The Mystery of Chad Harris: Fate Delivers Us, Chapter 34
 
 

Everyone looked up to see TC and Madelaine standing in the doorway. Nobody moved, until Simone ran into her father’s arms.

" Daddy….Daddy.", she said through her sobs.

" I know, Sugarbear. I know."

TC held his daughter in his arms. His eyes settled on his wife, who was barely standing. TC couldn’t look at his wife for long, and averted his eyes from her. Eve’s tears continued. There wasn’t much to say in the room, and the next sound that they heard was a knock on the door, and Sam Bennett entering the house. Sam went to TC,

" You Ok?"

TC nodded in agreement.

The awkwardness continued until Chad got up from his seat and was making his way to the kitchen.

" Where do you think you’re going?", TC asked.

Chad turned around and with a haunted look in his eyes, " I didn’t think you’d want me around."

" Well….you’re wrong. We need to find out what happened to you, Chad. And,", TC took his free hand and held his mother’s hand, who squeezed back, " We need to do it as a family."

" Family?", Chad asked confused.

" Yes, family. That’s what we all are. We are a family. And, if something affects one of us, it affects all of us. Your fate brought you here, but that’s not how I think it was supposed to be." TC looked directly at Eve, who came out of it to hurriedly say, " No, that’s not how it was supposed to be for Chad."

" See……this proves that there’s a story behind all of this. And, you will need backup when you go confront the Cranes. That’s why we’re going with you. ALL of us will be going with you. I’m going to shower, and I’ll be ready to go in  a half hour."

TC let go of Simone and Madelaine, and began up the stairs. Eve looked like she wanted to follow him, and TC gave her a glare that paralyzed her in her tracks. She stayed downstairs.

George went over to Sam. " I think we both should go. I’m going to get the one person that I think knows the truth, Sam. You….you help keep the peace. TC coming back  is a miracle, but, I still think…"

" Any wrong thing would get him to snap Julian’s neck in two.", Sam replied.

" Exactly."

" No worry, George. You go get your witness, and I’ll make sure that they get over to the Crane Mansion ok."

" Thanks Sam.", George replied. George went over to Maggie, " Babes, I’m going to find the old man at the bottom of this."

" Should I come with you?"

" Actually, looking at the Russells, I think any of them might be in need of some medical assistance at any time. You come with Sam and the others over to the Cranes."

" George, this is their family business."

" True, Maggie, but, let’s get real. Eve looks like she’s going to unspool. Chad’s too calm for me. And, I’ve known TC long enough to know that the man is on his last leg. Anything could make him snap. Medical assistance might be needed. Just come to the Cranes, OK?"

" Ok." Maggie kisses George and he is on his way.

Madelaine makes her way over to Chad. " Well, young man, why don’t you splash some water on your face. " She takes Chad’s hand. " Chad, it will be ok."

" How can you say that?"

" Because, you are with people who love you. Remember that." Madelaine kisses Chad on the cheek as he nods. Then, she makes her way over to the couch, where both her granddaughters sat.

" Your parents are going to need you two. They’re going to need your strength."

" Grandmere, I don’t feel strong.", Simone comments.

" Well, you are. You and Whitney both. Your mother, father and brother need you right now. I don’t think the story we are about to hear is going to be pretty. In fact, I believe it will probably destroy both your mother and brother. "

" Grandmere, how can you be so calm?", Whitney asks, tears streaming down her face.

" Because, my family needs me. I’m the least hurt in all of this. I know the pain the rest of you are feeling, but, in the hierarchy of things, my pain is near the bottom. I love all of you so much. You’re my family. You’re hurting. And, it’s all because of those damn Cranes. That family does nothing but cause pain and suffering. They destroy lives and then go on as if nothing ever happened. I cannot allow them to destroy this family. I love it too much.", Madelaine says, pulling the girls in for a hug, and then holding their hands.

Eve is sitting at the desk, holding a family picture, still crying, when Maggie comes over to her.

" Hi Eve."

" This was all I ever wanted.", Eve said absently. " I had everything that I wanted. Surely they know how much I love them." She wasn’t specifically telling this to Maggie. It was like she was making her ‘case’.

" Eve, I know how much you love them. And, they love you too."

" Maggie, he couldn’t even LOOK at me."

" For now. This is new. Raw. But, the important thing is, he came back. He came back to this home. This house. To you. To your son. Didn’t you see how he reached out to Chad? He didn’t have to do that. He could have let Chad keep on stepping. He could have pushed Chad out of the house and banned him. But, he didn’t Eve. He said that you were going over to confront the Cranes as a FAMILY. That doesn’t sound like a man who’s going to leave you."

Eve looks up at Maggie. " He did say family, didn’t he?"

Maggie nodded. " Maggie, I….I want to believe it. I want to believe that he loves me enough to make it through this. You don’t know how badly I need this. I’m in freefall, Maggie. I don’t know what would happen to me if I lost my family. They mean everything to me. I’ve been thinking so much about TC and the girls, I haven’t even had time to process what it means that I have Chad in my life. My son. I get the chills and begin to shake everytime I remember telling him that I was his mother. It’s as if my body is calling out in agony for the child that came from me so long ago."

Maggie took Eve’s hands in hers. " It’s a miracle. Definitely a miracle. God brought your child back to you. Only he could, Eve. It is a miracle, and you have to think of it that way."

Eve smiled slightly at Maggie. " It IS a miracle, isn’t it? A blessing?"

" Indeed."

Chad walks back into the living room, and for the first time, his eyes met Eve’s. It was just a stare across the room. As if they were trying to get into the other’s soul. Neither one could move at that point. They just stared at one another.

All of this was interrupted by the appearance of TC back downstairs.

" Well, I’m ready to go."

Sam came to TC, and faced the rest of the room. " TC, I think you, Simone and Whitney should ride with me."

" Sam…"

" I’m going, TC. End of discussion."

Maggie piped up, " I’ll bring Eve, Miz Madelaine and Chad. "

They left the house and got into their respective vehicles.

" TC", Sam began during his drive, " I’m….I can’t tell you how much I respect you right now. Handling this as a family."

" I’m no hero, Sam."

" No. You’re just a good man."

Whitney and Simone were in the back of the car. Silent, the sisters looked out of their perspective windows, yet, their hands never left the other.

The other car was completely silent.

When they drove up to the Crane Mansion, everyone got out slowly. TC rang the doorbell, and an uniformed maid answered the door.

" The Russell Family to see Julian Crane."