Chapter 10
    “Total Recall”

    Candy was on her Pony hill reliving everything single thing that had happened to her and with it came the all the feelings, the confusions, the pain. She went back to the day Terry told her he was going back to Susanna in Paris… Terry had just left her suite.

    **********

    Candy jumped on her bed and started crying like there was no tomorrow. She cried so much she had a headache and the pillow was soaking wet with her tears. The phone rang. She picked up.


    - Hello, she said with a little voice

    - Hello, may I speak to my husband please?

    It was Susanna.

    - Who is this?

    - You know who this is, Candy… put Terry on the phone

    - Since you’re his wife, don’t you have his cell phone number, or his suite number, this is my suite…

    Susanna was dying, but she was being so mean on the phone, Candy didn’t care.

    - You had your fun with him, now he’s coming back to me…and our daughter

    “She’s dying Candy, she’s dying…” She thought

    - We’re getting married again….

    Candy felt like they stuck a knife in her heart

    - Congratulations, said Candy

    - You really didn’t think I was going to let him go that easily…

    - Don’t tell me you used your illness to get him back…

    - To get him to dump you a second time… why don’t you marry your nice fiancé and leave us alone…?

    - You’re a sick and twisted woman Susanna. Don’t ever call me again!!!! Good bye Susanna, said Candy hanging up

    She packed her bags and went back to Chicago without seeing Terry. She had called Albert to tell her she was on her way home and if he could send the driver to pick her up, but Anthony showed up. Candy ran to him and he hugged her hard.

    - Oh Anthony, I’m so sorry!

    - Hush Candy we’re going to talk later…

    He kissed her on the lips. They went back to the mansion in silence. The others were out for the evening and Candy went straight to her bedroom. Anthony came to her room and sat on the bed. Candy was looking out the window.

    - Anthony…, she said

    - What is it?

    - I made a big mess… I can’t marry you

    - What happened?

    - I met Terry in Paris…

    There was a silence. Then Anthony broke it.

    - What happened?

    - He had just got a divorce, and…

    - You couldn’t resist him! As usual! Damn it Candy! What about our plans?

    - I don’t think we should get married Anthony… I was with Terry, I slept with him…

    - You gave him your virginity, said Anthony hurt

    - I love him…

    - Why did he dump you this time?

    - The same reason…

    - Susanna? Didn’t you just say he was divorces? Did he lie to you just to get you in his bed?

    - No, it was nothing like that… She has a brain tumour, she’s dying… he’s… he’s marrying her again…

    Candy was crying while saying those words. Anthony looked at her. He was happy he didn’t have to make Terry’s choice, duty or love? But how could Terry not be with his dying ex-wife? Candy is paying for it yet again! Why did she have to fall in love with him??? Why did they have to go study in that damn college which allowed Candy to meet Terry?

    - I’d like to be alone Anthony…, please…

    - All right, said Anthony… I’ll see you tomorrow

    - You’re going to tell the other that the wedding is cancel?

    - Let’s not talk about that now, just get some rest…

    Anthony left the room. Candy cried herself to sleep. As the days went by, Anthony still hadn’t cancelled the wedding. Candy thought he was just delaying the inevitable. He had taken a few days off and he went to see his father. During all that time, Candy had to pretend to be preparing her wedding, knowing it will never happen. Anthony came back and they went to talk in Candy’s bedroom.

    - Anthony, why haven’t you cancelled the wedding?

    - Well hello to you too!

    - Oh Anthony! Why are you doing this? I know I deserve it… but please, stop it!

    - Candy, he said approaching her look at me…

    Candy was crying. Anthony wiped her tears.

    - I told you when you went to Paris, to do whatever it was to find yourself… you saw Terry, had a fling with him and you came back… are you ready to get married now?

    Candy looked at him like he had just fallen from the sky.

    - What are you saying?

    - I’m saying if you still want to marry me, let’s do it!

    - Anthony…

    - Life goes on Candy…I still want to marry you. So let’s forget about Paris and start over

    - I don’t deserve you…

    - Would you stop punishing yourself? I forgive you…

    - I love Terry Anthony…

    - You love me too, right?

    - Yes, but…

    - That’s good enough for me. I love you Candy. I want to be with you…Forget Paris…

    - Forget Paris… sounds like a movie

    Anthony smiled.

    - So what do you say?

    Candy thought about Terry, she had to move on, or she was going to go crazy…

    - Let’s get married..., said Candy, but if for any reason you want to back out, just tell me…

    - I won’t, now come on…

    So Candy was still getting married, despite everything. But a few weeks later, Anthony came to see her in her room in the morning and found her in tears…

    - Candy? What’s wrong my love?

    - I’m pregnant…

    Anthony looked at her, devastated.

    - You didn’t use protection with him? He asked

    - It’s not infallible… I’m so sorry. I’m going to pack my bags and go to the Pony Home… unless you want me to stay so we can tell the news together

    - What news?

    - About the wedding been cancelled…

    - Why would it be cancelled?

    - Anthony, I’m having another man’s baby…

    - And I’m marrying you…it’s going to be my baby… I love you Candy with your luggage… I prepared myself for this eventuality…

    - Oh my God!

    - Candy… listen to me. I almost lost you to Terry, again… I’m not letting you go. We’re going to raise this baby together and all the others we’re going to have… I love you

    - Anthony, are you sure about this?

    - Nobody is going to know…

    - But we’ve never made love…

    - They don’t know that…

    - Oh Anthony…this is too much. I can’t ask you that… I can’t marry you…

    Candy left the room and she ran into William.

    - Whoa, little one, what’s wrong?

    - Oh William! She said hugging him.

    - Come to my office… there’s a letter for you…

    They walked to the office and he gave her the letter. It came from Terry…

    - I’m not going to read it! She said

    - Why not?

    - I just won’t read it! Terry ruined my life!!!!!

    William took the letter and kept it.

    - Anthony loves you…

    - I know he does, and I keep betraying him with Terry!!! First in school, now…

    - You slept with Terry?

    - In Paris, said Candy crying and now I’m pregnant!!!!

    - Oh Candy, said William, come here

    She approached him and William hugged her.

    - Do you want to contact Terry?

    - No, he’s got enough on his plate to worry about…

    - And he chose Susanna, yet again…

    - She’s got a brain tumour…

    - Does that make it hurt any less?

    - No, it doesn’t… it hurts like hell! He chose her over me again!!!!

    Candy burst into tears. With her pregnancy, her hormones were making her very emotional. William was consoling her.

    It took Anthony 3 month to convince Candy to marry him. Her belly was starting to show and everybody assumed Anthony was the father… So she married Anthony and he was the perfect husband… until the fatal night.

    They were having dinner with the Great Aunt in Lakewood, who never hid her hatred for Candy. She had just found out that Anthony was not the father of Candy’s baby, by some gossipy maid and she was confronting them.

    - Is that the truth?

    - That’s none of your business Aunt Elroy…

    - How could you take that slut back and marry her? Are you out of your mind?

    - I love her! That’s all that matters, and I love her baby too!!!

    - I will not have her in this mansion! She’s a common slut!

    - If my wife is not welcome here, then so am I! Come on Candy, let’s leave this hell hole!

    - Anthony! Cried Aunt Elroy, no, come back!!!

    Anthony took Candy and left in his car. He was driving fast, way too fast, he was upset.

    - Anthony, slow down, said Candy, you’re going too fast…

    - That mean old hag! How could she do that?

    - I am carrying another man’s child…

    - You’re my wife, it’s my child …!

    - Anthony honey…please slow down…

    But Anthony was so upset, going fast was making him feel better, but he didn’t see the truck coming on the other side… then it was blank.

    Candy was on a hospital bed, when she woke up…

    - Finally, you opened your eyes, said Annie

    - Where am i? She whispered

    - Oh Candy! You’re in the hospital…

    - Hospital? Why?

    - You had your baby...

    - Baby? What baby?

    - Oh my God, said Annie, let me get the doctor…

    Annie, who had a big belly full with Leslie, went to get the doctor, who came with nurses and they did all sorts of test on Candy. She was fine with the exception of her memory…

    - What’s the last thing you remember? Said Annie

    - I had just broken up with Terry after his big New York premiere…

    - Oh my God!

    - What?

    - That was years ago, Candy… you’re married to Anthony and you just gave birth to his baby...

    - What? Oh my God!!! That’s impossible!

    A nurse arrived with a baby in her arms. Candy looked at her like she had 3 heads.

    - My baby?

    - Yes, said Anthony

    - Where’s Anthony?

    - He…

    - What?

    - He didn’t make it!!!!

    - Oh my God! Said Candy bursting into tears, no! Not Anthony! No!

    The nurse saw how upset Candy was and she left the room with the baby…It took Candy a while to calm down. Her body was hurting, she had a few ribs broken and some bruises. She finally was able to carry her baby and despite her memory loss, she loved the baby from the moment she laid her eyes on him. With Anthony gone, he was the only thing she had left of him…

    - Your name is going to be Anthony, like your daddy, she said, he’s in heaven, but I bet he’s very happy up there…

    The burial was like a nightmare… But baby Anthony helped her a lot. The doctors told her that her memory loss was temporarily… She left the mansion because of the Great Aunt’s animosity, now she knows why… Annie gave her a job as a model since she forgot she was a nurse… she went to Paris again…

    **********

    She was on her Pony Hill until night, when Terry found her.

    - Candy… finally, you’re here

    She looked at him…

    - Terry…

    - What happened? Why did you leave me…?

    - Terry, I remember…

    - You got your memory back?

    - Yes…

    - When?

    - While we were making love…I remembered when we did it for the first time, I even felt the pain…I was so confused… after the orgasm, which was out of this world… everything came back to me…

    - So you remember our second break up?

    - Yes… and all the feelings, the confusion, the pain that went with it… and Susanna, calling me to gloat…

    - What?

    - She called my suite after you left and she gloated…

    - I’m so sorry for hurting you…

    - I remember coming back, and Anthony taking me back, despite the fact that I had slept with you…

    - He was a good man…

    - Yes he was. He always defended me, no matter what and all I did was humiliate him…

    - You fell in love with me… that’s all Candy. Don’t blame yourself

    - How could I not? I hurt him…

    - The accident was not your fault

    - He had an argument with his aunt because of me!! He was upset…

    - It was still an accident…you have a beautiful little boy now, and Juliet, and me… we’re a family

    - That we are… I just needed to get used to the memories…

    - I’ve looked for you everywhere, I even took the kids with me here…

    - The children are here?

    - Yes, I wanted all the help I could get to convince you to come back to us…

    - Oh…, she said touching his face. I’m sorry I worried you…

    - I called Miss Pony who finally told me you were here, on your Pony hill

    - Let’s go see the children, I miss them

    - Can I get a kiss first?

    - Of course she said smiling

    Terry kissed her passionately. He was so happy to have found her. He was afraid she might have done something foolish like taking the plane… and fly to parts unknown. When they got to the Pony Home, Juliet and Anthony were playing with the other children. Juliet saw her and her face lit up.

    - Mommy!!!!! She said running to her

    - Hey! Here’s my big girl! Said Candy hugging her hard

    Little Anthony was running to his mommy too.

    - Mommy! He said

    Candy looked at him, it was the first time she saw him since she remembered he was Terry’s son. She had tears in his eyes.

    - And my little prince! She said carrying him to kiss him

    She hugged him hard and she was crying. Juliet saw her cry and she went to see her friends leaving them alone. Candy walked back to the Pony hill with her baby. Terry followed her.

    - Candy? What’s wrong?

    - Terry, I got my memory back and I also remembered something you should know…

    - What? Said Terry worried

    - It’s about Anthony… my baby…

    - What about Anthony?

    - I got my memory back and I realised that Anthony and I never made love…

    - What? But…

    Terry looked at her, he looked at the baby, he had tears in his eyes.

    - You mean… he’s my son?

    - Yes…

    - Oh my God! Said Terry with tears coming down his cheeks, oh my God!!!

    He took little Anthony in his arms.

    - Daddy? Said the little boy

    - Yes, daddy! I’m your daddy! You had it right the whole time buddy! I’m your daddy!!!!

    He was hugging his little boy, he was so happy.

    - Daddy! Said Anthony laughing

    Terry held him high in his arms. They were both laughing.

    - I’m sorry for the name, I thought it was the last thing I had left from Anthony…

    - He was a good man, I’m proud to have my son named after him… why didn’t you consummate your marriage? Because you were pregnant?

    - I think in his mind it felt like someone else’s territory as long as I was pregnant… he was waiting for after a few months after the birth to…

    - I’m so sorry… I love you Candy… You were pregnant and I was with Susanna …I should’ve been with you…

    - She needed you for her final days, said Candy

    - But calling you to gloat…

    - Well that’s jealousy… she knew you loved only me and that you never loved her…she just wanted to rub it to my face that love was not everything, despite your love for me, you kept choosing her…

    - It was my duty… I’m so happy to have another chance with you…

    - This time we’re going to be together forever

    - And have more kids…

    - As many as you want…

    - Well I’m British and I love our football and...

    - You need 11 players, said Candy laughing, fine! 11 it is!!!

    - Do you know how much I love you?

    - Yes, I do, said Candy, for putting up with me… I love Terry

    - I love you Candy

    Juliet arrived to see if her mommy was fine.

    - Mommy? Daddy? Is everything ok?

    - Yes, my sweetie, said Terry

    - Mommy is coming back?

    - Yes, said Candy smiling

    - Yeah!

    They had a group hug.

    - I love you mommy, daddy and Anthony

    - We love you too, said the parents

    - Love u! Said Anthony laughing

    They burst out laughing. They walked back together to the Pony Home, before driving back to Chicago to their new life together.

    Epilogue