Sheridan Crane heard a slamming of her door, and went to the living room.

” Luis honey, why are you…….JULIAN?!”

Julian Crane was standing at Sheridan’s bar and drinking him a brandy.

Sheridan went over to Julian.

“ Julian, what the hell happened to you.”

” Sheridan, I’ve had a long night.”

” YOU had a hard night? Julian, you left Rebecca standing at the altar. Don’t you think you owe somebody a big explanation.”

Julian looked at Sheridan, took his drink, poured another , threw his coat on a chair, and then sat down on the couch. Sheridan followed him.

“ Julian, I’m waiting….”

“ Sheridan, I was helping a friend.”

Sheridan laughed. “ Julian, why don’t you try another lie. Everyone knows you don’t HAVE any friends.”

” Well, it’s good to know that I have your support, Sheridan.”

“ Julian, come on. I’m no fan of Rebecca. I just want you to be honest with me. What happened? Cold feet?”

” I was helping a friend.”

Sheridan looked at Julian. “ You’re for real, aren’t you?”

Julian nodded.

” Ok, Julian, then WHO is this friend. This friend that I, nor anyone else, knew about. Who is the friend.”

Julian looked at his sister. He needed someone to trust, so why not Sheridan.

” The person was the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

Julian looked at Sheridan. “ Yes, I’ve loved before.”

” Julian, please don’t take this the wrong way, but are you drunk?”

” No, Sheridan, I’m not drunk. I’m telling you the truth. “

” You….you really loved a woman?”

” Yes! Is that so impossible for you to believe? That I could love someone? That someone could love me?”

Julian looked so hurt, and he went towards his coat, but Sheridan pulled on his arm.

“ Julian, I’m sorry. Please come back. Talk to me. I really didn’t mean to hurt you.” Sheridan pulled Julian back to the couch.

“ Julian, tell me the truth. Tell me about this woman! I feel as if I’m seeing a new side to you. One that I didn’t even know existed. Please share with me. “

Julian looked at his sister. He knew that she didn’t judge him…she was just curious, and that Sheridan didn’t have a mean bone in her body.

“ So…you went to help this woman? What happened in her life?”

“ It fell apart. I never saw it coming. I thought she had the perfect life. That she had found a guy who would never hurt her like I did.”

” You….you hurt her? “

” Of course I did, Sheridan. It’s my specialty. Anyone who gives me love, I hurt them.”

“ Julian….”

“ Sheridan. I hurt her more than it was possible to hurt anyone else. I’m not proud of it, but it happened. The biggest regret of my life. It set off a chain of events that culminated in…” Julian was quiet and took another gulp of his brandy.

“ Julian, what did it culminate in?”

Julian looked at his sister, and Sheridan was stunned to see so much sadness in Julian’s eyes.

“ The death of my son.”

Sheridan eyes went wide. Of all the things that she thought would come out of her brother’s mouth, that wasn’t one of them.

” A….s….son?”

Julian nodded. “ I had another son. One older than Ethan.”

” He died?”

” Right after he was born. And, it was my fault.”

” Julian, you would never harm a child.”

” Sheridan, me abandoning his mother is what caused his death.”

” Julian, I might not be a doctor, but I know that sometimes, babies don’t make it. It’s sad and unfortunate, but it happens. So…tell me what happened last night.”

” I was dressed, as you can see. I was ready to get married to Rebecca. On my way downstairs I got a phone call. She needed me. “

” So, you went to her.”

” Yes. I found her on a road. She had run her car into a tree.”

“ Oh my God, was she ok?”

” Yes. The airbags worked. She was emotionally destroyed, not physically hurt.  I took her to the Crane Cabin. She slept for a long time. She needed it. When she woke up, she told me that her marriage had fallen apart. Her husband cheated on her and got another woman pregnant. “

” Oh my. That is awful.”

” Yes. The truth be told, I would have never expected it. He never seemed the type.”

” Well, Julian…”

“ No. I know what you think about me, but this guy? He’s like my polar opposite. I never thought he would hurt her like that. That’s what made him better than me. I thought he loved her. “

” He probably did, Julian.”

” To hurt her like that? She needed his love and devotion. I hurt her that much. How could HE do that?”

” I don’t know.”

” So, there she is, devastated. Thinking that the past two decades of her life have been absolutely wasted. All I could do is  listen. I felt like a hypocrite being mad at him for hurting her. I felt ridiculous thinking that I could judge him, but I was so angry with him, Sheridan. How DARE he hurt her! How could he destroy her. I wanted someone better for her. I didn’t want her to know anymore pain. Hadn’t ‘ I ‘ done enough?”

Sheridan took Julian’s hand. “ Julian, you can’t be responsible for that man. You can only be responsible for your own actions. And, it sounds to me that you were a good friend for her. A friend that she desperately needed.”

” I hope so.”

“ So, what are you going to do? “

” I don’t know if I’m going to do anything. Right now I think I have to face Rebecca.”

Sheridan shook her head. Julian asked. “ Any advice?”

” Do you have a bulletproof vest?”

Julian looked at her. Sheridan shrugged her shoulders. “ I’m not kidding.”

” God, I really messed things up, didn’t I?”

” Yep. Julian, Rebecca is going to want an answer. And a marriage.”

“ Yes, I’m sure she’s not so mad with me that she doesn’t want to become Mrs. Julian Crane.”

Sheridan laughs. “ That’s for sure. She still wants to be Mrs. Crane.”

” Sheridan, what ….what if I don’t want her to become Mrs. Crane?”, Julian said softly.

“ Julian…..”

” I mean, I know I don’t have a chance with her, but, what on the off chance I DO have a chance? Is it wrong for me to hope? Do I have a right to have hope?”

” No. Julian, nothing is wrong with hope. Nobody can force you anymore. Father is dead. You have the RIGHT to CHOOSE your happiness. Period. Remember that.” Sheridan kissed her brother. “ You’ll know what to do.”

Julian smiled at his sister and left the Cottage. It was time to face Rebecca.