CHAPTER FOUR- THE PAST RETURNS

Theresa splashed cold water on her face and stared at the mirror, she looked horrible, simply horrible.
She took her brush and quickly raked it in her hair. Miguel was down stairs with Grace and the kids, and she had to hurry, a shower would just have to wait. She fixed her hair in a ponytail and slapped on very little makeup, just enough to make her look alive.
After dressing in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt she walked down the stairs.
"Sorry it took so long." She said looking over at Miguel.
"No problem, I was just playing with the big guy here." He said holding Matt in his lap.
"Uncle Miguel said we could have pizza." Kendra informed her.
"Well then that’s what we’ll have."
Grace smiled, "I should be going, Theresa could you walk me outside."
Theresa nodded and followed Grace out the door.
"Theresa, I need to tell you something." Grace said frowning.
"What?" Theresa asked.
"Sam heard from Ethan."
"Ethan? Ethan called?" She asked.
"Yes, he called Pilar’s house but Sam answered, he’s coming home Theresa."
Theresa frowned, "He’s what?"
"I just thought you should know."
Theresa shook her head, "Why didn’t he come sooner?"
"He was out of the country, but he’ll be here soon, and I’m sure he’ll want to see you."
"I want nothing to do with him." Theresa said resisting the tugging feeling in her heart.
"Theresa, you need him now." Grace told her.
"No, I’ll never need him again, he left me three weeks before our wedding to find himself, well he may have found himself but he lost me." She said coldly.
Grace frowned, " I shouldn’t have told you, I knew it would upset you."
"No Grace, thank you for telling me, I needed to know."
Grace hugged her, "Call me if you need me."
"I will ,thank you for watching the kids today."
"It was no problem, I love them." Grace assured her as she walked off the porch and Theresa headed back in the house.
Miguel looked up and frowned, "What did Grace tell you?" He questioned.
"Nothing." Theresa said sadly.
"Resa tell me." He demanded.
Theresa walked over to her favorite chair. "It was about Ethan, he’s coming home." She said slumping down into the chair.
"He has no right." Miguel said bitterly.
"Miguel don’t" Theresa started.
"I mean it Resa, he left you and Sheridan both. I was the one who picked you up out of the floor that day and held you while you cried, the man has no right. "
"Miguel, he loved Sheridan."
"So why didn’t he call? He just forgot both of you." Miguel said as Matthew started to cry.
"Let’s just go eat, I don’t won’t to talk about this now." Theresa said walking over to Kendra.
"Ready for pizza?" She asked.
"Yelp." She said standing up from her toy’s.
"Your ready Miguel?" Theresa asked as he stood up with Matthew.
"Give me a second, why don’t you two head to the car." He asked.
"Whatever you say." She said leading Kendra out the door.
Miguel looked over at the picture Theresa had of Luis and frowned.
"I can’t stand Ethan, What would you do if you were me Luis? He questioned the photo as a memory came back to him.
"He left, I can’t believe he left her." Sheridan sobbed.
"I can, I knew not to trust him." Luis yelled clinching his fist.
"What do we do Luis?" Miguel asked.
"We protect our sister little bro, we make sure that man never hurts her again."
Sheridan wiped a tear, "How could he hurt her like his?"
"Because he’s just like Julian Crane. He’s never cared about my little sister, if he did he wouldn’t be gone." Luis shouted.
"She’s hurting real bad Luis." Miguel told him shaking his head.
"I know, that low life doesn’t deserve her, He’ll never get near my sister again, One day he’ll come crawling back like the worm he is, and I promise you both, I won’t let him near her." Luis said anger storming out of his voice.
"I’m with you Luis." Miguel agreed.
Luis hugged Sheridan "And I’ll never let him hurt you either baby." He said as she cried.
End Flashback
Miguel gripped the photo tightly, "I won’t let him hurt her Luis, I’ll make you proud of me." He said laying the picture down. "Ethan will never hurt Theresa again."
 
 

Theresa looked over at Kendra and had to laugh, the little girl had pizza sauce spread all over her face.
"I just love Cheese Pizza,." She giggled taking a big bite.
Miguel smiled "And you eat it so well." He said looking up at Theresa.
"Honey do you need a napkin?" Theresa asked.
"Nope." Kendra said taking a sip of her coke.
Matthew cooed as Miguel played with his feet. "Uncle Miguel’s gonna get you." He said as the baby laughed.
"Your really good when him." Theresa smiled.
"Thanks. Hey Chad said if you ever need him he’ll be glad to come over and help you out again." Miguel said smiling.
"Chad’s a great guy." Theresa sighed.
"Yeah he is, you could use someone like him." Miguel told her.
"Miguel, right now isn’t the time for that." Theresa frowned.
Miguel nodded ashamed of his comment, "I’m sorry sis, I wasn’t thinking."
Theresa smiled, "Your looking our for me I understand."
Kendra looked over at Theresa and smiled, "Thanks for pizza Aunt Resa."
"It was your Uncle Miguel’s idea." Theresa told her.
"You know what’s yummy with pizza?" Kendra said her eyes sparkling.
"What’s that?" Theresa asked.
"Ice Cream." She giggled.
"I think I’ll pass on that." Miguel laughed.
"Please?" The little girl begged.
"I don’t know, we’ll see." Theresa told her.
"Pretty please with chocolate on top?" She said.
Miguel laughed, "Chocolate on top?" He questioned.
"Daddy always says Chocolate on top cause its better than cherry’s."
Miguel and Theresa’s eyes both sunk, "Oh." Was all Miguel could say.
"I messed up." The little girl said as a tear came out of her eye.
"Messed up? Baby what do you mean." Theresa asked.
"Daddy makes you sad, I forgot." She whispered.
"No, sweetie we want you to talk about him." Miguel assured her.
"But he’s gone." She whimpered.
Theresa held back the tears, ‘stay touch Resa, you have to stay tough’ her mind told her.
"Not in our hearts." Theresa told her.
"I can’t see him, he’s gone." She cried falling into Theresa’s lap.
Theresa looked up at Miguel just as Matthew started crying.
"He need’s changed, "Theresa guessed.
Miguel nodded, "I’ll be right back." He said picking up Matthew and heading toward the bathrooms.
"Kenji honey, Daddy loved you so much, and he wants you to talk about him, him and mommy both." Theresa told the little girl.
"I want my daddy and mommy." She cried.
"I know angel." Theresa told her. She wanted them to, but what did she say, how did she handle things like this?
"Its my fault." Kendra said raising up from her aunt’s lap.
"No baby, its not your fault, its no one’s fault." Theresa pleaded, wiping Kendra’s dark brown hair out of her eyes.
"I was bad, I didn’t want them to go beaching." She cried.
"Kenji Sweetie that’s because you love them, its not your fault, never say that again."
The little girl nodded, Theresa looked at her, "I’m going to go get you some napkin’s to wipe your eyes, you sit her OK?" She asked.
"OK." Kendra nodded.
Theresa walked up to the counter and grabbed a few napkins and quickly turned around to head back to Kendra. As she twirled around she felt someone grab her.
She looked up as the napkin’s fell from her hands.
"Theresa, I’m so glad you see you."
"Ethan?" She whispered gasping.