Chapter 29-Complicated

~*~*~*~

Gwen smiled as Miguel took her hand. "Tonight was actually fun." He laughed.
"And you didn’t think it would be?" Gwen questioned.
"I didn’t really know. But it was fun. I mean total fun." Miguel smiled.
"I suppose. " Gwen said looking up at him. "I actually realized something tonight." Gwen said looking at Miguel.
"Let me guess. You figured out that I am a real man, and those snobby rich guys could never compete with me? " He smirked wiggling his eyebrows.
Gwen looked at Miguel her face dead serious. "No that wasn’t it." She shrugged as the walked along the pier.
"Oh." Miguel frowned.
"I figured out that you’re actually pretty mature. You’re don’t act your age. Other than you’re attitude you’re a good guy. " She smiled.
"Wow a compliment. I’m shocked." Miguel laughed. "But I figured out, you’re not like most of those rich people. And the Crane’s are pretty cool too. " He added.
"Yeah. There’s a few of us good rich people." She teased.
"That’s not what I mean." Miguel began but Gwen stopped him by placing her finger to his lips.
"I know what you meant. You’re just so cute when you get worried like that. "
"Oh I am? Am I also sexy? " Miguel asked.
"Yes Miguel you’re sexy. " Gwen admitted.
"So are you." He sighed.
Gwen laughed. "At least we agree on something. We both agree I’m sexy." She teased.
"Oh, and you say I’m the one full of myself? "
"You are." Gwen grinned. "But I like it. "
"You do?" Miguel asked looking at Gwen.
"Of course. Miguel, you’re nothing like what I expected. Not only are you sweet, cute and funny, you are confident about who you are. I think its a wonderful quality."
Miguel slipped his arms around Gwen’s waist. "I have many other qualities you know." He said a teasing grin on his face.
Gwen rolled her eyes as she laughed, "I bet you do. But we’ll talk about that later. " She smiled.
"Oh really?" Miguel asked.
"Really." Gwen said looking up at him. His eyes sparkling down at her.
Miguel looked at Gwen smiling up at him, before he could stop himself he leaned down and kissed her. Surprised at how good it felt Gwen pulled away.
"Gwen, I’m sorry." Miguel said looking down at her.
"What just happened Miguel?" She questioned weakly.
"I kissed you. I don’t know why but I did."
Gwen looked up at him. "That was, that was the best kiss I’ve ever had." She said in shock looking up at Miguel. "Why was that kiss so good Miguel? Why?" She asked frantic.
~*~*~*~*~

Julian sat and listened to the man on the other end of the phone talk. When he was finished Julian spoke. "Don’t thank me. You have no reason to thank me." Julian raked his hand in his hair. "I’ll see you soon. We will all see you very soon." He sighed. "Yes, yes I know it will be strange. But don’t worry about a thing. I’ll talk to you when you get here. Goodbye." Julian finished.
"Julian, who was that on the phone?" A voice called out.
Turning Julian saw Ivy looking at him. "Dear no need to worry about it." He smiled.
"Julian, who was it? And why are they coming to town?" She asked. "Don’t lie to me Julian. "
Julian nodded. "I suppose its time I told you everything Ivy. Its time you know my horrible truths." He said as he began to fill his wife in own everything he had been dealing with.
~*~*~*~
 

~*~*~*~
Chad walked Theresa to the door, as she opened it he smiled. "Its been fun."
"Yeah it has." She said entering her house.
"So, I’ll talk to you later?" Chad said almost in a question.
"Of course. " Theresa said looking around the room. "Mama must be upstairs." She smiled.
"Yeah. It’s kinda late."
"You wanta stay for coffee or something?" Theresa questioned.
Chad shook his head. He kept eyeing her lips, then her eyes, back to her lips again. He felt like he was back in high school. "I’ve gotta get home to my baby girl."
Theresa smiled. "Of course. I understand."
"Talk to you tomorrow." Chad said giving Theresa a kiss on the cheek.
"Yeah tomorrow." Theresa nodded.
"So I’ll see ya." Chad said not moving. His mind was telling him to just kiss the girl. But looking at her, seeing her face looking back at him made him remember she was his best friend.
"I did have fun tonight Chad. I’m so glad I asked you." She told him, why didn’t she just kiss him? If he wasn’t going for it she could. No. Then she’d look forward. What was she thinking. This was good ole’ Chad. Her best friend.
"Well I do have to go." Chad laughed.
"Yeah." Theresa smiled.
"Bye."
Goodnight Chad." Theresa said as he walked away.
"Night girl." Chad said looking back.
When Theresa finally shut the door she turned around to see Pilar standing on the stairs.
"Mama, I didn’t see you there." Theresa whispered.
"Of course not. I can see you are in your own little world."
"Now what do you mean by that, Mama? " Theresa said giving her mother a bashful grin.
"Child, you’re falling in love with Chad Harris. I can see it in those eyes of yours. "
"I don’t know mama." Theresa shrugged. "I have no clue what I’m doing. "
"Do you think this is the right time to be falling for someone? Two children need you, and you are going crazy over a man. The timing is wrong." Pilar told her.
"Mama, We are just friends. Nothing has happened between us, I promise. "
"But you want it too. Theresa do you realize this is how you acted as a child? Thinking about your feelings only?" Pilar questioned crossing her arms.
"Mama, you have no idea how many times I have walked away from Chad just because of the children. Those kids are my first priority. I am not a child anymore, and I am not acting like one. "
"I just don’t want to see you get hurt. "
"Mama, before I left tonight you seemed fine with whatever this is between Chad and I, now you are acting different. What happened?"
Pilar frowned. "I had time to think. I don’t like the idea of you getting caught up in another fairy tale. Please understand that."
"I do. But mama, this is no fairy tale. I have two children to think about, and Chad, he has a little girl he adores and a teenage brother he is taking care of. That is far from a fairy tale. It’s as real as it gets. And I know that." Theresa explained.
"I can see you still plan to jump in, if Chad feels the same. Nothing I say will change how you feel." Pilar sighed.
"Mama, I don’t even know how I feel. I know Chad has always been there for me, he would never hurt me, and I can talk to him. He makes me smile mama, and he can make the dumbest things sound so important. I know he is a good father, and he’s good with Matt and Kenji. He has helped me so much with them. I also see that Chad is a wonderful brother to Justin. He took him in when he didn’t have to. Mama he has a huge heart, he’s even willing to work on his relationship with Julian. That’s what I know. That’s all I really know." Theresa said letting the words pour from her heart.
"It sounds to me, you know a lot. I believe you know exactly how you feel. " Pilar said looking at her girl. "You’re right, you have grown up my dear Theresa. You are a very smart woman." She said hugging her.
"Thank you mama." Theresa smiled.
"I must go now. Your mama needs her rest." Pilar said exiting Theresa’s home.
Theresa walked over and flipped on the radio. She was confused, she cared about Chad more than she had ever meant to. Fell hard she was afraid. She sat down on her couch snuggling up to a pillow as she listened to the song on the radio.
 

I'm so scared that the way I feel
Is written all over my face
When you walk into the room
We used to laugh, we used to hug, the way that old friends do

Theresa rolled her eyes. Not another one of ‘those’ songs. She thought to herself. She smiled as she remembered when things had been so simple. When walking in the park with Chad was just that, walking in the park with Chad. Now it was all different, looking at him felt different. The way she smiled at him had to be thought out even. Why couldn’t it go back to him just being Chad. But did she really want it that way?

But now, a smile and a touch of your hand
Just makes me come unglued
Such a contradiction, do I lie or tell the truth
Is it fact or fiction
Oh the way I feel for you

Couldn’t he at least have a few flaws? But no. Chad at to be super dad. He had to be the perfect brother and the best friend ever. He was perfect, at least close enough. Theresa tossed on the couch. What was wrong with her? Why had she let this happen? And why hadn’t she saw it before? It wasn’t like they had just met, he had been her friend for years, and just now suddenly she was feeling this way? Weak, Nervous, and Totally Happy all at the same time. Why now? Why not sooner? But she had to keep saying it. Best Friend. He was her best friend.

So complicated, I'm so frustrated
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay
Should I say it.
Should I tell you how I feel
Oh, I want you to know
But then again I don't. It's so complicated

She smiled as she thought about the kiss on the cheek. How it made her light up and feel warm inside. It was like she was finally where she wanted to be. But then he left. He walked out the door. That could only mean one thing. He didn’t want her. She was in this alone and Chad only saw her as a friend. Of course that’s what it meant. The way her life was going, it could only mean that.

Oh..just when I think I'm under control
I think I got a grip
Another friend tells me that, I'm always on your lips
They say I'm more than just a friend, they say I must be blind
Well, I admit that I've seen you watch me from the corner of your eye
Oh, It's so confusing. I wish you'd just confess
But think of what I'd
be losin', if your answer isn't yes.

But if that was true, then why did everyone else tell her they saw a spark? That he was crazy about her? Miguel had said it, and Gwen. Even Ethan had told her she belonged with Chad Harris. If all these people could see it, then there had to be something there. Something more than just friendship. Theresa bolted from the couch and stood up. Pacing about the room listening to the song that described her and Chad.

So complicated, I'm so frustrated
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay
Should I say it.
Should I tell you how I feel
Oh, I want you to know
But then again I don't. It's so complicated

Oh, I hate it. 'Cuz I've waited
So long for someone like you
Oh, what do I do
Oh should I say it
Should I tell you how I feel
I want you to know,but then again I don't
It's so complicated
It's so complicated
It's so complicated
Ohh..

"What am I going to do?" She said out loud. Walking back and forth she paced. Was it love? Or just something that had happened due to her grief for her brother and Sheridan. That would make sense also she reasoned. "No It can’t be that. It just can’t." She sighed.
"Do I love him? Have I fallen in love with Chad?" She questioned. "I couldn’t have. But then again. No, I haven’t. " She said taking a deep breath.
"I’ve just lost my mind. I’m a crazy woman who is pacing in her living room talking to herself. That’s it. I’ve lost it." She rattled to the walls in her home. Suddenly a pounding on her door stopped her. "Tell me that’s not Miguel here to question me." She sighed walking over to the door.
As she opened it she let out a small gasp. "Chad?" She questioned looking at him.
Chad stood before her, not saying a word. Just looking at her dark eyes, and her shocked face. He saw a tiny smile come to her face and he suddenly forgot all about words. He didn’t need them anyway. Reaching out and wrapping his arm around her waist he pulled her to him and without anything being said he let his lips touch hers. He was finally kissing the woman he loved.