New Beginnings, Chapter 60

Eve was working on a paper that she was doing for the med school when there was a ring of the doorbell.

” Maribel?”

Eve turned around. She hadn’t scheduled a meeting with Chad today. He had come around a couple of times when Maribel was around, but she didn’t want to make it something commonplace, for fear Maribel would let it innocently slip to TC. So, if Chad came around unannounced, it must be important.

” Chad?”

” Hi, Dr. Russell.”

” Maribel. I know that TC asked you to do the grocery shopping. Why don’t you do that now?”

” But..”

Chad sat down next to Eve.

” What’s wrong?”, Eve asked.

” Nothing.” Chad pulled papers out of his pocket and gave them to Eve. Eve read them.

” Is this what YOU want?”

” My name is now Chad Harris Crane.”

” Wow. That is a huge step.” Eve looked at her son. “ This what YOU want? There was no pressure from Julian?”

” None. I didn’t even tell him until it was a done deal.”

” Did you tell him?”

” Yeah. At our weekly lunch.”

” He must have been thrilled.”

” He was. I didn’t think it would mean that much to him. But…Mama, you should have seen him. The look on his face when he got what I had done. I…I just didn’t know it meant so much to him. The hug he gave me…how I felt in that embrace..it was a deeper connection to him that I thought would ever be possible.”

” Julian loves you, Chad. I know it. I’ve known all along. You taking the Crane name is a signal to him that you’ve accepted him as your father. It’s like the fulfillment of a dream for him. So….did you tell Alistair?”

Chad had a huge grin. “ I mailed it to him.”

He and Eve both laughed. “ Oh, to be a bug on the wall when he got notice.”

“ Tell me about it. So, um, Mama, how are you doing? The baby ok?”

” Your little brother is doing fine.”

” A brother? You sure?”

” Yep.”

” Wow. I’m gonna have a little brother. I promise you. I’ll be the best big brother a kid ever had.” Chad leaned in close to Eve’s belly. “ You hear that, Bro. I’m gonna have your back ALWAYS.”

Chad looked up to see his mother had tears in her eyes. “ Mama?”

Eve shook her head. “ Don’t mind me. It’s just hormones and happiness. I…I get jealous of Julian sometimes. “

” Jealous?”

” Yes. He can openly declare his love for you. He can be seen with you and it’s fine. I have to worry about if someone will think more of seeing the two of us together. I want you here, for family dinners. I want you to be an open part of my life.”

” Mama, that can’t happen. I’m cool with it. It was my choice, remember? I want my baby brother to make it to the world. I need him, Mama. I was robbed of a lot, but I don’t want to lose this chance at being a sibling.”

“ I know….I just want to tell the truth. It’s weird. I spent so many years lying, and now, all I want do is scream the truth. “

” Aren’t you scared?”

” I don’t know. Sometimes I am. Other times, I’m just so tired. “

” It’ll be over soon, once Baby Bro comes. Have you picked out a name?”

” We’re going to name him after TC’s father – Reginald.”

” Reggie. I like it.”

” Me too. So, what else is happening in your life?”

“ I..um…I’m going to be going on a long business trip soon.”

“ Really?”

” Yes. We’ve done all the preliminary work that we can possibly do. We need to hit the road.”

” We?”

” Veronica and I.”

” Oh. Ms. Townsend.”

” Yes.”

” How long? “

” At least three or four weeks.”

” That is long. We haven’t been apart for that long since we found out the truth.”

” I know. But, if I want to be taken seriously, I have to take this trip. I have to leave the comfort zone of Harmony and step out into the real world. “

” Are you ready?”

” I don’t know. I think so. I’ve been living with this project for awhile now. Julian’s been a great tutor about Crane Industries. But, there’s nothing better than getting out there with the clients. I have to be able to handle any situation. I have to stand on my own.”

” Julian approves?”

” He’s not stopping me; I think he’s trusting my instincts.”

” I’ll miss you.”

” I’ll text you everyday that I’m gone.”

” You better.”

Alistair Crane sat in his office and opened the envelope delivered to him. He looked at the papers.

” Well, well. Chad Harris Crane. “ Alistair smiled. “ Good job, Veronica.”