The Softball Game
By Twig
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on the show "Passions".
They
belong to NBC and James E. Reilly. If I owned any of these people,
trust me,
Luis and Sheridan would have been married off a LOOOOONG time ago.
Since this
story is solely for amusement, and I have no ulterior motives (well,
not too
many) please, don't sue me.
<<<~~~>>>
Bennett House
Grace Bennett stood in front of the stove, stirring a pot of
tomato soup
for use in her community-famous cake.
"Oh, Sam," she said out loud, even though Sam was at work and there was
no
one else in the room with her.
"Mom?" Jessica Bennett poked her head into the kitchen, "Who are you
talking
to?"
Grace ignored her, humming as she stirred, a small smile on her face.
"Mom!"
Grace jumped, "What? Oh, honey, are you all right?"
Jessica sighed, "I'm fine mom, I just wanted to know who you were
talking to."
Grace frowned, stirring the pot once more, "I was just talking to your
father
dear."
"But dad's at work."
"I know," Grace smiled at her daughter, "Don't worry dear. One day
you'll
meet a wonderful man and know exactly what I mean. Sam and I are so
happy"
Jessica sighed, "Well. Uh, I think I'm gonna go back to my room now."
"Okay dear," Grace said softly, still smiling.
Jessica fled the room.
The door flew open and Eve Russell hurried in, a nervous look on
her
face. She forced herself to smile as her friend turned around.
"Eve!" Grace said happily, "Oh, I'm so glad you're here! I was just
making
some tomato-soup cake for the community fair. Oh! And Sam and I are
going to
take another vacation together! I'm so excited about it, we haven't had
enough time to be alone together, and-"
Eve cut her off, "Grace, I just wanted to tell you that-"
"Sam and I are so happy, Eve, we're just so happy! I mean, he hasn't
had a
lot of time for me lately, but we've still been so hap-"
"GRACE!"
Grace paused, "What's wrong?"
"I just wanted to let you know that TC and I are going to be moving."
"WHAT?!" Grace's jaw dropped open, "But you can't move! You're my
best friend
in the whole world! You can't just move away!"
"I know I am Grace, I wish you could understand," the truth was, Eve
was
moving solely for the reason that she cared so much for Grace. She
couldn't
bear the thought of betraying her closest friend to Ivy Crane any
longer.
"Eve, is it money? Is that why you're moving?"
Eve weighed the options, "Um, yeah. Money. I wish there were another
way-"
"Sam and I could lend you some, we saved up for the vacation!"
Eve bit her lip, "Grace, that's really sweet, but it's not going to
work. TC
and I are leaving next week."
Tears began coursing down Grace's face, "you CAN'T leave Eve! The girl
s will
be devastated, Simone and Kay are so close!"
"I know," Eve said sadly.
"And what will I do without you? You're the closest friend I have
here!"
Eve sighed, "I know Grace."
"But...but"
"I have to go," Eve said abruptly, "I'll talk to you later about
this."
She hurried out the door before her emotions took over.
<<<~~~>>>
Harmony Police Station
The urgently ringing phone demanded Chief Bennett's complete
attention.
He grabbed the receiver, "Bennett."
"SAM!" Grace was sobbing hysterically.
"Gracey? What's wrong?"
"Sam it's Eve she"
Sam gripped the phone tightly, concern evident in his voice, "What
happened?
Is she all right? Did she get hurt?"
"SHE'S MOVING AWAY!"
"Eve Russell is moving away?"
Grace whimpered, "Yes! She's leaving next week!"
Sam paused, "Is TC going with her?"
"YES!" Grace bawled, "And the girls too!"
"Oh Gracey," Sam said softly, "That's horrible. I don't know what we'll
do
without them!"
"Sam!" she sobbed again, blowing her nose loudly.
Sam felt himself beginning to tear up, "Gracey, you hang in there, okay
honey? I'll be right home."
He hung up the phone and hurried out the door.
<<<~~~>>>
Lopez-Fitzgerald House
Theresa, crying, hung up the phone. Her brother, Officer Luis
Lopez-Fitzgerald, sat across the kitchen table, eyeing her worriedly.
"Theresa, are you okay?" he asked softly, seeing her upset state.
Theresa raised her tear-filled eyes to meet his, "No Luis, I'm not."
"What happened? Who was that on the phone?"
"Whitney," Theresa sniffed, wiping at her eyes, yet somehow not
smudging her
eye makeup.
"What's wrong?"
Theresa took a shaky breath, "She's moving away."
"The Russells are leaving? Even TC?"
"Yes. She doesn't know why her mother just told her they had to
move" tears
coursed down Theresa's face.
"Theresa that's awful," Luis said, patting her arm. "You and Whitney
are very
close."
"Ethan is all I'll have left now," Theresa whispered brokenly.
"What was that?" Luis strained to hear.
Theresa's response was to burst into tears yet again.
<<<~~~>>>
Bennett House
"Simone, WHAT do you mean you're MOVING?" Kay Bennett snapped,
staring
coldly at her best friend.
Simone shrugged, "I'm moving away. My mom told us this morning to start
packing. We're leaving next week."
"You you can't leave! Now no one will help me get Miguel!" Kay
whined.
"Is that all you EVER think about?"
Kay stomped her foot, "No Simone, you CAN'T leave! You just can't!"
"Well I am," Simone said, teary-eyed, "I don't want to, but I have to
leave."
"No," Kay was crying now, "No."
"Maybe," Simone struggled to speak, "maybe now you'll give up on trying
to
find Miguel and focus on some other guy."
"That will never happen Simone. You have my word."
"That's what I was afraid of."
<<<~~~>>>
Crane Cottage
"So my sister's best friend is moving away, and she's really
upset
about it."
Sheridan was all sympathy for Luis, "You're losing a friend too. TC is
going
with them."
Luis sighed, "I know. Sam, TC, and I have been friends for such a long
time."
She bit her lip, "I feel partially responsible for why you haven't been
able
to spend more time with them. It seems I've been hogging all your
time."
"Sheridan, I wouldn't be here with you if I didn't want to."
She smiled faintly.
"I mean it," he told her, staring into her blue eyes.
"Luis-"
"Aunt Sheridan, my father wants to see you," Ethan interrupted from the
doorway. He smiled wanly at Luis, who offered a polite smile in return.
Relations had been somewhat strained between the two men, as Luis still
didn't trust Sheridan's nephew fully, but they managed to be civil
towards
one another.
"How's your head Ethan?" Luis asked him, looking pointedly at the
fading
bruise on Ethan's forehead from where Sheridan had accidentally struck
him
with a shoe.
Ethan touched the bruise absently, "I'm fine, thanks."
Sheridan tossed an apologetic look over her shoulder at Luis,
"I'll be
back in a minute."
"Take your time," he said, meandering into the kitchen.
Sheridan followed Ethan out the door.
<<<~~~>>>
Crane Mansion
Sheridan stood in her brother's study, trying not to roll her eyes
as he
wrapped up a conversation with their father.
"Yes father" Julian said into the phone, his voice smooth but
slightly
irritated, "Yes father I KNOW that father yes father YES
father I KNOW!" he
slammed down the phone, glaring at it, "The old tyrant."
Sheridan merely raised an eyebrow. "You wanted to see me Julian?"
Julian jumped at her voice, "Ah, Sheridan! We were just talking about
you!"
"That's just wonderful Julian. What did you want? I was kind of in the
middle
of something-"
"Um, I wanted to inform you that the Russell family is moving out of
Harmony," Julian said with a scowl.
"I know that already."
Julian eyed her suspiciously, "How did you know?"
"Ah Pilar told me."
Julian seemed to accept her response, "Anyhow I don't believe that
any family
should be forced to move just because of a financial situation. I was
going
to propose that the Crane family go in and help them out."
Sheridan narrowed her eyes, "Since when are you interested in helping
the
common civilians Julian?"
"The Russells have always been upstanding citizens," Julian stammered.
"What about the Russells?" Ivy poked her head in.
"They're moving away," Julian snapped, annoyed.
"WHAT?!" Ivy looked positively terrified, "They can't move away!"
"What do you care, darling?" Julian asked his wife, leering at her.
Ivy shot him a look of disgust, "I don't CARE it's just that I've
gotten to
know Eve Russell quite well through ah the Bennetts-"
Julian shuddered at the mention of the Bennett family.
"Julian," Sheridan said in an annoyed tone, "I still don't understand
what
exactly you want us to do. If the Russells want to move away, it's
their
business."
Ivy sneered at Julian, "I know exactly why he wants them to stay. It's
no big
secret now, is it Julian dear?"
"I'm sure you do, but what I'm trying to figure out is why *you* want
them to
stay, DARLING," Julian said with a smirk.
Sheridan backed away, "You know, this isn't anything I really want to
be
hearing. I think I'll just be heading back to the cottage now."
She turned and hurried from the room.
"You have a hot date, sister dear?" Julian called after her.
"Of course not," Sheridan snapped at him, "I'm just sick of listening
to you."
She stomped away.
Ivy frowned at Julian, "Julian, would you leave the poor girl alone?
Haven't
you done enough to her?"
Julian merely shrugged.
"I think I'll go talk to Eve Russell, see if I can talk some
sense into
her," Ivy said hurriedly, backing out of the room.
"What are you up to, Ivy?" Julian asked her.
"I'm not up to anything," Ivy assured him nervously. She then fled the
room
in much the same manner as her sister-in-law.
"You're up to something," Julian said, taking a sip of scotch, "And I'm
going
to find out what it is."
<<<~~~>>>
Russell House
Eve, sniffling, placed some photo albums in a cardboard box.
"Oh Grace," she whispered, looking at a picture of herself and her
friend, "I
wish you could understand why I have to do this."
"I wish *I* could understand why we have to do this," TC muttered,
limping
over to another box with an armload of tennis supplies.
"I told you TC, I have my reasons, and I think it's important that we
make a
fresh start," Eve told him in a strained voice.
"Why do we need a fresh start?" TC complained, "We were perfectly happy
here."
"How's your leg?" she asked him, pointedly changing the subject.
TC shrugged, thinking back to when he tripped over Luis in the Lobster
Shack,
injuring his bad leg all over again, "It's all right. Hurts a bit."
The screen door banged open, and Grace Bennett burst in, a huge
smile on
her face.
"EVE!" she yelled, "Guess what?"
"What?" Eve asked her warily.
"I talked to the mayor, and he agreed with me that you shouldn't be
forced to
leave Harmony because of financial problems."
TC shot Eve a questioning look.
"So" Grace beamed at them, "He's approved a charity softball game so
we can
raise money for you!"
Eve buried her face in her hands. "I knew the money thing wasn't a good
idea," she grumbled under her breath.
"Everyone that plays donates money," Grace bubbled excitedly, "and we
should
raise enough to help you out, at least temporarily. And Sam and I are
willing
to-"
Eve shook her head, "Grace, it's really sweet of you, but I have to say
no."
Grace looked crushed, "But why?"
TC crossed his arms, "Yes Eve, please tell us why. Why we need money in
the
first place."
Eve looked stricken as her eyes flicked back and forth to her husband
and her
best friend.
<<<~~~>>>
Crane Cottage
Sheridan had just walked in the door when the phone began ringing
insistently. Shooting Luis yet another apologetic look, she picked it
up.
"Hello?"
"Sheridan!" Hank Bennett's voice filtered over the line. He sounded
positively thrilled to be talking to her.
"Hello Hank," she said with a sigh. Luis raised his eyebrows at her.
"I just wanted to let you know," he said, and she could practically
hear his
smile through the phone, "that my sister-in-law and my brother are
arranging
a charity softball game to keep the Russells from moving away."
"A softball game?" she asked doubtfully, glancing over at Luis.
"Yeah," Hank said, enthused, "So I was hoping you would join me there.
I know
you don't know the Russells very well, but-"
"I'll be there," she said, forcing a smile.
"Great!" Hank practically shouted into the phone, "That's that's
great. I'll
see you there."
"When is it?"
Hank laughed, "Oh yeah, forgot about that. It's tomorrow at the
fields."
"Got it."
"Okay," he said happily, "See you there."
"Yes, you will," she told him, before saying her good-byes and hanging
up the
phone.
Luis, sitting on the couch, looked positively glum, the sad puppy
dog
face looking unusual with his horrendous haircut that was compliments
of
Theresa. At least it was growing out, Sheridan thought with a smile.
"What did Hank want?" Luis asked her softly.
"He wanted to tell me about the charity softball game that Sam and
Grace
arranged to keep the Russells in town."
Luis brightened marginally, "That's all?"
"All that I cared about, anyway," she informed him with a smile.
"Oh, okay."
"The game's tomorrow. I told him I'd go. I suppose you're joining me?"
"I wouldn't miss a chance at seeing you try and hit a softball."
Sheridan pouted, "What makes you think I can't hit a softball?"
"Just a guess."
She sighed, "Luis, I can so hit a softball."
"Have you ever tried it?"
She squirmed slightly, "Well no not exactly but how hard can it
be?"
"I believe that was your same attitude when you challenged me to a
basketball
game," Luis said with a knowing grin.
"I *won* that basketball game."
"Only because you had professional help."
Sheridan stood up and stood in front of him, arms crossed, "I am
willing
to bet that I can hit the softball farther than YOU can."
He smirked at her, "You so sure about that?"
"I'm sure."
"Then you're on."
"May the best woman win," she tilted her chin up.
"Fine."
"Fine!"
After a moment of silence, Luis glanced at her, "Does this
little arrangement
preclude our earlier arrangements?"
"Of course not!" Sheridan said, and grabbed him.
<<<~~~>>>
Bennett House
"Oh, this is exactly what I needed!" Kay yelled excitedly,
clutching one
of the flyers her mother had made up, advertising the softball game.
Simone, somewhat subdued, sat on her friend's bed and stared at her,
"What
could this softball game *possibly* do for you?"
"Have you forgotten?" Kay gaped at her friend, "Miguel and I play
softball
together! Since Charity obviously won't have any athletic skills, he'll
see
how good I am and then he'll leave her for me!"
"Why would Miguel leave Charity because she lacks softball skills?"
"BECAUSE," Kay said eagerly, "He'll see that I'm right for him! We have
so
much in common, and he'll be sure to realize that once this game gets
going."
"Kay, if he hasn't realized it by now, he isn't going to realize it,"
Simone
said with a sigh.
"He will realize it," Kay stated determinedly, "I'll make sure of it."
Continue to Part 2
Story Wrote by TWIG Thanks so much for sharing your story with us.
You can write TWIG at [email protected]
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