A Beautiful Mess - Chapter 10 (Chadresa/Kaguel)
by Faith81
 

Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane, laughed as her son giggled and pointed into the Book Café window. "Who do you see in there?" She asked, her eyes landing on her mother. "Is that Grandma? You know what? I bet Grandma is still mad at Mama." Watching as her mother talked to Grace Bennett she sighed, "We’ll wait and see grandma another time." She spoke walking away from the window. "Today we just have fun."
Heading toward her car she held Little Martin close to her, the winter air was bitter, and she knew her son had to be as cold as she was.
"Theresa!" A male voice called from up ahead. Looking up she let out a groan as she quickly turned around and headed the other way. "Oh dear." She muttered. "Not today."
"Theresa! Stop right there young lady!" The voice yelled as she began to walk quicker. "Theresa, now!"
Stopping in her tracks she turned around to see her older brother, standing in front of her, his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed.
"Luis, um how nice to see you." She tried but is frown told her to just keep quite.
"Running from me, very mature Theresa." Luis sighed. "I thought you were a ‘mature woman’ now. Is that how mature women handle their problems, by running?"
"I don’t have a problem Luis." Theresa spoke shifting her son to her other hip. "I’m actually very happy with my life at the moment."
"You’re married to another Crane!" Luis yelled out, ignoring the stares of strangers that passed by.
"But Chad, he’s the good Crane." She tried forcing a smile. "He’s one of my best friends."
Luis groaned. "You don’t marry someone just because they’re a friend Theresa! You marry them because you love them, because you belong with that person and no one else!"
"Luis you don’t understand." Theresa sighed. "Chad and I, we have plans."
"Plans? You have plans? Theresa you’re always having plans, plans that backfire. Is this another way of getting back at Ethan? Is that it?" He shouted throwing his arms in the air.
"Ethan?" She yelled back. "Why does everything I do have to be about Ethan? Believe it or not Luis, but I’ve moved on from Ethan."
"I’m glad to hear that, but that still doesn’t explain this latest stunt you’ve pulled!"
Theresa rolled her eyes. "Stunt? Luis it isn’t a stunt."
"You ran off and married Chad Harris." Luis fumed. "How is that not a stunt?"
"Its Chad Crane, and I have a very good reason! You know what Luis? I realized something one day, I was sitting in my room feeling sorry for all of us. You losing Sheridan to Antonio, Miguel losing Charity, and me losing Ethan. I thought we had all lost everything, and we would never find happiness. Well you know what? Maybe I was wrong! Maybe the people we thought we belonged with, aren’t the right people after all!"
Luis stepped back, his eyes becoming large as he looked at his baby sister. "I belong with Sheridan!"
"Then why is she still with Antonio? He’s getting better Luis, healthier every day and she won’t leave him! I know you love her, I know it hurts, but maybe just maybe its not meant to be."
"I don’t know about you and Miguel, but I know who I belong with!"
"And I never thought I’d see Kay Bennett make Miguel smile like he does. I also never thought I’d come to the place that seeing Ethan made my skin crawl. Things change Luis, people change and we can’t stop that."
"Theresa, this isn’t about me and Sheridan. This is all about you and these life changing decisions you make without thinking."
"I did think Luis, and I realized marrying Chad was the right thing to do." Kissing her son on the head she smiled. "I’ve been doing a lot of changing Luis, for the better I think. I realize now what’s important in life, and the most important thing to me is my son. I know my marriage to Chad makes no sense to you, and no its not based on love like I dreamed my marriage to someone would be, but it works. We get each other, and the plans we have, we can make them work. Chad made me see that I can be more that what I am, he even talked me into starting college."
Luis looked at his sister, her big brown eyes stared up at him with honesty. She had changed, it was written all over her face. "I’m impressed." He admitted. "Still not happy but impressed."
Theresa smiled. "Well maybe I know something that will make you happy. I’ve started the process of changing Ethan Martin’s name. As of today he is no longer Ethan Martin Crane, he is now Martin Luis Crane, I decided last night." She spoke.
"What?" Luis gasp. "Martin Luis?"
"If its okay with you that is." She spoke. "I’m going to make it legal, name him after the people that really matter to me. Not in my dream world, but in my reality."
Reaching out Luis took his nephew and held him tight. "Did you hear that buddy? Your getting a name change."
"So does that mean its okay?" Theresa questioned.
"Sis its more than okay, its amazing." Luis gushed.
"I just wish I had done this sooner." She frowned.
Luis bent down and kissed her forehead. "I might not understand you Theresa, but I have to say, your growing up."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Fox Crane stood watching his brother flip through papers in their father’s office.
"So your the new one." Fox spoke crossing his arms, as Chad looked up.
"You must be Nicholas." Chad smiled standing from his seat. "Theresa told me you were here."
"Ah, yes the lovely Theresa." Fox smirked. "And its Fox, Fox Crane."
"Fox?" Chad laughed, "That’s a interesting name."
"Foxworthy is the middle name my wonderful parents tagged me with. I figured I might as well make something out of it." Fox shrugged.
"Well if you don’t mind, can I call you Nick?" Chad questioned.
"Hey, as long as the women think I’m a Fox, you can call me whatever you want."
"Nick it is then."
"So Chad, tell me what’s up with you and that sexy wife of yours? Going after grandfather’s company? Taking revenge on a man like him? You two are either very brave, or very stupid."
Chad shook his head. "Gramps deserves everything we’re going to give him. The man has ruined too many lives, its time for a little pay back, that’s all."
"Pay back huh?" Fox questioned. "You know I received a call from him the other day, he was yelling about his house being remodeled. I’m not sure what all he said, but I did get, pink rooms and the name Theresa, is that part of your pay back?"
Chad laughed loudly, "No, that’s Theresa having fun."
"Creative little thing isn’t she?" Fox smirked. "Not to mention a complete knockout."
Chad took a deep breath almost annoyed as his brother’s words. "Theresa is a very talented, beautiful woman. She knows what she wants out of life, and my guess is, she’ll get it."
"You’re a lucky man Chad. Most men dream of having a hot woman like that, but you have it." Fox watched as Chad lowered his head. "Or do you? Tell me bro, just ‘how’ married are you to Theresa?"
"I believe your getting off subject Nick, we were talking about Al and how I hate him." Chad spoke gritting his teeth.
"Now who’s changing the subject?" Fox smirked lifting his eyebrow. "Your marriage to Theresa is in name only isn’t it? You two are just playing man and wife to get back at grandfather."
Chad frowned. "Are you willing to help us Nick? That’s the real question here. Will you give Julian your vote at the next meeting?"
Fox laughed lightly, his face beaming as he shook his head. "Father needs my vote, oh how I love the sound of that. Father needs me and my help to get what he wants. The man that shipped me off all those years ago suddenly needs my help. Now the question is, will I actually help up? Or walk away from him, like he walked away from me."
"I understand why your bitter, but you could be the better man. Between Julian and Al, who would you rather see running the company?" Chad questioned. "Think about it dude, Julian has more than earned his spot, and good ole’ Gramps deserves to be kicked out of that company."
"You make a good point Chad, but I still have a small grudge against father. You see, he never embraced me like he did Ethan. In fact in the short time he’s known about you, he’s gave you more attention than he gave me, my whole life. Forgive me for being bitter, but I have the right. As for the company, I want to know what I get out of giving father my vote. Forget taking the high road, what else would I get?"
"A position in the company?" Chad suggested. "Something your grandfather never thought you were worthy of. Better yet, you would get Julian’s attention, and I know you want that."
"What kind of position?" Fox questioned. "I’m willing to listen, but you have to make it worth my time."
Chad let out a long sigh, "That is something Julian will decide, but I’m telling you now, if you give him your vote, he’ll make it good."
Fox thought for a moment, "Before I decide anything I wanta know exactly what I get in return. You and your wife make big promises, but I need to know father will do as you say he will."
"I understand where your coming from. You’re a true Crane, Nick."
"That I am." Fox laughed. "That I am. Now dear brother, I have a question for you. When this whole revenge plot is over, and you and Theresa get what you want, what then? Will you and Theresa remain in this scam you call a marriage or will you two be ditching each other as quick as possible?" With a slight smirk, he crossed his arms. "Because if you two plan to go your separate ways, I wouldn’t mind getting to know the young Mrs. Crane myself."

~*~*~*~*~

Kay Bennett took a deep breath as she entered her bedroom, at her parents home. With her mother gone now, the house seemed so empty. Only Jessica and her dad remained in the house, and she realized it no longer felt like home. She had only came back to pack a few things, but as she stood alone in the silence she felt a tear roll down her cheek. "How can this be happening." She whispered. Her family had fallen apart, and in her heart she knew she was partly to blame. Slowly she lowered herself to the floor next to a box and a pile of clothes. "Can’t look back now." She spoke picking up a old shirt.
"Need some help with that?" Miguel’s voice spoke from the doorway.
A smile came to Kay’s face as she turned to see him staring down at her.
"Saw your car outside and I figured you were packing a few things."
"Yeah, daddy told me I could come back home, but I just can’t move back here."
Miguel bent down beside her, "Remember when you would sneak out of here to meet me at the beach?" He smiled. "We were what twelve then?"
Kay laughed nodding her head. "Daddy would kill me if he knew about that. I remember we would just sit and talk, it was actually a peaceful time in my life."
Miguel nodded his head. "It was a good time for me too. When I was with you I never thought about papa, or how tough Luis tried to be on us. I could just relax and be my self."
"And I could be me." Kay smiled. "I can dance around in the sand, sing and goof off and you never asked questioned. You just let me be who I am, and I knew then you weren’t like other boys."
Miguel smirked, "So are you telling me that you’ve always wanted me Kay Bennett?"
"Maybe." She giggled.
"Was it my hot body?" Miguel teased leaning closer to her.
"Well it sure wasn’t your brains." She joked pushing him back playfully.
"Hey!" He pouted. "Mama says I’m special!"
"You are special Miguel." Kay smiled, "And I love you even more because of it."
Miguel pulled Kay toward him, wrapping his arms around her as he melted into him. Her head relaxed against his chest as he put one hand on her stomach. "Our child is going to have everything we never did Kay. She’s going to have the attention we craved, and all the love two people can give her."
"Her." Kay sighed. "It could be a ‘him’."
"Its a her." Miguel whispered. "I was looking at names today, in this baby book Theresa bought. I never knew there were so many names to pick from. Mama told me we have to look at meanings, because that’s very important."
"Meanings huh?" Kay laughed. "You really thing that matters?"
"Mama seems to think so."
"Miggs, my name means pure." Kay laughed. "I just don’t think the meaning matters that much. I mean when you look at me do you think pure?"
"Hey now, don’t talk like that." Miguel frowned. "Your one of the sweetest people I know."
"Sweet?" Kay laughed loudly. "I’m sweet?"
Miguel chuckled. "You can be."
"I guess I have my moments." Kay shrugged.
"You know we should start looking for a place soon, we are getting married very soon."
"I’ve looked in the paper for apartments." Kay frowned. "They all cost so much."
"Yeah I know."
"But we’ll find something." Kay promised. "It might not be great, but it’ll be home."
"How can you be so at ease about this?" Miguel questioned. "You’ve always had such a nice life, and as much as I want to give you that, right now I can’t."
Kay at up and looked at Miguel, "I know its going to be hard Miggs. I understand that we’re both going to have to work hard, but I’m willing to do it." Touching Miguel’s face with her hand, Kay smiled. "Now, are you going to help me with these clothes?"
Miguel kissed Kay’s forehead and smiled. "Yeah, and then we’re going to the beach."
"In the winter?" She laughed. "Your not a winter person Miggs and its been snowing outside for awhile."
Thinking for a moment Miguel smiled, "You make a good point. I have a better idea anyway." He smirked. "How long has it been since you made a snowman?"
"Your kidding right?" Kay asked with wide eyes.
"No, I challenge you to a snowman duel. I bet my snowman will look much better than yours." He winked.
"Your so on." Kay laughed hugging him. "And I will win."
"We’ll just see about that."

Outside the door, a single tear rolled down Jessica Bennett’s cheek as she slowly slid down the wall. Suddenly she realized something she had never saw before. "They really have a chance." She whispered to herself. "They could actually make it.’