“ You’re usually better than that, TC.”, Sam said, as they walked to the locker room of the Harmony Health Club.

“ Well, I’m a bit distracted.”, TC said, taking off his clothes.

Sam followed TC into the shower.

” TC, I thought you said that you had forgiven Eve.”

” Sam, I know what I said, but damn Man, how much is a man supposed to take?”

” As much as possible to keep his family together. TC, you know, you took vows.”

” Don’t tell me about vows, Sam. I know what vows are. Could you accept this from Grace?”

“ TC…”

” Come on. You could live with this from Grace?”

” In a way, Buddy, I already do. “

” What the hell are you talking about, Sam?”

” TC, I’m married to a woman who doesn’t remember anything before the moment we met. When I decided to be with Grace, I had to accept that at ANY moment, her past could catch up with us. I have no idea what that past is.”

” Come on, Sam, it’s Grace. She was how old, when you met?”

” Not any older than Eve, and we BOTH see what happened there. Remember, TC, Eve’s past happened within a matter of a YEAR. But, the ramifications of it are living above your garage. So, I know, that Grace could have anything come back to haunt her. But, I love her, and I know it doesn’t negate what we have, and what we’ve created.”

TC stood underneath the showerhead, thinking about what Sam had said.
 

“ Eve, do you want some quiche? It’s hot out the oven.”, Grace said, looking at her best friend. Eve nodded.

Grace brought the quiche over to the table, and gave Eve hers. Grace took a bite of hers and looked at Eve.

“ Eve, what’s wrong? I can tell something is wrong. “

” Grace…”

” Did TC move out?”

Eve shook her head. “ No. TC is still there. But, there’s so much distance between us, Grace. Nothing that I do is right, anymore.”

” Why?”

” I dunno. Maybe TC thought he could forgive me, but realizes that he can’t, and hasn’t found a way to tell me yet. I just know that I can’t live with this constant scrutiny. If I say the sky is blue, he’ll say it’s green. Whatever is black to me is white to him. I can do nothing right in his eyes, and everything gets a criticism. People can’t live with that, Grace. I can’t. I need some inner peace. I can’t live my life waiting for the next fight to come my way.”

“ Eve, you shocked him.”

” Grace, I shocked myself. Do you think in a million years that I EVER thought my son with Julian would walk through the door, let alone be CHAD? Hell no. But, it happened.”

“ Eve, I don’t know what to tell you. I know you love TC and want your family together.  Unless that has changed, then you have to make it through this bad turn. Remember – for better or for worse. Worse, in my opinion, has already happened. TC found out about Chad, and didn’t kill Julian. Chad is still living with you and TC is too. Nothing worse can happen.”

“ You think?”

“ I know. You have love, Eve. All you need is patience. “

” I hope so, Grace.”

” Well, enough about what’s going wrong. How about what’s going right? How are you and Chad and Julian doing?”

” Well, “, Eve said smiling. “ Chad is still living at the house. He’s been helping Simone with a school project. He and Whitney…”

” What?”

” They still don’t really talk.”

” Well, I think things are iffy between them. But, it has to get better, right?”

Grace nodded.

“ Julian and I talked too.”

” How was that?”

” It was fine. Better than I remotely thought. He wants for Chad to get involved with Crane Industries.”

” Crane Industries? That doesn’t seem like Chad, though.”

” Well, Julian said that he would work with Chad. Make sure that he found something that would be good for him, likely in the entertainment business.”

” That does sound like Chad. Doing his music?”

” Among other things. Julian seems to think that he can get Chad to work with him and Ethan. That they could be good mentors.”

” Well, whatever else I think about Julian, he IS an excellent businessman.”

” I know. I actually want the Crane Industries thing to work out, because I want Chad to have a relationship with his father. It’s going to be important to him in the future, whether he knows it or not.”

” I agree.”

” Even Chad and TC are getting along. The tension between them lessens by the day. “

” See, there’s a blessing.”

” True. The biggest surprise out of all of this has been Madelaine. I can’t believe how supportive she’s been with all of this. I thought she would hate me and Chad, but it’s just the opposite. She’s shown us nothing but love.”

” Which only goes to prove my belief that the worst is behind you.”

” Grace…I think you’re the only one that I can tell this to. Despite everything, my heart is so full. I’m so happy. A hole has been filled. Chad is such a delight. I get pleasure from just watching him eat. Does that sound stupid?”

” No, it sounds like you’re a mother.”

They both laugh about it.
 

“ Ok, Simone, why did you want me to meet you here?”, Whitney said, as she sat down at the table at the Book Café.

Before Simone had the chance to respond.

” I hope you like these muffins.”, Chad said, coming to the table.

Whitney looked at Chad, and shook her head. “ I don’t know what this is about, but I’m out of here.”

Simone grabbed Whitney’s hand. “ Whitney, we have to talk. All of us need to talk. Don’t go.”
Whitney sat back down. “ Ok, what is the topic of discussion?”

“ Mom and Dad.”

” What about them?”, Whitney asked.

” Don’t you see how bad things are between them? Mom can do ANYTHING right. Daddy is picking on her, left and right.”

” Am I supposed to care?”, Whitney asked sarcastically.

” Yes, Whitney, you’re supposed to care. These are our parents. “

” She’s getting what she deserves. Daddy should have never moved back into their bedroom. He shouldn’t have given in.”

” Then, what should the man do, Whit? Walk out on his family? Coach is no punk. He’s not going out like that.”

” Oh puleeze. Are YOU her defender too now?”

” She’s my mother. I’m concerned about her.”

“ Well, she didn’t give a shit about you.”

” That is SO not true, and you know it. You know that she loved me. That she never was going to give me up.”

” I know no such thing. I think she’s done nothing but lie to you. To make herself look good.”

” Whitney, this is so wrong. I know you’re mad at Mom, but to tell Chad that – it’s wrong.”

” You two are such suckers.”

” No. We love Mom. We love Mom and Daddy and don’t want them to get a divorce.”

“ Simone, they’re not getting a divorce.”

” Chad, why do you think that?”

 “ Because, the time for Coach to leave was when he found out about me. When he didn’t leave then, he’s not going to leave. What’s wrong with him and the Doc is man/woman trouble. They’ll work it out.”

“ I wish I had your faith. I’m scared.”

Chad hugged his sister. “ Don’t worry. We’re family. We’ll stick together.”

“ Awe, what a Kodak moment.”

Chad looked at Whitney, furious. ” Whitney, you know, the bitchface doesn’t look good on you. You need to grow the fuck up.”

“ Who do you think you are?”

” I’m your big brother, and it’s my job to make sure you don’t get too wild. To tell you the HARD TRUTHS of life. Hard truth number one: Life can be a bitch sometime. Hard truth number two: Things don’t always go your way. Hard truth number three: parents are human. Not Gods, human. With flaws. Don’t mean that they don’t love you with every breath, just means that they might not always do what we want them to do. I think your parent’s marriage is worth saving. And, you’ve been given so much in your life that you can’t see what you have to lose. I hope I never get so much that I would be as ignorant as you.”

“ You don’t know anything!”

” I know YOU, Whitney. I know that the bitterness is eating you. It’s tough between us, but you need to forgive and move on.”

” Never!”, Whitney said, leaving the table and Book Café.

” Chad, I’m worried about her.”

” Don’t be, Simone. This is the most emotion I’ve seen out of Whitney since I met her. I have to think it’s a good thing. We’ll be there for her. And, for your parents. Everything will be fine.”

Simone smiled slightly. “ You know, I am happy to have a big brother. You seem to listen to me.”

” Anytime, Simone. Anytime.”