IT’S OVER…
Chapter 6
“A difficult ordeal”
They arrived at the apartment a few minutes later. You could smell the odor of the nice dinner prepared hours before. Everything was in order.
- Come in, Terry welcome to my home, said Candy trying to be normal, but every word for her was a torture
- Thank you, said Terry looking absent
- You must be hungry, she said, after all those hours on the battle front, I going to set the table…
- Let me help you…
- Ok…
They set the table in silence, Candy re-heated the food, Clothilde the maid had cooked. It was a leg of lamb with potatoes and vegetables. They ate in silence. The atmosphere was tense, and Candy decided to break the silence.
- It’s funny to see you with short hair, she said
- It took me some time to get use to it too, Mrs. Durand, said Terry ironically
Candy felt Terry’s hostility. But she decided to ignore it.
- The food is good. I’m not the one that cooked; it’s the maid, Clothilde…
He didn’t answer, he continued eating in silence. He was with the woman he loved, the Queen of his thoughts, in an empty apartment… but she was married to his best friend…but wasn’t he married too?
Candy abandoned the idea of making conversation. She finished her meal, washed the dishes and went to her bedroom to get ready for bed, by taking a quick shower. She came back wearing a light purple robe and her wet hair was undone, falling on her shoulders. She was really attractive.
Terry was looking at her and he thought he was going to go nuts! Oh my God! And he had to spend the night in the room next to her?
- Terry? She said with a little voice
- Yes…? He answered like he was dreaming
- I’m going to show you where you’re going to sleep, come with me….
The guest room was always ready, since sometimes her friends came to spend the night with her. He stood up followed her; she showed him the bathroom and then the room.
- I put one of Michael’s pyjamas on the bed…
- Thank you…
- I’ll be in the living room, if you need me…
Terry took a shower, after spending the whole day fighting on the ground, he was full of dust. The emotions, to see his best friend hurt and almost dying, finding the Queen of his thoughts in the middle of this horror, only to learn that she was also his best friend’s wife! The universe liked to complicate the existence of the living! He had come to France to find a solution to his problem and he found Candy married…! He went back to the living room and he found her reading her friends’ letters. She was on the couch.
- Are you ok? She asked smiling, you need something?
- No. I’m fine, thank you, he said
- I have news about the others, Annie and Archie are getting married soon, I think that the fact that I got married without her….she’s a little mad at me…
Terry couldn’t take it anymore! He has to say something; otherwise he was going to explode!
- I, on my part, can’t believe you’re married to Michael! Where did you meet him? Here in France?!! He finally yelled
Candy decided to stay calm. Getting mad now, was not going to serve any purpose.
- No, Terry. I met him in Chicago at the Andrew manor, not too long before you came for King Lear actually… she said as calmly as possible
- Really? He said skeptical
- Yes, really!
She told him what had happened with Mrs. Reagan, forcing her and Annie to sleep in the tree house, Neil, Eliza and finally the tower and Michael…
- I see, he caught your eye ever since…what was it? Was it the uniform? He said with anger
- Oh my God! Tell me I’m dreaming! You’re jealous? You don’t have that right anymore!!! How’s Susanna, your wife?!! She yelled
He didn’t answer. Yes he was jealous, he wanted to take Candy and make her his on the couch!
- She must’ve been devastated that you left her to come to war…
- Indeed she was…she’s fine. I got a letter from her a few days ago; she’s having a baby…
- Oh…said Candy with a tears in her voice
Candy felt like they were sticking a knife in her stomach. Terry saw her expression, she was hurt. So she still cared about him. He felt happy in his heart.
- Candy, I’m sorry
- Sorry? Sorry for what? She asked with tears in his eyes, congratulations….
- Candy, I’m sorry for everything, for Susanna, the baby….
- A baby is a wonderful thing, Terry…
- You know what I mean….
- Yes, I do…and this conversation is taking us nowhere!
- I know you’re hurt. How do you think I feel, finding you married to my best friend? I feel like dying Candy! I want to take you in my arms and kiss you and make love to you all night!
- Terry, please! She said crying
- But I have to respect you; you’re my Michael’s wife. He’s my best friend and he trusts me…Candy… he said with a begging tone…
- Terry, I’m married to Michael. I’m going to go to bed now. You should go to bed too. You have to go back to camp in the morning. Good night Terry…
She ran to her room and close the door behind her, and she jump on her bed and burst into tears….Terry turned the light off and also went to bed. He heard Candy cry in her room. He had to call upon all the strengths in the world, so he wouldn’t go to her room and console her. They both spent a very agitated night.
The next day, the housekeeper, Clothilde, made breakfast. Candy woke up and got ready. She had a headache. Spending the night with Terry next door… he was married to Susanna and they were having a baby…a baby… that was not fair! She’d came to war to make a clean break, because of Terry’s wedding. All that was for nothing? She had to find Terry again who was now Michael’s best friend? What had she done to God, to deserve such a torture?
She got out of the room and she saw Clothilde.
- Good morning, Mrs. Durand, said Clothilde
- Good morning, Clothilde, said Candy
- Breakfast is ready…
- Thank you. Could you add a cup, we have a guest
- A guest?
- Yes. Michael was hurt…
- Oh my God! How is he?
- He’s fine, thank God, because of this young soldier…Michael sent him to spend the night here…
- Oh, Mr. Durand is fine…Thank God. Ok, I’ll put an extra cup.
Clothilde put an extra cup and plate on the table for the guest and she went on with her work.
Terry woke up, if we could call it that, after spending a sleepless night. Candy had put one of Michael’s uniform on the bed while he was in the shower. The uniform he had on, the night before was kind of dirty.
“Thanks, Freckles, he said in his head”
He finished getting dressed and went to the dining room where Candy was. He smelled the nice odour of hot bread. That was a dream image, that he wished so much, would come true…
Candy stood up when she saw him.
- Terry…Good morning, she said with a smile, you want some coffee?
- Good morning Candy, yes, please. Thanks.
- Did you sleep well?
- What do you think?
- I don’t know…
- What do you mean you don’t know?
- I’m not in your head… Terry, I can’t know…
“Actually you’re in my head, 24-7 he said in his head”
But he said out loud;
- Candy…
- Eat Terry, we have to go to the hospital to see Michael before you leave for camp
Terry wanted to answer, but Clothilde arrive with the bread and he remained silent. He wanted to tell her so many things, but did he have the right? No, because he had lost that right when he had let her go on those hospital stairs in New York, that night in November when it was snowing so heavily. He would have probably had a chance with her, if he had talked to her at the happy clinic…she was still free back then…Albert had convinced him to leave her alone and to go back to Susanna. Why the devil, did he listen to Albert? Now, it was too late, he was married to Susanna and had lost Candy for good. She was Michael’s wife, the doc, and his best friend. He was the one who had the privilege to….No! He shouldn’t be thinking about that, but he couldn’t help himself….
Candy finished her breakfast and she walked with Terry to the hospital. During the walk, they didn’t say anything. Before they got into the hospital, Terry finally said;
- Candy thank you for having me at your place for the night
- You’re welcome Terry. It’s the least I could do…
- Michael is lucky to have you as a wife. I will always remind him of that
- Thank you Terry she said smiling
They couldn’t do anything else; they were both married to other people. They were much too loyal to their spouses to do anything wrong and live with the consequences and the remorse.
They entered the hospital and they went to Michael’s room. They found the French nurses that were having a pleasure of giving Michael a sponge bath. “Their doctor” that had been stolen by the mean American nurse.
Candy and Terry looked at the scene; the nurses were flirting openly with Michael.
- Looks like the French nurses have no respect for your marriage, said Terry with a mocking tone
- They say I stole one of their most eligible bachelors…
- They’re not ashamed of going after your husband, in any case…
- Well I’m here now, said Candy going near them, ladies….
- Mrs. Durand… said one of the nurses sorry
- I think I can take it from here, said Candy taking the sponge from the nurse’s hand. Good morning honey she said kissing Michael on the lips…
- Good morning my love, said Michael pulling her near him and kissing her passionately
The other nurses looked at them with disdain, and got out of the room. Terry would’ve smiled if the scene of Candy kissing his best friend didn’t hurt him so much.
The couple continued for a while and when they finally stopped;
- How are you honey? Asked Candy, did you have a goodnight?
- I missed you, honey….
- We’ll have all the time in the world during your convalescence
- I’m going to use my influence so that you’ll have your days off too, so we’ll spend our time together...
- Ok, honey, said Candy smiling, it’s good to have influence….
- You’re telling me? Said Michael smiling then he saw Terry. Oh…Terry, I’m sorry
- Don’t stop on my account, said Terry with a forced smile
- Did my wife take good care of you? Asked Michael
- Yes, she was perfect. Thank you Candy, said Terry
- You’re welcome, said Candy without looking at him
- Honey, Terry told you that his wife was in the family way? Asked Michael
- Yes, said Candy hurt inside
- We’ll have to start too, said Michael
- Of course honey said Candy
- And you promise to go back to America if you get pregnant, so you won’t risk the baby’s life? Asked Michael
- I promise you. We maybe both be daredevils, but I will never put the life of our baby in danger…said Candy
Hearing Candy talk…Poor Terry, he was suffering in silence. Candy finished cleaning up her husband and she said;
- I’m going to leave you with Terry, I’ll be back in a little while, said Candy to Michael
Candy got out of the room where the atmosphere was tense for her and Terry. The situation was new, Terry and her will have to get used to it because they knew it was not the last time that they will find themselves all three, together in the same room.
Terry talked with Michael. Then he went to get some news of the other soldiers of his regiment and he got ready to go. But he wanted to see Candy first. He found her at the nurses’ station.
- Candy, said Terry, I have to go. Thanks again for everything….
- Bye Terry. Good luck and be careful…
- Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. It kills me to say it, said Terry, but I wish you get pregnant so you could go back to the security in America…
- Terry…
- Even if I would sell my soul to the devil, for that baby to be mine…Goodbye Freckles.
They looked at each other; there was a wall between them, the wall of marriage, or both their marriages. They had made a choice, according to the circumstances of the moment, of course, and they had to respect that choice, even if it meant that they could never be together, despite all the love they had for each other….Terry turned around and left. Candy looked at him leave, the heart broken into a thousand pieces.
Annie and Archie got married as planned and there was a very big party. Annie was sorry that her sister and childhood friend was not there, but she was at war risking her life. Annie had also invited the whole Pony House. Eliza caught the bride’s bouquet, which meant according to the belief, that she would be the next one to walk down the aisle. As a matter of fact, the young Alexander Preston was after her for a while. By catching Annie’s bouquet, she took it as sign that Alex was the one she had to marry. Her brother encouraged her, because he wanted his sister to get married and have a family, because she was starting have the reputation of being an easy girl…
So Eliza married Alexander Preston, to the big relief of her mother and her brother. Neil continued working with Albert and Archie and they were doing good business during the war, unfortunately.
Annie got pregnant right away. That was something she wrote to her friend right away.
Candy got the letter and she was pleased. Millions of children found themselves orphans everyday during this war. Orphans like her and Annie. There were a lot of sick children at the hospital, other hurt during the war, others, just plain sick. Two day a week, Candy was working in the pediatric ward. One of the doctors that worked there, came from Toronto, Canada. His name was Frederick Grant Banting. He had just obtain his diploma in medicine and he decided to come to France to help with the wounded.
He was fascinated with children cases, especially the diabetics. He often talked to Candy about it, when she worked with him.
- How’s your French? She asked, they speak French in Canada don’t they?
- Yes, in Quebec mostly and other areas, but I came from Ontario, it’s mostly English…Any way when I go back, I will speak more French than the rest of my family! He said laughing
- I’m sure of it, said Candy laughing too, I married a French officer, so I will have to learn French, because it’s my husband’s language…
- Lieutenant Durand
- And he’s a doctor too…
- And you’re a nurse, that’s romantic…
- When we met, he was not a doctor yet and I was not a nurse yet….
- Why did you choose this job?
- The need to help others…
- But why didn’t you stay in America? Why come here in this horror?
- I wanted a change… keep my head focused on something else…
- Broken heart?
- Yes, she said blushing and now, I found Michael and…
- You held on to him like a life buoy….
- I love him…
- I don’t doubt it. You’re lucky… I’m concerned about all those kids. If I get out of this war alive, I will concentrate my research in pediatric medicine. Especially diabetes…
- Isn’t it still incurable?
- Yes, but I hope I get a cure with my research one day….
- Who knows? The future will tell, Dr. Banting
Flammy was better and she was suppose to go back to work on those moving hospitals. She was working at the hospital during her convalescence, doing mostly paperwork. Before she left, she went to see Candy, “her guardian angel” and her friend. She had spent a few weeks working with Candy.
- Candy I have to go, and I wanted to thank you again….
- You’re welcome Flammy
- I’m sorry for being so cold when we were at school. Everybody here with no exception, needs a smile like yours. I followed your example ever since I’m in France… You’re a good influence on me, Miss Careless. You didn’t care that your adoptive family had money, and you became a nurse against their wishes… Thank you Candy for everything.
- Good luck Flammy. Be careful said Candy
- You too, Miss Careless
- The “Ice cube” in you finally melted… said Candy smiling
They hugged and Flammy left.
Michael was assigned to the hospital only for a while, during his “convalescence”. He was working at the hospital, which Candy found less stressing than when he was at the battle front, in constant danger. She was thinking and praying for Terry everyday, who was always at the battle front. She prayed nothing happened to him. Michael often talked about Terry with her, not knowing that every time, her heart was breaking.
Michael was worried every time Candy went to the front. She often came back with bruises but nothing serious. He was praying she’d get pregnant, so she will go back to America…He didn’t know that his best friend, Terry was doing saying exactly the same prayer.
Terry continued his life at war. His meeting with Candy had discouraged him, but it had also encouraged him…in a way. She was fine; she was married to his best friend. Maybe it broke his heart, but he knew that Michael really loved Candy and that she loved him too and that she was going to be happy with him. As oppose to his marriage, Candy had married Michael for love. He would have given anything to be in Michael’s place…the Queen of his thoughts… Susanna, the baby…she will never be the “Queen of his thoughts”…during his free time, he had a little notebook in which he was telling stories and talk about the Queen of his thoughts, from the moment he laid his eyes on her. Once he was on the subject, he could never stop….she was his inspiration, she was his heart and she was his soul. He needed her like you needed air to breathe, he needed her, to stay with Susanna and fulfill his duty… he was writing his poems and texts on her…
Candy and history
Frederick Grant Banting (1891-1941)
Canadian doctor. He went to war in France in 1916 after he got his diploma in medicine. He came back from the war a changed man and he concentrated his research on children’s diabetes. He isolate the insulin, which he discovered the role in the treatment of diabetes. He won the Nobel Prize of Medicine with Macleaod and Best in 1923.
