IT’S OVER…
Chapter 9
“The surprises of life
”
There was a lot of snow outside. The trip to the frontier happened in peace. They were talking about all and nothing, and were laughing out loud. When they arrived not too far from the frontier, Terry had something to say.
- Freckles, are you wearing your wedding ring?
- Yes….
- I’m also wearing mine…
- Why? She asked skeptical
- We’re going in the enemy’s camp, a beautiful woman alone…
- You’re with me…
- Yes, but if they knew that we have other spouses…
- You want to us to make them believe we’re married? She guessed
- It would be less dangerous for you… we’ll pretend, that’s all…
- Pretend?
Pretend to be married to Terry? That’s a really bad joke!
- You’ve got to be kidding me!
- Unfortunately, no…
- But… we can’t… she said worried
- Is it that hard for you to pretend to be my wife? He said suddenly, I know you don’t love me anymore, but we were friends, weren’t we?
Terry was angry, why was she making such a fuss? Was it so disgusting for her to make people believe they were married?
Candy was hesitating because “to pretend” to be Terry’s wife… “ to pretend”… that’s what she wanted with all her heart, what she wished things were like… it was hard, it was a dream that had become reality for the mission… But she didn’t want to show she was happy.
- Terry, no need to yell. I’m perfectly capable of pretending to be your wife. All I have to do is think about Michael
She had to think about Michael to pretend to be his wife? Thought Terry. His male pride was hurt. Whatever!
- Just pretend! He said dryly, let’s go
They arrived at the German frontier. There was very long queue and the formalities were taking forever. During war time, it was the law of the jungle. The custom officers were like kings over there, they were doing whatever they wanted, whatever pleased them. Came the time for Candy and Terry’s turn, finally after those long hours of waiting in the cold. A woman came out of the office crying and visibly upset…Candy was wondering what could’ve put the poor woman in that state. They entered the office. The custom officer had his eye on Candy, a look of desire of the flesh…
- Your papers are in order. You’re American? What a nice girl like you, is doing in a place like this?
- I’m with the Red Cross to help taking care of the wounded…
- Hum hum, said the custom officer, you’re a child, so sweet, so innocent…
- She’s my wife said Terry approaching her
- You’re her husband? He asked skeptical
- Honey, said Candy, it’s ok…
- He’s got his eye on you… said Terry
- For you, everybody has their eye on me said Candy
- You’re not here to fight about your marriage said the custom officer…I’m in a good mood now I just got lucky… Married women, for today are sacred even the American ones… single women today have to pay me in nature or those who pretend to be married but are actually alone or single…said the custom officer cackling, buy any body could pretend to her husband…
The officer was very big and was abusing his power in war time and no one was controlling him. To pay in nature? Thought Candy. She thanked Terry in her heart to have suggested that they pretend to be married. If she had been alone… she didn’t even want to think about it!
The officer looked at Candy’s left hand and Terry’s and he saw the wedding rings, but he continued to doubt, he was not conned so easily…
- I’m her husband, and I love her with all my heart, said Terry sincerely
- Where did you meet? Asked the officer to test them
- On the boat, said Terry
- The Mauritania said Candy
- Where were you going? Asked the officer
- London, said Candy and Terry at the same time
The custom officer was looking at them, they really looked married… but Candy was so beautiful and so pure… he wanted to have her…
- What for? He asked
- I was going to St. Paul College, said Candy
- I was going home but I was also going to St. Paul College
You could see the chemistry between them, that couple was in love, but the custom officer wanted more…
- You think I’m going to let my wife alone in this war? Said Terry, you’re going to eat her alive!
- As a matter of fact… but I’ve seen a lot of couples pretending to be married when they were really brother and sister… So… Let’s see… to convince me, a kiss should be enough…
A kiss? Said Candy in her head. She had to go along with it…. Oh my God!
For Terry, you didn’t need to tell him twice!!! He took Candy in his arms and leaned to put his lips on hers… That was something he was dreaming about ever since the slapping from the first time. He started softly and then he became more and more passionate, fiery and he completely forgot that they were at the German frontier in war time…
Candy received Terry’s kiss with passion. Ever since the slapping from Scotland and Terry left St. Paul, she’s been dreaming about the stolen kiss and she had been longing for more… now, by a really weird combination of circumstances, and by chance, all of sudden, her wish had been granted in the middle of bullets and bombshells, in front of a disgusting custom officer who wanted to fondled her, she was kissing the man she loved with all her heart and all her soul…while she was married to another man and him too had a wife… But for the moment, for that brief instant, they were both living a dream they thought was impossible. They couldn’t believe it! They were so passionate, that they had forgotten where they were… The custom officer, gave up, that couple was definitely in love, they were real… he had to move on to other things. He didn’t know that he had reunited two beings that were hungry for each other, to lost souls in the fog that was the cruel world that had separated them. They never thought they would have the occasion to kiss so passionately and they will never get the opportunity again, so unconsciously, they were taking advantage of the situation to a maximum!
The custom officer was getting angry and yelled;
- ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!! I SAID ENOUGH!!!!!!!
Candy and Terry finally stopped with all the regrets of the world and they were looking at each other with so much love… an impossible love because they could never be together. They looked at each other torn, tortured…
- Finally! You seem to have forgotten that you were not in your bedroom! If everybody loved each other like the two of you, this war would never had happened! You disgust me! Take you wife and get out of here!
He was angry and disgusted to have missed Candy… they were a couple in love and happy. Candy and Terry didn’t say anything, and they got out of the office to go back to their truck. They had the green light and they left.
Terry in his head was thinking that Candy still loved him, because the woman he had just kissed in that office, and who had responded to his kiss, was very in love with him or was an excellent actress. After a really long silence, Terry finally said.
- Candy about the kiss….
- What kiss?
- Candy…
- It was for the custom officer…it wasn’t real
- You’re not going to tell me you didn’t feel anything…
- Feel what?
- You’re a very good actress then…
- You’re the actor, are you not?
- Candy… he said with a begging tone
- Terry, this conversation isn’t taking us anywhere; you’re married, so am I, period.
- Candy, I’m not asking you to cheat on your husband, I will never ask you that… I’m asking you if you felt something during that forced kissed by chance… that’s all… I want to know…
- Terry…
- I promise you I won’t bring up the subject again, but I want to know…
- Know what? What do you want me to say?
- That, like for me, it was the most beautiful thing in the world, something I’ve been dreaming about for years, that it was even more wonderful than the dream…
Candy didn’t know what to do. Terry was right on all the points… tears started to come down her cheeks. No, it hurt too much.
- Terry, she said with tears in her voice, we are not having this conversation…
Terry looked at her and saw her tears, and that was enough for him. She was feeling the same thing as him… he was sure of it. They continued their road in silence. Terry had a map that he was checking from time to time.
- Terry, you know where to go, are we lost?
- Candy, he said seriously, I have a confession to make…
She looked at him worried; what was he talking about?
- This purpose of this mission is to free war prisoners
- I know…
- No… what you don’t know, it’s actually an official mission. One of the wounded captured with Michael is a major who know all the plans of our next offensives of attack… he can’t stay in the hands of the enemy…
- So… I was wondering how you were able to organise everything so quickly…
- I personally asked the colonel if you could come with me, because you were going to go on your own anyway… he said that you were my responsibility
- Thanks Terry
- You’re not angry with me for lying to you?
- Terry, we came to get Michael; now I know that it’s an official mission, I more than reassured…But you could’ve told me that…
- We needed the Red Cross truck and an employee to make it more real
- Oh…glad I could help…
Terry didn’t give her too many details. A group of soldiers was suppose to meet them with men and women in everyday clothes who had information for them. They arrived at the military camp with a lot of tents. Some soldiers came to greet them. Terry went inside to talk the major of the camp.
- We have to go tonight to free the prisoners, but you’ll go now with Mrs. Durand inside undercover as Red Cross employee.
- Ok major, we’re going right now
Terry got out of the tent to go get Candy who was talking to other soldiers.
- You’re much to pretty to be in this war, especially here on the other side, said a young soldier with red hair
- Yes, said another one, you came to keep us warm at night?
- We’re going to fight for her, said another one, me first!
- No, me!
- ME!
- NO ONE FIRST! Said Candy, I’m married…
- Really? To whom? Asked a soldier
- He’s crazy to leave you alone here among men deprived of feminine company for so long…
- Who said she was alone? Said Terry’s voice, have some respect for another man’s wife, soldiers!
- Grandchester… said a soldier
- Are you coming Freckles? We have to go…
The soldiers shut up and looked at them leaving. They were a little rude and vulgar with Candy. They were frustrated by the war, the cold and the bad living conditions, that’s counting without the absence of women. To see Candy had been like an oasis in the dessert… most of the women that came to the camp with information or food were middle aged…
- Thank you Terry, she said softly
- You’re welcome, Freckles, just be careful with some soldiers…
- They’re not gentlemen like you?
- Unfortunately no… be careful
- Ok…
They arrived in the enemy military camp which had a clinic inside; all the wounded that were made prisoners, were there, not in regular hospitals in the city. The Red Cross, were considering themselves lucky to be able to help soldiers in the enemy camp…because at the same time they could help the prisoners of war.
Candy and Terry bought bandages and medicine for the wounded and war prisoners and also some food.
- You want me to give you the tour? Asked a young soldier
- Of course, said Terry, my wife and I want to see what’s missing to bring it the next time
They entered in the cold room where a lot of prisoners were skinny and sick, they were coughing, very ill. The cold temperature was not helping matters at all. Candy felt like taking them and take care of them all… in another room, still cold, there were prisoners more or less in good health, that were talking and playing cards. There was a doctor taking care of them. Candy’s heart jumped when she saw him; Michael!
- Hey Doctor Durand, said the soldier, here is an employee from the Red Cross and his wife… tell them what’s missing…
Michael turned around and if he was surprised to see his wife and his best friend, he didn’t let it show.
- Hello, said Michael, thanks for your help… we need a little more morphine…
Candy had to restrain herself so she wouldn’t jump to her husband’s neck.
- Ok, I see what I can do, said Candy, how are you?
- I’m hanging in there… it’s nice of you to help us, said Michael
- The Red Cross was created to help the wounded of war, without distinction… said Candy looking him in the eyes…
They had to leave Michael to go to another room where the wounded didn’t have all their head. They were making a lot of noise, they were doing the monkey, animals, the noise was deafening.
- Some of them have been here for 3 years, explained the soldiers
- Why not send them home? Said Candy outraged
- Because a lot of them are pretending to be crazy…
Candy wanted to respond, but Terry made her a sign to stop. They are suppose to be neutral. They couldn’t take sides… she wanted to get out of the room when she heard a voice say;
- I’m going to invent a lie detector to know who’s lying and who’s not, then I’ll go on the moon with my car and my hot air balloon….
Lie detector… to invent a lie detector… but it sounds like… Candy’s heart was jumping violently in her chest. She turned around and looking at the man that was talking; he was skinny with long black hair and a beard and broken sun glasses… No… it was not possible! There was a little light in the middle of this awful war, at the end of the tunnel of despair? That voice… she probably was hallucinating…she turned to Terry.
- Terry, she whispered, look over there…
- Where?
- Near the window…
Terry looked and saw the patient with a beard and glasses, his hair was very long… he was older, but it was him.
- Alistair Cornwell?
- Yes, said Candy, oh my God, I think I’m going to have a heart attack…
- He’s senile, said Terry, we could ask them what they are going to do with him…
Candy asked the you soldier;
- These patients, those prisoners don’t have all their head anymore, what are you going to do with them?
- We’re not sure they’re really crazy, like I was telling you earlier… the boss’ will decide their fate…
- Why not send them back home? Said Terry, they’re of no use to you…
But Terry knew that the prisoners, crazy or not, were bargaining chips during the war.
- Exactly, if they’re faking, they can’t tell us the truth, because they’re afraid they are going to get caught… if they’re really crazy, they’re unable to tell us who they really are…
- It’s a vicious circle, said Candy sorry
They didn’t want to talk too much so they won’t raise suspicions. They finished their tour and had to live almost against their will. But Terry took a good look of the place, how many guards, the type of door locks; he had made a mental plan in his head.
Once outside, in the truck, they left and got far away from the camp. When they arrived near the military camp, they stopped and got out of the truck.
Candy started to run and to scream of joy. Terry looked at her surprised.
- Candy?
- TERRY!!! MICHAEL IS ALIVE!!! AND…. STEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STEAR IS ALIVE!!!!!! OH MY GOD, IT’S A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!! A MIRACLE!!!!! THANK YOU GOD!!!!! THANK YOU!!!! AHHHHH!!!!
She was running and falling into the snow, and rolling, rolling, laughing. Terry was looking at her smiling. The old Candy was back, the little girl pranky, happy spontaneous. She rolled in the snow, then she stood up and went to jump to Terry’s neck and hugged him hard for a while.
- I’m sorry, she said letting go of him, but I’m so happy!
- It’s ok, Candy, but I didn’t see the major Nelson, he must have been in the interrogation room… we have to get him out of here, we have to get them all out of there… you do know that you won’t be able to come and free them?
- I know… but I wish I could come… but I’m only going to worry you… I found Michael and Stear, a bonus!!! I’m going to let you take it from here… bring me back my husband and my cousin… I’m counting on you.
- No pressure, please… I’m happy to you’re not protesting too much…
- Terry, this is not a fun situation… if it was only the two of us, I would’ve come, but you’ve got the army with you, I’m only going to be on your way and risk the lives of those poor prisoners…
A plan was put in motion to free the prisoners. It was going to happen the next evening, during a military attack. A part of the soldiers were going to take advantage to free the prisoners. They had studied the plan with the information Terry gave them.
Candy was sent to France, on the other side of the frontier with a group maquis that were using alternate unofficial frontier. She didn’t care about the bad war’s conditions, she was just so happy. She spent her time praying inside for the mission to be a success.
