Forget-Me-Not Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Candy Candy and all characters belong to Keiko Nagita, character images to Yumiko Igarashi and anime to Toei Animation.

As explained in my recent posts, I felt like writing again not long after I started re-reading my longest fanfic “Love Never Fails”. Like my other fanfic “Peculiar Relationship”, this short story is purely my imagination based on the Candy Candy Final Story (CCFS) Volume 2, with some ideas taken from the manga version. Since there are many well-written fanfics out there inspired by CCFS as well, you might find some scenes familiar. Believe me, it is simply coincidental.

I’d also like to quote DreamCatcher’s and Michelle’s comments here because they perfectly fit what I have in mind when writing this fanfiction. In fact, this marks my 500th post on my blog. 🥳 My deep gratitude to all of you for your positive feedback and brilliant contributions to my blog. Thank you very much! 🥰 Without your encouragement and continued support, I wouldn’t have achieved this far.

Last but not the least, I’m so glad to have published this post on June 28, which is Albert’s birthday. Some fans said it should be August 8, but as far as I know, that date is also unofficial. 😉 Anyway, there will be lots of flashbacks in this chapter, so I hope it won’t be too confusing. For those who do not like reading about Candy and Albert’s relationship, please do yourselves a favour by skipping this story. Without further ado, let me present the first chapter. 🙂

— Ms Puddle

Chapter 1

When the kids are taking their afternoon nap, Miss Pony and Sister Lane also enjoy their well-deserved rest in the office. Whether they admit it or not, they are getting old indeed. Candy has been a great aide so far ever since she moved back to the orphanage. The young energetic lady makes a point to regularly take the older children out for excursions for different learning experiences, like what she’s doing now.

As much as they are grateful for Candy’s assistance, to this day, neither Miss Pony nor Sister Lane knows why she gave up working in a hospital. Apart from the fact that she had recently met her benefactor and thanked him for his kindness, she only glossed over her several years in the Windy City since being transferred from the nursing school. Judging from her past records, the Pony’s Home has always been a shelter to Candy, so she must have a reason to come ‘home’. Thus, Miss Pony and Sister Lane welcomed her back with open arms, no questions asked.

At this moment, they hear a bold rap on the front door. Sister Lane places her teacup on the table and cranes her neck to peer outside of the window. “No, not the kids.”

“But Candy should be back any moment,” says Miss Pony. “I told her not to stay out too long. It’s getting cold, but let me go check.”

When she opens the door, Miss Pony doesn’t recognize the visitor even though the pretty blond-haired lady in her twenties looks somewhat familiar. The guest greets her, “Nice to meet you. This is the Pony’s Home, correct?”

“Yes, you’re right,” replies Miss Pony. By then, Sister Lane has also come near the entrance, so Miss Pony introduces themselves as the people in charge of the orphanage. When she’s done talking, she cordially asks, “How can we help you? Want to come in?”

The visitor shakes her head and declines, a polite smile gracing her lips, “No, thank you. I don’t have much time, so please allow me to be direct. Do you know a young lady called Candice White?”

=o=o=o=

“Candy, why are you still up? I thought you have finished packing?” asked Albert as he came out from the dark bedroom, squinting his eyes to adjust to the brightness. His roommate was sitting on the floor, rummaging through the items in her suitcase.

“Sorry, Albert,” she uttered as she pulled the hinged lid down to close her suitcase. “I changed my mind at the last minute,” she explained with a silly smile.

“I see,” he said, eyeing the dress in her hand and shooting a glance at the clock on the wall. “So you take my suggestion?”

Earlier today, Candy couldn’t decide what to wear tomorrow and asked Albert for advice. She had shown him two of her favourite dresses, asking, “Which one do you prefer?”

After checking the fabrics, he had suggested, “If I were you, I’d wear something more comfortable, Candy. It’s a long trip, remember? I don’t think Terry would mind. Besides, they both look great on you.” However, Candy wanted to look her best, so she had chosen the fancier one.

Meanwhile, Albert approached Candy and crouched down to meet her eyes, mildly admonishing her, “Candy, you’d better try to get some rest. It’s past midnight, and you have to catch the first train tomorrow morning.”

“I know,” she sounded helpless. “I’m too flustered to sleep.” As she stood up and pulled a chair by the dining table to sit down, he hoisted himself up and sat down on the chair beside hers.

“Want to talk?” he offered.

“Thank you very much, Albert. I’m sorry for keeping you up.”

“No worries,” he replied with a tender smile.

But she didn’t say anything after that, seemingly struggling for words. Some moments later, he ventured, “What’s bothering you, Candy?”

She bit her bottom lip and spoke up at last, “I had a nightmare that I took as a premonition, but I don’t remember what precisely transpired in my dream.”

“Are you feeling apprehensive about the reunion?”

“No, not that,” she uttered, slowly shaking her head from side to side. “I can’t shake off the feeling that something unpleasant is about to happen.”

Then Candy went mute again. According to her, Albert had rescued Terry from some gangsters back in London, so Terry admired Albert and had even paid him a visit at his working place afterwards. Although Albert had no clue what Terry looked like, based on the Romeo & Juliet’s promotion pamphlets, Terry appeared remarkably suave, poised and confident.

Several seconds later, Albert broke the silence, “You’re sure about Terry’s feelings for you, right? So that’s what matters.”

“I think so,” Candy murmured, sounding discouraged however. The uncertainty in her reply piqued Albert’s curiosity, and he held her hand to give her his support. After asking some more probing questions, he perceived her fears. “So you’re afraid the rumours between Terry and Susanna are not entirely groundless?”

She immediately reacted aloud, “I trust Terry, but Susanna…”

She paused, hesitating a bit. Then she took a deep breath and asked, “Do you think they actually kiss each other on the lips while acting on stage?”

Albert chose his words carefully before answering her, “Perhaps… I suppose it also depends on the director? In addition to good looks and charm, the actors have to act convincingly after all.”

His reply had noticeably upset her, and as she averted her eyes, he suddenly left her side and went back to the bedroom. Then she heard him say from inside the room, “Your hand is cold.” He managed to sidetrack her, but she was touched by his attentiveness nonetheless. When he came back, he draped a blanket over her shoulders.

“Thank you,” she responded with an appreciative smile. “My pleasure,” he said, putting on the black sweater he had bought for the winter. “Like you, I had trouble falling asleep too.”

“Why?” she asked, her brows knitting together worriedly. “Something’s bothering you too?”

Her voice was dripped with concern. He sat back down to face his roommate with a weak smile. “Yes, Candy, it’s just that… upon reflecting on the recent events…”

He paused briefly then resumed with hesitance, “I know you can hardly wait to reunite with Terry… you told me you almost missed him when he came to perform in Chicago…”

He faltered, failing to articulate his thoughts. “Yes?” she prompted with her lips curled up in a smile that encouraged him to go on. Then he heaved a sigh. “I came to realize I’m a hindrance to your relationship with him,” Albert expressed his thoughts with a rueful frown. “So Susanna is not the only obstacle.”

While she was registering his words, he continued in a solemn tone, “Candy, seriously, this is a great opportunity for both you and Terry, and I really can take care of myself-“

But his sentence was interrupted. “Please don’t say that again!” she begged, her voice shaken.

He avoided her eyes without saying anything else. More than once he had dropped a hint that he had caused her nothing but troubles and that she should feel free to leave.

Amidst his silence, she added, “Yes, I’m truly looking forward to getting together with Terry, but it doesn’t mean I want to move to New York.”

“Why not?” he asked right away, forcing himself to meet her gaze. “I’m sure you can easily find a nursing job near Broadway.”

She gave it a thought before she replied, “Because I also care about your well-being. Chicago must be very special to you, Albert, and I want to witness your recovery or celebrate with you after you regain your past memories.”

With this, Terry’s self-assured image as Romeo inevitably surfaced in Albert’s mind. Time and time again, Albert wondered how Terry felt about the male patient living together with the kind nurse. With moisture glimmering in his blue eyes, Albert could only murmur Candy’s name. Unbeknownst to her, Albert treasured her companionship, so much so that he no longer cared whether he would recover or not, and yet he was aware he was being selfish to keep her with him.

But it was getting late now, so Albert inhaled deeply to compose himself. “I don’t know how I can repay your kindness to me, Candy. I sincerely hope you won’t regret your decision,” he muttered, sorrows edging his words.

“No, I won’t,” she said, stifling a yawn. “I believe Terry will understand.”

“Candy?” a kid’s voice jolts the blond-haired lady back to the present. The boy reaches up to nudge her elbow. “Can you hear me?”

“Sorry, Sean,” she utters with a sheepish grin. “What’s up?”

Sean is the youngest in the group. Candy is holding his hand on their way back to the orphanage, but while walking, she got lost in her past, pondering a “what-if” question about herself. What would have taken place if I had not run into Albert in St. Joanna’s hospital? Would I at least consider relocating to New York City because Terry was there?

Sean asks, “How far away are we from the Pony’s Home?”

Candy looks up and quickly checks the surroundings; she lightly squeezes Sean’s hand to assure him, “We should be there shortly.”

But Candy’s feelings for Terry had evidently drifted by the time she stumbled upon him in Rockstown. Hence, there is no point asking herself a hypothetical question without an answer; moreover, her presence in New York would not necessarily prevent the tragic accident during the dress rehearsal from happening. As much as Candy thoroughly sympathized with Susanna’s plight and understood why Terry had chosen her, Candy still needed time to mend her broken heart after that freezing cold winter night. In other words, the painful breakup would have been more devastating to Candy if she had resided near Broadway all alone without her friends, especially Albert, who understands her more than any of her close friends. Because of him, she had survived the suffocating period post breakup.

Candy then realizes the mere thought of Albert pulls at her heartstrings, and she can’t be more disappointed at herself. Speaking of him, it’s been months already since she last saw him in Chicago, which was early summer this year. Being mad at him, she chose not to inform him of her departure date or time. He showed up at the platform nonetheless, but he missed the chance to say goodbye to her.

Though she is not angry with him anymore, she can’t deny their relationship is undergoing a transition. Because she has lived together with him for a long time, it’s difficult for her to release her profound attachment to him. Despite herself, their precious moments in the House of Magnolia keep resurfacing in her mind. Sometimes she recalls the miserable period after he left her a parting note and a pile of cash one night, and her vivid emotions of yearning or bitterness revive, reminding her why she lashed out against him on an impulse at Lakewood.

That being said, Candy has absolutely no regrets about her commitment to take care of Albert when he was amnesiac; she reckons she simply needs a longer time to fight her feelings for the man she used to think she knew inside out. Whenever his striking blue eyes flash across her mind, she will repeat to herself that William A. Ardlay is practically a stranger to her. As Archie once said, Granduncle William is veiled in mystery; except for Great Aunt Elroy or his assistant Georges, nobody knows much about him.

It may help if Candy is willing to talk to someone, but that’s exactly her problem. Albert has always been her confidant. She could tell him many things or secrets which she couldn’t even tell Annie or Patty, let alone Miss Pony or Sister Lane. They won’t understand her intricate relationship with him; her friends must have thought Candy has overreacted, and her gut feeling indicates that her foster parents would suggest remedies like talking this over with Albert. Nobody is aware that Candy is still sitting on the fence, trying to decide how to behave towards her enigmatic benefactor; he is indisputably the most powerful figure in the Ardlay’s clan, proven by the mere fact that he could effortlessly annul the forced engagement. Even Madam Elroy was silenced the very moment his nephew appeared out of the blue.

“Good, because I am cold, hungry and tired,” Sean whimpers. Candy can scarcely believe her thoughts have wandered off again. Perhaps I should find a challenging job nearby or ask Miss Pony to give me tangible tasks to keep my mind preoccupied.

Candy then looks over her shoulder to make sure all the kids are following her. After counting, she is relieved and shifts her focus back on the road, but her jaw literally drops when she spots a familiar figure roughly twenty yards away. He wears a dark long coat over his navy blue suit, contrasting with his blond hair, which glows under the sunlight.

(flashback begins)

“Candy, these are cute!” says Annie out loud, holding two small cups with the letters ‘A’ and ‘C’. Then an idea dawns on her. “Oh, are they your initials?” Annie asks under her breath.

Candy is busy putting the bowls and plates into a large container and says without looking up, “Yes, Annie. Please put them in this box.” She sounds exceptionally calm, her finger pointing at the box with the label ‘Donations’.

Patty overhears their conversation and stops her packing, turning around to take a peek. “It’s a pity. Perhaps Albert wants-“

But Annie puts a hand on Patty’s arm to stop her. After they exchange a knowing glance, they resume their tasks as though nothing happened. Archie has cautioned them beforehand that Candy’s mood swings may occur when anyone makes any allusions to her ex-roommate.

Many hands make light work; it doesn’t take them long to finish their tasks. When Candy and Albert started renting the apartment, it came furnished, so there is no need for Candy to worry about the existing furniture. She also plans to donate most of their belongings to charity.

So Candy hugs her friends and expresses her gratitude, “Thank you! Thank you so much, Annie and Patty! Where’s Archie by the way? I want to invite him to dinner too. My treat!”

Annie replies, “Archie should be joining us soon, Candy. Madam Elroy has sent him on an errand.”

That’s what Archie told his girlfriend, but in fact, he’s meeting with the family head in the office. Archie got his request from the butler this morning. Unfortunately, when Archie arrives at the headquarters, Georges personally apprises him, “Master Archibald, Sir William left this message for you. He’s extremely tied up at work today due to some emergency.”

Archie takes the piece of folded paper from Georges’ hand and says, “Thank you, Georges. Just in case, I have already prepared a brief note for Granduncle William too. You can leave it on his desk at your earliest convenience.”

“Certainly, Master Archibald. Sir William is expecting me, so I can pass your message to him directly.”

“That’s even better!”

“Please excuse me, Master Archibald.”

When Archie gets back to his car, he unfolds the piece of paper:

‘Dear Archie,

Candy has informed me in a formal letter that she’s moving back to the orphanage. Do you know when she’s leaving? I’ve tried to reach her a couple of times but she’s not home. That’s why I decided to check with you instead. Unfortunately, today I have meetings back-to-back again. If possible, please tell Candy I want to talk to her face to face before her departure.

Albert

P.S. Archie, do not address me as Granduncle William like everyone else, please.’

Archie truly feels bad for Albert, who does not even know Candy’s leaving tomorrow morning, but Archie has seen it coming. By now Georges should have passed his note to the young president. Hence, Archie breathes out a sigh and starts the ignition of his car, driving towards the House of Magnolia.

Candy lets her friends pick a place for the farewell dinner. She claims, “I have enough allowance.” Albert gave her a large amount before his disappearance, and Candy only spent a bit of that for her trip to Rockstown. She plans to donate whatever is left to the Pony’s Home.

However, Archie insists on treating all the ladies because he is a gentleman. Over the course of dinner, the friends have a great time and chat about their plans in the near future. Candy says she wants to support Miss Pony and Sister Lane because they are getting old, but Candy will not rule out the possibility of finding a job in the small town near the orphanage. Both Patty and Archie would like to apply for a college or two, but Annie does not have any concrete plan in mind yet.

After dinner, Archie drives them all to Brighton’s residence. Annie has invited the ladies to spend a night in her bedroom because they don’t know when they will have another gathering after tomorrow. When Archie is ready to leave, he plants a peck on Annie’s cheek and bids them good night, “I will come again in the morning to pick up all of you.”

On the other hand, when Albert gets to read Archie’s note at last, he can barely go through the business documents as planned. After struggling for another hour or so, he decides to leave the office in the late evening and heads straight to the House of Magnolia. Little does he know Candy will not return to the apartment tonight. She only has two suitcases of personal belongings and her friends are going to chat until wee-hours.

Since nobody answers the door, Albert figures Candy is dining out with her friends, so he gives up after a few more knocks and scribbles a note to slip it under the front door. The note says,

‘Dear Candy, I know you’re still angry. Please, can we talk?

Albert’

This is not the first note he’s written to her ever since her discovery of his identity, but so far the only response from her was that formal letter, in which she addressed him as Granduncle William. She explained why she decided to move back to the orphanage and listed the reasons why she was immensely grateful to him as her benefactor and her hero for saving her from Great Aunt Elroy and Neal Lagan. All in all, Candy sounded cold and distant, which perturbed Albert beyond description.

At least Archie has kindly informed Albert of her departure, so Albert can meet Candy and her friends at the station. The next day, Albert wakes up at the crack of dawn and skips breakfast, hoping he can find Candy at the apartment before she sets off. Unfortunately, when he exits through the side entrance, heading towards where all the family cars are parked, Aunt Elroy also returns from her morning stroll with her personal maid. His aunt eyes the young man with a quizzical brow, asking, “William, why are you in such a hurry?”

She is in the process of convincing her nephew that a person of prestige should not be driving his own vehicle. They have enough chauffeurs always ready to serve him, but he tells her repeatedly that driving gives him a sense of freedom.

“Good morning, Aunt Elroy,” he greets her in a polite manner, masking his impatience. “I can talk to you later today.”

His aunt has a hunch this has something to do with the orphan girl. Madam Elroy can never forget the day her nephew showed up at last after his prolonged absence, giving her a clear account of his sufferings due to amnesia. He was ready to resume working with Georges but insisted on staying with his friend in a suburb rather than move back home right away. Not only that, he continuously put off making a debut, which had been overdue, but for Candice, he was more than willing to defend her in front of all the relatives in the engagement party. Granted, Candice risked tarnishing her own reputation by taking care of William for at least two years, but the way he barged into the party to cancel her engagement to Neal speaks volumes of how much he cares about the girl. Nevertheless, Madam Elroy was dreadfully vexed by the realization that her nephew had been cohabiting with the orphan girl for such a long time. After the engagement party was over, the matriarch demanded an explanation from her nephew in private; he sternly swore to his aunt that he had never touched Candice inappropriately; they had truly behaved like siblings.

For the time being, because Madam Elroy gazes at her nephew without a word, he dips his head lightly and utters, “Have a good day.”

But as he passes by her, she speaks up, “Wait a minute, William.”

When he halts his steps and can’t help frowning at her, she asks, “Do you remember my proposal? Have you talked to Candice yet?”

“Your proposal?” he murmurs, seemingly at a loss. Then she repeats her offer, “Yes, I’d like to reward Candice.”

Only then he remembers his aunt’s condescending words not long after the so-called engagement party. After knowing that he and Candy had remained nothing more than friends, Madam Elroy said, “I like to recompense Candice for her service to you, William. I can always assist her to advance her career or provide an expensive education as long as she will reside somewhere outside Illinois.”

So Albert bursts out laughing as a way to conceal his frustration, which surprises his aunt. He would never offer Candy this “compensation”, not to mention he did not even have a chance to see her in person ever since she sneaked out of the grand mansion during that party without anyone noticing her. She has shunned him since then.

A moment later, he clears his throat and straightens his face before speaking to his aunt in a somber tone, “Aunt Elroy, about your proposal, I didn’t want to scare you, but perhaps I should have opened up so that you can understand me more. When I first regained my consciousness in the hospital, I found myself in the depths of despair. For many days my morale was at rock bottom, and I contemplated death countless times. Candy came to my rescue and offered a helping hand as a supportive friend without expecting anything in return. She had never once suspected I was not a vagabond.”

At her stunned silence, he adds, “So, back to your first question, Candy’s leaving Chicago today, of her own volition. I’m going to see her off, so please excuse me.”

Without waiting for his aunt to respond, he goes straight to his car. On his way to the House of Magnolia, he surmises that Candy has probably equated him with Great Aunt Elroy, who has been awfully unkind to Candy, if not mistreating her.

Candy, can’t you see I’m very different from my aunt? Give me a chance to explain myself… is it already too late?

Presently, Albert acknowledges his mistakes; he might have lost his golden opportunity to justify his actions, including why he had lied to Candy after the waterfall incident years ago. That early morning in the solarium, not only was he utterly unprepared to see her, but her vehement reactions also threw him off balance. Come to think of it, the unplanned reunion caught them both off guard. She seemed emotionally exhausted, if not exasperated, after her initial shock subsided; he was literally clueless how to handle the complicated situation, because never ever in his life had he got into an altercation with the cheery nurse. After that, she refused to hear him out and flatly rejected his offer to drive her back to Chicago.

As Albert reaches the dim and narrow staircase that leads all the way to the top floor of the apartment building, he recalls the night when he eavesdropped on Candy’s heated arguments with the neighbours, who presumed he belonged to the Mafia. It was then he sadly concluded his heartwarming time with Candy was over. He did not have the heart to verbally inform her, lest he would waver in his resolve as soon as she teared up. His past experience with her left no doubt that he wouldn’t need much persuasion to change his mind, so he lingered no more and took the easier way out, despite being fully aware that his sudden departure would be detrimental to their friendship. In order not to tempt himself, he decided not to keep the apartment key with him. The instant he slid the key through the crack under the door, he felt as if he had relinquished something precious.

Currently, while Albert is rapping on Candy’s front door, someone approaches him; he does not recognize the middle-aged lady, but she asks timidly, “Sir, isn’t the occupant gone? I was told to pick up her donations today. I just got her key from the landlady.”

“Oh, is that right?” he responds, feeling perplexed. “Thank you for letting me know.”

As Albert is heading towards the stairs, he double checks Archie’s note in his pocket. Though he has no clue why Candy is not home, if he drives to the train station right away he should be able to at least say goodbye. Ideally, he wants to talk to her first, and yet he no longer has a choice.

But the odds are against his plan, thanks to a few youngsters. They rarely see such a luxurious, well-polished car on the outskirts of Chicago. When they notice a tall man in a suit heading their way, they swiftly shout to one another, “Run!”

Albert could see them from afar, but he finds no noticeable damage to the car. Feeling relieved, he starts driving towards the station. It doesn’t take him long to sense that the car might have got a flat tire, and he has to make a detour and park on the side of the road. As speculated, one of the tires is punctured.

What a nuisance!

He picks up his briefcase and instantly looks at his wristwatch, considering giving Georges a call. Unfortunately, the shops in this area are not open yet, except for a modest looking florist. It seems there’s nothing but difficulties and obstacles, and he feels rage rising inside him, threatening his self-control.

But he enters that florist anyway and asks if they have a telephone. The only person inside is an elderly lady, who looks way more fragile than his aunt. She shakes her head languidly and explains, “Mr. Charming, I’m too old for these things.”

Then she giggles like a girl and comes out from behind the counter. “But I have lots of beautiful flowers for your loved ones or any occasion. You name it,” she suggests with a grin that makes her entire face wrinkled.

He’s in a rush but Candy loves all sorts of flowers. The thought of bringing a smile to her lips re-energizes him, so he says, “A dear friend of mine is leaving today… I don’t know when I’ll be able to see her again.”

He looks heavy-hearted, and she raises her grey eyebrows in an understanding manner. “A friend? Is she special to you?”

Nodding, he affirms, “Yes, very special.”

“Does she know that?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Are you falling for her?”

That renders him speechless. Albert has never given this a serious thought. The very moment he woke up as his old self, the first image that appeared in his mind was Candy’s amiable smiling face. Their cohabitation agreement should end with his recovery, but he helplessly hid that from her such that he could stay a bit longer. Months had slipped by in a blink of an eye, and by the time he felt obligated to leave, he did not mention his recovery, something which he looks back with tremendous regrets. Since that night, he had been having difficulties falling asleep in his luxurious bed, feeling very ‘homesick’; he longed to return to that tiny apartment, and try as he might, he could not blot out the images of their time together from his memory. However, he made a resolution not to see her again until he was ready to reveal the truth. In an attempt to distract himself, he resorted to drowning himself in work.

During that period, Albert obtained Candy’s diary from Georges and remembered Terry and his misfortune. Georges had hired a private investigator on his behalf to begin the process of tracking down the actor. After the young heir finished reading the diary, he was convinced he could do something for both Candy and Terry. She wrote in her diary that she loved Terry more than anyone else, so Albert led her to where Terry was.

Yet, she returned to Chicago alone, which was downright unanticipated. The report sent from Rockstown struck Albert hard; on a whim, he began driving towards the outskirts of Chicago, intending to show Candy that he was safe and sound, so she could stop the search for her missing friend. However, about halfway there he perceived he was not mentally prepared to come clean; what if she would not forgive him or even worse, reject the real him?

The possibility of losing her nearly immobilized him, so he had to do a U-turn at the next light. Thereafter, he was in a constant quandary. To curb her anxiety, he had to take the risk, but the recollections of their numerous warm and animated conversations caused him to be indecisive. At work, he could make a series of astute business decisions within a short time, but when it came to his personal matters, his internal conflicts got worse as the weeks dragged on. If not for Georges and his unflagging support, Albert would have gone insane. Only when Candy burst into the solarium in the villa did Albert grasp how much he had missed her.

No doubt I cherish her joyous companionship, and I’m incredibly grateful to Candy for all her help, but am I falling for her?

While Albert is hesitating, the old lady follows up, “Put it this way. How would you feel if you would never see her again after today?”

He verbalizes his thoughts at once, “I won’t let this happen.”

She chuckles, noting the surprise painted on his handsome face afterwards. He didn’t really mean to be this straightforward to a stranger. He was merely thinking out loud. Then she leads him to an array of pots showcasing various blooming flowers, pointing to a couple of them with tiny but lovely blue petals.

“I’d suggest you buy her one of these, Mr. Charming. The blue hue matches your eyes don’t you think?”

“Forget-me-not?”

“Right on! Flower symbolism changes over time, but the notable ones for forget-me-not flowers include true love and fidelity. Yet, it also represents long lasting connections that exist between friends. As a gift, you’re telling your friend she’s special in your life, and that the connection between you two can’t be shaken by anything or anyone.”

He likes the idea very much, even though their friendship has unfortunately gone downhill since that dreadful reunion at Lakewood. When he produces his wallet from inside his breast pocket, the old lady gives him a friendly reminder, “Why did you ask for a telephone?”

“Oh no!” he exclaims. He’s running out of time, so after paying for the flowers he dashes out to the street. He spots a carriage at a distance, so he beckons it to come his way. When he finally arrives at the station, the large clock hanging down from the ceiling indicates that he has approximately ten minutes to find Candy, so he tries to look for Archie while making his way across the platform, carefully holding the flower pot in his hand.

But instead of Archie, Albert finds a little girl sobbing. She must be lost in the hustle and bustle of the terminal, but nobody heeds her cry. Just then, the image of a certain girl having a crying fit on a hill slithers into his mind. He will never forget that spring day in his youth, so he takes pity on this girl despite his hurry, and he crouches down to her level, asking, “Do you need help?”

“What are you doing?” a man’s rude voice comes from above Albert. When Albert looks up, the girl yelps, “Daddy!”

As the man in a workman outfit happily picks her up in his arms, Albert straightens his back and stands to his full height. The father quietly appraises the taller man with a pair of tender blue eyes; a man dressed in one of these expensive suits may be not uncommon in Chicago, but this exceptionally good-looking man appears guileless enough, so the father of the girl eases up a bit and apologizes, “Sorry sir. I have misunderstood.”

“No worries.”

But when Albert spins around, he collides with a passerby and accidentally drops the flower pot. He feels defeated, and his heart sinks; the loud noise causes a commotion too. Within half a minute, the cleaning guy arrives at the scene. When Albert tips him, Albert hears someone calling from behind, “Graaanduuuncle!”

As he swings around, pivoting on his heel, to locate that voice, he sees Patty, Archie and Annie flailing their arms to get his attention. When Albert is making big strides towards them, the train blows its whistle, giving its signal, but Candy is nowhere in sight. He speeds up anyway, pushing his way through. When Albert is near, Archie answers his unspoken question with a sorrowful frown marring his features, “Granduncle William, when Candy learned that you might be coming, she decided to board the train.”

Albert is disheartened to hear that Candy would rather not wait for him. When the train is slowly moving forward, Archie continues, “She did ask me to pass her message to you though. She wished you all the best in whatever you do and told you not to worry about her.”

Candy’s farewell message upsets Albert even more. Is she telling me to leave her alone?

Oblivious to them, Candy has been stealthily observing her friends from where she is. Before Albert emerged from the crowd, she knew she should not get her hopes up that he would come. First, she’s been giving him the cold shoulder on purpose lately. Besides, his frantic schedule might dissuade him from taking time off work. Yet, once Albert joins her friends with confusion on his face, Candy’s heart skips a beat. Dressed like a debonair gentleman today, his downcast eyes, which remind her of his gloomy days in Room 0, do not diminish his attractiveness. She can hardly take her focus off his face, and in no time, she feels a wave of nostalgia for her fondest times with him. Being penniless, they could barely make ends meet, but they supported and inspired each other, and she looked forward to going home to him every day after a long day of work.

With her eyes brimming with tears, Candy makes herself sink back in her seat. If she continues to stare at him, she might jump off the moving train to run back to him, thus ruining all her recent efforts. Deep in her heart, Candy is positive she’s made the right decision to leave everything behind in order to restore her sanity. However, when the train is picking up speed, moving further away from the station, she begins to weep, tears running down her face. As per Georges’ instructions, she went to Lakewood with high hopes to meet Granduncle William, but to her chagrin he was none other than the man she had been pining for. Prior to that, she had rehearsed a lengthy speech in her mind for the kind old man who had not only saved her from being a child labour in Mexico and but also had bestowed his generous blessings upon her over the years. However, when the youthful and handsome Albert was the one she encountered, she instantaneously lost her ability to think or talk; she could only stand dumbfounded by her denial of reality.

Needless to say, Albert looked just as bewildered, staring at her in flabbergasted silence. Some uncomfortable moments later, instead of expressing her gratitude, Candy began to vent her anger on him as a way to release her pent-up emotions. His confession that he had long recovered before his disappearance annoyed her even more; she complained that she had been worrying sick about him, so much so that she felt she had grown old in an instant. His subsequent response further aggravated their tension; he said he preferred her looking more mature such that people would not mistake her for his little sister. He seemed to be serious and joking at the same time, and when she was nonplussed, he defended himself, “Candy, I have my reasons. Besides, it’s not the first time I come and go in your life…”

He continued talking, but she could not hear a word anymore, which heightened the dreamlike strangeness of this meeting with “Granduncle William”. Her mind was bombarded by plenty of questions, most of which had no answers. Did he say he didn’t want people to think she was his little sister? What was that supposed to mean? When had he regained his memory? So he had been bouncing back and forth between the two extremes, doing the cooking and house chores with her when he could have lived in luxury at the grand mansion with a team of household staff at his disposal. But why?

Regardless, if Candy had known him as William A. Ardlay right at the beginning, she wouldn’t have developed such a close bonding with him. Instead, she would have informed the Ardlays about his amnesia two years ago without a second thought; they would most definitely hire the top-notch doctors to help him recover. Therefore, Candy blamed it on Albert; by keeping her in the dark about his true identity, he had unintentionally put her through all the emotional ups and downs.

While she was still simmering with mixed feelings, he offered to drive her home. It was going to be a long ride, so she would rather take the train herself. She couldn’t possibly spend hours with him alone as though nothing had changed between them. Yet, by the time she was back to the empty apartment, she had calmed down significantly and felt sorry for her bad temper. Every corner of the apartment reminded her of how she had coped with the heart-wrenching breakup. Because of Albert’s presence and unconditional support, she had come out stronger after the grieving period.

Not only that, he was right that she had always known him as a wanderer, so what had exactly made her blood boil this time? It was true she had been sleep deprived, worrying about him; day after day she had spent in torment, having no idea where to find him but desperately looking for him anyway. But with hindsight, she had craved to see his tender eyes, to hear his comforting voice and to feel his strong arms around her; in fact, she had been secretly hoping her vagabond friend would agree to come back to her, even dreaming about the possibility of living together with him again.

Yet, it turned out Albert was not the same man whom she was familiar with, so she felt a horrible letdown after the disastrous reunion. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, there was no way they would ever go back to those carefree days, when she could readily agree with teary eyes to his heartfelt proposal about sharing their joys and sorrows in life. Now they were worlds apart, and how could she open her heart to share things with him like she used to?

At this moment, in the midst of the chugging noise of the train, Candy promises herself this will be the last time she mourns over the loss of her best friend. Though he still holds a special place in her heart, there is a massive but invisible barrier between them that seems insurmountable to her, so she considers the president of the Ardlay’s business empire “out-of-reach” from now on. Hopefully, by keeping a long distance from Chicago, she will eventually sort out her convoluted feelings for Albert and/or Granduncle William.

Back at the train station, Albert reckons he’s already late for work, so he tells Archie about the flat tire without giving the details of the mishap. Archie offers to drop him back to the office first before driving to the ladies’ places. After knowing that Candy has spent a night at Annie’s home, it all makes sense to Albert now. While he regrets not coming directly to the train station, the ten minutes spent in that florist was not wasted; in fact, the conversation with that elderly lady has fueled his determination not to give up yet. In a sense, the flat tire was a blessing in disguise.

Later that night, after having dinner with Annie’s family, Archie is about to pull his car into the designated garage at home. He spots Albert, who just parked his own car. The family head explains, “How can I live without Georges, my loyal assistant? He’s always efficient and reliable, taking care of things for me.”

Archie smilingly agrees, “I’m sure he’s someone who will never disappoint you, Granduncle.”

“True,” the young uncle affirms. “But Archie, can you call me Albert like you did before?”

Archie hesitates, “But Great Aunt Elroy-“

“She’s not with us right now, is she?”

While Archie thoughtfully rakes his shoulder-length hair, Albert warns jokingly, “If not, I’ll call you Mr. Archibald too.”

The younger man heaves a sigh of resignation before he acquiesces, “Fine, your wish is my command, Albert. I know you have the ultimate authority in the entire clan, but Great Aunt Elroy can be very scary sometimes.”

Albert laughs, and Archie is relaxed too. As Albert is waiting for Archie to park, Archie casually brings up, “Albert, do you have five minutes? I won’t take long, I hope.”

“Even if you need one hour, I’m fine with it. In fact, want to join me for dinner?”

Archie knows his uncle often has late dinners, and the kitchen staff will start cooking for him only when he comes home. Archie can’t help wondering if the family head feels lonely to always have dinner delivered to his study, where he continues to work.

“I’ve eaten already. I don’t mind keeping you company, but only if you’re free.”

Albert swiftly reacts with a hurt look on his face, “Archie, can’t we talk like friends? What’s happened to you and Candy?”

His vexation takes Archie by surprise. Without a word, Archie parks and turns off the ignition, picking up a bag from the passenger seat. “Albert, this is what I originally wanted to show you. Yes, I said five minutes before, but if you want to talk for five hours, I can.”

Albert smiles with appreciation. When making their way to the side entrance, the young uncle examines the contents in the bag and finds two items being carefully wrapped inside. Once he figures out what they are, he asks his nephew with moist eyes, “Did Candy ask you to pass them to me?”

Archie shakes his head and utters, “It’s a long story, Albert. Shall we go straight to your study?”

While Albert is waiting for his dinner, Archie begins, “Annie saw the cups yesterday when helping Candy pack. Candy was going to donate them, but Annie secretly hid one in her handbag and the other in Patty’s. Both Patty and Annie think that the cups might have sentimental value to you, Albert.”

“Yes, absolutely,” Albert confirms, his voice broken, and that’s all he can manage to say for now. Candy bought the cups soon after they had moved in the apartment, and they had been using their own cups with their respective initials since then. She has always been very sweet and kind to me, but… why…

Attempting to cheer up his uncle, Archie utters sympathetically, “Albert, Candy was exceedingly anxious about you during your absence.”

“I know,” Albert replies in a matter-of-fact tone, gingerly placing the cups on his ebony executive desk as though they were very valuable or fragile.

Archie muses, true… why wouldn’t he know? What else did Candy say to him?

“So, don’t you think she was irrational?”

“Irrational?” the uncle repeats, apparently clueless.

“Yes,” Archie answers at once, slightly frowning. “A bit over the top, to be frank.”

“Really?” says Albert, recalling how irritated she was soon after the realization hit her upon meeting the patriarch.

“We were told she felt overwhelmed by anxiety and fear every single day. I urged her not to worry too much, because I said, ‘Albert is not a child anymore’.”

Albert sighs in embarrassment before he acknowledges, “Candy can be overprotective sometimes… I had firsthand experience.”

At that, Archie bursts into peals of laughter, and even Albert cannot help joining in.

Right then, the household staff delivers the dinner and desserts, so they stop talking. When they begin to eat, Archie gives a detailed account of what has occurred since the night Albert disappeared, including Candy’s asking them to help find Albert and her short trip to a small town. Dr. Martin said she had traveled to that place to look for Albert.

“So were you there?” Archie asks without beating around the bush.

Albert shakes his head and puts down his cutlery; he does not have much appetite for obvious reasons.

“What made her believe you were in that town then?”

“It’s between Candy and me.”

After staring at each other for several seconds, Archie remarks, “She then returned to Chicago, feeling more despondent than before.”

Albert looks down and resumes eating without giving any other comment. Candy in her formal letter has explained that was when she decided to move back to the orphanage, so she claimed her decision had nothing to do with the Ardlays.

In addition, based on the report from the private investigator, Candy spent hours tirelessly looking for her missing friend all over that small town. Yet, Albert exhorted himself more than once not to misinterpret her actions; the kind nurse had also searched everywhere for the patient after he had been driven out of the hospital. When she had tracked him down in a Chicago park and persuaded him to let her take care of him, they came to an agreement to treat each other like brother and sister.

When the young uncle becomes pensive, Archie ventures, getting somewhat impatient, “Albert, you’re the one who said we should talk to each other like friends.”

“I am!” Albert protests. “What do you think I’m doing?”

When Archie raises his brows skeptically, Albert adds with a wistful expression, “Like you, Archie, I just want Candy to be happy.”

His nephew nods in a thoughtful manner. A moment later, Archie gets straight to the point, “Were you hiding from her all those months?”

“Yes and no.”

“Care to explain?”

“I was in Chicago most of the time, working extraordinarily hard every day, including weekends, until the stress took a toll on my health. Aunt Elroy was alarmed, so to calm her nerves, I agreed to take a rest in Lakewood and stay there for a week.”

“Are you feeling better?” Archie seems genuinely concerned.

“Not bad,” says Albert, his lips curled into a strained smile. “The daily nature walk was beneficial, which helped me unwind and renewed my strength.” In fact, Albert often revisited the area near the waterfall and sometimes stayed in the mountain lodge overnight.

“That’s great!”

“Thanks for asking,” Albert says and quickly finishes the last bite of his dinner. The kitchen staff will be back soon. “So let me continue. I did promise Candy in my departure note that we would see each other again one day. I intended to reveal the truth to her. After all, I could not continue to lie to her and had to deal with my inner demons at some point… I was just… procrastinating.”

When Archie nods understandingly, Albert exhales a tired sigh, adding in a halting manner, “But I could always find an excuse… to delay the inevitable. I was afraid she would not trust me anymore or regard me as an obnoxious man… The last thing I wanted was to lose her as a friend.”

Albert sounds dejected, staring into a distance outside the window. It’s currently dark out there. Has Candy arrived at the orphanage yet?

Archie remains mute, pondering how to console his uncle. Then he hears his uncle continue, “And I was right… what I dreaded has become a reality. As you can see, Candy has been avoiding me ever since.”

A heavy silence fills the spacious room. Archie can see the whole picture now. His uncle did not mean to hurt Candy’s feelings. He has his own struggles too.

Archie then speaks up a few minutes later, “My old self would have envied you, Albert. How I wanted Candy to single me out among her friends, giving me a noticeably unique treatment.”

Hearing that Archie has emphasized the word “unique”, Albert opens his mouth incredulously, and Archie continues before his uncle says anything, “Rest assured that I’m finally at peace with myself. At least I’ll always be one of her close friends. Yet…”

Archie pauses to make sure he gets his uncle’s full attention before he elaborates, “Albert, I’ve never seen Candy care about anyone the way she cares about you.”

What is Archie trying to tell me?

While Albert is contemplating, Archie adds, “The question is, are you fond of her?”

It’s strange that this is the second time today someone asks Albert something along this line. How do I know my feelings for Candy are more than gratitude? How I wish Rosemary were still alive…

But he immediately warns himself, after living together for over two years, my relationship with Candy has remained platonic, so the notion that the nurse might have feelings for her patient beyond friendship might be far-fetched…

So Albert replies after a couple of seconds, “She’s very special to me, and I also care deeply about her.”

“I see,” the younger man replies, wondering if the heir is loath to be completely honest with his nephew or simply uncertain of his own affections. No doubt the youthful patriarch has a soft spot for Candy, but Archie opts to say, “I would take it easy for now, if I were you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Whether you and Candy can be friends again, only time will tell. So, it’s probably better for you two to stop seeing each other temporarily. Candy may need emotional space, you know.”

Archie is right… My real identity is plausibly too shocking, even to Archie and his friends, so it makes sense that Candy needs time to adjust.

When the patriarch nods, they hear some people murmuring outside the study. Albert is aware that the kitchen staff cannot rest until they do the last round of clean up, so he has a mutual agreement with them when to return to collect his plates. At the same time, Albert figures Archie might have a long day, so he promptly thanks his nephew in a sincere tone, “I feel better already after talking to you. Your sound advice is greatly appreciated.”

“Glad to be of help,” says Archie. He means it from the bottom of his heart.

Albert smiles in response before he pulls himself up and says aloud, “Come on in!”

“So thanks for your time, Archie. Let’s call it a night.”

“Good night, Albert.”

When the staff enters, the young men leave the study together. Before they split to take different paths to their bedrooms, Albert appends, “Please thank Annie and Patty for me for their thoughtfulness too.”

“Of course.”

Archie senses an inexplicable connection to his uncle, who is less than ten years older. Unlike the rumoured William A. Ardlay, Albert is a down-to-earth person. The way he treats the household staff proves that he does not let his important status go to his head. What’s more, the rapport Archie enjoys with Albert is undeniable. Since Archie lost Anthony and Stear, he wants a guy friend with whom he can confide in as well.

(flashback ends)

Even from a distance, Candy can recognize the man with wavy blond hair; she freezes on the spot, feeling both delighted and uneasy to see him today. She always likes him as a friend, and she often wonders how he’s doing, but she was the one who behaved coldly toward him before departing from Chicago, so in the past few months it sometimes crossed her mind that she might have achieved her goal, that her unfriendly actions had successfully turned him away. On the other hand, somewhere at the back of her head, there is a tinge of hope that he has not given up on her yet, that one day they can be friends again.

For the time being, Albert is talking amiably to Mr. Cartwright, heading towards the backyard of the orphanage together, so neither of them sees Candy. Does Albert know Mr. Cartwright? What’s the likelihood he has come for me? Will he ask about me at the Pony’s Home later?

However, she is faced with the dilemma of whether to regard him as the patriarch, Granduncle William, or her friend Albert. For some reason, she remains indisposed to think of “them” as the same person.

Sean nudges Candy’s elbow again, begging, “Candy, why have we stopped moving?”

Candy then decides, “Sorry… let’s get going.”

So she gestures to the kids to speed up, and before long, they reach the side door of the orphanage, where Sister Lane is waiting for them. Sister Lane says to their leader, “Candy, a young woman was here earlier, asking for your help. This is her letter for you, and she said she would be back later today or this evening.”

With puzzlement, Candy thanks Sister Lane and walks away from the orphanage to read the letter in private. After tearing the envelope open, the handwriting does not look familiar to her at all.

‘Dear Miss Candice,

First of all, I hope this letter finds you well. Let me introduce myself. My name is Kimberly. As a nurse, I have volunteered in Kenya and met a guy named Albert. We lost contact after he had left before the onset of the great war. He mentioned to me on several occasions about a girl called Candice White from the orphanage “Pony’s Home”. So here I am, wondering if you can help me locate him.

Thank you in advance! It’s urgent, so any guidance is much appreciated!

Kimberly Curtis‘

Candy rushes back to the orphanage and asks Miss Pony and Sister Lane, “When did the visitor leave?”

Miss Pony checks the clock and answers, “About five minutes ago? You actually just missed her.”

“I’ll be back!”

Candy suspects the nurse does not know Albert’s full name. There is only one main road that leads to the town, and Candy might be able to catch up with the nurse. Due to her sanguine disposition, Candy likes helping people whenever possible. This time in particular, she’s curious to meet this young woman, who is highly likely the nurse whom Albert alluded to in his letter sent from Africa; moreover, Albert is just a stone’s throw away. Perhaps Candy can lead the nurse to Albert directly?

In spite of the unsettling feelings, Candy is more excited than nervous to see Albert this time because she has a valid excuse. Approximately five months have elapsed since her trip to Lakewood in late spring, so it’s about time to leave her comfort zone. But how will he react upon seeing her? Will he feel awkward? How about herself? Is she able to treat him like a friend as before?

At the very least, she ought to act genially towards him, if not respect him. She’s not an ingrate; all these years he not only helped her in times of trouble but also greatly improved her prospects in life.

But what she witnesses next makes her lose her composure in a matter of seconds. Further down the road, Candy sees a woman with curly blond hair that past her shoulders throw her arms around Albert, who plants a kiss on her forehead before returning her hug.

Candy’s brain is telling her that this is none of her business, but the violence of her raw emotions prevails over her reason. When her vision is clouded by a sudden onslaught of tears, she can no longer fool herself into thinking that she’s already over him. She misses everything about him more than she wants to admit, especially his tenderness towards her.

It’s crystal clear that the nurse does not need Candy’s help anymore, and fearing that Albert might discover her presence, Candy exerts all her strength to whirl around and run like the wind, as if she was being chased.

(to be continued…)

=o=o=o=

Writer’s note:

I hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter. I’ve tried my best, but if you find any typos or mistakes please kindly let me know. Thanks in advance!

Like some of you have pointed out before, it was strange that Candy and her friends were completely unaware of the tragic accident prior to her trip to Broadway. Also, as of today, to travel from Chicago to Manhattan by train takes about 20 hours, so this is another mistake in the manga.

This is my very first time drawing Terry by the way. I used Yumiko Igarashi’s illustrations as my reference, in particular the Romeo & Juliet poster Candy saw inside his apartment. Terry had grown his hair way past his shoulder when Candy saw him again in Rockstown, but before then, his hair was only shoulder length, like Archie. However, from Igarashi’s various artbooks it’s not obvious what Terry’s eye color is. I read somewhere long time ago that it was a mixture of green and blue, but it’s not specified in CCFS either (please correct me if I’m wrong). Therefore, I decided to stick with the dark blue color as shown in the anime version.

As I mentioned before, I published the new story and the illustration of a scene to celebrate a significant milestone, so the first chapter is exceptionally long. To be honest, I dislike the fact that I have to put my watermark everywhere, but this is the least I should do to protect my new drawings from now on. Anyway, the following chapters will be relatively short. Thanks for your understanding, and please stay tuned.