Terry: The Family Man
Chapter 4. part 1, by mrscage
"The Awakening"
Terry opens his eyes slowly fearing that he would find himself all alone in his big house without the laughter of his children, without the breath of Candy's perfume , without his wife's head on his chest...
- No… It's all over…How can I live this life knowing what could have been if I was with Candy?
He gets up and goes downstairs…He sits on a couch, takes a book and looks at it with empty eyes when Marie comes to announce him that the woman of the other night has just come…
- Who? Could you please just tell her that I'm not at home? I really don't want to see anyone today.
- Of course Mr Grandchester. Is there anything else that I could do for you? Are you feeling sick?
- No Marie… It's Christmas and I'm alone today, I will be alone tomorrow too and for the rest of my life… But it's ok, it was my choice… You have the day off; please tell also Agathe, James and Jack that they all have the day off… What am I saying; you all have the week off…
- Are you serious Mr Grandchesters?
- Yes…
- Thank you, thank you so much… And Merry Christmas!
- Merry Christmas to you too…
After Marie leaves, Terry looks at himself at the mirror…
- Here you are Terry… all alone…what will you do now? You lived the past 8 years only trying to protect yourself from the pain… you fooled yourself, your mother tried to show you the way you didn't want to listen to her… What a waste of time… of life… You had a second chance, you had to go to Candy after Susanna left you six years ago but you were so scared to be hurt that you lived your life the worse way you could… And now you know how your life could be with Candy, everything you missed…
And he starts to cry… the first time in 8 years… the last time he cried was when he went to find Candy after their break up, at Chicago and Albert made him leave… He knows that he shouldn't have listened to him that day… but it's too late now… Terrence Grandchester is all alone…everything has lost its meaning…
- Where are you Candy? Why you are not here with me?
Then he remembers the note…
- What am I doing wasting time here? The day Candy called me was only yesterday! And she said she was leaving the country for good today…! Where is that note? There was also her address on it.
Terry remembers everything he did yesterday and finds the note that he left in the pocket of his coat. He hurries to go to find Candy….
When he gets to the hotel, he's scared to go to find her, what if she says that she doesn't want him anymore, what if she's married? He climbs the steps one by one thinking about all that. He arrives at the door of her room and knocks. He hears footsteps behind the door that opens slowly…. And Candy is there… right in front of him… More beautiful than in the glimpse…He wants to take her in his arms, for him she is his wife but he knows that the reality is different… Candy also looks at him. Neither he nor she has the courage to speak. Finally, Candy finds the words to say something and manages to speak.
- Terry… please come in…
He gets inside and sees that she packed her bags and she gets ready to leave. He tries to speak:
- Candy… Are you leaving?
Candy gets mad to herself… she promised herself to forget about Terry… she thought she was ready to give him his belongings and leave him behind… but now that he is in front of her, so near…all the memories come back. She forces herself not to cry…She knows that he has a new life, that he lives it as he wishes… He didn't come to find her after Susanna left!
- Yes I'm leaving… for Australia…
- Australia?!!!
- Yes…
- What for?
- I'm starting a new life there… with Arthur…
- Who? Your husband?
- No, I'm not married… yet…
- Oh…
There is a silence between them… It's Candy again who starts to talk:
- Thank you for coming, I wanted to give you back something…
She takes a box and gives it to him. Terry looks at it and doesn't know what do to with it... What to say to make her stay…She must be in love with that Arthur…Candy says:
- Well, that's all… it was nice to see you again
- Nice… Candy!!!! Please don't go… today… you can always find a ship tomorrow
Candy looks at him. He said "today", he didn't say simply "don't go" and Arthur is waiting for her… She must go…What's the point of staying here one more day? Does Terry want to make her one of his conquests? She can't stay here one day and leave, her heart wouldn't stand it… She will not let him break her heart once again.
- I'm sorry Terry but Arthur is waiting for me, I don't see why I should stay here one more day… Take care of yourself…
- Candy…
Terry looks at her. She doesn't want him, she only wanted to give him his box…He didn't take his chance when he should've had and now it's too late… This is the last time that he was seing her… Candy… his friend, his love, his wife in his heart…
- All right… Farewell Candy… ( Farewell Lady Freckles, you are taking my heart with you, ) I wish you all the best with Arthur…
- ( He wishes me all the best with Arthur… He doesn't care about me at all!) Good bye Terry… I wish you all the best too…
Terry leaves Candy and goes to a café near her hotel… He doesn't want to go home… It isn't his home... " Home is where your heart is" and his heart is leaving with Candy… He opens the box and finds inside the old letters that he sent her after leaving St Paul and also his harmonica… He remembers how it hurt him to look at it after coming back to New York, knowing that he would never be with her… He sent it back to her and that day he closed his heart to everybody including himself…
- I won't be able to live without her… I have to do whatever I can to make her stay…
He leaves the café and starts to drive his car as fast as he can to the harbour…