Forget-Me-Not Chapter 9

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

It’s been a long while since I published Chapter 8 of Forget-Me-Not. Many things have happened since then. My heart aches for those in Ukraine and those who have become refugees. Let’s pray that the war will end soon. 🙏🏻

Thank you so much for your patience and continued support, and I just changed my job. Because of the new challenges, I’m a bit under stress lately. Hence, if you find anything in this chapter unclear or not making any sense, please let me know so that I can clarify or correct. 😘

-Ms Puddle

Chapter 9

Candy is flaunting her smile, but Albert detects something in her gaze that conveys a resolution. Yet, what sort of resolution? Even though he could hardly wait to see her smile again, this is not the kind of smile that he has missed. Something is not right, but he can’t quite put his finger on it. His thoughts then start to spiral.

“Albert, take my car and go see Candy. Please,” Archie pleaded, passing his car key to his uncle. When Albert held his key with a quizzical line marring his brow, Archie pressed his palms together, bowing with respect.

Albert and his loyal executive assistant just returned from a frantic business trip to the east coast, meeting with several business partners to explore various emerging opportunities in several major cities. As they intended to take carriages home, they had not arranged anyone to pick them up at the station. Thus, they were delighted to see Archie waiting for them, and yet neither Georges nor Albert could understand the young man’s incoherent monologue about having tremendous regrets, let alone this absurd request.

Since Albert was obviously at a loss, Archie made a hasty gesture to urge his young uncle to set off for the orphanage. Alarmed by the urgency in his voice, Albert promptly asked, “Why? What’s happened to her?”

Archie looked momentarily disconcerted. “Sorry, Albert. I didn’t mean to… Anyway, Candy should be fine… I think… but you know…,” he stammered.

Because of the halting way his nephew spoke, it was hard for Albert to suppress the suspicion that it had something to do with his aunt, so he impatiently unbuttoned his collar and loosened his tie, murmuring, “What did my aunt do to her this time?”

The younger man sighed, raking his soft hair with his fingers thoughtfully; he recalled Great Aunt Elroy’s warning this morning as soon as she had found out that Archie had planned to pick up his uncle, “Archie, don’t tell William about Wallace. I’ll talk to my nephew about the courtship once he’s home.”

Archie’s unease was a tacit answer to Albert’s question, so Albert said, “Never mind, Archie. To be honest with you, I’m on the fence. I bought presents for Candy and my friends, but…”

Then Albert realized Georges had been waiting, so the boss said, “Georges, please feel free to go home. You deserve a break from me.”

Georges made a light bow in response, saying in a level tone, “Likewise, Sir William.”

There was no change in his assistant’s expression, but a laugh escaped the boss’ throat. After that, Albert asked, “Want me to give you two a ride then?”

The moment Georges politely declined, Archie’s eyes lit up. “So you’re going to visit Candy?”

His uncle nodded, saying, “Archie, please inform my aunt that my friends at Lakewood are leaving after Christmas, and I’ll drop by Pony’s Home on my way there. That said, I do plan to come back to Chicago for the family dinner on Christmas Eve.”

“Fantastic!” exclaimed the man with shoulder length hair. Archie had learned from Georges after the memorial service that the heir had friends visiting from Africa. “However, Albert, my parents are just around the corner, waiting for me. I’m going to meet with their friends in town, not to mention that…”

Archie hesitated again, his frown deepening, and that was when Georges offered, “Sir, please allow me to head over to the Ardlay’s mansion to update Madam Elroy about the business trip. She should be eager to know, and I’ll then apprise her of your change of plan, Sir William, that you’re anxious to see your friends one more time and even request to borrow Master Archie’s car.”

The heir was impressed, giving his loyal assistant a hearty handshake and a pat on the shoulder. “It’s admirable how you can always come up with a better idea!”

The business trip had been successful; they had signed a couple of contracts, already exceeding their earnings expectations for the year end. Albert figured his aunt would agree that her nephew should take a break from work, and Archie wouldn’t get into trouble either.

As expected, being a modest man, Georges appeared more embarrassed than thrilled. When Georges ambled towards the carriages lining up across the street, Albert thanked his nephew again for coming to the station.

“See you soon, Archie. Do you have anything for Candy?”

“Oh right, I completely forgot about this!” Archie reacted by slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand. Seconds later, he said, “Please tell her I’m sorry, Albert.”

“Okay-” his uncle intoned, elongating the word. He grew more intrigued, wondering if Archie was sorry because he got nothing for Candy or something else. Albert supposed he would find out soon, so he wasted no time and started driving.

Feeling exhausted, Albert was inclined to rest tonight and go visit Candy and his friends tomorrow. However, the mere fact that Archie had kept his mouth shut about the matriarch gave Albert sufficient impetus. Furthermore, the reason why his aunt had wanted to talk to Candy alone after the memorial service had remained a mystery to him. Albert knew he could have gone home right now and talked to his aunt directly, but he had actually missed Candy during the business trip. The last time Albert had stood right next to her before the service, her shining eyes had nearly held him spellbound.

(flashback begins)

While the gem-like brightness in Candy’s green eyes is drawing Albert in, confusion rises inside him. It’s comparable to the perplexed state he experienced when her amiable face was the very first image that appeared in his mind the moment he had regained his memories. Since then, the more he was around her, the more reluctant he became to inform her that he had recovered.

Apart from these emerging thoughts in his head, Kim’s words in her letter about Candice White further befuddle him. Yes Candy looks absolutely stunning today, but she’s a friend whom you’ve always cared about! What’s wrong with you?

Albert’s remarkable debut earlier this year excited much attention; his youthful looks and charismatic personality were such a stark contrast to his infamous reputation over the years. Unfortunately, since then, there have been rife rumours about the enigmatic heir — that he “adopted” the teenage girl with unpleasant conditions, which implied he had expected something in return. After all, the pretty orphan girl was merely a decade younger than he was. The fact that the two later had lived together added fuel to the fire; some had scruples about their cohabitation and some even suspected that his amnesia had been a pretense.

To protect Candy, Albert cautions himself not to appear too affectionate with her, especially when they have visitors today. From that moment on, he has intentionally kept a distance from her. During the reception, when the guests are eating and mingling, more than once he has stolen glances at her. Although she appears morose and reticent, he figures it’s natural to have a melancholy mood after a memorial service. Rather than approach her, he decides to write to her during his upcoming trip. It’s much less risky that way, and he’ll have plenty of time to organize his thoughts in writing.

But when Albert overhears the conversation between Archie and Annie that Candy is missing, he feels a constriction of his heart and reprimands himself for his negligence. He should have kept a close eye on her or his aunt, and he’s particularly anxious that Aunt Elroy is giving Candy a hard time. Therefore, the first place he will check is his aunt’s bedroom, but as soon as he says goodbye to the last guest, he sees Georges coming with Kim.

The instant Kim realizes what’s transpired, her “I-knew-it-all-along” expression causes Albert’s defense mechanism to kick in. In her letter she was more convinced than ever that Candice White was not only a friend to him, and right now Kim is apparently observing his every move to prove her point. Albert believes Georges can help Archie find Candy, and since Albert has been hoping he can talk to Kim before he returns to Chicago, he changes his mind then. He’ll escort her to the mountain lodge instead.

So Albert whispers to Georges, “Check if Candy is with my aunt. If so, would you take her back to Pony’s Home? Ask her what happened too.” Albert doesn’t want Kim to hear any of this, not because he wants to hide Candy’s relationship with the Ardlays from Kim, but because he does not want to get distracted at the moment.

“Yes, Sir William,” Georges replies in a deep voice. Then he informs his boss what happened when he arrived at the mountain lodge. The door was not locked, but for etiquette’s sake, Georges chose not to enter the lodge, so his boss says, no longer whispering, “No worries, Georges. Jagdeep might be hiking through the trails after the grey clouds had dispersed. He may have returned by now. Even if not, Kim and I will wait for him at the lodge.”

It doesn’t take Georges long to find Archie and the ladies in the reception hall talking, and while the two men will take separate paths to search, Georges suggests the ladies stay where they are. “Perhaps Miss Candice will return any minute,” he says.

When Albert is driving along the meandering river through the forest, beams of golden light from the setting sun shine through the trees from the west; the glare somewhat blinds his vision, so he has to drive slowly and stay alert. Knowing that Archie plans to take Candy home soon after he tracks her down, Albert wonders if he has enough time to drive back to the mansion to bid them all goodbye. Yet, first thing first, he has to bring Kim to Jagdeep.

Albert then casually remarks, “One can never ever fully describe the colours of the sunset.”

Kim agrees by nodding. In Kenya, they always enjoyed watching sunsets together, and the memory of her first kiss comes back to her, but she promptly dispels the thought by speaking about something else, “This place is undoubtedly a nature-lover’s paradise.”

She goes on telling him that when she first arrived with Jag, it was so dark that they could only imagine the surroundings by following what the headlights revealed. When Albert returns a smile at her, she brings up, “I heard you talking to Georges about Jag. How’s… he doing?”

So Albert slows down the car even more and starts telling Kim what took place yesterday at the lodge. She is quietly listening; before long, a drop of tear trickles down her cheek. She responds by swiftly spinning sideways to face the window and wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. Then she murmurs under her breath, “I was plain selfish to drag him along… but he never blames me…”

As her voice becomes inaudible, Albert calls her name in a soft voice. When she faces him, he continues, “Jagdeep assumed you had written a love letter to me, but as a matter of fact-”

“Jag…” she murmurs, peering out of the window again. She wrote to Albert how Jagdeep had developed insomnia.

…When we first arrived in London, we met with Jag’s distant relatives and rented one of their rooms. Jag told them that we had been engaged but would not marry when the countries were at war. Soon after that, I signed up at the Red Cross and worked with the other nurses at a field hospital. Jag also volunteered and joined the Voluntary Aid Detachments. We called them ‘VADs’. Jag could drive, so his original task was transporting the wounded, but later he got trained in first aid in the field and stretcher bearing. Not long after he passed the exams to receive his certificate, because he could understand some basic French, he was sent to France frequently to work as transport officers, and whenever he was back to London, he had air raid duty. That was when he began having nightmares sporadically, and occasionally he was scared to fall asleep. We both worked in shifts, so we didn’t see each other every day. I had no idea he either woke up frequently with night sweats or had trouble staying asleep, but it didn’t take me long to notice his unusual fatigue and extreme mood swings. His darkly handsome visage became gaunt and haggard.

Whenever I pressed him to explain, he brushed it off and chose not to tell me any of the symptoms resulting from his sleep disorder, including the mental issues he was dealing with. He was afraid I would ask him to return to Kenya, where his family and close relatives were. He said he wanted to stay in London with me until you showed up as promised, even though we had lost hope that we would ever see you again.

“Al, Jag had given you his relatives’ address before your departure, but weeks turned to months, and months turned to years…,” Kim lowers her head, her voice trailing off. “I didn’t write all that to make you feel bad, you know.”

“I understand,” Albert replies, his expression solemn. By then they have arrived near the lodge. After he parks, he gets out of the car to open the door for her. In her letter she also explained why she “lied” to him about her engagement with Jagdeep.

…The moment I recognized your face, I was overjoyed, and the subsequent hug we shared brought tears to my eyes. Al, I had been waiting for this day, so the entire experience had an oddly dreamlike quality. Yet, somewhere at the back of my head I heard a tiny voice, telling me that you were not the man I had missed. Everything about you was different, if not impeccable; even your formal business attire exhibited professionalism. You were still amazingly gorgeous, polite, and good-natured, but I must admit you were practically a stranger to me. I don’t know what came over me then… I didn’t mean to lie, but it felt so natural to “update” you that I was already engaged to Jag, like I had been telling everyone in the past few years. Perhaps it was because his tender eyes appeared in my mind at that very instant.

You were in raptures upon hearing my “good news”, Al, and right then, it was crystal clear to me that you don’t have any remnant feelings for me. Believe it or not, the same applied to me too. Yes, I had missed you a lot, but only because you were a special someone who had changed my life, not because I wanted to rekindle our relationship. I had long deduced that there was no going back between us, but I should thank Jag for pushing me to find you. Once you unveiled your true status to me, the mystery of why you had been overtly certain that I would sooner or later feel trapped being with you was unravelled.

I couldn’t agree more. The idea of being married to the president of a family business empire is utterly inconceivable. Remember I had been determined to stay single? Well… I had wavered from my intention when I had discovered my deep feelings for you. Yet, I haven’t told you that it was my parents who had inspired me to travel around the world as a nurse to help those in need, have I? When we meet again, I will gladly give you more details, provided that I have undivided attention from you and you’re not in a hurry to look for Candice White.

Just joking, Al. You should be aware that I’m no longer jealous of her, but the fact that you had come all the way to the orphanage yourself said a great deal about your relationship with her. Actions speak louder than words, right?

When we heard her emotionally hoarse voice, the way your features immediately contracted into a concerned frown could not be mistaken, and after that you could barely sit still during the ride whenever we were not talking. You said you would come back to see us off at the train station, but you did not. Al, admit it. Candice White is more than a friend to you… As much as you tried to act insouciant, I knew by the glint in your eye that there was something about her that tugged at your heartstrings. I could feel it in my bones. Seriously, if you had behaved like that in Kenya I would not have started a relationship with you.

If you insist she’s merely a very important friend, you’re in a state of denial. Like me… I’ve always told myself Jag is a very special friend. When I learned about his mental issues and suicidal attempts at long last, I was horrendously shaken. What if he had “succeeded”? I would have lost him forever. Only then I realized I had taken him for granted and might have developed emotional attachments for him. He was desperate to find you because he wanted to complete his mission, but I was afraid that once we successfully tracked you down, Jag would leave me. That thought paralyzed me, so much so that I was scared and terribly troubled. That was why I chose to take a “breather” — to be away from him so that I might find out if my feelings for him are simply attachments or something more.

The experience I had at the Red Cross had also transformed my mindset about what matters most in life, so I want to explore my options. Would I prefer to fulfill my dreams alone… or would I want to invite Jag? On the other hand, if he prefers to return to Kenya, would I like to go back with him? I don’t know… He might be a lot happier now that he could finally be free from bearing my burdens.

Before I wrap up, I’d like to share my real story with you, which I told Jag when we were in London. I wish I could tell you face to face and see your reactions, but oh well…

Both my grandfather and father were surgeons. Maybe medical prowess ran in the family? Yet, despite being the only son, my father abnegated the luxuries of life in New Jersey and headed to the underdeveloped regions in Latin America to provide medical care to the less fortunate. Within a month, he fell in love with my mother, one of the nurses he worked with. Because of shared aspirations, they soon got married, traveling from village to village.

Unfortunately, my father became very ill while working in Brazil, and my parents returned to North America, bringing me, a two-year-old, back to my mother’s hometown in Michigan. She suffered from prolonged depression following my father’s death, and her twin sister, my dear aunt, had been taking care of me since. Not long after my mother emerged from her depression, she vanished. In her letter to me she begged me to forgive her. She said I had inherited my father’s blond hair and hazel eyes, so being with me continuously brought back cherished memories of her times with my father. I was just a toddler then, oblivious to what was really going on. On my seventeenth birthday, my aunt showed me that letter and revealed to me that my mother had returned to the clinic in a suburb in Brazil. Unfortunately, she had also contracted some fatal disease months later. In her last letter to my aunt she said she couldn’t wait to reunite with her late husband, for she could not tolerate living without him anymore.

It’s shocking, isn’t it? Al, the “mother” I’ve been telling you about is actually my aunt. Her family is my family. Growing up with my cousins, I hadn’t thought about my birth parents much, but my aunt was very fond of them both, claiming that she had never seen any couple more in love with each other. My aunt said she wasn’t as lucky, because my uncle was far from being a loving husband. If my parents had not set up generous monthly instalments, my uncle would have kicked me out. I don’t like my uncle, and the feelings are mutual.

In fear of the possibility that my uncle would abandon me, my aunt had been secretly saving parts of my allowance over the years. Apart from that, I was the sole beneficiary of my father’s will. Only then I knew that I could lead a relatively comfortable life if I wanted to, but my parents’ story imbued me with a calling to follow their path. Encouraged by my aunt, I left her family and went to study in a nursing school. Two years later, I felt ready to embark on a life-long journey. I chose Kenya first because I wanted to venture into an unknown territory, where I could speak English and learn other natives’ languages. Moreover, I aimed to stay single because I loathed becoming lovesick like my mother. But Al, falling in love with you had turned me upside down. I presumed you had a similar goal like mine, and I could have settled in Kenya with you if that had been your wish. Yet, as days passed by, I could sense that you had been keeping secrets from me.

At any rate, I have no regrets. I’ll treasure my memories with you. Perhaps one day we will run into each other again, and with pride I can show you the places I have traveled to. Who knows? By then you might have tied the knot with Candice White.

Best wishes,

Kim

“Before we see Jagdeep, can we talk first, Kim?” asks Albert when they are heading towards the mountain lodge. He did not park too close so that he can have ample time to address the various topics in her letter — to talk about her birth parents and her feelings for Jagdeep, or to clarify her misunderstandings about Candy. They are all equally important to Albert.

“Certainly,” she agrees. “But first thing first, why is Candice White here, dressed in dark clothes like the others? Georges told me there was a memorial service.”

There’s no need to choose which subject to broach first anymore, so he utters in a tone as placid as possible, “Kim, Candy was adopted into the family. Her full name is Candice White Ardlay.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” she asks after a flabbergasted moment.

“Because I deemed that unnecessary,” he replies, shrugging in nonchalance.

Kim recalls Albert is the sole heir, and his father passed away years ago, so she questions, “Who adopted her? Your late father?”

He doesn’t expect that at all, and all of a sudden he’s loath to continue this topic, but she misinterprets his silence and adds with an understanding tone, “So… Candice White is your adopted sister, and that’s why you care so much about her… but wait!”

Something dawns on her, and she raises her eyebrows skeptically and remarks, her voice slightly challenging, “But you said she was your friend?”

He avoids her eyes and murmurs, “It’s more complicated than you can ever imagine, and it doesn’t matter who adopted her, does it?” That’s all he wants to say for now.

“Of course it does, because-”

“Ok,” he gives up, interrupting her. “I did.”

“You?” she echoes, half laughing out of sheer disbelief. “Are you kidding me, Al? You’re not even old enough to be her father!”

He shakes his head, gazing at her in all seriousness. When her incredulous frown is noticeably giving way to bewilderment, he explains, “There’s no adoption paper, but it was I who made the call to give her my family name. Nobody would object to my ultimate authority.”

It takes her a minute to digest this. “And when was that?” she asks, weakly.

“When she was thirteen,” he answers readily.

Kim does some calculation in her head, and then she reckons, “So you wrote to her while you were in Kenya.”

“No, that wasn’t the reason,” he replies after heaving a sigh of resignation. “Candy had no idea.”

“What do you mean?”

He looks down and mumbles under his breath, “It’s a long story.”

She grasps his reluctance and says in a hushed tone, “Right, what do I expect? You don’t have to explain, Mr. Ardlay.”

“No, Kim. I don’t mean that,” he protests, but as soon as their gaze meets, he looks away. He’s mortified, for some reason.

His discomfort is evident, so she softens her tone when she speaks, “I don’t need every detail.”

He gives her a languid nod, at the same time bringing her attention to the mountain lodge in front of them. “But let’s go say hi to Jagdeep first, shall we?”

When Georges was here earlier this afternoon, nobody answered the door when he knocked; it’s the same right now, so Kim gingerly turns the door knob and whispers “Jag?” after swinging the door open, in case he’s taking a nap. Not so surprisingly, not a soul is inside. The sun is hitting the horizon, so they are puzzled about where Jag could have gone.

It doesn’t take her long to discover that his belongings are absent as well, and she panics, “Jag has left!”

Then she sees that Albert has found a note next to her small flat box on the bedside table. She impatiently unfolds it to read.

Dearest Kimberly, at last, I had a talk with Albert yesterday, so it’s time for me to say goodbye. But if I had waited for you to return, I would not have had the courage to leave. Yes, I’ve always loved you.

Rest assured that I’m recovering, so don’t worry about me. I’ll contact you as soon as I have a chance. I obtained the mailing address of this villa from the helper today.

Jagdeep

P.S. Please inform Albert. He’ll understand, I know.

Albert can guess what the note is about when Kim drops it absentmindedly after reading. She feels a dreadful ache as if her heart is being torn, and without warning, she bursts out of the lodge. Albert instantaneously follows her out and hears her shout at the top of her lungs, “Jag—! How could you—? You coward!”

Her wail of anguish pierces Albert’s heart, as if he just gets jabbed by a knife; he feels her pain, but the predominant reason is that he remembers giving Candy a similar treatment many months ago when he disappeared into thin air, and he shudders at the thought. Coward? Maybe I was… Candy, did you bawl like this too?

Right then, he argues with his inner voice. Are you out of your mind? Why are you comparing Candy to Kim again?

Albert is so engrossed in his thoughts that he forgot to be attentive. He should at least let Kim cry on his shoulders. Nor does he notice someone else has been watching them. For the time being, his mind replays the scenes when Candy threw a tantrum at the solarium soon after she had discovered who he really was. It was atypical for her to speak to him in an aggressive tone, if not harsh, so much so that he felt that her reactions were overblown.

Presently, Kim collects herself and says to Albert, wiping her tears, “Sorry, Al. I shouldn’t waste time. Perhaps Jag is still in the premises.”

“Why do you think so?” asks Albert, clueless. She seems rather forlorn still.

“Right, you didn’t read Jag’s note,” she replies, pasting on a smile. She’d rather start searching than explain to him, but she changes her mind, “I have a feeling that Jag didn’t start packing until the helper left.”

Albert deduces, “So as not to rouse any unnecessary suspicion.”

She agrees by nodding. “I can manage from here, Al. You can go back to your family now.”

“No,” he refuses. It’s near dusk, and with the sky growing dark, he figures Archie must have left with Candy and her friends already. What’s more, he won’t let Kim search for Jagdeep alone in the woods. “Please let me help. I know where the lanterns-”

He pauses abruptly as he hears heavy footsteps approaching them. When he and Kim whirl around, Jagdeep appears out of nowhere, limping. Kim gasps but covers her mouth, fresh tears brimming her eyes. After giving Albert a courteous nod, Jagdeep says to his love, panting, “Kimberly…”

“Jag!” she cries. Swift as an arrow, she sprints towards him, and Albert drops his eyes at once. He respects their privacy, but that’s not the only reason. Kim’s action triggers Albert’s memory of the moment when Candy found him in the dark, where he was aimlessly wandering after leaving Room 0. The recollection of that eventful evening brings a lump to his throat. Yet, he suppresses his emotions and announces, “I’ll wait for you two in the lodge. Take your time.”

Once Albert steps inside, he picks up the note on the floor and places it back on the bedside table. He has no idea why Jagdeep returns or what causes him to limp, but what matters most is that Kim is joyously reunited with her fiancé, who must have perceived her true feelings by now.

(flashback ends)

“Granduncle William?” Candy attempts to wake Albert from his deep trance state. “Granduncle!”

Her concerned voice jolts him back to the present. When his eyes refocus on hers, she asks, scrutinizing his face, “Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m alright, Candy,” he responds, but he sounds tired and loosens his tie even more. As he slowly gets out of the car, she rephrases her first question to him, “So, what’s up? Why-”

“Am I not welcome?” he banters without waiting for her to finish.

She laughs, shaking her head, but she takes a couple of steps back nonetheless, which troubles him. Frowning, he starts, “Archie-”

At this moment, they hear someone open the front door. “Candy, what’s taking you so long?”

It’s Sister Lane’s voice, and before her face appears, she continues, “Is Mr. Ritchie still here?”

It’s unusual for someone visiting them at this time, so both Sister Lane and Miss Pony have this assumption. From inside, they heard the car engine’s low rumbling noise and also a man’s voice. Therefore, by the time Sister Lane sees who’s with Candy, her jaw drops. Then the visitor repeats, “Mr. Ritchie?”

Within seconds, he murmurs, facing Candy with incredulity, “Are they talking about Douglas Ritchie?”

That’s Wallace’s father’s name. Candy supposes Great Aunt Elroy has not yet apprised her nephew of the courtship, but before Candy can answer, Miss Pony shows up and hushes them, “Jimmy is reading the bedtime stories to the kids. Mr. Ardlay, would you like to come in for tea?”

“I’m sorry for the noise, Miss Pony and Sister Lane,” Albert responds in a subdued voice. “I intend to arrive at my family’s villa before midnight.”

“I see,” says Candy as she lowers her gaze, grappling with the conflicting feelings of disappointment and relief. She’s afraid her foster mothers can see through her, but Albert changes his mind at the last second, “But it’s rather rude not to accept Miss Pony’s kindness. Besides, I don’t mind stretching my legs a bit.”

Miss Pony smiles invitingly and says, “Please come in then, Mr. Ardlay.”

“Wait a minute please,” he stops her. “I bought something for the kids as my Christmas gift to them.”

He quickly goes to the back of the car, searching his luggage. When he returns holding a hardcover leatherbound book in his hands, he says with a rueful frown, “I wanted to present this in a gift box, but I didn’t have time, because I came here directly from the train station.”

“Look, Miss Pony! It’s brand new!” exclaims Sister Lane. As the two gingerly flip through the pages of the charmingly illustrated children’s book, titled “Hans Christian Andersen: Fairy Tales and Stories”, they can’t express their gratitude enough. Candy is intrigued too, but she remains at her spot like a spectator.

Then Albert remarks, “I read these stories as a boy and never grew tired of them. I hope the kids like reading as much as I do.”

“Oh yes!” Miss Pony utters with moisture in her eyes. Then Sister Lane utters, “We do have story books but a lot of them are torn or missing pages.” After that, Sister Lane turns to her partner, saying, “Miss Pony, let’s head back inside. I think Mr. Ardlay is waiting.”

But he asks for permission, “Before that, can I have a few minutes with Candy first?”

Candy’s mouth opens wide, her face filled with question marks. Then Miss Pony speaks to the young lady in their midst, emphasizing that he’s her benefactor. The girl grasps the hint and gives Miss Pony a solid nod. As soon as the two ladies are out of sight, Albert and Candy both start talking, and he guffaws in an attempt to disguise his embarrassment. He’s curious about “Mr. Ritchie”, but with a smile tugging at his lips and his eyes sparkling, he says, “After you.”

His smile is so dazzling that she has to steel herself, asking after averting her eyes, “Is Archie ok? Why are you driving his car, Granduncle William?”

It’s on the tip of his tongue to ask what is the matter with her tonight, but he manages to keep his displeasure at bay after counting from one to ten.

“Candy,” he begins. “Archie wanted to tell you he was sorry and urged me to come but did not give me any reasons. I have the impression that you might know why, am I right?”

This takes her by surprise, and he adds, “Besides, I want to apologize to you myself.”

This is even more astonishing; she starts to wonder whether there could possibly be any more astonishments left. Before she’s able to register any of these, he elaborates, “I’m sorry to have neglected you after the memorial service. If I had kept you close to my side, I would have accompanied you to my aunt’s room. Since that evening, I feel that she’s been avoiding me. When I returned to the villa after my friends had settled down…”

Candy tenses up and is barely able to conceal it. Did he say “friends”?

“… my aunt was sleeping. The next morning, before I hit the road going back to Chicago, she was still sound asleep. I was fully aware that her neuralgia had struck the night before, but it was out of ordinary that she needed to rest so much. I left a message with her maid, and I thought I would see her again before my business trip, but…”

Then Albert pauses to look at Candy, and she nods to encourage him to keep talking, so he continues, “In any case, I regretted my mistakes, Candy, and Archie’s inexplicable behaviour made me worry about you.”

She avoids his penetrating gaze and mumbles, “No worries now.”

“So what did my aunt want from you? Did she give you a hard time?”

She shakes her head from side to side before giving an exaggerated sigh. Then she turns sideways and replies, “Granduncle-”

“Candy,” he grumbles, unwilling to bottle up his frustration this time.

She’s experiencing a head-heart conflict right now. Even without looking at him, she knows that he’s vexed at her; his breathing patterns indicate that. However, her head insists she’s doing a great job, but her heart is telling her that she will regret it.

Yet, when Albert’s about to express himself, Kim’s voice comes back to him. Don’t ever underestimate my sixth sense…

He sighs inwardly, and a bitter smile flits over his lips as his last gathering with Kim and Jagdeep resurfaces in his mind. Kim, I’m afraid your intuition about Candy has led me astray…

Kim had been right about Jagdeep’s escape. When Georges arrived at the lodge after the memorial service, Jagdeep had just finished packing and left. He was more than halfway up the river bank when he found out he still had Kimberly’s key with him. It was the key to her treasure box that stored Poupe’s fur, so he must go back. He took the shortcut and sloshed through the creek. However, the downward slope was more slippery than usual, and when he almost reached the destination, he heard Kimberly’s voice. She was talking to Albert about Candice White, and when Jagdeep debated whether to show up, he accidentally slipped and badly sprained his ankle. Before long, he heard her lament and cry, which shocked him to the core.

That evening, the three friends were eating the leftover foods in the mountain lodge. Nothing was better than catching up with old friends; they talked a lot, including Kim’s childhood and what she had done during her absence. She had visited her dear aunt, talking to her about Jag. On her way back to Lakewood, Kimberly had found a temporary job in the neighborhood, believing Jag needed more time to heal.

Despite her best efforts, Kimberly failed to persuade Albert to accept any rental payment. Then she joked that she could give up only if Albert would open up about his feelings for Candice White. Much to her surprise, Albert relaxed considerably and began narrating his story with Candy in broad strokes, starting from the waterfall rescue until her decision to leave Chicago.

Once Jagdeep got the sense of it, he questioned, “So you have always regarded her as a friend, but now you’re torn between two roles, right?”

“No, Jag,” Kimberly spoke before Albert could address Jagdeep’s question. “Candice White was a friend but now she’s very special to Al,” she emphasized with exaggeration.

Then she turned to Albert, saying, “Seriously, Candice White might have been rather thrown off balance by your new role in her life, but she will eventually reconcile to the reality. It’s just a matter of time,” she finished with a knowing smile, because she herself was a living example to prove that time was a great healer.

Albert uttered, “You’re right. Candy and I are back on good terms now. She was willing to talk to me again on the day I ran into you, Kim.”

“That’s great,” she encouraged. “Thanks for keeping mum about me and Jag, but you know we’ve got nothing to hide, so feel free to tell, unless you don’t want to?”

She grinned at Albert after that, and when Jagdeep shook his head and sighed, she held his hand and insisted, “Can’t you see, Jag? Al needs to open his eyes.”

So Jagdeep solemnly asked his friend, “Albert, I suppose things must have changed between you and Candice White after living together for so long. Come to think of it, you are two sentient creatures, not pieces of furniture being put side by side.”

Albert turned mute for one minute before he confessed, “Yes, but my feelings for her are deep-rooted and nearly beyond reason. There’s no way I can describe how I feel in plain words, but one thing has remained unchanged. I can’t resist the urge to protect her.”

“Hence the adoption?” Kim murmured. Albert said, “Yes and no. It was an emergency situation.”

Then he continued, “I care about her from the bottom of my heart, and if there’s anything I can do to make her happy, I will not hesitate. However, I’ve been like that since the very beginning. When I lost all my memories and began living with her as her brother, I wanted to be there for her whenever she needed me. Quite frankly, I don’t know if that’s equivalent to love.”

Before Jagdeep or Kimberly could react, Albert pulled himself up to his full height and bade them good night. “I must go back now.”

Then he promised to send them telegrams during his business trip to arrange another gathering around Christmas. “Jagdeep, please stay as long as you need to fully recover,” he offered, and Kimberly thanked him again for his generosity before she said, “Al, may I walk to the car with you?”

But he gently declined, “Stay with Jagdeep, Kim. I know this area by heart, so I’ll be fine.”

As a matter of fact, Albert felt exhausted and wanted to be alone, but she asked, “Can you give me five more minutes, only me and you?”

Jagdeep volunteered to step out, but she said, “No, Jag. We will be talking outside.”

When the two were within a stone’s throw from the lodge, Kim spoke up, “I mulled over your story and found something counterintuitive.”

“Care to elaborate?” Albert asked with a chuckle.

“You wanted to help her ex by luring Candice White to that tiny town, but you were the bait.”

Albert could not deny, and she added, “What if your trick failed? Did you have a backup plan?”

“Of course,” he mumbled. “I had plan B.”

She stared at him for two seconds before she inferred, “Did you try to prove something with your original plan?”

A bitter chuckle emitted from his lips before he said, “It was more like I wanted to refute.”

She didn’t understand what he meant but asked anyway, “So did the outcome shed any light on the matter?”

“Nothing conclusive,” he answered thoughtfully. “All I can say is that her resolve to break up with her ex had not weakened.”

“That’s it?” she asked with her eyebrows lifted. When he nodded, she added, “Regardless of how you reached that point, Candice White had taken the bait, so there must be more to her action than met the eye. What do you think?”

He dodged her question, “Kim, Candy will always hold an important place in my heart, considering that she’s saved my life, but no matter how one looks at it, I’m her benefactor. Back then, with the best of intentions, I gave her my family name and the privileges that came with that. Little did I foresee that I would regret years later.”

“Regret?”

He took a deep breath and continued without answering her, “Even if I could conveniently sidestep this predicament, there are people who harbour suspicions about my motives-”

She cut him off, “Since when do you care about the gossip?”

“It’s not just about me, Kim,” Albert reasoned with a weary expression, rubbing his temples with his fingers. When she got the idea, he added, “I have tainted Candy’s reputation enough.”

“What if she doesn’t care either?” she argued.

He raised his eyes to the dark sky. When I accepted Candy’s proposal, the sky back then was star-studded like this too. I was convinced she could give me the emotional support that I desperately needed, because she was able to lift my spirits, rain or shine. That was the turning point in my life. Indeed, she did not fret about people talking behind her back, even after she had been fired by Dr. Leonard. But Kim, Candy’s previous love interests were all in her age group…

As though Kim heard his internal dialogue, she said, “Before I forget, I have another question. Didn’t you tell me you had first met her when she was merely a child? That’s how I remember Pony’s Home.”

“You have an exceptional memory, Kim,” Albert replied, struck by her ability to recall details. Pony’s Hill… Prince on the Hill…

But he drove that thought aside and questioned, “Why are you doing all this? You don’t even know Candy.”

She perceived he was clearly indisposed to divulge any more details.

“Fine, I’ll leave you alone.”

She managed a hurt tone, and she turned on her heel and walked away.

“Hold it!”

She ignored him and kept pacing towards the lodge, but he caught her up with a few strides. The way she frowned at him reminded him of Candy’s initial reaction in the solarium, and yet he said, “It’s not as simple as you think — there are many small impediments that intertwine together.”

Without pausing for breath he proceeded to add, “The last thing I want is to do anything detrimental to my friendship with Candy or scare her away again.”

He said in such a rush as if he wanted to vent, but she retorted, “So your friendship is on shaky ground?”

“No, but I do have a few qualms. Any wrong move seems fraught with permanent consequences.”

“So you think she’s not worth the risk?”

He froze, and when the forest around them rustled, she softened and explained with a compassionate expression, “I still care about you, Al. Besides, Candice White was the one who led me to you after all these years. I should thank her… By the way, that evening when you found her up on the hill, did you ask her whether she had seen me with you earlier that afternoon?”

He shook his head and chuckled, saying, “I didn’t mention anything about you, remember?”

“Right…” Then she challenged him with a smirk, “I dare you to talk to her about my letter to her.”

He was watching her, as if considering what she said; he himself had found it odd that so far Candy had not mentioned a word about Kim or her visit to the orphanage, as though this had never taken place.

So he said, “I suppose bringing this up should do no apparent harm to my friendship with Candy.”

“Glad to be of help,” she commented with a simper.

“Wait… what?!”

She remarked, “Don’t ever underestimate my sixth sense, unless…”

She deliberately paused, rolling her eyes.

“Unless…?” he repeated, slightly impatient with the suspense.

With a brisk laugh and a shake of her head, she stated, “Don’t lie to yourself… unless you’re one of those people who don’t know what to do with the truth.”

At that, he was nonplussed, and she said with a wink, “Anyway, have a safe trip! See you again around Christmas, with good news I hope.”

As she resumed walking, his voice came from behind her, “But can you explain…”

She slowed down and waited for him to continue.

“Why do I feel different when I’m with her than when I was with you?”

With a shrug of the shoulders, Kim answered, “Perhaps you have too much emotional baggage involved that you find yourself under tangible constraints. That being said, the issue really boils down to whether you love Candice White or not.”

It was then Jagdeep opened the door for her, and she turned her head over her shoulder and said, “Maybe you can ask yourself this question. If she tells you one day that she falls in love again, would you rejoice at the news wholeheartedly?”

After that, she went inside with Jagdeep, leaving Albert in the dark with a lantern in his hand.

Following this eye-opening experience, Albert began to notice a disquieting change in how he assessed his feelings for Candy. He might have a real blind spot when it came to his intricate relationship with her.

There was another lingering side effect of his latest interactions with Kim. He couldn’t help envisioning his future that involved Candy. However, whenever he entertained the notion that she might be the lifelong partner he had been waiting for, his thought process simultaneously got bogged down with discouraging counterarguments in his head, especially when he was in New York. Posters of Terry posing in costume as Hamlet could be seen in many places, but what appeared in Albert’s mind was Candy’s dejected expression. She had been remarkably resilient since the breakup, but from time to time, she sought her roommate for consolation by leaning her petite frame against him. She completely trusted her roommate as a friend, but only as a friend, nothing more. Candy had never misled him; she had wanted to take care of him as her way to repay his kindness to her, because he’d rescued her once.

To be fair, he did notice that she appeared more self-conscious than before, judging from their recent interactions, but he suspected the reason could be none other than his formidable identity; he was not the vagabond whom she was more comfortable with. This was why Albert cared more about mediating the indisputable tension between them, and near the end of the business trip, he made up his mind. He would confide in Candy about his past with Kim, when circumstances permitted, not entirely because he wanted to test the waters as Kim had suggested, but because he wanted them to have a relationship built on trust. Making known his vulnerable side could be a crucial step to help Candy feel at ease with him again.

Above all, Albert had a strong desire to relate Terry’s tremendous success to Candy, hoping she would be elated to hear his first-hand account, but instead of writing to her during the trip as he had initially planned, he bought her a present and intended to drop by the orphanage before Christmas. He would love to see her smile, a smile that would light up the room, and his visit would hopefully be a pleasant surprise to her.

But now, Candy’s peculiar attitude has dampened Albert’s enthusiasm. Then a woman’s voice cuts through his train of thought, “Candy?”

It’s Miss Pony, who approaches them, carrying a thick coat in her hands. “It’s getting late, Mr. Ardlay. The cape, Mr. Ritchie’s gift, is probably not warm enough.”

Albert looks stunned, echoing, “Mr. Ritchie’s gift?”

While he’s staring wide-eyed at the red cape, he’s suddenly able to visualise the whole picture after connecting the dots: his aunt’s hidden agenda, Archie’s urgent plea and Mr. Douglas Ritchie’s sons, the young accomplished men whom Albert has heard of but never met. No wonder Candy keeps using my customary title tonight…

The moment a hint of enlightenment sits on his brow, Candy spins around and starts heading towards the entrance. She dreads the possible reactions from Albert. What if he gives his blessing to the courtship? I don’t want to deal with it now, not when I’m unprepared.

Yet, she’s in such a scurry that she loses her footing on the snow. When she gives a high-pitched yelp, Miss Pony blurts out, “Candy!”

But Albert boldly steps forward and wraps his strong arm behind her back to break her fall; the moment her hood drops off her head, exposing a cascade of blond curls, she freezes in bewilderment, staring at the man leaning forward to catch her weight. As their eyes lock, their breaths puff like clouds in the cold air, and time seems to stand still.

For a split second he’s mesmerized by the emerald eyes that stare so intently into his own. There seems to be a warm, red glow in her face that captivates him as well.

Although she resolves to forget him, she finds herself helplessly gazing at a pair of splendid blue eyes. He does appear fatigued, but that does not diminish his handsome looks.

But he forces himself to avert his gaze and carefully assists her to regain her feet. Little does she know that his mind is currently in a tumult of emotions. He finally comes to terms with Kim about the essence of his feelings for Candy. He’s fallen for the kind nurse without knowing when or how it happened, but the fact that she’s wearing the gift from a certain Mr. Ritchie speaks volumes.

Candy is an attractive lady of marriageable age. Who am I to hinder her pursuit of happiness? What’s worse, because I’m her benefactor, she may feel obligated to reciprocate… and I’ll hate myself for doing this to her.

Meanwhile, being engulfed by his proximity, she’s unconsciously holding her breath. She doesn’t remember when the last time they were this close was. The next thing she knows, he loosens his grip and moves behind her, whispering, “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

This is all Albert can manage to say without betraying his own feelings. He reckons this is possibly his last chance to smother her in a hug, but to preserve his sanity, he summons the willpower required to take a couple of steps backwards.

She has no doubt that he has misconstrued the situation, which may be of benefit to her; this is what her head is telling her, but her heart is yelling a resounding “No!”. She warns herself not to follow her heart, so she bites her lip and swallows the tears that threaten to spill.

His heart sinks when he sees her acknowledge by nodding; any fleeting glimmers of hope that he may be a potential love interest to her are dashed. In other words, it’s nothing more than wishful thinking on his part. When Miss Pony puts the thick coat on Candy, Albert hastily composes himself and speaks up after clearing his throat, “Miss Pony, I’d better get moving. I still have a long way to drive.”

He can’t let Candy see his present for her anymore, because it’s now awkward for Granduncle William to give her such things. “So, good night, Miss Pony.”

After the old lady responds, he says aloud, “Good night, Candy.”

He’s hoping she will turn around to face him, but she does not, nor does she say anything in return. If only he could see the pained expression on her face.

It comes as no surprise to Candy that Albert has to leave. He only meant to drop by anyway, but she misses him already. After tonight, she has a hunch he may not come back to visit her again until some time next year; overcome by sadness, more tears are rising in her eyes, and she can no longer hold them back, even when Miss Pony is watching.

Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Albert heads back to Archie’s car with heavy tread. As he’s reaching for the car door handle, Candy’s voice fills the air, “Don’t go yet! I have something to show you!”

Her voice is thick and emotional. But why? Is she crying?

When he pivots on his heel expectantly, only Miss Pony is there. Candy has disappeared.

(to be continued…)

=o=o=o=

Writer’s note:

Thanks for reading and bearing with me! The pandemic is not over yet, but in some places, including where I live, have lifted the restrictions. Wearing masks is no longer mandatory, but please continue to stay safe and take care, my friends!

p.s. FYI, Fay has kindly translated Keiko Nagita’s preface to Daddy Long Legs published by Arechi Manga.