~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
CHAPTER 1
Sheridan Crane walked up the the front door of the crowded Lobster Shack and maneuvered her way through the throng of people to her place at a long table. It was filled with Cranes and Lopez-Fitzgeralds, celebrating the nuptials of her nephew, Ethan, and Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald. Sheridan quietly sat down as Ethan stood up, still holding his new wife’s hand.
"If I could have everyone’s attention, I would like to give a toast that I have prepared." Ethan said, in his best Crane manner.
Theresa blushed slightly and raised her glass.
"I became the luckiest man in the world today," Ethan began, "I now have everything my heart desires."
Everyone gave a slight sigh and Theresa’s mother, Pilar, dabbed at her tear-stained eyes.
"Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald became my wife and I became forever in debt to God," Ethan continued,"Theresa is all I have ever wanted and more. She made me believe in love and learn new things I never knew about myself. I love her with every breath in my body."
Theresa was crying and smiling her famous smile.
"I love you, Mrs. Ethan Crane." Ethan finished.
Everyone clapped. Sheridan didn’t realize that she was crying until she felt the tears hit her lips. She was so happy for Ethan and Theresa. She just wished things had worked out better for her.
1 year before...
Sheridan rose out of bed to face the last day of life with the protection of Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. The FBI had been so pleased with Luis’ work in catching the drug cartel that they reassigned to a major case and gave him a great job with them. They had sent Luis a letter saying he had one week to pack his bags and be in South Africa.
Sheridan drug herself down the hallway and went to the kitchen to make some coffee, but found a fresh pot already made. She started to pour herself a cup when she noticed Luis’ bags by the door. The mere sight of them made her queasy.
The night before....
"Sheridan, I really don’t want to leave..." Luis began.
"Go, Luis." Sheridan said softly.
Luis walked across the room and held her in his arms. Sheridan whimpered softly as he cradled her chin in his hands.
"I can just stay." Luis said sternly.
"No, you’ll always resent me for being the reason you stayed behind when you could be an excellent FBI agent." Sheridan said sorrowfully.
Luis let her go and sat down. He left Sheridan standing by the door, lost in her miserable thoughts. She knew that if he stayed he would always wish he’d gone and did great things. It would always be something hanging over their relationship.
"Things were just starting to get good." Luis said, not looking at Sheridan.
"Yeah, but maybe this isn’t meant to be." Sheridan said.
Luis looked up. Sheridan tried to avoid his eyes, but they were like magnets.
"Do you really believe that?" Luis asked, astonished.
Sheridan shrugged. She wanted Luis to be all he could be. She wanted him to stay, but she knew that he would always blame her for being the reason he stayed.
"Sher, if you really believe that, I will go and you’ll never have to worry with me again." Luis said.
Sheridan took one final look at Luis and walked outside, got in her car, and drove into town.
"Just go, Luis," Sheridan said, tears running down her face, "Just go."
CHAPTER 2
Sheridan didn’t regret anything she said the night before. She couldn’t let Luis not go to South Africa and be what he’d always wanted. But, still the sight of Luis’ bags made her sick to her stomach. Lost in memories, Sheridan didn’t hear Luis coming behind her.
"Good morning, Sheridan," Luis said, business-like and stern.
Sheridan gave a small smile. She didn’t know exactly what to say to Luis. The tension was so thick; Sheridan though she could get a butcher knife and cut right through it.
"Luis, we might need to talk about last night..." Sheridan began.
Luis held his hand up and sat down at the table.
"Sheridan, you said it all when you walked out that door." Luis said, sadly.
Sheridan turned back towards her bedroom. She couldn’t stand to see Luis load up the police jeep and drive away. There just wasn’t enough guts in her to watch him go.
****************************************************************
Sheridan was staring at her desktop clock when the phone rang. Sheridan had been counting down the minutes until Luis’ departure and had been almost half-asleep. The phone had jolted her from a wonderful daydream.
"Hello?" Sheridan answered.
"Hi, Sheridan."
It was Theresa. Despite Sheridan’s close friendship with Gwen, the girl Ethan dumped, she found that Theresa was someone that she had developed a close bond with, too. They both took spontaneous shopping trips and weekends at Sheridan’s favorite spa, all courtesy of Ethan, and they had really become close.
"Hey, Theresa." Sheridan said, glumly.
"Has my big brother left yet?" Theresa asked.
"Not yet, sweetie, he still has 20 minutes..." Sheridan drifted the last part off.
"Counting it down, huh?" Theresa said, giving a sympathetic chuckle.
"How did you guess?" Sheridan laughed.
They continued to talk until Sheridan heard Luis taking his bags outside. Sheridan quickly hung up with Theresa and started towards the front door. Sam, Hank, and Miguel was outside helping Luis load his things into the jeep.
"I don’t guess you need any help." Sheridan said.
"Yeah, but you can see me off." Luis said, without looking at her.
Sheridan nodded and stood back behind Miguel and Sam.
"Well, buddy, have a good time." Hank said slyly.
Sam and Luis shook hands and said good-bye. Miguel came forward and gave his brother a hug. Sheridan stood quietly until Luis motioned for her to go inside. Sheridan walked into the house and waited for Luis.
"Sheridan?"
Sheridan dashed into the living room to find Luis standing there holding a white envelope.
"Here, Sheridan, take this." Luis said, handing the leter to her.
Sheridan felt tears streaming down her face.
"Good-bye, Sher." Luis said, kissing her forehead.
Before Sheridan opened her eyes, Luis was gone. As she started sobbing, she heard the roar of the jeep and saw the taillights leaving her...forever.
CHAPTER 3
Sheridan had been sitting on the couch as she heard Sam, Hank, and Miguel leave after Luis. She wanted to make sure that she was alone when she opened Luis’ letter. Her heart thudded as she opened the letter and unfolded the paper full of Luis’ sloppy, loopy writing.
Dearest Sheridan,
I don’t understand why Fate has decided to deal us this hand. All I know is that we both deserve love, happiness, and a full life. I thought I could have that with you, but you feel differently. I would not have hesitated to call the agency and tell them to shove their job...if you had given the the slightest notion you wanted to be with me. You walked out the door a few minutes ago and all I could do is sit and begin this letter. There was nothing I could do to stop you. You are a Crane and you know my feelings about your family. But, never once, have I felt that way towards you. Theresa is with Ethan and, in a way, I am happy. Please take care of yourself and have a happy life. I have decided to take an overseas agent position. My time in Harmony is going to be very limited, so we should never have a problem avoiding each other. I love you, Sher.
Love, Luis
Sheridan’s tear began to run down the letter and streak the ink. She leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
"Why didn’t I stop him?" Sheridan sobbed.
She knew why. She didn’t want Luis ending his wonderful career to be with her. Twenty years down the road, Sheridan didn’t want Luis to resent her for being the reason he turned down a job to be a FBI agent. This was the way things had to be.
****************************************************************
Sheridan finished fixing her hair and grabbed her coat and purse. She was determined to move on from Luis, so she invited her nephew, Ethan, and his girlfriend, Theresa to dinner. She was supposed to meet them at the Lobster Shack, but she was surprised to see them mid-knock when she opened the door.
"Ethan! Theresa!"
"Hi, Sheridan." Theresa said, smiling.
"What are you two doing here?" Sheridan asked.
Theresa blushed and Ethan put his arm around her. Sheridan got the funniest feeling that these two were hiding something.
"Aunt Sheridan, me and Theresa were hoping we could raincheck dinner tonight." Ethan said, smiling.
"Well, of course, if you two have something else to do." Sheridan said, very disappointed.
"Sheridan, it’s not that..."Theresa began.
"Yes, it’s not that we don’t want to have dinner with you..."Ethan began.
"It’s really okay." Sheridan said.
"It’s just that," Ethan said, looking at Theresa, "I proposed to Theresa a few minutes ago and she said yes."
Sheridan jumped up and started kissing and hugging them both. Ethan and Theresa were jolted by Sheridan’s sudden burst of happiness for them.
"Oh, you two need to get home and be together." Sheridan said, finally calming down.
"Thanks, Aunt Sheridan." Ethan said, hugging her.
Sheridan waved as she closed the door. She peeked out the window, watching as Ethan and Theresa walked hand-in-hand towards the main house. Every few steps one of them would lean in to kiss the other and, then, that would cause them to have to stop and hold each other. Sheridan started crying.
"My first night of many...." Sheridan said, "Alone."
CHAPTER 4
Present Time....
Sheridan snapped out of her memories to find Ethan and Theresa on the dance floor, slowing rocking back and forth. She was oohing and awwing with the rest of the crowd when she felt a small tap on her back.
"Sheridan?"
Sheridan turned around to face Pilar, Luis and Theresa’s mom. She looked exactly the same, except a little older.
"Pilar!" Sheridan exclaimed.
"I thought it was you," Pilar said, "I haven’t seen you in a long time."
Since Luis was making plenty of money, Sheridan’s sister-in-law, Ivy, had told Sheridan that Pilar had retired and was staying at home. A couple of months ago, Sheridan heard that since Miguel and Kay had married; Pilar was keeping their new baby.
"Pilar, how are you?" Sheridan said.
"I am fine," Pilar said, "I stay very busy, and in a few months I will be even busier."
Pilar pointed to Miguel, fighting with a fussy toddler and a very pregnant Kay rubbing her back.
"Oh, Pilar, that is just great." Sheridan said.
Pilar gave a small laugh.
"Have you heard from Luis lately?" Sheridan asked, trying to sound casual.
"I’m sorry, Sheridan, it’s been a few months ago," Pilar said, "We sent him a letter telling him of the wedding, but he never responded."
"I heard Theresa telling Ethan that," Sheridan said, "I can’t believe that Luis would miss this."
"Yes, well, it might have been that he couldn’t get away." Pilar said.
Sheridan nodded and continued to watch the newlyweds gliding across the floor. Other couples had joined them, but you could tell that they thought they were the only people in the world.
"Excuse me!" someone yelled.
Sheridan and Pilar snapped their attention to the front door.
"Excuse me!"
Everyone quieted and looked towards the yelling. Ethan and Theresa stopped dancing and looked. The music turned off. Sheridan couldn’t see who was doing to talking.
"I have a complaint." the person yelled.
Then, it hit Sheridan. The voice....that husky, sexy voice. Could it be?
"My little sister has just gotten married, and I have yet to kiss the bride."
Then, Luis tore through the crowd towards Theresa. Theresa was smiling ear to ear. Luis kissed Theresa forehead and shaked Ethan’s hand. The music continued and everyone was dancing and talking.
"Oh, my son, he’s here!" Pilar exclaimed, looking for Luis through the crowd.
Finally, Luis appeared in front of Pilar and Sheridan. His eyes stayed on his mother.
"Mama!" Luis exclaimed.
The two hugged. Sheridan felt out of place and started to leave. But, before she could, Luis grabbed her hand. Luis shot her a look and let go of his mother.
"Mama, will you excuse me?" Luis asked.
Luis didn’t say a word; he just led her out the back door. When they got outside, Luis let her go and looked away.
"I have been practicing what I am going to say ever since I loaded the plane in Italy." Luis said.
Sheridan tried to speak, but the sight of him made her too weak.
"Sher," Luis turned to face her, "I have missed you."
"I’ve missed you." Sheridan whispered.
Luis reached out and took her in his arms. They stood together for a long time before either spoke.
"Luis, there are so many times that I have wished I had stopped you." Sheridan said, beginning to cry.
"There have been more times that I wished that I had stayed." Luis said.
Luis held Sheridan’s face in his hands and wiped away tears with his thumb. Sheridan smiled.
"I love you, Sheridan Crane." Luis said.
"I love you, too, Luis." Sheridan said.
They kissed and held each other. They walked back inside, both looking forward to the future.
CHAPTER 5
3 years later....
Sheridan walked out behind her house to see it full of people. Luis was standing with Sam and Ethan.
"Mommy!"
Sheridan focused her attention on the little blonde-haired girl running towards her.
"Olivia!" Sheridan exclaimed.
Olivia jumped into Sheridan’s arms.
"How’s my baby girl?" Sheridan asked, cuddling with Olivia.
"Good, Mommy," Olivia said, "Daddy’s cooking you a hamburger."
Sheridan smiled and let her down to play with Miguel and Kay’s three kids. Sheridan walked across the yard to Theresa.
"Hey, girl, how are you?" Sheridan asked.
Theresa rolled her eyes and ran her hand across her wide belly. Sheridan laughed. Theresa’s pregnancy had been a big surprise to everyone, especially Theresa, herself.
"Sheridan, you weren’t kidding everytime you rubbed your back and complained." Theresa moaned.
Sheridan rubbed Theresa’s shoulders and patted her back. She looked over at her husband, Luis, who was walking towards her.
"Hello, beautiful."
Sheridan wrapped her arms around Luis. Everytime she felt his arms around her or his breath in her hair, she felt safe and stable.
"Oh, Luis, I am so happy." Sheridan said.
"You should," Luis said, kissing her head, "This is the way things were meant to be."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~