Collision Course, Chapter Five
 

" Eve? Eve? Are you here?", TC said, walking in the house with Whitney.

" Your mother doesn’t seem to be here. Wonder where she is."

Whitney walked into the house, and told TC, " I’m going to get a soda, Daddy.", and went into the kitchen.

" Daddy, here’s a note from Mom.", Whitney said, bringing it to him.

TC scanned the not and shook his head. " I wonder what kind of conference would take her out of town so suddenly. I guess it must be a serious case. She’ll call; she always does. Well, looks like just the three of us for dinner. How about we have Chinese takeout?"

" Sounds good to me, Daddy. I’ll get the menu."

Whitney comes back with the menu, and they order dinner.

" I hope you enjoy your stay at the Marriott Copley, Dr. Russell."

" Thank you."

Eve took the key from the desk clerk, and went up to her room. She had one phone call to make. She found the telephone book and made the call.

" Hospital Records."

" Yes. I’d like to know how late you’re open ?"

" We close at 6 p.m."

" Thank you."

Eve looked at her watch. She had just enough time to make it there and get the proof that refuted this ridiculous Chad situation. She left for the hospital.
 

Ivy and Theresa were going through wedding books when Ethan and Julian came back.

" Well, where have the two of you been?", Ivy asked.

" If you have to know, while you were dealing with utter frivolities, Johnathan Hotchkiss died this afternoon, and Ethan and I went for a condolence call to the Hotchkiss’."

" You went to see Gwen?", Theresa asked.

" Yes. She’s not doing well. She’s devastated."

" And, I’m sure Rebecca is just falling to pieces.", Ivy says, dripping with sarcasm.

" Gwen’s father is dead, Mother. Please show some respect.", Ethan says in a scornful tone.

Ivy is surprised. Ethan never talks to her in that manner.

" Of course, Darling. I was being insensitive. Theresa and I were going over things for the wedding. Don't you want to see what we've planned so far?"

Ethan looked into Theresa's hopeful eyes, but, he had too much on his mind.

Just then, a Crane maid came in. " Master Ethan, there's a present in your room. It came while you were away."

" Thank you, Sally." He turns to Ivy and Theresa. " I'm going to see what it is. I'll be in my room."

Ethan goes up the stairs, and opens the envelope. It was a painting of the Eiffel Tower. A watercolor, he believed. He picked up the note.

Dear Ethan,

    I heard you were getting married, but, not to Gwen. How did that happen? Well, I took your advice about how to get through boarding school. It's not so bad. In fact, we do a lot of trips with this new Swiss one. I thought you could give the painting to your fiancee. We went to Paris last weekend, and I painted this. My teacher thinks I have talent…do you?

    Love,
    Penny

PS- tell Mother that I must be missing her letters. And, thank Father for the chocolates and the book on Paris.
 
 

So, his little sister Penny wrote to him. Of all his siblings, Ethan was oddly closest to her. And, she was close to Julian too, which is why, Ethan suspected, that Ivy 'decided' that Penelope needed a 'better' environment in Switzerland. Julian had been very angry when Ivy transferred her there.

" Missing her letters.", Ethan mused out loud. He knew the truth: there were probably no letters. Unlike him, who received a letter every week from Ivy while he was away at school, he doubted that his mother had bothered to write to Penny.

Ethan took another look at the painting. It was quite good. Her teacher was right, she had talent.

Ethan knew he had to think about things. He went in to take a shower.
 
 

Rebecca was in the living room, when Gwen finally returned.

" There you are! Where have you been?"

" Out, Mother."

" Did Ethan find you? He didn't say. Did you 'work' your time together?"

Gwen put up her hands in exasperation. " Mother. There was nothing to be 'worked'. I'm sorry if you don't quite comprehend this, but, I could have cared less about Ethan being here. I'm not in the mood to pretend to him or to anyone."

" But, this was a Golden Opportunity."

" For whom, Mother? Me…or You?"

" Gwen.."

" No. We have to bury Daddy. Is Robert here yet?"

" No. I haven't heard from him."

" He is, coming, right?"

" Of course, he is. He and your father didn't have the best relationship, but, he would never miss his father's funeral."

" You're right. I guess I have calls to make?", Gwen asked.

" There's a list of them on the desk in your room."

" Thanks. Send a tray up for dinner."

" Alright." Rebecca watches Gwen leave, and shakes her head. " Gwen, I know you. I know you want Ethan to be here for you. I know you want Ethan. You're just being distracted by all of this. You'll see my way….in time."
 

Ethan went over to the mantle above his fireplace. He picked up the picture of his family. The last time all of them were together, in London, over a year ago. He ran his fingers over the picture: he was nearest to Ivy, and Penny sat on Julian's lap, with his other sisters in between.

He then went to his favorite picture of himself and Ivy, taken when he was 12. He didn't know why this was his favorite, but, it was. The love between them just leaps off the photo. He can see it, anyone could.

His mother. How he had defended her. He was her blind champion. Julian was always 'the brute', and Ivy needed protecting, and he was going to do it….even from her own husband.  But, it wasn't that simple anymore. His mother had lied. Lied about the very basics of his life. Had allowed Ethan to live a lie, and moreover had led Julian on with a lie. And for what?

Sam Bennett.

Ethan snorted with disgust. THAT man was his biological father? Please. He had been raised to rule an Empire. And, he could do just that.

The problem was, he'd have to break Theresa's heart, in order to do it.

Theresa. Innocent, beautiful, trusting Theresa. She was so full of goodness and honesty, that he didn't know what he was going to do. He loved her and wanted to build a life with her…..but, did he love her enough to give up his family for her?

Ethan put his head in his hands. He didn't want to answer that question, but, it was out there. Alistair had made sure of that when he told him the truth about his paternity.

All the decisions of his life had been easy ones. The most difficult one had been when he wanted to break it off with Gwen, and if he had to admit it to himself, he was hoping that someone who had known before her, would have let it 'slip'. So, he would be able to avoid it. He wasn't used to making decisions. Not ones with so many consequences to them. After all, he was Ethan Crane. And, whatever he wanted, he could have.

Not this time. This time, something was going to be destroyed. It was his moment of truth. He had to grow up. This was his first adult decision. Lives would never be the same, whatever he decided.

Ethan knew that he needed time to think things through. His future was on the line. He got dressed, and went downstairs.
 

Eve found the room called 'Hospital Records'. She knocked on the door. A nice looking elderly lady answered.

" Yes. May I help you?"

" I hope so. I'm a former patient here, and I was looking for a death certificate. For my son."

" Oh. I'm sorry."

" Thank you."

" Well, all I need is the child's name and the date, and I'll find it for you."

Eve wrote it out on a piece of paper, and gave it to the woman.

" If you'll have a seat.", she said, motioning to Eve. The woman was gone about 10 minutes, but, returned with a piece of paper.

" Here you go."

Eve looked at the document. It was a death certificate for her infant son. The date of death was the same as the date of birth. She sighed in relief. Holding this piece of paper was the first peace of mind she'd had since the lab results.

" Thank you. I really needed to see this."

" I'm glad that I could help you. "

Eve was turning to leave, when the old woman spoke up. " Now, remember, that's only our part. Don't forget  the other one. "

" Other one?"

" Remember, until 15 years ago, there were always two death certificates given: one from the hospital, and the other one, from the state. We stopped doing ours 15 years ago. Nowadays, you get one- from the state. So, you can get the other one from the City Department of Records. You should have no problem. "

" Do you know what time they open?"

" Nine O’clock."

" Thank you."

Eve held the certificate in her hands. It was proof. Her son was dead. And, once she got the other one from the Department of Records, she would have further proof. The computer had been wrong. It just had to be wrong.