Crooked Halos Ch. 8
by LilAngelGirl
 
 
 
 

A week had past and Chad felt as if Theresa would never open up to him. He'd only talked to her once since he had first saw her and she had been distant on that day too.

His mind whirled as he stood in front of his mirror studying himself. He looked tired, and that bothered him.
"Man you gonna stand at that mirror all day?" Brayden said entering the room.
Chad smiled. "Nah, just realizing how bad I look."
Bray laughed. "Try sleeping instead of staying up worrying. I hear that helps." He said slapping his hand down on his friend's shoulder.
"Sleep? You think that would help?" Chad questioned.
"Yeah man. Don't let this chick drive you nuts." Bray told him.
"This Chick is the woman I love." Chad said shaking his head.
"Chick?" A female voice sounded from the door.
Both men looked around to see Charity staring at them. "Women are Chicks now?" She asked again.
"Bray said it not me." Chad said raising his hands up.
"Yeah I said it. So what?" Bray laughed.
"You really think of women as chicks?" Charity asked him.
"It's a term I use. No big deal." He told her.
"I think its a big deal. Its a degrading term." Charity said rolling her eyes.
"Right, and you don't say degrading things about men?" He questioned.
Charity smirked. "Only Miguel. But he's always been too dumb to get it anyway." She said as Chad laughed amused as his friends.
"You're the one that dated the dude." Bray smiled. "What does that say about you?"
Charity sighed. "That I was having a bad year?" She questioned. "And that has nothing to do with you calling women chicks."
Bray crossed his arms. "Would you prefer I call them babes? Or I could call Theresa 'Chad's ole' Lady. Tell me Miss Standish what would you prefer me to say?" He laughed.
"How about Theresa. I mean that is her name after all. You are such a pig."
Brayden laughed. "Say whatever makes you happy. The fact is, this is my house and I'll say whatever I want when I want." Bray told her.
Charity's face turned bright red. "Well I'll be out of your house soon." She yelled at him and stomped out.
Chad looked at Bray. "You enjoy that don't you?"
"What?" Bray laughed.
"Making her mad. You love it don't you?" He questioned.
"Of course I do." He laughed. "She makes it so easy."
~*~*~*~
Charity fumed as she walked over to her closet. "I hate him." She complained to herself. "He's horrible."
She went to grab her bag but a strange feeling hit and suddenly she felt a memory take over.
Flashback

Charity threw her stuff in a bag and looked up at her mother. "I won't stay here." She yelled.
"And where will you go?" Her mother questioned.
"To dads." Charity screamed. "I'll move in with dad."
Faith Standish let a stiff laugh come from her mouth. "You think your father will let you stay with him?"
"Of course. Its better than living with you." Charity told her.
"Charity he won't let you stay." Faith said shaking her head.
"Yes he will. Dad loves me." Charity yelled back at her mother. "And he'll understand me."
"Charity he doesn't want you. He didn't want me when I had you and he doesn't want you now."
Charity looked up at her mother. "You're wrong. Daddy loves me. You're just mad because I don't want to live with you. "
"And you think he'll let you run wild. Charity you will not leave this house. And that man you call Daddy won't have you." Faith said looking at her child. "I'm the only one that loves you Char. Its us against the world."
'No mom its you against the world. I'm not in this with you anymore." She said as she grabbed the bag and headed down the stairs.
End Flashback

"No! It can't be true. No!" Charity yelled in tears falling to the floor. Her father didn't love her? And she didn't get along with her mother? How could that all be true? She loved her mother. They were close. Miguel had told her so. "I won't believe it." She yelled again as two arms wrapped around her.
"Charity what's wrong." Chad's gentle voice spoke as he sat down on the floor with her, allowing her to fall into his arms and sob.
"I had a memory." She cried. "A terrible memory."
"What did you remember?" He questioned.
"I was leaving home. I hated mom. And she was telling me my dad didn't want me." She whimpered.
"Sweetie I'm sorry." Chad whispered wiping her hair from her face.
"I didn't believe her though. But she was telling me I wanted to run wild."
"Why were you leaving?" Chad questioned.
Charity wiped away tears sjo even more could fall in onto her cheeks. "I don't know. It was just so horrible. My dad didn't want me Chad. And I didn't want my mother."
"Come on we're going to put you on the bed." Chad said helping Charity stand up.
"I loved my mom Chad. I know I did." She whispered as she fell on the bed.
"Of course you did girl. It was just one memory." He told her.
"But it was so sad." She cried as he sat down on the bed next to her.
"I'm sorry this is happening like this." He told her.
Charity looked at him as he wrapped one arm around her. She eased her head on his chest and sighed. "I know I loved my mom. I love her now Chad. But she said my dad didn't want her or me. Why didn't he love us?" She questioned.
Chad shook his head and looked down at the fragile person who's tears stained his white shirt. "You're going to remember more Charity. You'll figure it all out soon."
Charity nodded and Chad wrapped his other arm around her waist, to hold her as she cried.
"I dont' even know who my father is." She suddenly said. "I don't have a clue who he is."
Chad frowned. "I'm sorry Charity. I know how it hurts."
"I want to remember who he is."She said looking up at Chad tears still flowing from her eyes.
"Don't worry, it's all coming to you now." He told her. "But its late, why don't you just get some sleep he suggested.
"Chad?" She said in a low voice.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"Will you stay with me for awhile. I'm afraid I'll remember again. I don't want to remember this stuff alone." She whimpered.
Chad nodded. "I'll stay right here with you." He promised relaxing his head on a pillow. "Just go to sleep."
~*~*~*~
Theresa wiped away tears as she fell down onto her bed. "I can't let him love me." She sobbed. "Julian Crane ruined my life, I won't ruin Chad's."
She could still see Julian's evil face staring at her, his hands trying to touch her. And in her mind she could hear those words he had spoken, and that one lie that was slamming against her heart with all its might.

Flashback...

"You make me sick." Theresa yelled at the man in front of her.
"Darling you are so sexy when you let that temper rise." Julian laughed.
"I hate you Julian Crane!" Theresa screeched. "I detest every single Crane but Sher." She said catching her breath.
"Oh but my dear you are so wrong about that." He laughed his hands rubbing together.
"I'm not wrong. I do hate you all. You and your father both."
"And my son do you hate him?" Julian grinned.
Theresa stared at him for a moment. "If you mean Ethan he makes me just as sick as you do now."
"Oh no dear not Ethan. You and I both know he isn't a Crane. No my other son."
Theresa shook her head. "I'm sure he's just like you."
"Well my little kitten you should know." Julian spoke. "After all you are in love with him."
Theresa's mouth fell open no words coming out.
"That's right my darling. Chad Harris is a chip off the old block. He is a Crane just like me. He's my son."
"That's crazy." Theresa gasped.
"No my little beauty. Its very true. Chad is my son, mine and Eve’s actually." He smiled. "She was a fire ball." He grinned.
"I can’t believe you! Chad is nothing like you."
"Not yet. But he will be. He’s a Crane, Theresa. A true Crane." Julian said reaching out to her one more time.
"I hate you." Theresa cried.

"He can’t be his son, he just can’t be." Theresa sobbed into her pillow. " I won’t believe it ever." She said wiping her eyes. But in the back of her mind she had to wonder, what if Julian was being honest? What if he was Chad’s father?