perhaps he has a hot date?

She picked a seat in a secluded corner and unwrapped her food.

But the way he talked to Daisy - it was so sincere, impossible that he didn't mean it.

Or was she being naive?

When she came to New York for Terry, she was so sure he had only her, but it turned out he had a complex relationship with Suzanne. She ignored Annie when she told her about Ira until aunt Elroy made the announcement that Albert was getting engaged.

Neal...

She shook her head firmly. It's not her character to worry too much of this stuff.

Candy got up. She gathered her mess in a tray and tossed them into the dustbin. She wouldn't let him go under her skin!

Candy buttoned up her white nurse dress and went to work.

oOo

Two weeks later...

Candy sat on her desk reading report from of her staff. She should have finished that this morning but her mind was too full with that tall man with brown hair and hazel color eyes.

Two weeks had gone without a trace of Neal.

Now she was sure she had been replaced. He was probably out having a good time with some women or reconciled with Daisy. She remembered what she saw on that day how Daisy was clinging in his arms - how they kissed...

The more she thought about it the angrier she became. For the tenth time, she put her folder down.

The drama he had with Daisy under the tree must be fake! Neal was always good in setting up low tricks and traps.

Candy felt so stupid for believing and even befriending him. Fury shot thorough her like a bolt of lightning. He would be the loser of his own game! She would get a much cuter man and -

"Nurse Freckles?" Candy heard a loud knock at the door.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up. There's only one person who's calling her with that name.

She looked up. "Look who's here!" She got up to hug Terry.

"How are you?" Candy's eyes swept him from head to toe. Terry looked so thin and fragile.

"Still alive. Eating ten hamburgers a day to gain back my weight!" Terry joked. He leaned in closer. "You look fabulous." He bent magnificently to kiss her cheek.

Candy laughed and took a seat. He pulled a chair nearby and sat adjacent to her.

"Private office, eh?" He looked around.

"Good grief, I wrote you that I'm a head nurse in my letters. Didn't you read any of them? Maybe not, you never replied!"

"I read them but I was sick!"

"Could have sent a postcard. You're worse than Albert now," Candy pouted.

"You too! I called you many times and you didn't call me back!" he grumbled.

"What do you expect from a nurse with patients all around he clock? I-I'm very busy!" she flattered, realizing that she had not been doing a better job in keeping in touch either. Whenever she had a free time, she talked with Neal on the phone.

"Should I leave then?" he asked.

"Duh? After we finally meet? No... no. Speak up and tell me how you get well so quickly. Who's your caregiver?"

"Fanny. I doubt I'd be here without her an-"

"WHOA! I knew it!" Candy roared, cutting him. "Fanny is the best nurse in the world!" praised Candy generously. She chuckled. "Sorry to interrupt. What did you want to say?"

"And... Suzanne." Terry held his breath.

"Suzanne can be a nurse too!" cried Candy, amazed.

"Yeah," said Terry. "And a good one, too. It's not easy when one is bound to a wheelchair but she managed."

"Fanny took care of both of you then?"

Terry shook his head. "Suzanne refused to be treated like a patient so Fanny could concentrate on me. She assisted Fanny, walked around with her prosthetics legs although she hadn't finished her training. I used her wheelchair and she pushed me from one room to another when I got bored or to get more sunshine. Our building was quarantined, remember? She's... very genuine."

There's some glowing pride in his voice. It's funny though she didn't feel bitter at all.

"I was doing some thinking... I am not sure how to best ask you this," he hesitated. His expression suddenly turned odd. She sensed something and straightening up in her seat.

"Just say it!"

"It's about... What do you think of New York?"

If he asked this in the past, she more likely would jump into his arms and said she loved it and wanted so much to live there with him. But after the picnic she had with Neal, her taste was never the same again. Suddenly other men, even Terry, felt... well... bland.

"Well?" asked Terry, cutting her thought.

"I-it's a lovely place. I like it a lot." Candy smiled. "But, I doubt I can keep up with your travel. Your career is blooming. You need someone who can give you a steady company more than I can do. To be perfectly honest with you, I'd rather care for the sicks than traveling."

"I understand," he said quietly. "But I think I should talk to you first before anything."

"Oh I'm afraid it won't be easy to get rid of me. I will go to your wedding and attend your children's christening." She paused before added softly, "Tell Suzanne that..."

Terry went down on his knees and held her hands tight. "Candy, I don't want you to be sad."

"Don't worry about me." Candy waved her hand cheerfully.

His eyes narrowed studying her. "Hm... I don't think you're sad. You look happy or even relieved."

"Of course I am happy, Terry. You're with a very nice woman who is good for you."

Terry didn't say anything but unlike in the past, he didn't contradict her. He even seemed struggling to not keep talking about Suzanne.

"You will laugh and say that I'm sentimental but the happiest memory I have in St. Paul is after I knew you. You reconciled me with my mom too, you're my angel, Candy," Terry said seriously. He put his arm around her and gave her a friendship squeeze.

"Likewise. You are the only one who could pull me from anguish after losing Anthony," sighed Candy. "You made go to school bearable especially how you protected me against those... awful kids."

Candy felt her cheeks hot. She wanted to hide it but it's too late.

"Awful kids? Wait! Now, I understand. You wrote about Leagan a lot in your letters. What's going on between you two?"

"Neal?" She chuckled. "Couldn't stand him could we?"

"No, we could not. But can you stand him now?" teased Terry. "Something, if not already , must be going on between you two."

"Uh no! No, I'm too busy at work."

"Right!" Terry scoffed. "Yet you have the time to be a Tarzan and dragged him to climb a freaking tree."

"Terry!" Candy roared at the name Terry used to tease her. She pounded him playfully with her fists.

"Hey... hey.. calm down!" Terry laughed shielding himself with his palms just like they used to do in St. Paul.

They laughed and continued chatting, catching things up.

"One more thing," he said. Never before he looked so solemn. "It was in Rockford in the middle of my play when I thought I saw someone who looked like you. Was it you or was I dreaming?"

"I was there watching your play, Terry. You were... fantastic… I mean it. You were just amazing." She meant every word of it.

"I knew it. I always know I saw you," he whispered. "Thanks Candy..."

She didn't say a word but gave him a little smile. From the past passion there grew a strong friendship bond.

A full minute went by in silent until the sound of loud serene broke in.

"Oh well. The influenza stroke again." Candy got up and wore her mask and gloves.

"Did it ever stop?"

"We can only hope." Candy exhaled sadly. She rushed towards the door. "Lunch tomorrow?"

"I'm going back to New York tonight," said Terry.

Candy nodded. "Take care!" It's weird she didn't even feel the slightest bit of disappointment.

"Eh Candy... "

She stopped.

"Good luck with Leagan."

She blushed and waved before disappeared from the door.

oOo

Candy was busy throughout the night. She's not back to her office until the following morning to wrap things up. In the middle of it, someone knocked at the door startling her. Something inside her wished it's Neal who's coming. He couldn't just disappear suddenly after bugging her all these years.

She looked up. But it's not Neal, it's the genitor who came to collect garbage. She almost moaned in disappointment.

"Morning nurse Andrew. Starting your day?" he greeted.

"I'm going home actually," Candy replied perhaps a bit too eagerly to hide her disappointment. "See ya."

There's this voice in the back of her mind that kept ringing persuading her to admit that she cared about Neal and worried about his disappearance. He might be sleeping with someone or do a trick to hurt her. If that's the case, she would slap his face very very hard but it's not her character to ignore a "missing" friend.

Throwing away her pride, Candy dug her key from her purse and drove to the Leagan mansion.

-To be continued-

Thanks for reading.