Chad and Theresa stood at the door when the Crane maid opened it. In walked Julian and Ivy.

“ Hello, Julian. Ivy.”, Chad said.

” Julian. Ivy.”, Theresa nodded.

” Well, well, Chad. You have done wonders with the place. You look like you’ve decorated it to your, well, hmmm, taste.”

“ Thank you, Ivy. But, I didn’t do it alone. I had help from Theresa.”

” Oh, I ‘bet’ you did.” Ivy laughed. “ Now, Theresa, why am I NOT surprised to see you here.”

” Chad and I are friends, Ivy.”

“ Ivy, Theresa is wrong. She and I are dating, and if you don’t feel like you can show her the RESPECT she deserves, you can turn around NOW.”

Ivy looked from Chad to Theresa. Then, she turned on her biggest smile. “ Why Chad? I’m your ever-loving Stepmother. Of course, I know how to behave. That’s Crane 101- right Julian?”

Julian smiled. “ Thank you for inviting us, Son. Here’s a gift.” Julian handed Chad a giftwrapped box.

” Don’t you think the house is enough?”

” Nonsense.” Julian looked over to the bar. “ It’s fully stocked?”

” Of course.”

Julian grabbed Ivy’s arm. “ Then, we must go, My Poisonous Pet.”, and he walked her over to the bar.

Chad put the gift on a table. “ That woman is a piece of work.”

” Chad, I know how to handle Ivy. She’s never forgiven me for Ethan.”

” Who is a grown man that made his OWN decisions.”

They didn’t get to continue with the conversation because the maid opened the door to some more guests.

Chad smiled. “ Hey, Sheridan. Luis.” Chad gave both of them a hug.

“ Chad, this is for you. From us.” Sheridan was happy until she saw Theresa. Her smile went into a frown. “ Theresa.”

” Hi Sheridan.” Theresa kissed Luis, who was happy to see his sister.

“ You look great, Theresa.”

” You do look nice, Theresa. Is that Dolce and Gabbana?”

” Yes, it is, Sheridan.”

Sheridan counted to ten in her mind. She looked up and across the room, she saw Julian admonishing her. “ Well, it looks lovely. I see Julian, and I have to talk to him about something.” Sheridan walked away.

“ Luis, how are things?”, Chad asked.

” Good, Chad. Very good.”

” You any closer to making an honest woman out of my Aunt?”

Luis blushed. Chad laughed. “ Man, you know I’m just kidding. “

Chad put his arm around Theresa. “ Luis, you know your sister did all of this for me.”

” Theresa has talents.”

“ Many talents.”, Chad said and it was time for Theresa to blush.

Over across the room, Julian handed Sheridan  a martini. “ You look like you need this more than me.”

” Look at her.”, Sheridan growled as she sipped on her martini. “ That dress is like four thousand dollars, and we KNOW she didn’t buy it.”

” Meow.”, Julian cracked. “ Sheridan, look at Chad. Look at the way he looks at her.”

Sheridan took a gulp. “ He loves her.”

“ Yes, my dear. He’s a red-blooded American male, and she is, irresistible.”

” Why are you men, well…soooo….”

” Gullible?”, Ivy piped in.

Sheridan clinked glasses with Ivy. “ Thank you.”

” As the only one with testosterone here, let me tell you what the male sees in her. She’s beautiful. That much is obvious. Her eyes are so seductive. But, it’s her personality that’s a killer. She’s a wildcat. You never know what you’re going to get.”

” Julian.”, Sheridan groaned.

“ No. I’m going to  continue with this. I think it’s laughable that the two of you think you have the right to complain. You two remarkable women.”

Sheridan and Ivy stared at Julian. “ Julian, are you drunk already?”, Ivy asked.

” No. I haven’t even begun to drink, Ivy. I just think the two of you need to stop with the Theresa bashing, considering that you’re equally femme fatales.”

Sheridan and Ivy gave Julian dirty looks.

” Oh please. Sheridan, you are the eternal damsel in distress. You don’t think that Luis gets off being able to be your hero?”

Sheridan looked at Julian.

” I’ve thought about it. There’s got to be something that keeps him coming back for more. You’re like a perfect balance, Sheridan. You’re a damsel in distress, who can then turn on a dime, and come out of nowhere with this incredible courage.”

Julian turned to Ivy.

” Ah, my Poisonous Pet. The Ice Queen. The Grace Kelly thing. Blond, cool. Don’t you know…with any man who has two ounces of pride, he would want to hear you scream mercy between the sheets?”

” Julian, you’re disgusting.”

“ Maybe so, Ivy. But, it doesn’t make it any less true. I’m also going to tell the both of you something. Ethan did what he WANTED to do with regards to Theresa, but the boy was always naïve. Chad is many things; naïve is NOT one of them. He knows who Theresa is. And, he wants her. Get used to it…Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald WILL be a Crane before it’s all said and done. The Housekeeper’s daughter is going to conquer.”

Julian smiled, saluted and drank.

Sheridan and Ivy rolled their eyes.

Across the room, Pilar, Sam and Grace enter the house.

” Oh Chad. This is wonderful!”, Grace exclaimed. She handed the maid a Tomato Soup Cake, who took it in the kitchen.

” Chad, this looks great.”, Sam told him.

” Chad, wonderful. Your grandmother would be so happy to see this place revitalized.”

” That’s right. You knew my grandmother.”

” Yes. But, I only came here,  a handful of times. It was truly her personal sanctuary.”

” Would you mind it if I dropped by to talk to you about her?”, Chad asked.

” Absolutely not. Anytime.” Pilar looked at Theresa. “ You look beautiful, mija.”

” Thank you, Mama. Why don’t you, Chief Bennett and Mrs. Bennett go get something to drink.”

They left, and the doorbell rang again. Reese, Jessica, Charity, Miguel and Kay walked in.

” Wow, Chad. Guess George Jefferson isn’t the only one who ‘moved on up’.”, Kay cracked.

They all stared at Kay.

” What? I’m only saying what you’re thinking. You hit the mother load, Chad. This place is amazing. You’ve done good.”

Chad laughed. “ Thanks, Kay, but I couldn’t have done it without Theresa.”

Kay raised her eyebrow. “ Theresa. Just HAPPENS to fall in with another Crane Heir. Hey, more power to you.”

Theresa frowned at Kay, who was already headed towards the bar.

“ Kay is right, you did a great job, Sis. You have great taste.” Miguel kissed his sister. The rest of the group gave Chad their gifts and went towards the bar.

The door was about to close, when Chad stopped it and opened it himself.

There, in his front doorway, were Simone and Whitney.
“ Simone, Whitney, welcome to my home.”

Simone and Whitney came in and Chad shut the door. There was an awkward silence, then Simone thrust the gift in Chad’s face.

” This is from us and our mom. She hopes you have a nice party.”

” Thank you, Simone. And, be sure to thank your mother.”

They all went back and forth, staring at one another.

Whitney turned to Theresa. “ You look well.”

” Thank you, Whit. You do too.”

“ I think I saw that dress in the pages of Vogue last week. It suits you.” Whitney motioned with her hand. “ THIS suits you.”

” Whitney, I…”

” You always wanted ‘ it’, didn’t you? You thought it should be yours. And, nothing stops Theresa.”

Simone held her sister’s hand.

” Whitney..”, Chad’s tone warned her.

” Don’t worry, Chad. I’m not going to make a scene. I had to come here tonight to wish you well. I’m not going to lie and say that it doesn’t hurt. It does. But, not as much as I thought it would. I’m not ready to be friends. But, I also don’t consider us enemies. I DO wish you the best, and if I’m still welcome, I would like to stay.”

Chad smiled slightly. “ I’d really like that. I really want both of you to stay. Let tonight be a new beginning.”

“ We’ll go get something to drink.”, Simone said as she pulled Whitney away.

Theresa went over and held Chad’s hand. “ Well, that was fun.”

” Theresa, it’s a beginning. We both know what Simone and Whitney really mean to me. I’m SO happy they came tonight. Gives me hope.”