THE BROKEN HEARTS

Chapter 1: "My sister, my friend, my twin..."

Her head was heavy, it was hurting her. She looked out the window and she saw the day was finally up. It had seemed to her like the night was eternal and that the day would never come. Seconds seemed like hours. Annie Brighton was up; her eyes were swollen and red.

The day was up, the day was finally there...The day they were going to bury Candy for good.

Annie got up, took a shower and she looked for a black dress and a black hat to go bury her sister.

"Annie, this is a kiss from your mommy, said Candy kissing her on the cheek"

Annie started to cry. Candy had done everything for so she wouldn't feel the urge to be adopted, but she had betrayed her by abandoning her, by getting adopted. Candy never held it against her, since she was happy with her new parents. Candy always wanted what's best for her.

"Oh Candy! I miss you so much" She thought

She looked in the mirror and she saw that her eyes were swollen. She took black glasses and she put them on to hide her eyes.

She went downstairs and she found her parents ready to go to the cemetery.

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* *

Archie arrived at the cemetery and he was still wondering how he managed to get ready to be there. He wanted to sleep and never wake up again. He had already lost his beloved brother and now, he had lost the woman he loves for good...

Albert was at the cemetery with his nephew. They were not saying a word. The rest of the family was also there and a lot of people that Albert didn't know... The Pony Home was also there and Candy's colleagues from the hospital, her superiors; Miss Mary-Jane, Professor Leonard.

Annie arrived at the cemetery with her parents and she went to sit next to Aunt Elroy. Archie didn't even look at her.

Patricia had also come for her friend's burial. She couldn't stop crying.

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* *

Terrence Grandchester arrived at the cemetery with his lady companion in her wheelchair which their driver they hired when they got to Chicago, was pushing. Eleonor Baker was also there, very elegant in her designer black dress. Her up do was impeccable and her little black hat with a little veil was very chic.

There were also reporters and photographs. The news of Candice White Andrew's death made front page news. The adoptive daughter of billionaire William Albert Andrew was known for her work at the hospital and her charity work, for being a philanthropist. By going to the war, she had surprised everybody. Her death during the war had saddened so many people.

The sky was cloudy during the ceremony and it started to rain. It was like the sky was also weeping Candy's death. Annie couldn't stop crying. When the ceremony was over, the rain stopped falling and the sun started to shine.

"Oh Candy! The sun came out to say goodbye to you" Thought Annie

Terry was thinking.

"Freckles, my love, the sun which had given you that beautiful present, comes out to say goodbye to you" He thought

Everybody stood up to put a flower on Candy's casket.

- Goodbye little one, said Albert

- Goodbye Candy, said Archie

- Goodbye my love, said Terry

Susanna was heartbroken when she heard that.

- Goodbye, my sister, my friend, my twin, said Annie crying

She almost fell and she would've if Terry hadn't caught her. Annie was in Terry's arms, hold on to him like a leech. She needed comfort. Terry held her against him.

The others were too sad to realise anything. Annie and Terry didn't even realised what they were doing either.

When the casket was going down, the cries became louder and louder.

- Candy, Candy! Don't leave me! Candy, please! Don't leave me!!!

- Candy! Said Annie, oh Candy, you're going to miss me... don't leave me! I'm lost without you! Candy! NO!!!

Annie wanted to run to the casket, and Terry held her back and she put her arms around his neck and she cried against him. They were both crying.

Susanna was furious. Terry was making a spectacle of himself in front of everybody with that girl who couldn't stop crying. Candy's sister! She didn't know that Candy had a sister! And she was holding on to Terry...

After the ceremony, everybody was at Albert's at the manor. Annie was in Candy's room with Patricia lying on the bed crying. Terry and the others were in the living room. Susanna was in her wheelchair next to Terry.

- Can we go now? She asked Terry

- Susanna, please, don't piss me off today!

He stood up to go for walk in the garden. Susanna blushed and Eleonor went to sit next to her.

- What are you doing here? Asked Eleonor

- I came with Terry...

- To the funeral of the woman he loves?

- I wanted to be there too; Candy left me Terry

- Yes and if she hadn't done it, maybe she wouldn't have gone to die at the war!

- It's not my fault!

- Whose fault is it then?

- I saved Terry's life...

- Yes, and now Candy is dead because she wasn't with Terry

- What are you insinuating

- Nothing. I'm just making conversation... but you should've stayed home...

Eleonor stood up and left. Susanna had a bad feeling. Candy's death had completely changed Terry. He didn't even talk to her anymore, he came back late. She knew he spent the night with cheap little actresses. Candy dead was more lethal than Candy alive somewhere...

Annie was with Patricia in Candy's room.

- We have to go downstairs, said Patricia

- Yes, said Annie wiping her tears

- Archie must be looking for you...

- I don't think so... ever since we got the news of Candy's death, Archie stopped talking to me

- But you're engaged!

- For him it doesn't mean anything, believe-me!

- I'm sorry Annie

- I love him so much... I know that Candy had asked him to look after me... it's the only reason he's with me...

- It's going to be fine Annie said Patricia hugging her

The two young ladies went downstairs to join the others. The house was full... Who knew Candy knew so many people?

Archie was talking to Albert. He saw Annie from afar with Patricia.

- Excuse me uncle, I have to speak to Annie...

Archie left Albert and he walked to Annie.

- Can you come with me in the study? Said Archie walking towards it

Just like that, with no warning and he hadn't spoken to her ever since they got Candy's news about her death... Annie looked at Patty and followed her fiancé to Albert's study. She closed the door behind her. The study was big with book shelves, full of all sorts of books: a place of dream for those who love to read.

Archie, in his black suit was very attractive. Annie always melted in front of him; he was the man of her dreams. But at that moment, se knew that the man of her dreams was not going to make her dream...

- I wanted to tell you that... I don't want to be your fiancé anymore...I want to break up... it's over

Annie felt like her whole world had already crumbled with her sister's death, was falling further down...

- You...you want to break up? Today, the day I buried my sister and best friend? Ever since we got the news of her death, you didn't even speak to me! She was my sister! And finally you come to speak to me to dump me? I never thought you'd be so cruel, Archie...

- Listen, it's over, ok?! I don't have to pretend anymore! I don't love you! I loved Candy! She asked me to take care of you... because you couldn't stand that I declare my love for her! You were just a selfish brat who only thought about herself, without caring about what I was feeling! I loved Candy, not you! I've never loved you! I had to force myself to kiss you and I had to imagine Candy in your place!

- You could've chosen another moment to tell me that, don't you think so? How could you be so cruel? On Candy's funeral?

- She was the woman I love! I would've done anything for her, even be with a woman I don't love just to make her happy! But now, she's not here anymore, I don't need to pretend to be with you! You disgust me!

Archie got a big slap. Annie hit him so hard his cheek was red with her hand mark...

- You stupid coward! You didn't have enough guts to tell Candy that you didn't want me and now you're punishing me because Candy is dead? She must me be really proud of you at this moment! You're a disgusting human being and now I'm wondering what did I ever saw in you! I don't need your pity! I deserve a man who loves me for me, not one who is forced to just to please his beloved!

She took her engagement ring off and she threw it to his face.

- Fuck off Archibald! Candy would be very proud of you!!!
Annie got out of the study with tears in her eyes. She walked to the door. Patricia followed her.

- Annie? What's wrong? What did Archie want?

- What do you think? Said Annie in tears

- He broke up with you? Today? The day of Candy's funeral?

- He never loved me! He finally told me the whole truth...I disgust him Patty; he had to thing about Candy to kiss me... if that!

- I'm sorry Annie, said Patty

- No, it's my fault... I behaved like a spoiled brat. I wanted Archie and nothing else mattered... I was jealous of Candy because I saw that Archie liked her, he even asked me to be nice to Candy since she was an orphan... Anyway, it doesn't matter! There are worst thing in life right? Like loosing my sister and best friend

Annie continued crying on her way back home. She went to lock herself in her room.