Unexpected Happenings, Chapter 13
 
 
 
 

Grace Bennett found herself outside of Father Lonigan's office. She knocked.

" Come in."

Grace went in the office.

" Hello, Father Lonigan."

" Grace Bennett. How are you?"

" Confused, Father. Very confused."
 

Hank Bennett was supervising the last shipment to be loaded onto the trucks on the dock. He looked up and saw Sam standing there.

" Hey big brother. What's up?"

" I need to talk to you, Hank."

Hank could see how serious it was by Sam's demeanor. It must be important. Hank yelled over to his workers.

" Fellas, how about us taking a 20 -minute break. See ya." Hank turns to Sam. " Ok, now that they're gone, let's take a little walk."
 

Gwen knocked on her mother's bedroom door at the Crane Mansion.

" Mother."

" In here, Gwen."

Gwen went into the closet, to see her mother picking out shoes.

" Mother, what are you doing?"

" I'm picking out my shoes for the honeymoon. We get married in less than a week, you know."

" Yes , I know.", Gwen says with sarcasm.

" My life will be perfect once I become Mrs. Julian Crane. After all, I worked hard enough for it."

" Yes, Mother, getting rid of Ivy was inspired. And, what luck you had, with Alistair dying like that."

" Yes….luck."

Rebecca's eyes wandered to her lingerie section. She opened a drawer. It was her 'naughty' drawer. If Gwen only knew what I had done with Alistair….Rebecca thought.

It was no 'luck' that Julian was now the Head of the Crane Empire. She had fought for Julian. And, now, in less than a week, she would be rewarded. With the title of Mrs. Julian Crane. Rebecca got the chills, just thinking of the money and power that went along with that title.

And, it would be ALL HERS.
 

" Grace, what can I do for you?", Father Lonigan asked.

" Father, my life is falling apart at the seams."

" Did you and Sam talk?"

" Sam and I agreed to separate."

" No, Grace."

" Father, Sam is very confused right now. He doesn't know what he wants. To be honest, I don't know either."

" Grace…"

" Father, I haven't been able to talk to anyone else about this. "

" What is it?"

" I've been having 'visions'. But, they're not like visions of the past. This isn't about things in the future. I….I think these are memories of my past. But, it can't be true. I don't see how it could be true."

" What are the visions about?"

" I…..I can't really tell you, Father. This has been so disturbing for me."

" Grace…if you can't talk to me, I hope you find someone that you can talk to about this."

" I hope so too, Father. I'm scared. Scared about the answers that I'll receive. Because, once I learn the truth, I will have to act. I'll be forced to decide some things based on whether or not my visions are true. I've never been more confused in my life."

" You need to pray, Grace."

" I've been doing it, Father. But, I can't seem to find my way anymore. I long for the morning before I knew that Sam slept with Ivy. I long for that world again. Yet, I know, it will never be. Father, I have to go. I have to  get to the doctor's for my annual physical."

" Goodbye Grace."
 

" So, Bro, what's up?"

" Grace and I are separating."

" WHOAH! Back up here. What have I been missing?"

" Me fucking Ivy Crane."

" Sam what did you say?"

" I slept with Ivy."

"Um….Ok…..But, I'm sure if you grovel and promise Grace that you'll never do it again, she'll take you back."

" Too late."

Hank looked at his brother in shock.

" Too late? Sammy, how many times has this happened?"

" Too many to call it an accident."

Hank ran his fingers through his hair. " Whoah. Sorry, Samuel, but, you confessing adultery isn't something that I ever thought would happen. You've always been Mr. Clean. Mr. Perfect. ' I'M' the screw up."

" Yeah, well, maybe that's why I need to talk to you. I would have gone to TC, but.."

" Your best friend has a problem with morally-challenged people."

Sam laughs. " That's a nice way of putting it."

" Sam, I'll be honest. I know you fucked up and all, but, you're still the same Sam, which makes me believe that this stuff with Ivy is WAY serious. You wouldn't risk your marriage on rolls in the hey. Sam, are you in love with Ivy?"

" I love Grace!", Sam says heatedly.

" I'm not taking away from your feelings for Grace. But, man, you gotta know. Sam, you're a physically attractive guy. You're in a job that a lot of women react positively to. You can't tell me that over the years, women haven't thrown themselves at you."

" Yeah, but.."

" But, you never gave them a second glance, let alone a second thought. And, now, you're SLEEPING with a woman. I can understand once, Sam. Men are men, dicks are dicks, and a hot mama like Ivy offering you up hot pussy 24/7 is a temptation only 0.1% of man can resist. But, it WASN'T just one time. It's ongoing, which, knowing you as I do, means it's more than physical."

" Hank, I love my family.", Sam says sadly.

" I know Sam. But, possibly, you love BOTH your families."

" What am I going to do?"

Hank looks at his brother. He can see that he is in agony. Tortured by this.

" Sam, I don't know. But, maybe time apart is what you need from  things. "

" Hank, Grace told me to find my own place to live. OWN PLACE? There's something solemn about that. Something that I don't to think about. It adds a sense of permanency to things, and I don't know if I want that."

" Sam, if you're this confused, maybe you do need your own space. There's a little house on my block that I know is for rent. I'm right there. You can have your space to think and decide things. Plus, if the kids want to come see you, they can, and you all can talk in privacy."

" The kids….how can I face them?"

Hank's heart broke for Sam. He had screwed up so much in his life that he was used to the feeling. Sam was not. He had dreamed of this moment - when Sam would mess up his life, and his famous smile wouldn't help him. Yet, the moment had arrived, and it wasn't as fulfilling as he had thought.

Hank went to his brother and hugged him.

" It'll be ok, Sam. Swing by Appleton realty. They're handling the house. I'm sure you can set up something quickly."

" Thanks, Hank. I won't bother you anymore ."

" You're my brother. You're never a bother."

" See ya.", Sam says, leaving.

Hank went back to work.
 

As Kay was walking across the cafeteria, someone bumped into her.

" Excuse me."

" I don't know why anyone would excuse you. You're just a pathetic excuse for a human being. You're absolutely…"

" KAY!", Simone shouted. " Get over here."

Kay glared at the person, who was looking at Kay as if she were crazy. Kay walked over to the table, slammed down her lunch, and then said with a sour face, " I'm not hungry.", and walked away.

" Man, she seems to be in a wicked mood.", Reese commented as he walked up with his lunch and sat next to Simone.

" I know. But….she's so upset about her parents. People think Kay is tough and all, but, her foundation is her belief in her family. She loves them so much. Her parents not together is killing her."

" I think you're right."

" Kay has such faith in her father. She's a Daddy's girl. That Chief Bennett…well, I don't know what I'd do if my father did something like that. But, thank God I don't have to worry about stuff like that. My parents would never cheat on each other.", Simone said, taking a bite of her sandwich.