The Lake house
Chapter 2
"Is it possible?"
Terry was on his work place, talking to an employee.
- I would like the foundation to be done by the 17th, he said
- Listen, I know you're new here, but I won't be able to do it before next week…
- If you could, Mulhens, you have lots of people here doing nothing, make them work! Like Sanchez and Rodriguez! Take them off the roof…
- All right, said the employee resigned.
He whistled to assemble the workers and start working.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy was in a office at the hospital, depressed. Flanny arrived to see her.
- Candy? She said softly, I heard what happened at the Daley Plaza. The EMTs said you fought for the man.
- As a matter of fact…, she sais sadly, I put my whole heart into it.
- Candy, I'm going to tell you what I tell all new young doctors and I hope you're going to listen to me. When You'll have your day off, get away from this place and go the furthest possible. Go to a place where you feel like yourself.
Candy had listened that great advice and she had taken her car and her dog and she had gone by the lake, to see her old house… She had always loved that place. She looked at the house from afar without getting closer. She went by the mailbox and she opened it and she found a letter addressed to her. She opened it an started reading it:
"Dear Miss White,
I got your little not. And I'm afraid there's some sort of a misunderstanding. For all I know, the lake house has been empty for years. Maybe your note was for the little house of the Sanders a little down the by the lake…"
- Since no one has lived in this house for years. But I'm curious about he dog trace paw, read Candy out loud.
She went back to her car, with her dog, to finish reading the note. He had put his name and address on the bottom of the letter. She didn't really understand what he meant and what's with the date? She took some paper in her purse and a pen…
"Dear M. Grandchester,
I know the Sander's house pretty well and I can guaranty you that I have never lived there. I'm old fashioned and I don't think that a little house should be more than 500 square metres. So I'm going to start over again. I have lived in the lake house and I moved. Now I live at 1620 North Racine in Chicago. And I would like you to send me my mail if you get any. By the way, we're in 2006 and it's been that year whole year long. You can ask anybody…"
oOoOoOoOoOo
Terry received the note and read it, stunned.
- 2006? What does she mean by 2006?
Was that woman was making fun of him? He decided to answer the note and take it himself to Chicago and put the letter in her mailbox. He hadn't seen his family for a while now. His father was teach architecture and it had been like 4 years since he had last seen him. They had a difference of opinion and Terry had left without looking back. But since he wanted to drop off the litter in person and he was in Chicago, he said to himself, why not go see his family? So he went to the architecture school where his father was teaching and where his brother went, in fact his brother was in his father's class. He waited patiently leaning on his truck, for his brother to come out, which didn't take took too long. His brother approached him smiling.
- Hey Henry, he said.
- Terry! Said his brother jumping to his neck.
- I'm happy to see you again bro!
- Me too! What brings you by?
- What? I can't come and visit my brother?
- It's been 4 years since you've left, Terry…
And he looked at the truck.
- And I can't believe still have this junk on wheels!
Terry looked at the door and saw his father come out. They looked at each other and his father didn't come forward, he turned right and continued his way, like there was nothing.
- Don't worry about him, said his brother, come on.
He was in a little pub with his brother and they were talking.
- So what's going on with you?
- I bought a house…
- Really? Where? So you're rich now?
- On the lake… it was abandoned, great price.
- You bought a haunted house on the lake? You hear ghost during the night?
- No and I also have a yellow dog…
- A yellow dog?
- Yes, it just showed up at my house one morning… coming from nowhere.
- Just like that?
- Just like that.
They continued talking about everything and nothing and later, they got out because Terry needed to find Candy's address, They walked, looking for 1620, North Racine…
- Why are you looking for that address? Asked his brother
- I have to drop off a letter, said Terry
They arrived at the address in question but… there was no building, but a big billboard showing what the future building will look like with luxury apartments, they were supposed to build…
- It must be here, 1620, North Racine, said Terry.
- But, said his brother, there's nothing here. Do we have to meet someone here? Who?
- Yeah, said Terry looking at the billboard with the address in big character, I thought so…
- Do we have to ring? Asked his brother.
Then he pretended he was ringing on an invisible door.
- Ding dong!?
Terry didn't say anything. He was wondering why Candy had send him to an address that didn't exist yet. He went back to his place, after he left his brother to answer Candy's note. He decided to put it in the mailbox, since it looked like that's how he was getting her notes. Her address didn't exist yet and until now, that's how he was communicating with her…
"Dear Miss White,
I went to 1620 North Racine and there was nothing, it was a construction site. It looked nice according to the images, but it's not going to be ready in at least 18 months. Did I miss something or what? Maybe you've made a mistake on the address, because also noticed you've made a mistake on the date too."
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy had received the letter and she was talking to herself after she read it.
- You really want to play that game?
She went to look in her stuff looking for old pictures.
- If you're really in 2004, she said looking, I'm going to warn you.
She had found an old picture from April 3rd 2004; it was a picture in the snow, where she played with her friends. She showed the picture to the dog.
- You remember, Huey? You were not happy at all You hated that!
The dog has sigh.
- I know…,she said looking at the picture.
She wrote an answer to Terry
" All right, my mysterious pen pal, I got it. Just in case you're really when you think you are, you're going to need that…(She had added a red scarf in wool) There was some snow due to the lake effect that spring and everybody got sick. So lots of rest and during a lot of fluids. Doctor's orders."
Terry had read the letter:
- Snow in spring? Yeah right!
He had cooked his diner and put it in a plate and went to sit in front of the lake outside and saw a snow flake falling and the wind started blowing… he looked surprised and he sneezed… Candy was right…
The next morning, there it wasn't snowing anymore, he wrote a note to Candy and went outside to the mailbox to drop it off. He got out with the dog and he opened the box and he put the littler inside.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy was in front of the mailbox and she saw the red indicator rise up, showing that there was a letter… She opened, putting th indicator down and she found a note saying:
"Is what's happening possible?"
oOoOoOoOoOo
Terry was walking to the house when he indicator went down, showing that his note was taken in the box. Then the indicator went up, showing that there was another note. He walked back to the mailbox and opened it and he saw the note saying:
"Why not?"
He was stunned and looked around him like to make sure nobody was playing a trick on him.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy walked to the card.
- Huey! Huey! Come on ! We're leaving!
She went back to look at the dog who was sitting and barking by the mailbox. She saw the indicator going down. She looked around, then the indicator went up and the doc was barking some more. Candy approached it, surprised and she looked at the box and she ended up opening and she took the note.
"This is impossible, I know. It's not possible. But what's going on?"
She looked around and turned around and went back t her car.
oOoOoOoOOo
Terry, on his side, was by the box and he saw the indicator rise.
- Ok, he said going to open and take the note saying:
"Where are you?"
- Where am I? Asked Terry.
- She wrote a quick note to reply and put in in the mailbox.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Candy was waiting on her side and she saw the indicator rise, showing that he had replied to her note and she went to open the mailbox to take the note that said:
"The lake house"
- Yes, like you can se, I'm also at the lake house, but I'm starting to get tired of this little game. So I'm leaving, all right? Good by! Thank you good bye! She said walking to her car with the note in her hand.
She still thought it was a game…