The Mystery of Chad Harris: Fate Delivers Us, Chapter Sixteen
 
 

Chad brought down the last of Simone’s luggage, which had increased, due to Simone’s numerous shopping trips with Madelaine and Piccola during her visit.

" Is that the last of it, Chad?", TC asks when Chad returns from their rented Mini-Van.

" Yeah, Coach. Everyone’s luggage is all packed and ready to go."

" Thanks. Go around and ask everyone to make sure that they have everything." Chad nods and heads up the stairs.

TC walks over to where Madelaine is sitting, and kneels beside her. " Well, Mama, seems like it’s time for us to go."

Madelaine smiles at TC. " I know. These visits seem to go by so fast."

" Well, you know that you could always visit us in Harmony?"

" Yes, I guess I do know that I  have that option. You’ve done a fine job, Theodore. With your family. Your daughters are lovely, well adjusted young ladies."

" Eve has a lot to do with that, Mama."

" If you say so, darling." Simone and Whitney come down the stairs. " Speaking of my beautiful granddaughters, come over here and give me a hug."

They do as they’re told. As she’s hugging Whitney, Madelaine whispers in her ear, " You should take things slowly with Mr. Harris. If it’s meant to be, it will be there in time."

" Yes, Grandmere.", Whitney replies. She hands Whitney an envelope, and shoos her on.

Next, she hugs Simone. " Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up. You’re a bud, just about to blossom. Give nature time. Once you bloom, there will be no turning back. You’re destined to break hearts."

Simone looks at her Grandmother and replies. " You have to say that, you’re my Grandmother."

" No, Darling, I say that, because you have MY genes, which means that you are destined to turn heads. After all, what did they say about me in my youth?"

" That you were the most beautiful woman in all of New Orleans."

" Yes. And, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Don’t give your father too much grief.", Madelaine said, as she kissed Simone, and handed her an envelope.

By then, Chad was coming down the stairs. Madelaine motions for Chad to come over to her. He sits down next to her.

" It was nice meeting you, Mr. Harris. I’m pleased to have had this time with you. You are a young man of substance, despite your rough edges. I wish you the best." As Madelaine says this, she puts her hand up to the side of Chad’s face, and makes contact with him. Chad looks into her eyes and realizes that she’s being serious, and sighs.

" Thanks, Mrs. Russell. I’ve never had a vacation like this one. New Orleans is a terrific city, but, it was staying here, with your family, that I’ll never forget. Growing up without a family, you can’t imagine what it’s like to be able to look at one up close. Especially one with as much love as your has. Thank YOU for your hospitality."

Chad picks up Madelaine’s hand, and kisses it. She walks him to the door, and he goes outside. Just then, Eve comes down the stairs.

" Well, Mother Russell, I believe it’s time for us to go."

" I suppose so, Eve. I enjoyed having you here. "

" I enjoyed being here."

Madelaine goes to the table, and picks up a small jewelry box and gives it to Eve. Eve opens it up, and it reveals a diamond and gold cross.

" It belonged to my grandmother. She received it the day she was married. I want you to have it. "

" Mother Russell…I don’t know what to say."

" The only thing I have ever wanted for my son, was for him to know personal happiness and love. I know you love him, Eve. I know you have spent everyday since the day you two married trying to make him happy. It shows on my son’s face. A woman’s first priority should be to protect her family."

" I know that, Mother Russell."

" Yes, I suppose you do. I know how much you love them. That you look out for them." Madelaine hugs Eve. " Well, you have a good trip.", she says, kissing Eve on the cheek.

" Eve honey, you ready to go?", TC says, coming into the house.

Eve was a little surprised by the gift and the kiss from Madelaine. She was sort of in a daze, but, eventually came to. " Yes, TC? Oh, sure, I’m ready. I’ll go to the car."

Once Eve was gone, TC turned to his mother. " Thank you."

" For what?"

" For whatever you said to Eve. Whatever it was, I could see it meant a lot to her."

"  I would do anything for you, Theodore."

" I know, Mama." TC kisses his mother, and by this time Piccola is coming towards the door. TC goes over to Piccola. She hands him a box.

" Miz Piccola…", TC admonishes.

" You hush. You ain’t never left this house without a gift from me. Now, gimme a hug and be on your way." TC hugs and kisses Piccola, and another kiss to Madelaine before he leaves the house. Madelaine and Piccola watch the Mini-Van drive off.

" I already miss him.", Madelaine says.

" I know. You gave Eve your mother’s cross?"

" I thought she’d need it to protect the family."

" We knew she was trouble the say Theodore brought her to this house.", Piccola says, making her way to the couch to sit down.

" I know. You warned me. You warned me that a dark force was coming towards my family, and that I would be helpless to stop it."

" I wouldn’t consider Eve a ‘dark force’. She’s a troubled one."

" Yes. And, the moment I saw Theodore, I knew we were stuck with her. She returned the light to his eyes, Piccola. I couldn’t risk it going away again."

" No, you couldn’t. She’s done her best, Madelaine. She loves him."

" Yes, she does. Irony is a bitter thing, Piccola. I prayed so many nights for Theodore’s spirit to be returned to him. And, what does the Lord send me? Eve. Talk about a double-edged sword. On the one hand, she has the power to restore my son’s soul. On the other hand, she can not only destroy it, she can obliterate it. Why did it have to happen this way?"

Piccola shrugged her shoulders. " I don’t know. There are some things I can’t answer. " Piccola points to an envelope. " Were you going to continue to try and hide them from me?"

" I don’t know what you’re talking about."

" I’m talking about the pictures from the party. I know they arrived this morning. We can look at them together."

Madelaine sighed, and got the envelope and took out the portfolio with the pictures in it. One by one, they looked at the pictures of the guests in their costumes. TC, Eve, Whitney, Simone. The Mayor and his wife. They kept on thumbing through the pictures, until the one of Chad. Madelaine drug her hand over the picture, touching it softly, with trepidation.

" I can’t believe how much…"

" I know.", Piccola replied.

" How did he get his hands on that costume? I thought it had been destroyed years ago."

" Well, I guess your parents didn’t have it destroyed. They gave it away to charity, and it wound up in Desiree’s shop."

" I called her the other day and bought it from her. It’s sitting in the back of my closet."

" I know having Chad Harris here, in this house, was difficult for you."

" Not as bad as I thought it would be. There’s such innocence about him, don’t you think?"

" Yes. Life is a tricky thing. If he only knew what secrets he held…"

" Piccola, maybe…..they could handle the truth."

" You don’t believe that anymore than I do. Keeping secrets is hard, Madelaine. But, some secrets are worth keeping. You can’t lessen your resolve now. Your family would be destroyed. You’ve worked too hard to see that happen. The most false phrase in the Bible is ‘ the truth shall set you free’. Not in all cases. You know the truth. It is your burden to carry. But, do it for your family."

Madelaine nods and looks at Chad’s picture. " For my family."
 

The Russells crossed the threshold of their house.

" It’s good to be home", Simone said.

" I agree, Sugarbear."

" Simone, why don’t you call up the pizza place and order us some pizza. Those 2 delays that we had have built up my appetite. Make sure there’s enough for everyone. You know where the credit card is that we use.", Eve says.

" Ok, Mom."

Chad and TC bring in all the luggage and take it up to their specific bedrooms. Whitney and Eve are on the couch, sorting out all the mail. Simone yells, " The pizza should be here in 45 minutes.", from the kitchen, and then gets on the phone to tell Kay about her trip.

" Whitney, why don’t you go and fix everyone some sodas. I’m sure your father and Chad will be thirsty after all that carrying."

" Ok, Mom." Whitney goes to the kitchen, and stands outside the door, listening to Simone.

" No, Kay. I haven’t gone crazy. But, Chad and I had a talk in New Orleans. He’s not interested in me romantically……sure it hurts. Hurts like hell. I’m pissed, but, I’ll be ok. I guess what I felt for Chad wasn’t love. Not true love. If it was, then how could I have been so happy about the really cute boys that I met at my Grandmere’s party." Simone looks up and sees Whitney in the door. She rolls her eyes at Whitney and leaves the kitchen, going out into the backyard, and sitting on the patio furniture. Whitney prepares the glasses and soda. Once she returns back into the living room, TC and Chad were finishing up.

" Is that for us, Princess?", TC asks. She nods, and he takes a drink and so does Chad. " Well, honey, since you’re checking the mail, I’m going to check the answering machine. TC takes some pen and paper and begins to write down all the messages they had received. Finally, it got to the next to last one.

" Hello, this is George. If you can believe it, I’m finished with my trip. I’ll call within the next day or two, and tell you when I’ll be back in Harmony. Bye."

" Hey, TC, it’s Sam. Welcome back. Call me when you get in. We got a break in the Crystal Harris case. Tell Chad that we have some news for him too."

Eve looked up and listened to the last two messages. TC picked up the phone.

" Hey, Sam. We’re home. It was a great trip. We just ordered pizza if you want to come over and tell us about the Crystal case……. Yeah, Chad’s here too. ….Well, see you then."

" So, Sam’s coming, TC?", Eve asks.

" Yep. He has to work a double shift today, but, he’s going to take his dinner break over here."

" I wonder what he could have found out about Crystal.", Chad says.

" I don’t know. But, between George and Sam, we should be able to help you, Chad."

" Well, I’m going to go wash up before the pizza gets here. I’m starving. Airplane food sucks.", Chad says.

" Amen to that. See you later, Son."

Chad leaves, and Whitney excuses herself to go upstairs, and Eve comes over to TC. She has the gift Madelaine gave her.

" Is this what Mama gave you?"

" Yes. It’s beautiful."

" Want me to put it on you?"

" Would you?"

TC gets up and puts the cross on Eve. " See? Mama loves you, Eve."

" I don’t know about that TC."

" She does. I’m so lucky to have two wonderfully honest and decent women as the cornerstones of the foundation of my life. I thank my lucky stars everyday that I was raised by Mama, and that I met you. I love you, Eve."

Eve hugs TC. " I love you too, TC. More than anything."