Ch.27

"Chad." Theresa said in a near gasp.
Chad kept his eyes on Ethan. "I didn’t know you were out here with Resa." He said walking closer to Ethan.
"I came to check on her." Ethan explained. "But now that you’re here, I’ll go." Ethan finished.
"Don’t go on my account." Chad said bluntly.
"No really, I need to go back in anyway." Ethan said looking over at Theresa. "Bye Resa." He smiled sadly as he turned and headed back in.
"Chad, Ethan and I, we were just talking." Theresa whispered.
"It’s not my business." He said looking down.
Theresa walked toward him, "Yes it is. You need to know what we were talking about." She sighed.
"Only if you wanta tell me. I ain’t about to ask." He said frowning.
"Ethan was, well letting go." Theresa spit out looking up at Chad.
"Letting Go? What does that mean?" Chad questioned fear showing in his eyes.
"He knows I will never love him again, he knows we are in the past Chad, he said goodbye." She said looking up at Chad. "And then he hugged me one last time." She said her eyes staring into his, "That’s what you saw, him hugging me goodbye."
"That’s all it was?" Chad questioned.
"Yeah, that’s all it was." Theresa smiled.
"So you feeling better?"
Theresa nodded. "Yeah, now. "
Chad looked at her small hands, he’d never really thought about how small they were, and quite frankly he was wondering why he was even thinking about it now. Reaching out his hand he smiled. "Wanta just get out of this place?"
Theresa looked up at him, hearing Ethan in the back of her mind. ‘Trust Chad’ She smiled and put her hand in Chad’s. "Sure why not. I mean just because I’m the star designer is no reason for me to stick around is it?" She giggled.
"Nah, they’ll make do without you." He smirked. "I know a place that will get you’re mind off all this."
"Well lead the way." She said as she entangled her finger’s in his.
Chad looked down at her and smiled, "Yes ma’am." He laughed as they headed out the door.
~*~*~*~*~

Julian took a deep breath and looked toward Miguel, ‘I wish papa could be here’ Miguel’s words whirled through Julian’s mind. "Stop it now Crane." He commanded under his breath. "They will be fine."
He smiled as he saw Chad and Theresa head out the door. Theresa had Chad, she would make it. And looking at Miguel he could tell the boy was strong. He watched Ivy as she laughed with a few women. ‘I just feel so bad for Pilar’ Ivy’s voice suddenly came into his mind. "No! They have each other." He told himself again. He took a sip of his drink and closed his eyes. "Just forget it. Forget it now." He whispered. What was he doing? He couldn’t let all these people do this to him. Everyone was doing better, they would all pull through this closer than ever. Pilar had Ivy, and the kids, and she had her faith to help her, she was already doing better. She would be just fine.
"Julian." A voice said, causing Julian to almost drop his drink.
He looked up and saw Ethan staring at him. "Yes, Ethan, can I help you?"
Ethan shook his head. "No, I just wanted to say hello. And tell you how glad I am you and my mother are working things out."
"Thank you Ethan. That’s very kind of you."
Ethan smiled. "You make her happy. Everyone seems to be finding someone." He said as a frown came to his face.
"Are you speaking of Theresa and Chad now?" Julian asked.
"Don’t worry, I know what I had with Theresa is over now. I just hope she can find it in herself to get past her issues."
"Issues?" Julian said opening his eyes a bit wider.
Ethan shrugged. "So many of the men in her life have left, or have been taken from her. She has trust issues."
Julian felt a knot form in his throat as he swallowed. "Ethan, if Martin had never dissapeared, I mean if he was here, do you think Theresa could trust again?" Julian asked.
Ethan looked at Julian a confused look gathering on his face. "I don’t see how that matters now, but I suppose if Martin were here it would help. I mean it would be a huge plus is Chad’s corner. " He said looking around.
"Yes well, Her and Chad, they will be fine." Julian said almost in a question.
"I don’t know. She has to trust him first. " Ethan followed then looked back at Julian, "Listen I need to go talk to someone, I’ll see you later." Ethan said turning and walking off.
Julian nodded and frowned taking out his phone he sighed. "This is for you son." He whispered dialing a number.
~*~*~*~*~
Theresa’s eyes got wide as Chad lead her into a building filled with loud music and bright lights. "Where are we?" She questioned.
"My club." He smirked.
"You own a club? And I didn’t know it?" She questioned.
Chad laughed. "It’s teen club. And I’ve kept it quite so far, just somewhere for the kid’s to go. I play music from my newly signed artist here a lot. Kinda like my own testing zone." He laughed.
"I got ya. " Theresa smiled as he pulled a chair for her.
Chad sat down in front of her. So what’s going on with your brother and Gwen?"
Theresa shrugged. "I haven’t a clue. They say it’s harmless flirting, just a show, but I’m starting to wonder."
"You know they better watch out, those sparks they’ve got flying could lead them somewhere else."
Theresa nodded. "Yeah, but they are both adults. At least that’s what Miguel informs me." She laughed. "I’m just letting them go. I mean it’s their lives right?"
"Right."
"So Jada is with Justin, those two seem like they get along great."
Chad let out a chuckled. "They are something else. I almost know they’re at home playing cards right now. My kid is a card shark, Justin ain’t got nothing on her."
Theresa smiled, "I love watching you talk about her. The way you’re eyes light up, so daddy like. Its cute."
Chad swallowed, Cute, was she calling him cute? Or just saying it was cute in general? He’d never understand the way women talked. Never. "She’s my little angel. My life wouldn’t be the same without her."
Theresa blushed and looked at Chad. "Can I ask you something? I mean it’s gonna sound dumb but I’ve gotta ask."
"Go for it."
"Well, Matt’s been rolling around in the floor lately, he looks like a fish out of water, is he trying to crawl?"
Chad tried to hold back his laughter but he couldn’t the look on Theresa’s face was priceless, a fish out of water, only Theresa could say something like that. "Yeah Resa. He’s working on crawling. Should be starting to talk soon too."
Theresa nodded sheepishly. "He babbles a lot. Sometimes I think I hear him say Ken but I can be sure."
"He’s a smart baby, you just do what you’re doing now. You are doing great with those kids."
Theresa smiled, "Thanks Chad. That means so much coming from you. "
Chad took her hands in his,Gwen's voice echoing in his head 'She deserves to be loved' He looked in her eyes and smiled. "Theresa you mean a lot to me girl. Don’t you ever forget that." He said as a small shy grin came to her face. Followed by a lot of silence.