Hoping Richard Will Come

From behind them appeared the two they were talking about, which saved Candy from answering Kenneth's question.

“Hey, Kenneth, darling, what are you and Candy doing here? Why don't you interact with the guests?” Karen said followed by a weak laugh. She turned to Gabriel affectionately and clasped her arm around his.

Candy grimaced silently. What an actress Karen was!

“The best man must entertain the bridesmaid, Candy, isn’t it?” Kenneth replied, the smile ready immediately for the beautiful cousin.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Candy said quickly before Karen could answer. A strained smile flashed on her lips. And when she looked up at Kenneth she saw the hidden amusement in its eyes.

‘Oh, so he was amused at her expense!’

Before her daddy could notice her irritation, she immediately apologized. "Excuse me, I just have to talk to someone."

She no longer waited for someone to speak and quickly turned away. She walked towards the front of the house, smiling and greeting every guest she met. She stopped on the open porch of their house, pretending to be attentive and talking to some of the guests she met as she continued to glance at the open gate.

‘Come on, Richard, please. I’m sure you received the invitation I sent you to this Daddy’s wedding…’

Candy took a deep breath as the corners of her eyes warmed. Richard could not afford to miss her father’s wedding. His parents who were also guests on that occasion and one of the sponsors assured her of that.

It might have just been delayed, she thought. And as soon as it arrives, she has decided that she will join him in his return to M City.

Her father no longer needed her in their house now that Karen was there. Her chest was heavy as she looked up at the structure of their house. All twenty-one years of her life were spent in that house. It is not easy to leave many memories in that house.

But she would gladly give Karen the right to be the mistress of that house if she had not discovered its secret.

And she will not be able to mingle with them even for just a few days. She wanted to hate the hypocrisy she saw in Karen.

But what if Richard didn’t come, what would she do? Where will she live? There was a slight fear that slowly welled up in her chest. No matter what happens, she has no choice but to accept the invitation of her friend Misty to stay in L Province first.

She wishes, she had just joined Richard in M City when he asked her. She could still remember his anger when for the second time she refused to elope with him.

"You said you love me, but I can't understand why every time I ask you to come with me you always refuse!" Richard sighed. They were in the garden and she was sitting on the soft grass.

"You know we're not ready to get married yet, Richard," she reasoned. “The job you will get in M City is your first job there. You don't even know if you like your job with that company and --”

"I won't apply for that job if I don't want to, Candy," he snapped. "And that's exactly the course I finished so there's no reason for me not to like the job."

Richard graduated two years earlier with her. And because his parents were among the most recognized people in that town, it wasn't difficult for Richard to get into the teller at the bank where his dad worked.

And she also plans to apply for a job as an Accountant at the bank where he works so that they can stay together.

But Richard was not satisfied with his job at the bank and sought to work in M City. Five months ago, with a letter of recommendation from the bank he works for in B Province, he received a management trainee at the bank in M City branch.

"But I don't want to take any chances, Richard," she reasoned. "I don't want to go to a place where I don't know what awaits me."

"You talk like you haven't been to M City yet," he said angrily. “You can apply there as an Accountant. You graduated with honors, so you will be accepted easily.”

Richard released a sigh and then walked towards the swing and sat down in front of her. He reached out her hand and cupped it in its palms.

“I love you, Candy. I don't want us to be separated. Please come with me.”

She didn’t know how to refuse without him getting hurt. "W-when you're settled, then ask me again, Richard."

Richard swears violently. He winced. Then it stood up again. “It’s your father again, isn’t it, Candy?”

She sighed. "Y-yes." She is secretly thankful that it also gave the reason.

Somehow that is true. She did not want to leave her father alone. Ever since her mommy died, she has been taking care of him. And another reason for her reluctance is the fact that she is not the type of person who just sucks at an uncertain thing.

Richard left M City feeling bad for her. It doesn't even call her on the phone or text her at all. But that didn’t worry her. She was close with Richard's parents and they themselves inform her about what is happening to her boyfriend in M City.

It had been more than two months in M City when it called her to urge her to come to M City again. From the boarding house, according to it, it has a single-room apartment for rent.

Again, Candy was hesitant. Her daddy and Karen already met at that time. And although she was pleased with her father’s sudden change she believed it wasn’t the right time to say that she wanted to go to M City and work there.

"This is your last chance, Candy!" Richard threatened. “Come with me now or…” He let his voice trailed off. What followed was that it gave her the phone number of the office he was working on.

"Call me when you've decided!" And before she could speak, he hung up the phone.

That conversation happened two and a half months ago. It never called her again. Just a week ago she sent him an invitation to her daddy and Karen’s wedding. And he always avoids answering her the few times she calls the bank where it works.

Candy sighed. She looked at the gate again hoping that Richard would arrive before the end of the day. Depressed she turned her attention to a visitor who greeted her.

"Good thing you’re here, Candy," said Mrs. Sander, the assistant manager at the company where her father works. "Wine spilled my skirt, please come with me to the bathroom."

She immediately smiled. "Follow me."