Sacrifices of the Soul, Chapter 54
 

Theresa and Chad entered the boutique. A saleslady came up to them.

" May I help you? My name is Ginny."

" Hi. This beautiful young woman is here to buy a dress.", Chad said.

Theresa blushed, and Ginny turned towards Theresa. " Well, do you know what you want?"

" I have no idea."

" Well, THIS is going to be fun." She brings Theresa over to a rack of dresses. " I’d say you were a size 2, right?"

Theresa nodded.

" There is SO much for you to choose from. You begin to look and see if there’s anything to catch your eye." Ginny sees her boss waving her down. " I’ll check back with you in a few minutes."

Ginny goes to see her boss. " What is it?"

" I wanted to tell you that whatever the young woman wants, she is to get."

" Really?"

" Really. Big wig."

Ginny looks over at Chad and Theresa at the rack of dresses. Theresa takes some of the dresses down. She is happy until she looks down at the prices. Then she immediately puts the dresses back.

" Theresa, why’d you do that?"

" Chad…do you see how much these dresses cost?"

" Theresa, I told you that I’d buy you a dress."

" Chad, the cheapest dress there was two thousand dollars."

Chad’s eyes bugged out. " Two grand?" Chad whistled. He had imagined paying one thousand for a dress. He thought they could get a decent dress for that amount. He didn’t know what to say.
The store manager came over to Chad. " Excuse me, Sir. May I have a word with you?"

Chad hinted to Theresa to keep on looking for dresses.

" What’s wrong?", Chad asked.

" Nothing, Mr. Harris."

" How do you know my name?"

" All the finer shops in this town know your name, Mr. Harris. And, I wanted you to know that everything is fine, as far as bills are concerned."

" What are you talking about?"

" You will be able to get whatever you wish. It will be placed on the Crane account."

" Who said that I was on the ‘Crane Account’?"

" The instructions came from Mr. Crane himself, Sir."

" Really?"

" Yes."

"Thank you, then. It’s good to know."

She was about to say something else, when Chad turned away from her and went back to Theresa.

" Resa, you get whatever you want."

" But, Chad…"

" No buts.. don’t worry about it. You can get whatever you want."

" How?", she asked with curiosity.

" Seems as if dear old Dad has put me on the Crane Accounts."

" Chad, are you sure? You didn’t seem to want anything from Julian. "

" Well, this is a party for his son. And he wants me there. So, he’s going to help me get there, because I’m not going without you."

Theresa’s eyes lit up. " Well, if THAT’s the case, I DID see a dress I really liked here."

Chad laughed. " I’ll be sitting over here. You pick whatever you think is best. In fact, make sure you have 3 different outfits. A woman needs choices."

It was Theresa’s turn to laugh. " Yes, Sir."

Chad went over to the seat, and picked up to read the magazine sitting there. He could see a twinkle in Theresa’s eyes, and he was glad to be able to put it there. Chad had to admit that being a Crane wasn’t so bad in this case.
 

Eve ran out of the ocean thew her snorkeling mask down and plopped herself besides Julian on the beach.

" Nothing like this water. It’s so blue. Our snorkeling has been amazing. "

" Yes, it has."

" Julian…I can see that something is bothering you. Want to share?"

" I…I have to leave you in about an hour. I have to get back to Harmony. Tonight is Ethan’s big night. It’s a party celebrating him becoming President of Crane Industries."

" You’re so proud of him, aren’t you? I can see it. You’re about to burst."

" Yes. It’s not everyday that a man can watch his son become President of the family company. Plus, I’m proud for another reason."

" Why?"

" Chad."

" Chad?"

" Chad is coming. It’s his first event.."

" Since being announced as a Crane."

" Yes. I can’t help myself but dream that his accepting the invitation.."

" Means that he’s accepted you as his father, and that maybe  he’ll want to become part of the family."

" Am I crazy?"

" No, Julian. No crazier than me."

" Eve, when I think of having both my sons with me, a chill goes down my spine. I…I can’t wait."

" I can tell."

" Though my marriage leaves something to be desired, I can do better with my children. Both of my sons. I’m determined to have a closer relationship with both of them."

" That’s a good goal."

" Did I tell you my scheme to get Chad into Crane Industries?"

" Julian, he won’t do it. He’s too independent to wind up doing a nine to five job."

" Ye of little faith, Eve. Little faith. Of course Chad wouldn’t accept an outright offer of a job from me. So, I went around him."

Eve folds her arms. " How?"

" Crane Industries owns that old  radio station, WHAR. I talked Sheridan into taking it on, and to have Chad help her. "

" She agreed to your plot?"

" No. She would never agree to deceive Chad like that. So, I had to use reverse psychology to get her to take the station."

" You made it seem like you had no faith in her to succeed, so to prove you wrong, she took the station."

" Yep."

" Sheridan’s been in your corner from the beginning, so she just thinks having Chad with her is good for everyone all around."

" Absolutely."

" You are maniacal, Julian Crane."

" Well, Alistair did teach me well. "

" Speaking of that mutherfucker, how is he?"

" Pathetic and drooling, I can happily announce. I used to wish that father would die. But, I have to admit that I find him being incapacitated like this an enormous thrill. I love him being a vegetable. It feels good. I know I’m not a good person."

" Oh puleeze. If you pissed on his grave, nobody would say anything. He deserves it."

" Yes, he does. But, with Father out of the way, for the first time, I see a future for the family. One that’s positive, and not negative."

" Well, enough about Alistair. How are Sheridan and Chad together?"

" Hasn’t begun yet. But, I have a lot of positive thoughts about this. Chad is a natural, and despite herself, all Sheridan really lacks is confidence. Chad will help her gain her confidence in business. Chad’s a natural. I saw how he turned around the Book Café. He has the ‘Crane Touch’. "

" The ‘Crane Touch’?"

" Yep. "

" Well, how is Ivy taking Chad’s presence in your life."

" She doesn’t have a choice. Chad is my son, and is going to be my son. She knows better than to even think about messing with Chad. If she has any doubts about it, she keeps them to herself."

" Ivy is VERY protective of Ethan. If she thinks that Chad is threatening Ethan’s position.."

" Eve, you don’t have to worry about that. Ethan is the Heir to the Crane Empire. He’s been raised for it, and that is his position. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a place for Chad with Crane Industries. I have so many ideas for Chad, Eve. So many."

" Julian…he has to choose his own path."

" Yes, I know that. But, I’ve been wanting to take Crane Industries into the entertainment industry seriously. We have some investments, but, I haven’t trusted anyone enough to believe in their vision. Entertainment money is a tricky thing. Without the right brains working it, you can lose enormous amounts of money fast. Chad has the mind, Eve. He has the talent, the ‘Crane touch’. I just think he needs a little more experience."

" Julian, promise me that you’ll let Chad come to you. It won’t work otherwise. We have to get this right, Julian. We won’t get another chance if we mess it up."

Julian took Eve’s hand and kissed it. " Be assured Eve, I’m plotting the relationship with our son as seriously as I would a billion dollar merger. I will NOT be rash. "