A golden-haired young man sat at a huge table in the Andrews' office thoughtfully looking on the papers before him. His blue eyes were sliding the lines not seeing them – the papers were a refusal of adoption.
Having taken a breath, as if he was about to jump into cold water, Albert Andrew without stopping signed the papers in his loose handwriting at once. That was it! It was finished! The end! Candice White was not Andrew any more, not his adopted daughter.
"I will do everything you want, Candy…" – William was thinking. "Everything, because I…"
Somebody knocked on the door insistently; moreover he seemed to knock out a tune. It could only be her… Candy!
The door swung open, and her smiling face appeared in the doorway:
"Boo! Hello, Mister Albert!"
It was like a load off his mind – he was so afraid that his words during their walk would ruin their easy and warm relationship, but Candy was in front of him – his Candy, bold, cheerful and… dearest…
"Hello, Candy! Don't call me "Mister"!" William reproved Candy tenderly, coming to meet her at a lively pace.
"It's easier to call you like this, Mister Albert… I'm all confused…" Candy raised her face peering into the kind blue eyes of her most loyal defender, and in the heat of the moment she hugged him. Albert joined his arms too.
She was saying something, but Albert could barely breathe – as if something squeezed his throat, his ears throbbed.
Candy! A most cunning girl with a perfect smile. Candy… I've seen you many times in many places… I've always loved you, always!
He tightened his arms as if trying to dissolve in his sweetheart, bending his head he breathed in the scent of her hair, and everything reeled before his eyes…
"I love you so much. Candy…" He whispered kissing her hair.
"Mister Albert?" The girl raised her freckled face and looked up surprised. "What are you doing? "
Her face, her green eyes… Her mouth half-opened in surprise…
He stopped wrestling with himself and started to rain kisses over her face, kissing every inch of her skin – forehead, cheeks, temples…
"Mister Albert!"
With huge effort of will he stopped himself and moving away looked into her eyes. These were child's frightened eyes. William eased his hold and stepped back. He turned away and came up to the window.
"The papers are on the table, Candy," he uttered with one more effort of will. What has he done…
The girl ran up to the table and snatched a paper. Then she rushed out of the office. The door shut and the man sank to the floor as if he had lost his force, squeezing his temples with his hands. What has he done?!
… Candy was sitting in the attendant's office and diligently writing reports. She would not be thinking about anything except for work. Anything! The phone rang demandingly, she picked up the receiver:
"St. John Hospital, Candice White speaking!" She knapped.
"Hi…" she heard the voice from the receiver that made her jump on her chair. This voice at the moment being so smooth and hush was like a snake lying in wait for a kill.
"Neil!" Candy was downright angry. "Why are you calling me here?!"
"I just wanted to hear your voice. The voice of my sweetheart. I miss you."
Saying nothing Candy hung up as if the receiver burned her fingers. Fed up! She was fed up with all of them! She just wanted to work in quiet!
The phone rang again, and Miss White looked at it as if it had been a living being.
"What are you after?" She asked angrily. Though she could not ignore the phone – it could have been an important call. It was not often that the phone rang; normally it was somebody from a different hospital. Not everybody had such devices, though rich families had ones… The Legans did.
"Yes, speaking!" The girl cried, and somebody at the other end apologized frightenedly. Candy also apologized before the person who called and thoroughly wrote down all information. After hanging up she continued working with the reports.
The phone rang again and Candy answered it.
"St. John Hospital, Candice White!"
"Daniel Legan, the Legans' residence. How are you today?"
Candy took a breath.
"Listen, Neil. You cannot call here and talk nonsense, people having an accident cannot call here because of you. This is a hospital, it's not your private residence!"
Irrepressible admirer didn't calm down at the other end:
"Nonsense? Is it nonsense to say to my sweetheart that I love her? What do you think?"
- Stop calling me "sweetheart"!
"Why?" Talking to Candy over the phone appeared to be much easier than tete-a-tete, and Neil surprised at finding this possibility made a point of taking it.
"Because it's rubbish. Junk! Nonsense!"
"Is love nonsense?"
"It isn't, but you don't love me! It's your whim, fancy just to bother me!"
"So sad. You don't know me at all."
"I don't want to! Good-bye!"
The phone pealed again. Candy rolled her eyes up and snatched the receiver:
"Yes?!"
"You're so beautiful, when you get angry."
"Stop calling me! I'm fed up with you all!"
"Who are those "all"?" Neil's voice turned aggressive instead of scornful. "Who's annoying you except me?!"
"Nobody. It's none of your business."
"It is! Who's that, tell me!"
"Nobody! It's a joke."
"Is it Mister Richman?"
"No! Leave me alone!"
"Candy, just say the word and I'll do anything," Legan's tone made her skin crawl. "Nobody has a right to bother you."
"It's fine, don't worry, " she gabbled.
"I'll kill him, if I find out who it is, you know me…"
"Enough! I don't wanna talk to you."
"I'll run him down with my car, if need be."
"Shut up!"
The girl slammed down the receiver and burst into crying. That was crazy. Candy felt as if she got into whirlpool and was being drawn into dark depth, water body and despite all her efforts she could not swim out of there… No way…
The phone rang again. She answered wearily.
" Hello?"
"What's wrong with your voice? " Neil's voice suddenly softened. "Are you crying?"
"N-no, " Miss White whispered struggling to answer firmly.
"No, please, Candy, don't cry!" He reasoned her, but she started to weep heavier without removing the receiver from her face.
"Neil, don't do anything, please… you scare me, Neil… I'm frightened!"
"Candy, calm down!"The voice in the receiver totally changed, she wouldn't have recognized it if it hadn't had been for the previous words. " I won't do anything, I swear. I just want to tell you I'm going to drive you home. I don't want you to go home alone towards morning. "
Candy almost managed her tears and answered:
"Don't be silly, Neil. I can perfectly get home myself. Thank you, don't drive me anywhere."
"I know you can get home yourself, come on," Legan laughed. "Say yes, it's much better to get home in a comfortable car…"
"I don't want to."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to encourage you! I don't like you at all!"
"Whew!" Neil uttered. "What is it that you don't like about me? Are there warts on my face?"
"No."
"My hands shake? I'm a hunchback?"
"No, no!"
"Bad smell from mouth?"
"No, give it a rest!"
She heard laughter from the receiver.
"Then what is it you don't like about me?"
"You have evil eyes."
Silence hung in the air. But Neil put a bold face on and continued questioning:
"Although, we've found out that you don't like my eyes. What about my nose? "
"Nothing unusual."
"What about my lips? Do you want to kiss me?"
Candy slammed the receiver, she was all shaking. Why had she been talking to him so long?!