Chapter 9
    “An unexpected surprise”

    Nancy went to see Candy the next morning all excited. Candy was still in her bed sleeping.

    - Candy! Oh my God! Wake up!!!!

    Candy was having beautiful dream and didn’t want to wake up.

    - Go away! She mumbled

    - Candy! Please, wake up! Said Nancy

    Candy opened her eyes against her will. She saw her best friend staring at her.

    - Nancy… what on earth…?

    - Candy please, I need your help!

    Candy sat up on her bed.

    - What’s wrong honey?

    - Martin…

    - Martin? What did he do?

    - He kissed me….

    - Oh….

    - And now my world is turned upside down!

    - Why?

    - Because when Jonathan kisses me, it feels nothing like what I felt with Martin!!!!!!

    - Would you stop yelling? Said Candy, I think it’s great…

    - Great!? I’m engaged to Jonathan!!!!

    - Nancy, if you think you can marry Jonathan after kissing Martin and loving it, be my guest!

    - Candy…

    - But if you love Martin…

    - Oh my God! Candy…I don’t know what to do

    - What does your heart tells you?

    - To be with Martin…

    - Then…

    - My family

    - Your family is not the one who’s going to be in a loveless marriage…

    Nancy remained silent. All her life she obeyed blindly to what her family ordered her, even when she didn’t like it. It was time for her to think about herself.

    - You’re right…I have to follow my heart, for the first time in my life…. Thank you honey. Sorry for waking you up. I have to go!!!!

    Nancy left running out of Candy’s room. Candy went back to her dreams… Nancy arrived at her house, when her parents were having breakfast. She saw her twin, while she was taking her coat off.

    - Mikey…

    - Hey sis. Are you ok?

    - Mikey…

    - What is it?

    - I’m in love with another man…

    - Oh…

    - His name is Martin and I kissed him…

    - You kissed him… that’s what you basing your decision on? One kiss

    - It was more than one kiss, and even if it was the case… I’ve never felt this way before…

    - So you want to dump Jonathan and marry your guy

    - Yes…

    - Are you sure about this?

    - I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life…

    - You’re dropping the bombshell on our parents now?

    - The sooner the better…are you with me on this?

    - I’m always on your side Nancy, you know that.

    They hugged. Nancy took his hand and they walked to the dining room together. The parents were having breakfast.

    - Children, said the father smiling

    - Good morning, mom, dad, they say

    - Would you care for some breakfast? Said the mother

    - Yes, of course, said Nancy a little nervous

    Her mother looked at her.

    - Nancy, said her mother, is something wrong? You look tense

    It was now or never.

    - Mom, dad…, I wanted to tell you something, she started

    - What is it? Said her dad

    - I want to break up my engagement to Jonathan…

    There she had said it. Thee was a heavy silence for a while. Then…

    - You what? Said her father

    - You heard me, said Nancy

    - Why on earth would you want to break up with a man we’ve chose for you since you were a baby

    - You said it, you’ve chosen him for me…, said Nancy

    - I thought you were fine with it, said her mother

    - I didn’t say anything, you chose him when I was in diapers!!!! What could I say?

    - Nancy, I want you married to a man from a good family who can take care of you…,said her father

    - Well I want to choose my own man…

    - What are you saying said her mother

    - I’m… in love with someone else, said Nancy finally

    - Who? Said her father loudly, is it the son of the Duke of Grandchester? The one you brought for dinner once? Well at least he’s from English nobility… I can survive that! They have royal blood!!!!

    - And he’s a charming young man, said her mother smiling, I think Jonathan will understand. You’ve got our blessing, said her mother

    - You made a pretty good choice, said her father, standing up from the table

    - Tell him to come home for dinner one of these days, said her mother

    - I’m going to call the Duke of Grandchester and tell him we’re going to be family soon…

    - But mom, dad, started Nancy, it’s not…

    But her parents were already gone. Mikey was laughing out loud.

    - Oh my God! What did I do? They were not listening to me

    - Did you really try

    - You saw them, once they thought I was in love with Terry, they just shifted to the son of the Duke as a future son in law…

    - Terry? So what are going to do now?

    - Terry is Candy’s boyfriend

    - What? You stole your best friend’s boyfriend? You naughty girl!

    - Mikey! This is not funny

    - Actually sorry sis, it’s quite funny!!!! You get rid of one fiancé to find yourself trapped with another fiancé who’s actually your best friend’s boyfriend! How do you do it sis?

    - Mikey! Stop it! I have to tell them the truth

    - I think dad in calling London at the moment…

    - Oh no! This is not happening! And I haven’t even talked to Jonathan yet!!!!

    Mikey was laughing. Nancy was angry at herself for not having enough guts to correct her parents…

    **********

    Terry went to see his mother to make arrangements to bring Candy over for dinner. He found her in the dinning room, having breakfast.

    - Good morning mum! He said

    - Good morning, baby! How are you this morning? You’re not working?

    - I’m fine, he said kissing her on the cheek, and we’re going on tour, so we’ve got a few days off…

    - Oh right!

    - I came to ask you if we could have dinner together and if I could bring someone over …

    - You want to bring a girl? Of course you can! I’m so glad you found a girl you like!

    - How do you know I like her?

    - Well for a man to bring a girl over to meet his mother, she must be very special

    - Yes, she is, said Terry smiling

    Eleonor smiled. Her son was happy and becoming a successful actor, following her footsteps. They talked about acting and different roles and different directors… Terry wanted to tell his mother about Hathaway and Candy but he wanted Candy to be there when he tells the story.

    - By the way Terry, what happened to the girlfriend you had in Scotland, have you heard from her?

    There felt a little uncomfortable

    - She was not my girlfriend! He said a little too fast, she was just a friend

    - She’s a girl and a friend, in my definition, that’s a girlfriend!

    - Right…. Well I haven’t heard from her since I left school

    - Did you write her at least to say you’re fine

    - No…

    - Ok, said Eleonor, I was thinking about her since she advise you to reconcile with me… with the war in Europe, I thought you’d be worried about her…

    - Well I pray that she’s fine and that her family brings her back to America, now can we talk about something else?

    - Sure baby…

    Terry finished his breakfast with his mother and then he went to see Candy at her house.

    - Good morning darling, said Candy smiling

    He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

    - Good morning Freckles, he said

    - Have you heard from Martin?

    - No, should I have?

    - Yes, he’s officially with Nancy

    - Oh, said Terry smiling, well I’m very happy for them

    - Yes, Nancy woke me up to tell me the news, she said she will tell her parents about ending her engagement with Jonathan

    - Oh, wow! Things sure are moving pretty fast

    - Yep! I’m so happy for her and Martin!

    - Me too. We’re having dinner at my mother’s tonight, is that ok with you?

    - Of course it is, I’m dying to talk to the great Eleonor Baker!

    - I’m sure she’s going to be glad to have you as a fan…

    - But you’re my number one fan Terry, you know that right? Even when I was angry at you…you’ve got the perfect gene pool

    - That’s the reason I don’t want people to know I’m my mother’s son…

    - Come Terry, anybody who sees you on stage sees your talent, whether they know you’re Eleonor Baker’s son or not….

    - Thank you. That’s a very nice thing to say

    - I’m just being sincere…I need to go to my mom’s factory to get a dress for tonight

    - A dress?

    - My mom makes dresses, so I need a new dress for the dinner party tonight

    - Dinner party?

    - Come on, dinner at Eleonor Baker’s? I need a new dress Terry

    - All right, said Terry smiling

    - Let’s go then

    They went to Georgie’s office and they found Martin with Nancy. Nancy was ashamed to look at Terry and she didn’t have the courage to tell him and Candy about the misunderstanding, or to Martin, for that matter.

    - Hey! Here’s the new happy couple, said Candy smiling

    - Hello, said Martin smiling to them

    - You guys talk, I’m going to chose my dress, said Candy, Nancy, come with me…

    - Ok, hi Terry!

    - Hi Nancy!

    The two girls went to Georgie’s office to get a dress. The two guys were talking.

    - So, said Terry, you finally got the woman you love

    - Yes, he said smiling

    - Congratulations!

    - I never knew someone could be so happy, she’s wonderful!

    - Now you know what I feel for Candy

    - I’ve always known what you felt because I felt the same thing for Nancy…

    They continued talking and Candy finally came out with a new dress hidden in a box.
    - Can I see it?

    - No, you’ll see it tonight, said Candy

    - All right…

    - A dinner party at Eleonor Baker’s, said Martin

    - You want to come? Said Terry, you can …

    - Nancy, you can come too…

    - Well, said Nancy why not?

    - I’ll be there, said Martin smiling

    - Great! Said Candy, let’s go Terry, I need to get my hair done

    Terry looked up.

    - Women!

    - Nancy?

    - I’m coming! Said Nancy kissing Martin, I’ll see you tonight honey…

    Candy and Nancy went to the hairdresser’s. Terry went home to read and learn his lines to pass time. Martin had to work.

    **********

    Terry came to pick up Candy with Martin. Nancy was supposed to meet them there. Candy’s dress was red, nice cut, making her breast look bigger than it looked.

    - You gook lovely, said Terry

    - Thank you Terry

    - You’re beautiful, said Martin

    - Thank you Martin

    - Now, let’s go!

    They all left and they arrived at Eleonor Baker’s townhouse at the same time as Nancy and her parents!!!! Nancy didn’t know what to do or say. She saw Martin, with Candy and Terry… she wanted to walk to them but her mother saw Terry.

    - Oh Terrence! She said, there you are!

    Terry looked at Mrs. Reever, wondering what she was going there.

    - Good evening Mrs Reever, said Terry smiling

    - Terrence! Said Mr. Reever, it’s good to see you!!!

    - It’s nice to see you too, said Terry a little surprised by their enthusiasm…

    - Oh Candy, said Mrs. Reever, you came, how nice of you!

    - Well she’s Nancy best friend, said Mr. Reever smiling

    - Good evening, said Candy hugging Nancy’s parents

    - This is Martin, said Terry, one of my friends

    For some reason, Terry figured that Nancy hadn’t told her parents anything yet…

    - Mr and Mrs. Reever, said Martin smiling

    - Hello, young man, they both said smiling

    Then Mrs. Reever took Terry’s arms and walked with him to the living room, where Eleonor was waiting for them. The others followed.

    - Well good evening to all of you! You all came at the same time?

    - We met at the door, said Terry, mum, what is all this?

    - It’s a surprised dinner party… , said Eleonor, I got a phone call from your father, informing me of your involvement with the Reever’s daughter, so I called them since you were coming to have dinner with Nancy, I also invited her parents…

    - Yes, said Mr. Reever, it is a surprise; we’re here to celebrate Nancy’s new engagement with Terrence Grandchester! I talked to your father and he’s all for it! So Congratulations and welcome to the family son!!!

    There was a big silence, you could hear a feather fall…

    Chapter 10