Chapter 17-Moving on

Ethan’s eyes went to Gwen, his face without any color. "Gwen?"
"Wow! He remembers my name and everything." Gwen smiled. "I’m impressed." She said walking up to Ethan.
"What are you, what is she?" He began to both Gwen and Theresa.
Theresa grinned, "Gwen came to see the children."
"And my dear friend Theresa of course." Gwen laughed.
"But, you two hate each other." Ethan said looking at both women.
Theresa shook her head, "No, that was when we both wanted you."
"And now that neither of us want you, we’re just fine." Gwen finished.
Ethan dropped his head. "This is a surprise." He admitted.
"What no hello Gwen, how are you?" Gwen asked. "Ethan where’s your manners."
Ethan sighed. "Gwen you look wonderful."
"No thanks to you." Gwen grunted.
"Sis, did I hear the doorbell?" Miguel said walking downstairs.
Theresa bit her lip, "Yeah, Ethan is here. I see you found a shirt." She smiled.
Gwen frowned. "Did he really need one." She muttered under her breath.
"Gwen did you say something?" Theresa said holding back a laugh.
"Oh nothing, I think I’ll go see the kids."
Miguel smiled, "I’ll show you the way."
"Yes you do that." She said winking at him.
 

Theresa turned back to Ethan as Miguel lead Gwen upstairs, "Would you like to come in?"
"Yes thank you. I hate to ask but was Gwen flirting with your brother?" He asked confused.
Theresa laughed, "Yeah, I mean Miguel is nice looking. "
"Anyway what I stopped by for was to ask you about the Fashion Party. "
"Yes, what about it?" Theresa said looking up at Ethan. She had loved him once, long ago. This man in front of her had been her ‘fate’ and one point, and now he was just Ethan Bennett.
"Well do you have a date?" He asked.
She frowned, "I asked Chad to take me." She admitted.
"Oh I see." Ethan said his tone disappointed.
"He’s a wonderful friend, and well I feel comfortable with him." Theresa explained. Then she stopped, she didn’t have to explain things to Ethan anymore, they were done, he had left her. "Chad and I have become very close." She finished.
"Well, it didn’t hurt to try." Ethan said forcing a small tense laugh.
"Ethan, we’ve been done for a while. You hurt me, and that can’t be changed."
Ethan’s eyes dropped, had he really lost her? "Theresa, I know I hurt you. I regret that everyday."
Theresa shook her head, " I really don’t want to get into this tonight"
Ethan looked at her, "Why? Because it might bring back old feelings? It might stir up something you don’t want to see? Why don’t you want to discuss it?"
Theresa felt her face go red. How dare this man come in her house and talk to her like that. Who did Ethan think he was? "Get out." She commanded pointing her finger toward the door.
 

"Oh what? You can’t handle it? You still love me Theresa, Can’t you just admit you never got over me."
"I have been over you for a long time Ethan. You have no idea who I am anymore do you?" She asked trying to stay calm.
Ethan let out a laugh, "Theresa, you wanted me your whole life, and now your just done?" He remained quite for a second then looked t her, "Or maybe you’ve found a ‘real’ Crane to take my place." He bitterly said.
Theresa felt her whole body heat up, "What did you just say to me?" She yelled.
"You heard me. Now that Chad’s a Crane I guess that means your in love with him now huh?" Ethan said anger in his voice.
"Ethan if you don’t get out of my house right now, I’ll personally throw you out." She yelled.
"She won’t have to. Get out of my sister’s house now." Miguel said from the top of the stairs.
"Great its you." Ethan muttered.
Miguel walked down the stairs to Theresa’s side, "You heard my sister, get out now!"
Ethan headed for the door then looked back, "Just tell me Theresa, is it ‘Fate’?" He growled as Miguel slammed the door in Ethan’s face.
Theresa turned to Miguel " I could have handled that." She insisted.
He nodded, "I know that. But I did what I felt I needed to do." He told her.
She gave him a small grin, "You mean you did what Luis would have done?" She asked.
"Well yeah." He admitted.
"Hey everything OK down here?" Gwen said walking down the stairs, "I heard yelling."
"Things are just fine. I think me and Miguel took care of things." Theresa told her.
Miguel kissed Theresa’s cheek, "Gotta go get that bubble bath, You gonna be OK?" He asked.
Theresa nodded, "I’m fine really." She said giving him a hug.
Miguel headed toward the door and looked back, "See you later Gwen." He grinned.
"Oh you can count on it." She sighed as he walked out the door.
Theresa shook her head "What’s up with you and my little brother?" She questioned.
Gwen laughed, "Harmless flirting, that’s all."
Theresa gave her a look of relief. "Ethan is such a jerk." Theresa told her.
Gwen nodded, "Your just beginning to figure that one out? "
"No, I mean when he left me I was so upset I didn’t have time to be mad."
"And the anger has set in. This is a good sign you know. Anger means your over him."
Theresa looked at Gwen amused. "Oh really?"
"Yes, see first Ethan breaks your heart, then you cry that river of tears. I’m guessing that happened for what a year or so? Then you begin to move on, just as the anger hits you. " Gwen explained. "That’s when you know your letting go. Been there, done that." Gwen smiled.
"Well I was over him a long time ago." Theresa said sitting down.
"But seeing him brought old feelings back right? Those eyes, that smile, come on Theresa, He’s Ethan, we both know its not easy to let him go."
Theresa nodded. "Your right. But he accused me of going after Chad because he was a ‘Crane’ can you believe that?" Theresa asked.
Gwen let out a chuckle. "How Ethan. You’ve got to understand Ethan is used to winning, and this time he lost. Chad is a great guy, if you end up with him, your a very lucky lady, and so are those two kids up there, might I add?" Gwen hinted.
Theresa blushed, "So back to Hank Bennett, he’s single you know, and very cute. "
Gwen rolled her eyes, "Oh Theresa dear, your too much. And yes Hank Bennett is easy on the eyes." Gwen added with a wink.

~*~*~*~

Pilar held her pillow tightly, she stared at her wall, her whole body numb from the pain she was feeling.
"Mama" a voice whispered as Pilar blinked. She looked back at the wall and saw a child, Luis at age 12.
"Mama don’t cry." He told her.
"But your gone." She sobbed.
"No, you still feel me here don’t you?" Little Luis said pointing to his heart.
"Yes son. Yes of course I do. " She whispered.
"Then I’m never really gone." He grinned.
"But your not coming back."
"You’ll see me again." He promised, his eyes so bright.
"When? When my son?" She begged.
"Just cheer up. Please." He said smiling.
"I love you Luis." She cried.
"Resa and Miguel need ya mama. " He told her standing in his jeans and white shirt.
"They are big now."
"We will always be your little babies mama." He laughed.
"I love you mama. " Luis whispered.
"Son, don’t leave me."
"I’m fine mama, really." He said as Pilar blinked a tear.
"Luis, please." She said opening her eyes again. But Luis was gone.
Pilar wiped her eyes as a memory flooded her head. She stood up and stumbled to her picture album, flipping through it she stopped in her tracks. A picture of a smiling Luis caught her eye. In the picture he had on Jeans and a white shirt, under it in her own writing was "Luis age 12 leaving for basketball camp"
Pilar found a smile coming to her face. In her heart Luis had always been her baby, that same kid in the picture, and that was the same Luis, who had just came to her.
"I’ll be all right son. I promise." She said shutting the album.