After the stairs… (Episode 99)
by Eleonor
Candy is
running down the stairs to leave and Terry is running after her.
Terry:
Candy!!!
He catches up with her and wraps his arms around her waist
holding her tight.
T: (whispers) I don’t want to let you go… let time
stand still this way… this way forever…
Candy: Terry…
T: (crying)
Don’t say anything… If only time could stand still…
C: (crying) Terry… my
Terry is crying… Terry, the man that I love, the man who loves me… I can’t
believe that we are separating this way…
T: Be happy… be happy Candy…or
else, I won’t forgive you…
C: You too, Terry…
Candy turns and
walks away. Terry is left with his hands outstretched towards her…
T
(thinking): This is it? She is leaving? I won’t ever see her again? (the
thought positively terrifies him)
T: Candy - NO!!!
He
starts running after her but forgets he is still on the stairs and misses a
step!!!
T: (frustrated, as he lands hard on his butt and pain shoots
through his left ankle) F#&*, s*#&, godamnit all to bloody
hell!!!!!
C: (turns around and sees him on the floor, evidently in
pain) Oh my God, Terry! What happened? (runs back to him and starts taking off
his shoe to see the damage)
T: (grinding teeth angrily) F#&*,
s*#&, b&*#x@, p$#*!!!
Two nurses appear by their side to his
assistance.
Nurse 1: Oh my goodness, what happened?
T: What does
it look like, damn it?
Nurse 2: Is it broken or just
sprained?
T: (angrily) You are the damn nurse, you tell me!!!!!
C: (worried as his ankle is clearly damaged, turns to the nurses) Please
could you fetch a chair? We need to get him to the emergency room at
once!
N1&N2: Yes, of course. (Neither of them moves; they are still
crouching on each of Terry’s side, gawping at him)
C: Uhm… NOW would
be a good time!
N2: (nods to N1) You go!
N1: No, you go, you know
where they are.
N2: You know where they are too, you go, I am
busy!
N1: Oh yeah, what are you busy with, gawping?
T: (yells,
angrily) GO GET A GODAMNED CHAIR!!!!!
N1&N2 jump up and run in
opposite directions.
T: (closes his eyes and grids teeth with all his
might to stop himself starting crying like a girl)
C: (very worried) Does
it hurt?
T: (opens eyes and looks at her desperately) It hurts… though
not as badly as my heart…
C: (whispers) Terry…
Both nurses
reappear with 2 chairs. Candy helps Terry up and both nurses trying to get him
to sit in their chair. Terry ignores them and sits in the one nearer to him, the
chair of N1, who promptly starts pushing him towards the emergency room. N2,
dumps her chair on the spot and follows them sullenly.
The attending
physician examines Terry’s ankle.
Doctor: It’s only sprained,
fortunately. I will put it back together and tie it. You then need to absolutely
not step on it for 3 days, and do not tire it at all for the next 10. It should
be fine after that…
T: (bitterly) Oh that’s fine! We only have the Press
night at the theatre tomorrow night! I will just have to… miss it! I get
to premiere
‘Romeo’ on Broadway every day after all, no big deal!!!
C:
(in a low voice) Terry, I am so sorry…
T: (sighs resigned) See it this
way… Nothing worse can happen anymore…
C: (in tears) Terry…
T:
(looks at her) Please don’t cry… (Reaches out to touch her face)
C:
(pulls back to avoid his touch)
T: (pulls his hand back,
hurt)
They are looking at each other in intense desperation for a few
seconds while the doctor massages Terry’s ankle and the nurses are still busy
gawping at him.
C: (in a low voice) I suppose I should be
going…
T: (bitterly, while looking at the ceiling) Sure, go ahead! Now I
cannot even run after you…
C: (bits her lips to check the tears while
picking up her coat)
D: Done! Nurse hand me some bandages, please.
Neither of them moves.
D: NURSE!!!
Both nurses snap out
of it and hand the doctor masses of bandages.
D: (rolling his eyes at
his nurses, talks to Terry) Remember what I said. Go home and rest it. (Turns to
the nurses again). Please fetch a pair of crutches for him.
This time
both nurses disappear at once.
D: I will get you some painkillers too,
in case you need them.
T: I won’t be needing them… I actually welcome
the physical pain tonight, the more the better…
The doctor looks at him
sadly then turns and leaves the room.
Terry avoids looking at Candy who
is ready to leave but does not make a move. A few minutes pass in
silence.
C: I… I will help you to get a carriage and…
T:
(bitterly) Please, don’t go out of your way on my behalf… I will
manage…
The doctor comes back accompanied by the two nurses (who
strangely are both in their heavy coats) each bringing a pair of crutches.
Anxious to get out of there, Terry grabs the pair of the nurse nearer to him (to
N2’s great delight) and starts hopping towards the door.
D: (giving him
a box of medication while looking at him kindly) Physical pain may be a good
diversion from the emotional one… but it can be mighty irritating too. Take the
meds, they will really help… with both kinds of pain.
T: (nodding
gratefully to the doctor for the quiet support while pocketing the meds) Thank
you…
D: My nurses have also kindly offer to accompany you home, to make
sure you are comfortable and that you have everything you need…(looking severely
at the nurses) ONE of them can come with you…
T: Very kind of them, but
that won’t be necessary…
N1: (steps forward eagerly) I will accompany
you, Sir…
T: No, really there is no need…
N2: (steps even more
forward than N1 and even more eagerly) actually, she cannot accompany you at
all, she is not qualified, Emily here only works at the lab…
T: (at the
end of his tether) I don’t care, I don’t need…
N1 (Emily): (pushing N2
aside, angrily) Oh shut it, Hope, you are not qualified either, you failed your
test, last month!!!
Emily & Hope are eyeing each other angrily, the
Doctor and Terry both are losing their tempers, and Candy sensing Terry is about
to lose it, steps forward positioning herself between Terry and the
nurses.
C: (calmly) Actually, I am a qualified nurse myself, so I will
see him home safely, you don’t need to worry.
Both of them throw evil
looks at Candy, which agitates Terry more.
T: (looks at the nurses,
furious) Out of my way, the pair of you! (neither moves) NOW!!!! (both of
them jump out of his way and he hops to the door, Candy right behind
him).
Terry makes his way awkwardly down the hallway towards the exit,
Candy right behind him, both nurses following her.
T: (almost out of
breath) I will manage Candy… you don’t have to wait… for me.
C: Stop
being so stubborn Terry! I am going the same way as you anyway, I have to go
pick up my staff from the hotel… I will help you home!
T: (stops and
turns to look at her) Candy…
C: Oh don’t… It will be better for you if I
leave Terry… the sooner the better…
T: (incredulously)
What???
S: TERRY!!!! OH MY GOODNESS, DEAREST, WHAT
HAPPENED?
Terry turns around to see Susanna hopping towards him and
Candy. She pushes Candy aside without looking at her and grabs Terry around the
waist, her crutches still under her arms.
S: (sobbing loudly) What
happened dearest, what’s wrong with your foot?
T: (impatiently) I
sprained an ankle Susanna, is this reason enough for crying like this?
S: (still sobbing) I hate to see you suffering, dearest…
T: I
suggest you get used to it, Susanna…
S: (sobbing harder) Oh my Terry… I
know you are suffering because Candy left you… I hate it… (shakes her head,
while sobbing still harder) Don’t mind me Terry… Go! Run after her! You still
have time, you may be able to persuade her to stay, run!
T: (with
an ironic laugh) Very auspicious of you to suggest so now you know I cannot even
walk at the moment let alone run…
S: (looks down at his foot) what a
shame… oh well… (looks up at him, smiling) Well!!! You can stay here with me
tonight… since you can’t walk… Yes, that’s it!!! We can ask for an extra bed to
be put in my room so we can spend our first night together… since we are
together now, you and I… Just imagine, darling… won’t that be wonderful for us?
Candy looks at the scene, heartbroken but does not say anything. It was
ironic… up until a couple of hours ago, she considered Terry her
boyfriend…
T: (looks at Susanna coldly) I am going home… Go back to
your room and rest; your escapades in the roof must have tired you gravely, no
doubt! (He almost knocks her to the ground when he detaches himself from her and
starts walking again. She recovers and hops fast after him)
S: But
Terry, think about it, it will be wonderful…
T: (stops and turns to look
at her angrily) Susanna! Within the past two hours, my life got totally screwed
up! I lost the love of my life and had not had the time to mourn over it yet; I
have to come to terms with the fact that I will have to spend the rest of my
life with someone I don’t really like, out of duty alone and I haven’t had the
chance to even begin to grasp the absurdity of it yet; and my precious career
took a humongous leap backwards when I was only trying to take a small step
forward! All I want is to go home, curl up in my bed, sulk for a few weeks and
try to make some sense from all the crap that happened here tonight! Is this so
much to ask?
S: No… of course not! But… won’t it be better to spend the
night with me?
T: (looks at her in disbelief) Do you want me to answer
this truthfully or humor you?
C: (finally stepping forward) let’s go,
I’ll help you home, Terry…
S: (turns and looks at Candy, without a hint
of surprise in her face) Oh Candy… I thought you left already… I didn’t realize
it was you, I thought it was one of the nurses…
T: Was it the red dress
that confused you?
S: (severely, looking intensely at Candy) I thought
you were leaving, Candy…
C: I was… but in the meantime he got hurt, what
did you want me to do, just leave him?
S: Well, you can’t take him at
home! He is staying here with me tonight…
C: Did you even hear a word of
what he said?
S: I don’t need to hear what he says! You are not going
anywhere near him! He is my boyfriend now, and I won’t let you near him, I don’t
trust you!
C: (calmly, even though Susanna’s words hurt her) You have
nothing to fear, Susanna. I am not the kind of girl that goes after other girls’
boyfriends.
S: (seething) Are you insinuating something?
C:
(innocently) No… (Waves a dismissing hand) Anyway… we need to get going, we are
all very tired, I have a long trip ahead of me and Terry needs to go home and
rest his f…
S: You are not going anywhere with my fiancé!
C: He
was your boyfriend five minutes ago, now he is your fiancé?
S: It doesn’t matter what he is, he is staying here with me
tonight!
C: I am taking him home to rest!
T: I don’t suppose
I have a saying on the issue of where I will be spending the rest
of this night, do I?
Candy and Susanna look at him blankly.
S:
(realizes attitude hasn’t done her much good so far so she drops it and starts
crying) Candy… please! (sob) You said you understood (sob)… I cannot carry on
living without him, I may as well be dead (sob)…
C: (looks at Terry
anxiously then turns at Susanna) Please calm down Susanna, don’t say such things
… I am leaving tonight, but I have to help him home, don’t you see?
T:
(very irritated) Hang on, hang on… hang on a minute you two, so stupid me can
grasp what is going on here! (looks at Susanna) You decided that you
would have me because you cannot go on living without me! (Looks at
Candy) and you decided it would be better for me if you leave…
(Looks at both of them with evident incredulity on his face) Did either of you
spend a millisecond considering how I felt about all this, what was it
that I wanted, when you were arranging between you who will have
me, as if I were a bag of potatoes on auction?
Candy and Susanna
look at him blankly.
T: You know what? I don’t want to be with either of
you! I’d rather go home with… Erica here!!!
E: Uhm… Emily…
T:
WHATEVER!!! Since neither of you cares to even consider how I feel
and what do I want, I am dumping both of you! Leave me alone!!! (he turns
around and starts making his way towards the exit again. Candy and Susanna go
after him)
S: (hops after him fast, crying) Terry… please wait, darling!
Wait!!!
C: I decided to leave because I understood how much you must be
suffering, Terry…
T: I am suffering infinitely more since you said you
decided to leave, Candy…
S: (still crying) I am suffering also, this is
very difficult for me too… I lost my leg and I love you so…
T: (stops and
looks at her, irritated) You are continuously playing the same note Susanna and
it becomes tiresome to hear Mi Mi Mi Mi Mi all the time! This really isn’t about
you, it’s about Candy and me… not that you care…
S: I do, I care about
you a lot, darling…
T: Oh yeah? Tell me then how do I feel and what do I
want…
S: (smiles widely) Er… uh… why don’t you tell me darling? To see if
I have it right, I mean…
T: (laughs sarcastically) Like you could handle
it were I to tell you!
S: I can handle anything as long as you say you
love me!
T: (finally snapping) Well, no, I don’t love you, I won’t ever
love you no matter what you do, I don’t even want to try! (pointing to Candy) I
fell absolutely, totally, completely, utterly, crazy in love with her the moment
I first lay eyes on her two years ago -
S: (covers her ears) I DON’T
WANT TO HEAR THIS…
T: I am immensely grateful to you for saving my life,
but just because you did so, does not mean you now own me! (turns to Candy,
grabs her and kisses her passionately)
S: (horrified) NO DON’T...!!!
T: (to a breathless Candy) that’s because I was desperately to kiss
you at the station yesterday and didn’t do it because I was preoccupied with her
(points at Susanna) -
S: (shakes her head vigorously) STOP IT!!!!
T: (turns to Susanna): I really, REALLY dislike your
mother!
S: (crying hysterically) Why, what did poor Mamma do to
you?
T: (turns to Candy): The idea of spending the rest of my life
without you, makes me sick!
T: (turns to Susanna): The idea of spending
the rest of my life with you makes me sicker!
S: (throws herself
dramatically on the floor still sobbing hysterically)
Boooohoooohoooooo….
T: (turns to Candy): I love you more than life
itself, Candy… Will you marry me?
Silence… (apart from Susanna’s
hysterical sobbing) Emily and Hope, who have been watching the scene looking
from one to another as if they were watching a tennis game, are now awaiting
Candy’s response with baited breath.
C: (nods and whispers through
silent tears) Yes…
Terry and Candy look at each other intensely for a few
seconds then Terry’s face relaxes in a faint smile.
Emily and Hope (even
thought they both want Terry for themselves) recognize Terry and Candy’s true
love and swoon!
Emily & Hope: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh……
Terry turns to Susanna who is still on the floor
crying hysterically.
T: I am sorry, Susanna…
S: You cannot do
this, Terry, you cannot leave me…
T: I won’t leave you, Susanna, I will
support you as much as I can…
S: (raises her head and looks at him
angrily through her sobs) I don’t want your support, I want you,
I love you…
T: But I don’t love you, Susanna!
S:
I don’t care if you love me or not, just don’t leave me!
T:
(coldly) basically, you don’t give a flying skunk’s stinking backside about how
I feel, as long as you get your way…
Susanna looks at him crying and
stretches her hands towards him to hug him but Candy gets between them fast.
S: (angry again) Out of my way, Candy, I am talking to my
fiancé!
C: Uh… Excuse me! I think you will find you are talking to
my husband!
Emily & Hope clap smiling widely.
With a
satisfied smile, Terry wraps an arm around Candy and she hugs him around his
waist.
C: Terry, I am so sorry… I was about to make the biggest mistake
of my life… I will never be able to be happy without you…
T: Nor I
without you…
Terry and Candy kiss again, to the delight of the two
nurses.
Susanna gets up and angrily jumps at Candy but last second she is
being pulled back by Emily and Hope who struggle with her but manage to restrain
her. The ward Matron suddenly appears.
Ward Matron: What’s all this
commotion?
Emily: (wrestling with a hysterical Susanna) she is… trying
to… separate them, Ma’am…
Hope: (also wrestling with a hysterical
Susanna) What shall… we do with… her, Ma’am?
WM: (dismissively) Take her
to the DSD chipie ward. I shall inform Ana Louisa to expect her. I am sure she
will take excellent care of her...
Emily& Hope: Yes Ma’am…
They drag a kicking and screaming Susanna away from the happy couple who
is still kissing, oblivious to anything that’s going on around them.
Narrator: Terry and Candy narrowly escaped separation by the one-legged
chipie and celebrated their nuptials on the next New Year’s Day to the delight
of fans around the world.
Susanna spent the rest of her life in the DSD
chipie ward. Shortly afterwards she was also joined by a Japanese friend of hers
who was largely traumatized by Terry and Candy’s happy ending. Terry offered to
pay ALL her expenses on the condition she would be taken care of and would
NEVER be allowed out!
Candy and Terry lived happily ever after,
while thousands of fans recover from major childhood traumas caused by the
original separation!