Terry: The Family Man
Chapter 3
Part 1, by mrscage
"A Glimpse..."
- Who is licking my fingers…? Did I pick up a girl last night? Well she must be really hot if she starts the day licking my fingers... Let's see who she is...
Terry opens his eyes to find out that there is a dog in front of him.
- Hey what's this? What's going on? Where am I?
He is in a large bed in a cozy bedroom, which certainly isn't his room..., he tries to remember what happened last night. He normally never goes to sleep in a girl's home... Did he drink too much at the party? There is a blond haired woman sleeping in the bed, her back turned to him. What means all this?
- Daddy, daddy!! It's Christmas!
- Hey who? I'm not your dad
There are two kids, a 5 years old boy and a 3 years old girl who came to the room and jumped on the bed...Terry is looking at the scene petrified. So he slept with this woman who has two children! And now they try to convince him that he is their father. What kind of a nightmare is this? Terry isn't that stupid to think that he had two grown up children in one night. Then the woman who wakes up turns to Terry... Terry is about to lose it when he sees that it's Candy. How this could be possible. Candy doesn't look surprised at all, she turns to him and says:
- Good morning handsome... can you prepare the breakfast? I really need to sleep more
Terry looks at her as if she was an alien. The kids are still jumping on the bed, the dog starts to bark and Terry starts to have a terrible headache. What does all this mean? He looks at Candy, tries to say something but the words don't come out... He gets up and tries to find something to wear. He finds man's outfit on the chair near to the bed, it's not his belongings, he would never wear that green sweater with pink hearts on it, but that's the only thing that he finds to wear. He wears it and leaves the room. He tries to find his way in this house that isn't his. When he gets out, he finds himself in a neighborhood where humble families live.
- I'm dead and this is hell!!!
He starts to run to his home. It takes him two hours to get there. He doesn't have his keys on him, he rang the bell of the door and Marie opens it:
- What a day! Marie, bring me coffee right away, I'm going to take a shower, I'm not at home if anyone calls or comes...
- But, hey... what do you mean?
- Marie, let me get in... I'm tired and really need a coffee. If you want to keep your job let me get in!
- I don't know how you know my name but I will call the police if you don't leave right now!
- Hey, did you loose your mind? Now let me get in...
Terry pushes Marie and gets in the house.
- James, Jack!!! Hurry up! There is a burglar in the house
- A what?
Terry turns to Marie, did she really loose her mind or what? Two men come from the kitchen and they start to punch Terry. He tries to fight back but it's been so long since he didn't fight and also those men are really big and strong. They throw him outside. He finds himself on the ground in front of the door that closes. He feels some warm liquid coming from his eyebrow. He touches his face and seeing all the blood that comes to his hand, realizes that they just beat him very bad. He gets up and decides to go to the theatre. This is the only place that he knows beside his home to go. He goes there and sees that it's closed.
- Oh damn Christmas!
When he is about to leave… he turns back... walks slowly to the door and turns his head to the posters. His head starts to spin... In his place, there is the name and picture of his replacement…
- How could this looser can take my place? I know it's a nightmare, I will count to three and wake up... One... two... two and a half... three! Damn his face is still in front of me and I'm still wearing this stupid sweater.
Terry falls on his knees... He would sell his soul to see anyone that knows him right now... He takes his head in his hands and sits on the stairs of the theater when he hears a voice that he knows:
- Hi!
He looks to the owner of this voice and recognizes Tony. He gets up and runs to him. He holds his shirt and starts to shake him:
- Tell me that you know me! Tell me that you remember last night!
- I do remember last night but do you?
- What do you mean? Of course I remember... After talking to you, I went home and started to sleep in my bed, and when I got up, I found myself in some kind of hell.
- It's not hell... It's just a glimpse,
- A glimpse of what?
- It's what could have been if you made other choices in your life
- What?
- Don't tell me that you were not glad to see her when you woke up! I know that you dreamt often of seeing her beside you when you wake up. Well your dream has come true! It's a Christmas gift from me to you...
- No.. no... I don't want this life, I don't want those kids and that stupid dog, and this ugly sweater…. Tell me how much do you want?
- Things are not going that way Terry… You should live this life and learn…
- Learn? I don't want to learn anything…
- You'll have time…
- How much? Time tell me!
- As long as you need…
- Please, I want to wake up from this nightmare... Please…
Terry feels so weak... he can't believe that he is begging this young boy...
- It's not a dream Terry... it's the alternative reality and as I said it to you yesterday, you wanted it. Now you have to go home...
- Home? They beat me when I go there... don't you see my face?
- No not there... your home is where you woke up this morning... home is where your heart is...
- My heart?! You must be kidding...
- I must leave now... take this.
- What it is? A music box? What should I do with it? If I play the music, you will come?
There is no one to answer Terry. Tony already left just the way he came...
- Al right Terry! You must go "home". I can't believe that I have to go back to that nuthouse...
And he starts to walk slowly... he really doesn't want to go back there but that is the only place that he could go right now. Where else to go on this really cold New York weather? When he enters from the door of the garden, he starts to feel a pain on his chest...
- Yes, I will have a heart attack and die... how nice Santa Claus! Thanks for the present... This will teach you Terry to be good... You wanted to help that kid yesterday and now you are married with children!!! I must call him back... He must come... but let's get inside first, it's so cold...
Terry gets in the house, closes the door and when he turns around, he founds Candy in his arms. She just jumped to his neck. She holds him so tight... then she lets him go. And she sees his face covered with blood...
- Terry... what happened to you? Are you all right?
- I guess…
- Do you have any idea of what you did to us today? You leave home in the morning, you don't tell me were you are going or even that you are going… Where were you? You scared me so much... I called all our friends, I went to the hospital…I thought something bad happened to you! Why you did this honey?!
- I don't know… could you please stop yelling at me…
- I'm sorry, tell me what happened…
- I woke up this morning here and this is not my house, those are not my kids, I'm not a dad and you are not my wife…
- You know Terry, this is not funny! I'm really mad!
Terry starts to have a fever. He feels that he will fall if he doesn't sit down somewhere. He remembers the music box that he takes from his pocket and starts to play it. Hoping that Tony would come. Instead, the little girl comes thanks him for the present, she tries to take it from her hands but Terry holds it with all his force as if his life depends on it... Candy looks at him as he was falling from the sky...
- What are you doing honey? Give Nelly her music box. So you went to buy her a Christmas present... you could tell us! And what did you do to your beautiful face?
Candy wants to touch Terry's face who backs u, avoiding her touch.
- Alright... says Candy, it's really isn't your day... you missed the Christmas morning… You should go to wash yourself...
Terry looks at her and says:
- Where is the bathroom?
- Terry, believe me I'm not in the mood to play with you today...
- It's upstairs daddy! The second door at left
- Thank you... mmm...( what did Candy say her name was? what the hell?...) little lady freckles!
While Terry goes upstairs, Candy and Nelly look at him.
- Mum... I thought he wasn't my daddy but he called me little lady freckles! Now I know that it's him...
- Yes...
Terry finds the bathroom and takes off his clothes. He looks at himself at the mirror. What a mess! He really needs a shower... the hot water makes him feel good. He says to himself that he will eventually wake up from this dream but until then he should try to enjoy himself. This alternate life couldn't be that bad.
- I came to check if you were all right...
- What!?
Terry tries to cover himself with his hands.
- I'm naked... please leave...
- Are you kidding handsome? Are you sure you don't want me to join you there?
- Candy?!!! ... Did you ... Did you loose your mind?
- I don't know anymore, one of us really lost their mind today and believe me it's not me... If you don't want me you just have to say it, you don't have to yell at me...
- Candy... I didn't mean…
Terry can't finish his words as Candy already left the bathroom.
- What I just did? Candy offered me to join me in the bathroom and I refused! But I can't take advantage of this situation, she thinks that I'm her husband... She didn't change at all since 8 years...She has two kids but she still looks like a kid... At least she doesn't have her pigtails anymore! Maybe I should take advantage of the situation the next time...
When Terry comes out of the bedroom to find himself something else to wear than the silly sweater, he sees Candy breastfeeding a baby... A baby? Oh my God another one?
- You have three kids?!!!
- I thought you had three kids too... I didn't make them all by myself you know... You're really acting strange today... you should get ready for the party
- What party?
- Enough Terry! Stop making fun of me! You were waiting for that party whole year and now you ask me what party it is?
- I'm sorry I really don't remember…
Candy's face changes; Terry sees how she worries about him. She gets up and comes to his side.
- Is it because of the fight you had honey? Maybe you are worse injured that I though... Does your head spin?
- Yes... it does...
- Alright, don't come with me to the party, I will call Eleonor to tell that she doesn't need to come to take care of the kids anymore, since you're going to be home.
- Oh… I'll be ready in 10 minutes…
- Daddy mommy, Uncle Archie is here!
- Who?! Says Terry…
- While you get prepared I'm going downstairs to meet him.
- Hey, the dandy is here!?
- Terry! You haven't call him "dandy" for years... he's your best friend
- Who?! What?! You've got to be kidding me!
- I won't argue with you today. We will wait for you downstairs. Please wear the sweater that I made for you especially for today...
- Which one?
- The one you wore this morning of course the one with the pink hearts.
- No... no... no... I certainly won't go in public with that sweater
Candy has tears in her eyes...
- But you told me that you liked it yesterday... I made it with so much love
Terry couldn't stand her tears... The other Terry must've been really in love with Candy to say that he liked that sweater...
- All right Candy, I will wear it.
- I love you Terry!
When Candy goes downstairs, Terry finds himself alone with the baby who starts to cry... He is panicked, he calls Candy:
- Candy! The baby is crying please come!!!
No one answers him, and then he sees the little boy that didn't talk too much. He has brown hair and blue eyes...
- Oh MY GOD! You are the spitting image of me!
- Thank you... but you are not my dad…
- Oh... How do you know that?
- Are you an alien? What did you do to my dad? Will you kill us?
- Oh no… no ... please don't start to cry your little brother is already making too much noise crying...
- That's Shandy...
- Shandy? This must be Sandy, I guess
- No... not Sandy, Shandy.. She is my sister not my brother... And I won't cry... I will fight you if you try to kill my sisters...
- Oh I see... you are a big boy... don't worry I won't hurt you or your family. Your father and I changed places and he will come when I'll leave... I hope it's soon...What's your name?
- TJ
- TJ? For what?
- Terrence Junior
- Oh so you have your father's name! How sweet... Tell me TJ, will you help me to act like your father?
- Ok I will...
- Don't say anything to mummy or to your sister
- Nelly! That's her name... but you call her little lady freckles
- Do I? I guess I didn't change that much after all
Terry gets downstairs and sees Candy talking to Annie and Archie. So they are married…Archie comes to his side:
- You scared us so much friend! Don't do this anymore…
- Oh… I won't…
- If you want to talk, I'm here for you, you know this don't you? As you always been there for me…
- Really? That would be interesting…
The door bell rings and Candy opens it.
- Welcome Eleonor, Richard… Thank you for taking care of the children today
- Are you kidding? Says Eleonor, I can't wait to pass time with them...
And she hugs Candy, then turns to his son:
- Give a big hug to your mother honey!
- What?
Eleonor already holds her son in her arms, then Richard comes and holds him too.
- Son, I was so scared for you today, are you alright? Candy told us that you had fight… What's going on? Do you need help? You know that I'm here for you…
- You too?... I guess I have many people here for me… Maybe I just need to be alone, to have no one here…
Candy turns to Richard:
- Don't listen to him, he really is weird today…
Then Terry, Candy, Archie and Annie leave for the party. A beautiful woman opens them the door. She gives Terry a look that he knows very well… An envying woman's look. So the other Terry was lucky too! He starts to talk with men there, who are apparently his friends… He didn't know that he could have that much friends. It's pretty much annoying… at least there is alcohol at the party and also that woman who keeps looking at him. What was her name? Isabelle… A hot name for a hot woman… He hears Candy talking with her friends. She tells them what happened last day at the hospital where she works. So she still is a nurse… The party gets over and they leave for home… What a day… All that he needs is to go to bed but Candy makes him walk the dog. Terrence Grandchester… walking the dog… It couldn't be worse…When he comes back home, Candy is already in bed, sleeping…
Terry wakes up in the bed and before opening his eyes he checks if there is anyone sleeping beside of him… No… there is no one!
- Thank God… it was a nightmare…
But then he hears baby's crying and the dog's barking…
- I'm still stuck here…
TJ comes to the room.
- Hi… You should go to school…
- School? Are you sure that it's not you who should go there… I'm a little bit old to go to school
- You are a teacher…
- A what? Me and the kids!!! And what do I teach?
- I don't know…you should ask mum
- You know at least where is that school?
- Uh uh…
- I guess we should ask mum…But it must be holiday, so the school must be closed… Are you sure that I have to go there today?
- Yes…
When Terry goes downstairs, he sees Candy and Nelly at the table… Candy is helping Nelly to have her breakfast.
- Good morning stranger… says Candy and walks to him, he feels that a kiss is coming so to avoid it, he takes Nelly's milk from the table and starts to drink it.
- Dad, it's my milk!
- Sorry I was so thirsty… I should go to school now…
Because you know this is where I work…at the school…which is somewhere near…I guess…
- Daddy, you don't remember where is the St Paul's high school?
- St Paul's… not again! Is there also a Sister Grey there?
- Oh you are so funny…! Says Candy… you should hurry up if you don't want to be late
- But I'm asking to myself why am I going to school today…?
- Why? Because tonight you have a representation and you should go there for the last rehearsal…
- Oh! I'm still acting?!... I thought I was a teacher…
- You are the best English literature teacher that ever existed…
- English literature… of course… what else it could be?