Chad had been finished the decorating of the house. He stood in his living room. It was finally finished. He couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. It was everything he could want. Everything felt comfortable to him. It was strange, but he felt comfortable here.

Chad heard the rustle in the kitchen. The Crane Chef was in there, preparing the dinner for the party. He heard the doorbell. He opened the door and smiled.

“ Theresa.”, he said as he pulled her into a kiss.

“ You miss me, Baby?”, Theresa asked. “ Like my dress?”

Theresa twirled around, and Chad loved the way the dress hugged every curve.

” Absolutely fabulous.”

” Is the Chef here? How’s the menu going?”

Chad laughed. “ He’s here, and I don’t know how the menu is going. So, why don’t you go see?”

Theresa went off to the kitchen, and Chad sighed. The past few months had been very good for them. He was moved into his first real home. He and Sheridan were working together. He and Julian had a weekly lunch together, and were slowly connecting. He snuck in meetings with his mother, who was in her second trimester. The  only problem was Alistair, who hadn’t been upfront with his plans, but he recognized the smell of Alistair in certain business difficulties. Chad didn’t complain about it; he just worked through it. He was going to be a success; no matter what it took.

The best part was Theresa. He had used his Crane influence to get Theresa into Harmony University. She was doing great in her first semester. Chad was paying for it. Their relationship was getting more serious.

“ Mr. Crane, would you like to look at the bar setup?” Chad turned around to look at the waiter. It still startled him to be called ‘ Mr. Crane’. Chad went over to the bar area. “ Everything looks great. Thanks.”

Theresa came back into the living room and hugged Chad. “ Everything ok, Theresa?”

” Looks great. This is  going to be a great homewarming.”

“ I hope everyone comes.”

” Why wouldn’t they? Chad, you worry too much. Let’s go out on the deck. I LOVE the setup with the candles. It’s so romantic.”

Chad kissed Theresa. “ Now, you’re talking.”

“ Mom, we’re about to leave.”, Whitney said as she entered Eve’s room.

” Let me look at you.”, Whitney modeled her dress. “ You look, great Whitney. You sure you’re up for this?”

” Mom, Chad has his new life, and I’m building my own life. I look at tonight as a beginning for me too. “

“ Theresa will be there.”

” I know. “

“ You haven’t spoken to her since..”

” Since I found her in bed with Chad? Yeah, Mom, I know. I’ve been thinking about that too. Maybe it can be a new beginning for me and Theresa too. I’m not going to say that everything can be resolved, but I can’t go forward without dealing with the Chad issue.”

Eve  kissed Whitney. “ That’s the wonderful young woman I raised.”

” Plus, Simone will be there if I look close to falling off a cliff.”

They both laughed as Simone walked into the room.

” Did I miss a good joke?”

” No, Honey, Whitney told me that you were her sane patrol for the night.”

” That’s what sisters are for.”

” Do you have Chad’s housewarming gift?”, Eve asked Simone.

“ It’s downstairs. Whitney, we have to go.”

Eve motioned for Simone to come to her for a kiss and she did. “ You two have a good time. Remember, this hasn’t been an easy time for Chad, either.”

“ Ok, Mom.”, Whitney replied as they left the room.

Eve pulled out her knitting project. She was happy that Whitney and Simone were going to Chad’s housewarming. Even though TC didn’t understand, and hadn’t softened in his stance against Chad because of Julian, Eve desperately wanted her daughters to repair their relationship with Chad. Eve rubbed her growing stomach. She smiled, as she thought of the times that Chad had been over to her house. She was thankful for Grace, who arranged the meetings.

And, then there was Julian. Eve sighed hard. Julian was a dichotomy for her. On the one hand, she enjoyed her visits with Julian. On the other hand, she was more disturbed after them, than before. It wasn’t so much what Julian said during his visits. He was proper, respectful. He always made her at ease. He haunted her dreams.

“ Honey? You look a million miles away.”

Eve looked up to see TC standing there, with their nightly dessert. He set down the tray, and brought her the homemade fruit freeze, topped with whip cream.

“ Thank you, TC.”

“ Where were you when I walked in, cause you weren’t here?”

” I was thinking about Chad. “

“ What about that punk?”

“ TC, that’s not fair. Chad shouldn’t be considered a punk, or guilty through association. Julian is his father.”

“ And, we know about Julian Crane.”

” Has nothing to do with Chad.”

” He’s his son, and is open about accepting Julian’s help. Why would he?”

” Why wouldn’t he, TC? Julian is his father. Julian is offering up his home, heart and business to him. He’s trying. Give them both a break.”

” Since when did you become a defender of Julian?”

” Since when did you become so blind that you’ll condemn someone due to guilt by association and not their own actions?”

“ I thought Chad was a punk from the beginning.”

” But, you changed when you got to know him.”

” Eve..”

“ TC, I know he hurt Whitney’s feelings.”

“ Yes, he did! See there! That proves it!”

” That proves nothing. Chad was mature enough to know that he couldn’t handle a relationship with our daughter. He couldn’t fight the world and YOU, TC.”

” Me?”

” Don’t play coy, TC. Don’t insult my intelligence. You know that if Chad hadn’t of broken up with Whitney, you would never have given them a moment’s peace. I am proud of Whitney that she wants to move on, and that she’s working on it. But, I’m going to give you this piece of advice, TC. Whitney loves you, and you’re her father, and she adores you. But, one of these days, she’s going to meet someone that rocks her world. Someone she cares for enough to stand up to you, me and the world to be with him. You won’t be able to choose who our daughters love. You have to be ready to let go. They’re young adults. We’ve done our part. We have to trust them.”

“ I know. I DO know that. But, I…..I love them so much. I would slay dragons for them.”

Eve smiled. “ And, that’s only one of the many reasons I love you, TC.”
 

“ Promise me you won’t be too far away this evening.”, Chad asked.

” Considering that most people coming here hate me, I thought I needed to ask you the same.”

The doorbell rang.

Chad got up and pulled Theresa to her feet. “ It’s showtime, Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald.”

They walk into the house, hand in hand.