Sacrifices of the Soul, Chapter 60
 
 

Chad was sorting out boxes in the room that would be his office. Though theycouldn’t stay there, he had to make sure it wasn’t stuff that he would needlater on. He was going through the material when he heard a knock on the door.

“ Sheridan.”

” Hey Chad. You don’t know how happy I was to see your bike in a parking spot.”

” I told you that I would work with you at the station.”

” Yes, you did. I’m glad you came.”

” We have a lot of work to do to get this station in order.”

” Yes, we do. I just got the financials, and I realized just how much I don’t know.”

” Well, I know a little, but, not a lot. Maybe you need to go to Julian to ask him.”

” No! I told him that I could do this on my own, and I will.”

” Sheridan, doesn’t Crane Industries have people whose job it is to know all that financial stuff? If Julian uses them, why can’t you?”

” Julian doesn’t have to prove himself in the boardroom, Chad.He’s well established. I’m the newcomer.”

” Well, you need some help. Someone who can explain it to you. Maybe to the both of us so that we know which way is up.”

” You’re right. I’m going back to my office and think about it. Chad….do you want to talk about last night?”

“ Not particularly. Is Julian home? I wanted to talk tohim.”

” Julian left…out of town.”

” To see my mother?”

” I would assume so.”

” Is she really doing better? Or was that all for show? Just to make me feel better?”

” She’s getting better. Julian’s very hopeful. He wants your mother to return to Harmony ASAP….for you and your sisters, of course.”

Chad thought about that statement and decided to leave it alone. “ Of course.”

” Did Ethan call?”

” He’s left 2 messages. I just can’t face him right now.”

” You believe that he had nothing to do with it, right?”

” Sheridan, I just think that it’s time to cool things down with regards to me and the Cranes. We should take things a lot slower.”

Sheridan wanted to make more pleas, but realized that this was the time to back down. “ Ok.I’ll be in my office.”

” See ya.”
 

Ivy was sitting in the living room, drinking her morning coffee when Gwen came in.

” Gwen, I thought you would be in the office by now.”

” I cancelled my appointments this morning.”

” Why? The baby tire you out?”

” Actually, when I did it, I thought that Ethan and I would be sleeping inafter a triumphant evening. Instead, Ethan was up at the crack of dawn and out the door to the office.”

” Well, he IS President of Crane Industries.”

” Don’t be coy, Ivy. How could you?”

” Do what?”

” You know what you did. You ruined Ethan’s big night.”

” Nonsense. I’ve been reading the papers. ALL of them say that Ethan’s party was a smashing success, benefiting the new President of Crane Industries.”

” Well, they don’t know the REAL story, do they, Ivy?”

” Gwen…”

” No. You hurt Ethan, and I find that inexcusable. I am his wife, Ivy. And,I’ll protect him. Protect him for anyone and everyone that I think is going todo him harm. Including you.  I have never seen Ethan so hurt. Of all the people in the world, Ivy, Ethan believed thatYOU would be one person that would never hurt him. That you humiliated him like this, is pathetic.”

” Humiliated him? How?”

” Chad is his BROTHER. I don’t think you grasp that concept. But, Chadwas also Ethan’s friend. He doesn’t talk to you about Chad,because he could sense your hostility towards him. He can’t really talk to Julian about Chad,because Julian’s relationship with him is still so fresh, and because he readily admits that he’s sort of uncomfortable ‘sharing’ his father. So, he talks to me. When he talks about this baby, he talks about the FAMILY that thechild will enter into it. How much he HATED being shipped off to boardingschool when he was a kid, and he made me promise that we would wait at least until our kids were in high school to even think about boarding school. Ethanis so happy with the godparents that we chose. He thinks that our baby is goingto be so fortunate to have Sheridan and Chad as godparents. That this baby will grow up with a lot of love. In a family full oflove. He thought last night signaled a new beginning for all of us. So many lifelong dreams. Ethan’s always known that most people want to be around him for what they can get from him as a Crane. Do you have ANY idea what it meantto him …just the POSSIBILITY that he and Chad could be FRIENDS as well as brothers?

But, why would you know? You’re so self-centered and greedy that you can’t think beyond what it benefits you and maybe Ethan.”

” Everything I have done in my life has been for Ethan.”

” Yeah Ivy. You keep on telling yourself. That. You LOVE being Mrs. Julian Crane. I don’t care how much you pretend that you’d rather be somewhere else.You wouldn’t give up the Crane money and power for ANYTHING. So, practice that martyr act for someone else. Anyone who truly loved their child would never have disappointed Ethan the way that you did.

Be warned, Ivy. You are my mother-in-law, but, know that I will be stepping up to the plate where MY family is concerned. You hurt Ethan again, and I’ll make sure that our child is graduated from high school beforeyou ever see it.”

” I’m Ethan’s MOTHER dear. Ethan would never cut me out of his life.”

” He would if I got him to ‘understand’ that this was in the best interest of OUR family. Don’t test me, IVY. Don’t think I’ll fold. I’ll do whatever I have to do to protect what I consider MINE – and that includes Ethan.”

Gwen got up and walked to the front door. Before she left  she turned back to Ivy. “ A piece of advice….get your best groveling voice forward. You’ll need it with Chad.”
 
 

Eve was sitting on the beach, taking in some sunbathing when Julian sat beside her and startled her by trailing an ice cube down her back.She lifted off of the beach blanket, not even bothering to get her bikini topback on. Julian was stunned. He couldn’t help himself with his eyes – her chest was marvelous.

” Um….aren’t you going to put your top back on?”

” No, Julian. Why should I? It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

” This isn’t fair.”

” Too bad. “ Julian looked at Eve with puppydog eyes, and she threw up her hands, putting on a t-shirt she had brought with her. “ Ok, satisfied?”

” Yes.”

” So…..tell me about last night? How was Chad?Is he ok? What did he look like? Was it everything that you hoped for? More?”

“ First of all, I saw two of your children last night. Chad…and Whitney.”

” Whitney? How did she get there?”

” She’s working on some tennis clinics for underprivileged children, and Ethan is trying to get Crane Charities to help with them.”

” Sounds good. ….How did she look?”

” Well, she looked beautiful. The dress she had on was gorgeous, and her hair was straight, which accentuated her beauty even more. She’s changed, Eve.”

” Changed?”

” There was a coldness about her. A sadness.”

” I put it there.”, Eve replied, with tears in her eyes.

” Eve, you can’t blame yourself.”

” If not me, then who, Julian?”

” Circumstances.”

” Was Whitney with anyone?”, Eve asked, hoping that she had met someone to help her through the pain.

” No. She was alone.”

” Oh.”

” Now, about Chad…”

The spirit in Eve’s eyes lifted a bit when Julian mentioned her son. “ How was Chad?”

” He looked wonderful in his tuxedo. A fine looking young man, and the tux made him seem powerful, in a way.”

” That’s our son.”

” Yes. And, Theresa looked splendid on his arm. They were quite the striking couple. You can see for yourself.”

Julian brought out the picture of Chad and Theresa. They were a very handsome couple. She saw how Chad had his hand around her waist.Very possessive of him. They looked every inch of a romantic couple. She washappy. She wanted all of her children to find love, and prayed for Chad and Whitney to find others to help heal their broken hearts. It seemed like herprayers for Chad had been answered. Eve looked at the other picture – the one of Whitney. Eve was taken aback by Whitney. It was scary. She was looking at a snapshot in time. With her hair like that, Whitney had never looked more likeher. Eve could also see the sadness in her daughter’s eyes and it broke herheart.  She held the pictures close to her chest and told Julian,

” Tell me about the evening.”

” Well, it began fabulously. We were all there. When Chad and Theresa arrived,Ethan was so happy. Chad was gracious, as always. He took me aside and asked me how YOU were.”

” He….he asked about me?”

” Yes. He was concerned. He had been to visit you and when he found out that you weren’t there, he was upset. He was pleased to know that you would becoming back. He thanked me Eve. For helping you. And…..”

” And?”

” He HUGGED me!”

” No!”

” Yes! I couldn’t believe it. It was quick, but, it was a hug. And, then he went to his table.”

Julian looked away, and thought he had hidden it, but, he hadn’t. Eve caught the look on his face.

” Julian, what happened? What happened last night that you don’t want to tell me about?”