Never Apart, Always Together

    by Liberty

    Chapter 1
    "    The way things are: Candy"

    February 1917 – Chicago

    Two years have gone by since that dreadful night, when Candy and Terry had separated. She was working as a nurse at a newly established clinic called “Hope” ,in the centre of Chicago. Her face had matured a lot during those two years and her hair was longer and golden than ever, and were still caught in a ponytail. She was trying to forget the loss of her true love and the sadness of Stear’s death.

    She confronted Pattie and tried to make her believe in herself again and meet another love. But who would confront Candy herself since she was the only who knew what truly was going on in the depths of her heart... Annie was with Archie at their honeymoon voyage, despite Annie’s will to stay with Candy. She “convinced” her that she was fine and that it would be good for her to spend this time with Archie traveling and making plans for the future. Candy felt so alone at nights. These two years she hadn’t laughed for real or with true happiness. Her emerald eyes were always so clouded…

    During these two years Archie and Annie threw a lot of parties, inviting young and rich men but Candy wanted none of them. She was absorbed taking care of sick children at the hospital. It was the only thing that cheered her up, in some way, and distracted her thoughts from Terry. With her talent at helping the others and the money she had (the advantage of being an Audrey) she was something greater than just help to the hospital.

    One nice afternoon of the autumn the director of the hospital Dr. Jason called Candy to his office. Candy knocked Dr. Jason’s door and the severe voice of the director answered from inside.

    - Come in miss Candice White Audrey. I’ve been expecting you.
    - Dr. Jason how can I help you?, asked Candy gently.
    - Well, our hospital is going to have under its care the son of a great family of our city. He is 9 years old and since you are the best at nursing kids like him he is going to be under your care.
    Candy looked a bit surprised…
    - Excuse but may I ask what do you mean by saying nursing kids like him?
    - Well, Candice White he is a difficult child.     Even his parents have problems with his wild behavior.
    - I’ll do my best, said Candy without asking more questions. “Besides”, she was thinking, “how difficult can it be to handle a 9 – year- old boy?”

    When her shift was over she headed up at the exit when she saw Pattie with all her face turned into red talking to a young doctor named Jo. Pattie was there to pick up Candy as she was doing every day after her work of teaching violin to young children. Candy saw the attraction and thought that Jo would be a very good chance so that Pattie could get over Stear. The old matchmaker woke up inside her…

    - Pattie!! , said Candy
    - Oh, hi Candy. I came to pick you up.
    - Hi Jo! I guess you met Pattie. She is very talented at playing violin. A talent which is passed down from her grandmother and which, believe me, saved me during our school days. Said Candy with a guilty smile in her face.
    - Yes, I met her. She is a very interesting person. She told me that she waited for you Candy, said Jo laughing still from Candy’s previous comment on the violin.
    - Oh yes. She waits for me every day… Well, see you around Jo, replied Candy closing her eye to Pattie at the same time and she became even redder.
    - Well, what did you think of Jo? , asked Candy when they were near enough to Audrey’s mansion.
    - What do you mean?! He is very friendly, and kind…How was your work today? asked shyly Pattie.
    - Don’t change the subject!! The work was fine. I’m expecting a new patient tomorrow. Oh! Damn! I forgot to ask about the boy’s name and what is wrong with him. Said Candy while hitting her head with her hand for her forgetfulness. It’s O.K. tomorrow I’ll learn.
    Pattie saw a glimpse at the emerald eyes of her friend. She hadn’t seen that sparkle for ages since she got back from New York that night…

    **********

    At night Candy woke up from a nightmare. She saw in her dream that Terry was holding her tight when suddenly a flash of light appear and in her hands was only the harmonica that he used to play after Candy gave it to him. Terry was gone and a voice in her head was saying: “If only time was still… if only I could stop time ticking by…”
    “Terry” she murmured, “Why can’t I get you out of my thoughts? I know that I promised you to be happy but I just can’t. Not away from you… Two years now I’ve been trying and you seem to still want to torture me. I hear your smile in my dreams and I open my eyes willing to see you next to me. I hear you teasing me for my freckles and my nose and when I’m ready to answer you back you are not there. I’ve been trying so hard!! I don’t read newspapers’ gossips about you. And surely none of my friends mention something about you. I hope that my new… duty at the hospital will absorb me from our dear memories at St. Paul Academy when we were just kids… my darling. Just kids… Only two years have passed and it’s like decades. We are grown ups in the bodies of teenagers. Life was hard on us. Why Terry? Why? I wonder if you forgot about me, about us… If you found happiness.
    And with these thoughts candy closed her eyes while a tear wet her smooth cheek...

    February 1917- New York

    In a luxurious apartment on one of the central roads of New York city a female voice was easily to be identified… sulking.

    - What is it again Susanna? a deep voice of a young man answered
    - You are the cause of this for once again Terry! You are avoiding me… said Susanna.
    - Since… interrupted the young man.
    - Since always of course Terry. We are not married yet. After two years…I will remain entirely engaged…Please tell me a moment when you did otherwise than avoiding me, said Susanna.

    Terry showed her his profile and by closing his eyes said coldly

    - I don’t avoid you when you bring me a script from the theatre. Although I still believe that bringing me my messages is maid’s work
    - Oh!! You are a monster!! .I preferred you when you were a drunk. At least then you would come searching for my lips, even if you would call me Candy in the very end before kissing me..
    - Luckily I always stopped before doing something more serious right in time. Something that I would regret it afterwards… and don’t say Candy’s name never again…
    - Of course. She is an angel. A holy woman…
    - She is an angel, my angel!!, Terry angrily stopped her before finishing her phrase, “and you took her away from me!”
    - Sorry to hear that, continued ironically Susanna, “but it was I who saved your life.”
    - If it was my life to be with you then, honestly, my dear I would gladly exchange it with my own death,” said Terry frustrated.
    - Sure sure… And you wouldn’t have been miserable! The most famous star of Broadway imprisoned by Susanna Marlowe.
    - Well, Susanna indeed I am miserable, answered Terry and a dark shadow covered his beautiful deep blue eyes.
    - Why are you treating me like this? asked Susanna and at the same time she started crying
    - Please, Susanna! We have been doing this conversation for two years now. I am too tired for doing this. I just came back from the theater. Besides I must have a clear mind to think about a proposition and you’re not helping at all.
    - At least, tell me what this proposition is for… said Susanna begging to get a little of Terry’s attention.
    - It’s about a play for children. Our troupe is going to participate in a charity that a rich and important man decided to make in a clinic and we are going to present the play. It’s scheduled for after eight months.
    - Oh… and what’s the man’s name?
    - Something Petterson, goodnight Susanna.
    - What? Are you leaving?
    - Isn’t that obvious? As I said I am really tired.
    - I wish you nightmares, you selfish…
    - Be careful what you wish for because it is useless since I have nightmares every night since that moment at the hospital.
    - You mean that living with me is nightmare?

    Terry did not answer. He closed the door behind him and left Susanna in her loneliness.
    “Damn you Candy!! I wish that you are not happy just like me”, Susanna thought to herself.

    Terry was in his room holding his head into his two hands. “I can’t stand it any more Candy. Sometimes I think that I forgot your freckles, but when I close my eyes horrified in this thought of forgetting, I catch my mind remembering each one of them.” His left hand went mechanically into his pocket and his fingers slipped softly on the metallic surface. Terry closed his eyes and his mind ran for one more time on the grass of the pretended “Pony’s Hill” at St. Paul Academy.He remembered Candy destroying his cigarette and he feeling really surprised. Then he remembered her giving him a harmonica. “Here. When you feel like smoking, play the harmonica”, were her words and from that day on he never smoked again. He opened his eyes and he caught himself laughing at the sweet memory. He brought the metallic surface close to his lips and he played a melancholic tune. It sounded like a Scottish, nostalgic lullaby. A tear escaped from his eyes. A tear from the millions of tears which he didn’t let go from that dreadful night. He didn’t try to stop its route on his cheek. He was all alone with his memories. His entire life was only a daily routine. Even the fights with Susanna… But during the night the ghosts of his soul were once again with him reminding how happy he could have been if everything were different and how sad he really was. “I hope you are happy freckles,.. Miss Tarzan. I am not. For once again I didn’t keep my promise to you. I am not so strong as you. I never was that strong…” he said to himself and he fell to bed so he could close his eyes for some hours since the meaning of good sleep was not in his schedule for two years now.

    Chapter 2