New Beginnings, Chapter 6
 
 

" I have the results."

" Warren, are you sure?", Sheridan asked.

" Absolutely."

" Ok. I want you to meet me at our secret rendezvous place."

" When we were kids?"

" Yes."

" Ok, I’ll see you there."

Sheridan turned her car around and headed towards their place. She would know the truth soon. She didn’t know what she wanted the answer to be.
 

Ivy was upstairs in her room, and heard a noise outside. She went and opened her door.

" Pilar?"

" Sorry, Mrs. Crane. But, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald doesn’t work here anymore. Remember?"

Ivy nods and closes the door.

Of course, she remembers. In a moment of haste, when the truth came out about Theresa knowing all about Ethan’s paternity, Ivy had felt betrayed, and fired Pilar. Not because Pilar had told, but, because Pilar hadn’t warned her about it. She couldn’t believe that Theresa was the cause of her downfall: how she lost her son, and possibly could lose her Crane position and influence. Ivy fired Theresa immediately, and with what little clout she did have, she blackballed Theresa from finding ANY meaningful work in Harmony. She was going to fix her. Of course, Pilar stood with her daughter, and even after Ivy asked her to return, she had refused. Ivy had arranged for Pilar to find employment with another family whose Housekeeper had just died.

But, it didn’t mean that Ivy didn’t miss Pilar. She missed her terribly. She was in this house, all alone. With no ally. She had to fight. She had to survive. No way was Rebecca going to take away the ONLY thing Ivy had left that was hers: the title of Mrs. Julian Crane.

No way.
 

Sheridan was waiting in the cove at the beach. As children, she and Warren used to love to play hide-and-seek from the nannies there. She was only there a few minutes when she heard her name.

" Sheridan?"

" Warren. You have the results?", Sheridan says nervously.

Warren nods. And hands Sheridan the envelopes.

" You did three tests?"

" I thought you wanted to be sure."

" I did."

Sheridan opens up the first envelope. She hands the paper to Warren.

" I don’t know how to read it. Will you do the honors?"

Warren took the paper and read it. He brought it over to Sheridan and she followed his finger. " This is really all you’re looking for. Match, Positive, Percentage, 99.7%."

He handed the first one to Sheridan, and read the second: " Match, Positive, Percentage, 99.6%."

Then he did the final one. " Match, Positive. Percentage, 99.8%."

He handed it back to Sheridan, who was numb. They stood still for a few moments until Sheridan spoke up.

" So, that’s it. Three tests, all positive matches."

" Yes. Whoever’s sample you gave me to match Chad Harris’ is one of his parents. No doubt about it. "

" Warren, thank you. I appreciate your discretion."

" Do you need anymore help, Sheridan?"

" No Warren. I’ll be fine. "

Warren nods and leaves Sheridan alone. As the wind swept across her face, it blew the tears  that fell. The truth was there. The truth that she had wanted to deny. Her father was the ultimate monster, and her brother had another son. Sheridan was so confused. In her heart, she wanted to go tell Chad and welcome him into the family. Having worked at the Community Center, she knew the story of his background. She knew the agony that his life had been. While hers had been emotionally bereft, at least she had never slept on the street, or been discarded like garbage. The more she thought about Chad, the angrier she became.

How DARE Alistair do this to his OWN grandson. How DARE he not even give Julian the chance to take care of his own child.

Well, Sheridan was going to give Julian that opportunity. She was going to hope for the best with her brother. And, if she couldn’t get that, to hell with both of them. Chad WAS going to find out he had family in Harmony.

Sheridan took out her cellphone and made a call.

" Julian Crane."

" Julian, this is Sheridan. I need to speak with you."

" I’m in the Library. I’ll wait for you."

" No, Julian. I don’t want to speak with you at the Mansion. Get a pen and paper, and I’ll give you directions."

" Sheridan…"

" Julian. You misunderstand. I’m not asking you. I’m TELLING you. Take down the directions, and get your ass out here! Now!"

Julian took the phone away from his ear and looked at it. " OK…Sheridan…..what happened. Your Latin lover decide he wanted another chiquita?"

" Shut up, Julian. I’ll see you soon.", Sheridan barked and hung up her phone.
 

" Theresa, the canned fruit aisle needs reshelving."

Theresa turned to her boss, Mr. Milton, " Yes, Sir."

" But, after you finish the mopping."

Theresa finished the two aisles of the Safeway that she was assigned to mop and put it away. She went to the canned fruit, and began to organize them. Arranging the fruit cocktail, she stopped and looked at the cans.

A job at the local Safeway. This was the best job that she could get. Because of Ivy Crane’s blackballing, she wasn’t able to get ANYTHING in retail. Not the department store, no boutique. Nothing. And, what Ivy didn’t blackball, the rest of the Cranes had. Every restaurant in town was notified that if they wanted anything delivered from the Crane trucking line, Theresa Lopez –Fitzgerald was not to be hired. The only reason she was able to get the job at Safeway was because it was in Castleton, and the Manager in the region was new to the area. She kept a very low profile, so as to not attract attention.

She was going to have to go to Castleton Community College, because the Cranes had put the squeeze on the faculty at Harmony High, and even though she had been an honor student, the top 5% of her class, there wasn’t a recommendation to be found in her files. Without recommendations, you can’t apply anywhere. And, the acceptance to Harmony University was withdrawn, as well as any financial help.

FINALLY, she ‘got’ what Luis meant by the power of the Cranes. Yet, she had made up her mind. She wasn’t going to let the Cranes defeat her. She believed in that old axiom:
 

If you can’t beat them, join them.
 

The Cranes hadn’t seen the last of her.