The Lake House
Chapter 5
"A Brief encounter"
"Would you be willing to play a little game with me? Two years ago today, I was taking the train at 2pm for Chicago from the train station in Lakewood and I forgot something over there. It was a present from my father. If you find it, could you please put it in the mailbox, please? I would really appreciate it. Yours, Candy."
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So Terry went the Lakewood train station to find the lost item. He went on the platform where the train 145 was supposed to leave, a little before 2pm. The train station wasn't very big and people were waiting for the train and people getting on the train. He saw a couple saying goodbye to each other, all lovey dovey. He didn't know why, he couldn't stop looking at them. He was observing the young woman; she had venetian blond hair, undone and she was wearing a white over coat. She was kissing her boyfriend on the lips and then she smiled at him. She took her duffle bag that was on a bench on the platform and she ran to get on the train, as the employee was doing his last call before the 145 train left. Terry saw there was something on the bench and he went closer to look at it and took it. It was the book "Persuasion "by Jane Austen.
Candy was on the train ,she found an empty place and she went at the window and arranged her duffle bag next to her and she look out the window...
Terry started running after the train with the book in his hands.
Candy looked and she saw a young man running with her book in his hand.
Terry signed at her with his right hand and stopped running.
They looked at each other until they were not able to see each other anymore.
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"Candy, I found your book where you left it. I promise to find a way to give it back to you. And maybe you don't remember, but we saw each other... well, I saw you. You never told me how beautiful you were."
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"Maybe you saw someone else. My hair was a mess that day."
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"Long venetian blond hair. Emerald coloured eyes. Freckles on your nose..."
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"Ok, ok, ok, ok, you did see me! It was me! But I still don't know what you look like. We can be friendlier now. You've seen my freckles? How far were you?
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I saw the touching goodbye with your boyfriend, blond like you. You look like brother and sister,"
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Did she feel a little jealousy? She smiled.
"Brother and sister? really?"
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"You're still single, two years later..."
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Candy thought about why she was still single and she stopped thinking about it,
"A lot of things happened since then..."
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" Since I was too far for you to see my face…"
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"You're the guy who was running after the train with my book... You're right, you were too far..."
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"We could meet in the future, that way you'll know what I look like"?
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"It's a date! All right, here is my phone number... call me on July10th 2006 at 9:05 pm."
Candy's cellphone startled her by ringing as soon as she was saying that... She looked at it and her smile disappeared .She was almost afraid to answer. She took it and opened it to answer:
- Hello?
- Candy?
- yes?
- It's Anthony.
She cleared her throat.
- Anthony...
- Yes, I'm here in Chicago. I came for a meeting that got cancelled, so I said to myself that I could give you a phone call. Do you want to go eat somewhere?
- Anthony, said Candy, yes of course.
She was disappointed. She had hoped it was Terry. Why didn't he call her? But she hadn't put the latter in the mailbox yet… but he would've gotten the request two years ago, right?
So she went out with Anthony to the restaurant. It was a nice Italian restaurant called "Il Mare". The best one in town.
- What if we go in this one? Asked Anthony
- You need a reservation…
- No you don't., let's go…
- All right, said Candy.
They got in and they went to the receptions.
- Good evening, she told the receptionist, do you have a reservation?
- Euh non, said Anthony
- Well, you need one. Because we're fully booked until October.
- Until October? Said Anthony surprised.
- It's the best restaurant in town, Anthony…
- Thank you miss, said the receptionist.
- All right, said Anthony, let's go…
He got out with Candy.
- I told you so! Said Candy
- You were right… I handled it the wrong way…
- There was no meeting, right Anthony?
- Would you have seen me if there was no good reason?
- You wanted to trap me.
- I just wanted to have coffee
- A coffee?
- Which could turn into a dinner… and the dinner could…
- Become what?
- I admit that sometimes I rush into things…
- Really, you rush into things? You Anthony?
He looked at her smiling.
- We were dating for barely a week and you whole life was traced… I was an intern and you were already looking for a house for us, you wanted me to come at your place on weekends and you already had the whole town waiting for me…
- I remember you were very friendly with one of my neighbours…
There he was talking about the incident!
- What are you talking about? Asked Candy innocently
- You know what I'm talking about… the guy…
- What guy?
- The one I caught you making out with…
- I wasn't making out! What's with that kind of language, we're in high school or something?
Actually, she didn't understand what had happened that evening. How could she have behaved that way?
- How would you call it then? Asked Anthony
- Euh, it was just a kiss! It was a kiss from a random man… years ago… You know what? This was all a mistake. It didn't work the first time and apparently you still haven't forgiven me…
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Terry was in his site making an announcement:
- The house 381 on the Rivera property is done!
All the workers applauded and cheered of joy.
- Congratulations! You did a good job1
Terry went to get his pickup truck and Susanna followed him.
- One done, said Susanna
- And we have 44 to go, said Terry
- We're not late but not catastrophically late!
- We're going to make it, said Terry, the worker are starting to know their work…
- I thought you'd do your job better, Terry, I'm a little disappointed
- Disappointed why?
- You could've paid attention to things…
- I thought I was.
Susanna put her let next to the car window.
- Because you've never paid attention to this
She a nice pair of leather boots. Terry didn't get it.
- You don't remember? You told me to buy them!
- Oh yeah, of course! It's not exactly what I had in mind, but…
- You like them?
- I like them.
- We should go out tonight, said Susanna, if you have nothing special to do.
Huey, who was in the back of the pickup truck, started barking loud, interrupting Susanna?
- Huey? Said Terry looking in the back.
Huey was very excited by something and she jumped out of the truck and left running. Terry got out of the truck and ran after her, Susanna did the same thing.
- Huey! Said Terry following her
- Terry! Wait for me! Said Susanna.
But he continued his way. Susanna stopped following him. Terry followed Huey and passed the park, the bridge and couldn't see him anymore. Je continued running and calling him looking for her everywhere. Until he saw a house from afar and the yellow dog barking at a man who was taking a box out of his car.
- Huey! Said Terry
- It's yours I suppose?
- Sorry, she never ran away like that!
- You should take more care of her. What's his name?
- "Her" name, Huey.
- Huey, it's a nice name for a girl. I should find one like yours for my girlfriend. She loves dogs
- Have we met before? Asked Terry
- I don't think so, no.
He put the box of wine he was carrying in his arms to free his hand and he said:
- I'm Anthony Brown.
- Terrence Grandchester.
They shook hands.
- Would you want some help with that? Asked Terry showing the box of wine
- Yes, said Anthony
He took the box from his hands.
- You've leaved here for a long time? Asked Anthony
- A few months only, I have a house on the lake.
- A lake? Said Anthony, I was thinking…
- Terry? Said a woman's voice
It was Susanna's voice who had just arrived running, breathless.
- Thank God, you found her!
- Yean, said Terry, Susanna, Anthony, Anthony. Susanna.
- Hello, said Anthony smiling
- Hello, said Susanna
- Pleased to make your acquaintance too, said Susanna
- You have very nice boots there! Said Anthony
- Thank you, said Susanna smiling
- Listen, before you take me for a dunk with all this booze, it's not for me. I've invited a bunch of friends over at my place tonight for a party. You're welcome to come, both of you, if you want.
Susanna looked at Terry smiling. She liked it when people thought they were a couple. Terry brought the box inside the house and came out with Anthony, ready to go. Anthony put his hand in his pocked inside his blazer and he got out a business card and gave it to Terry saying:
- Take my card; I'm looking for house on the lake too. Because of Candy, my girlfriend, she never really likes this house. I promised her we were going to find a new place once she's done with her internship here in Lakewood. So if you hear anything…
Terry looked at him like in a dream. Candy who was doing her internship in Lakewood? Could it be possible?
- Of course. She's a doctor? Asked Terry looking at him.
He wanted to stay there and wait for Candy, but…
- Terry! Said Susanna.
Terry turned around against his will and looked at Susanna who was smiling. He looked at Anthony.
- I'm glad to have make your acquaintance, he told Anthony
- Good bye, said Anthony
Terry and Susanna walked away from the house when Terry turned around.
- Hey Anthony! What time is you little party at? He asked
- At 8! It's Candy's birthday! Said Anthony
Terry looked at Susanna.
- It's Candy's birthday, he repeated, come on Huey, let's go!
The dog barked and started following him….
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