The Mystery of Chad Harris: Fate Delivers Us, Chapter Thirty-One
 

Sam sat with TC for awhile longer, then he spoke up.

" I’m going to call your mother, TC. I promised her that I would. Don’t leave."

" Where would I go?", TC asks sadly.  " I don’t have a home."

Sam’s  heart was  breaking for his best friend. Sam got up, and called on his cellphone.

" Hello?"

" Miz Madelaine, it’s  Sam."

" Samuel, you’ve found him?"

" Yes."

" Had he done anything to Julian Crane?"

" No."

" Thank goodness."

" We’re at our hold hangout at the Docks."

" Is it still as isolated as it was when you two were young?"

" Yes."

" Well, I’ll  be there. You stay with him until I get there."

" Yes, M’am."

Sam hung up his phone, and went to sit by TC. He had nothing to say, but, thought that every moment that TC was away from Julian, was a positive moment.
 
 

Madelaine hung up the phone, and went over to Maggie.

" Samuel found Theodore."

" Where?"

" Down at the Docks."

" Good."

" I’m going to him."

" That sounds like a good idea."

Just then, George entered the Russell house. He went over to Maggie and Madelaine.

" I didn’t find him."

" Don’t worry, Samuel did. I’m going to Theodore now."

" I’m glad. Do you want me to take you?"

" No. I have to get to Theodore."

" How’s Eve?"

" Still sedated.", Maggie says.

" Maybe that’s for the best.", George says. " You know, there are so many pieces of the puzzle that need to be put together."

" That can happen later.", Madelaine says. " Right now, I’m trying to keep my family from imploding. Plus, who could give any answers anyway? It’s obvious that Eve is destroyed by the news. She has no answers. "

" Well, outside of the Cranes, the only other person, for sure, that I think knows the answers, is Orville Perkins."

" Well, unless he dies between tonight and tomorrow, Mr. Perkins will keep too."

Madelaine sees from the corner of her eye that Chad is about to get up our of his seat. She rushes over to him.

" Where do you think you’re going?"

" You’re gonna go get Coach Russell. The LAST person he wants to see sitting in his living room is me."

" Oh no. You’re not going anywhere. Theodore IS going to see you when he gets back here. "

" Miz  Mad…"

" I don’t want to hear it. No matter whether any of us like it or not, we are FAMILY. And, FAMILY does NOT run out on one another. FAMILY stays and works through things. I can see it in your eyes, Boy, you begin running tonight, and I don’t know where you’ll stop, or even IF you’ll stop. So, you will sit your behind right down here. We WILL get through this. Period. Do you understand me?", Madelaine says in a cold, icy tone.

" Yes, M’am." Chad says, sitting down.

" Good. If you need something, you ask George or Maggie. They’ll get it for you. But, you better be here when I get back. Understand?"

Chad nods.

Madelaine goes over to Maggie and George. " Look after him for me. "

Without getting an answer, Maggie got her things, and picked up the keys to Eve’s car.

Chad sat in silence, while Maggie leaned over to George and asked, " Do you think they can get through this?"

" I don’t know. I hope so. And, I’m so glad that you and I have no secrets from one another."

" Amen to that.", Maggie says, leaning in for a hug from George.
 
 

" Well, Mom, see, that wasn’t that bad.", Kay said, as they finished Scream 2.
Kay looked at Grace and Simone, who were both holding the blankets right under their chins and cracked up.

" You two are such scardycats."

Simone threw a pillow at Kay. " Oh, leave me alone."  Simone got up, and went into the kitchen and brought back a glass of milk and some cookies.

" Would you like some, Mrs. Bennett?", Simone said, sticking out her tomgue at Kay, who responded in kind.

" Sure."

Simone ate her cookie, and then she went over towards the telephone and picked it up.

" Simone, what are you doing?", Grace asks.

" I know it sounds silly, but, I just wanna call my Mom and hear her voice. When we watch scary movies at home, she’s always there for me with a hug.  Hearing her voice would help calm my nerves."

Grace went over the phone in a hurry and put it down. " I don’t think you should do it."

" Why not?", Simone asks.

" Because…because your Mom and Dad had a romantic evening planned."

" With my grandmother there?"

" Your….your grandmother was going to be at home, and your parents were going to the Harmony Hotel for the night. "

" They didn’t tell us."

" Well, they knew that I or your grandmother knew how to get in touch with them if anything went wrong with you girls. Don’t your parents deserve some romantic time alone?", Grace asked, hoping that Simone would buy her lie.

Simone put the phone down. " You’re right. My Mom and Dad don’t need me interrupting their romantic time together. So, go on, Kay…put on the next movie."

" YES!….Blood and Guts, part 3.", Kay says with a cackle. Simone gets under her blanket, and Grace is relieved that Simone didn’t push things.
 

Orville Perkins was sleeping soundly, when he woke up. It was as if he sensed someone else was in the room. His eyes opened, and he could see that his room was dark. No light on, aside from the moonlight peeping through his blinds. His eyes continued to scan the room, and stopped when he could see the outline of a figure in front of the window.

He motioned to turn on the light.

" Don’t do it Orville. Keep the lights off. " The person went over to the window, and opened up the blinds, so that the moonlight  was coming through.

The person walked over to Orville slowly. It took his eyes a few minutes to process what was going on, and he spoke up when it hit him who was in front of him.

" Well, hello Madelaine."

" Orville."

" Long  time."

" Indeed."

" What can I do for you?"

" It’s time, Orville. It’s time that the truth about Chad Harris come out. That Julian and Eve are his parents. "

" So, the secret’s finally out."

" Yes. Goodbye Orville."

With that, Madelaine Russell  pulled up the hood on her cloak, and left Orville’s room.