Candy and Terry’s Honeymoon - Part
I
"The Kiss" is dedicated to MsCandyTerry.
Candy Candy characters are
copyrighted/owned by Kyoko Mizuki.
All other events and characters are
fictional.
CC (Candy's Capers) and I never thought when we wrote "The Turnabout" of continuing our C&T
story, but The Kiss is the sequel to it.
Since we live in the state of
Indiana where Lakewood is - it wasn’t too difficult to select a backdrop for our
favorite couple’s honeymoon. The West Baden Springs Hotel is an actual place,
having toured the first floor of the hotel and lavish grounds during the
restoration in 1998, we discovered another era and a perfect setting for a
honeymoon. In 1916 a hotel room with running hot and cold water, private toilet
and bath would have cost $9 a night for a couple, all meals were included.
Please see the postcard photos we have provided of the historical hotel’s
exterior and interior or Grand Atrium. If you look closely in the atrium picture
you can see the seal statue we mention in The Kiss.
Where were they headed? Well, no matter how much Candy pleaded or begged Terry to tell her where they were spending their three week honeymoon - he wouldn’t tell her. She was totally baffled as he had her pack clothes for horseback riding, swimming and evening wear too.
They were headed south was all she knew as he wouldn’t even show her their train tickets. She did ask him once why he wouldn’t tell her,
"So none of your friends or family can find us – I want you all to myself,” he said with a wink.
Of course Candy had to know. So, whenever he would leave his seat she would begin to ask their fellow passengers about their travel destinations. She heard everything from Kentucky to Florida save one and it was from an old fat lady that said she was headed to The Springs.
“The Springs – what is that?” she thought. “Is it that a fat farm? Does he think I am overweight? We’ve only been married for less than 24 hours and he’s putting me on a diet?”
Candy wondered as she looked down at her tummy. Terry came back and sat down, and without thinking she started to whistle – no particular tune, just random notes.
“Nice tune. Want me to accompany you on the harmonica?”
Realizing the whistling made her seem conspicuous, she blurted. “Oh, your impossible!” Terry laughed.
While the newlyweds enjoyed the scenery during the day, after dinner Candy became tired so Terry put his arm around her and snuggled her close as she slept on his chest. By nightfall they arrived at the train depot just out in front of the hotel. She was so weary that all she remembered was being carried by Terry to their hotel room.
The next morning she woke up to find Terry shaving in the mirror at the other side of the room.
“Good morning my beautiful wife!” he said with a big smile.
“Hmmm good morning my husband – where are we?” She said as sat up and looked around the lavishly and beautifully decorated hotel room.
“We’re in a small town, called West Baden at The West Baden Springs Hotel.”
“West Baden?”
“Its near French Lick, Indiana.”
“French Lick?”
“Never heard of it?”
“I don’t any more now than I did on the train, Mr. Grandchester!”
“Ok, ok! You my dear wife are at The Eighth Wonder of the Architectural World! Most people call it “The Springs” for short.”
“The SPRINGS!” Candy thought… "Where the fat lady was getting off!”
“Is it a FAT farm?” She cried and hid under the covers.
Terry laughed at her and pulled the covers from her head.
“No, Candy we are not at a fat farm! This hotel is frequented by some of the wealthiest and most famous people in this country. It’s a perfect and romantic place for two people in love to have their honeymoon,” he said, as he began to play with a curl on her forehead.
“Would you like to know more about The Springs?” He asked.
She nodded.
“Well, we are in the new hotel as the old wood frame hotel burnt to the ground in 1901. The owner traveled the world around and decided he wanted a new hotel that was completely fire-proof – that’s the hotel we are in now. It’s a six story circle-styled dome-topped hotel that was built in only one year. The 250 acre grounds are completely landscaped with lots of gardens for lovers to stroll in. There is horseback riding, dancing in the formal ball room, an opera house, a bicycle and pony race track, a bowling alley, a swimming pool and seven springs to visit besides the inside Grand Atrium area.”
“What’s an atrium?”
“Here you sleepy bunny I will show you.” He grabbed her robe and helped her put it on, then took her by the hand to the windows that faced the inner circle part of the hotel – or the Grand Atrium.
“Aww, Terry it’s beautiful.”
“I will take you through there after breakfast, now look up now to see the Rotunda Dome ceiling.”
Candy did and she saw the dome ceiling covering the top of hotel – it was breathtaking. “Wow Terry, this place is so pretty!”
“I thought you would like it. All that stuff about not wanting your family or friends to find us was a joke really. George knows where we are.”
Albert had generously allowed George to work for the Grandchester’s and hired a new man to take care of his affairs to be trained by George while the newlyweds were on their honeymoon.
After breakfast Terry did take her on a tour of the Grand Atrium – the inner round part of the famous hotel. There were all sorts of shops from a bank, barber, florist and other gift shops too. In the center of the Grand Atrium was an exotic cement garden with a fountain and a statue of a seal balancing a ball on his nose. Candy fell in love with it!
“Aww, Terry isn’t he darling?”
“I should have known you would throw me over for an animal,” he teased.
Later that morning the couple held hands while taking a stroll through the Sunken Gardens.
“Terry have you been here before?”
“Yes, when I was little my father brought my mother and I here. I enjoyed it very much. The grounds are very peaceful. Oh, I almost forgot to warn you – don’t drink the spring water,” Terry said.
“But why?”
“Just don’t that’s all.”
“Oh, all right.” Candy stuck her tongue out at him.
The young lovers enjoyed their time at West Baden – but mostly had stayed apart from other visitors. They went horseback riding, swimming and Terry even took Candy bowling. Some nights they stayed in – other nights they went dancing or for moonlight strolls. They were so much in love that they were just happy to be together.
Routinely, every few days George would send a telegram to the hotel’s office to the newlyweds informing them of any important correspondence back at the Villa. A few times Terry received requests for auditions of certain plays but he always turned them down.
One afternoon they heard of a new Melodrama play called “Cupid’s Bow” being put on at the French Lick Opera House which was just a mile down the road.
“Oh, Terry let’s go!”
“Would you like to?”
“Yes, I’d love it!”
So, after dinner they arrived at the Opera house and were seated by the usher.
The melodrama was fantastic with a great cast. They especially liked the hero and heroine (Jerry Goodfellow and Sandy Fairweather) of the play as were madly in love with each other, but were separated by the notorious mustachioed villain Squire Bean until the last act. They enjoyed it so much that they even stayed up extra late that night quoting some of the lines to each other before turning the light out. Terry told Candy that he would like to play Jerry Goodfellow’s part if the play ever came to Lakewood.
“You would?”
“Yes, its different than anything I have done before and I think it would be good for my career. I like the exaggerated gestures and how the characters talk to the audience. The Classics aren’t everything you know, my dear…And now you’re mine!! Ya, ha ha ha!”
“Ooooo! You are so cute when you do that! You should grow a big hairy mustache tomorrow! Yah ha ha!!”
“But if you played Goodfellow…you would have to kiss the actress who plays Sandy very romantically, and twice too!” she pouted with pursed lips.
“Well, yes but that’s different than kissing you my love. I had to kiss other actresses before on Broadway.”
“You did?”
“Yes, me pretty…” He began kissing her on the back of the neck.
“Did you like it?”
“Oh no! – not at all, it was horrible!” He burst out laughing.
“Terrunce!!” She hit him hard with her pillow.
“Oh, Candy I’m teasing – it’s different kissing them. Don’t you believe me?”
“No!” She harrumphed and turned over.
“Don’t be so jealous Candy – you know I love only you, there’s no one else and never has been since I saw you on the ship so many years ago. I don’t want us to go to sleep angry at each other either.”
“Okay, I will try not to be jealous - but I don’t have to like it,” she grumbled.
“I’m a professional actor and its part of my job. I married you Miz Freckles remember?” He kissed her romantically, “They do not mean anything to me.”
“I love you Candy.”
“I love you Terry.”
Candy woke up in the middle of the night very thirsty so she drank one of the bottles of spring water that the hotel maid would leave for them every day on their night stand. Usually, she would get water from the tap but she forgot. She drained the small green bottle of its contents and rolled back over in bed.
Early the next morning the newlyweds were still asleep when the hotel maid came in all in a flutter.
“What’s going on?” Terry said.
“Sorry to disturb you Mr. and Mrs. Grandchester but I need to clean your room earlier than normal because we are having special guests soon."
“Oh well, we can be out of here in a few minutes – right Candy?”
“Yes - who are the special guests?” Candy asked.
“Film stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford and a bunch of movie executives are coming for a visit for a few days. I’ll be back in 30 minutes to clean your room.”
Terry whistled and jumped up out of bed. “Wow, I guess they are nervous! C’mon my wife lets get dressed.”
“Ugh – I don’t feel so good Terry – my stomach hurts.”
“I see what your problem is Mrs. Grandchester!” Between his thumb and index finger dangled the empty spring water bottle. Watching the bottle swing back and forth wasn’t improving her condition.
“You drank an entire bottle of laxative!” he laughed.
“It’s a little late to be giving me the details now!!” as she ran to the bathroom.