| Chapter Five |
| Pilar opened the door and she embraced Sheridan with love. �Sheridan! How are you? It�s been two months since we�ve talked.� Pilar invited her in. �I know . . . I�m good, how are you, Pilar?� Sheridan returned a concerned smile. �I�m better. I�m ecstatic that my son, Antonio is home again and so safe.� The mentioning of his name made Sheridan uncomfortable. �What�s the matter, Sheridan. Why is it like you have seen a ghost?� Pilar looked upset. �About Antonio . . . has he ever mention about having a lady in his life?� Pilar discerned her carefully. �And what are you implying? That my son is involved with a lady that I don�t know about. I know my sons. If they have a special girl in their life. They would tell me in a heartbeat.� Pilar said reassuringly. �It�s funny you should mention that.� Sheridan muttered. �What?� Pilar faced her. �I said oh . . . you�re right. What if he has a lady in his life, would you approve of her?� Sheridan tried not to make her questioning sound so conspicuous. �Of course, I would . . . where is this all going?� Pilar frowned in confusion. �Nowhere. Just curious.� Sheridan shifted her eyes on the table. �Pilar, you look like you need a vacation. Let me offer you a treat. What do you say?� �I don�t know . . .� �Come on, Pilar. You are my mother-in-law. I don�t see the harm with pampering you.� �I guess you are right . . . Sheridan is my son seeing someone that I don�t know about?� �I believe you�ll have to ask Antonio that.� Sheridan tried to smile and went into the living room. The telephone started ringing. �Hello?� Pilar answered. �Mama, it�s me.� She recognized her baby�s voice. �Antonio, I�m so glad to hear from you. You know it�s been two months since we last talked.� Pilar swap the receiver to her other ear. �I know, Mama. I�m fine, really. I just call to see how you were doing . . .� Pilar�s smile faded and she started thinking to herself about what Sheridan had said. �Antonio, are you seeing anyone?� She asked out of the blue. Antonio�s face is burned with embarrassment. �Mama, what possessed you to ask me that?� He sounded a little thrown off. It was obvious because Pilar knew he�s feeling uneasy about it. �I have a feeling that your keeping something from me . . .� She concluded. Antonio heaved out a long yet sincere sigh. �All right, Mama. You win. There is this girl I am interested in and I am thinking about getting serious with her. Although, I am not sure if she feels the same way.� Pilar could tell there was some doubt in his voice. �Did you ask her?� Antonio scribbled doodles on his sketch pad. �I don�t know, Mama. She�s everything that I want, sometimes I feel that she is not here with me. Like eye to eye on everything. I am behind her career all the way . . .� Pilar interrupted him. �She�s a career oriented woman?� Antonio nodded when he said, �Yes. Mama, I think I am falling in love with her and I don�t know how to tell her . . . what must I do?� Antonio is in desperate need to get a hold on Whitney�s heart. But how? �Maybe you should tell her you love her if she doesn�t know already?� Pilar implied. �She�s very persistent and adamant about her passionate for her career. I don�t know if I can compete with it.� He lost all hope for his love for Whitney. �Don�t give up on hope yet, Mijo. It�ll come to you. I know it will and I�m sure whomever she is. She will come around, too. I love you, Antonio and try to keep in touch with me, is that clear?� �Yes, Mama. I love you, too. Tell everyone that I love them back.� He smiled to himself. �I will. Bye.� She replied. �Bye.� he hanged up the receiver and started contemplating on some serious issues. He wanted to tell Whitney he loves her. The question remains of how will it proceed when she constantly put tennis before him? He got to think of something. He went to visit Whitney and he caught her right before she went to her car. �Whit, we gotta talk.� Whitney faced him and replied. �About?� He clenched his fists tight to his sides. �About us . . . Whitney. I�ve been doing some thinking and I believe it�s time we get it all out in the open.� He felt relieved. �Shoot.� She leaned against her car while listening to him tentatively. �Whitney, I know we made an agreement that we should keep it casual and not mutual. . .� This is harder than he could imagine. �And I want to say that it�s not enough for me,� he soughed. �I want to be everywhere you go . . .� Whitney stopped him before he went any further. �Hold on for a second . . . so you�re telling me that being casual is not good enough? Antonio, I thought we made ourselves unquestionable about this situation.� She exasperated. �Well, I apologize for bringing us into a predicament which seems to be of your inconvenience.� Antonio remarked angrily. �What are you trying to say?� Whitney, I am saying that I love you and I want to be with you . . . he thought. �Well?� Whitney awaits for his answer. Say it you dolt! Antonio contemplated twice. �Look, Antonio, I don�t have all year. What do you want?� She is getting agitated with his utterance of no communication. Her pager went off and she drove off leaving him baffled. �You dumb ass, why didn�t you tell her the truth? Maybe she won�t accept me, that�s it.� Antonio rushed his fingers through his hair in agony. �Why am I torturing myself like this? Whitney isn�t thinking about me anymore. So why should I think about her?� He inquired to himself. Antonio stood up and cerebrated about moving on with another girl. If his heart will let him. He came to a conclusion that he should head back to Harmony and find someone else. Whitney pacified her mind in the back seat of her limousine. �Antonio, obviously wanted to say something to me but what could it be? Am I losing my self being?� She raised in skepticism. �No, Whitney, you remembered that there are no strings attached between you and Antonio. It was hot sex and that�s basically about it . . . nothing more to say or nothing else to bloom from it.� She tried to convince herself. Antonio spent a month in Harmony and he heard a knock on his door, wondering it who could it be. �Sheridan? What are you doing here?� he is caught off guard by her sudden appearance. �Nice to see you, too.� She sarcastically replied. �Antonio, we need to talk . . .� Antonio shut the door and plopped on the couch next to her. �Like what?� He nettled. �I saw you . . .� She admitted half way. �Saw me do what?� Antonio blinked in frustration. �I saw you and Whitney. I saw you two kissing. Are you two serious?� Antonio�s jaw tightened when he heard Sheridan mentioned her name. �Ancient history.� He finally stated. �Really? Since when?� Sheridan found it surprising. �A long time ago. Can we drop it?� He wasn�t trying to be rude, on the contrary, he rather not chat about his personal life. �Do you love her?� Sheridan queried. �What? No.� he mumbled. Sheridan observed him with suspicion. �You�re sure about that?� �Sheridan, I�m positive!� �Don�t yell at me!� �I�m sorry, Sheridan. I don�t see how is this any of your business . . .� He shrugged. �Antonio, we�re talking about Theresa�s friend here . . .� She emphasized. �I know.� He sounded irritated. �She�s kind of young, don�t ya think?� She raised with care. �I know that. Since when age has to count? I like Whitney a lot. It�s over between us and there�s nothing anyone can do about it. All right?� Sheridan is not so entirely convinced. �Are you afraid of how your family would react?� Antonio nodded thoroughly. �How would you think they would react?� Sheridan pushed harder. �The way you just acted. Sheridan, maybe it is best if Whitney and I never see each other anymore. It�s not like she thinks about me. Her damn tennis career is far more important than me.� Sheridan sensed jealousy in his voice. �And you feel you can�t compete with it, right?� �Right.� He repeated. �Antonio, I believe that Whitney is perfect for you. Age doesn�t matter. You must tell her how you feel.� �Hell no! And feel like a jackass. I feel much better knowing I didn�t make a complete ass out of myself.� �You�re being way too dramatic and your asinine demeanor verifies itself so to speak.� Sheridan said, stoically. �Thank you, Dr. Sheridan. Do you have any prescriptions you could lend me?� He squinted his sexy eyes at her. Sheridan chuckled and replied, �No, but you do need a cure and that cure is to let Whitney know how you feel.� |