Chapter 15: Day 6 – In the Train
Candy knew Neal was leaving today. She knew all eyes would be at him and it made her nervous to go. What if he showed affection to her openly or what if he didn't show affection to her openly... While hesitating if she should go or not, with trembling hands she opened and read his letter.
Some part was so touching that she read many times with lips whispering "I love you, Neal" again and again.
.
"
…
Either you want it or not, in my mind I never doubt that you are mine.
I don't deserve you. I admit, in the past I used all available opportunity to violently torture you. I don't know how or when, but one day I just found myself fell violently in love with you. Hard, irreversibly, deeply, hopelessly...
Trapped in love and guilt, I wasn't sure how to act and chose the immoderately wrong ways to express it. I pretended that I hated you, while my heart wanted to do exactly the opposite. I pretended that I didn't need you while the only thing I need to live was you. Do you wonder how can a mind and a heart of such total opposite could live in one body? Well, it can't. When you rejected me, everything snapped. I finally broke apart.
I love you Candy, dearly, completely, desperately... I had suppressed torturing desire to make love with you until I had no more strength left in me. You won't believe how much I want to watch you with my eyes, hold you with my hands, feel you with my skin, as I take you, my darling girl to the climax,... and then to have mine too inside you. When it all ends we lie together in bed, I hold your body, feel your silky hair brush against me, and hear you softly whisper you love me...
(Pardon me for being explicit but this letter would lose its purpose otherwise.)
I never give up hope for the day you return my love and to accept me as I am. Everyday I wake up with somewhere inside my heart thinking, if only today were the day you made me a happy man.
I know it's selfish to wish you give me such a happiness considering how much I had caused you suffer in the past. If only I could...
…
"
.
She buried her face in her hand and cried and cried.
Oh Neal... Why did you have to change? Why don't you stay wicked and unlovable like in the past?
Her heart got confused. She wanted Neal. But she didn't want to join the Leagans and be part of the Ardlay family with their dirty intrigues. Was he worth fighting for that much?
OOOOoo oooo ooo oo o
Beatrice went to the hospital to look for Candy. But she's not there. Then Beatrice went to look for Candy at her home. Beatrice banged at the door impatiently continuously until a servant came to open.
"Is Candy home?" asked Beatrice to the servant.
"Yes, Mrs. Ardlay, I'll..."
Beatrice didn't wait for the servant to finish talking. Disregarding all formality, she didn't wait for the servant to announce her presence. She's charging in and went directly to Candy's room. The servant followed nervously behind her.
Beatrice knocked at her door room.
"Come in." Beatrice heard Candy's voice from inside. Beatrice entered. She saw Candy was sitting on her bed crying tearfully.
"M-Ma'am...," stammered the servant.
Beatrice lifted her hand as a sign to the servant that she should leave. The servant shut her mouth, bowed politely and left the room.
"Candy, are you sick? Why are you crying, dear?" Beatrice asked gently and sat next to her.
Without saying anything, Candy pointed to Neal's letter.
"You received a bad news? Pony's home? Ms. Pony? Sr. Lane?"
Candy shook her head and kept crying.
Since Candy didn't say anything, Beatrice took the letter and read it herself. After skimming a few lines, she stopped. She knew that the letter was not meant for her to read.
"Neal wrote you this?" asked Beatrice gently.
Candy nodded among her sobs.
Beatrice said, "William told me about you and Neal in the past, I don't want to interfere, but don't you think something is not right here?"
"What is?" asked Candy.
"He loves you, Candy. I think he does. I don't know why William didn't advise you to accept his proposal in the past." She laughed awkwardly. "Guys… they don't understand these things…"
"I don't know what to do. I can't stand this family intrigues. His sister..." Candy sobbed couldn't continue.
"Family intrigues is part of him that you need to bear, dear, just like William and I. It's hard, but it won't make me love him any less if not strengthened it. It's not easy for him either. To go trough it he too needs the support and endless understanding from the woman he loves. But one thing for sure, I'd rather endure all than to live without him," persuaded Beatrice.
Suddenly Candy stood up. With determination she said, "I want to go with Neal to Florida."
"Go girl," said Beatrice. "We have a few minutes. Hurry!"
Candy hurriedly jumped to change her sleeping dress. She then grab a few items and ready to run. Beatrice saw Candy coming at the door. But suddenly her face looked like she's thinking about something. She seemed to hesitate, stopped running and instead of going out, Candy went back to her room. Beatrice was waiting and waiting, but Candy didn't come out.
Impatient, Beatrice called her.
"Candy, are you ready?" asked Beatrice.
"Almost, I'm looking for something," said Candy, "… a dress... a special dress."
Beatrice peeked into her room and saw Candy was looking for something in her wardrobe.
"Hurry Candy, just take any dress," urged Beatrice.
"Coming... One moment. Ah found it." She quickly changed her clothes with the dress she just found.
Then Candy grabbed her bag.
"I'm ready now," she said resolutely.
Beatrice and Candy went to the train station. Deep inside, both knew they're running late. But, refusing to back off, Beatrice didn't say it to Candy. Candy, meanwhile started to doubt if she should trust her judgment which's made in such a rush. Unsure what's right of wrong, Candy chose to surrender to her faith, half hoping that she'd miss the train half hoping that she wouldn't miss the train.
When they arrived at the station, they heard the sound of the whistle.
"It's too late," said Candy.
"It's never late until it's late," answered Beatrice.
Beatrice ordered her bodyguard to carry Candy's luggage, she then pulled Candy's hands to run with her into the station…
"We get Neal's attention. Then, we ask him to jump off the train. You and him can then use the next train," planned Beatrice.
When they got inside, the train had started to move.
Unfortunately, they entered trough the wrong gate. They're in the train last car, while the VIP car was far in the front. There's no way they could see Neal and attract his attention as planned…
ooOOOoo
While all these were happening, Neal was ready to leave. One by one, people said good bye to him. Finally, Albert's turn came.
"Beatrice … er… didn't feel well. She had to rest," Albert said making an excuse. "We wish you a great trip, Neal." They hugged.
Neal's mother and sister cried and hugged him tightly. His mother made him promise to eat well, sleep well, … Neal hugged them back with some comforting words. …
His father patted his back.
"Work and study hard, son," said Neal's father. "I and the entire staffs in the company can't wait to have you come back and work with us." Mr. Leagan hugged his son lovingly.
Throughout, Neal didn't stop to hope for Candy to appear. He kept stealing a look at the entrance gate hoping a blond girl would come out running at the last moment. But it didn't happen.
With heavy heart he climbed the steps and got into the train. The train moved, the platform got farther and farther, people in the platform looked smaller and smaller. His hand was waving but his eyes were wandering looking for Candy. Soon, the station disappeared, to his disappointment, Candy didn't come. But, he kept standing outside… hoping somehow, although he didn't know how, for a miracle to happen.
How he wished he could meet her just one more time… If only he could kiss her just one last time…
oooOOooo
Meanwhile at the last car of the train…
As soon as Candy saw the train moving father and farther, she started to get worried. She remembered she missed Terry by a few minutes in a similar setting. If she had met Terry in that train station, they might have ended up together*.
My love Neal!, thought Candy, panicked.
She imagined that she had to go back home alone and be lonely without him tonight. Her doubt rapidly disappeared. She knew for sure now that she wanted to be in that train.
I must get into that train, thought Candy with determination.
Just before she ran to chase the train, she glanced to Beatrice. She felt guilty to see Beatrice who had been running with her.
"Beatrice, stop running. You're pregnant! Stay here, I'll run," said Candy. No time for hug, Candy reached out to Beatrice's hand to squeeze it. Then she ran, very fast this time.
"Candy, good luck," she heard Beatrice shout to her. "Find Neal!"
I have to make this!, thought Candy got all pumped up.
With resolution, Candy ran as fast as she could. The scary thought of losing Neal gave her the extra necessary speed. As the gap got closer, she used all energy she had to jump to the car. Beatrice almost couldn't breathe watching all that from the far. She was so relieved when she saw Candy grab the handle and land on the train successfully. The bodyguard threw Candy's bag to the train.
Candy shouted to the body guard, "Take Mrs. Ardlay to Sir William!"
"Yes, ma'am," the bodyguard shouted back.
"Take care!" Candy shouted waving to Beatrice. Beatrice waved back to her.
Candy saw the platform was crowded with lots of people. She tried to find Albert and the rest of the family from the train. But the train moved faster and faster. The people got harder and harder to distinguish. When she couldn't see Beatrice anymore, Candy walked inside…
From the rear car, Candy walked to the front cars to the VIP compartments.
.oOo.
Neal was leaning on the railing looking far away to the horizon, just like what he used to do on that dock facing the ocean. His heart hurt so much.
I earn this, I was bad to her. If only I could do it all over again..., he lamented.
He tried to imagine the good time they had together in that barn to comfort himself. But it made him even sadder. It was so closed yet he still couldn't get her. He wondered if she had read his letter. He had put so much hope in that letter. Now he felt he lost everything. Disappointment and sadness surged trough him, violently tore him apart. But just when one drop of hopeless tears was about to fall, he thought he heard someone call him.
"Neal!" called Candy.
He didn't turn around, thinking that he's dreaming. One tended to hear voices they wanted to hear when expecting something. He sighed.
"Neal," called Candy again, louder.
This time the voice sounded so real that he turned around. He saw her.
Candy? He didn't believe his eyes.
"Neal, I came," said Candy softly.
"Candy?"He wondered if his depression was back and he's hallucinating again. He's been hoping to see her waving to him, but to actually have her stand in front of him was surreal. It couldn't be real.
"Yes, it's me," said Candy.
Then, she did what she had wanted to do for days. She jumped to hug him and crashed her face to his chest.
"I'm here. Feel it?" she said quietly. She dag her fingers to his back and squeezed him gently. "I miss you Neal, so much."
He froze, for a moment just stood still. Then he made a move to kiss her. With his arms wrapped around her, he kissed with extraordinary tenderness, gently brushed his lips against hers as if he's trying to convince himself that all was real. His eyes closed. He kissed again, this time harder, and then he withdrew to look down into her face.
"Candy, you came," he whispered, brought his hand to her face. His brown eyes shone so gentle that it pierced her.
She slowly nodded.
"Neal, do you love me?" asked Candy softly.
He watched her with eyes looked even more tender but at the same time glowed with a gleam of fieriness, looking hopeless, longing, tormented.
"Yes," he whispered, "I love you."
"Then, I go with you," she said. "I'll stay with you in Florida."
"Oh Candy." He hugged her to his chest. If this were a dream, then he never wanted to wake up.
"This dress I'm wearing... ," her voice started to tremble with emotion. "This was the engagement dress you gave me a few years ago. Remember?"
"Of course," answered Neal. "I designed it +."
"You did?" she asked, touched.
"Yes. Do you like it?"
"I love it. I love it so much." She cried. "Do you? How do I look?"
"I love it too," his voice cracked. He hugged her tightly fought hard to steady his voice. "Years ago, I thought you were beautiful in it," he whispered in her hair. "But you look even more beautiful now that you're a grown up woman."
They hugged momentarily in silence. Then, he took her to his private compartment, closed the door behind them.
He unzipped her dress and removed it. Soon, she got undressed.
"You said you like it."
"Yes, I do," he whispered. "I love you Candy."
He took her to the bed and lay her down. He squeezed her breast, dragged his palm gently down her flat stomach.
"Beautiful, you really are beautiful." He murmured.
Then, he stopped, didn't make further advancement. Instead, he knelt down next to the bed looking pensive. He clasped both of her hands, brought them to his lips to gently kiss them.
"What are you thinking?" she asked softly.
"I had made your two little hands worked harder than they should. I'm so sorry," said Neal.
"I wasn't good to you. Forgive me. Please understand that I regret it all," he pleaded. "For thousands of nights I was tortured by desire," he murmured. "Not a day passed that I didn't dream of making love to you."
"If you believe, I deserve more punishment, I'd oblige." Neal ended earnestly.
"No. We start fresh starting today," Candy said softly. "Show me everything you wrote you want to do in your letter."
She got up to bring her lips convincingly against his to let him know that she forgave him. When his kiss slowly turned fierceful and his hands began to explore her vehemently, she reached out her hands to unbutton his shirt… Soon their bodies touched without anything in between. His kisses were glorious, his touch brought magic. He gave the most seductive foreplay she never knew exist before inserting himself into her.
"You're so wet..." He groaned, holding his breath. "Love you, Candy,.."
"Love you, Neal," Candy said breathlessly.
...
He was splendid. He exceeded all her expectations...
When it was over, she exhaustedly crashed on top of him. She managed to whisper, "It's heaven, Neal," as she crawled on top of him lay her face on his chest. "Love you." And, she fell asleep instantly.
He held her tightly refusing to let her go. After such a long journey to win her, he would never let her escape again. He determined to use this rare opportunity to be good for her and make her happy until his last breath.
After fixing the bed sheet to nicely cover her sleeping beloved, he gave her one more gentle kiss. Then, still holding her, he drifted to sleep too...
-TO BE CONTINUED-
NOTE:
*Manga, chapter 7 page 29, 31. Candy missed Terry by a few minutes. They even saw each other from the train.
+ Chapter 2: Neal designed an engagement dress for Candy.
Thanks for all the readers.
Thanks for all my kind reviewers.