*Only Time* Chapter 7
 by rockstar
 
 
 

"Your son? He's your son?" Sam asked, still shocked.

"Yes, Sam." Ivy confirmed.

"So you're THE Sam Bennett, huh? So nice to finally meet the man who had an affair with my mother." Nikolas stuck out his hand for Sam to shake, only to come up empty, "Some citizen you are."

"Why were you two yelling?" Ivy asked.

"Sammy, here, was bashing people he doesn't even know, like me and Livvie."

"From what I can tell, I wasn't wrong."

"Sam, I'll have you know, my son is a very kindhearted person who would never do a bad thing in his life."

"Let's not overdo it, Mom." Nikolas took a quick look at his watch, "I have to go."

"Wait, Nikolas. Can we get together later? We need to talk." Ivy said, stopping him.

"Sure, I guess." Nikolas said, leaving just after he received a hate look from Sam.

"Why didn't you tell me your son was in town?"

"I didn't really think I had to send out a memo. Besides, I just found out yesterday when they got here." Ivy stepped close up to Sam and ran her finger down the center of his chest. "Do you think they might interrupt? Don't worry. They won't."

Sam smacked Ivy's hand away and stared at her angrily for a moment then left without a word.
 

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Chad walked into his club and found Rick unloading boxes behind the bar.

"There's a couple young girls in your office waiting for you." Rick said after greeting his boss.

"Okay, thanks." Chad walked back into his office, curious to know who there girls were. He opened the door and was more than surprised, "Simone? Kay?"

"Hey Chad. I hope we're not bothering you." Simone said, getting up from the couch.

"No, what are you two doing here?" he asked, walking over to his desk and signaling Kay to get up from his chair, which she obliged.

"I really need to ask you something. I'd really appreciate it if you would be able to help me." Simone asked him once he'd sat down.

"What is it?" Chad asked, obviously wanting to help Simone in any way she needed.

"I...I'm going to just get straight to the point. I want to see my...our mother. Do you know where she's staying?"

"Why don't you ask your dad. I figured he'd know." Chad was all for helping Simone, but Chad sure didn't feel like thinking about Eve or anyone else.

"He can't stand the thought of her, let alone someone mentioning her."

Chad sighed and leaned back into his chair. He looked up and saw the hope and loneliness in his sister's eyes. He sat up and pulled open the drawer in his desk.

"Sheridan gave me this back when Eve moved out of your house." He pulled out a white piece of paper and handed it to Simone.

"Harbor View Towers." Simone said, reading the paper. "Do you know if she's working today?"

"I don't keep tabs on her."

"But you kept her address." Kay spoke up. "You haven't gone over to see her?"

The look on Chad's face gave Kay her answer. He had never used the address. Granted he did have the address completely memorized Harbor View Towers, 403 Harbor Drive, top floor, room 116B.

"Thanks for the address Chad. I really appreciate it." Simone said, "I'll talk to you later, Kay," she said going out the door.

"All right, Kay. What's the full story?"

"What do you mean?"

"Simone. She doesn't seem like herself. She seems really-"

"alone."

"Yeah. How are things going for her at home with her dad?"

"Not good. Coach Russell really, really, really hates Dr. Russell. Simone did ask him if he knew where she was and he practically bit her head off. I think something's off. Dr. Russell is a very caring mother. She would've tried to make some contact with her children. Simone hasn't gotten any, but she said Whitney has, but she ignores them." Kay could've killed herself for saying THAT name in front of Chad.

Chad tried to keep in control of himself. He hadn't seen Whitney in almost 3 months. Not since that day on the wharf when she told him she was pregnant with Noah's baby. That day was definitely put in the Top 10 permanent worst days of his life file.

"Has Dr. Russell tried to contact you?" Kay's voice knocked Chad back to the present.

"One or two times. I think she'd rather try and work things out with her family."

"You are her family. You're her son."

"Just because I'm the one she gave birth to doesn't mean we're a family, Kay. So, Doc hasn't tried to talk or see Simone?" Chad asked, changing the subject fast.

"No, don't you find that weird? It's just Simone."

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll find out what's going on."

"How?"

"I have ways."

"Okay. Thanks, Chad." Kay turned around and walked toward the door, but turned back around, "Hey, Chad, you wouldn't by any chance know the name of Julian and Ivy's son, would you?"

"Umm, Nikolas." Chad said, remembering Sheridan telling him yesterday. "Why?"

"Just wondering." Kay said as she felt her blood starting to boil. "Thanks, and good luck helping Simone," she said leaving as Chad leaned back into his chair again, sighing in frustration, knowing who he had to go see.
 

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Nelly sat in her car, which she had gone back and gotten at the hotel after Chad had left her at the Book Cafe. She thought for a moment about Chad. She couldn't believe the way he was with her. She never thought a one night stand included an all expense paid breakfast.

"I'll have to do this more often," she said to herself. "Or maybe I should go pay Chad a visit. How many clubs can be in this town anyway?"

Suddenly Nelly realized she had been thinking about Chad ever since he had left the Book Cafe. But why? She just spent the night with him. Nelly smiled as she remembered watching Chad sleeping this morning. Sure he had been a little drunk, but Nelly hadn't done a thing wrong.

"A woman not making a move on that hot body is a crime." Nelly said as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and decided to check her messages. She sat and listened, hoping to get nothing, when her worst fears occurred as she listened.

"Hello, sweetheart. This is your mother. Your father and I were so surprised when we got your message about going to Harmony for the weekend. So we decided to come up and join you so you won't be alone...."

"I haven't been so far." Nelly said.

"...Maybe we can even get together with the Cranes or Hotchkisses. We'll see you Saturday, when we get there. Bye-bye."

"Oh good God!" Nelly yelled. So much for what she came to Harmony for. "Things can't get worse." But then the second message started to play.

"Oh honey, it's your mother, again. Your father just got off the phone with Felicity Crane and we will be having dinner with her and the rest of the Crane family on Saturday night at 7. See you there!"

"Well, damn it."
 

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Sheridan knocked on the front door of Ethan's apartment a few times, when the door opened.

"Sheridan, it's so good to see you. Come on in." Ethan said as Sheridan walked inside.

"It's good to see you, too. I hope I didn't pull you away from anything important at your office."

"No, I just had a couple of things to do, but I was done. What was so urgent? Is something wrong?"

"Yes," Sheridan sighed and went ahead with her plans, "last night, Livvie and Nikolas came home and there was this family dinner, or at least there was supposed to be. First, Felicity and Ivy showed up and no one wanted them there even though they are a part of the family and then Chad showed up and he and Julian got into it because Julian was being either stupid or himself, I can never tell, and gave Chad $300,000 and paid for some things for his club. And you know how Chad is. He never wants anything for anyone-"

"Who's this about, Sheridan?" Ethan interrupted, "I haven't had anything to do with Chad for months."

"But he's lost, Ethan. He needs people who were in his life before this whole thing happened."

"It's just kind of hard, Sheridan."

"Why? He was still friends with you when he found out you weren't a Crane."

"That's because we were both in the same spot. Now, it's like we've switched lives. I'm living as a Harmony citizen and he's-"

"Living as one too. Ethan, Chad doesn't want anything to do with my family. He hates Julian, Alistair, and Felicity. That kind of out weighs everyone else with the last name Crane."

"It just feels different. I can't really explain it. All I know is that, Chad and I aren't like we use to be."

"You mean because you're on different ends of the class chain? You're not. Chad's making Julian take all of the money back." Sheridan sighed, "When was the last time you talked to him?"

"About a month ago, but Noah showed up. That's half the problem. Noah is my brother and my business partner and he's married to Whitney and expecting a child with her. That's not easy for Chad. He can't be reminded of that. But I'm not going to lose my brother."

"I'm not asking you to. I just, really want everyone to be as happy as I am. That includes Chad. He's my nephew. He can't even think of that. It all traces back together."

Suddenly the door opened and Theresa walked in carrying a bag of groceries.

"Sheridan! How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Did you two have plans?"

"Just a picnic out by the lighthouse." Theresa smiled, putting down the groceries.

"Oh, that's so romantic." Sheridan smiled. "Well, I don't want to keep you. Please think about what I said, Ethan."

"I will." Ethan said as Sheridan left.
 

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Kay looked through the window of the Book Cafe and saw Nikolas sitting at one of the tables. She stood there for a moment. Her blood was no longer boiling since it had had time to cool down since she had left Chad's club. She did know she still had to talk to Nikolas. She walked into the Book Cafe and straight up to Nikolas's table.

"Hello, Ms. Bennett."

"Mr. BIRD." Kay said. Hey, she had to have a little fun.

"So are you ready to give me my tour of this fair town?"

"Of course. But I was thinking I should charge you. Do you think you could afford it?" Kay said in her tough voice. She smiled, only to have it fad seconds later. "Noah."

Nikolas turned around a saw a man standing behind him looking at Kay.

"Hey Kay," Noah said.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Coffee. Are you all right? You look a little like you don't want me to be here."

"I'm fine. I was just getting ready to leave with my new friend." Kay said, urging Nikolas to head for the door.

"Whoa, who's your friend. I don't think we've ever meet." Noah said, turning his attention to Nikolas. "It sounded like you were a little upset with him a minute ago. Is he bothering you?" Noah said, stepping up the Nikolas.

"Hey, you leave him alone!" a, becoming very well known, woman's voice cam from behind Kay. The three look at her, all with shock, curiosity, and anger.

"You!" Noah yelled. Obviously the only feeling the anger.

"You, who?" Kay asked, curious to who the woman was.

"Livvie, what are you doing here?" Nikolas asked, surprising Noah and Kay that he knew her.

"I thought I'd come by for something to eat. Definitely wasn't getting any coffee!" Livvie said, staring at Noah.

"How do you know her?" Noah asked Nikolas with a little too much anger in his voice.

"What does it matter to you how I know her?" Nikolas asked. "How do YOU know her?"

"He's the jerk that spilt coffee on me." Livvie said, crossing her arms.

"Accidentally." Noah corrected her.

"Yeah, right. That's exactly why you're pushing on my little brother." Livvie said.

"You're brother?" Noah asked, obviously shocked, looking at Nikolas who was immediately looking at Kay.

"You know, if we don't get out of here now-" Kay spoke grabbing a hold of Nikolas's arm.

"You were going out with a Crane? You've got to be kidding me, Kay." Noah said.

"Why do you think you can just boss this poor girl around?" Livvie stepped in.

"This poor girl is my sister." Noah confirmed.

"Like I said, this poor girl. Boy, you just had to pick the one that would cause our parents to want to pull their hair out." Livvie said to Nikolas. "Good job."

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Nikolas said, "you're the guy that my sister's been ranting about for the last 24 hours and you two are brother and sister?"

"Yeah. You two are brother and sister?" Kay asked Nikolas.

"Yeah," he confirmed.

"Well, isn't this ironic. The children of two lovers from the 70s meeting together in the millennium." Livvie suddenly started chuckling to herself, "Mother is SO going to flip! Promise me you won't tell her, until I'm around to see." Livvie said to Nikolas and Kay.

"Promise." Nikolas and Kay said in unison as they left for the door before being stopped by Noah.

"Whoa. Kay, you don't really think I'm going to let you hang out with Cranes, do you?"

"I'm 18 years old, Noah. I can hang out with who ever I want to. Besides, I already told Nikolas I'd give him a tour of Harmony. He hasn't been her since he was a little kid." Kay said.

"Well, he can hire a professional."

"Umm, excuse me." Livvie said, nicely tapping Noah's shoulder.

"Oh you again!" Noah said, irritated. "What do you want?"

"Just give me a minute." Livvie said putting her hand on Noah's back guiding him further back into the Book Cafe. With his back turned, Livvie signaled for Nikolas and Kay to leave, which they took full advantage of and walked out the door as another couple entered.

"I think you and I might have gotten off on the wrong foot." Livvie confessed.

Noah turned back around, too shocked by her confession to notice anything else. "Really?"

"No, I just wanted to give the kids enough time to get out of here." Livvie smiled as Noah looked around seeing what she had said was true. Nikolas and Kay were gone.
 

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Eve grabbed her purse and keys off the coffee table and walked toward the door and opened it, only to get the biggest surprise she's had in 3 months. And this one she was happy to have.

"Hey, Mom." Simone said staring at Eve with tears in her eyes that had yet to fallen.

"Simone?" Eve couldn't believe she was looking at her. Her daughter. Right in front of her.

Simone looked down and saw Eve's purse and keys in her hand, "Oh, were you leaving? If you have work, I, oh, I knew I shouldn't have come by-" Simone turned to leave.

"No! I was just going to go pick up some things I needed for dinner. It can wait though."

"It can?" Simone asked, her tears almost out of her eyes.

"Of course." Eve said, her own tears forming in her eyes. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, I...I just...wanted...to...to see you. And tell you that...I love you, Mom." Simone finally said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around her mother's neck and letting her tears fall. Eve let her own tears out for the multiple time that day, but this time, it was for happiness.

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