Mommy Dearest
by Mallory Quinn
Chapter 16
"Candy and Terry"
It was a beautiful morning. Candy opened her eyes. She looked at her hand and she could see the diamond ring. She was finally engaged to Terry! She was bursting with joy!!! She had to tell Lynda, Annie, Patty and…She was surprised she thought about her mother first. She wanted Lynda to know first…
"Mommy dearest, I can't stop thinking about you, even though, our therapy sessions are not over yet… I guess I needed you more than I ever imagined. I feel so much better with you in my life and with Terry near me…Everything is going to be fine this time"
She took the phone and called her mother.
- Hello? Said Lynda
- Mom, I hope I'm not disturbing you…
- Don't be silly, I'm glad to hear from you. You can call me anytime, even in the middle of the night
- Thanks mom. I wanted to tell you that Terry moved in with me and he's sleeping in the guest's room
- Oh…
- And he proposed to me…
- Oh honey, congratulations! I'm so happy for the two of you!
- Thank you…how are you this morning?
- I'm fine…
- We don't have a session today, but tomorrow. You want to do lunch? I'll be at the shelter today…
- I'll come and pick you up, said Lynda
- All right. See you later.
- Bye baby…
Candy hung up the phone on cloud nine. She got ready and she went to Terry's room, who was also getting ready, shirtless…
- Hey fiancé, you look very nice without your shirt, she said
- Getting any ideas? He said smiling
- Yes, but I'm going to send them in the vault for now…she said smiling
She jumped to his neck and they fell on the bed laughing out loud, kissing.
- You're a happy camper this morning, he said
- Well everything is perfect; I have my family, I have you! I'm engaged to you !!!!
They continued laughing and talking for a while. They went to have breakfast and they left for the day. Terry dropped her off at the shelter.
- I'm going to have lunch with mom today
- All right…
- You can come you know…you and I are one!
- And me showing up with you two is going to make the gossips come back…
- That you're eating the hen and the eggs? Said Candy laughing, nothing is going to ruin my day!!!
She kissed Terry and she went to the shelter. Terry went to the theatre and Susanna was glad to see him.
- Terry! She said, it's good to see you
- Susanna, said Terry barely looking at her…
Susanna looked at him. She was able to separate them once, she was going to do it again. She had heard the rumours that Candy was really Lynda's daughter, that's why Terry befriended Lynda and made her think they were lovers… He was playing with her! It was for Candy all along!!!
"You think you have him back Candy? Think again!" Said Susanna in her head.
During rehearsal, Susanna felt dizzy and she had to be carried out of the theatre to her dressing room. Terry was wondering what was wrong with her, but he didn't pay too much attention when he heard;
- What's wrong with Susanna? Asked and actress
- We don't know, maybe her health isn't that good
Terry hoped Susanna was fine, that it was nothing serious. The work day continued fine. He went to get Candy at the shelter and Lynda was also there.
- Hello ladies, he said, ready to go?
- Yes, Terry said Candy kissing him on the cheek, let's go
Terry went to lunch with the mother and daughter and people were whispering but they didn't care They had a great time.
The following days, everything was fine. Candy continued her therapy with her mother until it was time to take Terry with her.
- Are you sure you're okay with this? Said Candy
- Yes, Candy, we have to get past this…
- All right, she said, let's go
They went to the doctor's office. He already knew all the stories about Terry. She was going to talk about her trip to New York.
- I was so happy to go to New York and see Terry and finally be with him, I was singing in the streets, I even walked passed my friends without seeing them, because I was humming and thinking about my reunion with Terry… I was hoping he was going to kiss me, because of what happened after our first kiss…
- Yes, let's talk about that… he kissed you because you mentioned your old boyfriend while you were dancing with him… why did you do that?
- I have no idea…
- You must've know he was going to get upset being compared to your old boyfriend, didn't you?
- Everything was perfect, I able to disguise myself for the May Festival, but as usual, when everything is perfect with, something has to go wrong…
- But nothing was going wrong, Candy, you mentioned Anthony….like you wanted to ruin the moment…
Candy remained silent. Why did she mention Anthony? Because she danced that music with Anthony, she knew Terry would've been hurt to hear her talk about another boy while she was in his arms…
- I wanted to ruin it, I wanted Terry to reject me… I wanted to be abandoned before he abandoned me…like the others
- Why did you think he was going to abandon you…?
- Because since I was born, I was abandoned by my mother….it all comes back to that…
- What happened after you mentioned Anthony?
- Terry kissed me, to make me forget about Anthony…and I slapped him, he slapped me and I slapped him…
- So you're first most romantic moment was ruined because instead of enjoying the kiss, you slapped him?
- To ruin it again… what's wrong with me…? It's like I wanted everything to go wrong…
- You were afraid of happiness, you were afraid of feeling good with a boy who obviously liked you a lot…and you practically did everything to reject him… what happened next…?
- I was afraid of horses, so he forced me to ride his horse with him, it was awful, said Candy crying, in the end I felt at peace… but I wasn't ready to see him yet, so when he invited me to dance at the party, I stepped on his toes on purpose…
- Well he had just forced you on a unwanted horse ride, but you did get over your trauma for horses…
- Yes, I did. He was hard on me, but I did get over it…
- Did you hate him after that?
- I hated him for forcing me to ride the horse yes… but my heart still thought about him…
- How was your relationship after that?
- Good, it was the summer in Scotland, everything was great… I forced him to reconcile with his mother…
- You forced him?
- Yes, it was my turn to be bossy… I wished I had a mother and he had one he was treating her like dirt…
- So he listened to you…?
- Yes he did…
- Then what happened…?
- After the summer, it was back to school, but we got set up by Eliza Reagan and I was expelled, Terry left so I could stay…
- How did you feel about that?
- Abandoned, yet again!!! How could he leave me??? I loved him!!!
Terry was hearing for the first time, how Candy felt when he left college so she could stay. He should've followed his guts and take her with him…
- What did you do? Said the doctor
- I went back to college, but I didn't stay… I found a way to go back to America…when I finally got to the Pony Home, one of the children told me Terry was there… so I ran like crazy to see him….
- Did you see him?
- No, he had already left… I missed him by a few minutes…and I felt like the gods were against me being happy!
Terry was very upset to hear that he had missed Candy by a few minutes, he wished he had seen her there too, everything would've been so different for them if they had met…
- What did you do?
- I found my way, I went to nursing school and became a nurse…I saw Terry on stage when his troupe came to Chicago, but we didn't physically meet…I saw him very briefly on his train and I was running in the field… we started to write each other. Getting a letter from Terry would make my day better!
- So when you were going to New York, you wanted everything to be perfect this time?
- Yes, for the first time, I wasn't expecting anything to go wrong! What could've gone wrong? Terry had the lead role in "Romeo and Juliet", I had a one way ticket, which meant that he wanted me to stay with him…this time I thought my bad luck streak was over… Terry hadn't forgot about me, he wanted me to be with him…
She told him what happened, how she learned what happened to Susanna during the intermittence.
- How did that made you feel?
- Awful… I wanted to talk to Susanna and tell her not to use her injury to trap Terry… I got there, she wasn't in her room, I found her on the roof, ready to jump, I hanged on to her and I….
- You what?
- I realised she was missing a leg! She lost her leg saving Terry…! How could I take Terry back? She loved him so much she lost her leg for him…!
- What about your plans to stay with Terry?
- Terry hid the fact that Susanna was injured and that her mother was pressuring him from me… He was guilt ridden…
- Yes, but how did you really feel about that?
- Betrayed… he could've sent me a telegram telling me not to come to get my heart broken… how could he get my hopes up like that, after everything I've been through, and just let me go?
- Why don't you ask him? Terrence…
Terry was brought back to that awful time. He looked at Candy who was crying.
- Candy, I should've talked to you before, I'm so sorry, said Terry
- Tell her what you wanted to tell her, said Dr. Blanton…
Terry approached Candy, what a painful memory… he took her hands.
- Candy, I didn't want you to find out like this…
- Why didn't you tell me, Terry? Why?
- I wanted to tell you after the play… I didn't want to burden you with all that before
- She lost her leg Terry!!!
- I know…Her mother is pressuring me to be with her…
- Oh…what about me? You're supposed to just forget about me? Abandoned me again….?
- Candy...
- You abandoned me in school… I thought this time that was it…
- Candy, I didn't abandoned you in school. I wanted to take you with me, I wanted to marry you…
- But you didn't!!! You abandoned me! And now you're going to abandon me again to be with her!!!
- She lost her leg…
- So she gets to have you, and I'm left in the cold yet again…why did you let me come her to get my heart broken?
- I wanted to see you so much…
- You wanted to see me to dump me in person??? You chose her, didn't you? Otherwise, you would've told me earlier about the accident
- Candy…
- I'm going to go and let you be with her, be happy with her…
- No Candy! I love you! I want to be with you!
- But you can't. I'm leaving…
- Promise me you'll be happy…
- I promise…
There was an intense silence.
- If it had happened like that, would it had changed anything?Asked dr. Blanton
- No, I'm still hurting and I still feel abandoned, said Candy
- Where you happy Candy? Asked the doctor
- No…
- Did you mean what you said?
- No… I wanted Terry to beg me to stay with him…he caught up with me on the stairs, to tell me to be happy without him….He abandoned me… but it was ok…
- You got used to being abandoned…
- Wouldn't you be? I got sick on my way back I was miserable for days… I lost one of my cousins…
She continued talking until she talked about the third rate theatre in Rocktone…. Terry was surprised to hear her talk about that. When she finished, he couldn't believe his ears… he wasn't dreaming, she was there!!!!
- Why did you walk out on Terry? He was the love of your life, very vulnerable… there was no Susanna in sight, why did you do it?
- I don't really know…I saw him so drunk and miserable…I thought of all the times I was disappointed, from my birth… all the abandonments… it was like I didn't want to get involve with him, I didn't want to suffer anymore, so I just left him there… I didn't want him to abandon me, so I abandoned him first…
Terry had tears in his eyes hearing her say that.
- I didn't care about anything anymore, said Candy, so I took jobs all over the country until I got here and met my birthmother…
- That changed your life…
- Yes…
Candy turned to Terry crying.
- I'm so sorry honey, for abandoning you, I was messed up….I had abandonment issues…
- I was so drunk I thought I imagined you… seeing you crying looking at me with so much pain, got me back on track and I came back to my responsibilities…
- To Susanna… you see what I mean? You didn't come back to me… you would've abandoned me again!!!
- Well I guess we'll never know that, since we didn't talk…I saw you crying and I felt bad and ashamed for my weaknesses. I didn't keep my end of the bargain…
- You don't keep your end of the bargain, so you go and get drunk? You don't come to me? I was hoping like a fool that you would come back to me…
- I felt so guilty for letting you go, I was so disappointed in myself for choosing Susanna instead of you, I didn't want to hurt you anymore by opening old wounds… but you came to live here, you found your mother and I'm so glad you did. It allowed us to start over…I love you Candy…
- I've always loved you Terry, that wasn't the issue…If I wasn't sure of anything else in my life, I was sure of that… that's why I agreed to marry you before we fixed this, because it was the only sure thing in my life; my love for you. I'm sorry for abandoning you in that sordid theatre…
- I forgive you. I'm sorry for leaving college without you, for missing you at the Pony Home, for choosing Susanna over you…
- I forgive you, she said crying
They hugged for a long time. Dr. Blanton left them by getting out of the office for a few minutes. Terry kissed her on the lips. Then they got ready to leave. Candy wiped her tears and Terry too…
- I love you Freckles
- I love you Terry…
He took her by the arm and they got out of the doctor's office holding each other.
- Thank you so much Doctor, said Candy
- Take a break, my secretary will call you for your next appointment…alone, this time, without your mother or Terrence
- All right doctor, said Candy smiling
- Goodbye Candy, Terrence
- Bye Doctor, said the couple
Candy and Terry felt so much better after that session with the doctor. They went back home to spend some quality time together in the living room.
- Freckles, he said, now that everything is more or less fixed, you want to set a wedding date?
- Yes! Said Candy, let's get married soon
- Tomorrow?
Candy burst out laughing.
- I would agree, except, I now have a family to consider and I'm sure they would want to give us the biggest wedding this town has ever saw…Would that bother you?
- Of course not… as long as you and I are married, that's all that matters. You think they can manage to do everything in a month?
- I think they have enough money to make things happen tomorrow… but a month should be good…
- I wish I could marry you now…
- So you can put me in your bed tonight? Said Candy smiling, I know how you feel… but it's just a month, we can make it…
- If you say so…
- I'm going to call my mother to tell her the news…
- And I'm going to call my mother to tell her the news
Candy called Lynda.
- I'm so happy for you, she said, would you allow your grandparents to give you a big wedding?
- Yes, of course, said Candy, tell them to go all the way…
- They're going to be glad. Father contacted Terrence's father in England. Tell him to expect a phone call from him…
- Oh… I will.
- Thank you honey for calling and letting me know.
- You're welcome…how's the baby
- Getting bigger…I'll talk to you later
- Bye mom…
Terry called his mother.
- Terrence, I got a call from your father and I couldn't understand a word he was saying… he was talking about Candy being a Rothschild, a business deal…
- I'm sorry mum, things have been a little crazy lately. But I'm calling to tell you that Candy and I are living together and we're getting married in a month… You'll get your invitation, don't worry….
- Oh… congratulations!
- Thank you mum…
Like Lynda said, the duke of Grandchester called Candy's apartment to speak to his son.
- Terrence….
- Father, said Terrence, how have you been?
- Fine. I got a phone call from the head of the Rothschild Bank, he said you're marrying his granddaughter…
- Indeed, I am, said Terrence
- And you didn't care to inform me? He called me with a business proposal, I was caught off guard, I wished I was prepared…
- Gee dad, I'm sorry I wasn't thinking about your business deal while I was proposing to the woman I love!
- Who's the lucky lady? You finally got over that girl who made you leave college?
- No, actually, I never got over her…
- What?
- She's the Rothschild's granddaughter…
- Oh….
There was a silence at the end of the line. The duke had refused to help Candy, when she needed it…. A disadvantage he was going to have in his deal with the Rothschilds…
"It is necessary, as much as one can, to oblige everyone. One often needs smaller than oneself" Jean de la Fontaine
The duke regretted not helping Candy stay in college when his son had asked him to…he was going to get the shorter end of the stick…
- You're marrying the girl you came to ask me to help out…I guess you really did love her… I'm sorry for not helping you…
- That's ok father. Will you be here for the wedding?
- Yes, I will. Congratulations…she did convinced me to let you pursue your dream…
- What?
- Yes, I came to the college after you left to withdraw my donations, and she convinced me to let you be yourself and follow your dream and not stop the donation to the school… so I listened to her…
Candy didn't talk about that in therapy. Even though she thought he abandoned her, she still pleaded his cause and the cause of a school that was so mean to her!!!!
- Oh… I had no idea. She never told me that….
- Now you know. I guess I'll see you in a month…
- Bye father
- Bye son….
The wedding preparations were on… Candy wrote Miss Pony and Sister Maria to bring the children along to the wedding. She contacted Georges so he would contact Albert and tell him to be free in a month for her wedding. As Candy expected, the Rothschilds made a very big deal about it, all the papers were talking about the Rothschild's granddaughter who was getting married….