Tabitha was sipping a Martimmy when she heard the door close.

“ Tabitha?”

“ In here, Kay.”

Tabby saw Kay with a bunch of bags.

” Well, someone’s been shopping.”

” Yes, I have. I was feeling so down today because, well..whatever. But then, right when I was feeling bad, in walks the solution to my problems.”

” Really?”

” Yes.” Kay pulls the covering and shows Tabitha her suits. “ What do you think?”

” About what? “

” These are the clothes for my new job.”

” What? As an undertaker?”

” No. I will be working at Crane Industries!”

Upon hearing the word Crane, Tabby’s baby began to kick. Kicking her so hard that she had to get out of the chair and began doing backflips. Kay looked at her in amazement.

” Uh, Tabitha. Is this a witch thing?”

” Y…yy…..yes!”

” Is there a spell that can break it?”

” L….L..Look and see!”

Kay ran to the kitchen to get the spell book, and returned. She looked through the book, and found one. Tabitha stopped doing backflips.

” Well, thank you, Dear.”

” No problem. Tabitha, I worry about you, sometimes. Are you sure this pregnancy is the right thing for you?”

” Yes, Dear. I’ll be fine. So, you got a job.”

” Yes. And now, my plan to get Miguel is even better.”

Kay was singing as she took her clothes back up to her room. She turned on her computer and checked her email.

” Simone!”

Kay quickly opened up the email.
 

 Hey Kay,

How are you? I’m doing fine. Did you know that you gave me $ 37,000?!? Kay, has Tabitha kicked you out yet? If she did, I’m sorry. I’m at Kinko’s. Do you know they charge $12 an hour for computers? Yikes!

I’m doing fine. I’ve decided that this is the perfect time to travel. So, I got myself some guidebooks, and I’ve decide to take the first international flight I can find. I’m still hurting. A lot.

You take care of that baby, and I’ll email you soon.

 Love,

 Simone

Kay sighed. Getting the job had been a temporary salve on the pain she felt about Simone. But, she had to think positive. Simone had contacted her, and since she did, she’d reply immediately, so that Simone would have news, no matter where she was.
Kay told Simone about her job offer and latest plan to get Miguel and sent it off.
 

Theresa was sitting with Luis and Pilar in the living room when they heard the doorbell ring.

“ Maybe, it’s Ethan!” Theresa ran to the door to open it up. There were Julian and Little Ethan.

” Oh, my baby!” Theresa swooped down and picked him up out of the stroller. “ Mommy’s missed you so much”, she said in between smothering him with kisses.

“ We were out and about, and I thought our son should see you today before we went home.”
Luis and Pilar were staring at Julian.

” Either I come in, or little Ethan leaves with me.”

” Come in, Julian.”, Luis replied.

Julian walked into the living room. “ So, this is what my money bought for you and your brood, Pilar.”

” Watch it, Julian.”, Luis warned.

” Just stating the truth, Luis.”

” Julian, our son is filthy!”

” He’s not filthy, he just enjoyed the popsicle I bought for him.”

” YOU bought him a popsicle?”, Pilar asked.

” Yes, ‘ I ‘ bought him one. We’ve had an enjoyable afternoon together, or playing and being in the park.”

” You don’t like the park.”, Theresa barked.

“ What would YOU know about what I like?”, Julian growled.

Pilar stepped forward. “ This tension isn’t good for the baby. Julian, why don’t we go into the kitchen and get a cup of coffee. Give Theresa some time alone with the baby.”

Julian took a deep breath and replied, “ Fine.”

Once Julian and Pilar went into the kitchen, Theresa got up with the baby. “ Luis, you can help me.”

” Help you, what, Theresa?”

” Help me get away with little Ethan. We can run away until Ethan can fix this.”

” Theresa, I’m an officer of the law. I WILL NOT help you break the law. I know this is hard for you, but you have to understand. Julian has legal custody of the baby. If you take him, without Julian knowing, Julian can charge you with KIDNAPPING, and there wouldn’t be a damn thing I could do to help you. You would ruin your chances of ever having custody. Don’t be stupid, Theresa. I know you’re impulsive by nature, but don’t ruin your life right now because you’re scared. Don’t do it.”

” But, Luis…”

” Theresa. It’s better that you do things BY THE BOOK. If you don’t, the Cranes will bury you. If you make the wrong choices, little Ethan will be in college before you get to see him.”

” You’re scaring me.”

“ You should be scared. You have to listen to others, Theresa. You can’t be a solo flyer on this one. Promise me you won’t try anything stupid…..Theresa..”

” I promise.”

” Ok. I’ll be over here.”

” You don’t trust me to be alone with my son?”

” Let’s just say that I feel better in the room.”

Luis  picked up a magazine and went to a corner in the room, with an ever watchful eye on Theresa and little Ethan.
 

Julian sat down at the kitchen table as Pilar prepared the tea. She set the service out on the table, and the two of them fixed their cups. They were sipping in silence when Pilar spoke up.

“ It was kind of you to bring little Ethan to see Theresa.”

” I knew he would probably miss her tonight, and I wanted to help him.”

” If you want to help him, why are you trying to take Theresa’s son away from her?”

” Why is he Theresa’s son and not MINE, Pilar. He is MY son. And nobody seems to want to acknowledge that. A Saint I am not. A Sinner, more often than not. But, nobody seems to remotely think that I want to have a place in my son’s life. Taking custody was the way to make that clear.”

” Julian, I’ve worked for your family for many years. Your behavior with your other children hasn’t exactly been exemplary.”

” Well, considering that Ivy banned me from being a part of Ethan’s life, but you knew all about that, didn’t you, Pilar? I’m so tired of people who do wretched things thinking that they can turn their nose up at me.

I LOVED Ethan, and I wouldn’t expect you to understand the pain that ripped through my heart to know that the one thing I thought I did well in this world wasn’t even mine. Yes, I messed up with Fox and his sisters. So, why is it so hard to believe that I want little Ethan to be different? That maybe with age, and almost dying, you think about second chances. And last chances. I don’t plan on having another child, so little Ethan is my last chance to even try and be a decent parent.

If you really want to know why I came by, it’s because I wanted to settle the issue. I wanted to offer Theresa a compromise.”

” A compromise?”

” Yes. Joint custody, assurance that I will have a say in all parts of my son’s development, this house and generous child support. “

“ What’s the trick, Julian? Cranes always have a trick.”

” No trick. I want to move onto other things in my life. I don’t want to be involved in a nasty custody fight, because even if I won, my son would lose, and maybe, I want him to win. “

Pilar shook her head. “ I almost believe you.”

” You can believe me. Well, it’s time I left.”

“ So soon?”

” Yes. It’s his dinner time, then his bath and bed.”

“ I know. Why…why don’t the two of you join us for dinner?”

“ Pilar, it’s far too soon for that.”

” You’re right.”

Julian got up and  went back into the living room. “ It’s time we left, Theresa.”

” So soon? No, I won’t let him go!”

” Theresita, give the baby to Julian.”

” Mama…”

” No. Do as I say!”

Theresa gave the baby to Julian. He put him into the stroller.

” Wh…when can I see him again?”, Theresa asked.

” Come by the house tomorrow morning, after his breakfast time.” Julian turned to Pilar. “ Have Theresa’s representation call me. Good bye.”

Julian and little Ethan left.

” Mama, what did Julian mean about Theresa’s lawyer?”, Luis asked.

” Julian has a compromise offer for Theresa.”

” Compromise?”, Theresa asked.

” Yes. Joint custody and child support.”

” JOINT custody? But, that would mean that Julian would get to spend time with the baby!”

” That’s how it usually goes, Theresa.”

” Never, Mama. NEVER! He’ll NEVER get custody of my baby! I’m going to call Ethan! He’ll know what to do!” Theresa ran out of the room.

“ Mama, what happened in there between you and Julian?”

” He was very reasonable, Luis. And, I think it would be a mistake if Theresa were to decline his generosity.”

” Mama, Theresa doesn’t want Julian around little Ethan.”

” And why is that, Luis? Let’s be honest. I’m not so sure that it’s about Julian being such an awful person, as it is if little Ethan doesn’t have a father in his life, then doesn’t that make the appeal to ETHAN all that stronger?”

” Mama..”

” I love, Theresa. But, you and I both know that Ethan is her obsession, and she’s not over him in the least. We’re going to have to do everything we can to make sure that Theresa accepts Julian’s offer. Joint custody is better than none at all. “

Luis nodded in agreement.
 

“ Gwen, Honey? I have a surprise for you.”

Ethan walked into the bedroom carrying a huge bouquet of flowers.

“ Gwen?”

Ethan put the flowers down, and walked into the hallway, where he ran into a maid.

” Betty, where is my wife?”

She was quiet and looking down.

” Betty?”

” Mrs. Winthrop moved her things out of your room this morning, Sir.”

” Where? To which bedroom?”, Ethan said in a panicked voice. He knew Gwen was mad, but he didn’t think it was this bad.

” No bedroom, Sir. Her things were sent to the Hotchkiss Mansion.”

Betty walked away from a stunned Ethan.