TC and Eve are washing dishes from dinner. TC looks over to Eve, who seems to be lost in thought.

" A penny for your thoughts."

" TC, they’re not worth that much. I guess I was just thinking about how nice dinner was tonight."

" Yes, it was nice."

" You know, I mean, having Chad with us at dinner. It felt natural, you know?"

" Yeah, I do know. Baby, I know that I should have spoken to you about my offer to pay Chad’s tuition, but, I felt so strongly about it. It wasn’t.."

Eve put up her hand for TC to stop. " TC, I do understand. It’s a sizeable sum of money, but, we can afford it. It’s Castleton and we should be doing this."

" You think so? Eve, I have to admit that I never expected you to be this agreeable."

" Why? Because you think I hate Chad? I don’t hate Chad."

" You and Chad have had your troubles."

" I know that. But, we worked through them. I see what a fine young man he is, and I can’t argue with you. We have taught the girls from day one that they have been given blessings that others don’t have. Whatever they choose to do with their lives, part of it should be to give back to the community. We need to be examples of that."

" That’s how I feel. I was so blessed to have my father for as long as I did, Eve. I don’t know what I would be like without his guidance. I can’t believe how Chad has turned out, and he’s pretty much raised himself."

Eve couldn’t hide the pain that TC’s statement made in her heart. " Honey? Is something wrong?"

" No. I was just thinking about what you said. About Chad being all alone. Oh, TC, he missed so much. He lost so much."

" I know. And, if you think about the injustice of him losing so much, it’s enough to drive you crazy. But, we can’t think about that. We can only think that there was a reason that he came into our lives, and I think this is the reason. WE are supposed to help him fulfil his dreams, Eve. We’re  supposed to help him get on the road to become the man that he CAN be. "

Eve nods. " You’re a wonderful man, TC Russell. I hope you know how grateful I am to be married to you." Eve hugs TC and holds him tight. Her thoughts aren’t far from her son. She has to find a way to make this work. She has to.
 
 

Whitney and Chad find a quiet spot in the park.

" Thanks for taking me for a walk.", Whitney says.

" No problem. Whitney, we need to talk."

" Yes, we do."

" Well, I.."

" Chad, let me go first. If I don’t tell you this, I think I’m going to burst. Chad, you were right. You were right about me being scared. You were right about me wanting to do things ‘ by the book’. You were right when you said that love is a risk. I know that now. I know that because I love you, Chad Harris."

Chad looks at Whitney in shock.

" What did you say?"

" I said that I am in love with you. I love you."

Chad’s heart sank. He was so confused. The part of him that was a guy who loved a girl had longed to hear that. But, he knew that it could never be. She is his sister, and this had to end. And, instead of being gentle, he would now have to be cruel. Straightening his back, he steeled himself for what he was about to do. Chad began to laugh.

Whitney looked at him in confusion.

" What are you laughing about?"

" You, Whitney. You and this bigtime declaration that you’ve think you’ve said."

" I told you that I love you."

" Yeah. I knew you’d fall for it."

" Fall for it?"

" Yeah, Whitney. From the first day we met, I knew that you were all phony under that Ice Princess veneer. I knew a little smooth talking, and you would fall. I knew you’d fall for the act."

" The act?"

" Yeah, the act. You were a bigger conquest than most, but, I knew you’d fall for it. The music, the flirting, the constant badgering. I knew you’d fall for it."

" So…..so…this was all a game to you?"

"Actually, it was. But, then, I got to know you, and I found that I liked you. Not romantically, but, as a person. Which was why I backed off. Didn’t you see that I had cooled things the past month or so? That you’d seen no advances from me?"

" I thought you were giving me space."

" No. I was hoping that you’d get the hint and move onto another guy. I don’t love you, Whitney. I never did. And, now that I have something to hold onto – a future, I definitely can’t become involved with anyone."

" You NOW have a future? It’s MY PARENTS that are giving you that future?"

" Yes, and I appreciate it. Enough to know that their daughters are off-limits. Maybe it’s mercenary of me. But, I know better than to mess with my benefactor’s daughters. If I need companionship, it will come OUTSIDE of the Russell gene pool."

Chad barely got the sentence out before the flesh connected with his cheek.

" You BASTARD! You toyed with me!"

"  No more than you toyed with me. I’m not for you, Whitney. I’m not for anyone right now. I need to get my shit together. I came to Harmony to find my parents and found a future. I’ve never had that in my life, and I’m NOT going to fuck that up. Not for you. Not for anyone else. So, before you go whining to your parents, you think about it, Whitney. YOU rebuffed me for a long time. YOU messed with me. I had let it go. Don’t go ruining the only chance I’ve ever had because your feelings have gotten hurt."

" You are such a user!"

" No, Whitney. A user would have gotten you into bed, numerous times, and left you hanging with not only feeling dirty, but also a broken heart. You have the broken heart, but, it’s not really broken, considering that the feelings were never returned. Your ego is damaged for now, Whitney. That’s all. But, don’t worry. You’ll find your upper-middle class Prince to take all your pain away."

" You don’t know anything about my pain."

" Sure I do. Which is why I know it’s not nearly as bad as your exaggerated ego believes."

Whitney goes to slap him a second time. " You only get to do that once."

" I could go to my father and tell him what you said."

" Sure, you could. What good would that do? You’re supposed to be an adult, Whitney. Handle this like an adult."

" You want an adult? Fine. Don’t talk to me. We can be polite in front of my family, but, after that, nothing between us. I’m giving you six months to find another place to live. If you’re still at my parents in six months, I don’t give a shit what you say, I’m going to blow you out of the water. I’m so glad that I was able to see the REAL Chad Harris before I did anything foolish!"

Whitney stomped off, not looking back. Chad waited for her to get far away before he broke down in tears, his head in his hands.

He took out his cellphone and dialed.

" Hello?"

" Theresa, I did it."

" Chad?"

" I’m sure she’ll be coming to you. Theresa, help her. I hurt her so bad.", Chad said, choking back sobs.

" Chad, you did what you had to do."

" Why does it hurt so much?"

" Because you’re human. I’ll look after Whitney. You did the right thing Chad. Go home. Get some sleep."
 

Eve had stayed up under false pretenses of an overdue hospital report. She heard Chad’s bike, and she went out to meet him.

" How was it?", Eve asked Chad.

" I broke her heart. I was cruel."

" You had to be."

" I know."

" Chad, you know these are difficult.."

" You don’t need to tell me how difficult circumstances are. I feel like a freak. I am in love. In love with my own sister. I know that it goes against the laws of man, but that is what’s in my heart. How…HOW do I get over that?"

" Maybe you need to talk to someone."

" Who? Who do you know that I could talk to?"

" Maybe Father Lonigan? Talking to him always helps me."

" I’m not Catholic."

" Father Lonigan would never turn away anyone in need. And, he knows about our situation."

" Are we a situation?", Chad says with bitterness.

" That isn’t fair, Chad. I told you that I would tell TC and the girls. YOU told me not too."

" Don’t tell me what I told you. I KNOW what I told you. I just didn’t think it would be this ….this hard. I’m hurt, lonely and confused. I gotta think."

" Ok. Chad…anytime you want me to tell, I will. If you think it’s best, ok."

" Why? Why would you be willing to destroy all of this?", Chad says, waving towards the house.

" Because you’re my son. And, I need you. More than you could ever know."

Chad looked at his mother, and once again the high level of vulnerability and desperation that shines in her eyes when looking at him, scares him. He didn’t have an emotional connection to her, and yet, she is willing to destroy her entire life for him. He didn’t want nor need that kind of power over anyone’s life.

" I’m going to bed. We’ll talk later."

With that, he went upstairs to his apartment.