THE BROKEN HEARTS

Chapter 4: "The making of the costumes"

By Bridget25 

It was the first time that Terry spent a platonic night with a girl. As a matter of fact, after taking Annie to his place last night, they had discussed of all and nothing for hours, sitting on the luxurious couch in the living room. The poor young lady ended up falling asleep on the couch, her head falling on the young man's shoulder. Not bothered at all by that moment, he let himself think for a while, and then he fell asleep, his face resting on the ebony black hair of the young lady.

In his sleep, he saw himself in the middle of a battlefield in France, in torment of the devastation of the war, he saw her, white, courageous, running, daring, without ever losing the focus of her work; save lives. She was shining like an angel in hell, avoiding every bullet which narrowly missed her, until she saw him. She abruptly stopped running; she stayed frozen on the spot, looking at him without understanding why he was there. She even scorned him for abandoning Susanna to come in the middle of this horror. He was so impatient to hug her hard, he yelled that Susanna wasn't part of his life anymore, that he only wanted her and he wanted to put her out of danger. But Candy was staying put, looking at him endlessly. She ended up running to him, but not in a happy way, like for a reunion, her emerald green eyes were showing an endless fear. Terry didn't understand, she was yelling something to him he couldn't hear, so he stayed put, waiting for her to be closer, to find out what she wanted him to know. And when she was close enough, he could see her getting hit by a stray bullet in the heart. His cardiac rhythm started racing and his temples were hurting. He was suddenly startled and he opened his eyes reaching out with his arms into nothing and yelling:

- CANDY!!!

Annie found herself thrown on the floor and the awakening was painful when on her knees she was rubbing her back. Terry was looking around him... he had a dream... But it seemed so real. He put his hand on his face and shook his head. The noise, even though discreet that was making Annie trying to stand up, brought him back to reality. He saw the young woman on the floor and he went to her quickly, he gave her his hand to help her stand up. Annie accepted his hand smiling and she sat back down on the couch. The young actor was confused and he apologised to the young woman who was fixing her hair.

- I'm ok Terry, don't worry. But what the hell happened?

- I... I had a nightmare.

- A nightmare? You get that a lot?

- Every night ever since Candy died.

- Oh..., she said sadly. Ok, in the future, I'll make sure I don't fall asleep near you, it's dangerous!

- I'm honestly sorry Annie

- I was kidding Terry, everything is fine.

Annie stood up and left the living room to go and change in her bedroom. Once she locked herself in the room, she ran to the bathroom to put cold water on her face. Why did she fall asleep and woken up near Terry on the couch? That was nonsense; she had nothing to do here. And... what was that smell on her? She smelled the front of her dress and she opened her eyes...

"Terry's perfume, my dress smells like Terry's perfume! Good job Annie!"

Instead of changing clothes, Annie went under the shower and she washed herself thoroughly. Her hair, her hands, her face... Everything smelt like Terry, she has the impression that the scent was going away, that it was stuck to her. However, the soap should get rid of it, but the smell was persisting hard. She finally got out of there, wiping herself, her towel drying her hair still soaked with the cold water and it made her shiver a little. She then opened her suitcase and got the blue dress out, very simple cut. Then she tied her long black hair with a ribbon and she put on white shoes.

When she appeared in the dining room, the table was full of food for breakfast. The young actor was drinking his black coffee and reading the newspaper.

She approached the table slowly so she wouldn't disturb him, but he sees her and gives her a wonderful smile. He stands up, as a well educated man he was, he stood up and pulled her a chair. Annie blushed under so much attention and had a seat. No man has ever had that effect on her to that point. Archibald, who had pretended to be her fiancé, left her alone to manage every time. When was the last time he pulled the chair for her again? At St. Paul, to look good in front of Candy. Right? It didn't matter now. That lout had humiliated her and dump her like one of his numerous silk shirts he didn't want anymore.

She stretched her hand to serve herself a cup of tea, but Terry was faster than her and he did it for her. She looked at him smiling and sipping the hot beverage. She was very silent, which pleased the actor. He was used to talking all the time as soon as dawn, with Susanna. A real chatterbox, she couldn't stop talking the words where flying to fast. How many times had he asked her to shut up because she gave him a migraine in the morning? No, Annie only sounds were from the little spoon of her teacup, when she stirred her tea after adding a couple of sugar.

Terry put the paper at the corner of the table and looked at Annie. He had a questioning look on her. Did she have a pimple on her nose? Why was he looking at her like that, all of a sudden?

He opened his mouth and asked from his deep and calm voice:

- Did you plan to do anything today?

- Oh... yes, I'm going to for a job in the paper

- A job?

- Are you shocked?

- No, you told me that you came here to change

- Indeed

- Annie... How come a little rich girl like you, find herself here with nothing?

- I ran away

- Ran away? You ran away? Your parents and your dandy fiancé must be worried sick

Annie burst out laughing... Dandy fiancé? Now that she thought about it, it's true; Archie was everything except masculine and powerful. Terry smiled at her but he didn't understand her reaction. She wiped her eyes and said:

- No...Nobody is worried about me.

- You mean they all agree for you to come here?

- Not at all.

- What is Cornwell thinking?

At that name, the young woman face darken, her interlocutor, didn't miss that. Annie took a deep breath before she replied:

- You have to know that Archie is the last person who'd care about me

- But, aren't you two engaged to be married?

- "Was" would be a more appropriate tense to use

- I don't follow

- My dear fiancé had the very bad taste to dump me on Candy's burial day.

- WHAT?

- He grabbed me and took me to another room, there he unjustly accused me of being responsible of the death of his "immortal beloved". He had always loved Candy and if I hadn't interrupted this love declaration in St. Paul, she would've been with him today and wouldn't have died in France. He said I was selfish and made it clear to me that if he was with me, it was only because Candy had asked him to take care of me. Not that was had passed away, he had no reason to continue this horrible comedy. So he broke up with me on the day we buried my sister.

- What a fuckhead...oh I beg your pardon, Annie.

- No Terry... you're right, Archibald is a fuckhead, he was cruel with me and I will never forgive him for that.

- How did you react, when he told you all that?

- I hit someone for the first time in my life.

Terry was stunned... Annie slapped Cornwell? How could such a sweet young lady do something like that? Oh... you have to admit with what he had told her, any woman would've reacted the same way.

Terry burst out laughing, putting his hand on his face. He hadn't laughed like that in a very long time. He was imagining the stunned face of his eternal rival, at the moment Annie slapped him.

Yes, rival, because Cornwell had always shown a lot of antipathy towards him... But Terry had won Candy's heart, something that imbecile dandy never managed to do. It had been his biggest victory and he was proud of it.
Annie was looking at him laugh and she ended up smiling herself. It was nice to feel free to do whatever you want when you want. She had never laughed without a particular reason. She was used to ask her mother permission just to breathe.

When Terry calmed down, he asked Annie what she wanted to do now:

- Well, I came to New York without my mother's consent. She cut me off and my savings are almost done. I must work to earn a living on my own now.

- Listen Annie, I'm ready to help you, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me. I'm your friend and you can always count on me. I'm certain you're going to make it.

- Thank you Terry. It's good to have someone encouraging me.

- I know what you're feeling. I went through that when I left St. Paul. But now you see, I managed to make it and you'll manage too. I had my mother near me, and you have me, ok?

- Thank you so much Terry.

- In the meantime, stay here with me. I don't want you anywhere else. Especially alone. I like your company and I'll be happy to find you home when I come back.

- We sound like a couple... ,said Annie

She immediately blushed...

"Are you mad Annie? How could you say something like that?"

She looked down, apologising for her last worlds, but Terry said:

- Yes, like a couple

- I beg your pardon?

- I intend to become a man alive Annie. I want you, from now on, to be my date for every reception, every premiere... I want you to be present for all my nightly activities.

- Let me guess... It's a way for you to keep your over-zealous fans, who take you for granted, far away, right?

- Indeed. Some of them are very sticky , starting with Karen Kleis

- Oh, I know her, wasn't she the one who planed Juliet with you?

- Yes. When Candy and I broke up, she first listen to me whine and then she ended up in my bed. Since then she's worst than white on rice with me. She won't let me go and she's telling everybody that we're together. But as you can see, I live alone and I don't want anybody in my life.

- I'm ready to help you with that, even with pleasure.

- Thank you Annie.

- Good. I'm going to look at the paper for my job search. Are you going to the theatre?

- Yes, I'm going to leave in a few minutes. Here are the keys of the house, you go where you want, my driver is at your disposal

- That's very nice of you, but I'd like to manage on my own

- You do what you want, but if you want to use the car, it's at your disposal after I'm off to the theatre.

- All right.

- Have a good day Annie.

- You too.

Terry left the house to go to work. Annie stayed alone and went to sit on the couch with the paper. She started looking at the ads, but aside from housekeeping jobs, or very specific jobs, she found nothing in her field. She decided to go for a walk in town and to go find a job in person in those big names boutiques. Maybe she'll be lucky doing it that way.