“ Julian, you can’t be serious.”, Eve said heatedly.

“ Yes, I am.”

” But, that place….”

” Eve, you said he was interested in music.”

” Yes..”

” Well, if he is, then that means that he’s going to have to either go to Los Angeles or New York, because that’s where the major studios are. But, if he begins work here, in Harmony, at the Crane recording studio..”

” Then, he won’t leave so fast.”

” That’s right.”

” Julian, I think it’s tempting fate. We agreed that nobody would know about his paternity until we were ready to tell him.”

” I know, but..”

” But, nothing. Why would Chad take a job from Crane Industries? How could I possibly assuage TC’s doubts about it, because I know Chad will go to TC for advice about it.”

Eve could see how her last statement hurt Julian. “ I didn’t mean to hurt you, Julian, but Chad sees TC as..”

” A father figure. Yes, I know. I KNOW I promised to stay on the sidelines, because I want what’s best for our son.”

” Well, then..”

” But, I also want him to find his dreams. Don’t you see it, Eve? We got together because of the music. And here he is, our son, and his dream is to have a career in music. Without knowing either one of us, that’s what he wants. I HAVE to help him, Eve. I have to be able to give something to him, even if he doesn’t know that I’m his father. Don’t deny me this.”

Eve sighed. “ Julian, how are we going to arrange this?”

” Let me work on that part. Schemes and manipulations are a Crane trademark.”

” You think?”, Eve said sarcastically.

” IF I can get this offer to Chad, will you help him accept? Make sure that he does?”

Eve looked at Julian. She could see how important this was to him. Even though she knew she should know better, she understands that this is Julian’s desperation.

“ Sure.”

Julian smiled at Eve. “ Good, I’ll get to work on it.” Julian looks through the pictures and picks out one of Chad and Eve. “ May I have this?”

” Julian..”, Eve said in a warning tone.

” Eve, please.”

Eve nodded and gathered the rest of the pictures together. “ I’ll be going now.”

” Thank you, Eve. For everything.”

Eve left Julian’s office, wondering if she had done the right thing.

Julian held the picture in his hand, looking at the family that ‘might have been’, and buzzed his secretary.

” Tell Ethan that I want to have lunch with him at the Country Club this afternoon.”

Julian got up from his desk and opened his safe, putting the picture in there. He was going to take care of his children. ALL his children, and today was a first step.
 

“ Mother, why did you have me meet you here?”, Gwen asked, entering into an old dusty building on the ‘wrong’ side of Harmony.

” Gwennie, come meet Peter!”, Rebecca squealed from the other side of the room. Peter took off his hardhat, and  underneath was a chiseled, handsome, rock solid specimen of a man.

” I’m Peter Reese. Your mother’s architect.”

” Architect. Mother, what is going on?”

” I’m doing what you told me to do. I’m getting ‘involved’. You told me to look at things at Hotchkiss Charities. Well, this Community Center had been in the works for forever, but nobody took it up as their project. It’s now MY project.”

Gwen pulled her mother away.

” What’s going on?”, Gwen whispered in her mother’s ear.

” Just trying to do good, Darling.”

” Doing good has never been on your agenda, Mother.”

” I know. But, I think it’s time, don’t you? Gwennie, you and your brother have been down on me. Telling me that I should think of others. Well, I looked at the projects at Hotchkiss Charities, and this was the only one that I liked.”

” Because of Mr. Hunk over there?”

” I picked him.”, Rebecca said, grinning like a cheshire cat. “ If you HAVE to spend hours up on hours going over details…isn’t it better to be looking at the likes of HIM?”

” Mother..”

” Gwen, I can do good deeds..I just have to do them in my own way.”

Gwen realized that she wouldn’t win this argument, so the businesswoman took over. “ What are the plans?”

” Well, the Harmony Community Center does a great job, but it’s been worked past its capacity for forever. So, why not have two Community Centers? There are a lot of kids out there who need a place like this. A place where they can be safe, and play, and learn, and their parents don’t have to worry about them……so I’ve been reading.”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “ So, you’ve been reading.  Well, Mother, if you’re for real about this, I’m glad. You do realize that you’ll have to see this to the end, don’t you? You can’t just up and quit like you’ve done on so many other of your social committees.”

“ Gwen, I’m hurt.”

” And, I’m being honest. The kids you want to help get a lot of disappointments in their lives. Please don’t add to them. You’re absolutely right- of all the projects in the pike at Hotchkiss Charities, this is the most worthwhile. I’m proud of you, Mother. You wanting to help like this. It’s wonderful.”

Gwen hugged her mother who responded. When they broke away, Gwen saw that Rebecca had tears in her eyes.

” Mother, why are you crying?”

” You’ve never told me you were proud of me. “

” Mother..”

” I didn’t realize how much I wanted to hear it until now. Gwennie, I DO want you, your brother, and even your father to be proud of me.”

” We are. So, let’s get back to that hottie architect.”

“ Yum yum…”, Rebecca said, and they both laughed.
 
 

“ Father, you wanted to see me?”, Ethan said, as he sat down at the Crane table at the Country Club.

” Indeed I did. I was going over the Crane holdings, and I remembered one long forgotten…the Crane recording studio.”

” We have a recording studio?”

” Indeed we do. It was a youthful folly, but I don’t want to sell it. There’s a lot of money to be made in the music industry, and I want some of it for us. I should tell you that I bought the naming rights to a small, but formerly well-known club in Boston – the Blue Note. They ran a record label out of there too, and I own it also. I want to revive them all, but I want the right person. Someone who would take care of the studio, record label, and put the energy into it. Do you know anyone with talent that could do that? Start small, and grow?”

Ethan picked up his drink and Julian could see the lightbulb go off over his head. “ Father, I know the perfect person.”

” From New York?” Los Angeles?”

” No. Right here in Harmony. He’s not a household name, but growing our own talent, isn’t that what small labels are about? “

” Possibly.”

” Who is it?”

” Chad Harris? “

Julian could barely contain his excitement. He wanted to hug Ethan. Everything was working perfectly.