My Baby’s Gone, Chapter 16

Luis sat at his desk at the Harmony Police Department. He was going over all of the paperwork from the kidnapping of Sheridan and their child’s ‘ death’. He keeps on going back to two facts: One – there was a baby seat in the kidnapper’s car, but NO child was found. Two – all the information about the kidnapper – Charlie – had come by Alistair’s men. Luis silently cursed himself – how could have fallen for this? He knew that Julian knew something about their child, but he knew Julian well enough that he’d never cross Alistair. But, Julian obviously had wanted him to think about his child with Sheridan. He did, and he didn’t like the conclusion.

Luis thought about that moment. All of this hell that they’re currently in, began at that moment. Sheridan losing their child, then latching onto Marty, believing he was their son. That was the opening that Alistair needed to convince his brother that Sheridan needed to be locked up. Luis shook his head. Damn! If he had only insisted to keep on searching for their child, maybe none of this hell would have happened.

Just then, he saw the paper being slammed onto his desk. He looked up.

“ Antonio.”

” What the hell are you doing petitioning to see Sheridan again, Luis?”

” Because I want to see her.”

” She’s MY wife.”

” No. She ceased being your wife the moment you agreed with that parasite of a father of hers to lock her up like an animal. I love Sheridan, and I am going to get her out of there.”

” Sheridan is sick, and she needs help.”

“ The only help Sheridan needs  is to be the hell away from you.”

“ Luis, stay away from her. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you this.”

” Until you drop dead, because I’ll never stay away from Sheridan. And, you’ll never keep us apart.”

” I don’t see you with Sheridan now.”

” That’s because you’re a sick fuck and have her locked up. But, that will be rectified, Brother Dear. And, when Sheridan is back to her old self, you better start running, because I’m going to destroy you.”

” What about Mama? Does SHE know you’re going around threatening me?”

” Mama knows how I feel. She knows that you passed the point of no return, and I have no choice but to destroy you.”

” You’re awfully cocky for someone who has absolutely no legal rights to MY wife.”

” Sheridan’s not your possession, Antonio. One of these days, you’ll finally comprehend that. Now, get out of this police station. Some of us have actual JOBS to do.”

” Stay away from Sheridan, Luis!”, Antonio shouted before he left the Police Station.

Sam came over to Luis. “ You ok?”

” Sure, Sam. It doesn’t bother me anymore. Antonio is dead to me.”

” Luis…”

” He is, Sam. That guy isn’t my brother. He’s my enemy. And, I’ll take him down. You can count on it.”

Alistair looked into  the room. Sheridan stared into space.

” Is she aware of anything?”

” No. The drugs and shock therapy have broken her.”

” Are you sure?”

” She just stares into space when she’s awake. Saying nothing. “

” What about when you show her the pictures of Luis?”

” There used to be a reaction to them, but not anymore.”

” Maybe she’s fooling you.”

“ Hardly. I’m a professional, Mr. Crane. I would know if your daughter was trying to fool me. “

” I’ll see about that. Open that door.”

Alistair went into Sheridan’s room. Once he saw that they were alone, he pulled up a chair next to Sheridan.

“ How are you my daughter? Enjoying your stay here? Wonder why your precious Luis hasn’t been to see you? He’s moved on, Sheridan. He has a new life, with Beth and their son. He doesn’t have time for you anymore. You thought that Luis would love you til the end of time. That he’d spend his life rescuing you. But, where is he now? Nowhere to be found. You still love him, don’t you? You still dream of your Latin half-breed to ride in on his horse and rescue you again, don’t you? Don’t you? Come on, Sheridan. Look at the pictures. “

Alistair shoved the picture in Sheridan’s face. “ There’s Luis with his son. There’s Luis with Beth. Here’s one with Beth and Luis enjoying the afternoon with their son. Don’t they look like a happy family? He’s moved on, Sheridan. Luis has a family. And you do too. With Antonio. Once the doctor is convinced that you accept that fact, then you can go home. To Antonio. Understand?”

Sheridan said nothing. Alistair left her, catatonic in her room. He left before he could see the single tear run down Sheridan’s cheek.

“ So, does anyone have something to open today’s session?”, the psychologist running the Russell family therapy asked.

” Whitney had a date the other night.”, Simone commented.

” And this is important Simone, because?”

” Because, I thought she was so in love with Chad. She loved him enough to let it come between us as sisters.”

“ Whitney, what do you have to say to that?”

” I told Simone that I realize that I did wrong. Do I have to apologize for forever?”

” Simone, that’s true. What do you expect from Whitney outside of an apology?”

” I dunno. I just don’t like to be second place.”

” Honey, we’ve told you that you weren’t second place.”, Eve offered.

” Yeah Mom, I know. But, you and Daddy are lying. Whitney is the shining star, and I’m ‘ the other one’. I guess I would just like for the two of you to finally admit that it’s true. We come here, week after week, and you two act like I’m talking Chinese when I tell you things how I see it. Like it makes you bad parents if you admit you did wrong by me. Maybe you were bad parents to me in a way. Just admit your flaws, and maybe we can go on. But, we can’t move on from here. You denying that my truth is accurate. You denying that my truth is valid. You  wanted us to come to therapy. You have to accept responsibility for what brought us here. We’re a fucked up family.”

” Simone!”, Eve admonished.

” Well, we are. We have this façade. You play the role of the perfect wife and mother. Whitney is the perfect daughter. Daddy has his ‘perfect’ family, and I don’t mess up enough to tarnish that image. I’ve never heard another person’s father talk about ‘ perfection’ in women the way that Daddy does. It’s NOT NORMAL. And YOU, Mom? You love ‘the role’. You say you don’t like the nickname of Saint Eve, but I think you do. You like that image. Born into that, I guess Whitney didn’t have much of a choice than to be the repressed anal-retentive perfectionist that she is. There’s a question that’s been burning my tongue, and I’ve gotta ask it.”

” Go ahead.”, the doctor said.

” Whitney, why did you agree to marry Chad and go to L.A.?”

” Why?”

” Yes, why. It’s just so impulsive and so unlike you. Why did you say yes?”

” I… I thought I loved Chad.”

” Yeah. But, you could have let Chad go ahead. It was the middle of the school year when you agreed to go. Why did you say yes?”

” Because….because I wanted to get away from Mom and Daddy. I couldn’t take one more minute of their expectations and their pressure.”

” Princess!”, TC replied.

“ Mom. Daddy. Yes, you love me and Simone. But, not the same. I know it. You know it. Just admit it. So, we can go on. Cause I’m tired of pretending to be something that we’re not. Aren’t you?”

TC and Eve were silent.