As a Thursday, this is when I would normally go over to Candace's and give her some company. I've always enjoyed visiting her, she's really fun to be around. She's got her quirks, but for the most part it's no big deal. Today I brought the Gus Jones CD's I had to show her, since they didn't want to turn on the TV last night. It took a little bit of finagling, but Eli's setup included a CD player and sound system. Candace has obviously never used any of it, which relates back to her quirks. But no big deal, it just meant I had to figure out how to turn everything to the right setting to get it to work.
Once I did, I was able to introduce Candace to the musical genius that is Gus Jones. She loved it! Even more so, when we got to talking about it, Candace said that listening to his music seemed to be tugging at something in her head. Like there was a memory that she just couldn't grasp, but she could feel that it was there. Sam said she was a dancer, I'd be surprised if she hadn't heard Gus Jones before, and I told her as much. So we listened to both CD's through, and even a second time each hoping maybe that memory might spring lose. Sadly it didn't, but we had fun all the same.
Since the subject of what she used to do came up, I asked what she was doing now? Candace seemed confused, and asked if she should be doing something. So I put it another way, how is she affording food? Is there a house payment, rent or mortgage? What about bills? Electric, TV, gas, phone? She was in the hospital, there should be hospital bills if nothing else. These things cost money, and that requires income, some way of being able to pay those bills. So my question was, what is she doing for income? This was why I work at the museum, I earn an income, and it allows me to pay my bills.
Candace looked confused, she said Sam brings the food, but that she's never received any bills for anything. I asked if she'd received anything in the mail, she shook her head no. So on impulse I walked out to her mailbox and checked it. Not only was it empty, Candace finally seemed to understand what I wanted and she said "Oh, Sam checks that every day." I asked if he ever took anything out of the box, she said yes. I asked if he ever handed it to her, she said no. So I asked if she'd ever wondered about that, she asked "Why would I?"
That threw me for a loop, and I wasn't sure where to go from there. When the mail did come, I was burning with curiosity for what had been left. I didn't feel comfortable just grabbing someone else's mail, so I asked Candace if I could. Candace seemed unsure, so I reminded her that this was her mail, delivered to her house. I said, if anyone, she should be the one to grab it. So Candace grabbed her coat and went out and grabbed her mail. It was only a couple of envelopes, and when she came in she asked what to do with them.
I asked firstly who they were addressed to, Candace looked down to them, shrugged, and handed them to me. Both were addressed to Eli Wether, and I didn't recognize the return addresses, but they looked like bills. I didn't open them, but I explained that these were exactly what I was talking about. They're bills, they need to be paid. Her response was that Sam would take care of them.
This whole time it was just Sam and Candace, I just realized I'd never learned their last name: Wether. Sam Wether, Candace Wether. Although, considering she was the bride, that didn't tell me her maiden name which she only recently would have had.
Anyway, I dropped the subject and we went on with our day. Having listened through the CD's I'd brought, Candace turned the TV back on. I don't think she ever changes the channel, I'm not even sure she watches it all that much. Just has it on and watches when a show comes on that she wants to watch. The news was on by this point, and there was some follow up story about the tree. Candace made the comment that Sam was right about avoiding the tree. I don't think she meant that to be directed at me, but it was a little frustrating.
It wasn't long afterward that Sam arrived, bringing food. I did watch from the house once he'd pulled up, and sure enough before he came into the house he checked the mail. He didn't seem disturbed that there wasn't any mail, so it must not arrive every day. But when he got in the house he found the envelopes on the counter where Candace had left them. That made him suspicious, and he asked if we'd gotten the mail. Candace acted like a child, immediately saying it was my idea.
So I tried to explain that I had asked what she was doing for income, and that it led into a whole discussion about income and bills, and how she was paying for them. Sam kept himself calm, but he firmly stated that these bills and whatever else came in were family business between he and Candace, and that it was none of my concern.
He's not wrong. But I can't accept that he's right. There's something going on, and I'm liking it less and less. Sam seems to have a rather significant hold on Candace's life, he's her ride, he brings her food, he pays her bills, and lest we forget, if he says no, Candace says okay. I don't know how he's got this hold on her, nor do I know why. But I'm not liking it.
The thing is, once we step away from how much hold he has. He's actually rather supportive of Candace. I don't like that he pays her bills and buys her clothes (remember the shopping trip?). But he does so willingly, without comment. He doesn't seem to expect anything in return, at least not when I'm around.
We got to discussing going tubing after Christmas, which Hal and Max and I were discussing all day over texts. So sitting at dinner together, it was a good time to bring it up. Hal had checked the calendar and found that while Christmas fell on a Monday, he and Max wouldn't have to go back to school until the following week. So their suggestion was for me to try and maintain the days off I normally take, which should be easy enough. That way, we could go on Wednesday or Thursday, and the Christmas crowd by then would probably have already started leaving.
Candace was very excited about this, and I don't blame her considering how little she gets out. So my suggestion was that we go on Thursday, since that was when I'd be visiting Candace anyway. Sam said, "Why don't I get us each hotel rooms at Winter Park? We could go up on Wednesday morning, have all day to play. Stay the night, play some more in the morning and then come home Thursday evening."
He didn't even think twice about dropping multiple hundred dollars on all of us, and it reminded me that he'd already offered to get the tickets as well. I stuttered about as much, so he says, well, two rooms. One for Candace and I, the other for you three. I says, how 'bout guys in one room, girls in the other, if anything. But still, with tickets that's quickly getting close to four hundred dollars not including food, gas... and how are we getting there? Borrow his parents vehicle again, or rent something? We can't ask him to spend that much on us. Bashfully, Sam mumbled that he just wanted to do something nice.
I've met his parents, and without knowing everything about them, I think it's safe to say he grew up a bit more well off than my own family. Probably little better than Max's or Hal's. But the way he's acting, it's like he has no concept how much he's so kindly offering to drop on us. If he is just taking care of Candace's bills, he really has no concept of the amount of money he's spending. And I have to wonder where his money is coming from. Do blacksmith's really make that much?
I made sure to let him know we appreciated the kindness, but it is simply too much. I said, "Pick a day, if you can get us the tickets, we'll pay you back for those. And if you want to take care of travel expenses, get us up there and back, we'll all thank you for that."
We came to an agreement on that, and we'll have fun. But this still leaves me confused by both of them. Even Candace didn't seem to understand that four hundred dollars was a lot of money. I don't understand their arrangement, and I have to concede that it is their arrangement. But I don't feel comfortable about it. I have to wonder, what is Sam getting out of this? If he's just making sure Candace is taken care of, and she can do whatever she wants, great. Except, she can't do whatever she wants. Though, turns out going to see the tree isn't the greatest idea. So he's protective. Except he's overprotective. She has the right to make her own decisions and mistakes. But even if we concede that he's just protecting her, what does he get out of it? Is this just his self imposed duty to the wife of his brother? She needs to learn to take care of herself, they can't live like this forever. And what happens if she wants to start dating again, or finds someone else she wants to be with? I'm just completely baffled by them.
I left my CD's with Candace, since my music is now entirely digital and accessible on my phone. She really enjoyed it, but maybe if she listens to it more she might finally be able to dig out that memory. Sam was kind enough to drive me home, he made sure to thank me for being there for Candace and said that he appreciated my concern. He just didn't finish the thought that I should mind my own business.
I'll have to let these thoughts stew. Right now I can't get my head around it, and maybe I'm just missing something. But I am going to be there for Candace, and I'm going to be watching Sam like a hawk.
But tomorrow, I'm going to work. So tonight, I need to go to bed.
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