Ch.25-When Does It End?
 

"Theresa dear you look stunning tonight ." Julian smiled.
"Thank you. But I think Ivy is the one who look’s stunning." Theresa noted.
Ivy laughed, "You’re too kind Theresa. I can’t keep up with young women like you and Gwen. No, you two steal the show." Ivy said as both Gwen and Theresa smiled.
Chad smiled, "I think all three of you are beautiful, just knock outs if you ask me." He grinned his glance going down toward Theresa.
Theresa smiled, then fought back a yawn, She knew she needed rest, after all she hadn’t had more that 10 hours sleep the whole week, but her love of the children kept her going. And Chad, knowing she’d be with him tonight somehow got her through the week.
"Theresa how are Kendra and Matt doing?" Julian asked.
"They seem to be doing OK. I’m getting Kendra set up in therapy, because of the nightmares, and Matt well he’s almost cut that tooth. " She smiled.
"And you Theresa, have you been resting lately?" Ivy questioned.
Theresa lowered her eyes to the floor. "I’m fine Ivy." She lied. She knew if anyone knew just how tired she was, they would make some huge fuss over her. Miguel was already hovering over her as much as possible, and Grace and Eve seemed to call three or four times a day. She knew it was all out of love, that these people cared about her but, still she couldn’t let them know that she felt as if she were going to fall asleep at any moment. What if Julian decided she couldn’t handle the children? And took them from her, sure the idea was crazy, but she couldn’t take any chances.
Chad looked over at Theresa, "You sure you’re doing OK?" He asked.
Theresa nodded softly, "Yeah fine." She said looking around the room. "But if you’ll excuse you I’m going to go get something to drink." Theresa smiled.
"I’ll go get it for you." Chad told her.
Theresa shook her head, "Thanks, but really I can do it. I’ll be back." She smiled.
"Well if you’re sure." Chad said as Theresa excused herself from the group and walked toward the bar.
"I worry about her." Miguel frowned. "She’s been so tense lately."
Gwen nodded. "Yes, very nervous and tired. "
"Well look what the poor girl is dealing with, she’s never really dealt with raising kids, and now she has Kendra and Matthew. " Ivy said shaking her head.
"I wish papa could be here, things would be so much easier if he was still around." Miguel frowned.
Julian swallowed. "Do you really believe if Martin was around it would be a help? After all these years?" He questioned Miguel, studying the young man’s face.
"Of course. Mama and Theresa both need him right now. And it would help me also. But he’s not coming back. I know papa is never coming home." Miguel sighed.
"Yes well you have all of us." Julian said looking at Ivy. "Shall we mingle my dear?"
"I suppose we should." She nodded. "We’ll see you all later."
Julian looked at Chad and smiled, "I’ll talk to you soon Chad."
"Sure thing." Chad nodded back as Ivy and Julian walked off.
"That was weird." Miguel suddenly said looking at Gwen and Chad.
"What? What was weird? " Gwen questioned her date.
"Well the way Julian handled my mention of papa. It was just odd."
"I’m sure it was nothing. Julian is dealing with a lot right now." Chad told him turning to search the room for Theresa.
"Miguel, I have to agree with Chad, Julian is under a lot of stress right now. " Gwen said touching his hand with her own.
"No, I still say it was odd." Miguel said as he looked over at Julian in a large group of people. " I just can’t shake this feeling." He sighed.
~*~*~*~

Theresa smiled at the woman behind the bar. "Ginger Ale please."
She turned and looked at a group of young women who seemed to be staring toward her. Turning away she couldn’t help but hear what they were saying.

"Can you believe this whole family is here tonight? They all act like that poor couple never died." A tall blonde said.
"Yeah really, and did you hear what the tabloid’s are saying? One said that some of the people in the plane were alive for hours before they died. How horrible is that?" A red head sighed.
"I know that’s terrible. Sheridan was a wonderful woman. But to leave her kid’s with her husband’s sister? I mean please. All that girl knows about is how to chase Crane men. First Ethan, then this new Crane, Chase, Chance, whatever his name is. " A short woman with black wavy hair said as the other women nodded. "What does she know about kids? You know Sheridan must of left half her money to that girl. She must be smiling right now. "
"And did you see Gwenie? Oh my gosh, she’s here with some young boy. I heard he’s Sheridan’s brother-in-law. He’s like 17 or something." She laughed.
"He’s 21."
The blonde looked up to see Theresa staring at all of them.
"Um, sorry." The girl said.
"So, I don’t deserve those children? Is that what I heard you say?" Theresa questioned them.
"Well that’s not what I meant."
"And all I do is chase after Crane men? By the way, it’s Chad not Chase. And I stayed with Ethan after I found out he was a Bennett, for your information. " Theresa said her voice getting louder. "How dare you even say I would be smiling after the death of my brother and Sheridan. What kind of horrible people are you? You talk about me and my family? You women have no hearts. My family is grieving right now, do you think we want to be here? "
"Look we didn’t mean it." The red head said in a calm tone.
"Yes! Yes you did." Theresa yelled. "My family has lost two people who didn’t deserve to die and you would have the nerve to say I’m glad? Two small children have lost BOTH parents, how dare you even speak in such a manner. " Theresa huffed looking at all four of the women. "Do not talk about my family or the Crane’s as if we don’t care. We are all going crazy at the moment. And then to say I only chase Crane men? Do you realize the main realize this party is being held it to show off MY designs? MY hard work, and I promise I did that all on my own. " Theresa said her face turning red.
"Do not judge me or my family until you have lived what we are living, and for the record I pray to God you never had to go through this." Theresa yelled.
"Well, I guess you really are unstable like the tabloid said aren’t you?" The blonde smirked as Theresa’s ginger ale suddenly flew into the woman’s face.
"Unstable? Do you want me to show you unstable?" Theresa yelled as the woman shook her head no.
"That’s what I thought." Theresa said as she ran out of the room and headed to the balcony.
~*~*~*~
Chad and Miguel both gasped at the scene they had witnessed.
"I’ve gotta go after her." Miguel said as Gwen grabbed his arm.
"No let me." Chad insisted.
Gwen shook her head. "Let her cool off. " She told both of them.
"She needs me." Miguel said glaring at her.
"Yeah she needs someone to talk to." Chad agreed.
Gwen frowned. "Look, I know you both care for her, but give her a little while then go. Theresa needs time to gather her thoughts and calm down. "
Chad and Miguel both looked at each other. "Fine. But one of us is going out there in a few minutes." Miguel told Gwen.
Chad nodded. "Yeah. I’ll give her a few, then I’m headed her way. " He said.
"Fine. " Gwen agreed.
~*~*~*~
Ethan looked over at Beth and frowned. "Poor Theresa. She doesn’t deserve all this."
Beth nodded. "She’s dealing with a lot isn’t she?"
"Yeah, and I haven’t made things any easier, chasing after her all the time."
Beth smiled softly, "You just wanted a second chance. "
"But I don’t deserve one." Ethan frowned.
Beth touched his arm, everyone deserves a second chance. But we also have to know when to let go." Beth looked over at Chad who was pacing as Gwen talked to him.
"He loves her you know." She sighed.
"You think so?"
I’ve worked with Chad, he’s a wonderful man, and he’s in deep." Beth said looking at Ethan. "Its time for you to let her go. "
Ethan shook his head, "What about our fate? " He asked. "She always said fate brought us together."
"For a time maybe it did. But I think fate has decided it’s time to let things end. " She said shaking her head. "Do you really know that woman that just ran out of here? Or are you still remembering the girl you left a few years ago? " Beth questioned Ethan surprised at how bad she felt for the man.
"I miss the girl, but you’re right, I have no clue who that woman is." He admitted. "But Chad does doesn’t he?" Ethan asked Beth, wondering why he could talk to her so freely.
"Yeah. He knows her, and he understands her."
Ethan ran his fingers through his hair. " I can’t believe I’ve been such a fool." He sighed.
Beth looked at him, "But you know what you have to do now don’t you?" She questioned.
Ethan nodded slowly pain showing in his eyes, "Yeah, I do."
~*~*~*~
Ivy grasped Julian’s hand tightly. "Poor Theresa." She said wiping a tear from her eye.
"Yes the poor girl." He agreed bringing Ivy into a tight hug.
"What has happened to all of us Julian? Why did all of this happen?" Ivy cried.
"I have no clue. " He answered knowing that was a question that no one knew the answer to.
Ivy pulled out of his hug and looked up at him. "I’m so glad I have you now." She said a faint smile coming on her face.
"I’m glad of that too darling. " He told her, moving a strand of hair from her face.
"I just feel so bad for Pilar, I can easily see that soon Theresa and Chad will see how they feel, and Miguel is a strong young man, but Pilar, all she has is her two children and her grandchildren. It’s so sad."
Julian frowned. "Very sad dear. " He agreed.
"But she’ll be fine, she’s so strong, she does have us I suppose. " Ivy reasoned. "So she isn’t as alone as it seems I guess."
Julian nodded his head quickly, "Yes she had many people who love her, we all have each other now."
"I just can’t believe people are so cruel. Saying those things. I mean this is our family, and they talk like we don’t care about Luis and Sheridan. How dare they Julian." Ivy cried.
"Life isn’t fair my dear, you know that. People are horrible. You even warned me remember?"
"Yes, I just didn’t think it would be Theresa that would hear things like that. She must be crushed. "
Julian moved his hand to his wife’s cheek wiping away a tear. "She is strong Ivy. You mustn’t do this." He begged.
Ivy nodded and embraced him again. "Thank you Julian. For just being here."
~*~*~*~

Theresa took in a deep breath, gathering all the fresh air she could. Wiping the tears that streamed down her face she leaned up against the balcony. She knew she had made a huge scene, but she couldn’t take all that she had just heard. How could people talk like that? She loved Sheridan like a sister, and Luis, he was her brother, more than that he was a father to her. Words cut to the bone and she couldn’t believe how bad they were hurting her. "Why?" She whispered to the wind. "Why can’t I be stronger." She cried. Feeling weak, She needed to get it together and face everyone. She feared she had must made a fool of herself but she didn’t care. She didn’t care that people thought she was after money, she knew that wasn’t true. But for people to say she was rolling in Sheridan’s money weeks after her death that was just more than she could handle. She loved those kids, but she’d give anything to see Sheridan and Luis holding Kendra and Matt in their arms again. But she knew they were gone, and all she could do was figure out how to move on. She looked up at the night sky and felt a shiver run down her. "Luis this isn’t easy." She cried her lips quivering. Part of her knew it would get better, another part of her wondered if she would hang on to the past forever. Suddenly she felt a hand lightly touch her shoulder. Without looking around or even glancing at the hand she spoke.
"Ethan." She whispered. Still staring at the night sky. Finally she turned around and saw him standing behind her.
"How’d you know?" He questioned.
Theresa forced a smile. "Some things you just don’t forget." She answered back looking up into her ex’s eyes.