Chapter Three
 
 

Theresa looked at the door in front of her, Chad stood by her side waiting for her to open it.
"Are you sure about this?" He asked.
She nodded, "I’ve got to do this."
"Take your time Resa." He said.
Theresa slowly opened the door and walked in, she took a deep breath and sighed, It still smelled like Sheridan, she didn’t know how but it did. Everything looked the same in the living room, apparently no one had touched anything.
She walked over and picked up a picture of Sheridan and Luis, on there wedding day. In the picture Sheridan was stuffing cake into Luis’s face and he was laughing.
"You remember this?" She asked Chad.
He nodded, "Yeah, they were so happy."
"I thought they would last forever. " She sadly said sitting the picture down.
"They would have." Chad assured her.
"I just don’t understand why thing’s like this happen. I mean they were a perfect family."
Theresa said walking around the room.
"It’s not fair, I know that Resa, I mean I was just getting to know Sheridan as my aunt, I loved her."
Theresa looked at him. "Love her, you love her Chad."
"Yeah your right."
"I just can’t ever use past tense, I love them, they are apart of me." Theresa said crying.
"I’m sorry Resa, I just meant." Chad started.
Theresa looked up at him, "I know Chad, I’m sorry."
"Listen I’m going to go check my phone I left in the car." He said knowing she needed time in the house.
She smiled, "Thanks Chad."
She wiped a tear and slowly walked up the stairs as Chad headed outside. As she entered Luis and Sheridan’s bedroom she took a deep breath, Pictures where all over the place. One of Her and Sheridan shortly before Ethan had left, another of Luis, Miguel and her as children. Those where the two that stuck out to her, memories of what was.
She looked at the picture of her and her brother’s as children and smiled, she could still remember that day, it was her eighth birthday.
 

Theresa looked at her present’s and smiled, somewhere in all of those packages had to be her doll, the one she had been begging her mama to buy for a month.
Quickly she ripped through them and found clothes and play makeup, a few toys but no doll.
Her said face looked over at Miguel. "I didn’t get it." She whimpered.
"So, I didn’t get nothing." Miguel whined.
"Cause its my birthday. My special day." She bragged.
"Still not fair." Miguel pouted as Luis walked into the living room.
"Sis you have one more present." Young Luis told her.
"What is it?" she asked knowing Luis couldn’t get her much.
"Just open it." He told her.
Theresa slowly opened it as Luis looked over at Pilar and smiled.
"Faster Resa." Luis said beaming.
She finally got the paper off and frowned, "A pair of shoes?" She asked looking at the big shoe box.
"Open the box." He told her.
Theresa opened the box as her eyes lit up. In side was the doll she had begged for. With Dark brown hair and big brown eyes the doll stared at Theresa. "Luis thank you." She squealed.
"Son how?’ Pilar questioned.
"I saved all my money for it." He said smiling as big as Theresa.
Finally he looked over at Miguel and laughed, "Miguel look here." He said handing him a package.
"Mine?" He asked.
Luis nodded as Miguel tore it open. "A truck he beamed. "Thanks Luis" He said jumping up and down. "See Resa, I’m special too."
"But I’m more special." Theresa giggled as they both ran to hug Luis. Pilar quickly snapped the picture of her children hugging.
"What a special day." Pilar sighed.
End Flashback
 

"Why didn’t I realize how much you did for me back then? Why didn’t I thank you more." Theresa spoke to the picture. "I should have told you I loved you more, You did so much for me, and I took it all in, never caring what you were giving up." She whispered, putting her finger on Young Luis’s face.
"I can’t believe you put of with me, I didn’t deserve it." She cried.
She looked around the room again it was like they were still there, Sheridan’s favorite dress hanging in the corner, Luis’ s boots near the bed, it was just to much for Theresa.
"Hey sis you up here?" A voice yelled.
"Luis?" Theresa questioned to herself.
Looking up she saw the dark hair through her tears, "Luis?" She questioned again wiping her eyes.
"No Resa, its me." Miguel sadly told her.
"You looked so much like him just then, and you sounded like him." She whispered.
Miguel walked over to her, "Don’t cry Resa." He pleaded.
"I miss him Miguel, The kids need him." She whimpered as Miguel grabbed her.
"We’re going to get through this sweetheart, We will." He promised.
"How Miguel? How?" She cried.
"I don’t know." He sobbed.
"Its not fair Miguel, I don’t care what anyone says its not fair." Theresa said gasping through tears of pain.
Miguel let go of her and took her hands, "You listen to me, we will get through this."
"But it hurts."
Miguel put his hands on Theresa’s face gently. "We will make it, tell me you believe me."
Theresa weakly nodded.
"Resa tell me." Miguel said again.
"We will make it." She barely whispered.
"Say it again." He told her.
"We’ll make it." She said a little louder.
"Now we’ve got to be strong, you hear me?" He asked. Tears falling from his own eyes.
"Please don’t leave me Miguel, Please don’t ever leave me." Theresa cried.
Miguel shook his head "I’m right here Resa, I’m right here."
Theresa wiped her eyes again, they were swollen and sore now, but she dried them and took a deep breath. "So what are you doing here?" She asked.
"I went by your house and Grace said you were here. I just needed to check on you."
Theresa tried to force a smile but it didn’t work, I needed to get some things for the kids." She told him.
" Their lucky to have you."
" I don’t know what I’m doing Miguel, I have no clue how to take care of them." She sighed.
"You’ll do it, We’ll all help you." He assured her.
"How’s Mama?" She asked finally.
"Ivy and Eve are with her right now. She’s still in denial, says we’re all lying." He spoke sadly, his eyes looking to the floor.
"I need to go by the house and check on her when I’m done here, Is Chad still around?" She asked.
"No, I told him to go on home, I would take you where ever you needed to be, I thought you might need me today."
Theresa nodded, "We need each other."
"Yeah, I just couldn’t be alone today, Kay offered to spend the day with me, but she has school."
Theresa frowned, "When are you going back?"
"I’m not sure, school is almost out anyway, I may take a break."
Theresa shook her head, "You can’t quit college, Miguel you just can’t."
"I know, I’m not going to. "
"I only spent two years in college but they helped me, you have to finish what you started." Theresa pleaded.
"You sound like Luis now." He said as they both fell silent.
"He would want you to stay in there." Theresa told her brother.
"I know, I’m not dropping out, I promise."
"Good. "
Miguel looked around the room and saw a jar with rose petals in it, "Hey Resa do you remember this?" He asked.
Theresa smiled, "I had forgot that, I can’t believe Sheridan kept them. " She said as Miguel picked it up, outside the small jar was a picture of Sheridan and Luis taped on it.
"Luis fixed it for her as a gift." Miguel said smiling.
Theresa swallowed hard and closed her eyes for a moment.
 

Flashback
Luis looked around the park at all the family’s and smiled at Theresa, "Today’s the day." He said nervously.
"Oh I’m so excited, I can’t believe your finally doing this, I told Ethan we’d all be so happy, but he didn’t believe me." Theresa cooed.
"Man I’m nervous." Luis laughed.
"Don’t be, Sheridan totally loves you and wants you and your going to make her the happiest person here today, besides me of course." Theresa giggled.
"Sis your too much." Luis said looking over at Sheridan who sat on a bench alone.
"Go for it Luis, what are you waiting on?" Theresa chirped.
He nodded and made his way over to Sheridan holding a single rose in his hand.
"A rose for my lady." Luis said smiling.
"Oh Thank you Luis." Sheridan blushed." Its beautiful."
"As beautiful as that rose is, it can never compare to your beauty." Luis said as Theresa and the rest of Harmony watched from near by.
"Your too sweet." Sheridan laughed.
Luis fell to one knee and smiled, "Sheridan Crane, I love you with my heart and soul."
A tear fell from Sheridan’s face as Luis continued.
"And I can’t see my life without you, we belong together, I want to spend everyday I live, from this moment on, showing you my love and making all your dreams come true."
"Oh Luis." Sheridan sobbed as he pulled out a ring from his pocket.
"Will you make my one dream come true, and do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked his hand shaking.
"Yes Luis of course I will." Sheridan said throwing her arms around him. "I love you so much."
The crowd around them clapped. Theresa looked up at Ethan who was standing next to her. "Those two will last forever." She declared.
End Flashback.
 

"That day was so special, I was happy with Ethan, you were still with Charity, and Sheridan and Luis had finally got engaged."
Miguel nodded, " Everything seemed so perfect."
"Then Charity left for college, and Ethan ran off and I was so dumb I thought that was the worse thing that could happen to us, the love’s of our lives leaving. I was so blinded by hearts and flowers and promises of forever. " Theresa said raising her voice.
"Resa its OK." Miguel told her.
"No its not! I over looked what really mattered, I was caught up in me, I didn’t enjoy the little things with Luis, and now he’s gone." She sobbed.
"Oh Resa, we all over look things like that, but Luis knew you loved him."
"I was so selfish, and now its too late." She cried staring at Miguel.
He moved the hair out of her face and lifted her head, "Luis knew you loved him, you were the one that kept at him to marry Sheridan when he thought it was too soon, you held Sheridan’s hand with they had those dumb fights, you were there for them Resa."
"You really think they knew I loved them?" She asked sounding like a small child.
"Yes I know they did,"
"I, I just feel so, so, bad." She sobbed.
"Listen why don’t we get Kenji and Matt’s stuff and go get something to eat, Chad told me you only ate a muffin today. "
"I’m a mess." Theresa whimpered.
"Then we’ll get you cleaned up, and go get something to eat, some real food." He told her.
She nodded, "But let’s take the kids, I want to be with them."
Miguel hugged her, "Of course we will." He said taking her hand.
Theresa turned and looked back at the bedroom one more time before they headed to Kendra’s room.
"We’ll be OK right Miguel?" She asked.
He nodded, "We’re fighters, just like Luis taught us to be."