Chapter 3
~two years later~
"Sara," Luis said, "I'm going back to Harmony."
"What? Why?"
"Sheridan's been gone for two years, and Theresa's going back for her spring break. I just can't take any more of this."
"Luis, take me with you. I need to clear my head. Didn't you say that your father disappeared and they haven't found him?" Sara shuddered, because she hated to think that it could happen to her, but she needed someone who could understand.
"Yes. She went on strong without Papa. Why?"
"I just need someone to talk to, someone who will understand exactly what I'm going through."
"Are you sure they can come, though?"
"I don't have a choice. Rachel and Andrew are my only link to Casey and I can't lose them, too." Just then a cry came from the twins' room. "Hold on, Luis." She darted upstairs and found Andrew crying.
"Oh, honey, it's going to be okay." She picked him up and rocked him. Sara was worried about her son, because his sister was talking, stringing a few sentences together, but Andy never talked. Just then, Rachel stirred. "Mommy?"
"Hi, Rachel," Sara said, smiling at her daughter. She kissed Rachel's forehead. "Look," she said, pointing to the window. "Sun."
"Sun!" Rachel exclaimed, happily. Andrew had seemed to calm down and Sara put him down. "You know, we're going to take a trip tomorrow."
"Trip? What trip?" Rachel asked.
"Well, a trip is where you go somewhere that you don't live. We're going to visit your uncle Luis's house."
"Uncle Luis?" Rachel asked. "Uncle Luis here?"
"Yes, he is," Luis said, entering the room. Rachel and Andrew toddled over to him, and he gave both of them big hugs. "How are my little friends doing today?"
"Good. We good."
Luis smiled. "That's good. How about you, Andrew?"
Andrew just smiled at him. "Wow, you look more and more like your father every day."
"Daddy?" Rachel asked. "Where Daddy?"
Luis and Sara looked at each other. "Daddy's not here, honey," Sara said, her eyes filling with tears.
~Lopez-Fitzgerald house~
"Good morning," Pilar greeted Sheridan and Casey. "How are you today?"
"Good� I just miss Luis so much," Sheridan said. She had gotten her memory back a year ago and was miserable that she didn't have Luis to share it with. Just then Theresa came in. "Hi, everyone!"
"Hey, Theresa," Casey greeted her. "So, how was your first day back?"
"Oh, it was great. I caught up with Whit. She's going to Wimbledon and she said that if I hadn't come here this week, then I would have missed it. Perfect timing, huh?"
"I'll say. So, how are you?"
"Oh, I'm okay. Happy to be home for a week."
"And I'm happy for you to be here, too, mija," Pilar said. "Too bad Miguel couldn't make it. He's got midterms this week."
"Ouch. I feel for him," Sheridan said. Sheridan and Casey were staying in the Lopez-Fitzgerald house because they were hiding from Alistair. There was news that he was really old, and really sick, so they were waiting for him to die anytime now so that they could go back to Sunset Beach and be reunited with their loved ones. Casey thought about Sara. How is she? And our child� he or she must be amazing�
"Yo, Case!"
"Huh? Oh, sorry," Casey said. "What were you saying?"
"Can you help me with something in my room? I can't reach it."
"Oh, sure, shorty."
"Hey!" Theresa slapped him. "That wasn't nice!"
"Oh well. Come on. Let's get this thing."
"Rachel, Andrew, I want to show you something." Sara walked into her room and took something out from inside a drawer. "You see this?" she asked. They nodded. "This is your daddy." She gave the picture frame for the twins to examine. "Be careful."
Rachel and Andrew looked at the picture. Rachel traced her father's smiling face, while Andrew pointed at the picture and said, "Daddy?"
Sara, whose head was down to hide the tears in her eyes, looked up. "Andrew? Did you say something?" she asked, excitedly.
He nodded. "Daddy." He pointed to the picture. Sara smiled. "Yes, that's your daddy. I named you after him," she said.
::Flashback:: "Congratulations, Mrs. Mitchum, you have two, beautiful, healthy children." Sara, exhausted from the delivery, sighed as they handed her a girl and a boy. "Oh, you two are so perfect," she whispered. "Welcome to the world." She kissed each of their foreheads. "Okay. You� you're going to be Rachel. Rachel Sara," she said, naming her daughter. Then she looked at her son. He reminded her so much of Casey. "And you're going to be Andrew Casey. I love you guys so much." A tear slipped down her cheek and onto Andrew's tiny head.
::Reality::
"Where Daddy?" Rachel asked again.
"I don't know, sweetheart. But I miss him."
"Me miss Daddy too. Andy too." Sara smiled. Rachel and Andrew were so defensive of each other. If Rachel got in trouble, Andrew would stand in front of her and shake his head at his mother, and if Andrew got in trouble, Rachel would tell Sara that she was the one who did it. They were close, even at their age.
"So, are you ready to take a trip?"
"Yes." Rachel nodded and so did Andrew.
"Okay, then, we're going."
~next day~
"This place hasn't changed at all," Luis said, as they drove through Harmony. "Everything is still the same."
"This looks like a cute little town," Sara noticed. She fell in love with Harmony instantly. "Oh, is that your mom's house?"
"Yeah. Come on, I'll introduce you to her." They got out of the car and Luis rang the doorbell. Pilar answered. "Oh, mijo, I'm so glad to see you!"
"Mama, I'm so glad to be back. This is Sara Mitchum, one of my close friends, and these are her children, Rachel and Andrew."
"Why, hello, Sara," Pilar said, warmly. Sara smiled and said, "Hi, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald."
"Please, call me Pilar." Then she stooped down to the twins' height. "Hello."
Andrew waved and Rachel said, "Hi. Andy no talk. Andy shy." Pilar smiled. "You have two beautiful children."
"Thank you, Pilar."
"Come on in." Luis and Sara walked into the house and Sara noticed how warm and cozy it looked. There were pictures all over the place. Just then Theresa came running through the door. "Mama, Mama�" She stopped when she saw Sara and Luis. "Oh, my gosh!!! You're back!!" She ran to hug her brother and Sara. "Oh, Sara, welcome to our home. Don't go into my room. It's messy." Sara laughed and said, "No problem. I don't care about stuff like that. Though it's beginning to cross my mind." She looked down at her twins, who smiled when they saw their Aunt Theresa. "Resa! Resa! Hi!" Rachel toddled over to Theresa, and threw her arms around her legs. Andrew did the same. "Oh, hi, you guys. Drew-Drew, I missed you." Andrew flashed his toothy smile. He loved his Aunt Theresa. "You too, Princess Rachel." Rachel giggled. "Oh, Luis, Sara, I have a surprise for you. Go into my room and hang out for a sec, kay? Luis, you can stay here, just don't leave from this room."
"Um� okay," Sara said. "Which way is it?"
"Down the hall and to the right."
"Okay, thanks." Sara proceeded to go into Theresa's room and Luis sat down, wondering what his little sister was up to. Then Theresa took Rachel and Andrew's hands and took them outside.
"You guys, I have something for you."
"What? What?" Rachel said.
"Oh, it's coming. Soon. Let's just sit out here and look at the trees, okay?" Theresa always taught them new words. She tried to get Andrew to talk, but he never did. It was rare when something came out of his mouth. Just then Casey walked into the backyard.
"Theresa� you babysitting?"
Andrew caught sight of Casey and tugged on Theresa's hair. "Resa, Resa," he said.
"What is it, Drew-Drew?" She was surprised that Andrew was talking, but she had heard him talk a little bit before.
"Daddy." Theresa turned around and saw Casey. She smiled. "This is my surprise for you."
"Huh?" Casey asked.
"Oh, for you, too, Case. Casey, meet your daughter, Rachel, and your son, Andrew." For a minute, his heart stopped, but soon beat faster when Andrew came running towards him. He knew then that they really were his children. His children. "They're beautiful," he said, under his breath. Just then Andrew and Rachel finally reached him. "Hi, Daddy," Andrew said, hugging him.
"Hi, Andy," Casey said, his eyes filling with tears. He had finally met his son and his daughter. "And hi to you, Rachel."
"Hi, Daddy. Mommy miss you," she said.
"Yeah, me and Chel miss you too," Andrew added.
"Mommy? Is your mommy here?" Casey asked. He was still in shock, but deliriously happy.
"Yes. We go see Mommy." Andrew took Casey's hand and pulled him towards Theresa's room. Theresa smiled as she watched Rachel, Andrew and Casey. So that's why he never spoke. It was his father being gone.
They approached Theresa's room and Casey was about to go in, but Andrew said, "No. Daddy wait." Then he went into the room. Casey watched from a crack in the doorway, and saw someone sitting on the bed. Could it be? Is it really her?
"Mommy, Mommy," Andrew said, toddling up to his mother.
"Andrew? What is it?" Sara was surprised that her son was talking. He never talked this much before�
"Daddy. Daddy here."
"Wha�?" Sara wasn't sure of what her Andrew was saying. Could it be that Casey was here? "Are you sure?"
"Yes. Look." Andrew went back out the door and pulled Casey in. "Daddy."
Sara smiled. "Casey? Is that you?"
"Sara!" He hugged his wife. "Oh, my goodness, it's really you!" They kissed for the first time in two years. "Casey� how are you?"
"I'm fine, now," he responded. He held her close as he talked to her. "Oh, Casey, have you met Rachel and Andrew yet?"
"I have. They're beautiful, Sara. Our children. You had twins?"
"No. WE did." She smiled. Then she turned to Andrew. "Why did you start talking all of a sudden?"
"Daddy. Daddy here." He looked up at his father. "Me love you, Daddy. And Mommy and Chel." He hugged all of them. "Family."
"Who taught you that, Andy?" Casey asked. He smiled.
"Resa. Me love Resa too. And Uncle Luis and� and family."
Casey and Sara had tears in their eyes as Andrew finally started to talk. Then Sara said, "Is Sheridan here?"
"As a matter of fact, she is. But we should let her and Luis meet up first." They walked out the door and met up with Luis. He smiled as he saw the whole family reunited. "Hey, Casey. Nice to see you again."
"You, too, Luis. Thanks for taking care of Sara and Rachel and Andy. I still can't believe how beautiful they are. Rachel is just as pretty as her mother." Sara blushed. "And Andy looks just like you, Case."
"Yeah, I guess�"
"He does! So. You guys happy now?"
"Oh, this is amazing. I am SO happy. And� you should be too," Casey said.
"Well�" Just then Sheridan and Theresa walked into the room, giggling and laughing. "Resa! Resa!" Little Andrew walked over to Theresa. "Daddy and Mommy happy," he said.
"Oh, Drew-Drew, are you happy?"
"Yes." Andrew smiled. "Me love Daddy, and Mommy, and Chel, and Resa. And�" he looked up at Sheridan. "Who that?"
"Oh, this is your Aunt Sheridan, Andrew. Sheridan, this is your nephew. Andrew."
"Hi, Andrew," Sheridan said, smiling. She still didn't see Luis in the room, but Luis saw her.
"Hi, Aunt� Aunt�"
"Her name is Aunt Sheridan, Drew-Drew."
"Hi, Aunt Sher!" Andrew finally said. Sheridan smiled. "You are just too cute, you know that?" She hugged him. Then he went over to Rachel and said, "Chel! See Aunt Sher." He pulled her over to where Sheridan was standing. "Aunt Sher, this Chel. Chel, this Aunt Sher." Everyone smiled. Andrew was finally starting to open up.
Theresa whispered to Sheridan, "Her name's Rachel."
"Hi, Rachel," Sheridan said.
"Hi, Aunt Sher," Rachel said. "Me Chel, and this Daddy, and this Mommy, and that Resa, and that Uncle Luis," she said, pointing to everyone in the room. It was then that Sheridan finally noticed Luis. "Is� is that you?"
"Do you remember me?" Luis asked, cautiously.
"How could I forget you?" Sheridan ran into his waiting arms and they had their reunion. "Luis� I got my memory back a year ago. I missed you so much," she said, holding him close, like as if she had let go, he would have disappeared.
"I missed you, too, Sher. So much. I'm glad you're okay." He kissed her forehead and they just stood there, holding each other. Casey and Sara did the same thing, but were interrupted by Rachel and Andrew. "Hungry."
"Are you guys hungry?" Casey asked.
"Yes. Food."
"Okay, do you want to go with Resa and get some food from Nana Pilar?"
"Yes." So Theresa led them into the kitchen and got them food. Then, after Casey/Sara and Luis/Sheridan broke apart from their holds, Sheridan looked over and saw Sara. "Sara! I missed you," she said, hugging her best friend.
"Oh, I missed you too, Sher. You weren't there to see Rachel and Andy. You were going to be their godmother, but� you weren't there. What happened to you guys?"
"Oh, it's a long story. Why don't we go out and we can explain. How about we go to the Lobster Shack?"
"Um� okay. Sure! Just let me get changed first," Sara said.
Chapter 4
