SERENDIPITY

Chapter 5 "Come what may..."

Candy and Patty went back to the Waldorf-Astoria. They were walking towards the elevators, when they met a group of people who were coming out... There was a woman and Patty recognized her:

- Susanna?

- Patricia! Oh my God!

The two women hugged laughing.

- Candy, can you believe I was Susanna's counsellor in college, isn't it funny?

- Yes, said Susanna laughing.

- Oh, I'm sorry. Let me introduce you to Candy, said Patricia showing her friend.

- Good evening, said Susanna smiling, pleased to meet you.

- Good evening, said Candy, pleased to meet you too.

- Oh my God! It's must have been like eight of nine years or something, said Patty

Susanna turned around towards her parents.

- Patty and were in college together.

- Really ? That's wonderful! Said the mother smiling.

- So, what are you doing here? Asked Patty.

- I'm getting married tomorrow, said Susanna smiling.

- Tomorrow? Said Patty.

- Yes!

- Ah! Congratulations! Wow! Wow!

- Congratulations, said Candy smiling.

- Thank you said Susanna's parents.

- In this hotel? Asked Patty.

- Yes at noon. We're going to the rehearsal dinner. Why don't you come with us? Come and see...

- Really?

Candy turned to her friend.

- You can go, you know...

- All right, said Patty.

- You can bring your...partner if you want, said Susanna

Patricia opened her mouth and looked at Candy and they both burst out laughing.

- Oh, said Candy.

- No, said Patty, she...

- No, said Candy, I have to go to our room to call my fiancé who is a man!

Susanna's parents started laughing.

- You must be very proud, said Mrs. Marlowe.

- Yes, Patty, see you later, said Candy getting in the elevator.

- Ok, bye my sweet lesbian love! I'm kidding! It's a joke among us, said Patty laughing

She followed Susanna and her parents. Susanna took her hand smiling.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Meanwhile, Candy got to her floor and she saw a shade from afar near her door. Someone was lying on the floor.

- Tom? She said surprised

He moved and sat down, he looked tired.

- What are you doing here? How did you know where I was?

- Intuition, he replied.

- Really? Said Candy softly touched.

- No, said Tom, I looked at the list of hotels in New York, by reverse alphabetical order, starting by the end... which was easy. I missed you so much.

Candy approached him and sat on the carpet with next to him.

- I'm sorry, I don't blame you for running away. I was so concentrated on the album and the tour...

- No, said Candy feeling guilty, why don't we go inside the room?

oOoOoOoOoOo

The wedding rehearsal was happening. Terry was there, without being sure he wanted to be there. Susanna was smiling, so were her parents. Did he have the right to disappoint all those people? He forced a smile. He looked and he saw everybody was where they should be and he saw Patty sitting behind.

- Susanna?

- Yes?

- Who is that girl sitting over there?

- Oh, it's Patty, one of my old friend that I met by chance...

Patty saw that Terry and Susanna were looking at her, she smiled and did a hand sign. Terry smiled with his lips and gave her a hand sign too.

The wedding planner then declared:

- It's over! Everything is fine. Be sure to be here tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock sharp for the pictures.

Everybody started leaving and Charlie approached Terry.

- Buddy, I'm sorry to rush you, but we have half a dozen of strippers waiting for us...

- You mean exotic dancers? Said Susanna.

- No, real strippers, insisted Charlie.

Terry's father approached them to say:

- Gentlemen, I'll see you at 9 pm, I promised Eleonor that I'll be home by 10 pm.

- Fantastic, said Charlie shaking his hand, that gives you an hour to go crazy.

Terry shook his hand saying:

- See you later, he said

- See you tomorrow Terry, said his mother kissing him on the cheek

- Shall we go, said Charlie to Terry

- Charlie, said Susanna, before you go and have fun, according the tradition, can I talk to Terry for a little while?

- All right, said Charlie, I'll be waiting in the car, buddy!

He kissed Susanna on the cheek.

- You're beautiful, future bride...

Patty has also approached them, smiling.

- Hi, she said.

- Hi, said Susanna I wanted to introduce you to Terrence

- Good evening, said Patty smiling, pleased to meet you...

And she shook Terry's hand who replied:

- Likewise.

- I'd like you to come tomorrow, said Susanna

- Oh...

- We would feel bad if you don't come, said Susanna

- Really? Said Patricia.

- Yes, said Terrence.

- That's very nice of you. Tomorrow at noon?

- Yes, said Susanna, and you can bring your friend too, if you want.

- Wow! Ok, said Patty, I'll come!

Then she shook Susanna's hand saying:

- Thank you very much, that's really nice of you.

And she turned to Terry to say:

- Thank you very much, I'm happy to have met you! Bye, see you tomorrow, she added smiling

She left the room leaving the future bride and groom alone. Terry noticed Susanna was sad.

- Honey? What's going on? Is something wrong?

- Yes, you...

- What do you mean by me? What did I do?

- Nothing! That's just it! It's just have the feeling that you're elsewhere since a few days ago...

- That's not true, tried Terry.

- Don't lie to me Terrence. I had dreamt my whole life for this day; I imagined the dress, the flowers even the music the orchestra was going to play... and... Everything is exactly like I want it to be, except for one thing; my fiancé has decided to go to an imaginary country!

- Listen, said Terrence, maybe since a few days, I've had my mind elsewhere, but that's normal. It's a guy thing... I got the jitters a little... it doesn't mean that I don't love you...

- Well, call me crazy if you want but I would like my fiancé not to have the jitters especially when he's about to marry me in a few hours!

There was a little silence.

- I'm sorry Susanna, said Terry, I'm very sorry.

- Whatever it is you're hanging on to, please, let it go...

Terry approached her and hugged her. He had given up everything for her...

- I'm begging you, said Susanna insisting

He wanted to leave, but she stopped him and she took something on one of the chair next to her.

- Wait, wait...

She gave him a gift.

- What is it?

- What do you think? It's a tradition among the bride and groom.

Terry felt bad.

- I also bought you a gift and I forgot to bring it with me...

- I know, it's ok... open it!

Terry obeyed, he opened the gift and he discovered the book... "Romeo and Juliette"! He couldn't believe his eyes!

- It's the first edition, said Susanna, I had noticed that every time we were in a second hand bookstore, you would always go through a copy... I went this week and there was only one copy...

Terry looked at the book, like in a dream, incapable of saying a word. He opened it... and he saw her name: Candy White and the phone number... 555-5510! He couldn't believe it! During all those years, he had looked for this book in vain and his fiancée found it and give it to him on the day before their wedding! A wedding present, if only she knew that her present was going to ruin her wedding. He wanted a sign, what was more obvious than the book that finally end up in his hands just before his wedding to another woman! He had to go look for Candy. He had given up on this whole story, but it looks like destiny didn't agree and was pushing him towards Candy, once again. It's really like destiny to show itself when he had given up and it was thanks to Susanna!!! He must've looked sad because Susanna asked him:

- What's wrong? You don't like the book?

- It's perfect, he replied, excellent choice, thank you honey.

And he kissed her on the mouth.

- Now, I have to go, Charlie must be impatient.

- Good bye honey, said Susanna.

Terry got out of the room and the hotel to join Charlie who was waiting for him in front of the hotel. He opened the car door and got in, Charlie was sitting in the back, they had a driver, like they were expecting to drink...

- Something wrong? You look like hell!

- Her name is Candy White...

- What? Asked Charlie surprised

Terry gave him the book still in its gift wrap.

- But how? Said Charlie looking inside the cover of the book at Candy's name and phone number.

- Susanna just gave it to me as a wedding present... it's a gift, said Terry taking his cellphone from his pocket to give it to him...

Charlie called one of his acquaintance at the directory inquiry department.

- Sally? I need an address for a Candy While, I don't have a phone number

Terry's head was spinning... was he finally going to see Candy again?