The Fine Print - Chapter 22
by yhh
The tall, butch-looking woman licked her lips as Theresa was escorted by
her cell. "See ya later, my saucy Latin tamale."
Giving the grey-haired woman a quick acknowledgement when she thought no
one was looking, Theresa lowered her head. Ugh! The thought of that creature
touching her disgusted her. Magically she felt a massive headache and stomach
ache slowly descending. She kept her smirk hidden. She thought she also
felt another personality coming on her, which would solve all her problems.
She heard the mental hospital was much better than prison. She would happily
plant herself there until Ethan could find a way to get her out of here.
She wished he would hurry the hell up. Prison was not her scene. But she
could be patient. She knew soon they would be together for the rest of their
lives. That was her focus. She could see herself happily living in the Crane
mansion. Jack and Joey growing up more like siblings than cousins with Nicky.
Ethan-Martin playing the protective big brother to the three. It would be
just as she and Whitney had imagined when they were younger. Marrying brothers,
becoming sisters, and raising their kids together. All she had to do was
be patient, and then it would all be hers.
"Theresa? Theresa, where are you?" Luis called out.
Shaking her head, Theresa was surprised to see she was already in the visiting
room. Hopefully her future would come true as quickly as her walk across
the prison. "Hey, Luis," she said, sitting down. Finally taking in everything,
she realized they weren't in the normal visiting room. There was no wall
between them. She could hug and touch her big brother. Theresa jumped out
of her seat and ran into her brother's arms. "Luis, we're touching! Does
this mean- - I'm going home! I knew Ethan would come through! I knew it!
I can't wait to see him. Where is he?" The petite woman stepped away from
her brother and looked around the room for Ethan. "Is he at home with the
kids waiting for me? Luis, say something. Why are you all dressed up? Were
you interviewing for the promotion you were telling me about? Luis?"
"Theresa, sit down."
Her big brother knew how to kill a mood. Why wasn't he bouncing off the
walls? Wait, who was she talking about? This was Luis. He was always somber.
He could suck the life out of any party or joyous occasion. What did Sheridan
see in him exactly? She would never understand. Wanting to get out of this
ugly grey outfit, Theresa knew the quicker she obeyed Luis and listened
to his lecture, the faster she would be in Ethan's arms. Oh, how she loved
that man. She knew he would come through. All it took was a little patience
and faith and a little help from some friends.
"I love you, Theresa. I remember when you were born and I vowed to do everything
I could to protect you and keep you safe. Somewhere along the way I failed
you and I failed myself. I'm so sorry. Regardless of what you do or say,
you will always be my sister and I will always love you."
Get on with it, Luis. She was getting antsy. She wanted to be free already.
Putting to use the technique she had learned and perfected years ago with
their mama, Theresa nodded her head at the appropriate times as if she were
listening closely when really she was thinking about the welcome home party
her mama and Ethan had planned for her. She couldn't wait to see her babies.
The pictures her mama showed her made her heart ache. Her babies were growing
and getting so big without their mama by their side. But that was now changing.
"Theresa, I’m so sorry."
Why was he sorry? And why were there tears in Luis' eyes? He never cried.
Not even when their dad was missing did Luis shed a tear. So why was he
crying now? Had something happened to Mama? To one of her children? "Luis?"
she asked puzzled. He pulled her into his arms as he wept, then she saw it.
She finally saw it.
Celebrating the home going of
Nicholas Foxworth Crane
And
Whitney Elizabeth Russell Crane
A smiling Whitney and Fox stared back at her. She took that picture of
the two of them in Los Angeles when Fox had taken them sightseeing in Pacific
Palisades and other rich neighborhoods. They had all been so happy that
day. They couldn't be dead. Luis was wrong. The program was wrong. "No!
No! Luis, why are you playing this cruel joke on me?" she questioned at
the top of her voice. Beating against him, her older, stronger brother held
her tighter. "Let me go, you liar. The joke's over. Whit, Fox, you can come
out now. You've had a good laugh at my expense. How did you get Luis to
go along with this? He's not big on practical jokes. Do you guys have something
on him?"
"Theresita, it's no joke. They died in a car accident. They were driving
along the coast. Their first time away from the baby. Something went so
horribly wrong." He went silent. He could still see their bodies tangled
amongst the wreckage. Fox's body twisted on top of Whitney's. He shuddered
at the memory. He had watched her grow from a smiling baby, to a shy kid,
to a quiet tennis pro, to a loving wife and mother and she was gone. His
little sister was gone. Her life snuffed out way before her time. He had
had serious doubts about Fox, but he had been wrong. Fox had loved Whitney
with everything within him. Seeing Fox covering his little sister gave him
a weird sense of peace. After all she had been through with her parents,
the Cranes, Chad, and the fall down the stairs, he was glad that through
it all she had experienced a once in a lifetime love. Fox had truly loved
her and she him. And for that he was grateful.
Not her Whitney. He was lying. Whitney was at the mansion with Nicky waiting
for her to walk through the door. Whit was going to forgive her like she
always did. She was going to understand why she did what she did because
no one knew her better than Whit. She and Whit knew things about each other
that no one else knew about them. Antonio used to call them the mouse twins.
She was the city mouse and Whit, the country one. Luis had to be lying. "Tell
me the truth, damn you," she demanded.
"Theresita, I am. Nicky is an orphan. He's lost both of his parents. He
will never ever feel them hold him again or hear them tell him they love him.
He will watch the countless hours of DVDs Fox recorded of them and they will
just be two strangers to him," Luis choked. Oh God, that little boy. Not
even a boy yet, just an innocent little baby. His whole world was destroyed.
Hearing Luis talk about Nicky was the straw that broke the camel's back.
He was telling the truth. They were dead. Oh my gosh. They were dead. They
were dead. She opened her mouth to scream and the screams never stopped.
With power she didn't know she had, she broke out of Luis' hold and fell
to the floor, screaming. Screaming. Screaming. Screaming.