Unexpected Happenings, Chapter 48
by SIPort

Eve came through the door to smells of Chinese food.

“ Girls?”

“ Hi Mom.”, they both chimed from the living room. “ We’re in the living room, waiting for you.”

Eve came into the living room. “ Wow, what a setup. All our favorite Chinese food.” Eve thumbed through the movies. “ A favorite of each of us.” Then the looked at the box at the end of the table. “ Don’t tell me – all our favorite pastries from Calanti’s.”

Simone smiled. “ Yep. Come on.” Eve did as she was told, and the next thing she knew, all three of them were on the couch, with their plates and chopsticks, enjoying the food with the movie.

” Mom, I have some news for you.”, Simone said.

” Good Lord, Simone. Don’t tell me that YOU have a long lost child too.”

Whitney, Eve and Simone laughed for a long time on that line.

” No. I called the counselor at school. I’ve arranged for my finals to be completed early.”

” Early?”

” Mom, Whitney and I want OUT OF HERE! We can’t begin our vacation soon enough.”

“ Girls, that is music to my ears. So, when are you going to take your finals?”

” In the next couple of days.”

” Are you ready?”

” Mom, with what’s been happening around here, I could get 6 months to study and it wouldn’t make much difference – ya know what I mean?”

” Yes, I do. It’s been hard on you guys, hasn’t it?”

“ Yeah, but you’ve been through the ringer too, Mom.”, Whitney replied.

” Let’s just enjoy the movies.”

“ You’ll never know what it meant to me for you to be here.”, Grace told Chad.

” I didn’t think I could be of any help to you.”

” Just having a child that didn’t hate me meant more than you know.”

“ Well, I definitely don’t hate you.”

” I know.”

” So, it’s…it’s over between you and Chief Bennett?”

” Yes.”

” Why?”

” Why?”

” Yes. I mean, it’s not like there’s anymore secrets between you. It’s all out on the table, so why can’t you work on getting things back together with the Chief?”

” Chad, I wish it was that simple, but it’s not. I love Sam. I still love him, but we can’t get back together. Too much has happened.”

” Like me.”

” Oh, Chad. You are a blessing. THIS baby is a blessing. And, I’m going to tell you something that nobody else knows – Ivy’s going to have Sam’s baby. Sam didn’t tell me, but I feel it. That’s too many complications. Even if Sam COULD get past his former best friend being father to TWO of my children, I’m not a saint, Chad. Despite what people think about me in this town, I have my limits, and Ivy Crane is it. She’s a mean, spiteful bitch, and there’s NO WAY I’m allowing her to have anymore power over my life. She took a hacksaw to it, but , like a cancer, I’m cutting her out. Now that she’s pregnant with Sam’s child, she’ll NEVER give him up. She’ll NEVER let him out of her clutches. I feel bad for Sam. Ivy was just a mistake for him, and he’ll have to live with the consequences of that mistake for the rest of his life. He might not like it, but that’s the way it is. For some reason, my life has made this turn in the road. And, I could wallow in a ‘ poor me’ state, or I could embrace the changes life has given me, accept them, and enjoy them. I prefer the latter. “

” What about you and the Coach?”

” Romantically? I think TC and I have a lot to sort out. I think we’re going to take things very very slow. If it grows, it will be a blessing, but we have a lot to work through. We have shattered families, and if only for them, I don’t think we’ll be jumping into anything immediately.”

” That makes sense. I don’t think I’m welcome in either of those families.”, Chad said sadly.

” I think you need to have faith. I think Simone and Jessica will be the ones to come around first. Whitney, then maybe Noah. And, if we’re under the right stars, Kay.”

They both laughed. “ I’m going to give you Noah’s address. I think if you start with him by writing him letters, it would be a good way to begin. Don’t be discouraged if he doesn’t respond for the first few letters. He’s very mad with me right now. Disappointed and bitter with me. He needs time to cool off. They all do. Kay and Jessica will be going to California for the summer. And, I know Whitney and Simone will be going on a trip with Eve. Give them the summer. You can begin on them when they come back. Which gives us the summer together. I’m looking forward to the space. I can be with you all summer without guilt. I have to say that I feel guilty about being happy that my kids are leaving for the summer. But, I don’t want anything to happen with this pregnancy, and I know that we’ll have fun getting to know one another.”

” How can you be so positive about everything?”

” What’s the alternative? Doom and gloom and be depressed? That doesn’t work at all for me. What would I wish away? The gift of you? Or this baby? Blessings…that’s what you both are, and I’ve got so much to be thankful for, it would be ungrateful of me to be going ‘ oh woe is me’. Not my style.”

” That’s one of the things I admire about you.”

“ I think it annoys your siblings.” Grace took Chad’s hand. “ So, are you all moved in?”

” Coach said he would finish bringing my stuff while I was with you.”

” TC will be a good father to you. He’s always wanted a son. He has his faults, but he’s a good man who will try and guide you always in the right direction.”

” I know that.”

” So, how about you take your mother out for ice cream and a nice walk on the wharf?”

” Sounds good. Sounds real good.”

Whitney, Simone and Eve were sniffing at the end of Love Story.

” We’re such suckers. We cry every time.”, Simone said.

” We’re supposed to cry, Sweetie.”, Eve replied.

” Mom, have you thought anymore about us meeting our grandparents?”, Whitney asked.

Eve looked at her daughters. “ This really is important to you, isn’t it?”

” Yes.”, they both replied.

” Honey, I just don’t want you to be disappointed. My parents…well, there’s a reason why I don’t talk to them. And, I don’t want them to have a negative influence on you.”

” Mom, we’ve never had them in our lives, so how can they influence us, one way or the other? I think we should have the chance to make up our own minds about them. Give us the chance.”, Simone asked.

“ Ok. You win. After our cruise and time in the Carribbean, I’ll take you to meet my parents. I hope I’m doing the right thing.”

” Mom, we can handle it. Whatever happens. Cause we’ll be doing it together.” Whitney said.

Eve hugged her daughters. She hoped that she wouldn’t regret her decision.