Forget-Me-Not Chapter 3

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

Please take care and stay safe, my friends! The Delta variant out there is highly contagious. To me, what’s better than staying home to continue writing? 😉 It’s extremely encouraging to read all of your feedback to “Forget-Me-Not”. Your enthusiastic messages and comments so far have certainly motivated me, so please keep them coming. 🥰 I hope you like this new chapter too. Just so you know, the narrative backtracks in time a bit. Thank you all!

— Ms Puddle

Chapter 3

Not long after Albert gets off the carriage that takes him back to the Pony’s Home, he starts searching high and low for Candy, assuming she’s hiding somewhere out-of-sight. Approximately an hour later, the sun is making its descent, and he gets so warmed up that he has already taken off his overcoat, carrying it over his arm. He figures he shouldn’t have ruled out her favourite place, so he follows his intuition to trudge up the hill, despite his exhaustion after a long day of walking around in his not-so-comfortable dress shoes.

Hence, when he spots a familiar silhouette leaning against a tree near the hilltop, relief washes over him. She’s seemingly absorbed in her thoughts, oblivious to his arrival. He knows he should have stayed where he is and simply raises his voice to call her name, but his legs are taking him toward the tree, as if he were in some kind of trance. When her face comes into his view, his heart skips a beat, his eyes helplessly fixated on her lovely orbs and rosy complexion.

Since his debut, he’s obligated to attend a handful of social gatherings as the president of his family business enterprise, so he’s been introduced to many ladies, the majority are either the daughters or the wives of Ardlay’s senior executives or business partners. Needless to say, Albert is accustomed to seeing well-dressed women with meticulous makeup and elaborately coiffed hair. However, like Mr. Cartwright said, Candy has outstanding natural beauty. Her discolored, thick cotton clothes with obvious stitches, including the white bandana, have transformed into fabrics of wonderful shades of coral, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight and her tresses reflecting the warm hues in the sky.

Yet, Albert is mainly captivated by Candy’s forlorn expression, so her appearance is not the only reason why he is bewitched the instant he lays eyes on her. She usually hides her true feelings except when she’s alone, so her melancholy moodiness doesn’t lessen her charm but actually brings back wistful memories of what he’s been through with her. If he could turn back the clock to the same season last year, when they were on good terms with each other, he would boldly approach her without a second thought. She would readily let him hold her in his arms, pouring her heart out so that he could share her burdens. Perhaps this is why he misses her person and her trust so much. Honest interactions among his peers are rarities in the business world. He can talk to Georges and Archie these days, but it’s just not the same. Sadly, things have changed between Candy and him; he no longer has the privilege to be her listener. While his thoughts are in a muddle, she discovers that he’s gazing at her like an idiot.

Unbeknownst to him, he has been on her mind the entire afternoon as a friend she sorely missed, so his presence catches her completely off guard. Not only is she mortified, as though she’s exposed, but she also questions herself if any of this is real. This must be a dream… I’ll soon awake to find myself being the only soul here on Pony’s Hill, as always in the past few months.

Candy then remembers Albert should have left with the nurse called Kimberly. Why did he come back? And what did he say? About my safety or something. What made him worry about me?

At any rate, Candy is way too flabbergasted to process all these in her brain. When she’s going to slap herself to see if she’s dreaming, Albert turns around and takes leave. At this precise moment, she realizes he’s really here with her, but he is leaving in a rush without waiting for her to respond. It’s like when she’s starving, someone offers her a meal, but before she can eat, the meal vanishes.

On top of that, if she’s not mistaken, he didn’t say her name at all. Was it intentional? Is he scared of me? Or he doesn’t want to be with me longer than necessary?

Candy finally tastes her own medicine and understands how it feels to be given the cold shoulder. If she stays mute, Albert would likely believe she couldn’t wait to get rid of him. This misunderstanding will only wedge them further apart; the mere imagination of such consequence unnerves her. Right then, the voice inside her head is screaming at her. Don’t let him go just like that!

So she calls him “Albert” on the spur of the moment. He freezes like a stone statue for about ten seconds, and then he raises his chin to the sky without a word. Some locks of his hair near the highest part of his head appear particularly glossy and slightly reddish because of the setting sun, but she’s not in the mood to admire his brassy, copperish hair. Rather, she’s dreadfully anxious, awaiting her sentence, and the longer she waits, the more discouraged she gets. As she can’t see his face, this prolonged dead silence puts her in a panic; her heart is thumping so hard like it’s going to explode in her chest. It’s odd that he does not move or speak at all. What’s going on? Is he troubled that I didn’t use his formal title?

Candy couldn’t be more wrong. For one thing, Albert is actually quite pleased that she cares enough to stop him from departing. Prior to this, he was convinced their friendship no longer mattered to her. All these months she had not written a single word to him, and his nephew Archie insisted he should do nothing so as not to push her further away. To release his pent-up frustrations, Albert continued devoting his time and energy to work, actively exploring new business opportunities. 

For another, hearing her use his middle name is a real bonus. Before her relocation, she followed the example of the rest of his family and always respectfully addressed him as Granduncle William. There was nothing wrong about this except that he didn’t like it at all, as though she had tried to erase their past.

As a matter of fact, ever since Albert resumed working with Georges after his recovery, he has been saving his income so that one day he could repay both Candy and Dr. Martin, the two kind souls who had given him the much needed support in the lowest points of his life. Nobody, not even his aunt, can deter him from spending his hard-earned money on whatever he likes. Roughly a year has since elapsed, and Albert feels confident enough to proceed to the next step. He has seriously considered his motivations, and truth be told, he has no ulterior motives to make Candy feel bad or indebted, nor would he request anything from her. He respects her boundaries, and if she wants him to leave her alone, he will. In other words, the purchase of the land has nothing to do with her attitude to him, and if he does successfully become the new landowner, he will even seek ways to remain anonymous. 

That’s why Candy’s unforeseen reaction, calling him “Albert”, has such an impact on him. Never before has he felt so exhilarated that his speculations likely turn out to be erroneous. Since their situation is not as bleak as he has imagined, he’s in raptures, feeling like he has just miraculously salvaged the priceless treasure he thought he had lost to fire. Yet, somewhere in the back of his mind he knows that even if their friendship may be rekindled, there is a chance they would not be close friends ever again. Thus, he urges himself not to get his hopes up too soon. Meanwhile, he’s aware he should not keep Candy hanging in midair, but he’s grappling with these contrasting inner voices. His aunt was gravely strict with him and started training him to control his feelings when the traditional mourning period after his late father’s demise was over, so it astonishes Albert why it takes him so long this time to keep his emotions at bay.

During the agonizing wait, Candy further perceives that her stiff, unfriendly manners must have upset Albert, which pricks her conscience. In retrospect, she had legitimate reasons to be angry at him before, but she admits she did him wrong after their reunion at Lakewood, acting like she’d been avoiding him like the plague. To be fair to herself, staying away from him was the fastest way for her to become emotionally detached from him. She took this route in order to protect herself from unwanted stress or depressing thoughts, so she did not mean to hurt his feelings out of spite.

Above all, the realization that this is the first time they are together at her beloved refuge affects her to a point that it mercilessly shatters her already weakened resolve to keep a distance from him and even revives her repressed hunger for his companionship. While pondering her options, she figures she wants everything to start afresh between them, and yet she wonders if he has similar sentiments. Regardless, driven by her ardent wish to reconnect with him, she decides to take the plunge and steels herself to scurry towards him instead of waiting for him to react.

“Candy-” Albert speaks up in a throaty voice, slowly spinning around. Only then he notices she’s heading in his direction, which is another pleasant surprise. Though she’s barely within his reach, they can talk to each other without yelling, and since he’s standing on the downward slope, her eyes are level with his.

“Yes?” she responds, halting her steps. Hearing her name again from his mouth stirs her up, and a smile of relief materializes on her face. He’s far from being indifferent to her, and his friendly countenance helps reinforcing her determination to rectify her mistake. However, as soon as the two lock eyes, she becomes self-conscious and looks away immediately, lest her eyes betray her thoughts. A fleeting glance at his eyes is enough to make her heart throb. They look like those fascinating pools of light crystal orbs reflecting the diffused light from the sky.

On the other hand, Albert is struck by Candy’s sudden shy demeanor. Her youthful face is suffused with the most enchanting blushes. He swallows hard, trying to rehydrate his throat. He might have regarded her as merely a young girl years ago, but when he was her roommate, he admired her as a kind nurse or treated her like his little sister. After living together for a year or so, she became a dear friend whom he was most comfortable with. They never ran out of topics to talk about, whether serious or silly. Yet, for the time being, Candy looks so adorable that Albert has to avert his eyes to avoid being caught staring at her again. Something about Candy has indubitably changed in the past six months, or maybe he himself has changed? He can’t quite put his finger on it. Last time he felt this confused about his own feelings was when Kim gave him the nickname “Al”.

After settling down in Kenya, Albert naturally hung out with the co-workers who were also fluent in English, and of these people the one that really stood out was Kim. She was the first person who befriended his pet skunk, Poupe. Kim’s cheery disposition, her lengthy blond curls and the freckles on her tan skin reminded him of Candy back in London. Even though Kim was the youngest among the staff of the medical clinic, she often offered her help because she had been in Kenya longer and could speak a bit of the native language, Swahili. Weeks later, Albert found himself drawn to her. One evening after the clinic was closed for the day, the staff on cleaning duty stayed late to do their assigned tasks. When Albert and Kim happened to be alone in a room, she asked out of the blue if she could simply call him “Al”. He didn’t see why not, so he said “yes”, looking at her over his shoulder. The moment their gaze met, he sensed that the attraction was mutual. After that, he began calling her “Kim” too.

At this very second, Kim’s teary orbs flash across his mind; this afternoon she said only he could help her. How could he say no? It’s in his nature to help others in need, let alone Kim. Thus, although he originally planned to return to Chicago after the appointment with the landowner, Albert was willing to make last-minute adjustments for her.

All of a sudden, Candy starts sneezing and can’t seem to make it stop. The noises cut into Albert’s thoughts, and he immediately gives his overcoat a shake, saying, “It’s the chilly breeze.” Now that the sun is below the horizon, the temperature has plummeted. Albert is going to drape the coat over Candy but realizes she may not like it. With his hands holding its lapels, he ventures, “Do you mind?”

She covers her nose with her handkerchief, shaking her head. Though he’s unsure what her gesture means, he wraps his coat around her shoulders anyway. She wants to politely decline but blushes like a tomato when he secures the collar of his overcoat near her neck. She’s touched by his attentiveness, and his coat is surprisingly warm.

“Thank you, Albert,” she says his name, intentionally this time. Her tender expression melts his heart, reminding him of how sweet she was in the past. Then she asks, “Don’t you need it yourself?”

He shakes his head. The breeze makes him feel better actually. It’s at this very moment he musters up his courage to express what’s on his mind for months. With his eyes bored into hers, he enunciates each word with earnestness, “Candy, please forgive me.”

The tremor in his voice does not escape her ears. Without a word, she bashfully evades his penetrating gaze. Though he did not mention anything specific, she knows what he implies. By now, she no longer has a grudge against him; she has come to terms with the fact that Albert is not a penniless vagabond but one of the richest men in the country. But, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he still cares about her, so she should not ask for anything more. Perhaps it’s time for her to get to know the new him and accept him for who he is. Yes, she knows her place, and she’ll continue to fight her feelings for him, but she’ll be content to have him back in her life as a distant friend. At least they can keep in touch somehow.

Imagine Albert’s chagrin when Candy has not responded to his heartfelt apology. Perhaps he should elaborate? When he’s at a loss for what else he can say, she breaks the silence at long last, “Why do they call you granduncle?” She asks with her back facing him, careful to keep her voice casual.

“Do you really want to know?” he mildly retorts. Much to his relief, she has seemingly accepted his apology.

She turns around and nods with eagerness, but he reasons, shrugging his shoulders, “It’s a long story. I’m afraid you’ll be bored to death.”

But she’s not going to relent, so she straightens her face and pretends to be stern, warning, “You’ll regret it if you don’t tell me now.”

He exhales an audible sigh, shaking his head with a resigned smile. “It’s not the right time.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she utters in a threatening tone, the corner of her lips tugging up however.

He’s wondering what she’s getting at. No matter what, he’s immensely thrilled that she was the one who started this playful conversation. In short, the wall between them is crumbling down, their awkwardness fading away, so he plays along, grinning from ear to ear with his arms crossed in a mock defensive posture, “Yes, Miss Candice. I’ve been warned.”

She nods and exaggeratingly clears her throat before she declares with a mischievous grin, “From now on, let me call you…”

She pauses for dramatic effect. Then she announces, giving a theatrical bow, “Graaandpa!”

At this, his jaw drops and his eyes widen. He doesn’t get her wordplay at first, but once he figures it out, he lets out a loud guffaw and drops his arms, his eyes shining with delight. It’s a positive sign, even though she’s teasing him, and he can’t remember when was the last time he burst into a hearty laugh.

Albert never appears more handsome to Candy than he does now. To distract herself, she quickly raises her eyes to the twilight glow of the sky, and yet she can’t help casting stealthy glances at his side profile. Within half a minute, his laughter dwindles to smiles, and he stretches out his hand to her, asking, “Does it mean we can be friends again?”

With her lips pouted, she pretends to mull over his question for a moment before she gives his hand a loud slap and utters, “Let me think about it!” Then she giggles and walks away from him. Inwardly, she’s overjoyed to have reconciled with him.

He takes it as a “yes”, feeling like a huge weight is lifted off his shoulders, and a satisfied grin spreads across his face. Then he takes two long strides towards her and says, “Candy, sorry I totally forgot until now. I promised Miss Pony and Sister Lane to bring you back home as soon as I find you.”

“Oh,” Candy replies in a murmur with her brow furrowed. They barely started talking. Even though her stomach is rumbling due to hunger, she wishes they could stay here for at least another hour. Then something dawns on her, and she gasps, covering her mouth. “Were you looking for me at the Pony’s Home?”

And what did he tell Miss Pony and Sister Lane?

“Yes, and they are worried about you too,” he answers without providing any details.

He used the word “too”, so that means he was worried as well, but why? She’s dying to know what he saw. Was Kimberly with him then? Is she currently waiting at the orphanage?

As much as Candy enjoys chatting with Albert here on Pony’s Hill, she agrees to go back with him, knowing that Miss Pony and Sister Lane are uneasy. On their way down, Candy has many questions in her head, and she expects Albert to relate something about the eventful day to her, in particular, his meeting with Mr. Cartwright or his encounter with Kimberly this afternoon, but Albert is so quiet that he seems not himself. Occasionally he even grimaces.

“What’s wrong, Albert?”

“I should know better. These brand new shoes… I think I’ve got blisters on both feet.”

“Ouch!” she responds loudly, frowning in concern. “Let’s slow down,” she instantly suggests.

He nods with a strained smile. She’s considerably moved; he must have carried out a painstaking search of the area for her, in spite of the discomfort, so she keenly offers, “When we get to the orphanage, please let me take a look at your-“

“No thanks,” he promptly interrupts her, blushing already. His feet must be stinky by now, and he has a valid excuse. “I have to leave soon.”

Her heart sinks; she should have known. A man of important status like him should have a frantic timetable and a demanding lifestyle, but it’s a letdown nonetheless. “I see,” she replies in a level tone to feign nonchalance, looking down to avoid making eye contact with him.

Then a long silence falls between them. Candy wonders if Albert is going to tell her anything about Kimberly the nurse at all. Little does she know that he’s actually contemplating whether to inform Candy of the reasons behind his unanticipated grueling schedule today. Then his conversation with Kim this late afternoon returns to his head.

“Why such a hurry, Al?” asked Kim, who looked at him with disappointment in her face. “Do you have to go back now?”

“Sorry,” he murmured, his eyes downcast. “It’s for my peace of mind.”

“Worried about Candice White?” she asked, point-blank. Kim knew he had come to the orphanage all the way from Chicago today, so she was lucky in this regard.

When he merely nodded, she remarked curiously, “She looks so young. How old is she?” Kim had caught a glimpse of the pretty orphan girl with healthy pink cheeks. Of course she didn’t know Candy had been running at top speed.

Albert smilingly dodged her question, “I thought it’s rude to ask a woman her age?”

Kim burst out laughing. Apparently, he remembered how he had discovered her age back then. Shaking her head in disbelief, she said with a voice edged with nostalgia, “I can’t believe you still can make me laugh, even at a time like this.”

Then she fondly grasped both his hands and expressed her gratitude, “Thank you for helping. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it.”

She tightened the grip of his hands before releasing them. She remembered how she used to love holding these warm hands in hers. Then she heard him, “Kim, I’ll meet up with you after I get hold of Candy. In the meantime, Georges knows what to do.”

For a few seconds Kim stared at him with her eyebrows knitted together and her lips pursed skeptically. Then she raised a direct question, “What is Candice White to you?”

He shrugged his shoulders with friendly informality before he replied, “She’s a very important friend.”

“You can’t fool me, Al,” Kim challenged in a teasing manner, visibly unconvinced. “And you’re right, she does look a bit like me.”

“No, you got the wrong idea,” he denied, chuckling in embarrassment. “Let me fill you in when I have a chance.”

“Can’t wait!” she replied with a wink, giving him her seal of approval. Then he felt a push on his back. “Let’s catch up later. Hope to see you soon.”

“You bet,” he uttered, smiling at her. Presently, he was too preoccupied to notice that she was miles away. They hadn’t seen each other for years, and he was certainly not the same carefree man she had loved in Africa. All these years she thought he had originated from Michigan, but during the ride she had learned that he was the sole heir to a family of prestige and prominence in Illinois, so she could picture how the burdens and responsibilities weighed on him. No wonder he had always been well-mannered and yet mysterious about his upbringing and background. Back then, he had told her repeatedly, “I’m not whom you think I am.”

Concerning his outward appearance, he had the same chiseled features that could effortlessly capture anyone’s attention, but now he was irresistibly attractive in a different way. Not only he looked posh and dashing in his suit, but he also exuded an air of sophistication. Besides, she could scarcely believe he was a natural blond. Her mind traveled back in time and recalled how much she had enjoyed combing his long brown hair under his hat with her fingers. Falling in love with him had not been in her plan, but by the time she had realized it, she had fallen hard already.

Those were the days of my youth…

When she stifled a sigh, Georges entered the room and uttered, “Sir William, the carriage is here.”

“Thank you, Georges!” said the young boss with a smile of appreciation, and without delay he mumbled under his breath such that only his assistant could hear him, “Wish me luck.”

Meanwhile, Albert is walking side by side with Candy, which seems surreal, almost too good to be true. With that said, he’s feeling grateful from the bottom of his heart. Earlier this afternoon when he was explaining to Georges about the change of plan because of Kim, they all heard Candy’s response to Mr. Cartwright’s question. The old man’s voice dripped with concern, and the girl sounded terribly upset. Albert’s countenance immediately darkened with anxiety, and he craned his neck to scan his surroundings, but only Kim spotted her. From where she stood, Kim saw Candy running away from the orphanage. Georges then lowered his voice and offered, “Sir William, I’m at your service.”

The young boss grasped the unspoken question but said, “Let’s attend to Kim’s needs first. I’ll come back myself.”

Albert would not delegate this personal task to his assistant. Something must be bothering Candy, and she likely went into hiding. He had a hunch it was related to him; perhaps she disliked the fact that he had come uninvited, so he might be the last person she wanted to see. Yet, he had been sitting idle for far too long, and he was determined to resolve their issues by talking to her face to face. If he ended up being pushed away, so be it. At least he tried.

Now that Albert and Candy have just re-established their friendship, their relationship is still in its fragile stage, so he’d rather not take any risk. Instead, he’ll be on his guard and cautious with his words, like walking on minefields, in case his better intentions are misunderstood. Hence, although he has considered asking Candy what upset her earlier this afternoon, he hesitates for the moment. He’s aware Kim has sought Candy for help today. If he broaches this sensitive subject, he might need to allude to Kim or the problem she’s dealing with.

After some thorough consideration, Albert decides not to trouble Candy with his private matters with Kim. First, even if he can skip the details, he does not feel at ease giving an account of his past when he does not have ample time to organize his thoughts. More importantly, his reminiscences involve Kim too. He won’t tell anyone about her without her permission. Last but not the least, he highly doubts Candy is interested to know. So far she has not mentioned anything about it. Therefore, it may be best to let the matter drop.

While Candy doesn’t mind his silence, they are heading near the bottom of the hill. She reckons Albert will leave as soon as they are back to the orphanage. Just then, he speaks up, “I hope you’re feeling warmer now, Candy?”

“Oh yes, thanks so much,” she replies at once. “Your coat is unbelievably cozy, and it’s not heavy at all.”

He breaks into a contented smile. “Glad you like it. It actually belonged to my late father. He bought one for himself and a matching one for my late mother when they traveled to Scotland at the end of their honeymoon. You know, the winter there can be brutal.”

To Candy, the fact that Albert talks about his family is a great start. She won’t push him even though she used that as a joke earlier. At this moment, Terry’s dazzling smile resurfaces in her mind. They had such a wonderful time in Scotland that summer, and it feels like ages ago already.

Candy also remembers her conversation with Terry’s mother in Rockstown after Terry had sobered up and enchanted the audience with his charisma. Back then Candy strongly believed Terry would be back on his feet again. She also searched her heart; gone was her passion for him. She had no regrets, and breaking up had been the right decision because Terry had undeniably chosen Susanna over her. Not long after that trip, Candy was truly relieved when she chanced to read a magazine article about Susanna’s loving reactions to Terry’s return after he had gone missing for months. At that moment, Candy sincerely wished him success and fulfillment, and most of all, she wished them happiness.

Aloud, Candy responds to Albert, “I was told even cashmere sweaters could be very expensive.”

“Aunt Elroy said so too, especially because my late father would only purchase from a reputable merchant from Asia, who claimed to hand comb their goats when they shed naturally instead of shearing them in winter. As you can probably guess, my aunt sees to it that these coats are well maintained for sentimental reasons.”

He recollects his aunt’s frown of disapproval when she said to him, “You know I’m keeping them for you and your future wife. It’s not even winter yet. Why do you want to wear this particular coat for your upcoming trip?”

Aunt Elroy was right. His own light jackets would have sufficed. He told her it was a business trip; she did not suspect because Georges would accompany him dealing with work-related tasks. If Aunt Elroy knew her nephew intended to buy land for Candy’s sake with his own money, she would have thought he was out of his mind and tried to stop him at all cost. In any case, since this would be Albert’s first significant expenditure, he wanted his late father to be his “witness” from the beginning of the negotiation process. Furthermore, dressing impeccably for the occasion would not only show his respect to the landowner but also convey his sincerity. That’s why he bought a pair of new shoes too. His minimalist mindset contrasts starkly with the maximalist approach deployed by his relatives living under the same roof. Their closets are full of new or barely used clothes and accessories, but for Albert, he has a variety of tailored suits primarily for keeping his professional image, and yet he’s been wearing the same pair of shoes since his recovery. Understandably, they are quite worn out from extensive use.

Candy’s voice interrupts his train of thought, “Yes, this overcoat looks like new to me.”

He chuckles. “Believe it or not, Aunt Elroy made me promise her not to ruin it.”

Before Albert knows it, Candy reacts by removing the coat from her. Due to her petite size, the hem of the overcoat is dangerously close to the ground.

“Wait!” he utters in a haste, internally cursing himself for his blunder. He stops her just in time, draping it back on her with his hands firmly pressed on her upper arms. “Don’t get me wrong-“

But he’s stunned into speechlessness when she inhales sharply. Their sudden proximity catches them unprepared. With their faces about half feet apart, he can feel her warm breath on his face, and she’s noticeably breathing quite unsteadily. Even in the dim conditions, he can see her freckles sprinkled across her nose between her resplendent eyes.

Likewise, she’s dazed and nonplussed; she’s near enough to see a tuft of stubble on his cheeks, reminding her of their cohabitation as brother and sister. She also finds solace in breathing in his sweat mixed with the familiar scent of his body, but at the same time, she feels like she has butterflies in her stomach when she observes his eyes twinkling beneath his thick eyelashes.

The awkward moment of staring at each other’s face does not last long however. The instant his eyes glow with the light from behind her, they both hear a boy shout as he holds his lantern higher, “There they are, Miss Pony, the man found Candy!”

It’s Jimmy, the oldest boy in the orphanage. Albert loosens his grip at once, his face reddened and his mind still reeling from what has transpired between them. Candy takes a step back as well, feeling embarrassed beyond description. Before Jimmy’s enthusiastic cry, Miss Pony spots Candy and the young man facing each other with his hands on her shoulders; they are completely motionless, his neck bent low and her chin raised. It’s shocking to say the least, so Miss Pony nearly drops the lantern in her hand. As the old lady absentmindedly pushes her glasses up her nose, taking in the sight of the man’s coat on Candy, Miss Pony can’t help wondering about the nature of their relationship. Who is this young man? He called himself Albert and said he was Candy’s friend back in Chicago.

Miss Pony and Sister Lane first met him this late afternoon. When both were busy working in the kitchen, Jimmy informed them about a male visitor at the front entrance. It was almost the end of their office hours, so Miss Pony assumed the visitor wanted to ask about adoption, but the visitor looked too young to be interested in parenting. Thus, it made sense to her when he introduced himself as Candy’s friend, and he politely asked, “May I talk to her?”

Sister Lane then exchanged a questioning glance with Miss Pony. It was strange that Candy got two good-looking visitors on the same day, but Sister Lane frowningly explained to Albert that Candy hadn’t come home since returning from the field trip. He could discern their consternation, so he swiftly excused himself, “Let me try to find her.” Then he promised them he would bring her back if he could track her down.

After he left, both Sister Lane and Miss Pony had mixed feelings. They were baffled why Candy behaved abnormally today but also curious why the man came all the way from Chicago for her. Then they remembered the lady visitor, who had mentioned she would return but never did. Nonetheless, the kids were hungry, so Miss Pony and Sister Lane did not indulge themselves in imagination.

While cleaning up after dinner, neither the young man nor Candy had shown up, so Miss Pony and Jimmy began their search for Candy. Sister Lane stayed behind, getting the kids ready for bedtime stories. The search party had no clue as to Candy’s whereabouts, but they would head towards her beloved retreat first.

Miss Pony then hears a voice calling her name, drawing her back to the present. Candy has calmed down and approached the search party with Albert, and Candy turns to the boy before she continues in a placid tone, “and Jimmy, let me introduce-“

Albert stops her gently and explains, “Candy, I’ve told them already. Remember I came here first?”

With her eyes widened, she asks, “So they know that you’re Granduncle William?”

“Granduncle?” Miss Pony echos incredulously. “Granduncle William?”

The questions from these ladies throw him off balance for a long moment. Despite being fully aware of the impending necessity to reveal himself as William A. Ardlay, he was loath to admit it when he arrived at the orphanage. He didn’t mean to deceive or mislead Candy’s foster mothers, but he had an inexplicable desire to present himself as Candy’s friend rather than her guardian. After all, he never sees himself as one.

Miss Pony is dumbfounded for several seconds. She’s never heard of anything more absurd than this. To her, the man is at most in his late twenties. Yet, the name sounds extremely familiar. She can’t pinpoint where she heard it before until she sees the young man clench his jaw, striving to keep his composure. In response to Candy’s reasonable question, Albert languidly shakes his head with a pained look in his eyes and a deep furrow in his brow. This formal title was thrust upon him when he was but a child, now widely known in the clan as the title for the patriarch, but for the first time in his life he finds it borderline offensive.

“So Albert is your adoptive father, Candy?”

Miss Pony is able to connect the dots at last, even though the notion that the young man is related to Candy this way remains unfathomable. And what were they doing in the dark before our arrival? Didn’t Candy tell us she had not met her benefactor until shortly before leaving Chicago?

Noting Albert’s pensive mood written all over his face, Candy bites her bottom lip and corrects Miss Pony, “Granduncle William is my benefactor.”

Albert seems rather disturbed, but Candy has no idea what’s exactly vexing him. As a matter of fact, neither does he. Nevertheless, she resumes her introduction of the young man standing right beside her. She tells Miss Pony and Jimmy that Granduncle William was the one who adopted her into the Ardlay’s family and gave her the privilege to use his last name, her mellifluous voice filled with genuine gratitude. She goes on and on and speaks highly of Granduncle William, and her narrative is accurate and to the point.

To Albert, hearing Candy talk about Granduncle William’s kindness from her perspective is unprecedented. But he’s far from feeling flattered, not to mention this experience is somewhat uncanny, like she’s not really talking about him but another man with the same title, so he stops paying attention. The thing that occupies his mind next is that he should have protected the poor orphan girl from harm through other means instead of granting his nephews’ desperate pleas.

So he isn’t even aware Candy has abruptly ceased her speech when all of them are blinded by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.

(to be continued…)

=o=o=o=

Writer’s note:

Thank you for reading! In Candy Candy Final Story (CCFS) Candy mentioned a few times that Albert looked younger than his age, so even though he should be around thirty in this story, Miss Pony thinks he looks like a man in his late twenties. Also, Candy’s wordplay “Graaandpa” is based on CCFS, and for your interest, please read Lost in translation (Part 1) and Lost in translation (Part 2).

I’d like to quote Anita’s insightful comment here. I agree with Anita and also think that Candy and Albert were only friends before he left for Africa. Some fans are convinced Albert already had feelings for Candy in London, which I disagree. In this fanfic, I like to explore the idea that while Candy had romantic feelings for Albert already, he did not quite understand himself yet.

I’d also like to share this drawing by Igarashi with you (published in Nakayoshi Magazine), kindly provided by Mariela! ¡Muchas gracias! 🥰 The title can be translated as “heart penetrating love and passion (emotion)”.

This is my translation attempt for the small prints: “Because of love, people feel joys and sorrows, and because of love, people suffer— Where on earth is the storm of love that wraps around Candy and Terry, Susanna, taking them—?”