RP:Whatever Happened to Candice Snow
Part of the Through A Glass, Darkly Arc
Summary: Shortly after Hudson and Meri discuss Sterling Townsend, Hudson runs into the former actress Candice Snow at his daughter's school.
Cenril Private School
Candice Snow had been missing since Sterling was thoroughly destroyed in the mayoral election that lead to Fitz’s (and then Uma’s) inheritance if Cenril. Through all the messy business of witch and werewolf equality and their neighboring region's (Larket) growing prestige, Uma keep the focus seconded by the Landon's in the daily papers. Bold ink headlines over beautiful portraits of the young starlet were no where to be seen. If her name came up in conversation, it only tagged Sterling’s. Her career and life had been turned upside down with the leaked information about their child. To be frank, Candice didn't care about Sterling's wife. Her life was now about their daughter, a toddler now and due to start school this fall.
That's what brings her to the best private school in Cenril. She isn't worried anyone will recognize her or question her. Giving birth had added curves where her once lithe frame had dominated the stage. She was softer but not heavier, per say, and she could snap her fingers to regain her model physique. Her blonde hair was longer, a drastic change from her younger days and possibly a wig, but her face still sung of the summer of youth in a way that made men (and some women) take notice when she walked into a room. Her confidence and beauty made her the shining light of any gathering or conversation. She was always the most frequently approached and interesting person to anyone around.
The click of expensive heels and the polite silence of the child at her hip announces her arrival. The faculty member waiting to greet her offers the former actress Candice Snow her hand and they exchange easy smiles before the elderly women gives the child a friendly wave.”
“Miss Snow and little Aubree! Welcome! We're very excited to see if your daughter is a good fit for our school. If you'll follow me please…”
Hudson is here early waiting for a parent teacher conference. While he'd noticed the pretty blond woman and her child waiting to be seen by the teacher across the hall, he'd not said anything, merely slid a glance or two their way over the newspaper he was reading. A woman who looks like that and sends her child to this school was bound to have a husband, and Hudson had been less curious about what she's like than who her husband was. That changes slightly upon hearing the woman's name. Snow. His interest sharpens, and he folds the paper, watching the conversation between the woman, Miss Snow, and the older teacher, who is joined by a colleague. Introductions are being made. An explanation of the interview process. They want to ensure that Aubree is a good fit for the school. Speak to her a bit and get a feel for her personality, her intelligence level. Hudson watches as Candice leans close to Aubree to reassure her, before the young child is led away into the room with the two teachers. The door closes, leaving Candice and Hudson alone in the hall. Hudson puts the paper on the bench beside him, cocking his head to address her, "Private school application process. I remember what a hassle it was." He talks to her like he would any other parent. "Are you guys looking anywhere else?"
Candice watches Aubree go with all the pride, hope and fear that can ensnare a parent's heart. She's rapidly dabbing her fingertips around her eyes; crying but protecting the integrity of her makeup. Once the door closes, she fans herself and exhales loudly. The blonde turns towards the rustling paper to appraise Hudson with clean mascara lined eyes and a politician’s polite smile. “A little arduous.” She agrees wistfully. The former actress was well bred and could have whatever she liked, in a similar way Hudson could. It wouldn't matter if her daughter fit the profile. They'd let her in based on name and financial status alone. “Any tips for an aspiring ‘Knight’?” The school's mascot. The man asks about their other options and she rolled her shoulders in an unhurried shrug. “The whole of Rynvale claims this is the best school. Aubree and I,” she stressed the unit as being only her and her daughter, “Aren't in a rush but…I feel like we won't need other options, parent to parent.” She wrinkles her nose and casually glances towards his newspaper. “Unless it's not as good as they say? How do you and your child feel about it?” She pushes her sunny hair behind her ears in vain.
Hudson rolls his eyes as Candice references the school mascot. "Charitable donations," he says, in a certain tone that suggests he has little faith in the integrity of private school admissions and assumes, based on appearances alone, that Candice feels the same. Now that they're speaking and he can continue to look at her without it being rude, he's noticed that not only is she beautiful but she knows it as well. It's there in the way she carries herself, in her polished presentation. She's a pleasure to talk to, and she knows that too. Miss Snow. It was a common last name in certain parts, and while she resembles the images of the famous actress Candice Snow, it's hard to be sure. Except she mentions Rynvale, and his suspicion deepens. "It's a great school," he reassures her. "My wife did a lot of research before we settled on it, and this seemed the winner from far and away. We have three kids here." He'd noted that she'd taken care to specify it was just herself and Aubree, and like a squid defensively spraying ink had felt the need to disclose the extent of his family situation. He puts the paper down and gets to his feet, extending a hand. "Hudson Landon."
Candice ladles a hand on her hip and regards Hudson with charmed amusement. Like a guest at the party that's been told a private, and potentially scandalous, joke. Donations indeed. While Hudson mentions his wife, Candice gives him a bold lashed once over. “Your wife just be quite a cookie.” He elaborates on their child count but she doesn't skip a beat. “Ambitious.” Her congratulatory grin is earnest but tinted with a smudge of jealousy. Her dainty hand falls into his briefly while they exchange names. “Candice Snow.” There's a brief pause while she tries to read his face for recognition. “I've heard quite a lot about you and your lovely wife, Mr. Landon. I pray things are improving?” Further down the hall another grade’s parent teacher conference is ending. There's distant chatter reminding them they aren't alone here. It isn't clear what she was referencing; The witch scandal, Alvina's arrest, or some other rumor Mill nonsense. Whatever it was, she didn't flinch away from the idea of his wife or three children. Why should she? They were just two powerful people having a light conversation. Everything about Candice is controlled and precise.
They shake and Candice introduces herself, and Hudson feels a smugness release inside of him for having guessed correctly. So she is Candice Snow. His smile deepens. The smugness is short lived. Candice mentions Alvina in connection with some sort of scandal that needs 'improving,' and he grimaces, nodding slowly. He assumes the woman means Alvina's arrest. An awkward thing to mention off the bat but no doubt Candice was used to speaking her mind, it was a privilege of celebrity and power. That doesn't mean that there isn't a part of him that wonders whether she'd commented pointedly. "Oh yeah, things are much better," he reassures her. His instinct of course in speaking to the woman is to smooth the conversation away from the ugliness with the guard, to make things pleasant and fun again, but his interest in Candice is rooted in it, or rather, whether her former (or current?) lover Sterling Townsend was behind it. He not very smoothly glances at her left hand to see if she's wearing a ring of some kind, but she doesn't appear to be. "So," he says cheerfully, his hands sliding into his pockets in a sign of ease, "are you going to move to Cenril if Aubree gets in?" He doesn't pretend to be starstruck, in his mind they're equals. Beyond that, though, he wants to get this information from her. "You should live over where we do, it's very private and safe. Beautiful homes."
Candice tilts a relieved smile his way. “That's wonderful news,” passes through her painted lips. Her body language appears comfortable; neither too familiar nor too foreign. She lets the matter go, a leaf on the wind, without a second glance. Well, maybe a second glance. He did just inspect her for a wedding ring. She pretends not to notice but brightens when he tries to continue the conversation. She knew he would. Not because of their status but because she's a captivating and intelligent woman. It's flattery, at worst. He mentions their neighborhood and she wonders if it's where Sterling's old lady still resided. The concern isn't visible on her face. “I wager we'll take a tour by the reality office before heading home. See if we can't make a day of making arrangements. Care to refer your agent?” It's a courtesy question because he'd seemed to leading her in a certain direction. “I'm not sure how much trouble it would really be to ferry over during school days. Surely there's a mention…” The Blonde pulls apart her Amier Debene patterned bag to peruse the school's informational pamphlet. “... And yes, here,” She hovers her manicured nail over text and rotates her shoulders around so he can see it. “There's a special ferry for the children, and it offers after class care for traveling parents, my isn't that sweet?”
Hudson would care to refer their agent, actually, because he likes solving problems but also because it also gives him another set of eyes. It appears to be unnecessary, though, because Candice has taken information on the ferry and seems inclined to go that route. "Yeah, they really go the extra nine yards here," he agrees. So, she's still in Rynvale, then. "Are you near the ferry stop?" he asks conversationally. She may not officially be with Sterling, but that doesn't mean they're not unofficially together. She doesn't seem to act like she knows that he and Meri had been the ones to destroy her and Sterling's reputations, but then again perhaps that's duplicity. It's hard for him to read pretty women, he always wants to lean into their approval and believe that they like him. But it's curious for Candice to resurface now, after keeping such a low profile. He takes out his wallet and removes a business card with an office address, listing him as CEO of Landon Real Estate Inc. "If you have any questions at all about the school or want an introduction to any of the other parents," he says, handing it to her.
The former starlet exchanges a modest smile of appreciation for the card. She takes the time to read the text before folding it inside the school pamphlet and tucking them both back into her purse. Then she appraises him anew. “Not too far from it,” her reply comes after her bag snaps shut. “I'd prefer a shorter transit route, truthfully.” She leans in, as if conspiring with him. “And between you and I, Rynvale’s no Cenril.” She draws back, glides a compact out from some magic woman compartment and flicks it open with one small whip of her wrist. Candice holds the open compact out to Hudson like a pack of cigarettes, revealing several Lily white business cards of her own. “My office, in case the perfect house comes on the market.” Once he takes one, she'll check her eye makeup on the mirror inside and with a snap the compact vanishes again. A beat later the women reappear with Aubree, who reaches calmly for her mother without fuss. “Well my dear how did it go?” She asks her daughter, who eyes Hudson before shyly burying her face in Candice's hair. “If you'll follow us, Ms. Snow, we'll give you a brief tour of the school before we begin the paperwork.” One of the elderly women gestures further down the hall and out into a little courtyard. “Of course,” Candice agrees casually before turning her attention back to Hudson. “Look forward to hearing from you.” With a brief wave, she turns and lets the other women lead her along the tour path. All the while Aubree continues to sneak peeks at Hudson through Candice's short hair until they're no longer in sight.