Here's another saga in Jemb's wonderful story! Enjoy!
Note: Several chapters may be Rated R!!
Chapter 1
Noah approached the front door of the Crane mansion with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Never in his wildest dreams would he have ever pictured himself actually taking a Crane out on a date. It wasn�t because he thought that they were any better than anyone else, but there had always been a lot of animosity between the two families. Hell, for all he knew Jordan�s grandfather could have very well murdered his own grandfather, but he refused to hold the sins of one sinister man against her. He had no idea how this thing between them was going to play out, but he knew he would always wonder if he didn�t at least investigate this strong attraction he felt for her.
Noah rang the door bell and was greeted by a frantic maid mumbling incoherently, and a feeling of dread overcame him. �Miss, please slow down,� he said, trying to calm her. �I can�t understand a word you�re saying.�
The maid took some deep breaths, and started speaking. �You have to help. Miss Jordan took a fall and now her head is bleeding and we can�t even tell if she is alive,� the maid cried.
�Oh my God,� Noah said, pushing his way through the door. He saw her laying there in the front hall with blood covering the side of her head, and her mother was kneeling over her with a look of horror on her face.
�What happened here?� Noah demanded.
Ivy just looked up at him in a daze, and then she started to cry. �I didn�t mean to hurt her. She slipped and fell..............�
Noah felt sick inside seeing her lying there like that, and he almost crumbled just like her mother, but his instincts kicked in and he knew that he had to act quickly because it could mean Jordan�s life. �Please move so that I can take a look at her,� he commanded, but then softened his tone. �I�m in medical school.� It finally seemed to register with Ivy and she moved aside. Noah squatted down beside Jordan and felt for a pulse. �She�s alive, but her pulse is weak. Did anyone call 911?�
�Well.........., I........... It just happened..............,� Ivy stuttered.
�Call 911 now, and get me a blanket,� he directed the maid. �We need to keep her warm so she doesn�t go into shock.�
�Shouldn�t we carry her over to the sofa so that she�s more comfortable?� Ivy asked, shakily.
�No, the last thing we want to do is move her. She could have hurt her neck or her back when she fell and you could do worse damage.�
�Oh my God, there is so much blood. She�s going to die isn�t she?� Ivy wailed.
�Look, you have to calm down. It won�t do Jordan any good if you go to pieces. Head wounds always bleed a lot, and this one doesn�t appear to be that bad. I�m more concerned about the internal damage.�
Just then Ethan and Gwen came through the front door and spotted Jordan�s twisted body lying on the floor with Noah leaning over her. �You,� Ethan shouted, pointing at Noah. �What the hell did you do to my sister?�
�I didn�t do anything to her,� Noah said, defensively. �She was like this when I got here.�
�Is this true mother?� Ethan asked, skeptically.
�Yes, it�s true,� Ivy sobbed. �She fell, and hit her head on the table. I didn�t mean for this to happen............�
Ethan ignored the last comment his mother made, and turned his wrath back on Noah. �What are you doing here anyway?�
�Ethan, please stop badgering the guy,� Gwen said, trying to calm him. �Jordan told me earlier that she had a date with Noah tonight. She also said that Noah is studying to be a doctor, so I�m sure he�s just trying to help her right now.�
�Did anyone call 911?� Ethan asked, offering no apology to Noah, as he squatted down to inspect his sister�s condition.
�Yes, they�ve been called and should be here any minute,� Noah responded impatiently. He was getting really fed up with Ethan�s attitude.
�Why are you just letting her lie here like this? Help me move her,� Ethan said, reaching for Jordan�s arms.
�Don�t do that!� Noah commanded, pushing Ethan away. �You have no idea what the extent of her injuries are. Do you want to risk causing permanent damage?�
Ethan looked like he was ready to explode, but the EMT�s arrived right then putting a stop to any further confrontation. Ivy just stood there still trying to compose herself and thinking that she was going to wake up from this nightmare at any minute. Not only was her daughter lying there seriously injured, but now Ethan and Noah looked like they were ready to kill each other. While it was true that she didn�t want her daughter dating Sam�s son, she certainly didn�t want Ethan to be at odds with his own brother. It turned out that Noah had been right in not moving Jordan, because the medical technicians were gently sliding her onto a board to keep her back stable. They also put a neck brace on her to keep her head from shifting. When Ivy showed concern, the technicians assured her that it was only for precautionary measures. Jordan�s blood pressure was dropping, and they moved her out quickly to get her to the hospital. Ethan offered to take Ivy and follow the ambulance to the hospital, and even after being dismissed, Noah was right there behind them.
********************
Luis and Sheridan had just finished with another practice session for their trip to Spain, and were lying together enjoying the aftermath of blissful satisfaction. Their breathing was still ragged, but Luis managed to finally speak. �You know Sheridan, I was thinking earlier that we really deserve this time away after the year we�ve had.�
�Oh God, I know,� she agreed. "The trouble started right after the new year and didn�t stop. First there was the whole Hank thing, and then you were accused of shooting Julian. You were kidnapped, I was kidnapped, and then all the problems we had trying get your father back home. We have definitely had more than our share of bad luck.�
�And that is the very reason that we are going to go off, by ourselves for two whole weeks with nothing to worry about but whether we are going to stay in or go out for dinner.�
�I know, this is going to be the perfect second honeymoon. I�m going to miss the children so much, but I can�t wait to be alone with you,� she said, moving her hand over his chest.
�If you keep touching me that way, we�re going to have to have another practice session,� Luis growled.
�Now Luis, I don�t want you to wear yourself out before we get to Spain, because I plan to keep you in permanent motion,� Sheridan laughed.
�Okay,� he said with a sigh. �If that�s the way you feel, maybe we should abstain until we get there.�
�You know Luis, that�s a wonderful idea. That way we�ll be so ready for each other that I doubt that we�ll be able to get any sightseeing done,� she teased.
�Sorry babe, but there�s no way I can keep my hands off of you until we leave,� he said, pulling her into a hungry kiss. It was intense, making them long for each other all over again, but it was not to be because the sound of the phone ringing spoiled the mood. �Damn, who could that be?�
�I don�t know, but you better pick it up before it wakes the children,� Sheridan groaned.
Luis swore under his breath as he reached for the phone. A frantic Ethan was on the other end asking to speak to Sheridan. �It�s Ethan, and he sounds pretty upset,� he said, handing the phone to her.
�Ethan, what�s wrong?� she asked worriedly, as she listened to his response. �I�ll be right there.� She hung up the phone and slipped out of bed, heading for the bathroom.
�Sheridan, what is it? Where are you going?� Luis asked, following her to the bathroom.
�I�m sorry honey, I have to hurry. There�s been a terrible accident. Jordan fell and hit her head and she�s been unconscious since it happened,� she said, turning on the shower.
�My God, how did this happen?� he called out above the sound of the water.
�Ethan didn�t give me all of the details. He just said that she fell at the mansion and they had to call an ambulance to take her to the hospital.� Sheridan washed and rinsed quickly, and stepped out of the shower, reaching for a towel.
�I�ll go to the hospital with you. We can drop the kids off at mama�s,� Luis offered.
�That�s sweet of you to offer Luis, but I really don�t want to drag Luke and Lily out of their beds in the middle of the night. I would feel better knowing that your are here with them.�
�Okay, but will you call me as soon as you get to the hospital?�
�Yes, I�ll call you,� she said, pulling some clothes on. �Will you walk me to the door?�
�Of course I will,� Luis said, looking around for his pants. He found a pair of boxers and slipped them on.
Before they went downstairs, Sheridan stopped off at Luke and Lily�s room and kissed them goodbye.
A half-hour later Sheridan was entering the emergency room at the hospital. She looked around for Ethan, and when she didn�t see him anywhere, she inquired with the nurse at the desk. She pointed her in the direction of a waiting room down the hall where Sheridan found Ethan, Gwen, and Ivy. �Ethan, how is Jordan?�
�We don�t know anything yet. They are running some tests on her, but she�s still unconscious.�
�How did this happen?� Sheridan asked.
�We�re not sure,� Ethan said in a low voice. �Mother just keeps saying she fell and hit her head on the table. She was covered in blood when I got there.�
�That must have frightened you to death,� Sheridan said, worriedly. �At least you kept it together enough to call 911.�
�I didn�t call 911. When Gwen and I got there Noah Bennett was bending over her issuing orders. Apparently he had already had the maid call the paramedics.�
�That�s right, Noah is in medical school, but what was he doing there?� Sheridan asked, surprised.
�Noah and Jordan had a date tonight,� Gwen explained.
�Wow, I wasn�t even aware that they knew each other, but I know that Noah is a really nice guy.�
Ivy, who had been on the phone, approached her then. �Sheridan, I�m surprised to see you here.�
�Of course I would be here Ivy. You know that I always had a great affection for Jordan.�
�It�s just that I would think that with everything that has happened that you would want to disassociate yourself from the Cranes.�
�I realize that things are strained between us right now, but I don�t really think that this is the time to get into that. The most important thing is Jordan,� Sheridan said, trying to avoid a confrontation with her sister-in-law.
Ivy opened her mouth to respond, but right then Eve walked into the room accompanied by a gentleman in a white lab coat. �I would like you to meet Dr. Parker. He is the neurologist that I brought in to consult on Jordan�s case. I�ll let him give you a status.�
�Is my daughter going to be okay?� Ivy, asked fearfully.
�Well, the good news is that from all of the tests I�ve seen so far, there does not appear to be any severe internal damage, however, I�m concerned that she still hasn�t regained consciousness. We are going to have to keep a close eye on her to make sure there is no Intracranial Pressure.�
�What exactly does that mean doctor?� Ethan asked.
�Sometimes the brain can swell due to an increase of blood. Later water may collect in the brain causing edema. That combination of the two can cause excessive pressure in the brain.�
�How would you treat such a thing?� Sheridan asked Dr. Parker.
�Well there are some very strong medications we can administer, but I think we�re getting ahead of ourselves. It may not come to that, but I did want you to be aware of what could happen. In the meantime we�ll monitor her closely.�
�Can we see my daughter doctor?�
�Yes, but just for a few minutes,� the doctor advised.
********************
Noah had slipped into a pair of scrubs when he arrived at the hospital earlier so that he could have easier access to Jordan�s room. Most of the staff knew him, and nobody would question his presence. It was not really his place to read Jordan�s chart, because she was not his patient, but he had to know the extent of her injuries. He certainly was no expert in neurological conditions, but from what he could tell on the chart there didn�t seem to be anything internally wrong. Why wasn�t she waking up then? She looked as pale as the white sheets she was lying against, and her deadly stillness frightened him. Someone had cleaned the blood from her face, but her hair was still matted with clumps of the red substance. He was still surprised by his reaction to seeing her lying there injured earlier. The feelings of alarm had been so much more then seeing a person in need, and his need to protect her had been intense. It hit him suddenly that he wanted something with her that he had never wanted with anyone else. He sat down by the bed and took her hand in his, and just talked to her.
�Hey Jordan, it�s Noah. I really need for you to wake up so that I know you�re going to be okay. You scared the hell out of me when I say you lying on the floor. I came to the realization a little bit ago that you are pretty special to me, and I just don�t know what I would do if I lost you before we even had a chance to explore this thing between us............�
�Noah................,� she mumbled weakly, opening her blue eyes.
�Yes, it�s me. Thank God, you finally woke up. How do you feel?�
�My head hurts so badly................... What�s wrong with me? Everything is so blurry. I can barely see you,� she said, becoming agitated.
�You need to try and stay calm. You hit your head pretty hard, and sometimes it takes a while for your vision to clear up.�
�How did I hit my head?� she asked, trying to sit up.
�Don�t try to sit up. You need to stay flat and try not to move your head around too much. You slipped and hit your head on the table. What is the last thing that you remember?�
�I�m not sure, everything is so confusing right now,� she cried
�That�s okay,� he said in a calming voice. �It will all come back to you. Listen Jordan, I need to go and tell your doctor that you�re awake. Will you be okay while I�m gone?�
�Please don�t leave me Noah. I�m afraid to be alone right now,� she pleaded.
�I won�t leave you. I�ll just press the call button so that the nurse can get the doctor. How�s that?�
�Okay, thank you Noah.�
After Noah called for the nurse, she was there within a few minutes, and he informed her that Jordan had regained consciousness. She left quickly to get the doctor and a few minutes later Jordan�s family walked in. �What are you doing here?� Ethan demanded.
�Ethan, is that you,� Jordan called out.
Ethan forgot his animosity and rushed to his sister�s bedside. �Yes Jordan, it�s me. You don�t know how happy I am to see that you�re awake.�
�Who else is here Ethan? I can see shadows standing around my bed.�
Ethan shot his mother and Sheridan a horrified look, but calmed down enough to answer her question. �It�s mother, and Sheridan is here too. Are you having problems seeing Jordan?�
�Yes, everything is so blurry right now. I can see shapes, but that�s all..........�
�Oh God, my poor baby,� Ivy said, sobbing hysterically. �Where�s the doctor? Somebody needs to get the doctor............�
�The nurse is getting the doctor now,� Noah told them, shooting Ivy a look of disgust.
Sheridan pulled Ivy away from the bed out of earshot from Jordan. �You need to calm down Ivy. You are going to upset Jordan with all of your dramatics,� Sheridan whispered sternly. �Now stay here and get yourself under control before you say anything else to her.�
�What�s going on?� Jordan asked fearfully.
�Nothing sweetie,� Sheridan said, taking her hand. �Your mother is a little overwhelmed right now, because she�s so happy that you�re awake.�
�Yeah right. She�s probably upset that I�m still alive.�
Sheridan laughed off her comment. �You must be feeling better, because I can see that you still have your sense of humor.�
Just then Dr. Parker walked in, and asked that everyone leave so that he could examine the patient. Once they got into the hall, Ivy ripped into Sheridan. �How dare you talk to me like that?�
�I talked to you like that because it was the only way to get through to you. All of your histrionics were upsetting Jordan. She�s probably scared to death about not being able to see and you were only exasperating the situation.�
�I am scared for my daughter, and I�m sorry if I can�t just act all calm like nothing has happened. I bet that you wouldn�t be so cool and collected if something like this happened to Lily.�
�You�re right, I wouldn�t be cool and collected,� she acknowledged. �In fact, I would be a basket case, but I certainly wouldn�t have my breakdown right in front of her.�
�Look, I know that we�re all upset, but this is not the time for this,� Ethan warned. �Why don�t we all wait and see what the doctor has to say?�
�What do you think about this Noah?� Sheridan asked. �Will Jordan get her sight back?�
�It�s not unusual for someone to get blurred vision after a fall, and most times the condition clears up, but I�m certainly not in the position to make any determinations. Why don�t we just wait to see what the doctor has to say.�
�You said most times. Are you implying that my daughter could be this way for the rest of her life?� Ivy gasped.
�I�m not implying anything Mrs. Crane. Like I said, I�m not a doctor, and I think we need to wait to hear his opinion. If it�s any comfort to you, Dr. Parker is one of the best neurologists in the area.�
�Well, I need better than that,� Ivy demanded. �Ethan, I think we need to get the best doctors possible in here to give us a second opinion.�
�Mother, why don�t we just wait, before we jump the guy. The doctor may have good news for us.�
Just then Dr. Parker stepped out of Jordan�s room and closed the door behind him. �It appears that Jordan hit her head harder than I originally thought, but I�m still optimistic about her condition. She has a very bad headache and some confusion which is to be expected, and I believe that the blurred vision may be caused from a little swelling around the optic nerves, which will happen sometimes in a blow of this nature. It�s not always easy to predict when she will get her full vision back. It just depends on the individual and their capacity to heal.�
�Could you at least give us an estimate of time Doctor?� Sheridan asked.
�It could take a few days, sometimes longer. I wish I could be more definite, but there is just no way of telling at this point.�
�I�m sorry doctor, but I need definite answers. I want to bring another neurologist in here for a second opinion,� Ivy informed him.
�That is certainly your prerogative Mrs. Crane. Now, if you will excuse me, I have another patient to see. I�ll stop back in a little while to check on Jordan again.� With that said, he turned and walked down the hall.
********************
Early the next morning, Luis peeked into the twins� room to see if they were awake, and found them playing in their beds. �Good morning you little pipsqueeks. Are you ready to rise and shine?�
Lily put her little finger to her lips, shhhing her father. �Banabelle sleep dada.�
�Oh, sorry about that,� Luis whispered. �I didn�t mean to wake Annabelle. Are you ready to get up Peanut?�
�Up dada,� she said, raising her arms.
Luis lifted her out of her bed, and then moved to Luke�s side of the room. �Hey buddy, it�s your turn.�
�See mama,� Luke said.
�Mommy is on her way home right now. She had to go to the hospital because your cousin Jordan fell down and hit her head. She called me just a few minutes ago, and she told me that she is so excited to see you and Lily.�
�Mama come,� Luke said, stripping away his pajamas.
�That�s a good boy. I think mommy will be happy that you�re all dressed when she gets home.� Luis helped the children get their clothes on and took them downstairs for breakfast. When Sheridan walked in the twins were sitting in their highchairs eating their cereal.
�Mama,� Lily said, excitedly.
�Mama, see Fed,� Luke said, pointing to the fish bowl.
�I see him sweetie, and there�s Ginger too........ Well, this is certainly a nice surprise,� Sheridan said, happily kissing each of her children on the cheek, and then her husband. �I can�t believe that daddy got you all dressed, and you�re even eating your breakfast.�
�Coffee?� Luis offered, getting a coffee mug from the cupboard.
�Yes, that would be wonderful,� she said, gratefully. �Wow, you are all up really early.�
�We can�t sleep when we�re missing you,� Luis told her, handing her the cup. �Can I get you something to eat?�
�Actually, I�ll take some of that cereal the twins are having. I want bananas in mine though,� she said, smiling.
�Coming right up. So, how is Jordan?�
�She�s about the same. She still has a terrible headache and her vision is still not back fully. I just feel so bad for her Luis. I could tell that she was really frightened, but she tried to joke about it. That is so like her.�
�What does the doctor say about her regaining her sight?�
�He said that it should come back eventually, but he just isn�t sure when that is going to be. Can you imagine how frustrating it must be for her?�
�Yeah I can, poor kid. Did you ever figure out how she fell?�
�I�m not sure, but it all seems really strange to me. I have a feeling that it has something to do with Ivy.�
�Ivy? Do you really think that she would try to hurt her own daughter?� Luis asked with a shocked look.
�No, not intentionally, but she just acted so guilty about it. Who knows, maybe they had an argument, and things got out of control, and Jordan doesn�t remember. Luis, did you know that Jordan was dating Noah Bennett?�
�No, I had no idea they even knew each other,� Luis said, surprised.
�Apparently, he arrived to pick her up for a date right after it happened and he�s the one that took control of the situation. From what I hear, Ivy was totally useless at that point.�
�It�s probably a good thing that Noah was there then. He�s a good guy. Jordan could do worse.�
�I know, but enough of that. I want to know if the children dressed themselves this morning?� Sheridan asked, taking in Lily�s mismatched shorts and top. Her hair was in pigtails, but they were lopsided, and Luke�s outfit was not much better.
�Well, I let the kids pick out what they wanted to wear. I thought they did a pretty good job,� Luis said, defensively.
�That�s obvious,� she laughed. �I think that before we go to the office, that maybe mommy is going to have to convince them that we might find some better outfits.�
�Wait a minute Sheridan. You�ve been up all night. I certainly don�t expect you to go into the office today. I�ll take Luke and Lily with me, and you can stay here and get some sleep.�
�Oh right, and what happens if you have to go out and do some investigating? Are you going to take the children along as a cover?� she teased.
�I�ll just rearrange my schedule today, so that I can do all my work from the office,� Luis reasoned.
�Look Luis, I�m really not that tired. I managed to catch a cat nap while I was at the hospital. Why don�t you let me freshen up, and we�ll all go to the office. Then when it comes time for Luke and Lily�s nap, I�ll bring them home for the day.�
�Okay, if you�re sure about this. I�ll clean up the breakfast dishes while you get ready.�
Sheridan got up and got a cloth to clean the twins� hands and faces. She then lifted them out of their highchairs. �Do you want to come with mommy and try on some more clothes?�
�I thought you wanted to freshen up first?� Luis asked, confused.
�Not before I get my children presentable,� she told him in a low voice. �If you think I�m going to let them go out in public this way then you�re crazier then these color schemes the babies are wearing.�
********************
Paloma just happened to be walking by Theresa�s room, when she saw her sister inside packing some clothes into a suitcase. Curious to find out where she was going, she decided to check out the situation. �Theresa, are you going somewhere?� she asked, walking into the room.
�Oh Paloma,� Theresa said, smiling. �How was your first night sleeping in your old house again?�
�It was okay, but I really do need to do a little redecorating in Luis� old room. It�s a little too masculine for my taste.�
�I�m sure that mama and papa wouldn�t mind at all, and as soon as I get back from my trip I�ll help you pick out some new fabrics for the bedspread and curtains.�
�So, you are going on a trip. Where are you off too?�
�I�m so sorry Paloma for running off the second you get home, but I�m going to New York to see my boyfriend. He�s doing a modeling shoot for Calvin Kline, and this is the first time I�ve seen him since we got back from Paris,� Theresa said, chatting away excitedly.
�Wait a minute,� Paloma said, interrupting her. �When exactly did you go to Paris?�
�When Luis and Sheridan found papa. He couldn�t leave the country at first, and Luis wanted to surprise papa, so he flew Miguel and me over there. That�s when I met Gaston. Isn�t he gorgeous?� she said, showing her sister a picture.
Paloma was crushed by Theresa�s words. Everyone in her family had enjoyed this wonderful reunion, but nobody had thought to include her once again. �I see, so you all flew to Paris. It must have been a great family moment,� Paloma said, stressing the word family.
�Oh, it really was. You should have seen the look on papa�s face............� It finally dawned on Theresa that Paloma looked upset, and she could have hit herself for being so insensitive. �Paloma, I�m sorry...............�
�No,� Paloma said, holding her hand out to stop Theresa. �Don�t apologize. I�ve never been a part of this family so why should I expect to be included in all of the important family times.�
�Paloma, that�s not true. We all love you.............�
�Save it Theresa,� Paloma said, turning to leave. �I hope you have a wonderful trip, but then I�m sure you will because things always go great for you.� Paloma left then, and slammed the door behind her.
********************
When Luis came home from work that evening, he noticed all of the shopping bags sitting on the dining room table. Puzzled as to where they came from, he went to seek out his wife. He found her upstairs giving the twins a bath. �Well, there�s my little family.�
�Hi dada,� they both call out to him.
�It looks like I�m just in time to help give my little munchkins a bath,� he said, kneeling down beside Sheridan, and giving her a kiss on the cheek. �Hi beautiful.�
�Hi there,� she greeted him. �The twins were just wondering where their daddy was. Did you get everything done at the office?�
�Yep,� he said, soaping up a sponge to wash Luke�s back. �I�m sorry that I had to work so late, but I�m trying to get things caught up so that I don�t leave Chad with all the work to do when we go to Spain.�
�That�s okay. Anything for the cause is alright by me......... Come here Lily, let mommy wash your hair.�
�So, did you manage to get some rest today?� Luis asked, nonchalantly.
�Yeah, I took a little nap, and I feel really refreshed.�
�I noticed that you did a little shopping too,� he said, with a raised brow.
�Oh, I guess you saw the bags,� she said, sheepishly.
�You must have had a busy day. When did you find time to go shopping?�
�Well, after we left the office, the twins got a second wind, so I decided to stop off at the mall and pick up some things for our trip. I got you some great shirts.�
�Oh really, and what else did you get?�
�Well, I got a couple of tiny bikinis, and if you�re good I�ll model them for you later.�
�Oh, I can see where this is going. You think that if you seduce me, that I�m not going to get upset about you blowing money,� Luis said, knowingly.
�Okay fine, then I�ll just take everything back tomorrow. I guess it doesn�t matter that I bought everything on sale. I thought you would be proud of me, especially considering the fact that until five years ago I had never stepped into a shopping mall in my life.�
�Honey, calm down,� Luis said, smiling. �I was just teasing you.�
�Oh,� she said, feeling a little embarrassed over her tirade. �Well, how was I supposed to know. You are always bringing up money.�
�I guess old habits die hard. When you�re used to struggling it�s hard to shake that feeling that you need to watch your spending.�
�I�m the one that�s sorry now. I guess that I should be more sensitive, but honey we are doing pretty well right now, and you should enjoy the fruits of your labors.�
�Dada big boat,� Luke said, showing his father his new plastic toy.
�Where did you get that sport? Daddy�s never seen that boat before", he said eyeing Sheridan.
�Okay, so I bought the kids a couple of inexpensive toys. They were so good at the mall and I thought they could use a little reward.�
�So Peanut what did mommy buy you at the mall today? Did you get a new toy?�
�Banabelle dress,� Lily told him with big eyes.
�I think we need to get you two out of the tub before you get all shriveled up,� Sheridan told the twins. �Look at how wrinkly those little toes are.�
Luis and Sheridan lifted them out and wrapped Luke and Lily in fluffy white towels. When they were all dressed in their pajamas, Luis read them a bedtime story and kissed them goodnight. He went in search of Sheridan and found her in their bedroom with a robe wrapped around her. �If memory serves me, I thought that you promised to model those little bikinis for me?�
�I will, but you have to get into bed first,� she ordered, with a mischievous smile.
�Okay, I�ll play this game,� he said, stripping off his clothes. When he was lying under the sheets and leaning against the headboard, she removed her robe to show him the pleasing package underneath.
�So, what do you think?� she asked, strutting around to give him the maximum effect.
Luis� jaw dropped open when he saw just how tiny the red bikini actually was. It basically consisted of a few straps and small triangles of fabric barely covering the strategic places. �I hope you know that you will not be wearing the in public.�
�Of course not. This is part of my private Luis collection. Do you want to see how it�s going to look when we get on our private beach?� she asked, huskily.
�I�m not sure that little Luis can take it, but I�m willing to take the risk,� he groaned.
Sheridan reached behind her and pulled the string loose, letting the top fall to the floor. �Shall I go on?�
�If you want it to remain in one piece I suggest that you do,� he said, shakily.
She pulled the strings that covered her hips and slid the bottoms down her long legs to expose all of her glory to him. �Do you want me to model the other one now?�
�Hell no, I�m already on the brink of no return. I suggest you get over here so that I can show you how it�s going to feel when we�re lying in the sand with me buried deep inside of you.�
Sheridan moved toward the bed with quick strides and fell to the mattress. Luis wasted no time rolling on top of her kissing her senseless the whole time. When they finally connected in the most intimate fashion she was already screaming out with a pleasure that took her to the place of no return. Luis soon followed crying out her name just as he reached his ultimate satisfaction.
Chapter 2
Luis and Evan loaded up the last of the luggage into the car, and came back into the house so that Luis could say a proper goodbye to his children. They had decided that it would be best for the twins if they were surrounded by their animals and other familiar things so Martin and Pilar were going to stay there along with Paloma. The youngest Lopez-Fitzgerald was not at all happy about the situation, because the rest of her siblings were going to say at home, but her parents insisted that they wanted to make up for lost time. She had finally relented when Luis agreed to let her use his car to go back and forth to school every day. Paloma had just started the eleventh grade at Harmony High and she was having a little bit of a problem getting adjusted. Sheridan was playing with the children getting in as much time as possible with them when Luis came into the room. He walked over and joined his little family already feeling a lump caused by separation anxiety. �So, what are you doing?� he asked, trying to sound casual.
�I was just showing Luke and Lily some pictures of Spain so that they could see where we�re going.�
�Mama, dada, go bye bye,� Luke told her father.
�That�s right Sport,� Luis said, picking his son up in his arms. �While mommy and daddy are gone abuela and pawpaw are going to stay here at our house.�
�Poma too,� Lily said, excitedly.
�Just remember Peanut, Aunt Paloma has to go to school so she can�t play with you all day.�
�Well, I�ll just have to play with her when I get home from school,� Paloma said, ruffling Lily�s curls.
�Thanks sis,� Luis told her greatfully. �I really appreciate the way you pay special attention to the twins.�
�Hey, it�s no big deal,� Paloma said, shrugging her shoulders. �They are just so sweet and innocent. When I see them get so excited to see me, I know that they really mean it.�
Only Sheridan seemed to catch the double meaning of Paloma�s words. Her sister-in-law still didn�t trust the love of her family. Maybe this time with just her parents and the children would be just what she needed to get over her abandonment issues and come to the realization that her family does love her. �We appreciate the fact that you are so good to the children,� Sheridan told her, smiling. �They already think you�re pretty special.�
�Look guys, I hate to be a pain, but we�re going to have to leave pretty soon or you�re going to miss your flight,� Evan reminded them.
�Evan is right. You need to be there in plenty of time, especially for an international flight,� Pilar warned. �I would not want you to miss your opportunity to see Spain. It is such a beautiful country.�
�You miss it don�t you mama?� Luis asked with a realization.
�Well yes, there are times when I miss the land of my birth, but I have been here in America for more years then I actually lived in Spain, and this is my home now. Since my brother was killed several years ago in that terrible accident there is nothing left for me there now. My sister, Maria is here in the States, and of course my loving family, so my life is complete.�
�Still Pilar, wouldn�t you love to go back for a visit?� Sheridan asked.
�I promised Pilar that I would take her back there some day, and I will,� Martin said, putting his arm around his wife.
�Enough of this,� Pilar said, smiling. �You need to say goodbye to your children so that you can go.�
Sheridan and Luis had been dreading this moment with every fiber of their being. As excited as they were to take their trip, leaving Luke and Lily was almost heart wrenching to them, but they didn�t want to make a big deal out of leaving in front of them. They gathered their children into their arms and hugged and kissed them. �It�s time for mommy and daddy to leave for their trip now, but I want you to be really good for abuella and pawpaw while we�re away,� Luis told them gently.
�Kiki go too,� Lily said, handing her stuffed animal to her mother.
�Oh Lily, this is so sweet of you to let your kitty come with us, but mommy and daddy think that you might miss her too much,� Sheridan said, handing her daughter�s toy back to her, while trying to restrain her tears.
Just then Evan cleared his throat to get their attention. �Well, I think that Uncle Evan is getting ready to leave so if we want a ride we better go now,� Luis said. �Give daddy another kiss.�
Both twins put their arms around their father and kissed him on the cheek, and then Sheridan took her turn. �Just remember that mommy and daddy love you very much and we will call you every day,� Sheridan told them with watery eyes.
Pilar and Martin each with a baby in their arms walked them out as far as the front porch. Luis stopped and gave Paloma a hug. �Don�t forget, no joy riding in my car,� he said, teasing her.
�I promise I�ll be the perfect little sister,� Paloma laughed.
As they drove away, the twins waved and Evan had to remind Luis and Sheridan to turn away or they would never be able to leave. As they watched the car disappear down the lane, Martin noticed that Pilar had the saddest look on her face. �Pilar, I�m so sorry.�
�Don�t be sorry Martin. I made my choice a long time ago, and I have never regretted it for one second.�
********************
Coming home from the hospital hadn�t been as easy as Jordan had originally thought it would be. Now that she was back at the mansion the reality of her situation seemed a lot more real to her, and also a lot more hopeless. Her headache was gone, and for the most part she was back to normal again if one could call seeing only blurry images normal. All the specialists her mother had flown in had all agreed with Dr. Parker. Her sight could come back within days, or maybe weeks, or maybe never. Everyone thought she was so strong, and they couldn�t believe how well she was handling all of this, but that�s what she wanted them all to believe. She joked about her condition to everyone so that she wouldn�t look like some frail little female, but when she was alone at night the fear overwhelmed her. God, she hated feeling sorry for herself, because she knew that there were people out there that were a lot worse off than she was, but it was scary to think she may never see normally again. She really didn�t think that she would have gotten through this without Noah�s calming presence. It was such a contrast from her mother�s suffocating, guilt ridden nature which was starting to get on her last nerve. She had managed with the help of the maid to make it to the gazebo, and she could finally breathe freely again. It was nice out here with the smell of the roses and fresh cut grass.
�A penny for your thoughts Blondie?� a voice asked.
�Noah?� she asked, smiling. �What are you doing here? I thought you had to be at the hospital all day.�
�They took pity on me and let me out early today,� he said, sitting down next to her on the wooden bench.
�I hope you�re serious about that Noah, because I would hate to think that you are neglecting your studies because of me.�
�I promise you that I�m not,� he assured her.
�Still, I�m sure that your family would like to spend some time with you since you don�t get very much free time,� she argued.
�I�m getting the feeling that you are trying to get rid of me,� he teased.
�No, I promise I�m not,� she said, adamantly. �I guess I�m just surprised you would want to spend your time with me. I mean, it�s not like we can go to the movies, or take a drive to the mountains to see the leaves changing, and dancing would be out of the question since I would probably fall flat on my face,� she joked.
�Jordan, would you just stop it,� Noah said a little more harshly than he intended, so he softened his tone. �I�m sorry, but I can�t stand to see you pretend that you�re not hurting inside. It�s okay to be vulnerable sometimes. Nobody would think any less of you.�
�Well, I guess you told me,� she said, standing and turning away. �I refuse to be some fragile helpless female. I may have had the Crane money to support me, but for the most part I�ve been on my own for a long time and I�ve learned to take care of myself.�
�God, you�re stubborn,� Noah said, exasperated.
�A Crane woman has to be stubborn, because if you�re not, the males in the family will chew you up and spit you out. I made up my mind a long time ago when I saw the way they treated Aunt Sheridan that I was not going to let them walk all over me.�
�That�s admirable Jordan, but you�ve had a lot to deal with lately, and I can imagine how scared you must be. Hell, I would be scared if I was you, but I�m not going to bug you about it anymore. I just want you to know that if you need to talk that I�m here to listen,� he said, gently.
�Oh damn you,� she said, starting to cry. �Why do you have to be so nice to me?�
She looked so fragile just then, and Noah couldn�t help but pull her into his arms. �It�s okay to cry Jordan. Just let it all go,� he whispered.
She had never been this close to him before and it felt so good to be in his comforting embrace. The tears flowed freely, until she couldn�t cry any longer. Noah gave her his handkerchief so that she could dry her tears, but he still didn�t let go. �Thank you Noah,� she said with a little smile. �I probably look like hell right now..........�
�I don�t think you look like hell at all,� he said, stroking her face with his thumb. �In fact, if you could look in my eyes right now you would see how much I wan to kiss you.�
�Well, I�m not exactly into the visual right now, so you might want to just take action,� she said in a voice that was husky and inviting. The kiss started out as a mere brush of the lips, and slowly built to a tender searching exploration of each other�s mouths. Jordan was no innocent by any measure because she had been involved in a serious relationship for several years. Even though she had only one exposure to intimacy, she certainly had been kissed by plenty of men, but this was like nothing she had ever felt before. Her body melted against his rock hard physique and it was as though they fit together like a glove.
For the first time in a long time, Noah felt his body come alive. He had flings like any other college guy, but ever since he had started medical school, he had not been afforded the time for female companionship and had purposely stayed away from that kind of distraction. A part of him knew that she could be a serious threat to his single-minded determination to excel in his studies, but suddenly he didn�t care. There was something very right about being here with her like this, and he didn�t want the kiss to end. The whole time she was in the hospital, he had found every excuse in the book to go and visit her, and they had formed a special friendship, so taking it to this level seemed only natural. Reluctantly, he broke away from her, and it made him feel good to see that she looked as shaken as he felt. �I hope that I didn�t come on too strongly, he said, softly.
�No, I promise that you didn�t. In fact, I wouldn�t mind at all if you kissed me again........�
Ivy stood in her bedroom window and watched the young couple kissing in the garden with a bevy of confusing emotions. Noah Bennett looked so much like his father, that it was like seeing her and Sam all over again, and the jealously was eating her up inside, but that was not the only thing that was bothering her. She knew first hand the kind of obstacles that someone of their social class could face falling for one of the middle class locals, and she didn�t want that for her daughter. Jordan was the apple of her father�s eye, and even though Julian was locked away in that plush country club prison, he was still a force to be reckoned with. He would never allow his daughter to have a relationship with someone out of her set, especially if that someone was a Bennett. She had to do something to nip this relationship in the bud before Jordan fell head over heels in love with Noah Bennett, but what could she do? If only Jordan hadn�t ended her relationship with Marsh Calloway she would not be in this predicament right now. She had run into Marsh�s mother when she was on a shopping trip to New York several months ago, and she had said that her son was devastated over the breakup and had come home from Europe to mend his broken heart.
Suddenly it occurred to her that there might just be the perfect solution for her problem with Jordan�s budding romance. Since Marsh was now home in the Hamptons it would not seem so strange that he would come to pay Jordan a visit after hearing about her accident. Quite pleased with herself, Ivy moved over to her desk and looked up Cookie Calloway�s phone number and dialed her up. One of the servant�s answered the phone and Ivy asked to speak with Cookie. When her old friend came to the phone, she proceeded to turn on the charm. �Cookie, how are you dear, and how is that handsome son of yours doing these days.............?�
********************
Luis looked around in awe as they walked into the lobby of the Santo Mauro hotel in Madrid. The place looked fit for royalty, and he commented as much to Sheridan. �This place is unbelievable. I feel like a prince or something just standing in this room.�
�Well actually Luis you�re not that far off, because this used to be the private palace of the Duke and Duchess of San Mauro back in the Eighteenth century. There are plenty of modern hotels in Madrid, but I thought it would be fun for you to be able to get in touch with your heritage.�
�I doubt that my heritage was ever this opulent,� he laughed. �I feel like a fish out of water just being here.�
�Oh no,� she said with a pouty lip. �You�re not disappointed are you? We could always find another hotel............�
�No we are not going to find another hotel. This place is more than perfect, but I am a little concerned about the cost...........�
�Now just hush up about the cost. This is a gift to you, and I paid for everything from the royalties from the sale of my book. Miss Molly thinks you�re definitely worth it,� she smiled.
�Well, since Miss Molly is fictitious, I�ll have to think of a way to thank her creator,� Luis said, his eyes full of promise.
�Oh, I think that Miss Molly�s creator can think of plenty of ways for you to thank her,� she said with a saucy little smile. �Now, let�s get checked in. I want to get unpacked and call the children.�
�Do I need to speak Spanish?� Luis asked her as they moved toward the front desk. �Mine is a little rusty and I don�t want to sound like a buffoon.�
�That shouldn�t be necessary. Most of the staff in the finer hotels are required to speak English,� she assured him.
�Buenos tardes senor, senora,� the man greeted them with a warm smile.
�Beunos tardes,� Luis replied. �My name is Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, and this is my wife Sheridan. You should have a room reserved for us.�
�Si senor,� he said, looking at Sheridan curiously. �Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald I thought that was you, but I was not sure until your husband said your first name. It appears that a lot has changed since you last visited our hotel.�
Sheridan took a closer look at the gentleman and knew he looked vaguely familiar, but it wasn�t until she saw the name on his tag that she realized who it was. �Oh my, is that you Carlos? The last time I was here, you were working as a guarda. It appears that a lot has changed for you as well,� she told him smiling.
�Si senora, it certainly has. I was fortunate enough to get a promotion. I married last year, and now my wife is expecting our first child.�
�Congratulations Carlos,� Sheridan and Luis told him. �We have twins, and they are the joy of our life. You have so much to look forward to.�
�Gracias, but I think that perhaps I should give you the key to your room. My supervisor is giving me the evil eyes,� Carlos told them, motioning for the guarda to carry their bags. �I have given you a room with a view to the garden.�
�Perfect,� Sheridan said, happily. �Wait until you see this garden Luis. It is simply magnificent.�
�I�m sure it is,� he said, grabbing her hand as they followed the guarda to the elevator. �Tell me something? How is it that everywhere we go no matter where we are in the world you always run into somebody that you know?�
�I guess it�s just a small world Luis,� she chuckled.
�No, I think you�re just notorious,� he told her, planting a quick kiss on her lips just as the elevator door closed.
Luis was just as impressed with the room as he had been with the lobby. There was a large four-poster bed carved with intricate patterns on the headboard that was adorned with plush bedding. Another section of the room acted as a sitting area with a love seat and two chairs covered with rich fabrics that added to the Old World elegance of the room. Sheridan ran over to a set of double doors that opened to a balcony, flung them open, and walked outside throwing her arms up. �Come Luis, you have to look at this view,� she called back to him.
He did as she requested and moved up behind her putting his arms around her waist. �It is beautiful,� he murmured, taking in the site of the formal garden that was still visible in the early evening light. �Wow, look at all of those rose bushes. I might have to sneak down there and steal one to give to my lady love.�
Sheridan turned around so that she was facing him and put her arms around him. �You are the most romantic man in the world,� she said, kissing him. �Tell me, are you too jet lagged to go out tonight?�
�Actually, I feel pretty good. What do you have in mind?�
�I guess you should feel pretty good,� she laughed. �You slept for almost the whole way on the plane.�
�Oh, and if memory serves me, there were a few times that I woke up and you were blowing some Z�s yourself.�
�Well, I�m sure we�re going to feel the effects tomorrow, but tonight I want to show my hot husband the night life in Madrid.�
�Hey, you know me. I�m up for anything. Where are you going to take me?�
�I�ll tell you later, but right now I am dying to speak to Luke and Lily.�
�Yeah, me too,� Luis said. �I miss the little munchkins already.�
Luckily there were two phones in their room, so they didn�t have to take turns. When Pilar answered after the third ring, Luis told her to get the children and to hit the speaker button so that they could all talk at the same time. �Martin was playing with the children out in the yard. He is bringing them in to speak to you,� Pilar told them when she came back to the phone. �So, how was your trip?�
�It was pretty tiring mama, but I�m getting a second wind here. Sheridan is going to show me a night on the town. It�s just starting to get dark outside, and I�m ready to eat some dinner.�
Sheridan and Pilar chuckled. �I guess we need to break it to him that they don�t even start serving dinner until nine o�clock...........�
�Nine o�clock! I�ll starve until then,� Luis complained.
�Well mijo, perhaps you should find a snack to hold you over,� Pilar advised in a motherly fashion.
�Oh don�t worry Pilar. There is a big basket of fruit that your son can munch on so I don�t think there is any immediate danger of him perishing. How are the children? I hope that they have been behaving for you.�
�They are fine, and they have been very well behaved. As a matter of fact somebody is here to speak with you,� Pilar told them.
�Mama, dada, pawpaw swin,� Luke told them in an excited voice.
�Slow down sweetie,� Sheridan told him. �We�re not sure what you are talking about.�
�I hung a swing from that big oak tree in the back yard,� Martin explained. �They�ve been having the best time.�
�You are spoiling our kids papa,� Luis said, laughing.
�I can assure you that I enjoy every minute of it,� Martin told them.
�I don�t mean to put a damper on your generous gesture, but is it safe for my babies to be on a swing?� Sheridan asked, worriedly. �I just have this terrible vision of them falling off.�
�Don�t worry Sheridan. It�s a little wooden chair with a bar that slides down in the front to keep them securely in place,� Martin assured her.
�I�m sorry Martin,� Sheridan apologized. �I should have known that you would think of all of the safety issues. I guess it�s the over-protective mother thing in me. I know that the children are perfectly safe with you.�
�Don�t apologize Sheridan. There is nothing wrong with being an over-cautious mother. Especially this day and age,� Martin said, kindly.
�We haven�t heard from our little Peanut,� Luis said. �Is she there?�
�Hi dada,� her sweet little voice sounded over the phone. �Kiki fall down. Mama wuss.�
�She keeps saying that Sheridan, and I have been trying to figure out what she is talking about,� Pilar said.
�She�s trying to tell you that she wants you to wash her kitty. She hates it when Kiki is dirty so I throw her in the washing machine,� Sheridan explained. �Hey Lily, mommy is sorry that Kiki is dirty, but you can give her to abuela and she will wash her so that she�s all clean and fluffy again.�
�Banabelle too?� the little girl inquired.
�No sweetie. Annabelle will break if you put her in the washing machine. Now, why don�t you let your brother talk for a little while?�
�Hey Sport, are you being a good boy for abuela and pawpaw?� Luis asked his son.
�Good dada. See Clues Clues now. Bye bye mama, bye bye dada..........�
�Wait Luke,� Sheridan called out to him. �Mommy and daddy miss you and we love you very much.�
�Mommy�s right Sport. We do love you and we want you to be a good boy for abuela and pawpaw.�
�Kao dada. Bye bye.�
�Lily, mommy and daddy love you very much too,� Sheridan told her daughter. �Why don�t you go and watch the Blues Clues with Luke because it�s time for mommy and daddy to hang up now.�
�Bye Peanut. Be a good girl,� Luis told her fondly.
�Bye bye dada, bye bye mama.�
�Well, she has joined her brother in front of the television,� Pilar informed them. �This call is probably costing you a small fortune.�
�Don�t worry about it mama. The cost is worth it knowing that the kids are okay and that they are in such good hands. Besides, Sheridan and I were going through Luke and Lily withdrawal and it was good to hear their sweet voices.�
�Will you give them a kiss for us Pilar?� Sheridan asked.
�Martin and I both will,� Pilar assured them.
They all said their farewells and hung up the phone. Sheridan suggested that they unpack, and they laughed when they both pulled a picture of their children out of their suitcases. �You know Luis, it didn�t sound like the children missed us very much. Luke was more interested in watching the Blues Clues than talking to us.�
�I wouldn�t take it personally honey. They have an attention span of about five minutes. I was surprised they stayed on the line as long as they did, and if you think about it, it�s probably a good thing that they are so well adjusted so that they don�t fall apart when we�re not there.�
�I know that you�re right, but it would be nice to know that they at least missed us a little bit,� Sheridan sighed.
�You don�t really want them crying for two weeks because they miss us do you?�
�Of course not. Oh well, at least I don�t have to stress about them while we�re gone. Anyway, let�s discuss dinner,� she said, her mood growing lighter. �What are you craving?�
�Actually, I�ve been thinking about having some paella ever since we got on the plane. I haven�t had any since I was a kid and papa was still with us. We always had it on special occasions,� he muttered with a far away look in his eyes.
�Then paella it shall be, and I know the perfect place,� Sheridan announced. �I am going to take a long hot shower so that I have plenty of time to get beautiful for you.�
�You already look beautiful to me,� he told her with love filled eyes.
�You always know just the right thing to say,� she said, gushing with happiness. �You know, I think that I might need someone to wash my back. Do you think that maybe I could convince you to help me out with that?�
�I think that I can do that, but it might cost you a kiss,� he said, flashing her a disarming smile.
�Oh, I can definitely give you a kiss,� she said, grabbing his hand to lead him into the bathroom. �That, and a lot more.�
An hour later, Sheridan was putting the finishing touches on her makeup and wondering where her husband had gone off to. When she had come out of the bathroom earlier, he had been missing in action, but she wasn�t worried. Maybe he had gotten antsy and went down to the lobby to get them a cab. She checked her appearance in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. Her white skirt was tight at the waist, and flowed out like a cloud with a hand painted black flowered design around the hemline. To adorn the top half of her body, she choose a black halter top that left her back bare and revealed a hint of her tiny midriff. To add the finishing touch to her ensemble, silver hoop earrings and a bracelet purchased on her last visit to Spain completed the package. She had just finished dabbing on her favorite fragrance when Luis walked into the room looking roguishly handsome. The temple of her heartbeat increased when she saw the approving way his sultry eyes raked her body from head to toe.
�Wow, you never cease to amaze me with your beauty,� he muttered huskily. �You just look amazing.�
�I could say the same for you,� she said, flashing him a seductive smile. �I�m afraid that I�m going to have to take a stick along so that I can beat off all of the women that will be flocking around you.� It was her turn to study his appearance, and she loved the way his black slacks and white linen shirt accentuated his muscular frame. �Do you have any idea just how hot you are?�
�I don�t know about that, but I�m certainly glad that you think so,� he said with an appreciative smile.
�Oh, I definitely think so,� she said with a sparkle in her eyes. �Wait a minute............ Where have you been? I was getting ready to send a search party out for you.�
�I had a little errand to run. I really thought that I would be back by the time that you got out of the bathroom, but I guess my timing was off.�
�What kind of an errand?� she asked, suddenly feeling as giddy as a child at Christmas.
�I had to get this for you,� he said, pulling his hand from behind his back to offer her the most perfect red rose that she had ever seen.
�Oh Luis, it�s so beautiful,� she gasped, bringing the rose to her nose to inhale the sweet fragrance. It was then that she saw something sparkle in the light buried within the folds of the flower. She opened the pedals to discover a delicate silver bracelet with tiny silver rose florets spaced symmetrically around the chain. �Oh my God, it�s so beautiful and perfect. Where did you ever find it?�
�Well, my intention was to go to the garden to steal a rose just like I promised earlier and I was passing the gift shop and I saw this in the window. I knew that it was the perfect gift to tell you how much I appreciate this wonderful trip to Spain that you have given to me. I know that it�s not nearly enough, but............�
�Stop,� she said, holding her finger to his lips. �It�s more than enough, and I love it....... I love you. Will you help me put it on?�
It took him a few minutes to master the delicate catch with his big hands, but he finally managed to get it secured around her wrist. �It looks perfect on you. Just the way I knew it would.�
�Thank you Luis,� she said, pulling him into a hug. �You are the most romantic thoughtful husband and I feel so lucky to have you in my life.�
�Well, that goes both ways you know,� he said, brushing his lips against hers. �Now, what do you say we get some dinner? That fruit just didn�t seem to do the trick and I am starving.�
�Then by all means we better feed you, because you are going to need a lot of strength tonight to be able to handle all that I have planned for you,� she promised with a gleam in her blue eyes.
�Did you hear that little Luis? I think the woman is going to put us through quite a struggle tonight, but you�ve just got to hang tough buddy.� His comment sent Sheridan into peals of laughter, and he joined her as they made their way out of their room, locking the door behind them.
Sheridan had suggested they go to a small traditional restaurant where they chose to dine on the patio for a more intimate atmosphere. The candle lit tables were small, allowing them the opportunity for tender touches and stolen kisses. The place was famous for its Mediterranean cuisine and wines and they chose Cava, a sparkling white that went straight to Sheridan�s head on her empty stomach. The first dish the waiter served was Gazpacho, a cold cucumber and tomato soup made with oil and vinegar. By the time Sheridan took her third bite, Luis was finished with his and ready for the next course. �That was delicious, but it hardly made a dent,� Luis admitted.
�I�m surprised you even tasted it as fast as you ate it,� Sheridan laughed. �Don�t worry, soon you shall be able to satisfy your craving. I see the waiter heading this way with our paella.�
�Oh God, I can smell it from here,� Luis said, rubbing his stomach. �I cannot wait to taste this.�
The waiter removed the empty bowls that held the Gazpacho and lay down the steaming plates of paella before them. The dish was cooked with a saffron rice base with chicken, pork, shellfish, squid, shrimps and king pawns. Luis dove in with gusto, but Sheridan picked at hers, because she was too excited about their first night in Spain together �How is your paella Luis?� Sheridan asked, taking a sip of her wine.
�It�s delicious. Mama would certainly approve, but Sheridan, you�re not eating very much. Is something wrong with yours?�
�No, it�s wonderful. I�m just not very hungry, but I�m really enjoying watching you eat,� she said, smiling.
�We could order you something else sweetie,� he suggested.
�This is fine Luis, but I appreciate the offer. So tell me, are you up for some dancing after dinner?�
�I�ll need to work some of this food off so dancing sounds great. What did you have in mind?�
�There are a lot of trendy clubs in Madrid that play all the latest music or we could go to a more traditional place where we could do the Latin dances,� she told him, hoping that he chose the latter.
�Now you know that there is not even a choice here. Why would I want to go to some loud club with music drowning out our conversation? I want to do some hot, body rubbing Latin dances like the Tango.�
�I was hoping you would say that,� she laughed. �Now, I�m going to give you a little history lesson on the Tango. Did you know that the dance originated in Andalucia which is the southern region of Spain? I think it was called the Habanera originally and then the dance made it�s way to Argentina where the name was changed to the Tango. Actually, I think there was something about it moving to Cuba somewhere in between there.�
�So what did you do, look this up on the internet?� Luis asked, teasingly.
�No, when I was in boarding school I had a roommate from Toledo.........�
�Toledo, Ohio?�
�No silly, Toledo, Spain........... Oh, you�re teasing me aren�t you?� she giggled.
�Yes, so tell me about your friend.�
�Well her name was Conchita, I mean Carlotta. I think we were like fourteen at the time and she invited me home to spend the holidays with her family. Her older cousin Eduardo taught us to Tango and he told us about the origins of the dance.�
�Well this Eduardo must have made quite an impression on you if you remembered his name when you couldn�t even remember your roommate�s name,� he said with amusement in his eyes.
�Actually, he was very handsome, but he treated us like we had a contagious disease. The only way he would teach us to Tango is if we promised to quit following him around,� she said, laughing as she finished the rest of her wine, and poured herself another glass.
�Sheridan, are you drunk?� Luis asked, as he watched her take another long drink of her wine.
�I�m not drunk,� she insisted. �I just have a happy little buzz going.�
�Well, maybe you should slow down a little or you�re going to be drunk,� he warned. �You�ve hardly eaten anything and I don�t want to have to carry you back to the hotel.�
�You�re probably right,� she said, pushing her wine glass away. �It�s just that I feel so uninhibited right now.� She started to rub his thigh and almost made him jump out of his seat.
�You better stop that sweetheart or I�m going to end up taking you right on this table. They�ll probably ban us from the country forever for indecent exposure and explicit acts in public.�
�Oh,� she said, licking her bottom lip. �It just might be worth taking the chance. There are only a few couples out here and that corner over there is really dark........�
�You are such a bad girl,� he chuckled. �I can see I�m going to have to keep my eye on you tonight. Why don�t we pay the bill and get out of here?�
�Sounds like a good idea to me,� she purred, kissing the curve of his neck.
They kissed for almost the entire ride to the nightclub, and the poor cab driver had to clear his throat several times to get their attention to tell them they had arrived. Luis paid him along with a nice tip and they made their way into the Palacio de Gaviria. The place had been converted from one of Madrid�s old palaces and was commonly known for its ballroom dancing, however tonight was fiesta night. The club was hopping as they arrived in the main salon, and made one feel like they had stepped back in time. The room had a carnival atmosphere with the colorful decorations and the beat of the Spanish guitars. Some of the patrons were even dressed in the traditional costumes worn for a celebration. Luckily a couple left and they were able to take over their small table in the corner. When the waitress came over to take their drink order, Sheridan asked Luis if she could have a glass of wine.
�Oh course you can. I just wanted you to slow down earlier so you wouldn�t pass out on me, but you don�t have to ask my permission.�
They sipped their blanco while the rhythm of the music and the feel of their bodies touching ignited something primal inside of them. Luis grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips sneaking a little brush of his tongue against her flesh, causing shivers to run through Sheridan. �Oh Luis, I feel on fire tonight,� she said, moving her body to the beat of the guitars.
�That doesn�t surprise me because you�re ready to burn me up in flames,� he whispered huskily, giving her ear lobe a tender little love bite.
�Now who is the bad one?� she chuckled softly.
�I don�t know what�s come over me. Maybe the wine is starting to go to my head too, or maybe it�s just being in close proximity to you. I have a feeling it�s the latter.�
He always knew just the right thing to say to get her blood pumping, and she wanted him so much right now it was painful. Maybe it was time to diffuse things for a while so that they could last more than ten minutes at this place before they ran back to the hotel and ripped each other�s clothes off. �It sounds like they�re playing a Tango. Would you like to dance Senor Lopez-Fitzgerald?�
�Yes, Senora Sex Kitten-on-a-stick. I would love to Tango with you,� he said, rising from his chair and offering her his hand.
She couldn�t help but laugh out loud at his version of Tina�s name for him, but her jovial mood changed the second he brought her body flush against his. Their eyes connected and she was lost, swimming in her passion for him. She must have been insane to think that dancing with him like this would cool their ardor. Since the dance required them to turn their heads to the side she was finally forced to break away from his hot gaze and it was then that she noticed the way the women in the room were looking at Luis. They all seemed to be focused on the way his tight little behind swayed back and forth to the music, and it excited her even more. �You are the hottest man in this room.�
�I think you�re just partial,� he said, smiling.
�I�m serious Luis. All of these women are staring at you with their tongues hanging out of their mouths.�
�Ignore them and just get into the dance.�
�How can I when they are all coveting my man.�
�Well, your man only has eyes for you,� he said, smoothly dropping her into a dip and brushing his lips across hers.
�I think you�ve convinced me,� she said, as they came back to an upright position.
�That�s good bello, because I was getting ready to kiss you passionately on the dance floor to make you see reason.�
She was almost ready to tell him to do just that when the music ended. Luis with his arm around her waist was leading her off of the dance floor when the strains of the next song started to play. Sheridan�s face lit up and a saucy little smile played across her lips. �They�re playing a Zarandeo. We have to dance to this Luis.�
�I would love to Sheridan, but I don�t know how.�
�It doesn�t matter. All you have to do is kind of stand there and move to the music, and the woman does all of the steps. It�s a dance of seduction,� she said, pulling him back on the dance floor.
�Oh God, I don�t think I need any more seducing right now. I�m already near the danger zone.�
�Oh come on Luis, let�s live in the moment.�
�Yeah, and you�re going to kill me in the process.�
Luis looked around and followed the lead of the other men. When he found his rhythm, he focused his attention on Sheridan. She certainly wasn�t exaggerating when she said this was a dance of seduction, because the way she was moving could have made a chaste monk break his vows of chastity. Her hips swayed sensuously as she pinned him with her blue sultry gaze. There was no question that her performance was only for him, as she moved up just out of his reach, teasing him with the thrust of her breasts and the movement of her lush behind. He reached for her, but she pushed him away, flicking her pink tongue over her lips, she graced him with a sexy little smile. The tempo of the music increased, and Sheridan flung her arms up and spun around making her full skirt swing out to display a generous portion of her long legs. Oh God, his proper little socialite had turned into a wanton gypsy and he wanted her like never before. From the looks of things, every other man in the place did too, and it made him angry and filled him with desire. His mouth went dry, the blood started pumping in his veins and he knew that he was heading for the point of no return. With a steady purpose he leaped forward and pulled her body against his. �Come on bello,� he hissed in her ear. �We�re going to get the hell out of here.�
�But Luis, the song isn�t over yet,� she protested with a pouty lip, secretly loving the fact that he wanted to leave.
�It is for you sweetheart,� he said, pulling her along behind him.
They were standing outside on the sidewalk trying to flag a cab when Sheridan voiced her fears. �Luis are you angry with me?� she asked, wondering if she had pushed it too far.
�No, I�m not angry. I just want you like crazy and I don�t think a public dance floor is really the place to make passionate love to you.�
�Oh Luis, I want you like crazy too.�
A cab pulled up and they got inside. Luis told the driver to take them to the Santo Mauro and if he got them there quickly there would be an generous tip for him. �Now, please tell me that Eduardo didn�t teach you to dance that way?�
�Are you kidding? I didn�t even know what to do with my body when I was fourteen.�
�Then who..........? Oh, never mind, I don�t even want to know,� he said, pulling her into a sensuous kiss.
The minute they got into their room, they began to tear each other�s clothes off, kissing the whole time. When they were both standing there naked, Sheridan wrapped her arms around Luis and rubbed her body against his. �Would you like for me to dance the Zarandeo for you right now?�
�God no! I�m so hard right now I would never last. I think we�ve had all the foreplay we need for tonight,� he said, lifting her up in his arms so that she was straddling him. He touched her intimately, feeling her liquid heat. �It feels like you�re as ready as I am.�
�Oh Luis, I am,� she groaned. �I really am.�
With swift movements he carried her to the bed, and by the time they hit the plush mattress, he was already buried deep inside of her. �Now bello, move for me just like you did on that dance floor.�
Chapter 3
Luis opened his eyes to the bright afternoon sun, and looked at the clock on the bedside table. When he saw that it was one o�clock in the afternoon, he hopped up, thinking he had overslept and that his poor kids were stuck in their beds wet and starving. It finally dawned on him that he was not at home in Harmony, but in Madrid on vacation. Still feeling a little foggy, he slipped out of bed and went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face and brush his teeth. That did a world of good for him, and he felt halfway human again. He must have imbibed a little too much of the wine last night which was not normally like him. When he walked back into the bedroom, his eyes traveled to Sheridan lying in bed still fast asleep. The sheet was down around her hips displaying the curve of her waist and naked back, reminding him of their night of sizzling passion. Just thinking about it, made him want her again, and he moved toward her with every intention of making that happen. He crawled back into bed and slid the sheet slowly down her legs so that he had complete access to the whole backside of her body. Touching her was as natural as breathing and his fingers traced the contours of her back, moved down to the base of her backbone to circle her pleasure spot. �Time to wake up my wild little gypsy,� he said huskily, right before planting a kiss on her lush behind.
She squirmed seductively and let out a moan. �Only if you promise to wake me up like this every morning,� she said in a sexy sleep laden voice.
�Now, that would be my pleasure,� he chuckled.
She rolled over on her back and stretched her arms above her head causing an immediate reaction in Luis. �It�s a beautiful morning,� she sighed.
�I hate to tell you sweetheart, but it�s after one o�clock,� he said, smiling.
�Oh my,� she smiled. �That was some night.�
�That was some dance..........�
�I wanted to make sure that I had your full attention. I did seduce you didn�t I?�
�You know damn well that you did, and you also seduced every other man in the place too,� he complained, moving his hand to the curve of her breast.
�Oh Luis, that feels wonderful, but could you put that on hold for just a few minutes while I go to the little girl�s room?� she asked, sliding out bed. She stretched again, completely at ease with her nudity and walked into the bathroom mesmerizing Luis with the swing of her hips.
�Hurry back,� he said, finding himself counting the minutes until she walked into the room again.
When she did, she took her time, and stood over the bed raking his body with her eyes. �You know, I�m a very lucky woman.�
�Will you get down here before I embarrass myself?� he said, pulling her down on top of him.
�You better hurry up and make love to me, because I�m starving,� she laughed softly. �Pretty soon they�ll stop serving lunch because it will be time for siesta..........�
She didn�t finish because Luis captured her mouth with his and suddenly her hunger pangs were forgotten. �I promise I�ll feed you in a little bit,� he whispered, coming up for air.
�Forget about the food. I�m feeling a different kind of hunger right now,� she told him, pulling his head back down to her lips.
Later that afternoon after satisfying their need for food and each other, Sheridan took Luis to one of Madrid�s most popular parks. The Parque del Retiro�s origins dated back to Philip IV, and today it was alive with the spirit of the city. The path along the large lake in the middle of the park was home to artists, acrobats, puppets and musicians. �Oh Luis, look at the puppets. Luke and Lily would love this place,� she said, longingly watching some children playing with balloons on the green lawn.
�Well, we�ll just have to come back some day and bring them along,� he said, giving her a quick hug.
�Are you serious Luis?� she asked, excitedly. �That would be so wonderful to have the children here with us. Of course, we would have to behave.�
�Hey, you know us,� Luis laughed. �Where there�s a will, there�s a way. I�m sure that we could still be respectable parents and share some time for romance.�
�Yeah, we are pretty resourceful when it comes to that,� she laughed. �There are so many people out on the lake today. Let�s rent a boat Luis?�
�Okay, but you�re going to have to do the rowing since you zapped all of my strength earlier,� he teased, making her chuckle with delight.
Even with all of the activity around the lake, it was very peaceful on the water, and while Luis rowed, Sheridan leaned back and relaxed. He took her by surprise at one point when he stopped and snapped a picture of her, but then she wrestled the camera away from him to get some shots of him as well. A large columnar structure at the corner of the lake got Luis� attention so he moved toward it wanting to get a closer look. The backdrop was a semi-circle of tall columns with steps leading down to the lake. There were raised cement platforms with sculptures of lions and a man on a horse for the centerpiece. If Luis didn�t know better, he would swear they were in Rome and not Madrid, Spain.
�You know Sheridan; I�m kind of surprised at the architecture of some of these old buildings I�ve seen around the city. Not that it�s a bad thing, but I just had a different picture in my head about what to expect.�
�What did you expect?� she asked, curiously.
�I guess I just thought all of the buildings would be simple with sandstone exteriors and tiled roofs like you see in the Southwest. Shows you how worldly I am.�
�Actually Luis, there are a lot of buildings in Spain that look like that which would explain why you see so much of the mission style in that part of the United States and Mexico. Just like America, Spain is a very multi-cultural country and it�s represented in the Moorish and Romanesque architecture that you see in some of the old buildings.�
�So, did Eduardo teach you all of that too?� he asked with a teasing gleam in his eyes.
�No, he did not,� she laughed. �I had to write a paper on the history of Spain for an art history class I took in college.�
�Well, I guess that I picked the perfect person to show me Spain then,� he said, leaning over to give her a soft kiss. �You know Sheridan, I don�t think I�ve ever seen you so relaxed and carefree. It does my heart good to see you this way.�
�We�ve had such a terrible year, and we�ve overcome so much to get to this point. I think this is the first time in my life that I can finally feel at peace and enjoy my blessings. Even though I always knew that I had your love and the love of our children, I finally feel like I deserve it.�
�Haven�t I been telling you that all along?� he asked.
�Yes, but I think that it�s something that I had to discover on my own before I would believe it. I am just so happy and I want to scream it out from the rooftops,� she called out, drawing the attention of the other boaters.
Luis couldn�t help but get caught up in her enthusiasm. �You go girl,� he said, laughing out loud with the pleasure of seeing his wife so happy.
The loving couple had no idea that they were being observed by a dark stranger sitting on a bench with his binoculars focused on them. He finally put them away and got out his cell phone to make a call. �Sir, they have finally come out of their hotel and are at Parque del Retiro. They must be a very passionate couple to stay in their room past siesta,� he said in Spanish.
�Do not be crude Salvador,� an arrogant voice responded. �Show some respect or I will find another man for the job.�
�Yes sir,� Salvador responded sheepishly. �I did not mean to be insolent, and I will refrain from making personal comments in the future.�
�I am glad that we have an understanding. Now, have you determined if they have brought their children with them?�
�I do not think that they have sir. I saw them checking into the hotel yesterday and it was just the two of them.�
�This is not a good thing, but I suppose I shall have to live with it for now.�
�What would you like me to do now sir?�
�Stay there in Madrid and keep your eye on them, but I do not want you to be invasive. They must not discover that you are following them,� he instructed.
�Yes sir. I promise that I will be very discreet.�
�See that you are,� he commanded. �I do not want us to have to show our hand before it is time.�
�I am not so sure that they will enjoy your plans for them,� Salvador mumbled into a dead line.
********************
Evan arrived at the law firm of Waterson and Chancelor with a combination of anger and curiosity playing on his mind. When Harold Waterson had called earlier and asked for him to come to the office today, he had been turned off by the man�s arrogance, and had almost told him to go to hell. But, he was also unable to resist learning what Alistair�s attorney wanted to tell him, so he decided to keep the appointment. A secretary dressed in a plain gray business suit walked him to the lawyer�s office, offering him coffee or tea, but he turned her down, and stood before the desk of the distinguished looking gentleman. The man rose and offered his hand, and Evan did the same before taking his seat.
�Now, Mr. Waterson,� Evan said, impatiently. �Would you care to tell me why you wanted to see me today?�
�Yes, I will get straight to the point,� he said, putting on his reading glasses as he opened a file. �There is a codicil to Alistair Crane�s will that was to be revealed five years after his death or in the event that Julian was no longer able to run Crane Industries.�
�How nice, but what does that have to do with me?� Evan asked, wondering where this was leading.
�This codicil awards you fifty-one percent of the voting shares in Crane Industries, with the remaining forty-nine shares to be divided evenly amount Alistair�s daughter, Sheridan, and the legitimate Crane grandchildren. Alistair has also named you as his sole heir to run the business as you see fit.�
Evan broke out into laughter. �What is this, some kind of a joke? Am I on Candid Camera or something?� he said, looking around for hidden cameras.
�I can assure you that this is not a joke,� Harold Waterson said, straightening the lapels of this Brooks Brother�s suit.
�Why would Alistair Crane make me, his illegitimate son by a jazz singer no less, heir to his vast fortune? Surely you can understand why I find this whole thing ridiculous.�
�Because Evan, you are not his illegitimate son..........�
�What the hell are you talking about?� Evan asked, shocked beyond belief.
�Several months before your mother�s unfortunate demise, Alistair found out some very distressing news that prompted him to secretly marry your mother and legally adopt you as his son. Of course he did that only after having all of the necessary tests conducted to prove that you were indeed his flesh and blood. So you see Evan, you are very much the legitimate son of Alistair Crane.�
�But this doesn�t make any sense,� Evan said, clearly shaken by the news. �Why wouldn�t my mother tell me something like this?�
�Because she was instructed not to, or run the risk of you losing your inheritance.�
�My mother was still working right up until the day she died. Why would Alistair let his wife do that?�
�Their marriage was a business deal that�s only purpose was to give you legitimacy. Your parents never lived together as man and wife.�
�This whole thing is just crazy,� Evan said, rubbing his temples. �Everyone has always said that Ethan would be Alistair�s heir........... Wait a minute............ What about Ethan? Where does he fit in with all of this?�
�Ethan is no longer part of the equation, I�m sorry to say,� Harold Waterson said, stoically.
�This doesn�t add up at all. Ethan was always the golden child, groomed to be the heir to Crane Industries. If you think that I�m going to just come in and usurp his position, you are crazy. I just won�t do that to him,� Evan said, adamantly.
�If you must know, Ethan is not a true Crane, therefore it is impossible that he could ever be heir to the Crane Empire. Alistair discovered his mother�s indiscretion because of her own carelessness, and that is when he made the decision to make you his heir.�
�Oh my God, I can�t believe this. Does Julian know that Ethan is not really his son?�
�Not that I�m aware of, but I guess it doesn�t matter since he is in prison.�
�How can you say that? Julian is not my favorite person, but he deserves to know the truth, and so does Ethan. Do you have any idea how many lives this will affect?�
�The only thing that I am concerned about is carrying out the last wishes of my client.�
�Well I don�t want it,� Evan said, standing. �I don�t want any of it; so you can just forget this meeting ever happened and let things just stay the way they are.�
�I�m afraid that I can�t do that,� the attorney said with exasperation. �This is all going to be announced at the board meeting next month, so you have some time to get used to your new fortune.�
�You can�t just reveal news like this at some board meeting. What are you some unfeeling monster?�
�The only thing that will be revealed at the board meeting is the new status of the heir apparent. Since Ivy and Ethan are not part of Alistair�s amended will there is no reason for them to know any of this, or attend the new reading of the will.�
�Do you really think that they are going to stand by and not question the reason for this change? They are both going to go ballistic.........�
�So let them,� the attorney said with little concern. �I really don�t think that they will cause any problems when they find out the reason for this change. I�m sure they will both go home with their tail between their legs.�
�Please, can�t we just forget about this?� Evan pleaded. �I don�t know anything about running a corporation of this magnitude. Nobody would know the difference............�
�You are a bright person and you will be provided with plenty of staff to help you to get acclimated,� Harold Waterson informed him. �Besides, if you renounce your father�s bequest, Julian�s youngest son will be appointed heir apparent and the company will be run by trustees until the boy comes of age. Either way, Ethan is out.�
�This is all too much to deal with right now,� Evan said, turning to leave. �I need to think about this.�
�Please feel free to call me with any questions you might have,� Alistair�s attorney called after him.
As Evan drove home, he thought about how much his life had change in a matter of an hour and he resented the hell out of it. His future had always been planned according to his dreams, and running Crane Industries was not a part of that. The worst part was the lives that would be shattered by all of this. His heart went out to Ethan, especially just thinking about how this would change everything he had ever believed in. Oh God, and Sheridan will be crushed to find out that the nephew that she loves is not really related to her at all. None of this would have happened if Ivy wouldn�t have cheated on her husband, and now he was right in the middle of what would probably be the worst scandal to ever hit Harmony. Maybe he should just renounce and let his nephew have it all, and then he could walk away from the whole catastrophe. He hated to be selfish, but he really wished that Sheridan were not in Spain right now. She was the one person that could guide him in this mess. There was always Kay, and he loved her dearly, but would she understand the ramifications of what was about to happen? He decided to go do what he always did when things were weighing heavily on him, and that was to go to the beach and run. Maybe that would help him to get some perspective on this thing.
********************
Paloma had called earlier to say that she had run out of gas on the way to school, so Martin had taken Luke with him to go and assist her. He had not been in the best of moods over the fact that his daughter was careless enough to get herself in this position. Lily had opted to stay home and have a tea party with Annabelle and Kiki, so Pilar took this opportunity to bake a chocolate cake for their dessert that night. She was daydreaming about the wonderful space they had looked at the night before for their restaurant when Lily came running into the room naked from the waist down and carrying her diaper.
�Why is your diaper off la nieta? Did you have an accident?� Pilar asked her gently.
�Come Beula, make potty,� Lily told her, reaching for her grandmother�s hand.
Pilar took her granddaughter�s hand and let her lead her along, hopping that the child hadn�t made a mess somewhere. When they arrived at the downstairs bathroom, Lily showed her grandmother that she had used her little potty chair. The toilet paper was streaming off of the roll with the end sticking in the bowl of the child�s commode. �Oh my goodness. You are such a big girl,� Pilar said, praising her. �Abuela did not know that you knew how to use your potty.� Sheridan had told her that they had put the potty chairs out so that the children could get used to them, and that they were going to work on training them when the got back from Spain. She never would have thought that Lily would just go on her own like this.
�Me make potty,� Lily said, jumping up and down excitedly.
�I know you did, and abuela is so proud of you,� she said, giving the little girl a kiss. �Why don�t we put a clean diaper on you, and when you need to go again you can tell abuela and we will take it off so that you can use your potty chair?�
�No beula, pant,� Lily told her in a frustrated voice.
�Lily, you can not put your pants on again without a diaper...........�
�No, no, pant,� she cried, taking off running toward the steps.
�Lily, wait for abuela. You must not run in the house..............� Just as the words left her mouth, Lily tripped and fell, skinning her knee on the hardwood floor.
�Maaamaaa............� the little girl sobbed, huge tears running down her cheeks.
�I�m sorry sweetie, but your mama is in Spain, but why don�t you let abuela put some cream on your knee. It will feel so much better............�
�No, mama,� Lily insisted, rubbing her eyes with her fists.
Pilar looked at her watch and knew that it would be well into the dinner hour in Madrid. Luis and Sheridan were probably out for the evening, but she decided to take a chance and give them a call so that Lily could speak to her mother. She hated to bother her son and daughter-in-law over a minor incident, but she had a feeling that they would want her to call. �Okay la nita, we will call your mama, but she may not be there so we will have to leave a message.�
Luckily, Luis and Sheridan feeling the effects of the time change had decided to stay in for the evening and have a romantic dinner out on the balcony. When the phone rang, Sheridan panicked; knowing that the only people that would be calling them were from home. �Oh no Luis, something�s happened at home. Who else would be calling us?�
�There is no reason to think the worst until we see who it is,� Luis said, getting up to answer the phone.
�Who is it Luis?� Sheridan asked, joining him.
�It�s mama,� Luis said, holding his hand over the phone. �She said that Peanut fell and skinned her knee. She�s fine but she wants to speak to her mommy.�
�Poor baby,� Sheridan said, grabbing the phone from him. �Pilar, is Lily really okay?�
�Yes Sheridan she will be fine. She was running in the house and fell and skinned her knee. I tried to calm her down, but she kept calling for you. I hope that I did not bother you.�
�No Pilar, it�s fine. Let me talk to Lily.�
�I will turn on the speakerphone,� Pilar told her.
�Mama, me fall,� Lily told her, starting to cry again.
�Oh sweet pea, mommy�s sorry that you fell, but that is why mommy and daddy don�t want you to run in the house. Why don�t you let abuela put some cream on your booboo, and I promise that it will feel all better.�
�You mama,� Lily told her.
�I wish that I could sweetie, but mommy and daddy are very far away, but listen to this,� Sheridan said, making kissing noises into the phone. �That was mommy kissing your booboo all the way over here in Spain. Does it feel all better now?�
�Good mama,� she giggled.
�That�s my big girl. Now let abuela put some cream on your booboo, and I bet that if you ask nicely she would even put one of those smiley face band-aides on it.�
�Speaking of big girls, tell your mama what you did today,� Pilar said, urging her granddaughter on.
Sheridan motioned for Luis to pick up the other phone. �Lily, tell mommy and daddy what you did today.�
�Me make potty,� Lily said, proudly.
�Well that�s nice Lily,� Sheridan said, sharing a look of confusion with Luis.
�She went to the potty all by herself on her potty chair,� Pilar explained.
�Oh sweetie, that is so special,� Sheridan said, excited for her daughter.
�You are really a superstar Peanut,� Luis told her.
�Wear pant mama,� Lily squealed.
�She doesn�t want to put her diaper back on,� Pilar told them. �I tried to tell her that I would take her diaper off if she had to use the potty again.�
�I�m afraid that�s my fault,� Sheridan said. �I bought her some pretty little panties and told her that when she started to use the potty on her own that she could wear them.�
�That explains it. I thought she wanted to put her pants back on without anything under them,� Pilar laughed.
�Okay Lily, you can wear your pretty panties, but just remember if you don�t go to the potty on your little chair you will get them all dirty. You also have to let abuela put a diaper on you before you go to bed.�
�Pant now. Bye mama,� Lily said, excitedly.
�Say bye to daddy too Lily,� Sheridan told her daughter.
�Bye bye dada.............�
�Bye Peanut. Mommy and daddy are proud of you,� Luis told her fondly.
�Is Luke there Pilar?� Sheridan asked.
�He went with Martin to town. Paloma let the car run out of gas and he had to go rescue her,� Pilar said.
�Oh geez,� Luis said. �Doesn�t she know how to read the gas gauge?�
�Apparently not, but I think that when Martin gets through with her she will be an expert on the subject.�
�I�m so disappointed that we missed him, but will you tell him that we love him?� Sheridan asked.
�Of course I will,� Pilar told them. �I better go and get some panties on Lily. She is running around with nothing on her bottom.�
�Oh goodness, then by all means you should go,� Sheridan laughed.
�I don�t even want to hear about this,� Luis sighed, just thinking about his daughter showing her pretty panties off to everyone.
�Oh no Luis, we missed one of the milestones in our child�s life,� Sheridan said, hanging up the phone.
�That�s true honey, but I think we are going to have plenty of potty times with Lily in the future.�
�I know, but can you believe how smart she was to do that all by herself?�
�She is pretty amazing, and already learning how to get what she wants,� Luis laughed.
�What do you mean?�
�I think the real reason she was insisting on talking to you was because she knew that was the only way she was going to be able to put on her new panties.�
�I wouldn�t exactly call her a manipulator,� Sheridan said, defensively. �She just knows that her mommy always understands her.�
�Yes dear,� Luis teased. �Now, why don�t we eat our dinner before it gets cold.�
As they finished dinner, Sheridan made a suggestion for their next evening out. �I was thinking that tomorrow we would go to this great supper club and watch Flamenco. This troop of dancers is wonderful, and I thought you would really enjoy it.�
�That would be great,� Luis said, taking a sip of his wine.
�I�m so sorry Luis. Here I am making all the plans and I haven�t even asked you what you wanted to do. I could take you to a bullfight, but I�ll have to close my eyes during the gory part.�
�I appreciate the sacrifice but I really don�t have any desire to go to a bullfight,� he laughed. �But, there is something I would love to do.�
�Just name it Luis. I want this to be the trip that you�ll always remember.�
He reached for her hand and kissed the top. �It already is, but I was looking at a map earlier and I noticed that Toledo is not that far away from here. I thought maybe we could rent the car early and go there for a day trip. I want to see the places you showed me in those slides.�
�Oh Luis, that�s a wonderful idea,� she said, clapping her hands together. �Toledo has not been modernized like Madrid, and it�s like stepping back into history. The city is surrounded by a deep ravine that�s filled with the waters of the Tajo. There are these wonderful lookout points with a view like you�ve never seen before. I can take you to almost the same spot where El Greco painted the city.�
�I remember now. You told me about that place on the day we looked at the slides. I have dreamed about going there with you ever since then.�
�You know what?� she said, getting up to go and sit on his lap. �I am finally talking the advice of the locals and seeing it with somebody that I love.�
�I can hardly wait,� he said, pulling her into a romantic, soul-searching kiss. He rose up out of his chair with her still in his arms and started walking toward the bed. �I know that it�s early, but I think we should turn in.�
�We don�t have to go to sleep just yet do we?� she asked, kissing the curve of his neck.
�Oh, I think I can stay awake for a little while,� he promised as he followed her down to the bed.
********************
Martin was sitting on the sofa with the twins watching one of their children�s programs when they heard a loud crash. Knowing that Pilar was in the kitchen preparing their dinner, he feared she had hurt herself and jumped up to see what had happened. Luke and Lily were close at his heels as he made his way to the kitchen, but just as they reached the door, Pilar stopped them.
�Do not let the children come in here. I dropped a glass pitcher of iced tea and there is shattered glass everywhere,� she commanded.
�Why don�t you go back and finish watching your program while I help abuela clean up this mess?� Martin instructed the children. �You don�t want to go in there or you could get cut.�
�Big mess pawpaw,� Lily said, putting her hands on her hips like she was just disgusted by the whole thing.
�Come Leelee,� Luke told her, pulling on her arm and off they went.
�I can not believe I did something so stupid,� Pilar said, angry with herself.
�It was just an accident Pilar,� Martin said, trying to calm her. �Why don�t I get the big pieces and you go and get the broom and dust pan?�
It took them a good half-hour to pick up all of the glass and mop the floor from the spilled tea. The floor was ceramic tile, so they wanted to make sure there were no small slivers of glass in the uneven surface or grout. They were just finishing up and putting the mop and broom away when Luke came to the kitchen door holding what looked to be a plastic bag in his hand. �Look pawpaw,� the little boy said, lifting it up for them to see.
�What the he...........,� Martin said, stopping himself from using a swear word in front of his grandson.
�Why don�t you give that to pawpaw so I can see what it is Luke?� Martin coaxed.
�What is that stuff Martin?� Pilar asked with a worried frown.
Martin opened it up and sniffed the inside of the bag. �I hate to say this Pilar, but I think it�s marijuana.�
�No, it cannot be,� Pilar said, refusing to believe it. �How would you know something like that?�
�I�ve never used it myself, but when I was in the military there were guys that did. It was the seventies Pilar, but what I want to know is what the heck is it doing in this house? I can�t believe that Luis and Sheridan would use this stuff.�
�Never!� Pilar swore. �Luis put his life on the line many times to stop the use of drugs. He would never bring that disgusting stuff into the house with his children here.�
�Oh God, the children,� Martin said, suddenly realizing the full ramifications of Luke finding this. He squatted down in front of the little boy to get his full attention. �Did you or Lily put some of this in your mouths Luke?�
�No pawpaw,� Luke said, scrunching up his little face. �Weeds.�
�Yeah, it�s weeds all right,� Martin told him with a smile on his face even though he was furious inside. �Can you show pawpaw where you found this Luke?�
�Come,� Luke said, pulling on his hand. He led them into the living room and over to a chair where Lily was sitting beside Paloma�s backpack turning the pages of a textbook. �Poma�s.�
�Oh dear God,� Pilar said, wringing her hands.
�Did you find this in Paloma�s bag Luke?� Martin asked him.
�Poma�s bag,� Luke said, shaking his head yes.
�Where is she Pilar?� Martin hissed. �She should have been home from school hours ago.�
�She did come home from school, but she told me that she had a report to work on at the library so I told her she could take Luis� car since it was for a school project.�
�Oh really, so she goes to the library without her books?� Martin asked, skeptically.
�I just thought of something Martin,� Pilar said, excitedly. �This cannot be what you say it is because Ace is a drug dog and he would have found it earlier. I am sure this is a bad joke.�
�Well, I�m certainly no expert on this subject, but I think that these narcotics dogs have to be commanded to go after this stuff, but I bet if we held it right up to his nose he would recognize it. Where is Ace right now?�
�He�s out in the back yard. I let him out a little while ago,� Pilar said, feeling defeated.
Martin went to the back door and called the dog over to him and sure enough Ace went crazy when he held the bag to his nose. �I think that should be proof enough for you Pilar.�
�Oh God, I just did not want to believe that our daughter would do such a thing.�
Just then they heard a car drive up, and Martin moved to the front of the house to look outside of the window. �Speaking of the devil, it�s her out there now. If she knew what was good for her she would get back in that car and drive away, because she�s going to wish she did when I get through with her.�
Chapter 4
Paloma was thrilled that she had been able to get tickets to the concert on Saturday at the university. The new band that was playing was the hottest thing in the area and was sure to hit the national charts soon. She did feel a little bit guilty for lying to her mother about the whole library thing, but there was no way she would have been able to use Luis� car to score concert tickets if she hadn�t told the fib. Oh well, what was one little white lie compared to what they had all done to her by abandoning her to Aunt Maria�s for all of those years. She parked the car, grabbed the library book she stopped by to pick up for cover and went into the house throwing Luis� keys on the table in the entry way. The last thing she expected was to be greeted by her parents standing there with murderous looks on their faces. She was in big trouble now, and it looked like she was going to have to do some fast talking. They must have found out that she used the car to get concert tickets, but you would think that she killed somebody by the look on her father�s face. �Is there something wrong?� she asked, innocently.
�Hi Poma,� Lily squealed excitedly, running up to hug her aunt�s leg.
�Hi to you too curly top,� she said, lifting Lily up to give her a kiss on the cheek.
�Me me Poma,� Luke shouted, trying to get her attention.
�Come here you little baby Luis and give Aunt Paloma a big kiss on the cheek. I can�t believe how much you look like your daddy.�
Pilar moved forward to gather the children together, and whispered in Paloma�s ear. �I have so much to say to you young lady, but not in front of these babies. I will talk to you later, and just so you know, I have never been more disappointed. Come children let abuela get you some dinner before it gets cold. If you eat everything on your plate you can have some chocolate cake for dessert.�
�Come Poma,� Luke said, taking her hand.
�No sweetheart, your Aunt Paloma needs to talk to your grandpapa,� Pilar said, leading him and Lily out of the room.
�So papa, would you care to tell me why you are all making me feel like a dead man walking here?� Poloma asked, folding her arms in front of her chest.
�I suggest you lose the attitude Paloma, because you have no idea how angry I am with you right now.�
Now she was starting to feel nervous. �Papa, I know that I lied about going to the library, but I knew that mama wouldn�t let me use Luis� car if I told her the real reason I needed to go out. Look, I�m really sorry that I lied, but you act like I murdered somebody.�
�Oh, so you did lie about that?� Martin said with realization. �If you didn�t go to the library, then where were you?�
�Well, technically, I did go to the library, but only long enough to pick up a book, so you have to give me credit for at least that.�
�Where were you?� Martin hissed.
�I went to get some tickets for a concert on Saturday at the university. Look papa, I know that it wasn�t exactly the right thing to do, but what is so terrible.............?�
�THIS, is what is so terrible,� Martin said, holding up the bag of marijuana in front of her face.
�Oh my God,� she said in a shaky voice. �Where did you find that............? Wait a minute. Were you going through my things? Invading my privacy?�
�I don�t make it a habit of invading my children�s privacy, but it appears that I should be doing that with you. Luke found this when he was looking in your backpack that you so carelessly left lying on the floor. How could you bring this garbage into this house and expose those innocent children to drugs? Do you have any idea what would have happened if they would have ingested some of this stuff?�
�Come on papa, you�re overreacting. They wouldn�t eat something like that. It�s not like it looks like candy.�
�Babies are always putting things in their mouths and it could have very easily happened. I don�t even want to think about what your brother would do to you if his children were hurt because of this.�
�I would never hurt Luke and Lily intentionally. I love those little kids,� she said, sincerely.
�I believe that you do Paloma, but you put them at risk. Luis was a narcotics officer and he laid his life on the line countless times to get this trash off of the streets, and you his own sister brings it into his house where his babies can get a hold of it. Now, I want to know when you started using drugs?�
�I don�t use drugs papa,� she protested, adamantly.
�Don�t lie to me Paloma, and don�t even use the excuse that you were carrying this for a friend because I�m not buying it.�
�Okay, I admit that I was going to try it this weekend before the concert, but I swear that I have never used it before. You can even have my blood tested if you don�t believe me.�
�Okay if what you say is true, then why start using drugs now, and where did you get the money for this?� Martin demanded. �I know this stuff isn�t cheap.�
�I had some money saved up from my allowance from Aunt Maria, and some of the kids at school said that if we smoke this before the concert it would make it so much better. I tried to say no, but they were hassling me and I wanted to fit in............�
�Paloma, I know how difficult peer pressure can be, but you don�t need people like that in your life. In fact, you will no longer be spending time with any of those kids. I�m also going to have a talk with Miguel. He should be watching out for you so that you don�t get mixed up with the wrong crowd. Do you realize that one bad judgment call can follow you for a long time? You could have been busted for this stuff and spent the night in jail. In fact when I first found out that you brought this into Luis and Sheridan�s house, I was so damn mad that I was tempted to call Sam Bennett and report you. Lucky for you I was able to calm down a little.�
�So, what are you going to do to me?� she asked sheepishly.
�Well, first of all you are going to apologize to your mother for lying to her and you are restricted from going anywhere except to school. Your driving privileges are taken away and I will be taking you to school and picking you up again........�
�Come on papa...........�
�Don�t interrupt me. I am not finished yet. The length of your restriction is going to depend on how long it takes for you to prove to me that I can trust you again.�
�Okay fine, I�ll take your punishment, but if I promise to behave would you please not tell Luis and Sheridan about this?� she begged.
�Oh, believe me, I am not going to tell Luis and Sheridan, because you are,� Martin said, pointing his finger at her.
�What?� she said, horrified. �No papa, you can�t make me do that. Luis will kill me, and he will never let me see Luke and Lily again.�
�You don�t know that Paloma. I think that if you handle it in a mature way then Luis and Sheridan will see that you realize that what you did was wrong. You also have one thing going for you.............�
�What is that?�
�Luis loves you, and so do your mother and I. That�s why it hurts us when you do things like this. If we didn�t care about you so much....................�
All of a sudden Paloma�s eyes welled up with tears, and she ran forward and put her arms around her father. �I�m so sorry papa. I didn�t mean to disappoint you or put Luke and Lily in danger.�
�Is everything all right out here?� Pilar asked, coming up behind them.
�Yes Pilar,� Martin assured her. �I think that our daughter has learned her lesson, and I told her about the punishment that we discussed earlier.�
Paloma turned around and faced her mother. �Mama, I�m really sorry about lying to you about where I went tonight, and I�m sorry that I upset you with the whole drug thing.�
�Thank you for apologizing,� she said, giving her daughter a quick hug. �You and I will have a long talk later, but right now I have heated up your dinner so come and eat. Luke and Lily are asking for you.�
�Wait,� Martin said, stopping them. �Paloma has one more thing she needs to do.�
�You mean there�s even more to my punishment?� Paloma asked, unable to believe that this whole thing could get any worse.
�You�re going to flush this poison down the commode, and I�m going to be standing right there to make sure that you get the job done.�
********************
The next day Pilar had just fed the children lunch and was getting ready to take them to the park when Luis and Sheridan called. She had discussed Paloma�s latest escapade with Martin last night and had decided that they would not tell Luis and Sheridan until they arrived home and Paloma could do the honors. They didn�t like keeping something so important from them, but felt that the news would ruin their trip and even possibly compel them to come home early. As long as Luke and Lily were safe and well there was no reason to do that. �I am so glad that you called right now,� Pilar told them. �I was just getting ready to take the children to the park and we would have missed you.�
�Oh, they must be so excited,� Sheridan said. �They love playing with the other children when they go there, and I think that it�s important that they learn how to interact with people their own age.�
�I could not agree with you more Sheridan,� Pilar told her.
�So mama, are they still behaving?� Luis asked. �Because, if they�re not, don�t hesitate to punish them. Sheridan and I have already introduced them to time out, and they�re old enough now to understand what being bad means.�
�I promise you Luis that they have been very good. Luke had a little bit of a problem getting to sleep last night. He cried for his mama and papa until I found that old dog-eared picture of the two of you. Once he had it in his little hands, he was able to go to sleep, but not without kissing it first.�
�Oh that is so sweet,� Sheridan said, getting a little teary-eyed. �Pilar before you put the children on speaker phone tell me how Lily is doing with her potty training?�
�She is doing very well. There was only one time that she had a little accident, but that was because she didn�t make it to her little chair fast enough. Poor little girl was so upset about ruining her panties, but I convinced her that they would be all pretty again after I washed them.�
�I�m sure that did the trick. Peanut thinks that all problems can be solved by just throwing them in the washing machine,� Luis laughed. �So, is Luke showing any interest in using his potty chair after seeing his sister do it?�
�I�m afraid not mijo,� Pilar told him. �I asked him just this morning if he wanted to use his potty chair, and he said no and ran off to play with his toys.�
�Oh well, I guess I�ll just have to wait until we get home. His old dad can show him how it�s done,� Luis said, confidently. �He�ll be out of those diapers in a week.�
�Do not be so sure about that Luis. Boys seem to take a little longer to train in these areas. It took me forever to get you to use the potty,� Pilar told him.
�Come on mama, you�re ruining my image here,� Luis complained, while watching Sheridan laughing across the room.
�I should put the children on,� Pilar told them. �They are starting to get anxious to go to the park.�
Pilar put on the speaker phone, and Lily spoke first. �Mama, buela make BIG mess.�
�Lily, it�s not nice to talk about your abuela that way,� Sheridan scolded her.
�I am afraid that she is right Sheridan. I dropped a glass pitcher filled with iced tea last night and it broke all over the kitchen. I am so sorry that I ruined it, but I promise to replace it.�
�Don�t worry about it Pilar. As long as you didn�t hurt yourself, that pitcher can easily be replaced. Now Lily, why don�t you start out by saying hello to mommy and daddy.�
�Hi mama, hi dadee,� Lily said, waving into the phone.
�Hey Peanut, you said daddy. You are getting to be such a big girl,� Luis told her. �Is my big boy there?�
�Hi dada. Teetee come, Guel come, Poma come, LeeLee come..............�
�Slow down Sport,� Luis laughed. �Where is everyone coming too?�
�I invited Teresita and Miguel here for dinner tonight. I am making fabada, so I thought we would have a family meal. We will miss the two of you,� Pilar told them. �What are your plans for tonight?�
�We are going to Casa Patas tonight for dinner and to enjoy a night of flamenco,� Sheridan said, excitedly.
�Oh, how I envy you,� Pilar said. �I love to watch a good flamenco. All the dances are so beautiful, and have such meaning.�
�Well, we are really excited about tonight mama, but not as excited as I am about tomorrow. We are going to drive to Toledo, so Sheridan can show me the sites there.�
�Oh yes, Toledo is a very old and beautiful city. I know that you will love it mijo..........�
�Go park beula,� Lily shouted in the background.
�I can see that our demanding little daughter is ready to go,� Sheridan laughed. �Why don�t we just say goodbye to the children so that you get be on your way?�
After hanging up the phone, Sheridan sat on the bed biting her lower lip with a look of concentration on her face. �You know Luis, our little girl is getting to be quite bossy.�
�Well honey, she does get it honestly you know,� Luis teased, moving toward where she was lying on the bed. �You�ve managed to boss me around plenty of times.�
�Oh please,� she said, rolling her eyes at him. �You�re the dictator in this family.�
�Dictator,� he said, leaping on the bed to pin her down with his body. �That�s a little harsh, and I think that you owe me an apology.�
�Luis, quit messing around,� she chuckled. �I need to get up and into the shower or we�ll miss the show.�
�Okay, I�ll let it go, but first you have to give me a kiss,� he pleaded.
�Oh, I don�t think that will be a problem,� she said with a devilish smile, pulling his head toward her. When the kiss ended, Luis rolled off her to let her up. �I�m going to take a shower. Are you going to join me?�
�You go ahead,� Luis told her. �I�ll be there in a few minutes.�
Just as Sheridan reached the bathroom door, she stopped and turned back toward him. �By the way Luis, just how old were you when you were finally potty trained? I mean did you have to wear diapers under your football uniform in high school?�
�Oh, you are so in trouble now,� he said, leaping off of the bed, but Sheridan was faster. She ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind her giggling the whole time.
Luis was actually pleased that she had done that because it would give him time to make a few phone calls. She was never going to believe what he had in store for her, and he couldn�t wait to see the look on her face when he sprang it on her.
********************
Marshall Baxter Calloway
III stood in the entryway of the Crane Mansion and watched Jordan walking down
the steps grasping the railing for dear life, but determined to make it on her
own. There was a maid following her just in case she slipped, but he could tell
by his ex-girlfriend�s demeanor that she resented the help.
How strange it seemed to see Jordan this vulnerable, because she had always been
so independent, and he would bet his trust fund that she was hating every minute
of this. If it wouldn�t have been for his mother�s urging and his father�s
promise of a Porsche Boxster, he doubted that he would be standing here right
now. He was still wearing the scars from the last time he had seen her and he
had a feeling that she was not going to be happy to know that he was here.
Thankfully, he had asked the maid not to tell her about his arrival, because he
wanted his visit to be a surprise. As she reached the foot of the stairs he
armed himself for the battle he was sure would happen.�
�Noah, you�re here early,� she said with a charming smile.
He had to admit one thing, she was certainly beautiful, but he also knew that she had a deadly bite. �Sorry Jor, but it�s not Noah.�
�Marsh?� she asked, with a hint of disdain in her voice. �What the hell are you doing here?�
�Now come on Jordan. Is that any way to greet me after all of this time. I heard about your accident and I was worried about you,� he said, turning on the charm.
�Come in the living room,� she demanded. �I don�t want anybody to see you here.�
�You mean Noah don�t you?� he asked, starting to lead her along, but she jerked away from him and found the way on her own.
�Look Marsh, the sooner that you tell me why you�re here, the sooner that you can leave,� she said, impatiently.
�Why are you acting like this Jordan? You might not feel the same as you used to, but I know that you loved me once, and I certainly still love you.�
�Sure Marsh, and I just bet you were feeling all that love for me when you were rolling around in the sheets with that Russian tennis player,� she said in a biting tone.
�You�re not still angry over Nadia are you? I thought I made myself clear when I said that she meant nothing, and that it was you that I loved.�
�Stop insulting me Marsh. I�ve heard since then that there were other�s too. Thank God I had the good sense to insist that you wear a condom,� she said, shivering. �You are so disgusting.�
�Hey, I practice safe sex................�
�You practice frequent sex, and you know what�s really sad about all of this? I truly believe that you were not this way when I first met you. I started to see the changes in you when you began to hang out with that Saudi prince that was going to Oxford. I guess you figured that if Khalid could have a harem of women, then why not you?�
�Well, he convinced me that having sex with other women has nothing to do with the woman that you love. The woman that you love should be kept sacred so that she can provide children for you, but...............?
�Oh my God, do you really hear yourself? What�s next? Do you expect your wife to cover her body in black shrouds so that no other man can admire her?�
�If you would have let me finish, I would have told you that I didn�t think that way any more. I was going through a susceptible time in my life, but I�m a changed man,� he said, holding his arms up in surrender.
�Even if I did believe you, which I don�t by the way, it�s too late because I can no longer stand the thought of your presence. I hate you Marsh..........�
�Then that still means that I have a chance, because hate is closer to love than you think,� he said, arrogantly. �It�s a lot better than complacency.�
�I can assure you Marsh, in this case it�s just pure hate............�
�Oh really, and why is that? Could it have something to do with this Noah guy? I can�t believe that you allowed yourself to get involved with this local yokel that doesn�t even have a pot to p.............�
�Don�t you dare say it!� she demanded. �You will never be half the man that Noah Bennett is and I will not stand here and let you demean him.�
�I guess I�m just going to have to prove to you that you don�t hate me as much as you claim to...........�
The maid had just let Noah in the front door and was starting to take him to Jordan when Ivy ran interference at the front door. �Janelle, go see to your other duties and I will take care of our visitor,� Ivy instructed her with a smile. �Noah, I didn�t realize that you had plans with Jordan tonight?�
�Yeah, actually I convinced her to have dinner with me,� Noah told her. �I thought it would be good for her to get out for a while.�
�Oh, I see, and look how sweet,� she said, referring to the small bouquet of fresh cut flowers that Noah was holding. �They must be from Grace�s garden?�
�Yes, my mom said that I should probably take them while I could since it will be getting cold soon. I know that Jordan can�t see them, but I thought she would enjoy the smell. Speaking of Jordan, is she ready?�
�Oh dear, this is really awkward, and I wish that Jordan had called you,� Ivy said, wringing her hands.
�Is Jordan okay?� Noah asked, concern written on his face.
�Yes, she is fine, it�s just that her boyfriend arrived today and she is spending time with him right now. I�m so sorry Noah.�
�That�s funny Mrs. Crane, because Jordan told me that she had broken up with that guy months ago and didn�t want anything more to do with him,� Noah said, suspiciously.
�I realize that Noah, but sometimes young women can be fickle, and I�m sure that Jordan didn�t mean to lead you on...........�
�Jordan never struck me as the fickle type at all. In fact I think that she�s a woman that knows exactly what she wants.�
�Well, she likes people to perceive her that way, but she has a tendency to change her mind at the slightest whim, and I�m afraid that she wants to be with Marsh right now. I�m so sorry that your plans were ruined tonight. I really feel terrible that you wasted your time coming all the way out here,� Ivy said, giving him a look of pity. �I really am going to have to speak to my daughter about her manners..........�
�Where is she Mrs. Crane?� Noah demanded.
�Excuse me?� Ivy said, appalled. �I thought that I explained.............�
�If Jordan doesn�t want to see me any more then I want her to tell me to my face.�
�She�s in the salon, but I don�t think that you should go in there,� she said, trying to keep up with his long even strides. She had to do something to stop him, or her plan would be ruined. As it turned out this was a blessing in disguise, because just as Noah reached the door of the salon, Marsh pulled Jordan into a passionate kiss.
Noah couldn�t believe what he was seeing, and the realization of what Ivy had been saying about her daughter struck home. Unable to watch another second, he turned on his heel with Ivy closely behind. �Here,� he said, shoving the flowers into Ivy�s hands. Tell Jordan that I wish her all the happiness in the world.�
Thankfully, Noah was already out the front door, when the slap and loud screech reverberated around the mansion. Jordan was calling Marsh every vulgar name in the book for kissing her that way. She really was going to have to speak to her daughter about her tendency to talk like a truck driver.
�Mrs. Crane,� Janelle said, running into the room wearing a worried frown. �Is everything all right in here?�
�Yes Janelle, I�m afraid that my daughter is just having a little disagreement with her boyfriend.�
�Mr. Bennett?� the maid asked, with surprise. �He didn�t seem like the type, and he was always so kind to Miss Jordan.�
�No Janelle, I was talking about Mr. Calloway. As it turns out Mr. Bennett was not as kind as we thought he was. He was going to break things off with her, so I would appreciate it if you didn�t tell Jordan that he was here. I would rather have her wonder than to be faced with the truth at a time like this. Besides, she will work things out with Marsh. I�m just sure of it.�
�Yes, Mrs. Crane. I promise that I will not breathe a word of it to Miss Jordan.�
�Good Janelle,� Ivy said with a satisfied look. �Now, take these strange little flowers of Grace Bennett�s and throw them away in the kitchen trash.�
********************
Luis and Sheridan were on the road in time to see the sun rise as they were driving out of Madrid. They had left the Casa Patas right after the Flamenco performance so that they could get an early start today. As soon as they arrived back at the hotel, they had gone straight to bed, and fell asleep almost immediately, however around three in the morning Luis had awakened Sheridan, because he said he had had a dream and needed her. Of course she couldn�t just leave him in that state, and unable to resist him anyway, they had made passionate love only to fall back asleep wrapped in each others arms. In spite of their early morning interlude, there were both refreshed and anxious for their day in Toledo. Just before leaving Madrid, they had stopped off at a bakery, and picked up some cups of strong black coffee and Cocas, a light pastry filled with sweet fruit and spices. Sheridan looked over at Luis and noticed that he had some of the gooey filling on his lip, so she leaned over and licked it off.
�You better not distract me like that,� he chuckled. �Don�t forget that I�m not at all familiar with these roads so I need to concentrate on what I�m doing.�
�It�s so easy Luis. It looks like on the map here that you just stay on 401 and it leads straight into Toledo.�
�By the way, did I tell you that you look very beautiful today?� he said, admiring her muslin peasant style dress with a blue and white pattern that made her eyes look all the bluer.
�Yes, I believe you told me that back at the hotel, but I can always stand to hear it again,� she said, flashing him a warm smile.
�I think I better tell you that all day long so that you�ll grace me with that beautiful smile of yours,� he said, taking her hand to kiss the top of it. �You even smell good.�
�Oh Luis, I have a feeling that today is going to be one of those special days that we will never forget,� she said, happily.
�We�re definitely on the same wavelength, because I was thinking that very same thing,� he said, laughing at her enthusiasm.
Toledo was a golden city rising from a granite prominence which stood out dramatically against the blue Castillian sky. The ancient city was encircled by a steep ravine that was filled with the green waters of the Tajo. Luis was to find out that every aspect of Toledo reflected a brilliant period in Spanish history. There were signs of Christian, Jewish, and Moorish cultures which co-existed peacefully during the middle ages. �My God Sheridan, I feel like I�ve stepped back in history. It�s almost surreal,� he said in awe.
�See, I told you that it was amazing,� she said, clapping her hands like a delighted child. �It certainly is different than Madrid isn�t it?�
�Yes, it certainly is,� he said, hugging her close. �Let�s take a walk around the city, and then I want you to show me that special place that the locals said should be experienced with someone that you love.�
�I can hardly wait to show it to you, but first can we get something to eat?� she said, rubbing her stomach. �Those Cocas just didn�t seem to fill me up.�
After touring the city they headed up to the carretera de circunvalacion, a ring road, that rested on top of the ridge that circled the city. They ran into a few other tourists, but for the most part the place was quiet and peaceful, allowing them the privacy to visit their special place. When they were close, Sheridan pulled Luis along excitedly to the very spot where El Greco had painted the city. Luis felt a chill run through him as he gazed out at a panoramic view that took his breath away. He had seen this place in the slide, he had seen this place in his dreams, but neither of them compared to the real thing, and sharing it with Sheridan was only the icing on the cake.
�Oh Sheridan,� he said, picking her up and swinging her around. �Thank you so much for this wonderful gift. You have made my dream come true.�
�Well, you made my dream come true the first time you told me you loved me,� she said, stroking his cheek.
Suddenly, they heard a rustling noise in the bushes, and looked up to see a priest approaching them with a nun following close at his heels. �You must be Luis?� the padre said, with a heavy accent.
�I guess that I can safely assume that you are Father Bautista,� Luis said, taking his hand in greeting. �Please meet my wife, Sheridan.�
�Buenas tardes Padre Bautista,� Sheridan said, graciously while flashing Luis a look of confusion.
�Buenas tardes to you too Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald,� he said, with a friendly smile. �I fear that I am forgetting my manners. This is Sister Isabella standing here behind me. I brought her along, because she is the only one of her order that can speak English.�
Luis and Sheridan greeted the kindly nun holding a bunch of wild flowers in her hand. �What a handsome couple you are, and you have picked a beautiful day for your celebration.�
�Celebration?� Sheridan asked, looking at them all with a baffled look on her face. �Father, Sister, will you excuse me for a moment while I speak to my husband?�
�Of course,� they both agreed.
Sheridan pulled Luis away just out of their earshot. �Luis, just what are you up to here, and how do you know Father Bautista?� she asked with a raised brow.
�Well, actually,� he said, taking her hands in his. �This is the first time I met Father Bautista. He is here to officiate.�
�Officiate.............?�
�Yes, that is if you�ll agree,� he said, looking at her with love filled eyes.
�What am I agreeing to?� she asked breathlessly caught up in his dark gaze.
�Will you marry me Sheridan? Here, right now at this very spot that�s so special to us.�
�Oh Luis, this is all so sweet, but we�re already married,� she said, still a little confused. �Twice in fact.�
�I know, but the first time we got married it was for convenience, and the second time was for all of our family and friends, but this time I want it to be just for us............ Look, if you think it�s too weird to get married again, then just consider it a renewal of our vows, our commitment to each other............�
�Oh Luis,� she said, tears of happiness forming in her eyes. �You are the most romantic man in the world. Yes, I will marry you again, and again and again if you want to.�
�I think that we can stop now, since the third time is a charm,� he said, kissing her on the cheek. �Well, are you ready Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald?�
�Oh yes, I am more than ready,� she said, smiling brightly. �Wait a minute......... I don�t have anything prepared for my vows.�
�It�s okay sweetheart. Just say what�s in your heart,� he told her gently.
�Okay,� she said, taking his hand, as they walked back to where Father Bautista and Sister Isabella were waiting.
�Here Senora Sheridan. I brought these along for you to carry,� the nun said, handing her the bouquet.
�You are too kind Sister Isabella, and they are simply beautiful,� Sheridan said, taking a whiff of the flowers. �Gracias.�
�You are very
welcome,� she replied, smiling. �Now, if you have a camera I will take
photos of your ceremony for you.�
�Oh yes that would be lovely Sister,� she said, getting it out of her bag
and handing it to the nun with some quick instructions.
They all took their spots. Father Bautista with his back to the view, and Luis and Sheridan in front of him with the glorious picture of Toledo and the surrounding area as the backdrop. The priest�s words were spiritual and perfect for the intimate setting, binding them together in front of God and his beautiful countryside. Finally, it came time for them to say their vows, and Luis volunteered to go first to give Sheridan some time to collect herself.
He turned to face her and took her hands into his. �Sheridan, when I first met you there was a wall around my heart because it was the only way that I could survive. When my father and brother disappeared, I was devastated but I couldn�t let on to anyone because it was my job to be the strong one to take care of the family. I decided then that if I shut my heart off then nobody could ever make me feel that pain and loneliness again. But the night that you crashed into my cruiser, you also shattered that wall around my heart, and little by little the pieces fell away. It was like suddenly I was alive again and filled with this overwhelming love for you, and it just keeps getting stronger every day. You always say that I saved you, but the truth is you are the one that saved me from a cold existence. I will always love you, and thank God that he brought you into my life.�
�Oh Luis,� she said, wiping the tears away. �When I first met you I was determined that I would never trust another man again. You were so stubborn and opinionated, but somehow I knew instinctively that there was something special about you. I was such an emotional cripple, but you never once gave up on me, even when we were fighting like cats and dogs. You taught me to believe in myself, and even when I was starting to have doubts you were right there cheering me on. You have no idea how powerful a gift that was to give to me. For the first time in my life I really like myself and I would have never felt this way without your love and support. I feel so blessed to have you and our children, and I will never take that for granted for one second. I love you with all of my heart and soul. I will love you forever.�
It was Luis� turn to wipe his tears, and he pulled her gently toward him and brushed her lips. �Thank you.�
Father Bautista pronounced them man and wife for the third time, but it was just as special if not more than the other two times they were married. They hugged and kissed and cried again. There was never a happier moment between them except for when their children were born, and it was indeed the special day that Luis had predicted.
�You must come back to the Monastero with Father Bautista and I for a small celebration. I baked a cake this morning to eat after your ceremony,� Sister Isabella told them.
�Sister, are you talking about the Monastero de San Juan de los Reyes?� Sheridan asked excitedly.
�Yes, I believe that is the only Monastero around here,� Father Bautista said, smiling at Sheridan�s delight.
�You have already been so kind to us,� Luis said. �We would hate to impose on you any longer today.�
�You must not argue with Sister Isabella,� the priest told them. �She is very determined once she makes her mind up and she has decided that you need a celebration.�
�Then by all means, lead the way,� Sheridan said.
�You know, I just thought of something Sheridan,� Luis said, as they followed behind them.
�Oh, what is that?� she asked.
�Lily is going to be so excited when we tell her all about Father Bautista and Sister Bsabella,� he whispered, making Sheridan laugh out loud with delight.
Chapter 5
The Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes was built by the Catholic monarchs in thanksgiving to God for their decisive victory over the Portuguese at Toro in 1476. In was entrusted to the Franciscans, and had been in the care of the priest of that order ever since. The living quarters for the priests and orphaned children that lived there had been updated, but for the most part the old structure was just as it had been when it was originally built with the exception of the church. That entire building had been rebuilt after being burnt to the ground by the French in 1808. Some of the sisters from the convent in Toledo came up from the city to teach the children every day and to provide a motherly touch. Sheridan had never been inside the monastery on any of her previous trips to Spain, and she was really excited now about getting the chance to see the inside of the historic building.
As Father Bautista and Sister Isabella led the happy couple to the cloister, they noticed the children playing ball in the courtyard and stopped to watch them for a while. �Father, why are these children here?� Sheridan asked curiously, not knowing the place served as an orphanage.
�They are some of the homeless children that are staying with us for a while,� Father Bautista said, sadly. �There was a terrible fire at the orphanage in the city that destroyed the building and they relocated them here temporarily. That was a year ago, and still they have not found a replacement facility for them. Thankfully, none of the children were hurt. The sisters at the convent were going to take them in, but there is not enough room there.�
�Who pays for their care?� Luis asked.
�For the most part we are funded by some Catholic charities, but we do get donations from the private sector,� the priest explained.
�It�s all so sad,� Sheridan said, thinking about how much love and attention was showered on her children. �Sister Isabella, is there enough cake to share with the children?�
�Why, yes there is,� she said, smiling with delight. �I baked an extra big one so that the children would have a special treat after their meal tonight. How kind of you to let them share in your celebration.�
�No Sister, you are the one that is kind for even thinking of throwing this little celebration for two people that you didn�t even know. Those children deserve any little bit of pleasure that they can get.�
�I can see you feel passionate about the children. Do you have any of your own Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald?�
�Yes, we have twins,� Sheridan said, her eyes lighting up. �A little boy and girl, and they are so precious to us. I can�t even imagine them having to grow up like this without Luis and I. Would you like to see a picture of them?�
�Oh, they are beautiful children,� Sister Isabella said. �I can see why you are so proud.�
�Yes, I must admit even though I�m their mother I am really proud. Listen Sister; I would like to make a donation for the children if you will just give me the particulars about how to get the funds to you. Obviously, I�m not carrying that much money on me right now.�
�That is very generous of you Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald, but your husband had already made a generous donation,� the nun told her. �I believe he did that yesterday when he called to arrange your wedding.�
�Well, it appears that my husband is full of surprises,� Sheridan said, looking over to where Father Bautista was pointing at something on the building for Luis to see.
�Let me go gather the children together so we can begin your celebration,� Sister Isabella said.
The children were thrilled about having such a special treat in the middle of the day, and it was heartwarming to see their enthusiasm. Most of the orphan�s ages ranged from between three and seven, however there was one boy that looked to be about ten or eleven. He stood out not only because he was much older than the other children were, but he was also sitting off by himself, with his plate of cake in one hand and a book in the other. For some reason Luis couldn�t name he felt drawn to him, and since most of the children were gathered around Sheridan he approached the boy.
A three-year-old girl
named Lucia lay claim to Sheridan�s lap and she couldn�t help but fall in
love with the little dark-eyed pixie. Even thought the little girl was older
than Lily and her coloring was much darker, they both had the same spirited
personalities.
Lucia had a fascination with Sheridan�s blond hair and kept reaching up to
stroke the silky strands. �Pretty,� the little girl said in Spanish.
Sheridan�s Spanish was limited at best, so she managed to keep her words simple. �You are sweet. I think that you are very pretty too,� she told the little girl.
�Lucia, you must not monopolize all of Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald�s time,� Father Bautista told the little girl affectionately.
�I really don�t mind at all Father,� Sheridan said, smiling at Lucia. �I miss my children and if feels good to have a little one in my arms again, and please call me Sheridan.�
�She is quite a loveable little girl,� the priest said, smiling. �Lucia has only been with us for about three months now. Her mother was no longer able to take care of the child and she left her at the convent for the sisters to care for.�
�What about her father?� Sheridan asked.
�If he is still alive, we do not know where he is. These situations are difficult because it takes many resources that we do not have,� Father Bautista explained.
�Do any of these children ever get adopted Father?� Sheridan asked hopefully.
�Yes, many of them do, especially the younger orphans, but it is not always so easy to find loving homes for the older children. Like the boy your husband is talking to has been with us the longest because he is older and unfortunately has been passed on many times because of his age.�
�How very sad,� Sheridan said, looking at the boy with a heavy heart. �Do you know his background Father? How did he come to be here?�
�From what I was told his birth parents are actually American, but unmarried at the time the boy was born. The mother gave birth to Dario in Paris and put him up for adoption. A Spanish couple adopted him and brought him to this country, but sadly they were killed in an automobile accident and there were no other family members, so he was brought to us.�
�But Father, there has to be some hope for him. It just kills me to think that he will never be adopted by a loving family. No offense Father, I�m sure that you all do a wonderful job,� Sheridan said, apologetically.
�No offense taken,� the priest said, smiling. �All children deserve to be in a home filled with family and love. Dario would make a fine son that anyone could be proud of. He is respectful and is very dedicated to his studies. Normally, he is very quiet and keeps to himself, but I notice that he has smiled several times since he has been with your husband. He has not done that in many months.�
�Maybe the poor boy is laughing at Luis� feeble attempt to speak Spanish,� Sheridan said, teasingly. �But seriously, Luis is an excellent father, and he was always so wonderful with the children when he ran the local youth center in our hometown. It doesn�t surprise me that Dario would open up to him.�
�I can see that he is a fine man, but I don�t think that you have to worry Senora............, I mean Sheridan,� he corrected. �Dario speaks English very well. He has a dream to go to America some day.�
Suddenly Lucia mumbled something to her, and the rest of the children followed suit. Sheridan was having a difficult time understanding what they wanted and looked to Father Bautista for assistance. �I�m sorry Father, but I do not know what they are saying............�
�They want to know if you will sing a song for them, but if you do not feel comfortable with this, I will tell them no,� the priest offered.
�No, actually Father, I do know a lovely Spanish song that my mother-in-law taught to me when I was a little girl. I sing it to my twins all of the time and I would love to sing it to the children now.�
�Well children, I think that we are in for a lovely treat,� Father Bautista told them in Spanish.
Luis didn�t even need to look up to know that beautiful voice filling the room was Sheridan�s. He had heard her sing that song to Luke and Lily so many times, but he would never get tired of it. He couldn�t resist looking over to see Sheridan with a little girl in her lap and the rest of the children sitting around her gazing up as she sung to them. There was only one thing that would have made this setting more perfect, and that was to see his precious babies. For some reason, he missed them more than usual today, but he wasn�t sure why. Did it have something to do with this strange connection that he felt toward Dario? Maybe it was the sadness in the boy�s blue eyes that made him want to rescue him.
�Your wife has a voice like an angel Senor Luis,� Dario said, pulling him away from his musings.
�Yes, she does sound like an angel,� Luis agreed. �She sings that song to our children.........�
�Are your children in America?� the boy asked with keen interest.
�Yes, they are staying with my parents while we�re away. Sometimes I wish that we had brought them with us. I really miss them.�
�They are lucky to have such a fine mama and papa. Maybe some day when I come to America I can meet them,� Dario said, enthusiastically.
�Well Dario, if you ever do make it to America, we would be honored to have you come and visit us,� Luis told him.
�Oh, I will come someday Senor Luis because I am an American citizen,� Dario said, proudly.
�I had no idea,� Luis said, shocked. �If you were born in America how did you end up here in Spain?�
�I was born in France, but Father Bautista told me that my real parents were from the United States, so that makes me an American citizen. That is why I study very hard so that when I go to your country I can get a job and make mucho money. Maybe some day I will find my real parents and I want them to be proud of me.�
�I feel sure that they would be very proud of you,� Luis said, moved by the boy�s determination. �Those are big dreams for a boy of your age. Just how old are you Dario?�
�I am eleven going on twelve,� Dario told him.
�Hello, I hope I�m not intruding, but I was hoping to meet you Dario,� Sheridan said, surprising them with her appearance.
�Oh Sheridan, I�m sorry,� Luis said, warmed by her presence. �I didn�t even see you standing there. Dario, this is my wife, Sheridan.�
�Senora Sheridan, I am happy to meet you,� Dario said, standing politely to take her hand. �Thank you for the cake and also for the beautiful song.�
�I am very happy to meet you too Dario, but you don�t owe me any thanks for the cake since Sister Isabella was kind enough to make it, however I am pleased that you enjoyed the song.�
Just then Sister Isabella clapped her hands together to get the attention of the children. She announced that it was time for siesta. �I must go now, but maybe some day we will all meet again,� Dario said, hopefully.
Sheridan and Luis both assured him that they hoped that they would meet again as well. It was so touching to them when the children waved goodbye and thanked them for including them in their celebration. Their wedding celebration had not been very conventional, but it was very special having the children there to share it with them. It was a bit bittersweet for them as they left the monastery thinking about the plight of the orphans, but Luis was determined to carry on with the romantic mood of their day, and came up with a suggestion. �You know Sheridan, I know that this was supposed to be a day trip, but I was thinking that if might be romantic to spend the night here in Toledo.�
�Oh Luis, that is a wonderful idea, but we didn�t pack anything,� she reminded him.
�So what, we can stop at the store and pick up a few things. It�s not like we need anything to wear tonight,� he said with a gleam in his eyes.
�Okay, why not,� she said, flashing him an enchanting smile, that made him want to kiss her, and he did. �Wow, what was that for?�
�I don�t know. I guess I just love you,� he said, mirroring the statement in his eyes.
�I love you too,� she replied. �I just can�t tell you how touched I am by everything that you planned out for us today. You went to so much trouble to arrange that surprise wedding ceremony in our special place, and the reception at the monastery with the children was so unbelievable sweet. I will never forget this day for as long as I live,� she said, with tears in her eyes.
�It was special, but as far as I�m concerned, all days that I have with you are unforgettable. Now, let�s go find a hotel and do some shopping, because I plan on romancing you all night long, and I want to get an early start.�
********************
Kay still couldn�t figure out why Evan had insisted that they take a drive out in the country for a walk in the woods. He had barely said two words, since he had picked her up earlier, and his brooding silence was really starting to make her nervous. In fact, he had been this way for several days now, and she had the most horrible feeling that he was trying to break up with her, but didn�t know how to tell her. She just didn�t know if she would be able to handle hearing him say those words, because she loved him so much and to not have him in her life any longer would be devastating. As painful as all of that would be, she knew that she couldn�t go on any longer living with this uncertainly, so she decided to just bring everything out in the open. �Evan, could we please stop and sit down for a while?�
�I�m sorry Kay, what did you say?� a distracted Evan asked her.
�I said, that I wanted to sit down for a while. I really need to talk to you and I need to be looking in your eyes when I do it.�
�Okay,� he said, looking at her curiously. �Why don�t we sit down on the log over there?� Suddenly Evan was feeling nervous too, wondering why she was being so serious all of a sudden. �What did you want to talk to me about Kay?�
She hesitated for a moment, but then turned toward him, her eyes filled with pain. �Do you want to break up with me Evan?� she said, shakily.
�What?� he asked, totally caught off guard by her question. �Why would you think that?�
�Because you have been so withdrawn lately, and you barely talk to me anymore. I thought that you were trying to find a way to break up with me,� she said, struggling to keep back the tears.
�Look at me Kay,� he said, pulling her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. �There is no way that I would break up with you. I love you, and I don�t see where that is going to change.�
�Then what�s wrong with you Evan?� she asked, feeling relief wash over her. �You�ve been shutting me out, and you have to know that I will be here for you no matter what.�
�I know that, but you have no idea how complicated my life has become. I don�t mean to shut you out, but I have so much to sort out, and I didn�t want to burden you with it.�
�Don�t you know that I would never feel burdened? I love you Evan and I will always support you. Please, let me help you?� she pleaded.
�Oh God Kay, you have no idea how big this thing is, or how much it�s going to effect our lives. A lot of people�s lives for that matter, but it�s time that I talk about this with someone that I know I can trust,� he said, and proceeded to tell her everything that Alistair�s lawyer had revealed to him.
�Oh God, is an understatement,� Kay said, astounded. �Alistair Crane married your mother and made you heir to the Crane Empire? No wonder you�ve been walking about like a zombie for the last couple of days. What are you going to do Evan?�
�I wish I knew Kay. I�ve been over and over this in my head and I just can�t figure out how to make this work so that people aren�t hurt, but it�s impossible.�
�Well, I can tell you one thing. Ivy Crane is not going to take this lying down. I heard my dad and Coach Russell talking about her one day, and I gathered from their conversation that she was a real shark. I�m worried that she�s going to come after you Evan.�
�Oh, I have no doubt that she will go ballistic, but this is all of her fault. She is the one that cheated on my brother, and if you look at Ethan�s age, it couldn�t have been far into her marriage.�
�I wonder who Ethan�s real father is?� Kay said with a look of contemplation on her face. �Do you think it�s somebody in Harmony?�
�I have no idea, but I�m sure the truth will come out when Ethan finds out that Julian isn�t his father. You know that I grew up not knowing whom my father was, but to me it would be worse to find out that the man you thought was your father was nothing but a lie. I feel so bad for Ethan.�
�I feel bad for Ethan too, but I�m more worried about you,� Kay said, leaning her head on his shoulder. �This is a huge responsibility being named heir to such a vast empire, but all the turmoil you�re going to have to go through along with it is going to be so much to handle.�
�I know, and I�m not looking forward to any of that, because I know that people are going to be hurt. I wish that I could just walk away, but then trustees would run the company. I just feel like I�m in an impossible position.�
�Well, you still have some time, and I�m sure that when Sheridan gets home she will be able to help you make the right decision,� Kay said, confidently.
�I�m so glad that I told you about this Kay,� Evan said, hugging her. �I really feel a lot better now.�
�I�m glad that you told me too, but I do have a question,� she said, tentatively. �Are you going to be moving into the Crane mansion?�
�No way,� he said, adamantly. �Why, is that a problem for you?�
�Are you kidding, That place is so cold and impersonal. It looks like a mausoleum,� she said, breathing a sigh of relief.
*******************
Paloma was still in shock that her parents had left her here alone to baby-sit for Luke and Lily, and she was determined to prove to them that she could be trusted. The realtor had called earlier to say she had found a fabulous space for the restaurant, but if they didn�t meet her right away the property could be gone. At first, Pilar had declined, saying that Martin should go without her, but he refused, saying that he would not make a decision that important on his own. Since they had to leave within minutes, there was no time to get a babysitter to come all the way out there, and they had finally agreed to let her watch the children. Of course, not before she signed her name in blood, and suffered through the lecture by her father that this was the time to prove that she could be trusted. Her mother had given her a list of every emergency number known to man, and when she had innocently asked if it wouldn�t be easier to call 911, her father had shot her a look that made her feel like a serial killer. They had finally left with the promise that they would return within two hours, and to remember that she had precious lives in her hands.
The twins were sitting on the floor watching Blues Clues, and she was camped out in front of the sofa working on some charts for her science project, when her mother called. �Is everything okay there mija?� Pilar asked.
�Yes mama, everything is fine just the way it was when you called twenty minutes ago. The twins are watching their favorite program and I�m working on some homework.�
�I was not calling to check up on you,� Pilar said, feeling the need to assure her daughter. �I wanted you to know that we are going to be longer because we think that we have found the perfect property and we want to put a bid in, but if you need me to come home.............�
�Mama, you don�t need to come home. I promise that everything is fine here and I don�t want you to miss out on this opportunity.�
�Okay, but just remember that if you have any questions that I am only a phone call away,� Pilar told her.
�I know mama, and I promise that I�ll call you if anything comes up,� Paloma assured her.
�All right, I need to hang up now. Give the babies a kiss for me, and I want you to know that I am proud of the way you have handled this whole situation.�
�Thanks mama,� Paloma said, feeling warmed by her mother�s compliment. �I�m not going to let you down this time.�
After she hung up the phone, Paloma leaned over and gave Luke and Lily a kiss. �That was from abuela,� she said, and then planted a second kiss on them. �And that one was from me.�
�Snack Poma,� Lily said, rubbing her belly.
�Oh, are you guys hungry?� Paloma asked, feeling sorry for the twins.
They both shook their heads yes with pitiful looks on their faces. �Juice too,� Luke added.
�Okay, Aunt Paloma will get you something. What would you like to eat?�
�Peepee butter,� Luke shouted, excitedly.
�Would you like some jelly on your peanut butter sandwich?� Paloma asked them.
�Jelly too,� Lily told her.
�Just so you know that if I make you peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you are going to have to eat them at your little table in the sunroom. Your mommy doesn�t want you eating in the living room. Do you understand?�
�Yes Poma,� they told her in unison.
�Okay, I�m going to go make your snack, so I want you to sit right here and watch your show. I�ll be back in a few minutes,� she said, getting up to go into the kitchen.
If Paloma had had any idea that the twins had been eyeing her colored markers like a starving man would salivate over a T-bone steak; she would have never left them alone. The second she left the room, they hopped up and scurried over to where she was doing her project and each grabbed a fist full of the Sharpies and ran into the sunroom giggling over their new found treasures. The wall soon became their canvas and the little Picasso�s set out to experience their first lesson in art.
Paloma was just about ready to carry the tray out to the sunroom when she remembered that the twins had to have the crusts cut off of their bread. She put the tray down and decided to use a cookie cutter like Sheridan always did when preparing Luke and Lily�s sandwiches. She actually enjoyed cutting out the little shapes of kitty cats and rabbits, and when she was finally satisfied, she again started out for the sunroom. Her first inkling that something was not right, was when she found the living room empty and she prayed to God that nothing had happened to them. �Luke and Lily, where are you?� she called out frantically.
�Come see Poma,� Luke�s voice sounded from the direction of the sunroom.
�Okay, I�ll be right there,� she called back breathing a sigh of relief. When she entered the sunroom, the smile on her face froze when she saw the site that awaited her. Both twins were stained on their faces and hands with permanent ink, and the walls were covered with abstract scribbles of red, blue and green. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that these two little people could do so much damage in so little time. �Oh my God,� was all she could manage to choke out.
�Lookie Poma,� Lily said, wearing a little impish smile while pointing to the wall to show off her work.
�Big car,� Luke told her, pointing to his design.
�I can see that,� Paloma moaned, feeling like she was ready to lose the diet soda she had just consumed.
�Go potty now,� Lily told her taking off for the bathroom.
�Wait Lily, I don�t want you to touch a thing, and you Luke come with me,� she said, grabbing his grubby little hand.
After Lily used her potty-chair, Paloma marched them both upstairs and into a soapy bath. She scrubbed their faces and hands, and managed to get some of the marker off, but there were still visible signs that would eventually have to wear off with time. Now, all she had to do was go downstairs and see if she could manage to get the marker off of the walls. She had just wrapped the twins in fluffy white towels, when she heard her mother call out to her as she came into the front door.
�Buela�s home,� Luke said, excitedly.
�Pawpaw too,� Lily added.
�Okay you two, you better come over here and give Aunt Paloma a big kiss, because after today, I�ll probably be spending the rest of my life locked in my bedroom with only bread and water to keep me alive.�
********************
The last place Jordan wanted to be today was at the hospital where there was a chance that she would run into Noah, but Ivy had insisted that she keep her doctor�s appointment. Thankfully, Ethan had offered to bring her, because right now she was so angry with her mother she could just scream. Even after all of her protest, the woman had the audacity to invite Marsh to stay with them for a few days. All she had wanted to do was to be alone to wallow in her sorrows, but that idiot ex-boyfriend of hers was acting like her shadow every waking minute of the day. She still couldn�t believe that Noah had stood her up the other night for their date. Never would she have imagined that he would be the type to treat a woman that way. How could she have been so wrong about him? At first she had been suspicious that her mother was behind it, but after quizzing the maid, she had assured her that Noah had never made it to the house that night, nor had he called.
Ethan was leading her down the hall toward the doctor�s office when out of nowhere a body came flying around the corner and crashed right into them. Thankfully Ethan was behind Jordan and was able to catch her from falling. �Bennett? Ethan shouted. �Why in the hell don�t you watch where you�re going? You could have hurt Jordan.�
I am so sorry,� Noah said sincerely, putting his hands on her arms to steady her. �I got paged for an emergency. Are you okay Jordan�
�I�m fine, but you really are going to have to start watching where you�re going. It appears that you have a habit of mowing people over,� she said, pulling out of his grasp with a jerk, even though all she wanted to do was to fall into his arms.
�It wasn�t really necessary for you to man-handle my sister, since I had a hold on her,� Ethan said, arrogantly.
�Ethan, please, it�s over now,� Jordan said, trying to calm her brother down.
�Sorry, I don�t know what I was thinking,� Noah said back just as arrogantly. �Now, if you�ll excuse me, I need to get to my patient.�
�That jerk,� Ethan snapped, after Noah was gone.
�I guess it takes one to know one,� Jordan mumbled under her breath. �Was it really necessary to be so rude Ethan?�
�I can�t believe you Jordan. Mother told me about him standing you up. He�s lucky that I didn�t punch him in the face.�
That was the last thing that Jordan needed to be reminded of. Especially since she was still shaken from running into Noah. �Ethan, would you mind taking me to the ladies room?�
�Sure, it�s right here up ahead,� he said, walking her down the hall. �I�ll wait right here outside. Are you going to be okay in there by yourself?�
�Yes, I�ll be fine,� she said, going through the door. Feeling her way along the wall, she found an empty stall and slammed it shut just in time as the tears begin to fall. Ever since the night when Noah had stood her up, she had refused to give in to the pain she felt at his abandonment, but when he had touched her earlier all the walls came down. Why did he do this? She had been so convinced that he was really starting to care about her.
�Miss?� a lady said, knocking on the door. �Are you all right in there?
�Yes, I�m fine,� she said, using some tissue to wipe her tears away.
�Your brother sent me in here to check on you. Do you need some help?
�No, tell him I�ll be out there in a few minutes,� she replied, trying her best to make her voice sound normal.
********************
Salvador was beside himself with worry at having to call his employer to tell him the latest news. The Lopez-Fitzgerald�s had rented a car and left early this morning and he had yet to find out if they had left Madrid permanently. He would be dismissed for sure if he let them get away. He had even tried to deliver some flowers to them, insisting with the hotel clerk that he deliver them in person, but the man had told him that he could not reveal any information about the guests and to leave the flowers at the front desk. Not that he would have really gone to their room, had they been there, but he was trying everything he knew to find out if they were coming back to the hotel. Finally, unable to come up with any other plans, he placed the call that was expected of him.
�Sir, I am afraid that I have some bad news here,� Salvador said, gritting his teeth as he waited for the eruption on the other end of the line.
�What kind of bad news? Get on with it Salvador,� the man said, impatiently.
�I am afraid that I have lost the Lopez-Fitzgerald�s sir.............�
�You lost them? How can you lose two people Salvador?�
�Well sir, I found out that they rented a car and left early this morning and they have not come back. I do not know if they will ever come back.�
�They will come back. I am sure of it because they are scheduled to come to Valencia this weekend. I would have heard if they had changed their plans.�
�What should I do until they come back sir?� Salvador asked.
�Just keep an eye out for them there. If they do not come back by tomorrow, I want you to call me right away.�
�Yes sir, I will call you instantly.�
Salvador decided that he was not cut out for the job of a spy. His grandfather, as well as his father had always been wine makers, and that is all that he wanted for himself too. How had he gone from being a master wine maker for his employer, to participating in these clandestine activities? Especially since the man had more money than God, and could afford to hire the best private investigators in the country. But, he would do as he was asked because he was a loyal employee, and thanked the good lord above that this would be over by next week.
********************
Luis and Sheridan had taken a room at the Pintor el Greco a seventeen century structure in the heart of Juderia which had managed to maintain many of the details of it�s period. The hotel was named for its close proximity to the house where El Greco lived. The rooms were simply furnished, but it only seemed to add to the charm of the place. Luis, wearing one the robes provided by the hotel, had arranged for a romantic dinner to be brought to the room. He was just lighting the candles when Sheridan came out of the bathroom. He felt his heart beat faster when he saw her walk into the room, her beauty spellbinding. She was wearing a diaphanous white gown made of the finest Spanish lace that flowed around her body like a mysterious cloud. �Sheridan, where did you get that............?
�You are not the only one that can pull off a surprise,� she said, giving him a smile that melted his heart. �Remember when we were shopping and I told you that I had to step into that shop to use the powder room?�
�Oh, so that�s how you did it, but I�m still confused. How did you get it out of there without me seeing it?�
�Hey, some day you men are going to understand why women carry large purses,� she chuckled. �The sales lady thought I was crazy when I declined the shopping bag.�
�Well, it doesn�t matter how you did it, I�m very happy that you were able to pull it off. You look so beautiful,� he said, with a rough timber to his voice.
�Thank you. That dinner smells wonderful. Do you think I might get something to eat?�
�I�m sorry, I�m forgetting my manners. Would you care to join me for dinner madam?� he said, pulling out the chair for her.
�I would love to join you for dinner,� she said, moving toward him with a gentle sway to her hips.
When she took her place in front of the chair, he couldn�t resist leaning in to brush her neck with his lips causing a shiver to run through her body. �Your skin feels so soft.�
�Maybe I better sit down before I fall down............�
�Don�t worry, I will always be here to catch you..........�
�I know that,� she said, taking her seat.
Luis moved around the table and took his seat, and offered to pour her a glass of wine, which she readily accepted. They dined on a meal of roast lamb covered with a chilindron sauce and fresh roasted vegetables. Sheridan proposed a toast to the perfect ending to a perfect day, but Luis reminded her that the day was not over yet. When dinner was finished, they took their wine and stood at the window to take in the lights of the city. �Look over there Sheridan,� Luis said, pointing to some lights up on the ridge. �There is the monastery, and if you follow my finger just a few inches, you can see our special place.�
�Yes, I think that is the spot Luis. Isn�t it beautiful?�
�Not as beautiful as the woman standing right in front of me,� he said, turning her around to face him. �I have to kiss you Sheridan. I�ve waited far too long.�
�Yes,� she managed, just as his head descended to cover her lips in a tender kiss. It started out as a gentle exploration that stole her breath away, but when he slipped his tongue inside to taste the inner regions of her mouth she groaned out loud with pleasure.
�Come,� he whispered, taking her hand to lead her toward the bed. �I want this to be the most romantic night of your life.�
�I want that for you too,� she said, working the sash of his robe until it fell open allowing her to push it from his body. As she gazed at his naked form in the misty light, she would have sworn that he was a tempting thief sent to steal her heart away. �Make love to me Luis.�
�My pleasure,� he said, huskily, slipping the straps of her gown off her shoulders, down to her waist, until it ended up in a puddle around her feet. He pulled her toward him, kissing her once again, but this time it was all-consuming, robbing her of her very soul.
Suddenly, they were lying on the bed. He started with his hands touching every inch of her, and then repeated the path he had just taken, but this time using his mouth and his tongue. His movements were slow and precise, bringing her to a fevered pitch that ignited a flame sure to burn out of control.
�Luis,� she cried out, tearing at the sheets with her fist. �Please, you�re killing me.�
�Are you ready?� he asked, touching her intimately. �Oh bello, I can feel that you are so ready.�
�I need you now Luis,� she demanded, running her hands over his back, pulling him closer. �Don�t make me beg.�
�My God,� he groaned, moving forward to connect them in the most intimate way shared by lovers. They easily found their rhythm, pushed it to the limits, until finally a shattering explosion took them to a place where they had never been before. After they rested in each other�s arms, their romantic night began all over again.
Chapter 6
Sheridan always loved these moments when they were lying in each other�s arms, relaxed and satisfied right after making love. She could feel Luis� heart beat against her cheek still pounding wildly from their passionate joining. Even though she had decided not to obsess about it, she secretly hoped that they had made a child together tonight. The day had been pure perfection and to have another sweet little baby as a symbol of their love for each other would be a dream come true. �Luis,� she purred. �You sure know how to do romance.� When he didn�t respond, she thought perhaps he had fallen asleep, so she rose up to look at him, and found him wide awake staring at the ceiling. �Luis, did you hear me?�
�I�m sorry sweetheart,� he said, turning his head toward her. �What did you say?�
�Honey, is everything all right? You look like you�re a million miles away.�
�Everything is perfect,� he said, flashing her a smile. �This is a day that I will never forget.�
�I think you forgot whom you�re talking to here,� she reminded him. �I know you Luis, and I can tell when there is something bothering you.�
�You�re right,� he admitted. �I�m sorry Sheridan. I was just thinking about that boy at the monastery today.�
�You really bonded with Dario, didn�t you? It doesn�t surprise me though because he seemed like a special little boy.�
�Yeah, he really is,� Luis agreed. �I know it sounds ridiculous, but I really felt a connection to him.�
�I don�t think that it is ridiculous at all. You have a big heart and you sensed that he was a lonely little boy.�
�His eyes just looked so sad Sheridan, but the more I talked with him, the more he opened up to me. It was like he was starved for somebody to show him some attention. He wants to go to America so badly, and he has all of these dreams about doing well in his schoolwork so he can make enough money to go there some day. He should be playing ball with his friends and building tree houses, not worrying about making money.�
�I know, and what�s really sad is Father Bautista said that Dario�s been there longer than the other children because nobody wants to adopt an older child. I can only image how he feels when he sees all of the other children come and go, while he gets passed over. It�s just heartbreaking,� she said, sadly.
�Isn�t there something we could do to help him?� Luis asked in a frustrated voice. � I just feel like if we drive out of here tomorrow I�ll be deserting him.�
A thoughtful Sheridan contemplated the situation until finally a smile broke out on her face. �I think I may have just thought of a way to get Dario adopted and to the United States,� she said, hopping out of bed to retrieve her purse. She pulled her little black phone book out and reached for the receiver.
�Wait Sheridan, who are you calling?�
�It�s still early at home, so I�m calling Father Anthony.�
�Father Anthony?�
�Yes, don�t you remember Luis that I helped Father Anthony set up those centers for the homeless children? He works closely with all of the agencies to get these children adopted to loving homes. I remember that he was even instrumental in helping some families adopt some babies from Bosnia. Surely he knows a couple that would be open to adopting an older child. Don�t you see we can not only find Dario a permanent home, but he will be able to go to America?�
�Sheridan, you are brilliant,� Luis said, excitedly.
�Thank you. You are too sweetie,� she said, dialing the number. �Father Anthony, this is Sheridan Lopez-Fitzgerald. How are you...............?�
Luis watched the play of expressions on Sheridan�s face as she relayed the facts to Father Anthony about Dario�s situation. Her eyes would fill with excitement at one moment, and disappointment the next, but by the time she hung up the hope that he saw there was encouraging, making him let out the breath he was holding. �So, don�t keep me in suspense. What did Father Anthony say?�
�Well, he said that he knew of several families that would love to adopt a boy of Dario�s age, but the process of foreign adoption could take months with all of the red tape and paperwork. He also said that it could take a while to get Dario a visa, but I then reminded him that Dario�s birth parents were American.�
�Okay, so that has to make this possible then?� Luis said, hopefully.
�Yes, but if Dario�s birth records are sealed we would not have access to his birth certificate and we would need that to prove his citizenship.�
�Damn, there has to be something we can do,� Luis said with exasperation.
�Well Father Anthony said that there is a possibility that a judge can order the records to be unsealed temporarily to satisfy immigration, but he is no expert on the court system over here. He advised that we get a lawyer if we were serious about this.�
�Then that�s exactly what we�ll do,� Luis said with determination. �We can hire that attorney that helped papa get home from France.�
�You know, I think you�re pretty amazing,� she said, walking toward him. �You are just the kindest, sweetest man alive.�
�Before you put in a petition with the Vatican to have me canonized as a saint maybe you should come over here and lay down beside me, because suddenly I don�t feel like being good.�
�Oh, I do like it when you are being bad too;� she laughed softly while sliding into the sheets beside him. �So tell me, how can you change gears from being the kind humanitarian to the lusty pirate so quickly?�
�I have to be adaptable to quick change with a woman like you around,� he chuckled. �By the way, isn�t it sacrilegious to talk with a man of the cloth when you�re all naked and sexy like that?�
�I�m really not sure, but if it is, why don�t we keep it our little secret?� she said, moving on top of him. �Now, I think it�s your turn to be ravished. You were so generous to me earlier and I want to show you that I can be a very giving person too.�
�You know it�s not easy for me to give over the control, but in this case I�ll make an exception. Have your way with me bello,� he said, huskily.
�Now, you just lie there and let me kiss every inch of your body, and I�m not going to stop until you�re screaming out my name. You�re not allowed to touch me unless I tell you to. Do you understand the rules Luis?�
�Hell, I don�t know,� he groaned. �I stopped thinking with my brain back when you said you were going to ravish me.............�
********************
When Jordan awakened that morning she could see again. It had happened gradually over the last several days when she had started to notice the lines becoming sharper and the colors more vivid, but never in her wildest dreams would she have believed that her sight would be back to normal again this quickly. The first thing she did was jump out of bed to run and stand in front of the mirror to check out her appearance. There were still signs of the head wound she had suffered from her fall, but it looked to be fading. She picked up her brush and combed her bangs down and was quite satisfied that she had managed to disguise the red mark. Her eyebrows however were a different story. It was definitely time for a wax job because she was starting to look like a Romanian peasant woman. It was odd that she was standing here worrying about her eyebrows when she should be running around the house shouting with joy, but for some reason she wasn�t ready to share her good news with her family yet. This was one miracle that she wanted to savor alone for a while.
After a long hot shower, Jordan headed downstairs to breakfast feeling more lighthearted than she had in weeks. She was just about ready to enter the dining room when she heard her mother say her name. It was not normally in her nature to eavesdrop, but an inner voice told her to not reveal herself just yet.
�So Marsh, have you managed to bring Jordan to her senses yet?� Ivy asked.
�I�m afraid that I�m not making a lot of progress. You have a very stubborn daughter Mrs. Crane.�
�I really wish that you would call me Ivy. Mrs. Crane makes me feel like an old matron,� Ivy laughed. �I don�t understand what Jordan�s problem is. She used to be so crazy about you.�
�I think she�s still angry about our breakup, but that�s not the only problem,� Marsh told her sullenly. �I have a feeling that she still has Noah Bennett on her mind.�
�Surely not,� Ivy said, surprised. �She hates him now. I made sure of that............�
Oh God, what was her mother talking about? She barely had time to dissect the meaning when the maid approached her from behind. �Miss Jordan, how did you manage to get down here by yourself?� Janette asked with concern.
Jordan made the split decision right then to keep the news of regaining her sight a secret for now. There was definitely something rotten going on here and she had every intention of getting to the bottom of this conspiracy. �Well Janette, I�m tired of having a nursemaid so I took the elevator. You forget that I can still see some fuzzy figures, so I�m not completely incapacitated.�
�Yes Miss Jordan, but I would feel better if you let me assist you. Why don�t you let me lead you into the dining room and you can give me your order for breakfast?�
�Okay, thank you Janette,� Jordan said, giving the maid her arm.
�Jordan, you look lovely this morning,� Ivy greeted her. �Did Janette help you apply your makeup?�
�No mother. I�m becoming quite adapted to doing things on my own. You know what they say, practice makes perfect, and as you know I am a very determined person.�
�I certainly won�t argue with you about that,� Marsh said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
�Oh Marsh, are you still here?� Jordan asked, in a disinterested voice. �Didn�t you mother teach you about wearing out your welcome?�
�Jordan!� Ivy said, horrified. �I can�t believe you would be so rude to Marsh.�
�Calm down mother, he knows that I�m just teasing. Don�t you Marsh?�
�Jordan always was quite the kidder,� Marsh said, flashing her a contemptuous look.
I saw that you little weasel, and when I find out what you are up to I�m going to send you back to your mommy with your tail between your legs. �So, what were you all talking about when I came into the room?� she asked out loud. �I could have sworn I heard my name.� Oh yes, there it is, that look like they were caught with their hands in the cookie jar. She couldn�t wait to hear her mother�s explanation.
�Well, we were discussing our dinner plans for tonight. I was telling Marsh that I thought it would be lovely for us to all go out to the Seascape. We both agreed that an evening out would be so good for you. We�ll make it a family event, and Ethan can even invite Gwen along.�
�I think dinner out tonight is exactly what I need,� Jordan agreed. �Especially after my terrible experience at the hospital the other day.�
�Why, what happened at the hospital? The doctor didn�t give you bad news that you aren�t telling me about did he?� Ivy asked, truly concerned this time.
�No mother, it was nothing like that. The doctor said nothing had changed, but............, I did run into Noah Bennett.............�
�Noah Bennett?� Ivy asked, not even trying to disguise the fear in her voice. �What did he say to you?�
�Well,� she said, and then hesitated for the maximum effect. Oh mother, I can see the terror in your eyes. You are so afraid that Noah and I were able to put two and two together to unmask your plan to break us up. If I wasn�t convinced before, I certainly am now. �Not much really. You know how Ethan is always the protective brother, and Noah had an emergency he had to get to. It still was quite difficult running into him...........�
�Well, from now on I�m going to insist that the doctor come here to treat you,� Ivy said, with a look of relief. �The Cranes practically own that hospital and that is the least that they can do.�
�Thank you mother, I would really appreciate that,� Jordan said, gratefully.
********************
Across town the Bennett�s were also sitting down to breakfast, when Sam made the announcement that the town council had just voted to give him a raise. He also told them that he was taking the family out for a celebratory dinner at the Seascape tonight. When Grace protested that it was too expensive, he reminded her that they both worked hard and there was nothing wrong with splurging for a special occasion. As Grace looked to all the animated faces of her family, she couldn�t help but notice that Noah seemed to be so withdrawn, and it worried her. �Noah, I hope that your studies aren�t going to prevent you from joining us tonight?�
�I don�t think that I can come mom. I have midterms right now, and I really need to study, but don�t let that stop you all from going.�
�Come on Noah,� Kay protested. �I have midterms too and, but it� s not going to kill you to take a couple of hours off to come and have dinner with us.�
�Yes, please come,� Jessica joined in to champion Kay�s cause. �It wouldn�t be the same without you.�
�Now girls, we all want your brother to be there, but it�s more important that he puts his studies first,� Sam told them. �There will be plenty of other family dinners later.�
�I�ll tell you what. Let me see how my anatomy mid-term goes today, and if I�m not too stressed out I�ll go tonight,� Noah placated them. �Now, if you�ll all excuse me, I need to get to school. I�m getting together with my study group to review before the test today.�
As soon as Noah walked out of the kitchen, Grace followed him with the excuse that she forgot to tell her son something. �Noah, wait,� she called out, just as he was getting ready to walk out the front door.
�What is it mom?�
�I know that you�re in a hurry to get to your study group, but I was wondering if you could spare me a couple of minutes?�
�Sure, is everything okay?�
�Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing,� Grace said, hesitantly.
�I�m fine mom, I just have a lot on my mind with midterms and everything,� he said, brushing off her concern.
�I think that it�s more than that. You�re a good student Noah and I have never seen you get this way when you had midterms before. I�m not trying to pry into your life; it�s just that I�m worried about you.�
�Please don�t worry about me mom, I�m going to be fine,� he said, touched by her concern.
�Does this have something to do with Jordan Crane?�
�Why would you ask about her?� he said, stiffening.
�Because, I could tell that you were really starting to care about her. Your eyes would just light up whenever you mentioned her name, but lately I haven�t heard you even talk about her, and you�ve been so withdrawn.............�
�Look mom, I really appreciate your concern, but the last thing I want to discuss right now is Jordan Crane, so if you don�t mind I really need to get to school,� he said, kissing her on the cheek.
�Okay,� Grace said, wisely dropping the subject. �Good luck on your test today.�
�Thanks mom, and by the way why, could you tell dad that I�ve decided that I can make dinner tonight after all?�
********************
If painting the walls was the worse thing that was going to happen from this experience, Paloma was thankful for small favors. She still couldn�t believe that her father had actually laughed when he saw the twins� masterpiece on the walls, but that didn�t happen until after his initial look of shock. Luckily, he had found some extra paint in the basement, and informed her that if would give her something to do on Saturday. So, here she was rolling away feeling all of the little splatters hitting her hair and eyelashes, and trying to ignore Luke and Lily�s pleas to let them come into the sunroom. Martin had put up the child gate to keep the little scamps at bay, but they did not like it one bit.
�Poma, me pate,� Luke called out to her.
�Me too Poma,� Lily echoed.
�Oh I don�t think so you little baby con artists,� she said, dipping her roller into the tray to replenish her paint. �I�ve caught on to your game now, and you won�t fool me so easily the next time.� Then she made the fatal mistake of looking toward them and melted when she saw their little sweet faces looking through the lattice work of the gate. Their bottom lips were sticking out, their eyes all big and pleading, and once again she caved to their charms. �Oh darn,� she groaned, putting the roller down, to walk up and squat down in front of them. �Look you two, Aunt Paloma would love to have you come in and help, but you�re just too little yet, and we would make the biggest mess. If that happens, pawpaw would ground me for the rest of my life, and you don�t want that to happen do you?�
�Yes,� they both chanted, shaking their heads up and down.
�No, I don�t think you understand............. Oh, never mind. Look, why don�t you go and watch the tape that abuela put in for you. Please, will you just do that for Aunt Paloma?� she begged.
�Bye bye Poma,� they said, running off.
�Thank God,� she sighed. �Now, I can relax and get this job done.� Paloma put on her headphones and started rolling to the music, never hearing Luke push his little wooden bench to the gate. It was just tall enough for him to crawl over the gate and Lily followed right behind him. Paloma was singing along with the music, when she felt someone grab her leg. She looked down to see Lily smiling up at her, and Luke was in the process of picking up the paintbrush. �No Luke, don�t touch that,� she shouted, flinging off her headphones.
�Me pate,� Luke told her.
�No sweetie, you can�t do that,� she said, taking the brush from him.
Lily had picked the stick up that was used to stir the paint and was dragging it across the wall. �See Poma, pretty,� she said, flashing her aunt an elfin smile.
�Mama, papa, help,� Paloma shouted
�Mija, what is it? How did they get in there?� Pilar asked, standing at the gate.
�What�s going on?� Martin asked, coming up behind her. �What the devil are they doing in there?�
�I don�t know,� Paloma said, in a frazzled voice. �They�re like little McGeyver�s or something. I swear papa, I didn�t do anything.�
�I know you didn�t,� Martin said, comforting his daughter. �It appears that the children figured out that they could get over the gate if they pushed their bench up to the side. Come on; let me help you get this finished.�
�Come children, your mama and papa are on the phone, and they are anxious to speak to you,� Pilar told them, taking their hands.
�Mama, dada,� they said, excitedly, running along with Pilar.
When they got to the phone, Pilar put it on speaker. �Sorry, we had a little bit of a problem, but we are here now.�
�Mama, what the heck is going on there?� Luis asked.
�Mijo, it is a long story,� Pilar said, trying to avoid the subject.
�That�s okay mama, we have time.�
�Well, Paloma was painting the sunroom and the twins found a way to crawl over the gate.............�
�Hold on Pilar,� Sheridan said, interrupting her. �Why is Paloma painting the sunroom?�
�Hi mama,� Lily called out to her.
�Hi sweetie,� Sheridan replied fondly. �Could you let abuela talk first and then mommy and daddy will talk to you and Luke. So Pilar, why was Paloma painting the sunroom?�
�Well, the other day the twins got a hold of some markers that Paloma was using for a project and they decided it might be fun to write on the walls. We just feel terrible about this, but I promise it is only one wall............�
�They did what?� Sheridan asked, astounded.
�You heard her Sheridan. It appears that our little munchkins have been drawing,� Luis said, laughing.
�You think this is funny?� Sheridan asked, shocked.
�Come on Sheridan, every little kid colors on the wall. Didn�t you when you were little?�
�Are you kidding, my father would have killed me,� she said, aghast.
�Dada, I pate,� Luke told them.
�Yeah Sport, daddy heard you were a quite the little artist. You know that you�re supposed to color on paper and not the walls.�
�Hi dadee,� Lily squealed.
�Hi Peanut. Have you and your brother been getting into trouble?�
�No dadee,� Lily said, giggling.
�That�s not what we heard Lily,� Sheridan said. �You know that abuela and pawpaw have been really nice to stay with you while we are in Spain and mommy and daddy would really like it if you were good for them.�
�We good mama,� Luke told her sheepishly.
�Of course you are
good sweetie, but there are times when you do things that are not acceptable.
Just make sure that you ask abuela or pawpaw before you do something.
Why don�t you say bye now to mommy and daddy, because we need to talk to
abuela for a minute? I love you very much, and I wish that I could be there to
give you a big kiss.�
�Bye munchkins,� Luis said. �I love you too, but just remember I told abuela that she could put you in time out if you misbehaved.�
�Bye bye,� they both said, running off to play.
�We are so sorry Pilar,� Sheridan apologized.
�They really are being good Sheridan. They are just discovering things around them.�
�Maybe so mama, but that should not give them free reign to run around doing whatever they want. They have to be taught some boundaries.�
�I know that mijo, but I do not think they are heading toward juvenile delinquency just yet,� Pilar laughed. �So, how is your vacation going?�
�Oh Pilar, we had the most wonderful trip to Toledo,� Sheridan gushed. �There is so much to tell you about that time, but I�m afraid we�ll have to save that for when we get home. Luis and I drove to Valencia this morning, and this place is just beautiful.�
�Yeah mama, you should see this place. This villa is right on the Mediterranean, and the water is the most brilliant color of turquoise,� Luis said, excitedly.
�Yes mijo, I am very familiar with the area. I have always thought that it was one of the most beautiful places in Spain........... You do know that this phone call is going to cost you a small fortune,� Pilar said, changing the subject.
�I suppose you�re right,� Luis agreed. �Will you kiss the kids for us?�
�Of course I will,� Pilar promised.
�I can not believe those little stinkers,� Sheridan said, after they hung up. �It figures that they would start going wild when we�re not there.�
�Honey, they�re just being mischievous. I wouldn�t worry too much about them. Now, come outside on the veranda with me so that we can look at the view,� he said, taking her hand.
�Oh this is magnificent Luis. Just smell the sea air, and can you believe that we have our own private beach?� she said, her smile filled with promise.
�You know I haven�t decided yet which is my favorite part of Spain, but that private beach could just be the determining factor,� he said, nuzzling her neck.
�The travel agent said that there is an off shore sand bar that formed the lagoon down there, and with those large rock formations on either side gives us the perfect private spot to sunbathe and swim.�
�I hope that�s not all that you wanted to use the beach for,� he said, taking her into his arms.
�Of course not,� she chuckled. �You don�t think that we are going to let all that practicing we did at home go to waste do you? We�re trained and in great condition, so I don�t see any reason why we can�t act out my dream.�
�And just when I thought that this trip couldn�t get any better,� he groaned, right before he planted a passionate kiss on her lips.
Chapter 7
Valencia was a city with all the character of a large Mediterranean town, noted for its pleasant, mild climate and white sandy beaches. Its wide avenues (Grandes Vias), lined with palm and fig trees encircle the old quarter with narrow streets, quaint, old-fashioned shops and Gothic houses. Inland at the base of the sierras was lush, fertile farmland with the perfect climate for growing oranges, olives and grapes. The villa that Luis and Sheridan had rented was actually north of the city, just above the tourist resorts in a secluded area allowing them privacy but easy access to the city. Sheridan reminded Luis that they had yet to do any shopping for souvenirs for the family. She especially wanted to get something nice for Martin and Pilar for staying with the children. They came upon a shop that sold beautiful hand made silver and found an intricately carved chess set for Martin, and a delicate silver necklace inlayed with copper and gold threads for Pilar. There were also silver earrings for Theresa and Paloma, as well as a ring for Miguel. They were on their way out of the shop when Sheridan spotted a child�s bracelet that was tiny enough to fit around Lily�s wrist.
�Oh Luis, we just have to get this for Lily,� Sheridan said, excitedly. �Have you ever seen anything so precious?�
�My God, it�s so small, I could almost wear if for a ring,� he said, picking it up to hold it in the palm of his hand. �Do you really think that she would keep this on for more than ten minutes?�
�I think that she would. You know how she loves to try my jewelry on, and she would only be allowed to wear it for special occasions.�
�Okay, go ahead, but don�t complain to me when you have to call a plumber to come and dig it out of the drain of the commode,� he teased.
�You�re crazy, you know that,� she giggled. �Come on, let�s go pay for this and get some lunch.�
�Sounds good to me,� Luis said, rubbing his stomach. �You really gave me a workout this morning and I�m starving.�
�Well, I suggest that you fortify yourself, because I have extremely big plans for you tonight, and you�re going to have to be in top form,� she whispered hotly in his ear.
�You really are going to be the death of me yet.............�
They found a cafe with a rooftop terrace with a view to the sea, and dined on Catalan pan con tomate, a bread rubbed with cut tomato and sprinkled with olive oil and butifarra sausage. The waiter convinced them to have dessert, so they indulged, and ordered crema catalana which was unfamiliar to Sheridan. �So tell me Luis, what does this concoction consist of? I can�t believe that I�ve never had it before in my travels to Spain.�
�You are in for a real treat. Mama used to make it on the holidays. It�s a creamy custard with all this gooey caramel sauce all over the top.�
�It sounds delicious, but I hope you know that we are going to have to do some more shopping so that I can work all of this lunch off,� she announced with a disarming smile.
�But Sheridan, I thought we already got that out of the way? I was hoping that we could go back to the villa and make good use of that white sandy beach,� he suggested with a twinkle in his eye.
�I promise that we are going to get plenty of use out of that beach, but we still haven�t bought presents for the children, and you know we promised them,� she reminded him.
�We got Lily the bracelet............�
�I know, but we still haven�t gotten anything for our little Lukie poo, and I still would like to get them some other things. Don�t you remember we promised them that we would bring them presents?�
�Maybe so, but with the way that they have been behaving lately maybe we shouldn�t reward them with a bunch of surprises.�
�Oh come on Luis, give them a break,� she said, getting the twins� picture out of her purse. �I realize that they�ve been a little mischievous lately, but just look at those sweet little faces and think about them being filled with excitement when they see what we�ve brought them. Besides, the sooner we get this over with the sooner we can enjoy the privacy of the beach.�
�Okay stop,� he laughed. �You are ruthless when you�re working me. As soon as we�re done with dessert we�ll go munchkin shopping.�
In the process of shopping for Luke and Lily, Sheridan found a beautiful jacket made out of the softest Cordoba leather, and insisted on buying it for Luis. He protested of course, until she informed him that if she didn�t buy it now then she would buy it later, so he finally relented. The fit was perfect, and he looked so roguishly handsome it made Sheridan all warm inside. Luis was the one that discovered a tiny leather jacket very similar to the one that Sheridan was purchasing for him, and knew that he had to have it to give to Luke. The little boy was always so proud to have something like his daddy�s, and they both agreed that he would love it. They also found a doll for Lily that was dressed in traditional Spanish clothing, and a wooden, hand-carved train set for Luke. In the same shop they also purchased for both of the twins, some wooden, hand-carved string puppets painted in beautiful bright colors.
�I hope you know that poor Evan is going to have to take a class to be a puppeteer now,� Luis reminded her, laughing.
�Oh, I know,� she agreed. �By the time that Luke and Lily get though with him, he will be building a puppet stand so that he can perform shows for them.�
�Well, I guess we have one more stop to make before we go back to the villa,� Luis said.
�For what?� Sheridan asked, puzzled. �I think that we pretty much covered everything all ready.�
�We�re going to have to buy a trunk to get all of this stuff home in,� Luis complained, sending Sheridan into peals of laughter.
********************
Jordan was getting a headache from the strain of keeping up this ruse, but she was determined to continue until she got to the bottom of her mother�s scheme. Thank God that Ethan and Gwen were here or she would have gone crazy from listening to her mother and Marsh prattle on about all of the latest gossip of the rich and famous. She had just taken a sip of her wine when she saw the Bennett family walking into the dining area of the Seascape. Her heart started beating faster, just seeing Noah again for the first time in the weeks since her accident. He was still so handsome, even more so than she remembered, and she hoped with every fiber of her being that there was a logical explanation for him not showing up the night of their date. Her gut feeling told her that it had something to do with her mother�s manipulation, but there was always the chance that whatever Ivy was up to had nothing to do with Noah�s behavior. But, she was sure of one thing, and that was she was not going to rest until she found out the truth.
Poor Gwen, oblivious to all of the drama surrounding her, opened her mouth to point out that the Bennett�s were here, but Ivy gave her that look, stopping the words from coming out of her mouth. It was so obvious to Jordan that her mother didn't want her to know that Noah was here, and she was also sure why that was the case. Ivy was definitely afraid that she and Noah were going to talk and put two and two together, and Jordan made up her mind that she was not leaving here tonight until she made that happen. As luck would have it, the Bennett's table was situated in just a place where she could look across to Noah without giving away her secret. She caught him looking at her too several times, and she could read the longing in his eyes, but there was something else there too, that she was not prepared for and that was anger. What had she done to deserve his anger? Now, more than ever she felt the need to speak with him, and she decided that when the opportunity came, she was going to jump on it.
Across the room, Noah was wishing that he had not come here tonight. He really did want to have this celebration with his family, but seeing Jordan sitting there next to her boyfriend was not an easy experience for him. He had been so close to losing his heart to this woman and he felt so raw inside right now. She looked so beautiful and vulnerable sitting there, and it was hard to believe that she would just turn him away without a second thought. But she had, and he was determined to never let her get under his skin again. From now on his becoming a doctor was going to take precedence in his life again, and he wasn�t going to let some fickle woman get in the way of that. Now, if only he could get his sister to quit bothering him he would be content, but she was nudging him with her elbow right now, and he couldn�t avoid her any longer. �What is it Kay?� he whispered.
�I want to know what�s going on between you and Jordan,� she whispered back.
�Look Kay, now is not the time to discuss this, so would you please drop the subject.�
�No, I am not going to drop the subject. Why won�t you even go over there and talk to her, and who is that guy sitting beside her?�
�If you must know that is Jordan�s old boyfriend, and apparently she is back together with him, so would you please just leave this alone?�
�Oh, I�m so sorry Noah,� she told him, feeling terrible. �I had no idea.�
�Kay, is there something going on between you and Noah?� Evan asked from the other side of her.
�I�ll tell you about it later, but you�ve been strangely quiet yourself Evan. Are you okay?�
�I�m sorry Kay, it�s just seeing Ethan over there smiling and happy, knowing that I�m going to be the cause of his world falling apart. I just hate this.�
�I know that you do, but this is not your fault, and I know that you�ll think of a way to make this right for everyone involved,� she assured him.
�I wish that I could believe that Kay, but I don�t see how there is any way of getting through this without somebody being hurt in the process.�
�Why don�t you come and dance with me, and maybe it will take your mind off of this depressing stuff for now,� Kay suggested.
�Okay,� he said, finally smiling. �I think that is just the thing I need.�
Miguel and Charity, and Kay and Reese followed suit, leaving Noah there along with his parents. Grace couldn�t help but sense her son�s apparent pain, nor could she miss the fact that Jordan Crane seemed to be the cause of that. She had to do something to get his mind off of her. �Hey, you�re not too cool to dance with your old mother are you?� she jokingly asked her son. �I don�t think that your dad would mind, would you Sam?�
�Of course not,� Sam said, smiling. �Just promise to bring your mother back so that I can have the next slow song.�
�Look mom, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but I really don�t mind being the odd man out here,� he said, teasingly. �Why don�t you and dad go and dance, because I need to go to the men�s room anyway.�
�Are you sure about that son?� Sam asked.
�Sure I am,� he said, motioning for them to take the dance floor. �You two don�t have many occasions to go out dancing.�
The second that Jordan saw Noah get up from the table she went into action. �I really have a headache suddenly, so I think that if I just take some aspirin and sit in the ladies� lounge for a little while I will feel much better. Would you mind walking me Gwen?�
�Of course I will,� Gwen said, standing to help her up.
Ivy, who had been intently watching Grace and Sam on the dance floor, turned her head to focus on her daughter. �Jordan, if you feel that badly, maybe Marsh could drive you home.�
�No, really mother, I�m not going to disrupt everyone�s evening just because I have a little headache. I know I�ll be fine if I can just get to a quiet place and let the medication start to work.�
�Well, okay dear. You know what�s best,� Ivy said, turning her head back toward the dance floor.
Jordan had no idea what was keeping her mother�s attention focused on that dance floor, nor did she care, because whatever it was distracted her from seeing Noah leave the room. When she and Gwen arrived at the ladies� room, Jordan told Gwen to go back to the dining room, and she would let the attendant know when she felt better. �It�s okay Gwen really,� she insisted.
�Are you sure Jordan, because I will be happy to sit with you..............�
�I�ll be fine Gwen,� she insisted. �Go back and join Ethan. I don�t want your dinner to get cold.�
As soon as Gwen was gone Jordan quickly made her way to stand in front of the door to the mens� room, and wait for Noah to come out. After ten minutes went by, she became worried that somehow she had missed him on her way to the ladies� room. Five more minutes passed by, and she finally had to admit that he must have gone because there was no way a man would be in there for that long. Feeling dejected, she headed back to where Gwen had left her, and that is when she saw him walk through the front door. He must have gone outside for a breath of fresh air. Their eyes met, and she saw the realization in his. He knew that she could see, and the joy on his face made her heart sing and filled her with hope. �Noah, I have to talk to you.�
�Jordan, I can�t believe this. You can see,� he said, approaching her with a smile on his face. �I don�t understand though. In the dining room ...............�
�I know Noah, I woke up this morning and I could see, but I haven�t told my family yet.�
�But I don�t understand............�
�I know this must seem crazy to you, but I have my reasons, and I�ll explain, but we have to get out of sight,� she pleaded.
�Okay, let�s go back outside. We can go for a walk around the back of the building,� he said, grabbing her hand to lead her out of the door. �Sorry,� he said, letting go of her hand. �I guess I�m just used to helping you since your accident.�
�I don�t mind,� she said, gracing him with a smile.
�Okay Jordan, do you care to explain why I feel like we�re in an episode of Alias here?� Noah asked after they got outside. �What�s with all the secrecy stuff?�
�Let�s just say that I overheard my mother say something that led me to believe that she did something to come between us and I just have to know why you never showed up for our date that night?�
�Come on Jordan, are you serious? You had to know that I was there when you got my flowers. Why are you playing these games with me?� he demanded.
�I�m not playing games with you............. Wait a minute, did you say flowers? I never got any flowers.�
�But, I gave them to your mother and told her to give them to you. What difference does it make anyway. It was obvious to me that you could have cared less if I was there or not.�
�That is simply not true,� she said, adamantly. �Why did you leave Noah?�
�Because your mother told me that you had decided to get back together with your old boyfriend. I didn�t believe her at first, but then I saw you kissing him.............�
�Oh my God, I don�t believe the nerve of that woman,� Jordan said, furiously. �Listen to me Noah. I have not gotten back with my old boyfriend. In fact, I can�t stand the guy, and if you would have stuck around for a few more minutes that night you would have heard me slap the stuffing out of him for kissing me that way.�
�Okay, you say that you haven�t gotten back together with him, then why is he still here?� Noah asked, skeptically.
�Because my
interfering mother has decided that she doesn�t want us to be together. She is
the one that invited him to stay against my protest. Don�t you see what
she�s done here? She set us up and we both fell into her trap. I thought that
you just golly
off and never showed up and you thought that I was back with my old
boyfriend.�
�My God, how could she be so vindictive? She must really disapprove of me to orchestrate something like this.�
�I don�t know what her motivation is, but the important thing is that we found out about her schemes. I guess the big question now is do you still have any feelings for me, or has my mother destroyed that? I mean I really wouldn�t blame you if you never wanted to have anything to do with me again, because I know that I�m more trouble than I�m worth..............�
�Jordan, would you please be quiet,� Noah said, grabbing her shoulders. �All I need from you is to look me in the eyes and tell me that you still want to be with me.�
�Yes Noah, more than anything,� she said, feeling tears come to her eyes. �I�ve been so miserable these last few weeks and I missed you so much.�
�That�s all I needed to hear,� he said, smiling. �Now I will admit that you are trouble, but you�re definitely worth it, because you�ve gotten under my skin Jordan Crane, and I think that it�s about time that I kissed you. Oh, and by the way, did I tell you how happy I am that you got your sight back.............�
�Noah, now it�s your turn to be quiet,� she said, wrapping her arms around him.
Noah groaned and pulled her close, lowering his head to kiss her passionately. They kissed like they were starved for one another, hands caressing and exploring. He backed her into the shadows, against the wall and cupped her bottom with his hands to lift her against him. They were so lost in each other, growing out of control. �Oh God, Jordan, Jordan............,� Noah, moaned between kisses.
�Jordan, are you out here?� a voice called.
�I�m here Noah, I�m here,� she sighed, huskily.
�Jordan, please answer me,� a voice called fearfully. �Jordan..........�
Noah was the first one to pull out of their sexual haze long enough to realize that somebody was out there looking for her. �Jordan, sweetie, somebody�s coming,� he whispered to her.
�What?� she asked, breathlessly.
�Jordan, are you out here?� the voice called again.
�Oh my God, that sounds like Ethan. I can�t let him find us out here together like this,� she said in a panicked voice.
�Calm down,� he whispered. �What can he really say? You�re an adult Jordan.�
�You don�t understand Noah. I love my brother, but he can be a real ass where you are concerned. I just don�t want there to be any trouble right now.�
�Okay,� he relented, sensing her fear. �It sounds like he�s coming from the north side of the building. Stay in the shadows and go the opposite way, and I�ll go distract him to give you some time.�
�Thank you Noah,� she said, starting to move away.
�Wait a minute,� he said, pulling her back toward him to give her a quick kiss. �Be careful.�
�I will.� She hugged the wall and started moving away from the direction of Ethan�s voice, but turned to look at Noah one last time. �Noah,� she called out in a whispered voice. �I think I love you.�
Before Noah had time to digest her words, she had disappeared into the shadows, and Ethan was upon him. He straightened his clothes and walked out to greet Jordan�s worried brother. �What�s going on here? I heard you calling Jordan�s name.�
�Bennett, what are you doing out here?� Ethan asked in an arrogant voice.
�I was talking a walk, if that�s any of your business. Now, are you going to tell me why you were calling Jordan�s name?�
�She went to the ladies� room because she had a headache, but when Gwen went to check on her she was gone,� Ethan explained. �Have you seen her?�
�I can�t believe that you would just let a person that is practically blind get away from you,� Noah said, enjoying the chance to stick it to the arrogant bastard. �Come on, I�ll help you look for her,� he offered, steering Ethan in the opposite direction that Jordan had taken.
God must have been smiling on her tonight, because when Jordan got to the front of the restaurant, she spotted a taxi cab letting some people out. She ran up to the driver�s window and knocked to get his attention. �Will you take me to the Crane mansion?�
�Sure, get in,� the driver said, impressed by her destination.
As soon as Jordan was safely on her way home, she took her cell phone out and called her brother. �Ethan, I hope that I didn�t worry anybody, but I decided to go home after all................... No really, I�m fine. I took a cab.�
********************
The twins had just awakened from their naps, and Pilar and Martin were going to take them out to do errands with them. Paloma had the day off from school because of a teachers� conference, and she was starting to go crazy from sitting around this house all day. She had helped her mother clean earlier, and finished her homework, so now there was nothing left to do but sit around and watch either soap operas or game shows. Since neither one appealed to her, she decided to see if there was a good movie on. There was always the option of going along with her parents, but that sounded about as exciting as watching grass grow. Just then Luke and Lily came bounding into the room and ran toward her. �Hi, you little squirts,� she said, fondly. �Did you gave a good nap?�
�Banabelle nap too,� Lily said, holding her doll out for Paloma to see.
�Oh, she does look very rested,� Poloma told her. �I see you have your kitty cat with you. Did she take a nap with you too?�
�No, kiki bad,� Lily told her.
�Now Lily, how can a little stuffed animal be bad?� Paloma laughed.
�Kiki talk talk talk............�
�No, Leelee talk talk talk,� Luke giggled.
�No, Kiki talk talk talk,� Lily giggled too.
�No, Leelee.............�
�Okay, squirts,� Pilar said, cutting Luke off. �If you two don�t talk talk talk about something else, Aunt Paloma is going to walk walk walk.� For some reason the twins thought that was funny, and jumped up on Paloma�s lap, giggling and started to bounce up and down. �Geez you two, give Aunt Paloma a break. You�re killing my stomach muscles here.�
�Come on children, it is time to put your shoes and socks on to we can go bye bye in the car,� Pilar called out, walking into the room.
�No, stay Poma,� Luke said, wrapping his arms around Paloma�s neck.
�Oh Lukie, that is so sweet, but don�t you want to go bye bye with abuela and pawpaw? Besides, I think you�ll miss Lily if she goes and you stay here.�
�Me stay Poma,� Lily echoed.
�Are the kids ready to go?� Martin asked, coming in from the outside.
�It appears that the children would rather stay with Paloma,� Pilar told him.
Martin walked up and squatted down in front of the sofa. �You don�t want to go bye bye with abuela and pawpaw? I thought you liked to ride in the grocery cart?�
�No pawpaw,� they both said, shaking their heads.
�Well Paloma, it�s up to you,� Martin said. �Do you mind watching them while we�re at the grocery store?�
Oh God, how could she resist when they were hugging her like this. �Oh, okay, but you two better not pull any tricks on me.�
�We won�t be long,� Pilar promised, as they walked out the door.
�Okay squirts, what do you feel like doing?�
�Clues clues,� Luke said, clapping his hands.
�Didn�t we already watch that once today? Let�s look through these videos and see if we can find something different to watch, or better yet maybe we can find a CD to listen to. How would you like Aunt Paloma to teach you to dance?�
�Yes, yes,� they both said, clapping their hands.
Luis and Sheridan had a pretty extensive CD collection, but there was one that had Paloma cracking up. �I can�t believe your daddy has a CD of KC and The Sunshine Band,� she said, laughing. �Do you want to dance to some oldie moldie disco music?�
�Dass Poma,� Lily said, excitedly.
�Okay, here we go,� Paloma said, putting the CD in and turning up the volume. �Sing along with me............ Shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake. Shake your booty............. Shake your booty............ Come on Lily move that cute little behind, and Luke move those hands.�
When Martin and Pilar walked in the door carrying their groceries, they just stood there open-mouthed when they saw the twins on top of the coffee table, and Paloma on the floor in front of them dancing wildly. Luke was jumping up and down, clapping his hands, and Lily had her arms up in the air moving her little hips back and forth. �Paloma, what is going on here?� Martin shouted to be heard above the music.
Paloma looked up shocked, and ran to the CD player to turn the music off. �We were just dancing papa.�
�Booty pawpaw, booty,� Lily squealed.
�Ah mi Dios,� Pilar said, making the sign of the cross.
********************
For two days Luis and Sheridan spent long sizzling days on the beach, and in the turquoise blue lagoon basking in the sun and making love. The first day Luis had started out in his swim trunks, and Sheridan in one of her tiny bikinis, but as the day wore on their clothing came off piece by piece until they were both boldly naked. The next day they didn�t even bother with suits and just threw some robes on. When they got down to the beach, Luis was the first to shed his, and walked toward the water. Sheridan just stood there drinking in the muscled form of his backside. He turned around and flashed her one of his charming white smiles. �Are you coming in?�
She slipped her robe off and moved toward him. �Oh yes, I�m coming.�
�Walk slowly. I want to look at you...........�
She turned around in a circle, to give him a view at every angle of her form, before she started to walk forward again. �Is this slow enough for you.�
�God Sheridan I asked you to walk slowly not unman me,� he chuckled.
As soon as she got into the water he pulled her into his arms and began kissing her sensually. �You taste good,� he said, finally coming up for air.
�You don�t waste any time,� she said, licking her lips in anticipation for another assault of his mouth.
�I can�t think of a more productive way to spend an afternoon than making love to you,� he said, licking a drop of water from the tip of her breast.
�This water feels so warm against my body, almost sensual, and when you put your hot mouth on me like that it�s almost too much,� she whispered, molding her body against his.
His lips began to nibble her ear and his love words became erotic, as he whispered just exactly how he was going to make love to her. �Wrap your legs around me bello,� he told her inching himself inside of her. The impact was indescribable, the friction deliciously hot. Her cries mingled with his low moans as he drove hard into her fully aroused body. He lowered his head to thrust his tongue into her mouth, drugging her with his kisses. Their passion was hot, wild, and swift sending the husky sounds of their shuttering release echoing across the water.
�Oh God Luis, I don�t know if I can move,� she said, collapsing against him.
�You�ll be fine in a minute sweetheart,� he said, letting go, and sending her plunging into the water.
She came up sputtering for air, a look of shock on her face. As soon as she was able to compose herself, she went into attack mode. �You really shouldn�t have done that Luis,� she said, lunging toward him. She caught him off guard and he went under the water dragging her down with him. He grabbed her ankle, but she pushed off with her foot and swam away with the swift agility of a sea creature.
�I hope you know that this means war,� Luis called after her trying to contain his laughter, while planning his strategy.
Sheridan was quite proud of herself for getting away from him so easily. She had always been a strong swimmer and it was definitely paying off right now. Suddenly, there was an eerie silence that sent a little chill through her. She turned around, her eyes raking the water for Luis, but he was nowhere to be found. Thinking that he had decided to go to the beach, she checked there too but it was also empty. Fear took a hold of her and she began to call out for him. �Luis, where are you............? Luis..........�
Suddenly, he rose out of the sea like a tempest, spraying her with water causing her to squeal out her surprise. His hands wrapped around her waist and he picked her up flinging her over his shoulder. �Put me down,� she screamed.
�I will, as soon as I get to the beach,� he chuckled slapping her on the behind.
�I mean it Luis,� she shouted, struggling to get away. �You are really making me mad.�
�Good, you�re so sexy when you�re mad...........�
�You are not going to think I�m very sexy when I get through with you,� she warned angrily.
When they reached the beach, he marched over to their blanket, and dropped her down, the soft sand cushioning the blow. Before she had a chance to move he covered her body with his, pinning her hands over her head. �If you admit that I won the battle, I�ll let you go.�
�Never,� she spat out.
�Oh come on sweetheart. Why don�t you admit that the reason you�re really mad is because I got the best of you.�
�Forget it............�
�I love you............�
�Well, I hate you...........�
�No you don�t,� he said, trailing his lips over her neck and chest.
She was weakening, but still she struggled beneath him, causing an immediate reaction from Luis� lower region. �Will you please let me up?� she demanded.
�Okay, if you insist,� he said, rolling off of her.
�W......what are you doing?� she asked, sitting up, disappointed that their game was over.
�I decided to catch some sun,� he said, picking up the bottle of oil. He poured some onto his hand and began rubbing it over his shoulders and chest.
Sheridan followed his hand with her eyes watching the way the oil coated his bronzed skin. She couldn�t resist taking the bottle out of his hands, wanting to be he one to rub it over his body. �I�ll do that for you,� she offered, inhaling sharply when she saw that he was still in an aroused state.
�That would be nice,� he said, laying his head back and closing his eyes.
Since he had already taken care of his upper body, she began to work on his legs, moving in an upward motion. When she reached the object of his desire, she covered it with her hand. �You know, it would be a real shame if you got a sunburn here.�
�That definitely would not be a good thing,� he said, huskily. �We would both suffer if that happened.�
�Then I better make sure that doesn�t happen,� she said, climbing on top of him.
He spread his hands over her bottom and pulled her closer to his ever rising need. �Does this mean that you�re not angry with me any longer?�
�Of course I am, but I�ll get over it,� she said, lowing her head to kiss him passionately.
Chapter 8
The villa by the sea was salmon colored stucco with terracotta ceramic tiles on the floors and casual furniture with big fluffy cushions. There were arched doors in every room that faced the water and led to a large veranda that covered the length of the house. Most times the doors were left open to catch the mild breeze and cool the heated bodies of the passionate lovers. Luis was lying on his side looking at the way the moonlight played across Sheridan�s naked body while running his hands over the silky expanse of her skin. She had never felt so relaxed and sated in her life and she was beginning to think that she could become addicted to this sensuous marathon of erotic lovemaking. �Why is it that I can feel completely satisfied and then all you have to do is touch me like that and my body becomes alive again?� she sighed.
�I�m sorry, I know you need some rest,� he whispered in a husky voice. �It�s just that you look so incredibly sexy with that tan all over your body and I just felt the urge to touch you to see if I could feel the sun.�
�We�re an old married couple by now Luis. I thought that the romance was supposed to fade by this time, but with you it just seems to get better. This time in Spain with you has brought this whole new level to our relationship. It�s been almost...............,� she said, struggling with the right words.
�Soulful,� he finished for her.
�Yes, I think that is the word,� she said, smiling with delight. �I feel so connected to you Luis and I just keep falling in love with you over and over again.�
�Well, I guess it�s time that I share my secret with you,� he said with a sly, sexy smile. �I figure that if I keep marrying you over and over again, then we will always be on our honeymoon.� He leaned down and kissed her gently. �By the way, when I fell in love with you all those years ago, I fell so hard that I�m still spinning from it.�
�We are very lucky people Luis. We�ve struggled through a lot of bad stuff that would have broken up the most loving couples, but even against all the odds we are stronger than ever.�
�We have had some terrible obstacles to overcome, but we have a love that was worth fighting for and also two adorable children that make our life just about perfect.�
�Oh Luis, as wonderful as this trip has been, I miss our babies so much,� Sheridan sighed. �I bet they have grown so much since we�ve been gone.�
�I know, I was just thinking about that earlier,� Luis said, smiling thinking about the twins. �Remember last year at this time they were just tiny little things dressed up like two peas in a pod.............?�
�Oh my God,� Sheridan said, sitting up suddenly. �I am the worst mother.�
�Sheridan, what are you talking about? You are not the worst mother, and what brought this on?� Luis asked, confused by her sudden anxiety.
�Luis, I just realized something. Tomorrow is Halloween, and I totally forgot about it. I should have never planned this trip about such an important event for the children. We should be at home, making a big deal out of this,� she cried.
�Honey, I know that you really get into these kinds of things, but they�re still so young, and I�m sure that they don�t even know what is going on,� Luis said, trying to comfort her.
�You don�t know that for sure Luis. They watch television and they have probably seen the Halloween decorations in the stores and in people�s yards. My poor little babies probably think that we don�t care about them,� she said, tears welling up in her eyes.
�Sheridan, I know that you�re upset, but I think that you are making this much worse than it is. I promise that you are not going to scar them for life because of one Halloween.�
�You don�t understand Luis. I always swore to myself that when I had children that they would always have special holidays. When I was a little girl my father would never let me dress up for Halloween and go trick or treating. He always said that a Crane was not going to lower themselves to go around begging for candy. Don�t you see Luis, it was never about the treats. I just wanted to have my mother make me a costume and be out there with the other children having fun. My babies should be having that experience.�
�Look, it�s still early back home. Would you feel better if we called mama to see if she can put together some costumes for Luke and Lily?� Luis asked, hoping to comfort her.
�Oh yes, do you think that she will?� Sheridan asked, brightening.
�Of course,� Luis said, confidently. �Mama would do anything for Luke and Lily.�
�I still can�t believe that I forgot about something so important,� Sheridan sulked. �What is wrong with me?�
�Sheridan, there is nothing wrong with you. I forgot all about Halloween too and if you remember we had a lot going on in our lives before we came here. There was Julian�s trial, and you were going through some pretty heavy emotional stuff during that time.�
�Still, our children should always come first no matter what, and I can promise you that this will never happen again,� Sheridan said, adamantly.
�Let�s call mama now,� Luis said, picking up the phone. When Pilar answered, Luis explained the situation to her.
�Do not worry mijo, we have already taken care of costumes for the children. Terrasita was just here and we tried them on the twins. Evan arranged to have a party at the youth center tomorrow afternoon for the children and we are taking them.�
�That�s great mama,� Luis said, relieved. �Sheridan, mama said that Theresa already made costumes for the twins, and they are taking them to a party for the children at the youth center tomorrow afternoon.�
�I should have known that Pilar would think of everything. Let me talk to her,� Sheridan said, reaching for the phone. �Pilar, thank you so much for doing this. I just can�t believe that I forgot all about Halloween. So, tell me what are my little sweet peas going dressed up as?�
�They are going to be M&M�s,� Pilar told her laughing. �Terrisita filled them with batting so that they will hold the shape. There are holes for their faces to stick out and they are going to wear white tights on their legs. They are so excited.�
�Oh, how precious,� Sheridan said. �Luis, they are going to be M&M�s..........�
�I�m going to get on the other phone,� he told her sliding out of bed.
�So Pilar, I had no idea that Evan was planning a party for the children. Usually the party at the youth center is in the evening for everyone,� Sheridan said.
�They are having a Halloween party at the high school tonight, so Evan thought they wouldn�t get a very big turn out. That is why he decided to have it just for the children this year.�
�Well, I�m certainly glad that Evan is still working at the youth center even though he has finished his community service, and I�m also glad that he is having a party for the younger children.�
�So mama, my kids are going to be M&M�s? I have this mental picture of them dressed up that is so cute. Will you promise to take plenty of pictures?� Luis asked.
�Of course we will,� Pilar assured him. �Martin bought some film today and Chad is going to tape them at the party with the video recorder.�
�Oh Pilar you have no idea how much we appreciate all of this, and please tell Theresa and Chad that we are so thankful,� Sheridan told her.
�I will be sure to do that. Now, the children are here and would like to speak to you.�
�Mama, dadee me MM,� Lily told them excitedly.
�Sweetie, I am so excited for you,� Sheridan told her fondly. �I bet that you and Luke look adorable.�
�Luke jello,� Lily informed them.
�Leelee red peepee,� Luke chimed in.
�Okay, now daddy and mommy are confused,� Luis told them. �Mama, do you have any idea what they are trying to say?�
�I think what they mean is that Luke is going to be the yellow M&M and Lily is the red peanut M&M,� Pilar explained.
Sheridan and Luis couldn�t help but laugh over that one. �Abuela said that you are going to a party tomorrow. Mommy and daddy want you to have fun, but we also want you to be good for abuela and pawpaw,� Sheridan told them.
�Pawpaw make leave,� Luke told them in an animated voice.
�We jump,� Lily giggled.
�Martin was raking leaves earlier and the twins were having fun jumping into the piles,� Pilar translated.
�I bet papa appreciated that,� Luis said, laughing.
�He did not mind at all. I think he was having as much as the children were.�
�Would you please tell Martin that he is not there to do our yard work,� Sheridan told Pilar, upset that they were doing so much. �That goes for you too Pilar.�
�We do not mind at all Sheridan............�
�Still mama, Sheridan�s right. We did not ask you to watch the kids and expect you and papa to do all of this extra work...........�
�Buela go now,� Luke shouted in the background.
�I�m sorry to cut you off, but we promised the children that we would go into town and buy them a pumpkin,� Pilar informed them.
�Oh, then by all means, you should go,� Sheridan said, getting teary-eyed. �Can we say goodbye to them?�
�Come children, tell your mama and papa goodbye,� Pilar instructed the twins.
�Bye bye,� Luke and Lily told them.
�Tell them what Aunt Paloma taught you,� Pilar coaxed.
�Love you,� the twins said in their sweet little voices.
�Oh that is so sweet,� Sheridan said, wiping her tears. �Mommy loves you too and I miss you so much. Just think, in four more days mommy and daddy will be home and I can�t wait to give you a big hug and kiss.�
�Daddy loves you too,� Luis told them, getting a little choked up too. �Have fun at your party tomorrow and go buy a big pumpkin.�
�Do you feel better now?� Luis asked, climbing back into bed after they had hung up.
�I guess so, but I still want to be there with them. I�m just so thankful that your family stepped in and saved the day,� Sheridan said.
�So I am,� Luis said, taking her into his arms. �I really miss them too Sheridan, but the good news is that we will be home with them in a few days.�
�And that is exactly why we should take advantage of our last days here together, because as soon as we get home, I plan on spending every waking minute with Luke and Lily.�
�Every waking minute?� Luis asked, pulling her on top of him.
�Well, the twins do go to bed early,� she chuckled. �I think that I can reserve the nights for you.�
********************
Noah was in quite the dilemma where Jordan was concerned. It had been two days since their meeting at the Seascape and he still had not spoken with her. It was certainly not that he didn�t want to because he did more than anything, but he needed to give his midterms his full concentration even though that turned out to be impossible. A certain blue-eyed blond kept popping into his head at the most inopportune moments. The only anatomy he could think about had nothing to do with the exam that he was taking, and luckily for him he knew the material. Even his determination to focus on his midterms wouldn�t have stopped him from calling her though if he could just remember her cell phone number. He almost phoned her at the Crane mansion, but he wasn�t sure that Jordan wanted her mother to know that they had reconnected. The words she had called out to him as she fled that night were still ringing in his head. He tried not to get his hopes up, and convinced himself that he had misunderstood her, but there was still a ray of hope that she had actually said that she thought she was falling in love with him. If he was to be honest with himself, he knew that he felt the same way about her too. He had to find some way of contacting her without alerting her mother, but how? Suddenly, he remembered that Jordan and Whitney had met at the club a couple of times for a tennis match before her accident. His hunch paid off, and Whitney supplied him with Jordan�s cell phone number. Now all he had to do was convince her to see him tonight.
Jordan too was in a dilemma, but not exactly in the same way that Noah was. Part of her wanted to just throw caution to the wind and call Noah, but there was a stronger urge to let him make the first move. The problem was, would he call ever again? She was still furious with herself for blurting out the statement about loving him. Nothing like scaring the guy away just as you were trying to mend fences with him. On top of that she was still angry about the argument with her mother earlier. The day after the Seascape, she had decided to reveal that she could see again since she had accomplished what she had set out to do, and that was to prove her mother�s complicity. She had also decided that she wasn�t going to confront her mother about what she did just yet, even thought she was itching to let her have it with both barrels. If her mother knew that she was on to her, she could do something to Noah, and Jordan didn�t want to take that chance. She also wanted a chance to spend some time with him before her mother did something else to interfere. There was one thing however that needed immediate attention and that was getting Marsh to go home. As usual, her mother didn�t see it her way. When Jordan had announced earlier that either Marsh go or she would, her mother had a fit and told her she was being unreasonable. She had threatened to move out and get her own place, and when her mother had asked how she planned to pay for that, Jordan said that she was getting a job, and if that took a while she would live off of her trust fund. Ivy had finally relented, knowing that if Jordan moved out she would lose control of her. Not that she had it anyway, but Jordan let her think she did for now. The only thing left was for Noah to call her, and she was getting more nervous by the minute that he was not going to do that and then suddenly her cell phone rang. �Hello.�
�Jordan, it�s Noah...........�
�Noah,� she said, feeling joy just from the sound of his voice. �How are you?�
�I�m fine now that my midterms are over. Listen Jordan, I�m sorry that I didn�t call earlier, but I lost your cell phone number and I didn�t know if you wanted me to call on the main number. I finally remembered that you had played some tennis with Whitney so I called her to get your number.�
�Well, I�m certainly glad that you thought of that, and it was probably a good idea that you didn�t call the main number. I don�t want to take the chance of my mother finding out just yet that we discovered her duplicity. I�m still trying to figure out how to handle that one, and since my family knows that I can see again my mother is probably going to be keeping her eye on me.�
�Look Jordan, things ended kind of abruptly the other night, and I would really like to see you if that�s at all possible.............�
�I want to see you too Noah, but I think that we should meet some place so that my mother doesn�t get wind of it. Do you have any ideas?�
�I�ll tell you what. Dress warmly and I�ll meet you at the entrance of Lighthouse Park tonight at eight.�
�I�ll be there,� she said, trying to keep the enthusiasm out of her voice.
�Great, but make sure you drive to the park because I don�t want to have to worry about you walking around by yourself.�
�I will,� she assured him. �Goodbye Noah. I�m looking forward to seeing you tonight.�
�So am I Jordan.�
When Jordan arrived at the park that evening Noah was already there waiting for her. She asked him what was going on when she saw that he was wearing a backpack, but he told her that she would find out soon enough. She really didn�t care if he was carrying luggage as long as she could be with him tonight. It was a crisp fall night, but not uncomfortable so they took a walk through the park and ended up on the beach. Noah took them to a secluded spot and pulled a blanket out of his backpack and spread it down for them to sit on. �Now, I�m going to gather some wood so that I can make a fire so that we stay warm. It�s a little chilly with the breeze blowing off of the ocean.�
�That sounds wonderful, but is it okay to make a fire on the beach?�
�Not really, but hopefully since I picked this spot nobody will notice, and if they do I will just play dumb,� Noah laughed.
�That�s pretty hard to do when your father is the police chief,� Jordan reminded him.
�Oh well, I�ll still play dumb. It�s not like I know every city ordinance just because my father is the chief of police,� he said, smiling.
Once the fire was going, Noah asked her how her family took the news that she could see again. �I�m sure they were thrilled about your news.�
�They really did seem thrilled. Even my mother if you can believe it, but she did insist that I get checked out by the doctor. Thank God he confirmed that it was possible for a person to get their sight back just like that when my mother asked him if that was normal.�
�Well, they can�t be as thrilled as I am,� Noah told her. �You really were pretty great about it all you know. That told me a lot about your character.�
�What do you mean?�
�Most people would have been bitter, but not you. Even when you didn�t know if you would ever be able to see again you never complained.�
�Well, I may have appeared that way on the outside, but I have to tell you Noah that there were times that I was scared to death.�
�Still, I think you were pretty brave about the whole thing, and I admire you for that.�
�Thank you Noah,� she said, gratefully. �Listen, I told my mother earlier today that I wanted Marsh to leave and that if he didn�t I was moving out and getting my own place.�
�Wow, now I�m really impressed. Are you prepared to move out if he doesn�t leave?�
�Actually I am Noah. I�ve been thinking a lot about it and the idea appeals more and more to me. In fact, I really want to get a job.�
�That�s great Jordan. What kind of career are you looking for?�
�Now don�t laugh, but I always wanted to be a photo journalist. I have a pretty extensive portfolio put together and I figure that maybe I could start out small and once I build my reputation up maybe I could freelance with some of the big newspapers and magazines. I haven�t told many people about this but that was another reason that I was so upset about my eyesight.�
�I can only imagine, but the great thing is now you don�t have to worry about that and I know that you will accomplish anything you set out to do,� Noah said, with encouragement.
�You have no idea how much that means to me Noah. I told Marsh about my dream once and he laughed and said that nobody was going to hire some spoiled heiress to do a job like that.�
�Don�t let anyone ever try to squash your dreams Jordan because sometimes that�s all a person has to believe in. But you know, every great pep talk deserves a little refreshment to go along with it. How would you like some hot chocolate?�
�I would love some,� she said, laughing. �What else do you have stashed in that backpack? A four-course meal?�
�No actually it�s something much better,� he said, pulling out a bag of marshmellows. �What do you say I go find us some sticks so that we can roast these babies?�
�That sounds great. Why don�t I come with you?�
�No, you just stay here in front of the fire where it�s warm and I will be back in no time,� he said, getting up to start his quest to find the perfect sticks. True to his word, Noah was back within minutes, and plopped down beside her. �Well Miss Crane, are you ready for your feast?�
�Are you kidding? This is better than dinner at the Ritz,� she teased.
�I�m sorry Jordan;� he apologized, hearing her words. �I know this is not the best, but under the circumstances.............�
�Stop Noah,� she said, holding her finger to his lips. �This time has been better than any dinner I�ve ever had at the Ritz. Now, give me a couple of those marshmellows.�
Noah handed her the bag and then put three of them on his stick. �I�m going to show you the way to eat these things.� He held the fluffy confections into the flames until they caught on fire singeing them to a crispy black.�
�Noah, that is so disgusting,� Jordan said, making a face. �I can�t believe you�re going to eat those like that.�
�What are you talking about? This is the only way to eat marshmellows,� he said, blowing on his treat, and popping it into his mouth.
�I hate to tell you, but you have a big glob on your lip,� she said, reaching up to brush it off. At the same time he brought his tongue out to lick it off and caught her finger.
They just stared at each other for a moment when Noah finally spoke. �Jordan, that night we were at the Seascape you said something just as you were leaving. Did you really mean that?�
�Look Noah,� she said, turning away. �If that made you uncomfortable why don�t you just forget that I even said that.�
�Jordan,� he said, turning her head back toward him. �You didn�t answer me.�
She chewed on her lip, hesitant to answer, but finally spoke. �Okay, yes I did mean it. I do think I�m falling in love with you. In fact, I just don�t think it anymore. There, have I humiliated myself enough now? So, if you feel the need to run away now, then..........�
�Jordan, I love you too.............�
�What...............?� she asked, astounded.
�I said that I love you too, but you know that we can�t go on sneaking around like this.�
�Will you please just let me absorb the I love you part before you expect me to solve all of these other problems,� she pleaded.
Noah started laughing with delight. �You know that you are a breath of fresh air Jordan Crane?�
�I guess that�s a good thing since you were laughing, but I did expect a different reaction when we said the big words to each other.�
�I love you Jordan, and that is all the more reason to let your mother know how we feel. As long as we believe in our feelings for each other there is nothing she can do to break us apart any longer. I promise you that I will not let her hurt you.�
�Noah, it�s not me I�m worried about. I�m trying to protect you because I�m afraid that my mother is going to do something really bad to you, and if that happened I would never forgive myself. Please just go along with me on this for now,� she pleaded.
�I don�t see what she could do, but for you I�ll agree to keep quiet for now,� he said, taking her into his arms.
�Good, now that we have that settled can we concentrate on the romance?� she said, leaning in to kiss him.
�I think that�s a very good idea,� he murmured against her lips as he lowered her to the sand. �Let me warm you up..............�
�Are you serious?� she said, pulling him closer. �I�m already burning up.�
********************
Luis was spread out on the bed sleeping in naked splendor, but Sheridan was wide awake and feeling the need to do something. For all intents and purposes, she too should have been asleep after their midnight swim and subsequent lovemaking well into the wee hours of the morning, but she was wide awake. Suddenly an idea came to her and she decided that she was going to go into town to get some fresh seafood so that they could have a feast later. She quickly dressed and left Luis a note just in case he awakened by the time she returned. It was a beautiful day, and she admired the scenery as she drove along the road beside the turquoise water. She would always have special memories about their time here that she would never forget. As Sheridan drove into the city, she parked the car and headed for the open markets to choose the freshest seafood. After she made her purchase, she started back toward the car when she was suddenly accosted from behind and knocked to the ground, her purchases spilling onto the sidewalk. She fell hard on her knee and the mugger ripped her purse from her wrist and took off running down the street. Stunned, she lay there for a moment trying to figure out if she was hurt when a kind man came to her assistance.
�Senora, are you hurt?� Salvadore asked, helping her to get up.
�I think so,� Sheridan said, holding her head, and looking around confused. �Oh no, he took my purse. How am I going to get back to the place where we�re staying?�
�Do not worry about that senora,� Salvadore said in a calming voice. �I hope you didn�t have any important documents in your bag.�
�No, just some money and my driver�s license, but the keys to the car were in there,� she said, starting to panic.
�I will report this to the authorities, but I think you should let me take you to the hospital. Your knees are bleeding and it looks as though your wrist is starting to swell.�
�No, please I just want to call my husband. I.................� She didn�t finish her sentence because a wave of dizziness assailed her and the smell of the fish was just too much. The next thing she knew a cloud of blackness was all that she saw as she fainted right into Salvador�s arms.
�Help me,� he called out in Spanish to the driver who had brought him into the city. After he had Sheridan settled into the back seat, he called his employer. �Sir, she came into town by herself and was accosted by a thief who knocked her to the ground. Now she had fainted and I am taking her to the hospital.�
�Is she hurt badly?� the man asked, truly concerned.
�I do not think so, but she was very shaken by the experience,� Salvadore explained.
�Bring her here,� he commanded. �I will have my personal physician check her over. Those local hospitals are overcrowded and it could be hours until they will see her.�
�But sir, what if she wakes up?� Salvador said, nervously, motioning for the driver to head home. �How will I explain myself?�
�Tell her the truth. That you are a good Samaritan and that your employer can get her assistance faster than any of the local hospitals, but I do not want you to reveal everything if you know what I mean.�
�What about her husband? She was asking about him before she fainted.�
�Do not worry about that Salvadore,� he said in a stern voice. �I will take care of everything. Even though I did not want things to happen this way, it may turn out to be the opportunity I have been waiting for. Are you sure that she is not injured too badly?�
�I really do not think so, but I must go because I think that she is coming around now.�
********************
Luis had been awake for an hour now, and still no Sheridan. He knew that she had been gone for at least that amount of time while he slept because she had written the time on her note. Where was she? She had said that she would be back within the hour and he was really starting to worry about her. This was just like her to take off without him in a foreign country. He wanted to go and look for her, but he had no way to get into the city since she had taken the car. Another hour passed and he decided his only choice was to call the police. He knew from experience that they would probably tell him there was nothing they could do since she had been gone a short time by their standards, but he had to find a way to convince them to look for her. Never would he have used Sheridan�s social status to influence the police, but as it turned out that was the only way he was able to get them to take the situation seriously. Fortunately they had heard of Sheridan Crane, and the threat of kidnapping was very real to them. Apparently, the police in the area didn�t want a media frenzy if something happened to a high profile person while vacationing in their area. The officer in charge had even agreed to send someone out there to pick him up so that he could join in the search. His mentioning that he was a former cop was all of the incentive they needed. He was just thankful that his Spanish was good enough to communicate with the authorities.
Luis paced back and forth ready to scream if that cop didn�t get there soon. Finally, he heard the knock on the door and rushed to open it. �Thank God you�re here. Do you have any news of my wife?� he asked in Spanish.
�You can speak English Senor Lopez-Fitzgerald,� the officer told him. �They sent me since I speak your language, and yes we did locate Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald�s car.�
�Is there any sign of Sheridan?� Luis asked, hopefully.
�No, I am afraid not. We combed the whole area by the open market and there is no sign of your wife. When I left to come and pick you up some of the other officers were trying to locate any witnesses that might have seen something. Are you positive that your wife did not just go off some place to do some more shopping?�
�She wouldn�t do that without calling me to let me know that she would be longer,� Luis said with a worried frown. �Can we get started? I can�t stand to just sit around here while she could be out there hurt somewhere.� They left then, and never heard the phone ringing as they drove out onto the road.
When they arrived at the place where Sheridan�s car had been abandoned, an officer approached holding Sheridan�s purse in his hands. �We found this in one the trash containers a couple of blocks away. The money is gone, but it still has Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald�s driver�s license inside.�
�Let me see that,� Luis said, grabbing the purse out of his hands. �Oh God,� he said, his voice shaking when he saw the picture of Sheridan on her license. �We have to find her.�
�The good news is that if she had been kidnapped, I doubt that the perpetrators would have thrown her purse away,� the officer suggested.
�For some reason that doesn�t give me a lot of comfort,� Luis said, feeling an overwhelming fear that left him desolate.
Chapter 9
Sheridan struggled to open her eyes, but her lids felt as if they were weighed down with stones. Subconsciously she felt much safer remaining in a state of oblivion but her fighting spirit was the victor and she slowly came to and looked around her. God, she felt so confused, and what was she doing in this limo with a strange man sitting beside her? Suddenly, it all came back to her with certain clarity. She was mugged and this man beside her had been trying to help her, but everything after that was a complete blank. �Where are you taking me?� she asked, hesitantly.
�Oh senora, how are you feeling?� Salvador asked with a kind smile.
�My wrist is a little sore, but I think I�ll survive. What I�m more interested in knowing is why I am in your car and where you are taking me? I hope you realize that I�m an American citizen and my government will not stand for any abuse of its citizens,� she said with bravado, even though she was scared inside.
�Senora, I promise that I mean you no harm,� Salvador swore. �You fainted in my arms and I brought you to the car. I was going to take you to the hospital, but I thought it would be faster to take you to my employer�s personal physician.�
Sheridan looked into his eyes, and saw a sincerity there that couldn�t be denied, but she was still leery. �Look Senor...............�
�de Franca. My name is Salvador de Franca,� he said, smiling.
�Senor de Franca, I really appreciate your kindness, but I feel fine right now, and I don�t think I need to see a doctor. I really just want to get back to my husband. He is probably so worried about me.�
Salvador felt terrible about her apparent distress. �I have a phone here senora if you want to call your husband.�
�Oh thank you,� she said, finally smiling. �I know him and he will be frantic by now.� She took the phone, and had to think a minute trying to remember the number. �I never had to call there before. I hope I have the correct number.� She let the phone ring about ten times, but there was no answer, and she finally hung up with a frown on her face.
�Senora, was he not there?� Salvador asked.
�No he wasn�t, but I�m not really sure if I had the correct number,� she said, chewing on her bottom lip in contemplation.
�We will check the number when we arrive at our destination,� Salvador assured her.
�Just where is this place you are taking me to?� Sheridan said, looking out of the car window. �It looks as though we are heading out of town toward the mountains.�
�We are almost there Senora. My employer�s estate is in the foothills and we should arrive at the entrance momentarily.�
�I still don�t understand any of this,� Sheridan said, frustrated. �Why not just take me to one of the local hospitals if you were concerned about me? I mean, I wouldn�t want to impose on your employer or anything,� she said, softening her tone.
�The local hospitals� emergency facilities are very over-crowded and it could have taken hours for them to see you, and I can assure you that you will not be imposing. Doctor Morino is a personal friend of my employer, senora.�
Sheridan could tell that Salvador was a good man, and decided that maybe she was being over suspicious. �Since you are being so kind to me, perhaps you should call me by my name. Sheridan Lopez-Fitzgerald,� she said, holding out her hand to him. �I�m sorry that I was being difficult with you earlier, but I�ve had some bad experiences with people in the past and one never knows whom one can trust.�
�I understand Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald. I just feel terrible that your first trip to our beautiful country was spoiled by this unfortunate incident,� Salvador said with regret.
�Oh, this is not my first trip to Spain. I�ve been here on several occasions, but this trip was special because it is my husband�s first time. Luis� mother was born here and it was always a dream of his to visit the place where she grew up. Actually in spite of this latest incident, our trip has been wonderful.�
Salvador swallowed down the guilt he felt over pretending to know nothing about her. �Look Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald, we are just entering my employer�s property. Some people have said that this is God�s country. El pa�s del dios.�
As the driver pulled into an entrance flanked by large stone columns she was amazed by the rolling hills and lush greenery that seemed to stretch out forever. There were orange trees and large olive groves dotting the landscape everywhere, and with the bright blue sky and the mountains in the background, it truly was a beautiful picture. She could see workers with large baskets that they were loading onto pickup trucks. They had already been driving for five minutes and still there was no house in sight. Whoever Salvador�s employer was, he certainly owned a lot of land, and it was very fertile by the looks of it. �This place seems massive,� Sheridan said, looking around in awe. �Just what is it that your employer does for a living?�
�His main business is growing olives, but we also produce some of the finest wine in the region. My job here is to oversee the production of the harvest and aging of the wine.�
�You must have a lot of responsibility Senor de Franca. From what I understand, winemaking is almost like a science,� she said, truly impressed.
�Si senora, it must be very precise. My father before me was the master wine maker here and taught me everything that he knew about the process. It is profitable, but not as profitable as the revenue from the olives. My employer is one of the largest olive oil producers in the entire Mediterranean region and also owns several ships to export it to many countries.�
�Oh, how beautiful,� Sheridan said, seeing the house up ahead. It was a large two-storey mansion with a white stucco exterior and a tiled roof. The architecture was of the Hispano-Moorish influence with arched doors and windows with inlayed brick stripes along the curve of the arches. As they moved closer, she saw that the driveway circled around in front of the entrance with a fountain in the middle and lush flowering landscape everywhere. There was a simple elegance about the house and its surroundings that were quite stunning. When the driver brought the car to a stop, suddenly Sheridan started to feel nervous again.
Salvador got out of his side of the car, and came around to help her out. She hadn�t realized until now that her knees were skinned and dried blood was caked around the wounds. Now that she was on her feet, she felt a little light headed and had to lean on Salvador at first to get her bearings. A pretty dark-haired lady with flashing dark eyes and a welcoming smile greeted them at the door. �Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald, this is my wife Rosa. She runs the household staff here at the hacienda.�
�Now you come in here right now and let me tend to those knees,� Rosa said, fussing over her. �You poor thing.............. Such a terrible thing to happen to you. You come upstairs to one of the bedrooms, so that you can lay down and rest. Doctor Morino is on his way now.�
�No, really it is kind of you to offer, but I don�t need to lie down,� Sheridan insisted. I would really like to try and call my husband again.�
�Let me go and check into that phone number Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald,� Salvatore offered, but not to raise suspicion, he asked the address of the villa where they were staying.
�You come and sit down here in the salon on the sofa, and I will get something to clean up those wounds on your knees,� Rosa said, showing her the way and making sure that Sheridan was settled.
After Rosa left, Sheridan finally had a chance to look around, and noticed that the inside of the house was much like the outside, simple, but very elegant. The room was large and airy with small seating areas placed strategically around. �The large windows and palm plants around the room lent the feeling of the outside being an extension of the inside of the house. She gasped out loud when she saw the painting above the fireplace, and couldn�t resist getting up to take a closer look. There, in the bottom left corner was the famous signature of Salvatore Dali. �This guy must sell a lot of olive oil,� Sheridan commented out loud.
�Senora, what are you doing up?� Rosa asked, coming into the room.
�Sorry Rosa, I was
just admiring this beautiful painting. It�s not every day that
I can see an original Dali.�
�Well you will just have to admire it from over here on the sofa,� Rosa told her like a disapproving mother.
While Rosa was putting some antiseptic on Sheridan�s knees, the doctor arrived. He was very congenial just like Salvador and his wife, and checked her over with a gentle hand. �Can you rotate your wrist for me Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald?� the doctor asked.
�Yes, I think so,� Sheridan said, turning her wrist in a circular motion. �I think that I must have injured it when I tried to catch myself when I fell.�
�Well is does not appear to be broken, but just be to be safe I would have an X-Ray done in the next twenty-four hours. I am going to wrap it in this elastic bandage to keep it stationary much like a cast would do. I do want you to tell me if it feels too tight, because we will need to allow some room for the swelling.�
�That feels good right there Doctor Morino,� she said, as he wrapped the bandage around her wrist. �Thank you so much.�
�Now, besides your knees, are you feeling any pain anywhere else on your body?� he asked in a clinical voice. �I heard that you fainted right after it happened.�
�I�m starting to feel a little stiff, but other than that I don�t think there are any other injuries,� she assured him. �As for the fainting, I think I was just overwhelmed by the situation.�
�I am going to write you a prescription for an anti-inflammatory and also something for the pain. I really do not think you will need the second one, but I�ll write it just in case your wrist should start to become bothersome. In the meantime some aspirin should help with any discomfort you may be feeling.�
�Thank you so much Doctor Morino,� Sheridan said, gratefully. �Since my purse was stolen, I�m afraid that I am unable to pay you right now, but once I contact my husband.............�
�That will not be necessary Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald,� a sliver-haired gentleman said, walking into the room. �We all feel terrible that you have had such an unfortunate experience while visiting our fair city. We certainly do not want you to have to pay because of it. So Doctor, how is our patient?�
�Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald�s wrist is badly sprained, but other than that I think she will be fine Don Miguel.�
�Forgive me, but do I know you from somewhere?� Sheridan asked, staring at the man with curiosity.
�It is I that should be forgiven for being so rude. We have never met before this occasion senora, but I would like to welcome you to my home. I am Don Miguel,� he said, taking her hand to kiss the top lightly.
�It is good to meet you Don Miguel,� she said, graciously. �You really must call me Sheridan though. I mean that is the least I can do for all of the kindness you have shown me.�
�It has been my pleasure,� he said, flashing her a familiar smile that disarmed her for a moment. �Let me walk Doctor Morino to that door, and then we shall work on the problem of locating your husband. Rosa will be in momentarily to bring you some refreshments.�
Sheridan watched him as he walked away from her and again felt this strange sense of familiarity that unnerved her for some reason. Don Miguel seemed like a gracious and generous man, but something about him made her think that he had an agenda. It wasn�t that she believed he was evil or anything, but there was just something that left her unsettled. She made up her mind that she was going to get to the bottom of this mystery, but first she had to find Luis.
*******************
Luis felt like he was going to go crazy as he paced back and forth in front of the police captain�s desk. They had found out from some witnesses that apparently Sheridan had been mugged and knocked over in the street. Some man had come to her aide, but she fainted in his arms and he took her away in a limo, and the police seemed to think this was good news. How in the hell did they know that this guy couldn�t have kidnapped her after the fact? If this person was so altruistic, then why hadn�t they contacted the police or him for that matter? Then it dawned on him that they couldn�t have gotten a hold of him if he wasn�t there. Maybe if he had stayed at the villa, he would have Sheridan with him right now. The witnesses had said that she was shaky, but walking under her own steam before she passed out. She could be seriously injured, but if that was the case then why wasn�t she at any of the hospitals in the area? They had checked with them all twice now, but none of them had reported anyone fitting Sheridan�s description being brought in for treatment. God, he couldn�t take this any longer and he voiced his distress. �Why are we all just sitting here doing nothing?� he asked the captain in a demanding voice.
�I know that you are distressed Senor Lopez-Fitzgerald, but I feel sure that whoever picked up your wife will try and contact us soon and I still have officers out there looking for her. I will have one of my men take you back to your villa in case your wife tries to contact you there.�
�Maybe that is a good idea, but I�m going to go crazy just sitting around there not knowing what is going on. On the other hand, maybe I should be out there looking for her myself,� Luis said, confused over his dilemma.
�Senor Lopez-Fitzgerald, why not let my men conduct the search for her? You do not know the area.� Suddenly the phone rang, and the captain excused himself to answer it. He began talking in rapid Spanish and Luis struggled to keep up with it. �Si Don Miguel. Gracias,� he said, finally hanging up the receiver. �I have very good news for you. That was Don Miguel calling to inquire about your whereabouts. Apparently your wife is with him and they have been trying to call you at the villa. When they did not receive an answer, they concluded that you had reported your wife�s absence to us. He reports that she is well, and asking for you.�
�Thank God,� Luis said, relieved beyond measure. �Wait a minute............ Who is this Don Miguel, and how did he end up with Sheridan?�
�Apparently Don Miguel sent his man Salvador to town on some errands and that is when he witnessed your wife being accosted. He was trying to assist her when she fainted into his arms. Since our emergency facilities here are very over-crowded they decided that it would be faster for Don Miguel�s personal physician to check your wife over for injuries.�
�That was very kind of him, but don�t you think it odd that he would just take some strange woman into his home like that?� Luis asked, thinking the situation was a little suspicious.
�No, Senor Lopez-Fitzgerald, I do not think it odd at all. Don Miguel is a very generous man, and he is one of the most influential and respected men in the Mediterranean region,� the captain said, indignantly.
�I meant no disrespect against this Don Miguel, but you have to admit that he has gone to a lot of trouble for a stranger,� Luis pointed out.
�Perhaps, but I
honestly think that Don Miguel has the best of intentions Senor
Lopez-Fitzgerald. I am sure that you are anxious to be reunited with your wife,
so I will have one of my officers drive you out to Don Miguel�s hacienda,�
the captain suggested with a smile.
�Thank you captain, I would appreciate that, and I also appreciate everything
you have done for me today,� Luis said, holding out his hand.
�You are most welcome Senor Lopez-Fitzgerald. I am just happy that this unfortunate incident turned out well after all. We will continue to search for this thug that accosted your wife, but I must admit that I do not think we will be able to catch him.�
�I would appreciate that,� Luis said, turning to leave.
As he was following the officer out of the door, the captain suddenly got a strange look on his face that caused one of the other officers's to take notice. �What is the matter el capitan?�
�I am not sure, but it does seem very strange,� he said, musing to himself. �Oh well, perhaps it is just a coincidence.�
********************
Pilar found Luke and Lily in the sunroom busy building a tower out of blocks when she went to announce that their cousin Jordan was here to see them. Curious and excited about anybody that took an interest in them, the twins scampered away to the living room, anxious to meet this person named Jordan. The twins were already hanging all over her legs when Pilar finally caught up with them. �Luke and Lily, you should let your cousin sit down before you jump all over her like that.�
�It�s okay Pilar,� Jordan said, smiling down at the twins. �They are just too adorable for words.�
�Well, I can not argue with you on the point, but then I am very partial,� Pilar laughed. �Jordan, I am so happy to see you well again. I�m sure that your mother must be so thrilled.�
�Yes, Pilar she seems to be happy, but you know the two of us?� she joked. �We are like oil and water, so we have had our issues.�
�Your mother may not always show it Jordan, but I do know that she loves you very much,� Pilar assured her.
�That may be Pilar, but she certainly has a funny way of showing it sometimes,� Jordan said, thinking about everything she did to keep her and Noah apart.
�See Banabelle,� Lily said, showing the doll to Jordan.
�Oh my, she certainly is pretty,� Jordan said, examining the little girl�s treasure. �Where did you ever get such a beautiful doll?�
�Mama,� Lily informed her cousin.
�That used to be Sheridan�s doll when she was a little girl,� Pilar explained. �Your Grandmother Katherine gave that to her when she was just about Lily�s age.�
�Then that explains why she is so special. How thoughtful of grandmother to save this for Aunt Sheridan. I can�t imagine my mother being that sentimental about any of our favorite toys.�
Luke, not wanting to be left out, ran to get one of his favorite toys and came back with one of his trucks. �Big truck Jordee,� he said, putting on the usual �e� that he attached to everyone�s name.
�Oh my goodness, that is a big truck,� Jordan said, acting impressed. �I don�t know how you can even hold that up. You certainly are your daddy�s little boy.�
�Dada, mama go bye bye,� Luke told her.
�Oh, I know and I bet you miss them very much,� Jordan told him gently.
�Mama, daddy come home,� Lily added.
Suddenly, they heard a car drive up. �That must be Martin. He went to pick Paloma up from school,� Pilar told her.
�I�ve never officially met your husband Pilar, but I must say that I�m a little embarrassed after what my father did to him,� Jordan said, hesitantly.
�Don�t worry Jordan,� Pilar said, putting her hand on Jordan�s arm. �Martin would never hold that against you.�
�Well, it looks like we have a visitor,� Martin said, coming into the room wearing a friendly smile.
�Pawpaw, Poma,� the twins shouted, running toward them.
�Hi you little rascals,� Paloma said, taking turns picking the twins up and swinging them around.
�I want you to meet Jordan Crane,� Pilar said, introducing them. �Jordan, this is my husband, Martin and my daughter, Paloma.
�It�s nice to meet you,� Jordan said, standing to take their hands.
�Pilar told me about your accident,� Martin said, graciously. �I�m glad to see that you�re fully recovered.�
�Thank you,� she said, relived to see the man held no grudges against her. �I must admit that I wasn�t sure if I would ever be able to see again.�
�Wow, you actually couldn�t see?� Paloma asked, feeling sorry for Jordan. �How did that happen?�
�Paloma, I am sure that Jordan does not feel like talking about her terrible experience,� Pilar said, trying to change the subject.
�It�s okay Pilar. I don�t mind telling her about it. I slipped and fell and hit my head against a table. When I came to, all that I could see were blurry objects. It lasted for several weeks and then one day my sight just came back again.�
�Well, thank God for that,� Paloma said. �You know, I can tell that you�re related to Sheridan. You favor her in some ways.�
�Maybe so, but she looks a lot like her mother too,� Martin said, studying her face.
�To be honest with you I hope that I favor Sheridan more in the personality department,� Jordan admitted.
�Oh Jordan, I feel terrible,� Pilar said, coming to a realization. �I have not even offered you anything. Can I get you something to drink? I baked a cake this morning...........�
�No really Pilar, I�m fine. I have been so anxious to meet Sheridan�s children, and well due to the circumstances with me losing my sight and everything if was a little difficult before. I brought my camera, and I thought it might be fun to take some candid black and white shots of them. What do you say you two, would you like me to take some pictures of you?�
�Yes, yes,� they both said, clapping their hands.
�You little hams,� Poloma said, laughing.
�Great,� Jordan said, excitedly. �Why don�t we go outside so that I can take advantage of the late afternoon light? I think it would be fun to get some shots of them playing.�
�Cool, can I go with you and watch?� Paloma asked.
�That would be great. I might even get some shots of you as well Paloma. Did anyone ever tell you that you should model? You have this great exotic beauty about you.�
�Are you serious?� Paloma asked, shocked. �Do you really think that I could model?�
�Why don�t we take some shots and find out,� Jordan suggested with a smile.
�Okay, come on you little rug rats; let�s get your coats on,� Paloma offered, hopping up from the sofa.
�You know Paloma; I should introduce you to my little brother,� Jordan said, as they were walking out the door.
�Oh, tell me all about him,� Paloma chuckled. �Is he hot?�
�I guess considering he�s my brother, he would be considered to be pretty hot...........�
Later, Martin approached Pilar from behind as she watched Jordan shooting pictures of Paloma and the children. �I brought you some coffee,� he said, holding the cup in front of her.
�Thank you,� Pilar said, taking the cup from him.
�You�ve been really quiet today. Are you upset about Jordan wanting to make Paloma a model,� he said, teasingly.
�No, I�m not concerned about that. Even if it did ever happen, it wouldn�t be for a long time.�
�Then what is it Pilar?� Martin asked, seriously. �You�ve been this way ever since Luis and Sheridan arrived at the last leg of their trip. I really don�t think that you have anything to be concerned about.�
�You do not know that for sure Martin. What if somehow they find out?� she asked, shakily.
�Listen to me Pilar,� Martin said, turning her around she that he could look her in the eyes. �I just don�t see that happening, and if it does we will deal with the consequences.�
�Luis will never understand. He may never forgive me, and our other children what will they say?� she asked, worriedly.
�Damn, I feel like this is my entire fault,� Martin swore. �God, all the suffering.........�
�This is not your fault Martin,� Pilar said, adamantly. �I should have never kept quiet.�
�That wasn�t all of your choice Pilar, and I�m not going to let you beat yourself up over this. Now, I think that you should stop worrying about this because chances are good that nothing is going to happen.�
�I hope that you are right Martin,� she said, hugging her husband. �I really hope that you are right.�
********************
Sheridan watched Don Miguel walk into the room, and couldn�t help but think that she knew this man from somewhere before. He flashed her a charming smile, as he took the seat across from her. �I gave good news Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald. I called the police and your husband was there. One of the officers is bringing him out here now.�
�Oh, that is good news,� Sheridan said, relieved. �I was starting to worry about him.�
�I must admit that I too am glad that he has been safely with the police,� Don Miguel said, with a contemplative look in his chocolate brown eyes.
�Why would you be so concerned about my husband when you have never met him?� Sheridan asked suspiciously.
Don Miguel stared at her with a look of surprise like he couldn�t believe what he had just said. �I just meant that for your sake that I am glad that your husband is well.�
Suddenly it hit Sheridan like a kick in the stomach. The gait of his walk, his body frame and those eyes told her everything. He looked just like Luis would forty years from now and the realization shocked and confused her. �Just who are you really?� Sheridan demanded.
�I did not want to reveal myself until your husband arrived, but I can see that you are not going to let this alone until I tell you the truth about myself,� Don Miguel said with a small smile. �I like your spirit, but I can see that you are not in the mood for compliments right now. Perhaps I should start off by telling you my full name. It is Don Miguel Francisco Lopez.�
�Lopez.............!� Oh God, you�re related to Luis aren�t you?�
�Si, I am Luis� el abuela,� Don Miguel said, confirming her suspicions.
�His grandfather?� Sheridan said, flabbergasted by the revelation. �But how can that be? Pilar always gave the impression that you were............�
�Dead,� he finished for her. �She gave that impression because that is what I demanded of her. When she went against my wishes and married Martin Fitzgerald, I told her that she was dead to me, as I would be to her.�
�Do you mean to tell me that you cut her out of your life because she married Martin? I can�t believe that you would do that to her,� Sheridan said, aghast.
�I was a very proud man that was devastated over losing his daughter to a man that I felt was not good enough to wipe her feet. As I grow older, I now realize that I have made a terrible mistake,� Don Miguel said, regretfully.
�Don Miguel you are obviously a very wealthy man. Do you realize that Pilar worked as a maid for us at the Crane Estate for years? After Martin disappeared she and her children struggled to make ends meet, and here you were just living in the lap of luxury.�
�I am not proud of that fact, but you do not know the whole story. What is important now is that I want to make amends and I need to know if you think that is possible. Will Pilar forgive me and will her children accept me into their lives?�
�I don�t know about Pilar and her children, but I can assure you that Luis will not welcome you with open arms. I�m sorry to be so brutal, but I know my husband well, and he is not going to understand this at all.� He looked so dejected by her words that Sheridan almost felt sorry for him. �Look, you need to understand that Luis is just as proud and stubborn as you are Don Miguel.�
�Excuse me Don Miguel, but Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald�s husband has just arrived,� Rosa announced from the entryway to the salon.
�Show him in,� Don Miguel answered with a hint of nervous anticipation.
�Sheridan,� Luis called out to her as he walked into the room.
�Luis,� she said, running toward him.
�Thank God that you�re okay,� he said, hugging her close. �I�ve been going through hell the last several hours.�
Don Miguel watched the couple and was touched by the love they obviously shared for each other. His grandson was looking at his wife with such adoration that he almost felt as if he were intruding on an intimate moment between them. He couldn�t help but feel proud of this man in front of him and he felt confident that he had made the right decision about Luis� future. The emotion he was feeling right now was overwhelming, and he was not prepared for it. They apparently remembered that he was in the room and both focused their attention on him. �You must be Don Miguel,� Luis said, approaching him with a smile. �I want to thank you for taking care of Sheridan. I don�t know what I would have done if something happened to her.�
�It was my pleasure Luis,� Don Miguel said, taking his grandson�s hand.
Now that they were standing together, the remarkable resemblance between the two of them was even more noteworthy. Sheridan got the feeling that Luis sensed it too because he suddenly got the strangest look on his face. �Why do I get the feeling suddenly that something is going on here?� Luis asked, looking from Sheridan to Don Miguel.
�I think that this might be the perfect opening for you to tell Luis the truth,� Sheridan said, taking her husband�s hand. �Honey, I should warn you that you need to be prepared for some shocking news.�
�Is someone going to tell me what is going on here?� Luis asked, feeling like he was in the middle of an episode of The Twilight Zone.
�My full name is Don Miguel Francisco Lopez, and I am your el abuela. I know that this must be a terrible shock to you because you were led to believe that I was dead, but as you can see I am very much alive..............�
�Hold on a minute,� Luis said, looking at his grandfather like he had grown another head. �What the hell are you saying? Is this some kind of a joke?�
�Look at my face and into my eyes and you will know that I am telling you the truth Luis. I had no idea that you would look so much like me,� the old man said, with much emotion.
�Oh my God, it is true,� Luis said, shaking his head in amazement. �I think that it�s about time that you explain yourself Don Miguel, because until you can give me a satisfactory answer, I refuse to call you el abuela.�
Chapter 10
Luis looked at this man that was claiming to be his grandfather and wanted to deny it with every fiber of his being but the evidence was just too strong. The eyes were surrounded by lines, but they were the same eyes that he saw when he looked in the mirror every day. This was just too much to absorb and he needed to maintain some control over whom he sensed was a formidable opponent. How could Don Miguel even face him when he had the audacity to let his own daughter believe that he was dead for all of these years? He wanted some answers and as soon as he was satisfied, he was walking out of this place forever. �I want to know how you can live with yourself?� Luis asked, turning to face his grandfather. �How could you let my mother believe that you were dead for all of these years?�
�I realize that you are shocked right now Luis, and I will answer all of your questions, but I demand that you treat me with respect,� Don Miguel ordered in a stern voice.
�Sorry Don Miguel, but you have to earn my respect,� Luis spat out.
The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife and it was obvious that neither man was going to back down. Sheridan got this mental picture of them walking twenty paces to turn with guns drawn just like in a duel. It was time to stop this before it got out of hand. �Please you two,� Sheridan said, putting her hands out as if to hold them apart. �Act like civilized human beings or nothing is going to be accomplished.�
Don Miguel was the first to concede and that was something that he was not accustomed to doing. �Forgive my demanding tone,� he said, smiling. �This is not how I wanted the first meeting with my grandson to go, but you are mistaken about something. Your mother does know that I am alive.�
�I don�t believe you,� Luis said in an accusing tone. �Mama would never lie about something like that.�
�There is no reason for me to lie about something that could so easily be proved. Let us all sit down so that I can explain things to you,� Don Miguel suggested.
Luis just stood there arms crossed in front of him with that look that Sheridan knew so well. It was time for some gentle persuading on her part. �Come on Luis, let�s sit down with Don Miguel to see what he has to say. You at least owe him the chance to explain things, and you also owe it to yourself to find out the truth.�
�Okay, but I�m only doing this for you and to prove that mama had nothing to do with whatever it is he�s trying to pull,� Luis said, walking over to take his place on the sofa.
Sheridan joined him and sat down beside him. She knew that Luis was not as removed as he was acting because he grabbed her hand and squeezed it for support. �Just try and keep an open mind,� she whispered to him.
Don Miguel walked over to a table where there was a decanter and glasses. �Can I pour you a glass of Jerez? It is one of the finest sherries in the region.� Sheridan and Luis both declined, but Pilar�s father poured himself a glass and sat down across from them. �Your mother and I had a falling out many years ago because I objected to her marrying Martin Fitzgerald. The argument was bad, things were said in the heat of anger and I told her that if she married your father that she would be cut out of my life. I have since come to regret my words, but I told her that from then on she was dead to me and I to her.�
�You mean to tell me that you cut my mama out of your life because she married papa?� Luis asked, with a look of disgust on his face. �Oh I see, he wasn�t good enough for you because he didn�t have money and some fancy title behind his name. Well let me tell you that you won�t find a more decent man than Martin Fitzgerald.�
�I do not dispute that Luis. I am sure that your father is a fine man, but you have a daughter and I am sure that you want nothing but the best for her.�
�Of course I want what�s best for her, but I can promise you one thing. I would NEVER turn my back on Lily no matter what,� Luis told him emphatically. �So, that�s your excuse? Mama marries somebody you didn�t approve of so you just wash your hands of her?�
�It is not that simple Luis,� Don Miguel told him sadly. �I admit that I am a proud and stubborn man, but you need to understand that there is so much more than what appears of the surface. When my wife, your abuela passed away I was shattered, and Pilar was the only one of my children that was able to comfort me. Do not get me wrong, Francisco and Maria tried, but we were never close the way I was with your mama. Pilar was my youngest and even though I loved all of my children, she had a special place in my heart. Every day we would saddle our horses and ride out to the olive groves to check on their progress and to make sure that the workers had everything that they needed,� Don Miguel smiled, thinking about those times.
�If that is true that you and mama were so close then this makes even less sense to me,� Luis said, shaking his head in confusion.
�Maybe it would help you to understand if I told you the story of what started all of this dissention in our family. Your Tia Maria married the son of a very affluent family here in Spain. They wanted to expand their enterprise so when your Tio Vicente was sent to America I was very upset that my daughter would be living so far away but I eventually made peace with it because I knew that she would be well taken care of.�
�I had no idea that Tio Vicente was so wealthy,� Luis said, shocked. �When I would go to visit they always appeared to live comfortably, but I didn�t see any evidence that they were extremely wealthy.�
�That is because by the time that you were born the money was gone. Vicente�s father made some bad business decisions and lost everything. The company in American was closed down, but your tio was able to start his own business that was profitable enough to allow them to live in some comfort. They were still quite wealthy when Pilar got the notion in her head to go and visit her sister. I did not want her to go but a cousin that was also living there was getting married, and your mama was asked to be in the wedding. I would have gone too, but it was the busiest time of the year here and I could not leave then. Your mama can be very stubborn and persuasive and finally against my better judgment I allowed her to go. As it turned out, it was the biggest mistake of my life because my Pilar never came home again,� he murmured with such pain in his eyes.
�How terribly sad,� Sheridan uttered, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes.
Luis did feel a part of his heart going out to this man, but there was still so much that his grandfather had to answer for and he couldn�t allow sediment to cloud his judgment. �I want to know why mama never came home again?� Luis questioned skeptically.
�Because she met Martin Fitzgerald that is why,� Don Miguel said with a bitter edge to his voice. �I am sorry Luis, but when he came along everything changed. Pilar called me and told me that she had met a wonderful man and wanted to marry him. I was shocked because they had not known each other for very long. I tried to make her see reason, but she would not listen and wanted my blessing. She was still so young and I was worried that she had been taken in by a man that wanted to take advantage of her. I hired someone to look into your father�s background and learned that he came from a family of Irish immigrants. Even though Martin was in the military, his tour of duty was almost finished and he had no prospects for a good job. I was convinced that he was romancing my daughter because he knew that she came from a very rich and respected family..............�
�My papa isn�t like that,� Luis said, defensively.
�Maybe not, but as a father you can understand why I would feel that way. Even though it was a terrible time for me to leave, I flew to American to try and talk some sense into Pilar, but she was unrelenting in her plans to marry Martin Fitzgerald. I grew desperate and threatened to cut her off without a peso if she did not forget this foolishness and come home with me immediately. I thought that once Martin heard that he would be unable to get his hands on my money that he would break off the relationship, but he did not. I was still not convinced of his sincerity so I met with him alone and offered him a sizable amount of money if he would leave my daughter, but he refused. Pilar found out about it and she was furious with me. We had a terrible argument and that is when I told her that she had a choice, and it was either me or Martin Fitzgerald, and that if she chose him she would no longer be my daughter.�
�You call that a choice?� Luis hissed. �You were asking her to turn her back on the man that she loved just because he didn�t meet with your approval. Did you even care that mama was happy?�
�Of course I wanted her to be happy, but you must understand that in my heart I believed that Pilar was making a terrible mistake. I was proud and stubborn, and I felt betrayed by my own daughter. The only thing that I could see was that Martin Fitzgerald was taking my little mija away from me to live a life of drudgery and I could not accept that.�
�You know we may not have been raised with a lot of material things, but papa and mama both worked hard to make sure that we were warm and fed, and there was one thing that was never lacking in our house. It was love and we had plenty of that to go around. It is still so hard for me to believe that mama was raised with privilege because she is one of the most compassionate people that I know and she has never been afraid to get her hands dirty..............�
�Your prejudice is showing Luis,� Don Miguel said with a raised brow. �What I find hard to believe is that you could be this way considering that your own wife was born into a very wealthy family.�
�That�s different. Sheridan knows that I don�t feel that way about her,� Luis said, defensively. �Besides, how I feel about wealthy people is not the issue here.�
�Perhaps it is an issue,� Don Miguel observed. �I am trying to make amends here, but if you hold my wealth against me then I can see that I have a losing battle ahead of me. You have Castilian blood pumping through your veins and a lineage that goes back to King Alfonso XII and it is time that you embrace your heritage.�
�Am I supposed to be impressed by this?� Luis scoffed.
Sheridan could see that Don Miguel was hurt by Luis� words, and she tried once again to play referee. �Luis please try not to be so bitter, and Don Miguel you need to understand that all this information that you are giving Luis changes everything that he ever believed in about his family.�
�I can see that my grandson has married a very wise woman,� Don Miguel said, smiling at her. �What do you say Luis? Should we try to be a little more understanding of each other?�
�All right, I�ll try, but there are still so many questions that I have. You say you want to make amends, but did it not bother you to never see your daughter............? To never knew your grandchildren?�
�It broke my heart into a million pieces,� Don Miguel admitted. �I am a proud and stubborn man and I felt like my precious daughter had turned on me, and I am sure that your mother felt the same way. The situation got out of control, but I always believed that some day things would be right again, but years passed and the longer this rift went on the harder it was to make it right again. After your Tio Francisco was killed in that accident, I knew that this madness could not continue, because life is too short and we must not shut out the people that we love. I just hope that I did not come to this realization when it was too late,� Don Miguel said, shaking his head sadly.
�I want to believe you,� Luis said with emotion. �But, I can�t forget that my mama worked as a housekeeper for years waiting on the Cranes hand and foot. Then, after papa disappeared there were times when we didn�t know if there was going to be enough money to make it until mama got paid again. Antonio took off not long after papa turned up missing, which made things even worse because that was one less person contributing to the household. I�m sorry but it�s hard for me to rationalize that the whole time we were living like that, you were here surrounded by all of this wealth. Was your pride so strong that you would let your family suffer?�
�There is something else that you need to know Luis. Even though I cut my daughter out of my life, I still knew her situation, and it sickened me to know that what I had predicted came true. After your papa disappeared, I did swallow my pride and I called my daughter. I told her that she should bring her children to Spain to live here and all would be forgotten, but she turned me down. She said that she needed to stay right where she was so that when your papa came home again, he would know where to find her. I felt rejected by her all over again because of Martin Fitzgerald.�
�Don�t try to lay this on papa. He was kidnapped for years, and even when everyone, including myself believed that he had just run off, that was not the case. Mama knew deep in her heart that he would come back some day and I�m sure that�s why she felt that she needed to stay there,� Luis said in defense of his parents.
�I did not tell you this to disrespect your mama and papa, but I wanted you to know that even though I have made some terrible mistakes that I am not the ogre that you think I am.�
�So now what?� Luis asked. �It�s obvious that you knew that we were here in Spain and you had plans to meet us.............. Oh my God, did you send that mugger after Sheridan so that you would have a reason to get me here?�
�Luis,� Sheridan said, astounded by her husband�s accusation.
�It is okay Sheridan. I realize that this all seems a little too convenient to my grandson, but know this. I would never put your wife in harm�s way for any reason. I may be arrogant, but I am not an evil man. I did want to meet up with you and would have found another way to do so, but not at the expense of your loved ones.�
�Okay, I�m sorry for accusing you, but you still haven�t told me what you want from me?� Luis asked, still suspicious of his grandfather�s motives.
�I wanted to meet my grandson,� Don Miguel declared dramatically. �When you walked into the room earlier I cannot tell you what joy I felt. I know that you still have a few days left here in Spain before you go home again and I want you to stay here with me so that we might get to know each other. Maybe together we can find a way to end this unfortunate estrangement and bring the family together again. I am an old man and I do not want to die with things standing the way they are now. Please, will you just consider it?�
�I just don�t know that I can stay here,� Luis told him with a hint of regret. �I think that Sheridan and I should just go back to the villa, and maybe we can get together and talk again before we leave.�
�I see,� Don Miguel said, sadly. �I think that if you are having a problem with taking my hospitality then you should know that the villa you are staying in belongs to me.�
�What?� Luis asked, furious by his grandfather�s words. �You really are the master manipulator aren�t you? Well, I�ve changed my mind. We�re going to find the first flight we can back to the United States. Come on Sheridan, let�s go...........�
�But, you do not have any means of transportation,� Don Miguel reminded him in a raised voice. �How do you propose to get back to the villa to get your things?�
�I�ll walk if I have to,� Luis growled.
�Will you two please stop this,� Sheridan shouted above the testosterone level. �Don Miguel, would you mind if I spoke with Luis alone?�
�Of course not,� Don Miguel said, giving her a gracious smile. �You take all of the time that you need.�
After he had gone and shut the door behind him, Luis looked at Sheridan like she had grown two heads. �What the hell are you doing?�
�I�m keeping you from making the biggest mistake of your life. Look, I know that you are shocked and bitter, and that you feel deceived, but if you leave here with things the way they are you are always going to regret it.�
�I�m sorry Sheridan, but I�m not going to be his puppet just because he suddenly feels regret after all of these years. If he wants to make amends the way he says he does then he�s going to have to do it without me,� Luis said, stubbornly.
�Would you just listen to yourself?� Sheridan said, shaking her head in disbelief. �You sound just like the close-minded jerk you were when I first met you. I am not condoning Don Miguel�s actions, but at least he�s willing to admit that he was wrong and he wants to make things right again. Why is it so difficult for you to meet him half-way?�
�Because, I don�t want his hospitality or his money. He was never around when we needed him and we certainly don�t need him in our lives now,� Luis said, defiantly.
�Luis, in spite of all the bitterness that you feel I know that there is a part of you that is thrilled to meet your grandfather. Don�t deny it either because I saw it in your eyes when you first found out who Don Miguel really was. Maybe it was there for just a second, but it was there and that tells me that you do care.............�
�Okay, maybe I do care, but I can�t handle this Sheridan. I just can�t handle this all this money.�
It finally hit Sheridan like a ton of bricks, and she knew with a certain clarity what the real issue was. �Oh God, maybe Don Miguel was right about you being prejudiced against the wealthy. I always thought it was just the Cranes that you hated but now that you know you have blue blood running through your veins your mantra of being the poor cop from the wrong side of the tracks ceases to exist, and that drives you crazy because you wore it like a banner. Let�s face it Luis, my family may have a ton of money but not even we can claim to have royal blood the way that you can.�
Luis knew what she was saying was true, but it hurt just the same. �Why are you talking to me this way?�
�Because I love you, and if I can�t be brutally honest with you then who can? Luis, I just want you to face some facts so that you can allow yourself to get to know your grandfather. You deserve it, and so do your brothers and sisters and Luke and Lily. If you let yourself fall into this bitterness trap like your grandfather and mother did for all of these years then you are robbing yourself of what could be some special moments. I�m not saying that you have to forget everything that�s happen, but why not just give him a chance?�
�Maybe you are right about everything, but I feel like I have to suddenly change everything that I believe in. I�m the man I am today because of the deal that life has handed me.�
�I know that you are, and I couldn�t be more proud of you. You are a good man Luis, and nobody is saying that you have to give up your values in order to accept your grandfather and his way of life. It doesn�t have to be a tradeoff.�
�My grandfather is right about one thing. You are a wise woman, and I am going to give this a try Sheridan. I can�t promise anything, but I will give him a chance.�
�If I�m wise then I guess all of that therapy paid off,� she teased. �Does this mean that we are going to stay here for the next couple of days?�
�Yeah, I guess that�s what this means,� he said, pulling her into his arms. �I sure am going to miss our private beach though.�
�This is a big house Luis. I don�t think we need to give up our special time just because we�re here. There will always be the nights you know,� she reminded him with a smile.
�I don�t know, you can get pretty vocal sometimes,� he teased.
�You better watch it buddy or I�ll ask Don Miguel for separate bedrooms.�
�Yeah, sure,� he laughed. �Come on let�s get this over with and tell Don Miguel that we�re going to stay here.�
*********************
Jordan couldn�t remember the last time she had this much fun. She had gotten some great shots of the twins, and she couldn�t wait to get them developed. Paloma had this new idea for a picture of the twins, and she was getting them positioned now. They were buried in a big pile of leaves with just their heads peeking out, and Jordan had to admire their patience for being so young. Of course, it helped that they seemed to do anything that Paloma asked of them. �Are you about ready?� Jordan called out.
�Okay, you little squirts, hold still for a minute so that Jordan can take your picture,� Paloma told them, moving out of the way.
�Say cheese,� Jordan instructed them.
�Cheese,� they both said, starting to giggle.
�Okay, just let me get a couple of more shots and you can run wild,� Jordan told the twins.
When she was finished, Luke ran up to her. �Me do Jordee?� he asked, pointing to the camera.
�Well honey, you are pretty small to be taking pictures......... Oh heck, why not,� she laughed. �Come and sit right in front of me and we�ll take a picture of your Aunt Paloma and your sister.� As soon as Jordan had the shot set up, she told Luke to press the button. �Good job Luke. As soon as I get these developed I�m going to show this picture to your mommy and daddy and tell them that you took it.�
�Effin,� Lily shouted, running across the lawn.
Jordan looked up in the direction that Lily had gone and saw Evan, Kay and Noah walk around the corner into the back yard. Her heart beat faster just seeing his handsome face. Now, if she could only act like they were nothing more than friends. �This is a pleasant surprise. What are you guys doing here?�
�Well, we were all sitting at the Book Cafe when Evan saw this poster that the Blues Clues were going to be live on stage on Saturday afternoon, and he wanted to asked Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald if he could take the twins,� Kay told her.
�I�m just along for the ride,� Noah said, shrugging his shoulders giving her a secret smile.
She didn�t believe him for a second, because she had told him that she was coming out here today, but she thought it was sweet just the same. �I would think that you would have more interesting things to do than to go on a Blues Clues mission,� she teased. �I�m afraid I�m being rude. Do you all know Paloma?�
�Actually we met briefly when she arrived into town,� Evan said, winking at Paloma.
�Paloma, we haven�t seen you around much lately since you�ve been staying out here,� Kay commented.
�Let�s just say that my parents have had me on a tight leash,� Paloma said, giving Kay a knowing look.
�Well, once they let you off of the leash why don�t you come over to the house. You can hang out with me and my sister Jessica,� Kay offered.
�Thanks Kay, I appreciate that. I don�t know many people in town,� Paloma said, appreciatively.
Lily, who was perched up on Evan�s shoulders made a request in her tiny voice. �Puppets Effin.�
�I don�t know about that Squirt. We�re outside and I don�t see any puppets out here. Would you settle for a horsey back ride?�
�Me, me,� Luke squealed, jumping up and down trying to get his uncle�s attention.
�I think I have big enough shoulders to hold you up Luke,� Noah volunteered, endearing him to Jordan for his gesture. Just before he took off in his horse-like prance he leaned over and whispered in Jordan�s ear. �I can�t wait until I can kiss you again.�
Regaining her control, Jordan made a suggestion. �What do you say girls? Should I get some shots of these guys playing horsey?� Jordan chuckled.
�Oh please do Jordan,� Kay said, edging her on. �They would be perfect tools for blackmail. We could threaten to post them at the Book Cafe.�
�Oh, you two are so bad and I love it,� Paloma said, laughing.
Suddenly Pilar came out of the back door. �How would you all like to stay for dinner? I made a big pot of chili,� Pilar called out.
�Mama makes some awesome chili. You guys really should consider staying,� Poloma said, silently hoping that they did just to have some interaction with people her own age.
�I�ve had your mother�s chili and it is pretty amazing,� Kay agreed.
They all agreed to stay and were sitting around the table later being entertained by the antics of the twins when the phone rang. �I have a feeling that is your mama and papa,� Pilar told the twins.
�Will you ask them if it would be okay for me to take the twins to see the Blues Clues on Saturday,� Evan asked her.
�Clues clues,� Lily squealed.
�Clues Clues,� Luke echoed her, clapping his hands.
�Maybe you shouldn�t have said anything until you got Luis and Sheridan�s permission,� Kay advised.
Pilar went to the kitchen to answer the phone since it was so noisy in the dining room, and it was Luis just as she predicted. �Mijo, it is good to hear your voice. Hold on for a minute and I will get the children.�
�Not just yet mama,� Luis stopped her. �I have something I need to talk to you about.�
�What is it Luis?� Pilar asked, fearfully. �Your voice sounds so strange.�
�Mama, I don�t know how to say this gently so I�ll just come out with it. I know about abuelo.�
Pilar felt like all of the wind had been sucked out of her, but in a way she was glad that the truth had finally come out. �How did you find out mijo?�
�It�s a long story, and we�ll talk about everything when we get home, but I wanted you to know that Sheridan and I are going to be staying here at his estate until we come home.�
�I am so sorry that you had to find out this way mijo, but I am happy that you know. There is so much that I have to tell you...........�
�It�s okay mama, Don Miguel explained everything to us. I know that you were faced with a terrible decision and that you chose love.�
�How is papa?� Pilar asked hesitantly.
�He is in great health and very arrogant,� Luis assured her. �He wants to make amends mama.�
�Hey Pilar,� Martin called out to her, walking into the room with Luke and Lily by his side. �Are you going to talk to our son all night? The twins are all excited to talk to their mommy and daddy.�
�Luis, the children are here and they are very anxious to speak with you,� Pilar signaled him.
�Okay mama. Put them on the phone and we�ll talk later and please try not to worry. I love you.�
�I love you too mijo,� Pilar said with tears in her eyes.
�Mama, dadee, come here,� Lily said into the phone.
�What is it Pilar?� Martin whispered.
�They know Martin,� Pilar told him in a shaky voice. �They are calling from papa�s as we speak.�
�But how?�
�I do not know for sure, but I think that it is time to gather all of the children together and tell them the truth............�
********************
Sheridan and Luis had been given a spacious room with a huge four poster bed and a beautiful view of the mountains. Luis was standing out on the balcony just off of their room watching his grandfather�s employees beginning their day in the olive groves when Sheridan joined him. �Are you ready to go down to breakfast?�
�I guess so, but could you give me a few minutes?�
�Of course,� she said, putting her hands around his arm and leaning against him.
�It�s quite the operation,� Luis said, gazing out across the land.
�Salvador told me that Don Miguel is one of the largest producers of olive oil in the Mediterranean region. Did you know that he also exports it with his own fleet of ships.�
�My God, I had no idea,� Luis said, impressed in spite of himself. �This is pretty overwhelming Sheridan.�
�I know but you are doing very good so far. You got through dinner last night with your grandfather and you were both very well behaved.�
�It was a struggle at times,� Luis admitted. �Especially when he started questioning me about my phone call to mama.�
�I�m sure that he was anxious about her reaction,� Sheridan told him. �How do you really think that Pilar took the news?�
�She seemed shocked, but I got the feeling that she was relieved too. We didn�t really get a chance to talk for that long.�
�Well at least Luke and Lily get to see the Clues Clues,� Sheridan said, laughing. �That was sweet of Evan to offer to take them.�
�I really miss them Sheridan. I can�t wait to get home to see them,� Luis said, smiling just thinking about his children.
�Me too, but for now I think we should get down to breakfast,� she said, pulling on his arm.
�Okay, but first I need this,� he mumbled lowering his head to plant a kiss on her lips.
�What was that for?�
�Fortification,� he growled.
�You got plenty of fortification last night,� she chuckled.
�Well, I had a lot of intense stuff on my mind and I needed to escape in the pleasure that only you can give me.�
�I think we better go before I push you on that bed, and then we would embarrass ourselves when we didn�t show up for breakfast. Can�t you just imagine the look on your grandfather�s face?�
�Okay, I get your point,� he said, grabbing her hand to lead her out into the hall.
You know Luis, you haven�t really been very forthcoming on your feelings about your mother�s part in all of this,� Sheridan said, trying to get him to open up.
�Well, I don�t blame her for choosing papa, and I made sure that she knows I still love her...........�
�I hear a BUT in there,� she said, intuitively.
�I can�t help but feel some resentment for her turning down Don Miguel�s offer after papa disappeared. Not because of the money, but my grandfather�s influence could have played a big part in finding papa a lot sooner. Let�s face it Sheridan, we were no match for Alistair Crane.�
�If that�s the way you feel then I think it�s important to share that with your mother,� Sheridan advised.
�I�ll have to think about that. I�m not used to disrespecting my mother and I just feel like I would be judging her or something,� he admitted.
�Who knows, it might be healthy for both of you. I learned in therapy that it really is counter productive to keep things that are bothering you locked up inside. Take it from me Luis, it will be tough, but you will also experience a sense of freedom that you never felt before. People tend to put their parents on this pedestal, whether they are good or bad and it�s hard to imagine them as a real human being with flaws. Pilar is your mother, but she is also a woman that is just as capable of making mistakes as the next person.�
�I�ll try Sheridan, but it�s hard for me to act anyway but the proper son where mama is concerned. But, I know what you�re saying is right and I will confront her,� he assured her.
As they were walking down the hall, they came upon a closed door, and Sheridan stopped in front of it. �Rosa told me that this was your mother�s room. Don Miguel had the door shut when Pilar didn�t come back because it was too painful for him to look inside there. It�s been closed for all of these years and the only person that goes into there is Rosa to clean it once a week.�
�Boy, you just know all kinds of information,� Luis smiled.
�Can I help it that people like to talk to me?� Sheridan chuckled.
When they arrived in the dining room, Don Miguel was already seated at the head of the table. �Buenos dias,� he greeted them with a smile.
�Buenos dias,� they both said, returning his good morning wishes.
�Is your room comfortable enough? Because if it is not, I can arrange another one for you,� he offered.
They both assured him that their room was more than comfortable, and sat down to join him for breakfast. One of the maids came into the room and poured them coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. There was a generous spread of food warming in chafing dishes sitting on the sideboard, and they filled their plates, both starving from their strenuous night of lovemaking. �Everything looks delicious,� Sheridan commented.
�The cook here is quite competent and I am sure that you will enjoy your meal. Sheridan, how is your wrist this morning? Are you still feeling any pain?� Don Miguel asked with concern.
�It really is much better,� Sheridan said, turning it around for him.
�I still think that we should make sure there are no broken bones. The doctor is semi-retired and I am sure that he will be happy to drive you into town this morning for an X-Ray.�
�I�ll go with her,� Luis said in a tone that left no room for argument.
�Of course, but I was hoping that when you returned you would let me give you a tour of the hacienda. Do you ride? Because I have a stable of some of the best Arabian horses in Spain.�
�Sheridan does, but we had a hard enough time scraping together enough money to pay the heating bill. There really wasn�t much left over for riding lessons,� Luis told him, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
�I would love to see your stables Don Miguel,� Sheridan said, trying to run interference.
�Your mama was quite the horsewoman Luis. There was not a man or woman on this hacienda that could outride Pilar. Oh, how she loved that horse of hers,� the old man said, smiling fondly.
�She never mentioned it,� Luis said, dapping his mouth with the napkin.
�Luis, I did not want to broach this subject so soon, but since you will be leaving for home the day after tomorrow I wanted to give you a chance to think about what I have to say. I have kept a close eye on you for many years, and I know that you were a good student and that you gave up a lot when Antonio left the family. You were just becoming a man, and you put aside your dreams to take over the running of the family.�
�It was no big deal,� Luis said, brushing it off. �Anybody in my place would do the same thing.�
�You can minimize your sacrifices, but I know better,� Don Miguel said with conviction. �When your Tio Francisco was killed, I had my lawyers change my will. Both of my daughters will inherit the bulk of my money along with some personal items that belonged to their mother. There are also provisions in there for all of my grandchildren. None of you will want for anything, but there is still the matter of my estate and business interests, and I have decided to leave that to you Luis.�
Luis and Sheridan�s heads jerked up, and they stared at each other in disbelief. Luis was finally able to choke out some words. �Did I just hear you correctly? You want to leave this house and all of your business interest to me?�
�That is exactly what I am saying, and I also want you to consider moving here with Sheridan and your children so that I can teach you everything that you will need to know........... So, tell me, would you at least consider this?� Don Miguel asked, hopefully.
�Not in this lifetime,� Luis told him as Sheridan�s glass of juice slipped out of her hands and went crashing on the table.
Chapter 11
Don Miguel immediately called for a maid to clean up the juice and broken glass on the table in front of Sheridan. Luckily, none of it had touched her, but if one could die from embarrassment she was close to the end. Luis was avoiding the bomb shell his grandfather had just hit him with by fussing around her like a mother hen. Finally, when the mess was cleared away, and order was restored, the bomb shell again became front and center. Everyone sat there in uncomfortable silence, the only sound in the room was the clock ticking which was seemingly getting louder by the minute. Don Miguel decided that enough time had passed to allow everyone to absorb his news and finally spoke. �I expected this reaction from you Luis, and I can understand your reluctance, but I do not think you should make a decision of this importance without giving it some further consideration.�
�You expected this reaction from me?� Luis said, with a smile that didn�t reach his eyes. �You don�t even know me, so how can you expect anything from me?�
�Luis, please,� Sheridan said, mortified.
Don Miguel chose to ignore Luis� flippant attitude, and calmly poured himself another cup of steaming coffee. �You are wrong Luis. I know you better than you think because you are more like me than you care to admit. Do you really think that I would leave the Lopez Dynasty to someone that I had not carefully scrutinized? Besides, you are a Lopez and it is up to you to carry on the family legacy. It cannot end with my death.�
�Why me?� Luis demanded. �Antonio is the first born, and the two of you are much more alike than we are. You both turned your backs on your family.�
Don Miguel turned white at his grandson�s words, and Sheridan too shocked to speak stared at her husband in disbelief. Rosa walked in just then to announce that Dr. Moreno was there to take Sheridan for her X-Ray. She excused herself and Luis followed her out of the room. �Wait up,� he called to her. I�m going with you.�
�No!� she said, turning to stare at him with a look of anger and disappointment. �I prefer not to be around you right now.�
�Sheridan, what is going on with you?� Luis asked, confused.
�I think the real question is what is wrong with you?� she demanded, eyes flashing wildly. �You have been a lot of things Luis, but I have never known you to be outright cruel before. Like it or not, that man in there is your grandfather and you owe him an apology.�
�Senora Lopez-Fitzgerald, how are you feeling today?� Doctor Moreno said, approaching them from the library.
�I�m feeling much better,� Sheridan assured him. �I just feel bad that you had to come all the way out here just to take me for an X-Ray.�
�It is no problem. I live out this way and I had to go to the clinic today anyway to check on some tests for another patient. Well, this must be your husband,� Doctor Moreno said, staring at Luis with keen interest.
�Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald,� Luis said, extending his hand to the doctor. �Thank you so much for taking care of my wife.�
�Lorenzo Moreno, and it was my pleasure,� the doctor said, taking Luis� hand. �I just cannot get over the resemblance............... Oh, forget I said that. I need to learn to quit speaking my thoughts out loud.�
�It�s okay Doctor Moreno, I know that Don Miguel is my grandfather,� Luis told him.
�I am relieved to hear that,� the doctor said, letting out a breath. �So, are you coming with us Senor Lopez-Fitzgerald?�
�No, he needs to stay here and take care of an important matter,� Sheridan said, before Luis could open his mouth.
The look in Sheridan�s eyes told him that there was no room for argument, and he decided that he would never get out of the dog house if he didn�t concede. �Sheridan�s right. I do have something that needs to be addressed.�
�Well then, I guess that we should go,� Doctor Moreno said with a gracious smile. �I do not imagine that we should be long.�
Sheridan surprised Luis when she stepped up beside him to plant a kiss on his cheek. �I love you and that is why I know that you will do the right thing,� she said, before walking out the door with the doctor.
After they left, Luis went back to the dining room in search of his grandfather. He was not looking forward to this, but he knew that Sheridan was right. He did need to apologize and he knew that it wasn�t going to be easy but it was time to swallow his pride. When he arrived, his grandfather was gone and Rosa was there clearing away the breakfast dishes. �Oh senor, did you want something more to eat?� the housekeeper asked when she saw him standing there.
�No, thank you Rosa,� Luis said, smiling. �I was wondering though if you could tell me where Don Miguel is?�
�I am sorry senor, but I am not sure. I think that I heard him go out the back door earlier. He likes to check on the workers at this time of the day.�
�I guess I�ll catch up with him later then. If you should see him Rosa will you tell him that I would like to speak with him?�
�Si senor. I will tell him right away.�
�Gracias Rosa.� Luis didn�t have a clue what to do now and decided to go up to their room to see to the packing since they would be leaving tomorrow. Not that there was very much packing to do since Sheridan had only pulled out the clothing that they would be needing for the rest of their stay. Don Miguel had sent some of his staff to the villa the day before to move all of their things to the hacienda when he found out that they had decided to stay. As he was walking along the hall, he came upon the closed door that used to be his mother�s room and he couldn�t resist turning the door knob to see if it was locked. Finding it opened, he proceeded to walk inside unable to avoid satisfying his craving to look into this mother�s former life. The room was spacious, just like the rest of the house, but there were feminine touches everywhere with the flowered patterned cover on the bed and matching draperies. It took Luis by surprise because he had always known his mama to have simple tastes. He moved over to her dressing table where several bottles of perfume adorned the top. It seemed strange to him to see his mother�s personal items sitting here just as she had left them over thirty years ago.
He started to leave suddenly feeling like an intruder when he saw the photos on top of the tall dresser. How could he possibly go without seeing them, another glimpse into his mother�s past? There was a family picture with his abuelo, looking very young and so much like himself it was uncanny. His abuela Teresita, whom Theresa was named after, was a beautiful woman with her long black hair, and gracious smile. All three children looked young and he guessed that mama must have been around five when the picture was taken. They all looked so happy and it made Luis feel a little sad, knowing that their lives were torn apart by bitterness. A picture of his mother sitting on top of a black horse caught his eye and he picked it up to get a better look. She looked as if she was part of the giant beast with the seat of a true champion. He felt cheated somehow that he didn�t know this about this mother, but there was another picture that really struck a cord, and that was one of his mother as a young woman dressed in party clothes with a handsome young man beside her.
�Luis, what are you doing here?� Don Miguel�s voice sounded from the hallway.
Luis froze, feeling like the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. �I�m sorry Don Miguel,� he stammered. �I know that you don�t want anyone in this room, but............�
�Stop, that is not why I was questioning you. I am just surprised to see you because I thought that you were going with Sheridan and Doctor Moreno.�
�Sheridan didn�t want me to come along. I�m not exactly in her good graces right now,� Luis said with a weak smile.
�Oh, this is not good,� Don Miguel said, concerned. �I hope that it is nothing serious.�
�We�ll be fine,� Luis assured him. �We�ve survived worse arguments than this before, and we�re still standing.............. Look I really am sorry though for coming in here without your permission.�
�Please do not
apologize,� Don Miguel said. �I am surprised that you did not come in here
sooner. It is only natural that you would want to find out more about your mama.
You know, I have not been in this room for many years because it was too painful
for me, but now that you are here I don�t find it so distressing any
longer,� Don Miguel admitted.
�I don�t feel like I know the person that occupied this room at all,� he said, looking around the room. �I have always known my mother to be a simple, hard-working woman that didn�t seem impressed by material things.�
�Then I can see that my daughter has not changed all that much. Your mother may have grown up with the finer things in life, but she was always a hard worker. All my children were taught that things are not handed to one on a silver platter and there were always duties that were assigned to them.�
�Can I ask you who this man is in the picture with mama?� Luis asked, pointing to the photograph.
�That is Felipe Aznar. He was the son of our Prime Minister at that time. Your mother and he were close throughout their school years and up until the time she left for America. He was quite smitten with her, but I am afraid that she only felt a strong friendship for him. I am sure that if she would have encouraged it, he would have proposed marriage to her.�
�Is he the reason that you hate papa so much?� Luis asked with curiosity that lacked any resentment.
�Hate is a strong word Luis. I know that this seems hard for you to believe but I did not hate your papa. I only hated the thought of the kind of life your mama would have if she married him, and if you were honest with yourself you will admit that she did suffer much because of the choice she made. I am admitting that I was also a party to her suffering and I will regret that until my dying day. But, it does my heart good to know that my Pilar is happy. Her husband is back and she is surrounded by her loving family.�
Luis was struck by his grandfather�s words. Instead of the arrogance that he had come to associate with Don Miguel, he saw a sad, loving father that had missed so many years of his daughter�s life because of stubborn pride. It came suddenly to him, this epiphany that he was in fact so much like this man, and he knew that he had to make things right between them before it was too late. �Abuelo, I am so sorry for the cruel things I said to you at breakfast. I should have never lashed out at you that way.�
Don Miguel�s eyes lit up with joy at Luis� words. �That is the first time that you have called me abuelo. All these years I have had grandchildren and not once have I had the pleasure of hearing them speak that word to me. I know that I am a silly old man but this is a special moment for me. I do not want you to apologize though because I understand that I delivered quite a shock to you without any preparation............�
�I do owe you an apology, and I also need to explain some things to you about myself. When papa disappeared and Antonio left, I was shattered inside. I loved my father and brother so much and I couldn�t understand why they would just leave us that way. I didn�t have a chance to grieve though because I knew that it was my duty to be the man of the family so I put up this protective shield. You see, I have this habit of pushing away people that I know have the power to hurt me, and I think that I saw you as one of those people. I did the same thing to Sheridan and I thank God everyday that I finally swallowed my foolish pride and let her into my heart. When I came to realize that the Cranes were responsible for my father�s disappearance I immediately associated all people with money with manipulative vultures that preyed on people less fortunate then they were. So, the fact that you were wealthy only compounded the problem for me. I was feeling so many different emotions when I first found out who you were and I reacted very badly.�
�You have not told me anything that I did not already suspect. You were dealt a terrible blow for someone so young, but you handled it like a man and you did the best that you could do. I know that you probably still have some residual resentment toward me, and I admit that I deserve it, but if you will agree I think that we can make a fresh start.�
�I think that I would like that too,� Luis said, smiling.
�You have made me very happy Luis,� Don Miguel said, pulling his grandson into a tentative hug. �Very happy.�
�Abuelo, about the inheritance..............�
�I think that we should put any talk of that subject on hold for now. I know that it needs to be discussed but I would like to enjoy this fragile bond that we have established for a little while longer,� he said with a knowing smile. �I was getting ready to go out and visit the olive groves. Would you like to come along?�
�Yes, I think that I would,� Luis agreed. �But only if you don�t insist that I ride a horse.�
********************
Martin and Pilar had called a family meeting and everyone had arrived, but they were waiting for Evan and Kay to pick up the twins before they began. Luke and Lily were so excited about seeing the Blues Clues that they were wound up like little tops. Lily has insisted that her abuela dress her in one of her pretty dresses and Pilar just prayed that the little girl would keep it below her waist. In spite of their mounting curiosity over this family meeting, Theresa, Miguel, and Paloma were getting a kick out of watching the twins bouncing off of the walls. �Evan has no idea what he�s gotten himself into,� Paloma laughed. �I should have warned the poor boy.�
�I�m sure they�ll be good Paloma,� Theresa said, defending her niece and nephew.
�I can see you haven�t had a lot of exposure to the little squirts lately. Believe me Theresa, they are adorable, but they can be hell on wheels too.�
�Oh yeah, mama told me about that whole writing on the wall incident,� Miguel said, laughing. �I can�t believe you let two year olds get the best of you.�
�Oh, I wouldn�t be so smug Miguel,� Paloma said with a hint of annoyance. �They may be tiny, but their intelligence level surpasses even yours big brother.�
�Teetee, Poma, see me,� Lily said, spinning around in front of them so that her dress floated out around her.
�I think that you must be the prettiest little girl I�ve ever seen,� Theresa told her affectionately.
�Yeah, and you have the prettiest panties I�ve ever seen too,� Paloma said, making Lily giggle. �I think you better come over her and give me a big kiss.�
Lily ran toward Paloma, her pretty little dress shoes clicking on the hardwood floor and planted a big kiss on her cheek. �You too Teetee,� she said, granting Theresa the same honor.
�More Guel, more,� Luke screamed with delight when his uncle picked the little boy up and hung him upside down like a trussed up turkey.
�Miguel, do not do that,� Pilar ordered when she saw Luke�s red face from all of the blood pumping to his head. �Come Luke and Lily, Evan is here to take you to the Blues Clues.�
�Clues Clues,� the twins shouted, jumping up and down.
Pilar let Evan and Kay in the door and the twins ran up pulling their arms, wanting to leave. �Hey, you two, we can�t go anywhere until you get your coats on,� Evan said, laughing at their enthusiasm.
�The children are so excited,� Pilar said, looking fondly at her grandchildren. �It really is nice of you to do this.�
�Well, I didn�t want them to miss out of seeing the Blues Clues live on stage..........�
�Come Effin,� Luke begged.
�Okay buddy, we�re going,� Evan assured him.
�We can�t forget about their car seats,� Kay reminded him.
�Why don�t you just take my car so you don�t have to bother moving them?� Martin suggested.
�Okay, I�ll just leave my keys here just in case you need my car for something,� Evan told him. �Are you two ready to go?�
�Yes, yes,� the twins shouted.
After they left, Martin and Pilar called their children into the living room and they all sat down waiting with curious anticipation. Miguel finally broke the silence. �Are you going to tell us what is going on here? Mama, you look like you just lost your best friend.�
�Oh God, did something happen to Luis and Sheridan?� Theresa wailed.
�Would you all just relax,� Martin instructed. �Luis and Sheridan are fine, but your mother has something to tell you and this is very difficult for her, so please show her some patience.�
�Go ahead mama,� Paloma said, urging her on. �It can�t be that bad.�
�You are right mija, it is not bad, but I have been keeping something from you children for many years and it is time that you knew the truth. I have always given you the impression that your abuelo, my papa was dead, but the truth is, he is very much alive. In fact, Luis and Sheridan are with him now in Spain.�
�But mama, this doesn�t make any sense. Why would you let us think that abuelo was dead?� Miguel asked, confused by his mother�s admission.
Pilar hesitated before she spoke, choosing her words carefully. �Your abuelo and I were very close when I was growing up, but we had a terrible disagreement when I married your papa, and I was forced to make a choice. Things were said, and we have not seen each other since that time. I just thought that it would be better and less painful if I let you children believe that he was dead. I am so sorry for that,� Pilar said in a shaky voice.
�Wait a minute. If Luis didn�t know that abuela was alive then why is he there now,� Theresa asked. �Unless, Luis did know this whole time............�
�No, Luis did not know. I was as surprised as you are when he told me on the phone that he was at your abuelo�s. I am not sure of the details because your brother did not have time, but I knew that now that Luis knows the truth, that it was time to tell all of you.�
�Now that Luis has met abuelo does that mean that he wants to meet with us too?� Miguel asked, hopefully.
�I did get that impression from Luis,� Pilar told them. �He said that papa wanted to make amends. I must admit that I hope this is true because I have missed him very much.�
�I have a great idea,� Theresa said, excitedly. �Well, that is if papa wouldn�t mind. Maybe you could use some of that money you got from Julian Crane and pay abuelo�s way over here. Wouldn�t that be great if he could stay with us for a while?�
�Theresa, I think you�re getting ahead of yourself,� Martin warned. �Just because your grandfather said he wants to make amends doesn�t mean he necessarily wants to come here. Maybe we should wait until Luis gets home and fills us in on the situation.�
�I think that I should tell them everything about what caused our rift, but first there is something that you should know about my family. Your abuelo would not need for us to pay for his way here Terisita, because he is very wealthy. I grew up in a mansion much like the Cranes and the land it is on has been in the Lopez family for generations. I guess you would call my papa an Aristocrat since our blood lines can be traced back to King Alfonso.�
�This is crazy mama,� Miguel said, shaking his head in confusion. �All those years you worked as a housekeeper for the Cranes, and now you�re telling us that our abuelo is as rich as the Cranes?�
�Mijo, that money belongs to your abuelo, and it was not mine to spend. I did what I had to do to keep our family fed and clothed.�
�Why didn�t abuelo help you...............?�
�Why do you care Miguel? Do you realize what this means?� Theresa squealed. �Paloma and I could be princesses. I can�t wait until the Cranes find out about this. They won�t be so ready to snub their noses at us anymore.�
�Terasita, you must get your head out of the clouds,� Pilar sighed with exasperation at her daughter�s usual fairy tale view of everything. �You are not a princess and this changes nothing.�
�I�m sorry mama, but this changes everything,� Theresa said, stubbornly. �I can�t wait to call Gaston to tell him the news.�
Martin noticed that Paloma had been really quiet and he had to wonder why she was having no reaction to the news. �Paloma, you haven�t said a word since your mother told you about your grandfather. Are you not even surprised?�
�Actually papa, I already knew that abuelo was alive,� she admitted sheepishly.
�But how?� Pilar asked, shocked. �Did your Tia Maria tell you?�
�No mama, one night about six months ago, I got up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water and I overheard her talking with Tio Vicente about it. And, then another time I answered the phone when he called. I knew that it was him because as I was leaving the room I heard Tia Maria greet him as papa. She whispered it, but I know that is what she said.�
�Did you tell Maria what you had discovered?� Martin asked his daughter.
�No papa. I didn�t tell anyone before today,� Paloma said, softly.
Pilar could see that her daughter was upset, and went over to sit beside her. �Mija, why did you not say something about this sooner?�
�Because it was obvious that it was some big family secret that you didn�t want me to know,� she said, distressed. �To be honest, I thought that you were all just cutting me out again.�
�Oh Paloma, that is not true,� Pilar said, hugging her daughter. �I know that it has been so hard for you being separated from the family all of these years. I was not myself after your papa disappeared and I made some bad decisions, but you have to know that it broke my heart to send you to Maria. You were my baby, my sweet little girl. At the time I thought that I was doing the best thing for you, but now I can see that I caused you so much pain.�
�It�s okay mama,� Paloma said, trying to comfort her mother. �I know now that you were cut off by abuelo and didn�t have the money to feed another mouth. Finally, after all of this time I see that you didn�t have any other choice.�
Pilar gazed over to her husband, and they shared a knowing look. She felt riddled with guilt more than ever over hearing Paloma�s words of defense for her. How was she going to tell her children that they could have had a life of privilege if it had not been for her decision? She was especially concerned for her youngest daughter because she had suffered the most in all of this. Not that she lacked material things, but to feel so isolated from your family must have been very painful. It was time for her to own up to her part in this, and she just prayed that her children would be able to forgive her. �I need to tell you everything............�
�Pilar, this is not necessary,� Martin said, trying to stop her.
�Yes Martin, it is necessary. Our children deserve to know the truth,� she said, adamantly. �As I said earlier, my papa and I were very close when I was growing up. When I came to America for my cousin�s wedding that is when I met your papa and we fell in love and wanted to marry. When I told your abuelo, he was very upset because he felt I was rushing into marriage without giving it much thought. He was concerned about the man I chose to marry so he had your papa checked out and found that he did not have much money. Papa was convinced that Martin was only after me for my money and he refused to accept him or give us his blessing.�
�My God, he sounds just like Alistair Crane,� Miguel said with a disgusted voice.
�No mijo, he was nothing like Alistair,� Pilar said in defense of her father. �Yes, I will admit that he was stubborn and proud, but he loved me very much and I think that was a big part of why he was opposed to our marriage. He knew that if I married Martin that I would be living in America, and combined with the fact that we would not have much money, it was just too much for him to accept. He should have been happy for me, but in his mind all he could see was that Martin was stealing me away. That is when he forced me to make a choice between your papa and him. It was a heart wrenching decision because I did not want my father to be cut out of my life, but I could not turn my back on the love I felt for your papa.�
�This is so sad, and so romantic,� Theresa said with her usual dramtic flair.
�I don�t think it�s romantic at all,� Miguel said, rolling his eyes at his sister. �Our grandfather turned his back on mama and he turned his back on us.�
�Please, do not say that Miguel,� Pilar pleaded. �You are named after my papa you know, and I am just as much to blame as he is.�
�How can you say that mama?� Paloma asked. �The man has made no attempt to talk to you in all of these years.�
�That is not true mija,� Pilar told her, dreading what she was about to say. �Your abuelo did call me when he found out about your father�s disappearance and told me that all would be forgotten if I would just come home again. He wanted me to bring all of you children to live at his hacienda so that he could take care of us. I turned him down because I thought your papa would be home soon and I was afraid that he would not be able to find us in Spain.�
�You mean to say that we could have been rich?� Theresa asked, dumfounded that anyone would turn down such an offer.
�We could have been all together,� Paloma said, miserably, just thinking of what could have been.
�Maybe Antonio would have stayed and Luis could have gone to college. We could have all grown up knowing our heritage if you would have just let abuelo help us,� Miguel said, accusingly.
�Okay, I want all of you to stop it,� Martin demanded.
�It is all right Martin. They have a right to be upset............�
�No Pilar, I�m not going to let them treat you this way. Your mother was under a lot of stress at that time. She had suddenly had her husband taken away from her and she was afraid that if she took the offer from your grandfather that there would be a price to pay. I think you should all try to be more understanding. She is dealing with enough guilt without all of you passing judgment.
�Sorry mama,� they all told her sheepishly.
�No, I am the one that is sorry,� Pilar cried, running out of the room.
�Well, I hope you�re all proud of yourselves,� Martin said, turning to go to his wife.
********************
After Doctor Moreno dropped Sheridan back at the hacienda, she was surprised to find the place deserted. She searched through some of the downstairs rooms and finally found Rosa with some of the other household staff in the kitchen. �Senora, I did not know that you had arrived home,� Rose said, rushing up toward her. �Can I get you something to eat, or perhaps a freshly squeezed lemonade?� she asked.
�Actually Rosa, a lemonade sounds wonderful,� Sheridan said, thankfully.
�You need some food too, and I will not take no for an answer. Now, you go to the solarium and I can serve you in there. It is not proper for you to eat in the kitchen,� she scolded like a disapproving mother.
�I really don�t mind eating in the kitchen Rosa,� Sheridan assured her.
�Don Miguel would be furious if he knew that I let you eat in the kitchen,� Rosa fretted.
�Listen Rosa, I was raised in a home much like this one and I don�t think that I was ever in the kitchen because my father said it wasn�t proper. I found out that I rather enjoy eating in the kitchen. It always smells so good, and I like the warm and cozy feel. I promise if Don Miguel gets upset I will take full responsibility,� Sheridan told her with a warm smile.
�Oh senora, I forgot to ask you about your wrist. Were there any broken bones?�
�No Rosa, just a little sprain. It should be as good as new in a few days.�
�That is a relief,� Rosa said, putting a plate of fruit and cheese down in front of her which she followed with a large glass of lemonade�
�Rosa, do you by any chance know where my husband is?� Sheridan asked, taking a sip of her drink.
�Si senora, he is out in the olive groves with Don Miguel.�
�Are you serious?� Sheridan asked, shocked. �Did he actually go willingly?�
�Well senora, they were both smiling if that is what you mean. That is a good thing si?�
�Yes Rosa,� she smiled. �That is a very good thing.
*****************
Sheridan hung up the phone just as Luis walked out of the bathroom. He was wearing nothing but his boxers and she couldn�t help but admire his chiseled body. and she loved just watching him as he walked toward her. Hhe plopped down on the bed beside her and noticed that she wasn�t on the phone. �Did you hang up already? I was hoping to talk with the munchkins.�
�Well, the munchkins are sound asleep. I guess their big adventure today wore them out.�
�Oh that�s right, they went to see the Blues Clues today,� Luis chuckled. �I guess Evan lived to tell the story.�
�Well, you are not going to believe what your daughter did. Apparently they had to sign up at the door for a drawing they were going to have during the show. Anyway, they ended up calling Luke and Lily�s names to go up on stage while the Blues Clues sang to them. Evan and Kay carried them up there and when the music started, Lily insisted that Evan put her down so that she could dance. She just took over the stage and stole the show,� she told him, laughing.�
�Damn Sheridan, I would have given anything to see Peanut up there dancing.�
�Well, I think you�re going to get your wish, because they were selling video tapes of the show, so Evan bought one because he knew that we would want to see it.�
�First it was Halloween and now this,� Luis said, shaking his head with regret. �Promise me that the next time we decide to take a vacation for two weeks that we bring the twins with us.�
�Believe me, you can count on it,� she assured him. �Just think Luis, it won�t be long until we can see them again. As wonderful as this trip has been, I am really looking forward to going home.�
�Me too,� Luis agreed. �I know you�re not going to believe this, but I kind of feel bad about leaving abuelo. With all of his money and power, he just seems like he�s really lonely.�
�I just can�t believe how much your attitude has changed about your grandfather. I know it wasn�t easy for you to reach out Luis and I�m really proud of you. I know that I seemed a little hard on you about this, but I just knew in my heart that if you didn�t make some effort to reach out to Don Miguel that you would end up regretting it.�
�Okay, I�ll admit that you were right this time,� he teased. �But seriously, it was nice spending time with him like that. I still have some reservations and a little resentment, but life is too short not to give someone a second chance. What can I say, I�m working on it.�
�I know you are,� she said, stroking his hair affectionately. �Your grandfather really was quite charming at dinner tonight. He also has a sense of humor when he allows to come out.�
�Only because he was falling under your spell,� Luis said, tracing her cleavage with the tip of his finger. Suddenly the generous display of her breasts falling out of her nightgown was all that he could think about.
�You haven�t mentioned your inheritance,� she sighed, feeling her body beginning to respond to his heated touch.
�That�s because I haven�t figured it out just yet, but I will agree with my abuelo about one thing. This place needs to stay in the family,� he mumbled between kisses on her neck.
�I just want you to know that if you decide you want to move to Spain, then I will support you.............�
Luis kissed her deeply, passionately, making her body move against his with a sensuous movement. �That�s sweet of you honey, but I really don�t see us moving away from Harmony,� he whispered.
�But I thought that you said that this place should stay with the family............?�
�Shhhh, I can�t concentrate on anything but you and your body right now. This is our last night in Spain and I want it to be memorable,� he told her as he lowered the straps of her nightgown baring all of her lush charms to him. �Lift your body so that I can slide this thing all the way off. I want you naked.�
His husky voice caused a fire that started in her core and spread throughout her body. She ran her hands down his body peeling away his boxers until there was nothing keeping their heated flesh from touching. �Kiss me again Luis...........,� she moaned. �I want it long..............., and hot............., and wet..............�
He silenced her then unable to resist her request. The kiss was so intimate that there was no way it could be considered legal. Not one inch of the inner recesses of their mouths was left unclaimed. �Oh bello, you drive me wild with wanting you...........�
�Only you can make me ready with just a kiss Luis. I�m dying of anticipation just thinking about how it�s going to feel when you�re moving inside of me. You have no idea how much I want you right now............�
�Oh believe me, I do know,� he uttered in a raspy voice. �I�m ready to explode sweetheart..........�
�Not without me,� she demanded, as she filled herself with his pulsing arousal. �Take me to heaven Luis.�
�Anything for you bello,� he whispered, helping himself to her precious gift. �Anything for you............�
Chapter 12
The atmosphere at breakfast the next morning was filled with a polite tension between the newly acquainted relatives. Luis especially, was filled with mixed emotions about leaving that day. He was just getting to know his grandfather, even though the relationship was still a bit tentative, he saw a certain sadness in Don Miguel�s eyes that couldn�t be denied. Luis told himself that he shouldn�t feel bad, because the old man had created his own hell, but his heart wasn�t listening. There were still things that needed to be discussed, but he was loathed to bring them up. Thankfully, his grandfather did.
�Luis, I know that I have asked a lot from you by asking for you to bring your family here and live, and I can see now that I have made a terrible mistake. I have very competent people in charge of my business interests, and to tell you the truth, things have run quite smoothly as I have phased into retirement. However, my will is going to remain the way it is because I cannot bare to see the Lopez legacy end with my death. Of course I will have no control of what you do with this place after I am gone, but if you will allow me to believe that it will remain in the family I shall die happy.�
�Abuelo, I have been giving that a lot of thought, and I agree with you. This place should remain in the family, but I also think that it should be the whole family. As you said, you have very competent people to run things, but I�m sure that between everyone in the family we could take turns visiting throughout the year to keep an eye on the operations.�
Don Miguel smiled with relief. �You have no idea how happy that makes me Luis. I knew that I made the right decision when I chose you as my heir.�
�I agree Don Miguel, you did make the perfect choice for your heir,� Sheridan said, looking at her husband with pride.
�I appreciate all of your confidence, but I don�t have a clue how you grow olives,� Luis admitted. �And to be honest with you, I think that you should leave all of this to mama and Tia Maria.�
�But Luis, we still go by the old traditions here and the next male should always inherit. I know that Antonio is older than you, but I just do not think he will be responsible,� Don Miguel said, adamantly. �Now as far as growing olives, all you need to do is ask, and I will tell you everything you have to know.�
�Will you at least think about it,� Luis requested.
�I promise to give it some consideration, but that is all that I will promise,� Luis� grandfather said with all the authority of the head of the family.
Luis decided not to fight him on this since the man seemed determined, but he was trying to get up the nerve to ask his grandfather for a favor. This was difficult for him because he was not in the habit of asking anyone to use their influence for his behalf. It was time to come out with it, because after all he had nothing to lose. �Abuelo, I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor?�
�If it is possible, I will do whatever I can. All you have to do is ask,� Don Miguel said, looking at Luis with interest.
�I was wondering if you have any influence with any of the government officials here in Spain?� Luis asked, hopefully.
�I do have considerable influence with some of the members of Cortes Generales. What is it that you need from me?�
�If this was just for me I wouldn�t ask,� Luis told him. �When Sheridan and I were in Toledo we met a young orphan boy, named Dario that clearly has Spanish blood, but his parents are both from the United States. Apparently, he was born in Paris, but adopted by a Spanish couple and brought to this country. The adoptive parents were killed, so he was taken to the orphanage. It�s sad, because he is a little older and no one wants to adopt him and he has been passed over so many times. He knows that his birth parents are American and he wants to come to the States really badly. We have hired an attorney in Paris to help with that angle, but I was hoping that maybe you could use your influence to cut through some of the red tape here in Spain.�
�Of course I will help you,� Don Miguel agreed. �That is very kind of you to help this boy. Just give me all the details and I will make sure there are no problems getting this boy out of Spain.�
Sheridan and Luis both thanked him for his generous offer, and excused themselves to go upstairs and finish any last minute packing. They were leaving in an hour and Don Miguel had arranged for his driver to take them to the airport. Later, some of the staff helped them bring their luggage downstairs, where Luis� grandfather was waiting for them. �Well, I guess it�s just about time to leave,� Luis said, his voice sounding a little sad.
�Yes, it is that time,� Don Miguel smiled bravely but his eyes were gleaming with moisture. �I do not suppose that I can convince you to say for just a few more days could I?�
�I would abuelo, but I just can�t go one more day without seeing my children. I miss them so much���.,� he cut off, realizing what he was saying. �I�m sorry, I didn�t mean to be insensitive��..�
�You are being nothing of the kind,� Don Miguel assured him with a smile. �I can see that you love your children very much and I do not blame you for wanting to be reunited with them again. I hope that you will come back again for a visit and bring them along next time. It has been too many years since this old house has had the laughter of children within its halls.�
�You can count on it,� Sheridan promised. �I should warn you though that they are very spirited, so you may live to regret your offer.�
�I do not mind. I love to hear the laughter of little children, especially my own great grandchildren,� Don Miguel said.
�Abuelo, I thought that maybe you would like to have this,� Luis said, handing his grandfather a picture of Sheridan and him with the twins. �I brought it along so that I could feel closer to my children while we were away, but I really would like for you to have it.�
Don Miguel looked touched and gazed at the picture with affection. �Oh Luis, they are beautiful children. Thank you, I shall treasure it always. Now, I have something for you as well,� he said, handing a box to his grandson.
Luis opened it with avid curiosity and saw that it was filled with pictures. There were some that he hadn�t seen before of the family as well as the one that was in his mother�s room with her on the horse. �These are great abuelo. I�m sure that mama will be so thrilled to see them.�
�Actually, there is one there that I would like for you to have. I see how much you enjoyed the family picture when your mother was so young. I would like for you to take that photograph, but there is a pouch on the bottom of the box that is a special surprise for your mother.�
Luis located the velvet pouch with the drawstring on the top. �What is it abuelo?�
�It is the silver locket that your abuela, Terisita and I gave your mother for her thirteenth birthday. Would you please promise me that she receives it?�
�Of course I will,� Luis said, touched. �I know that she will be so happy to see it again, and thank you for the pictures.�
�You are more than welcome,� Don Miguel said, smiling.
Luis looked at his grandfather hesitantly, a little nervous to bring up the next subject. �Abuelo, Sheridan and I were talking earlier and we would both love it if you could come to Harmony and spend Christmas with us. I mean, I know it�s short notice, because Christmas is only about a month away, but we really were hoping that you would consider it.�
�I am speechless,� Don Miguel choked out. �I would like nothing more than to spend the Christmas holidays with you, but I do not want to cause tension in the family and you know that will happen if I am there.�
�Look abuelo, I�m not saying that it�s not going to be a little uncomfortable at first, but this is as good of time as any to try and rebuild your relationship with mama, and to get to know your other grandchildren.�
�I just don�t know,� his grandfather said, hesitatingly.
�Luis is right Don Miguel,� Sheridan said, trying to encourage him. �Christmas is the time for families to be together and we would love for you to share it with us. Do you really want to miss one more Christmas without your daughter?�
�I have spent some very lonely holidays since my son was killed and nothing would give me more pleasure than to be with my family again, but I do not want to cause any conflict in the family. God knows that I have already done my share of that.�
�Abuelo, you have to start somewhere, and Christmas is the perfect time,� Luis told him, leaving no room for any more argument.
�Then I will come,� Don Miguel said with a huge smile.
�Wonderful,� Sheridan said, clapping her hands together with joy. �You�ll stay for at least a month I hope?�
�Perhaps we should wait and see how things go before we cement the length of the visit,� Don Miguel told her.
The driver arrived at the front door to load their bags into the car, and Don Miguel approached Sheridan first, and kissed her on the cheek. �You are a good woman Sheridan, and I am so happy that my grandson has you in his life. I do not know that Luis and I could have gotten to this point without you,� he said softly, pulling her into a fatherly hug. �Thank you.�
�You are most welcome, and I really didn�t do all that much. I just gave you both a little push into the direction that you wanted to be in anyway.�
Don Miguel looked at his grandson, and opened his arms to him. �Nieto, you have no idea how much pleasure you have given me. I know that we did not get off to a very good start, but I felt so much joy from the minute I saw you. I am so proud of you,� he said, taking Luis by surprise when he pulled him into a bear hug.
Luis was shocked to feel his eyes welling up with tears, and immediately wiped them to keep any evidence of his true feelings from showing. He was still not completely comfortable with his grandfather, but he was sad to be going. �Thank you abuelo. I hope that we can only continue to build on our relationship, and when you come at Christmas you will be able to meet all of your grandchildren.�
�And do not forget about my great grandchildren,� Don Miguel reminded him, smiling.
�Yeah, well that will be an experience all in its own,� Luis said, laughing softly.
�Well, there is the driver ready to go,� Don Miguel said, pointing to the door. �Please have a safe trip, and give my love to your mama.�
�I will,� Luis said, taking Sheridan�s hand to lead her to the door. As they drove away Luis turned around one last time and saw his grandfather standing on the balcony from one of the upstairs rooms watching them go, and he couldn�t help feel sad to be leaving the old man alone once again.
�This has been one amazing trip,� Sheridan commented, taking his mind from his grandfather.
�I will never forget it Sheridan,� he said, pulling her close to kiss her forehead. �Everything about it was perfect. Of course, finding my grandfather was a pretty shocking way to end our trip, but I�m glad that I got to know him. There is going to be a lot to deal with when we get home, but not until I get my fill of the munchkins.�
********************
Evan waited in baggage claim for Sheridan and Luis with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. He was so happy that they were home, because the board of directors at Crane Industries was meeting next week and he needed to speak with Sheridan to get some perspective. He hated having to break this news to his sister knowing how much this was going to upset her, but better that she heard it from him. He noticed them right away, even with a crowd of people around them, they stuck out with their tall good looks and dark tans. Sheridan made eye contact with him and she flashed him a radiant white smile that always gave him that sense of belonging. Suddenly she was hugging him and it dawned on him just how much he had missed her. �It sure is good to have you home again. Did you guys have a good time?� he said, shaking Luis� hand.
�We have an amazing time,� Sheridan told him. �There was one bad incident with a mugging, but other than that everything was perfect.�
�I heard about that,� Evan said with concern. �How is your wrist?�
�It�s a little sore, but I�m sure it will be back to new in a couple of days,� she assured him.
�I�m going to go grab our luggage so we can get out of here,� Luis told them.
�Let me help,� Evan offered.
�I appreciate that Evan, because your sister went a little crazy with the shopping so don�t be surprised when you see all the extra stuff we have,� Luis said, winking at Sheridan.
�He�s exaggerating Evan,� Sheridan said, defensively. �I only shopped one day and that was to get gifts for everyone.�
�You forgot about that little item you purchased in Toledo,� Luis reminded her, referring the lacy nightgown.
�Oh, and what little item did she buy?� Evan asked in a teasing voice seeing the look of embarrassment on Sheridan�s face.
�Don�t you dare Luis,� she commanded, seeing him start to open his mouth to speak. �And Evan, it�s none of your business what I bought.�
�Okay sis, I�ll keep the secret that you�re a brazen hussy,� Evan said in a whispered voice making Luis laugh out loud.
As they drove home, Luis brought up the subject of his grandfather. �We had quite a shock while we were over there Evan. I met my grandfather who I believed to be dead for all of these years.�
�Oh yeah, I heard all about Don Miguel,� Evan said casually.
�How did you know?� Sheridan asked, surprised. �We just told Luis� family a couple of days ago.�
�Come on Sheridan, it�s old news by now. Everybody in Harmony is buzzing about Pilar�s rich, Aristocrat father.�
�Damn, it didn�t take long for Theresa to start flapping her mouth,� Luis complained.
�Now Luis, you don�t know for a fact that Theresa said anything,� Sheridan said.
�Come on honey, Theresa thinks she�s Cinderella. This is just the kind of stuff to push her into Disneyland forever.�
Sheridan couldn�t help but laugh at Luis� comment. �Now try to go easy on your sister. I admit she�s a little bit of a dreamer, but you don�t know for sure that she said anything.�
�That remains to be seen,� Luis said, rolling his eyes. �Anyway, let�s change the subject. Evan, that was so great of you to take the twins to see the Blues Clues, and pretty courageous too.�
�Thank you so much,� Sheridan added. �I hope that they behaved for you.�
�I think that they were too overwhelmed to misbehave,� Evan laughed. �You should have seen their little faces when those blue dogs came on the stage. Their eyes got as big as saucers, and their mouths were hanging open. The best part though was when we got called to the stage, even though I was embarrassed as hell. Luke was so shy and he kept hanging on Kay�s leg, but Lily was squirming around in my arms and when I put her down I almost lost it when she started dancing. She�s got a lot of rhythm for such a little squirt. All the parents in the audience thought she was the cutest thing and they were all asking me afterwards if she was in show business.�
�That�s my Peanut,� Luis laughed. �I�m surprised that Luke was so shy though because he�s not usually like that.�
�I just think he was a little overwhelmed to be up close and personal with those blue things and then to see all those people in the audience,� Evan said.
�I�m just glad you got the video Evan,� Sheridan said, thankfully. �I can�t wait to watch it.�
�I just thought of something,� Luis piped in. �Please tell me that Peanut wasn�t wearing a dress.�
�Yeah, she was wearing a dress and she had her fancy little shoes on too. Why do you ask?� Evan said with curiosity.
�Oh God, did she lift it up to show off her panties in front of all of those people?�
�Calm down Luis, she didn�t lift her dress up,� Evan laughed. �She did come close a couple of times when she was doing her spins.�
�Oh God Evan, don�t even get him started. He thinks that Lily is headed for a life of debauchery because she likes to show off her panties, but I think we should change the subject before Luis starts having heart palpitations. So tell us, did anything exciting happen while we were gone?�
�Well, did you know that Jordan got her sight back?� Evan asked.
�Yes, Pilar told me and I am so happy and relieved. She also said that Jordan was out to the house taking pictures of the children. I�m so glad that she�s pursuing her love of photography. So, what else is going on?�
�Alistair Crane married my mother and legally adopted me,� Evan blurted out without thinking, and regretted the words the minute they left his mouth.
�What?!� Sheridan and Luis both shouted.
He didn�t want to break the news this way, especially since Sheridan hadn�t even had a chance to settle in from her trip yet. �We�re at your house now, and it�s a long story so why don�t I tell you all about it later?�
�Oh, you better believe we�re going to talk about it later,� Sheridan told him in no uncertain terms. She probably would have insisted that he stop the car and finished the story right then if she wasn�t dying to see her kids so badly.
They saw Miguel�s car and assumed that all the Lopez-Fitzgerald�s were l there. As soon as the car came to a stop, they both hopped out not bothering to get the luggage, and saw Luke and Lily looking out the window waving. Rushing into the house, they both dropped down to their knees and the twins, squealing with delight ran toward them. Hugs and kisses were shared, children were exchanged and more hugs and kisses after that.
�Mama cry,� Luke said, touching the tear on Sheridan�s cheek.
�Yes sweetie mommy is crying, but they are happy tears because she is so glad to see you and Lily. I missed you so much,� she said, kissing him again.
�Peanut, you and Luke look like you�ve grown so much daddy can�t believe it,� Luis said, standing to pick up his daughter in his arms.
�Dada no big bye bye,� Lily said, sticking her little bottom lip out.
�Sheridan could you translate please?� Luis asked helplessly.
�I think she is asking us to never go away for that long again,� Sheridan explained.
�So Peanut, you don�t want mommy and daddy to go bye bye for a long time any more?� Luis asked her gently.
�No daddy,� she said, wrapping her arms around him.
�Daddy promises we will never leave you for that long again,� Luis told her. �But I�ll tell you what will make it all better. Mommy and daddy brought you some presents.�
�Pressies,� Lily said, eyes lighting up.
�See pressies,� Luke squealed.
�So much for them missing us,� Sheridan laughed.
�I�ll go out to the car and get your luggage,� Miguel offered, smiling. �You�re not going to get a minute�s peace.�
�I�ll help you,� Evan offered.
Luis finally made eye contact with his mother. For the first time that he could ever remember, she actually looked nervous and uncomfortable to be around him. With Lily in his arms, he walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. �Thank you for taking care of my children. I can see that you gave them as much love as you always gave to us and that means the world to me.�
�You are so welcome mijo,� Pilar said, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
�Son, it�s good to have you home,� Martin said, patting Luis on the back and kissing Sheridan on the cheek.
�Thanks papa, it�s certainly good to be home,� Luis said, putting Lily down on the floor. �Peanut, why don�t you go and check on Uncle Miguel and Uncle Evan. Now, are my little sisters going to come over here and give me a hug?�
�Welcome home Luis,� Theresa said, giving him a hug. �Did you get any pictures of abuelo�s house?�
Luis just shook his head and smiled. �Yes Theresa, we got some pictures. Paloma, thanks for watching the munchkins. I understand they put you through the wringer a couple of times.�
�Well, there were a couple of times, but I really did have fun with them. They are special little kids and I really love them Luis,� Paloma told him, sincerely.
Miguel and Evan walked in carrying the luggage and the twins began jumping up and down excitedly. �Pressies, pressies,� they chanted.
�Miguel, bring over the suitcase that doesn�t match the rest of them,� Luis said, pointing toward it. �We actually had to buy that so we could get all the presents home.�
�Evan, I hope you�re ready,� Luis laughed, getting the string puppets out to show the twins. The twins were fascinated when he showed them how the little wooden creatures worked.
�Puppets,� they shouted.
�Come here Lily,� Sheridan told her daughter. �We have something special for you. Now you can only wear this on special occasions and you have to be very careful with it.�
When Sheridan put the silver bracelet on Lily, she got so excited that she ran around the room and showed it to everyone. �Pretty,� she told them.
Luke loved his train and little leather jacket. Especially when he saw that his daddy had one just like it. He insisted that he put it on right then, and sat down on the floor to play with his new toy. �Me, dada,� Luke said, pointing to his jacket.
As soon as they had the twins settled, they handed out the gifts to everyone else, and they were all a big success. Finally, the family was packing up their gear to get ready to move back home when Pilar made an offer. �Would you like me to take the children home with us so that you can catch up on some sleep?�
�I really appreciate that Pilar, but I don�t want to let them out of my sight for a while,� Sheridan told her. �Besides, I think that it would upset them if we sent them away right now.�
�Luis, we will talk later,� she said, kissing her son on the cheek. �I want to hear all about papa.�
�I almost forget something,� Luis said, suddenly remembering the locket and pictures. He dug the box out of his suitcase and handed it to Pilar. �Abuelo wanted me to give these to you.�
Pilar sat down on the sofa and opened the box. When she saw the pictures inside, she started to cry openly, tracing all the figures in the photos lovingly. �Oh mijo, I cannot believe that papa gave these to you. I have not seen these in over thirty years.�
�There is something else in there that I think you will be thrilled to see,� Sheridan said, referring to the velvet pouch with the locket inside.
When Pilar discovered the pouch, her hands shook as she opened the drawstring, She gasped when she saw what was inside. �My locket. This is so precious to me.�
�It�s beautiful mama,� Theresa said, coming to take a closer look.
�Are there any pictures inside?� Paloma asked.
�I always had a picture of mama and papa in here,� Pilar said, working the tiny clasp to look inside. �They are still here,� she cried.
Everyone gathered around then to look at the old photos and locket, amazed to finally see a part of the family history that was all so new to them. They couldn�t believe how much Luis looked like Don Miguel or that their mother had actually ridden horses at one time. �God Luis, you look so much like abuelo when he was younger that it�s almost scary,� Miguel commented.
�Wow, abuela Terisita was so beautiful,� Paloma said when she saw the picture of her grandmother.
�Well mija, you and Terasita both favor mama,� Pilar said, looking at her daughters fondly.
Sheridan came up behind Luis and put her arms around his waist. �Just look at them honey. They are all so happy and that�s because you opened your heart to Don Miguel. I have a good feeling that this is the start of finally reuniting your mother�s family.�
�I have you to thank for that,� he said, leaning back to kiss her cheek. �My woman always knows what�s best.�
�I�ll remind you of that statement you just made the next time you start getting all bossy with me because you think I don�t know what I�m doing,� she teased.
As everyone gathered their things together to leave, Luis and Sheridan thanked them all again, but when the twins found out that Paloma was leaving too, they both started to cry. �No Poma,� Lily sobbed. �No bye bye.�
�Come now,� Luke said, pulling her arm.
Paloma was overwhelmed by the twins� apparent distress that she was leaving. She squatted down in front on them and wiped their tears away. �You two are the sweetest little squirts, but just because I�m going back to abuela�s house doesn�t mean that I won�t see you anymore. In fact you are all coming over to my house for Thanksgiving in a couple of days, but now that your mommy and daddy are home you need to spend some time with them. Now, Aunt Paloma wants you to put big smiles on your faces and give me a big kiss.� After they planted a wet kiss on her cheek, she encouraged them to go and play with their new toys, and they both took off running. �I�ll see you soon.�
�Bye bye Poma,� they called back to her.
�It looks like someone made quite the impression on our children Luis,� Sheridan said, putting her arm around her sister-in-law. �They obviously love you a lot Paloma.�
�Yeah, well I love the little squirts too,� she said, smiling.
�Thank you sis,� Luis said, kissing her cheek.
�Come on mija, your papa has the car warmed up and we need to let Luis and Sheridan get some rest,� Pilar told her.
�I�m coming mama,� Paloma said, following behind her mother.
�I guess I�ll be going too,� Evan said, hugging Sheridan. �Good to have you home sis.�
�Wait a minute, you�re not going anywhere,� Sheridan commanded. �We still have to discuss that bomb shell you dropped on us as we were pulling up outside.�
�Really Evan, I might even have to get a beer for this one,� Luis said, moving to the kitchen. �Do you want one?�
�No, thank you Luis. Look Sheridan, I know we need to discuss it, but why don�t you guys get some rest, and we�ll talk in the next couple of days. You�ve had enough to deal with, and I really do need to go and pick up Kay.�
�Okay, but you�re coming to Pilar�s for Thanksgiving aren�t you?�
�I was going to eat at the Bennett�s, but I do plan on stopping by for desert so I can spend some time with you.�
�Well, I�m glad that father officially made you a Crane,� she said, pushing his hair off of his forehead in a sisterly gesture.
�I�m just glad that you�re my sister.�
********************
They had a light dinner and plans to turn in early so Sheridan finished cleaning up the kitchen and headed upstairs to kiss her babies goodnight. As she was climbing the steps, she heard Luis� voice and little giggles, so she moved to their room and found Luis in the middle of the bed with Luke and Lily on either side of him and they were all buried under the covers. �What�s going on in here?� she asked, flashing her brilliant smile.
�Hi mama,� Lily waved.
�Come mama,� Luke invited.
�I think that�s the best invitation I�ve had all day,� she said, plopping down on the bed. �You do know that it�s time for you two to be in bed, don�t you?�
�Oh, can�t they stay up for just a little longer?� Luis asked, sounding like a big kid.
�I guess I can make an exception for my three babies this time,� Sheridan said, laughing.
�I think we should tickle mommy,� Luis whispered to the twins.
That was all they needed to hear, and the twins� crawled out from beneath the covers and jumped on Sheridan and started to tickle her tummy. Sheridan barely felt it but to humor the twins she pretended to laugh anyway. Once Luis took over with the real thing they were all screaming with laughter and it was the most precious family moment. All the tension from the last few days and all the uncertainties for the future seemed inconsequential at this moment because they were all together as a family. It was the perfect way to spend their first night home and Sheridan and Luis wouldn�t have traded it for all the riches in the world.
Chapter 13
Luis moved his hand over the smooth surface of Sheridan�s back, trying to seduce her awake and smiled when he heard a little groan escape her. She rolled over and stretched causing an immediate reaction in his lower region. �Happy Thanksgiving beautiful,� he said, leaning in to give her a kiss.
�Happy Thanksgiving to you too,� she said, melting his heart with her smile. �I can�t believe that the twins are still sleeping.�
�I can�t believe it either, but you know that our reprieve won�t last long so we better take advantage of this time while we can,� he said, nuzzling her neck.
�I love it when we start our day this way,� she purred while pulling him down on top of her. �Now, why don�t you give me one of those kisses that takes my breath away?�
Luis cupped her face in his hands and pulled her toward him to grant her request. He drew her full bottom lip into his mouth and feasted on it like a delicious piece of fruit. When he had his fill, he forced her lips apart so he could enter and taste her there too. Sheridan�s body came alive and she moved against him in a sensuous motion, her hands tracing the hard muscles of his back. He touched her in the most intimate way and she reciprocated in kind until they were both swept away in the passionate splendor.
�I love you Luis,� she whispered.
�I love you too Sheridan,� he said, huskily while fitting himself into her welcoming heat.
�Did I tell you that I love it when we start our day this way?� she asked, breathlessly.
�Yes, you tell me that in so many ways............... With your words, and your eyes, and by the way your body responds to me.�
Later they were cuddled together talking about getting the children up when the phone rang. �Who could that be at this time in the morning?� Sheridan asked, reaching for the phone. �Hello.�
�Sheridan, welcome home,� Ivy said in a cheerful voice. �I hope I didn�t wake you.�
�No Ivy, we were awake,� Sheridan said, shrugging her shoulders when Luis shot her a curious look.
�That�s good because I would feel just terrible if I woke up those sweet babies of yours..............�
�Ivy, what can I do for you this morning?�
�Well, I know it�s short notice, but we would love for you and Luis to join us for Thanksgiving dinner today, and of course those little sweet children of yours too,� Ivy gushed.
�That�s kind of you Ivy, but we already had plans to eat at Pilar�s,� Sheridan said, trying to be gracious.
�Yes, I can imagine that Pilar has so much to be thankful for this year. I still can�t believe that my former housekeeper is the daughter of Don Miguel Lopez. We used to be good friends you know. All the shared secrets, and I just can�t believe that she never once let on.�
�Well Ivy, I�m sure that Pilar had her reasons,� Sheridan said, rolling her eyes.
�I suppose she did,� Ivy mused. �Listen Sheridan, I know that Pilar usually serves her meal later in the day so why don�t you at least join us for a light brunch? Ethan and Jordan would love to see you and I was just thinking today that you have never brought your children to the mansion.�
�Why don�t you let me discuss it with Luis and I�ll call you back,� Sheridan told her.
�Well, I hope you decide to come because after all this is a day for families to be together,� Ivy reminded her.
�Yes that�s true,� Sheridan agreed. �I�ll call you back in a few minutes,� she said, and hung up the phone. �I do not believe that woman.�
�Please don�t tell me that Ivy wants us to come over there?� he said, frowning.
�That is exactly what she wants,� Sheridan nodded. �She was falling all over herself and of course she asked about Don Miguel. You do know that you�ve just been elevated to the top of the social pecking order and everybody will want the Lopez-Fitzgerald�s on their guests lists.�
�You�re kidding, right?� Luis laughed.
�No, I�m quite serious Luis. I know how these people�s minds work, especially Ivy. She wanted us to come for brunch.�
�So what�s to discuss?� Luis asked, with a raised brow. �Why didn�t you just tell her no thank you?�
�Well, I almost did, but she said something that got me to thinking. Do you realize that our children have never been to the Crane mansion?�
�Yes, for good reason,� Luis reminded her. �After all the crap your brother pulled I don�t want my kids anywhere near that place.�
�I know that Luis, but Julian is in prison now and this whole experience with you meeting your grandfather and finding out this rich history of your family that you never knew about, I have to wonder if it�s fair to deny our children that.�
�It�s not the same thing Sheridan,� Luis argued. �Luke and Lily have been around your family since they were babies.�
�But they�ve never seen the place where I lived as a little girl, and as bad as some of the memories are of growing up there, I also had some special times too. Like when my mother was alive, and Ethan, and even your mother. That�s where the tree is that I climbed when my handsome prince rescued me. Wouldn�t that be a lovely thing to show our children, and don�t forget you lived there in the cottage when you were a boy.�
�Okay Sheridan, you�ve made a good case,� Luis conceded, smiling. �Call Ivy back and tell her that we�ll be there for brunch.�
�Thank you Luis,� she said, hugging him. �I really would like to spend some time with Ethan and Jordan, and I know the twins love them.�
�Actually, this could turn out to be kind of amusing watching Ivy as she tries to kiss my behind,� Luis chuckled.
�Hey, I�m the only one that�s allowed to kiss your behind,� Sheridan said, cupping his muscled derriere.
�I was talking metaphorically and you better stop that or we may have to have another session.............�
�Mama,� Lily called from the nursery.
�Dada too,� Luke called after her.
�Mommy and daddy will be there in a minute,� Luis told them.
�You know, I think that is the sweetest sound I�ve ever heard,� Sheridan said, slipping out of bed and into her robe.
�I know it�s right up there with that cute little noise you made a while ago when you were trying not to scream,� Luis teased.
�You�re terrible,� she chuckled, while admiring Luis� bronzed naked body as he searched for his robe.
�I know, but you love me in spite of it,� Luis reminded her with a twinkle in his eyes.
********************
Sheridan dressed the twins in their little matching hand-knitted Thanksgiving theme sweaters. The only difference in their clothing was that Luke wore brown corduroy pants and Lily wore a tiny skirt made from the same material. When Luke saw that his daddy was wearing his new leather jacket, he insisted on wearing his as well, and the little boy looked adorable. They were in the car driving to the Crane mansion when Sheridan told the twins where they were going. �We are going to go to abuela�s later, but first we�re going to go to where mommy lived when she was a little girl.�
�Mama�s house?� Lily asked, confused.
�Well sweetie, it used to be my house when I was your age, but now I live in our house with you and Luke and daddy.�
�Dadee�s house too?� Luke asked.
�No Sport, daddy lived at abuela�s and pawpaw�s house. That was before I even knew mommy,� Luis explained.
Sheridan decided to change the subject since it was obvious that the twins were confused. �We�re going to see Ethan and Jordan while we�re there.�
�Oh,� Lily said, her eyes lighting up. �Jordee play leaves. Poma play leaves.�
�Yes, I heard that Jordan took your pictures in the leaves,� Sheridan said, smiling. �Maybe we�ll get to see them today.�
�Me take mama,� Luke informed her.
Sheridan had no idea what he was talking about but acknowledged him anyway. �That�s nice Luke,� she said, shrugging her shoulders when Luis gave her one of those translate for me looks.
When they arrived at the mansion, the maid let them in and Ivy was there to greet them. �Happy Thanksgiving to you all,� she said, with a cheery voice.
�Happy Thanksgiving,� Luis and Sheridan returned.
�Oh, I just can�t believe how much you two have grown,� Ivy said, looking down at the children. �Come here and let your Aunt Ivy look at you.�
�It sounds like Ivy�s already had a few Mimosa�s,� Luis whispered in Sheridan�s ear.
�Behave Luis,� Sheridan whispered back, trying to hide a smile. �Luke and Lily can you tell your Aunt Ivy hello?�
�Hi At Ivy,� they both said, waving at her.
�Oh, that is so adorable,� Ivy gushed. �Are you two hungry?�
The twins didn�t answer her because they were too busy looking around the large room filled with all kinds of things to get into. They had never seen a staircase that big before and they were both dying to climb up those steps and go on an adventure. �Go up dadee,� Luke said.
�No Luke, daddy doesn�t want you to climb those stairs by yourself,� Luis told him gently. �If you should fall down, mommy and me would be too sad.�
�Sheridan,� Jordan said, running up to hug her aunt.
�Oh, it�s so good to see you Jordan,� Sheridan said, delighted to see her niece well again. �Where�s Ethan?�
�He should be here in a few minutes,� Jordan told her. �He went to pick up Gwen.�
�You two look fabulous,� Jordan said, eyeing Luis and Sheridan. �You�re all tan and fit and I would bet my trust fund that you two turned plenty of heads on those beaches in Spain.�
�I hope not, because we had our own private beach and I would die of embarrassment if anyone was watching,� Sheridan told her in a low voice.
�Okay, now I�m really jealous,� Jordan chuckled.
�Jordee, take me,� Lily said, posing in front of her like she was mugging for the camera.
�Oh, you are a little ham, aren�t you?� Jordan said, laughing. �But, I think you are the cutest ham I ever saw. Speaking of pictures, I developed the photos I took of you and Luke the other day. Would you like to see them?�
�Yes, yes,� Luke and Lily both shouted.
�I�ll be right back,� Jordan said, leaving to go to retrieve the pictures.
Just then Ethan and Gwen came in and Sheridan was a little hesitant when it came to greeting Ethan. Things had been a little tense between them during Julian�s trial, but if Ethan was still upset about it, he certainly didn�t show it because he came up and gave her a big hug, as did Gwen. He was even amicable to Luis, and shook his hand in greeting. In the meantime the twins must have located the grand piano because suddenly a loud tuneless noise filled that room as if they were banging on the keys with their fists.
�Oh God, I just had that tuned,� Ivy chocked out, trying to hide her annoyance.
�I�m so sorry Ivy, they were just here,� Sheridan said, looking around helplessly.
�I�ll get them;� Luis volunteered, and took off in search of the little Mozart's.
�Calm down mother, I�m sure the piano will be fine,� Ethan said, laughing.
�Yes, I�m sure it will be,� Ivy said, planting a big smile on her face. �Can I have the maid get you a Mimosa?� she offered to everyone. When they all agreed, she ran off to find someone on the staff.
�I have a feeling that this is going to be more enjoyable than I thought it would be,� Gwen snickered to Sheridan.
�I know, but with all the fragile things in here, I�m beginning to get a little nervous,� Sheridan admitted.
�Don�t worry Sheridan,� Gwen assured her. �Ivy can easily replace anything that gets broken. Besides, I think it will be amusing to watch her squirm every time one of the twins goes near one of her fragile antiques.�
�That�s the problem Gwen, fragile antiques can�t be replaced,� Sheridan reminded her.
�What�s everyone talking about?� Jordan said, coming up behind them.
�The twins were pounding on the piano, and your mother almost had a heart attack,� Sheridan told her.
�Well she better get use to it, because she is going to have grandchildren some day,� Jordan said.
�Is there something you�re not telling us Jordan?� Sheridan asked, teasingly.
�Really Jordan, fess up,� Gwen said, putting on the pressure.
�Sorry to ruin your fun, but the only way that I could be pregnant is through divine intervention. Now, are you going to look at these pictures or not?�
�Yes, I would love to see them,� Sheridan said, sitting down on the sofa. As she looked through them she couldn�t believe how Jordan had managed to capture the spirit of the twins. �These are so good Jordan. I had forgotten just how talented you were.�
�I helps when you have such photogenic subjects,� Jordan admitted. �Plus, it is very obvious that your kids love being in front of the camera.�
Sheridan came to a picture of Paloma and Lily that was crooked and the tops of their heads were chopped off. �This is an interesting concept.�
�Oh, that�s the one that Luke took,� Jordan said, laughing.
�That is so sweet,� Sheridan said, smiling, and then something hit her. �That must be what he was talking about on the ride over here. He kept saying me take, and Luis and I had no idea what he was talking about.� Just then Luis came back into the room with Luke and Lily in tow, and she called out to them. �Come here and see your pictures.�
�Wow, these are incredible shots,� Luis said, looking through the photos.
�I think I finally figured out what Luke was talking about in the car,� Sheridan said, showing him the picture of Lily and Paloma. �Your son took this one.�
�Come here Sport and look at the picture you took,� Luis said, calling his son.
�Me take daddy,� Luke said, his eyes getting big.
�I know and daddy�s so proud of you,� Luis said, putting Luke on his knee.
Sheridan took this opportunity to pull Jordan aside while everyone was admiring the pictures. �I just wanted to tell you how happy I was to hear that you got your sight back. That just made my day when Pilar told us while we were in Spain.�
�I know, it was really strange Sheridan. I woke up one morning and I could see again.�
�You must have been ecstatic,� Sheridan said, happily. �So, what did Noah say when you told him the news?�
�Why would you ask about Noah?� Jordan said, defensively. �I mean why would he care?�
�I�m sorry sweetie, I didn�t mean to imply anything. It�s just that when you were in the hospital I could see how attentive he was to you and it just seemed like the two of you were getting close.�
�No, I�m the one who�s sorry,� Jordan said, feeling terrible that she had snapped at her aunt. �I just don�t want to risk mother�s overhearing anything.�
�Okay, now I�m really confused,� Sheridan admitted. �What is going on with you Jordan?�
�Will you promise to keep a secret, and I mean this cannot go anywhere?� Jordan begged.
�Of course I will,� Sheridan promised.
�Oh God Sheridan, I am so in love, and Noah feels the same way about me, but we are not telling anybody that we�re together just yet. We�ve been meeting secretly,� she whispered.
�I am so happy for you, but why all the cloak and dagger stuff? You�re in love, and you should be shouting it from the rooftops.�
�Believe me Sheridan I would love too, but I just can�t trust mother. She doesn�t approve of our relationship and she already almost succeeded in breaking us apart with her manipulations. Thankfully, Noah and I were able to put two and two together and managed to figure out what she was up to.�
�What is there not to approve of?� Sheridan asked, confused. �He�s a nice guy from a good family and he has a very promising career.�
�I don�t know Sheridan, but it seems to go much deeper than her usual snobbery,� Jordan said with a contemplative look.
�You know Jordan, you need to just stand up to your mother and tell her that you are not going to let her control your life. You�re an adult now, and she has no right to interfere in your love life. I�m not sure if you know this or not, but Luis and I had to sneak around once so that we could be together and we were married at the time. Sure it was kind of adventurous and romantic at first but after a while you will go crazy because you want to be with the man you love all the time.�
�Come on Sheridan, did you hear what you just said? You should know better than anyone what�s it�s like to go against this family. I don�t care about myself, but I�m scared to death that mother will do something terrible to Noah, and God only knows what daddy will do when he finds out.�
�You do make a good point, but you have to find a way to overcome this. I would just hate to see you lose the man you love because of all this secrecy. But I will promise you that I will do anything that I can to help you out with this,� Sheridan assured her.
�Thank you Sheridan,� Jordan said, hugging her aunt.
Everyone was so caught up in their conversations that nobody noticed that Lily had become bored with the pictures and was looking around the room for something else to amuse her. One of Ivy�s precious Ming vases caught her attention, and she approached the table it was sitting on to get a closer look. All of the vivid colors fascinated her and she put her little finger up to trace the intricate patterns. Just then, Ivy walked into the room to announce that brunch was served, but stopped short when she spotted Lily.
�Don�t touch that Lily!� Ivy shouted in a horrified voice.
Shocked, all eyes traveled to where Lily was standing, as she quickly pulled her hand away. Her bottom lip shot out and began to quiver, while large tears began to pour down her cheeks. �Mama,� she cried.
Sheridan shot Ivy a dirty look and ran over to comfort her little girl. �It�s okay sweetie,� she said, picking Lily up in her arms. �The vase is very expensive and Aunt Ivy was afraid that it would get broken. I�m sure she didn�t mean to shout at you that way.�
�I can�t believe you did that mother,� Jordan said in a disgusted voice. �She was only touching it lightly and you had to go and scream at her that way in front of everyone. Poor little thing is probably scared and humiliated.�
�I�m so sorry Lily,� Ivy said, trying to make amends. �It�s just like your mommy said, I was afraid that the vase would get broken. Now, why don�t we all go into the dining room and eat. I have some fresh strawberries and whip cream for you Lily.�
�Hey Peanut, why don�t you put a big smile on your face for daddy,� Luis told his daughter, and then leaned in to whisper to Sheridan. �We should just tell the witch that we�re leaving. She�s lucky I didn�t pop her for screaming at my little girl that way.�
�Luis, I don�t approve of Ivy�s methods either, but in her defense, the vase was very expensive. It�s Ming and those cost a fortune.�
�I don�t care if it was the blue diamond, there was no reason for her to act like that. It wasn�t like Peanut was carrying it around the room precariously.�
�I know honey, but let�s just go in and sit down and eat, so we can get out of here. Please,� she pleaded.
�Okay, but don�t expect me to be civil to her. Come on Sport, let�s go fill up that tummy of yours,� Luis said, picking Luke up and tickling his stomach.
When they arrived in the dining room, Sheridan noticed that there were only enough places set for the adults, and wondered if they were expected to hold the children while they ate. �Ivy, did you arrange any seating for the children?�
�I certainly did,� Ivy said, smiling. �Since this all happened so fast, I didn�t have a chance to get any booster chairs for the children, so I had the maid go up in the attic and bring down this little table for the children to eat at. Don�t worry, I made sure that it was cleaned properly.�
Sheridan finally noticed the little white table with the hand painted flowers sitting by the window, and smiled with delight. �Oh, I don�t believe this. That used to be my table when I was a little girl.�
�I didn�t realize that,� Ivy said. �I mean, I knew that it belonged to one of you girls, but I didn�t know if it was yours or one of my daughters. I�ll tell you what, why don�t you just take it home with you when we�re finished,� Ivy suggested.
�If you don�t mind, I would love to,� Sheridan said, happily.
�Of course I don�t mind, and I�m sure that your children will get good use of it.�
�See this little table Lily,� Sheridan said, sitting her daughter down in one of the matching chairs. �Mommy used to have her tea parties at this table when she was a little girl.�
�Mama�s,� Lily said, pointing to the table.
�Yes it was, and we get to take it home with us when we leave for you and Luke to use,� Sheridan said, kissing the top of her head. �Let me get Luke settled, and then you two can eat.�
Once everyone was seated and casually eating Eggs Benedict, Ivy finally brought up the subject of Don Miguel. �So Luis, is your grandfather planning on visiting Harmony in the near future?�
�That might be a possibility,� Luis said, trying to remain vague since he hadn�t even told his mother yet that abuelo was coming for Christmas.
�Well, I would love to throw a party for him when he arrives. I know that Harmony society would love to meet him,� Ivy offered with a smile.
�Why don�t we just put that on hold for now,� Luis told her. �I wouldn�t want to make any plans for my grandfather.�
�I�m still shocked about all of this,� Ethan said, taking a sip of his coffee. �All those years that Pilar was our housekeeper who would have thought that she was raised with the same privileges that we were.�
�Really mother, can you believe that all those years you were giving orders to Pilar when she is the real blue blood and you�re just fortunate enough to be born into money? Talk about ironic,� Jordan said, snidely.
Ivy looked like she just had just bitten into a lemon, and Sheridan cringed when she glanced over to Luis to find him actually smiling at Jordan�s comment so she quickly changed the subject. �So Ivy, do you have big Christmas plans for this year?�
Ivy bounced back quickly and planted a smile on her face. �I thought we would have a quiet family Christmas this year. You�ll join us won�t you?�
�I�m not really sure yet,� Sheridan said. �We usually like to spend Christmas at home because of the children. You are welcomed to join us of course.� She purposely avoided looking at Luis because she knew he would be extremely unhappy about her offer to Ivy, but she didn�t know what other choice she had. Her seat at the table was right next to where the twins were sitting and she looked over to check on them just in time to see them wiping off their jelly stained hands on Ivy�s silk draperies.
********************
Pilar looked out the front window when she heard the car pull up and was relieved to see that Luis and Sheridan had arrived with the children. �Luis and Sheridan are here with the children.�
�It�s about time,� Paloma said, hopping up from her chair. �I�ve been dying to see the little squirts. Papa, I know that you�re not backing down from making me tell Luis and Sheridan about the drugs, but do I have to do it today?�
�You know Paloma you have worked very hard to prove to me that you can be trusted again, and I am really proud of you, so I am officially taking you off restriction............�
�Thank you papa.............�
�I�m not finished. You will still have to tell Luis and Sheridan about the marijuana, but I�ll give you a break today since it�s a holiday.�
�Thanks papa,� Paloma said, gratefully.
�Hi Poma,� the twins squealed, running into the room.
�What, you�re not going to say hi to abuela and pawpaw?� Luis said, taking off the twins coats.
�Hi buela, hi pawpaw,� the twins said, waving.
�Can I have a kiss from you?� Pilar asked, squatting down before the children. Both twins gave her a wet kiss on the cheek. �How was your brunch at Ivy�s?�
�Oh it went real well, considering my children almost broke a Ming vase and wiped jelly all over Ivy�s silk draperies,� Sheridan groaned.
�Come on Sheridan,� Luis said, laughing. �It wasn�t that bad. So, where are Theresa and Miguel?�
�Theresa is in her room talking with Gaston, and Miguel is over at the Bennetts,� Martin explained.
�Why did I even ask?� Luis said, shaking his head. �That turkey sure smells great mama.�
�Thank you mijo, but I better go baste it so that it does not dry out,� Pilar said, moving toward the kitchen.
Luis shot Sheridan a knowing look and followed his mother into the kitchen. �Mama, you know we haven�t really had a chance to talk alone since I�ve been back from Spain,� Luis said, getting a beer from the refrigerator.
�We do need to talk,� Pilar agreed.
�I think you should know that I invited abuelo to spend the Christmas holiday with us. I know that I should have probably checked with you first, but I just felt so sorry for him when we were leaving. He looked so sad.�
�Papa�s coming here for Christmas?� Pilar asked, anxiously.
�Is it too soon for you to deal with that?� Luis asked, concerned. �I know that this is happening really fast.�
�No mijo, it is not too soon. In fact is has been too long in coming. All these years I feared that I would never see him again before he died. I just could not bear it if that happened,� she said getting teary eyed.
�I know that he�s been yearning to see you too mama,� Luis said, rubbing her arm in a comforting gesture.
�I have so much to apologize for to you Luis. I cannot imagine how shocked you must have been when papa told you who he was. You did not deserve to be blind sided that way, and I hope you will forgive me............�
�Mama............�
�No mijo, please let me finish. All those years ago when your papa disappeared you were forced to become the head of this family and you gave up so much to do that. I feel like I have cheated you. I should have taken papa�s offer, but I was so afraid that if we all left that we would never see your father again. Now that I look back and see what this has done to you and Paloma I know that I made a grave mistake. I do not expect you to forgive me, because I cannot forgive myself,� she cried.
�Listen mama,� Luis said, pulling out a chair to sit down next to her. �I will admit that I was angry with you when I found out about abuelo�s existence and then about his offer but I�m not any longer. I do feel bad that this has caused problems with Paloma, because I can see how hard this was on her, but the rest of us are okay in spite of everything. If we would have moved to Spain, I would have never met Sheridan and those precious little babies in there would never have existed.�
�You have always been a good son mijo,� she said, stroking his cheek. �I could have never gotten through this without you, but I have to ask you something. If you were in my place would you have taken the offer to move to Spain?�
�Come on mama, there is no sense in going there,� Luis protested.
�Please Luis, I must know,� she pleaded.
Luis hesitated, not wanting to hurt his mother, but he finally answered. �Three years ago, I would have told you that I thought that you did the right thing, but now that I have children of my own I don�t know anymore. They are so innocent and dependent on me to take care of them and they would always come first, because I know in my heart that Sheridan would want that too. But mama, it�s easy for me to say that because I�m not in the position that you were in. I�m sorry mama, I know that must hurt you.�
�Do not be sorry mijo. That is what I would expect you to say, and it just goes to prove that at least I did not fail in raising you,� Pilar said, finally smiling.
�Dadee,� Luke said, running into the kitchen to tug on Luis� hand. �Come play.�
�Okay son, daddy�s coming,� Luis said, rising to kiss his mother on the cheek, he turned and followed his son out of the room.
Thanksgiving dinner was an especially symbolic day for the Lopez-Fitzgerald�s this year, because they had received the most special gift of all. The father that had been missing for so many years was back with them again and they had all learned that their grandfather was alive and well. They did say a prayer however that Antonio would come home eventually so that they could finally reunite as a family again. The meal was delicious and the conversation was animated and full of joy.
When the meal was over and all the boys were in the living room watching football and the women were naturally in the kitchen cleaning up the mess, Evan showed up. �Happy Thanksgiving,� Sheridan said, hugging him.
�Happy Thanksgiving to you too Sheridan,� Evan said, looking distracted.
�You don�t look very happy,� Sheridan noted. �Tell me what is bothering you Evan.�
�God Sheridan, you wouldn�t believe the weight I�ve carried on my shoulders, and if I don�t talk about this soon I�m going to go crazy,� Evan said, running his hand through his hair with an impatient movement.
Sheridan had never seen him this way, even when he went through that whole Lauren thing and she was really worried about him. �I�ll tell you what. Why don�t I get my coat and we can go for a walk. That way we can get some privacy.�
�Are you sure Sheridan, because I don�t want to take you away from your family on Thanksgiving,� Evan protested.
�Hey, you are my family too, and I�m sure that Luis will watch the children, so no more arguments from you about this,� Sheridan said in a tone that left no room for any more excuses from him.
The evening was cool and crisp, but it felt good to get some fresh air after being in the crowded house for hours. They took off in the direction of Lighthouse Park, both enjoying the silence and each other�s company. Sheridan finally spoke first,� Even, what is going on? Does all of this have something to do with our father adopting you?�
�Yes Sheridan, it has everything to do with that,� Evan said, solemnly.
�Okay, let me get this straight,� Sheridan said, reviewing the facts as she knew them. �Our father married your mother and legally adopted you. I have to admit that I�m shocked that my father would do that, but how bad can this be Evan?"
�Maybe I should just start at the beginning. One day, right after you left for Spain, I received this strange call from Alistair�s attorney and he told me that he wanted to see me right away. I tried to put him off, but the man insisted that I come, and I have to admit I was a bit curious. So, I met the guy half expecting him to ask me to sign some paper that would ensure that I never claimed anything from the Cranes, but I had no idea just how wrong I was with that assumption.�
�What happened then?� Sheridan asked curiously.
�Well, the guy tells me that Alistair married my mother a few months before she was killed, so that he could legally adopt me. I gather that they never really lived together as man and wife because my mother was still taking jobs singing in clubs and I doubt that Alistair would let his wife do that.�
�I know for a fact that he would never approved of his wife working, which makes me even more curious about his motives,� Sheridan said. �What made Alistair do this?�
�I asked the lawyer the same question. In fact, I thought he was joking and I told him that, but he assured me that he was very serious. Anyway, he also said that Alistair had added a codicil to his will that stated that if Julian was killed, or incapacitated and unable to perform his official duties as CEO of Crane Industries that the corporation was to be given to me to run as I saw fit.�
�What?� Sheridan asked, shock written on her face. �How can he do that? Ethan is heir apparent.�
�Unfortunately, that�s not the case any longer because that title now goes to me,� Evan reported regretfully. �I don�t want it and I told the attorney that, but he didn�t leave me with many options.�
Sheridan went over and sat on a park bench trying to come to grips with what Evan had just told her. �I just can�t believe this. Do you have any idea what this will do to Ethan? He will be devastated.�
�Don�t you think I know that?� Evan said, sitting down beside her. �I feel terrible about this Sheridan, and believe me I tried like hell to refuse this thing but the attorney told me that if I declined my inheritance that Crane Industries would be run by a trustee until Julian�s younger son was old enough to take over the company. I swear Sheridan I didn�t ask for this and I just don�t know what to do.�
�I know you didn�t sweetie,� Sheridan said, taking his hand. �I just can�t believe that our father would just cut Ethan out that way. It just doesn�t make any sense because all his life Alistair and Julian have groomed him to take over Crane Industries one day.�
�Well, there is a reason Sheridan,� Evan said hesitantly, dreading what he was about to tell her. �The attorney told me that before Alistair died, he found out that Ethan was not Julian�s biological son.�
�Oh my God,� Sheridan said, standing up to stare down at Evan. �Ivy, that bitch, she did this!�
�Exactly, now how are we going to tell Ethan about this?� Evan asked with desperation.
�We�re not, but Ivy is,� Sheridan said, furiously. �That�s if I don�t kill her myself first.�
Chapter 14
Sheridan and Evan arrived at the Crane Mansion early the next morning with every intention of confronting Ivy. When they had called beforehand, Ivy had been surprised, but had agreed to meet with them. They found her in the living room sipping on coffee and she greeted them with a pleasant smile. �Well, the two of you look so serious this morning, but hopefully I can cheer you up. So, tell me who do I make the check out to?� Ivy said, grabbing her checkbook from the coffee table.
�What are you talking about Ivy?� Sheridan asked, wondering if she already knew their purpose and was trying to pay Evan off.
Now Ivy looked confused. �I just assumed that since you were bringing Evan along and he is running the youth center now that you were looking for donations.�
�That is not why we are here Ivy,� Sheridan told her in a voice edged with disdain. �Where is Ethan this morning?�
�He went to the office,� Ivy said with a worried frown. �What is going on here? Did something happen to Ethan?�
�Ethan is fine........... At least for the time being,� Sheridan said, feeling so miserable all of a sudden. �Look Ivy, we need to speak with you about a very private matter, so I think that we should go to Julian�s office. You wouldn�t want anyone to overhear this.�
�Look, I don�t know what the two of you are up to, but I...............�
�Let�s go to Julian�s office,� Evan said, silencing her. �Now!.�
�Alright, I�ll go, but don�t you ever speak to me in that tone of voice again,� she said, pointing to Evan. Once they were all ensconced in Julian�s office with the door shut, Ivy sat down in a huff and waited for them to begin.
�Several weeks ago, Alistair�s attorney called me into his office and informed me that my father secretly married my mother right before they were both killed, so that he could legally adopt me,� Evan began, getting straight to the point.
Ivy surprised them both when she broke up into laughter. �No offense Evan, but Alistair Crane would have never married a lounge singer just to legitimize his bastard son. And, to be perfectly honest with you, I�m still not convinced that you really are Alistair�s son.�
�You of all people have some nerve saying that,� Sheridan spat out furiously.
�It�s okay Sheridan. Here is the proof if you don�t believe me,� Evan said, taking some legal papers from his inside pocket and tossing them down on Ivy�s lap.
Ivy studied the documents, her smug look turning into one of shock. �I just can�t believe this. Surely Alistair was out of his mind when he did this, but even if this is true what could this possibly have to do with me?�
�Let me just go on record as saying that I wanted no part of this, but it seems I don�t have a choice in the matter,� Evan informed her. �It also seems that my father had a codicil to his will, and in that codicil it stated that if Julian was no longer in the position to act as head of Crane Industries, then that position was to go to me.�
Ivy stood up, flinging the papers aside. �This is preposterous because my son is the head of Crane Industries. I don�t know what you think you�re trying to pull here but I will have you thrown in jail for trying to pull off this off this scam. I always knew that you were trouble the minute I saw you.�
�Stop it Ivy,� Sheridan demanded. �I�m not going to stand here and let you talk to my brother that way. I love Ethan, and the last thing either one of us wants is to hurt him in any way, but this is all perfectly legal. I even had my attorney check it out just to be sure. The board of directors is meeting the first thing next week, and the announcement will be made at that time that Evan is now heir apparent. And, God help us, we have to find a way to help Ethan deal with this.�
�If you care as much for Ethan as you claim, and you also said that you didn�t want this then why not just relinquish your inheritance?� Ivy asked, accusingly.
�I tried that Ivy, but it didn�t make any difference. The attorney told me that if I renounced my inheritance Crane Industries would be run by a trustee until your youngest son came of age, and then he would take over the business.�
�No, no, no,� Ivy said, banging her fist on the desk. �I will not let you do this to my son. I have put up with your disgusting brother for years to make sure that Ethan got what was rightfully his, and I will destroy you before I let him lose his inheritance. You better get ready for the fight of your life, because I will take this to the highest court in the land if I have to...............�
�You will not take this to court Ivy, because I won�t let you,� Sheridan ordered. �I refuse to let Ethan be humiliated when the truth comes out why Alistair really did this.�
�Maybe you would care to inform me why Alistair chose to ruin my son�s life,� Ivy demanded furiously.
�Because Ivy you should know that better than anyone. Father found out your secret............�
�My secret?� Ivy asked with obvious fear in her eyes.
�Yes Ivy, the secret that Ethan is not Julian�s biological son. The reason we even bothered to come to you first was to give you a chance to tell Ethan the truth before this information becomes public.�
�What do you mean becomes public?� Ivy asked, incredulously. �Are you trying to tell me that they would announce something like that at the board meeting?�
�Of course not Ivy, but you know that Ethan is going to demand to know why Alistair would do something like this when it he has always been heir apparent. He deserves to know the truth, and if you don�t tell him, I will,� Sheridan assured her.
Ivy flinched, but recovered quickly. �I don�t know where Alistair thinks he got his information but it�s not true. He probably concocted this whole thing just so he could marry that woman. I will not tell Ethan that he isn�t Julian�s son because he is, so don�t you dare threaten me Sheridan when you have no proof to back up this ridiculous allegation.�
�Let me get this straight. You�re trying to tell us that my father fabricated this whole thing so that he could destroy his grandson�s life just to marry Evan�s mother?� Sheridan asked with a sarcastic laugh. �Come on Ivy, Alistair Crane was a bastard, but he would never set up a situation that would cause a family scandal.�
�Oh really, I find that funny coming from you. Look what Alistair did do you and Luis when he set up your husband by using that elaborate mask to make it look like Luis was stealing drugs from the police evidence room, and God knows what other horrendous crimes. You don�t think that would cause a family scandal to have Alistair�s daughter married to a criminal?�
�That was different,� Sheridan said, suddenly feeling a little unsure of herself.
�No it wasn�t Sheridan, and you weren�t around your father the last year of his life because you were living in New York. The man was losing it and doing all kinds of strange things,� Ivy said convincingly.
�Even if what you say is true, it still does not change the outcome of what is going to happen at the board meeting next week and Ethan is still going to be devastated,� Sheridan reminded her.
Ivy contemplated the situation and finally came up with what she thought was a temporary resolution. �Doesn�t the board still have to vote on changes of this magnitude?�
�Well yes, but it�s just a formality,� Sheridan told her. �They are obviously going to vote in Evan as CEO if that was father�s wish.�
�Look Sheridan, between you and Julian you would have the most shares of voting stock so I�m sure that I could arrange to vote Julian�s shares by proxy. We could still vote Evan in, however there would be a condition.�
�I�m not following,� Sheridan said, confused.
�The condition is that Ethan stays with Crane Industries and is Evan�s right hand person. Our argument could be that it would be detrimental to put someone in a position of CEO when they have no knowledge of company business without someone to groom him. Ethan could stay on to teach Evan everything he knows,� Ivy suggested, feeling quite proud of herself.
�I suppose it could work, but I know Ethan and he is not going to be happy being in that position after running the company for all of these months,� Sheridan said, pointing out the obvious.
�Maybe not, but it sure beats the alternative,� Ivy reminded them.
�Ivy, could you give us a few minutes to discuss this privately,� Sheridan requested.
�Of course, take your time,� Ivy said, leaving the room.
�What�s to discuss Sheridan?� Evan said, as soon as Ivy shut the door. �This could be the break we�ve been waiting for. Face it, I don�t know squat about running a corporation the size of Crane Industries, and at least this way Ethan would not be out on the streets.�
�I don�t know Evan, I still don�t trust her, but you�re right about one thing. Ethan could stay at Crane Industries for now, but this doesn�t mean that Ivy is off the hook just yet. I�m going to do some checking myself to see what I can dig up on Ivy�s past.�
�That sounds fair,� Evan said, smiling. �Shall we go and tell Ivy the news?�
�Yes, but first I want you to know something. I hate what this is going to do to Ethan, but at the same time, I am also happy for you Evan. This has been such a shock to me and I didn�t want you to get the impression that I thought you were unworthy..........�
�I know that Sheridan,� he assured her with a smile.
Sheridan called Ivy in to tell her about their decision. �I will go along with this Ivy, but only on one condition. You have to tell Ethan everything before the board meeting next week, and that includes father�s claim that he is not Julian�s son. I don�t want him to be surprised or humiliated in any way.�
�I promise that I will tell him everything,� Ivy assured her as she walked them to the door. As soon as they were safely gone, she began to shake with panic, but at least the reprieve would give her time to form a plan. She had to convince Ethan that Alistair was a crazy fool that orchestrated all of this as some sick joke, and then she had to get her hands on that file Alistair�s attorney had in his possession. If there was any evidence that Sam was Ethan�s father it had to be destroyed. As soon as she had all her ducks in a row, they could take this to court to contest the will because there was no way in hell she was going to let Alistair�s bastard take everything away from her son. She had worked too hard and made too many sacrifices to every let that happen.
********************
After Sheridan parted company with Evan, she headed to the office. Luis was already there with the twins trying to catch up on work and she knew that he would have a hard time taking care of business while trying to keep an eye on their inquisitive children. Part of her was happy that Ivy had come up with this solution to the problem, but she was still worried about Ethan. There was also a bigger part of her that believed that this was only a temporary reprieve, and that there was something really ugly about this situation that was going to cause a lot of pain. As much as she wanted to be there for both Ethan and Evan through all of this she also had to think about her children. This was Christmas time and there were so many special moments that she wanted them to experience. There was so much to do with Don Miguel coming and she hadn�t even started her shopping yet. They still had to get a tree and take Luke and Lily to see Santa............. Oh God, she hoped the visit to Santa went better than it did last year when Luke wet all over the poor man, but she couldn�t help but smile when she remembered the look on his face when he held Luke out in the air. She had arrived, and parked the car, suddenly anxious to see her family.
When she walked through the front door, she spotted Chad across the room speaking on the phone, and Luis was at his desk doing likewise, so the big question was where were the kids? �Mommy�s here,� she called out in a low voice. �Where are my babies?�
All of a sudden Luke and Lily came running out from behind Luis�s desk and ran toward her. �Mama come,� Luke told her, trying to pull her along.
When Sheridan saw what the twins had on she gasped out loud. The little scamps were wearing trash bags like the kind they used to line the wastebaskets. Somebody had cut out a hole large enough for their heads to fit through as well as two additional holes for their arms. �What is going on here?� she asked, looking down at her grinning children.
�Hi mama,� Lily said, waving at her mother.
�Hi sweetie,� Sheridan said, marching over to Luis� desk. She stood in front of it with her arms crossed, waiting for him to get off the phone.
�Hey, how did it go at Ivy�s?� Luis asked, hanging up the phone.
�That can wait, but what I want to know is why my children are wrapped up like little trash bundles?�
�Well, they wanted to draw, and I figured you would be upset if they got the markers all over their clothes,� Luis explained.
�I know Luis, but trash bags?� she groaned with exasperation. �They look like little street urchins. Besides, have you forgotten their little incident with Paloma when they wrote all over the walls?�
�I told them that they could only write on the paper and they have been really good,� Luis said, defensively.
�See mama, see,� Lily called to her mother from her position behind Luis� desk.
Sheridan stepped around and found the twins on the floor drawing on large pieces of paper torn from presentation pads. Actually, it was more like scribbling, but her children certainly had colorful taste. �Oh my goodness your pictures are beautiful,� she told them excitedly, as she squatted down beside them. �You know, it�s almost time for us to leave because daddy has some clients coming in and we really need to go shopping. Why don�t you let mommy help you sign your name to your picture?�
�Yes mama,� Luke said, kissing her cheek.
�Oh you are so sweet, and so is my little Lily Belle. Now, who wants to go first.........?�
�Me mama,� Lily squealed.
�Okay, hold the marker, and mommy will put her hand on yours so that I can guide you,� Sheridan instructed. Lily wrapped her little fist around the marker and Sheridan led the way, and then she turned her attention to Luke. When their names were written on the bottom corner, the twins were so excited they could hardly contain themselves. �Why don�t we roll your pretty pictures up and then we can hang them up when we get home?�
�You know honey, those are too big to fit on the refrigerator,� Luis told her, smiling.
�Oh, I think we can find some place to put them up,� Sheridan assured him and the twins. �Now, let me get those trash bags off of you before daddy�s clients get here and think we dress you like little hobos.�
�I almost forgot to tell you, I talked to Don Miguel this morning and he is coming for sure, but he is not going to stay at the house,� Luis told her.
�But why not?� Sheridan asked, disappointed. �I was looking forward to him staying with us.�
�I know, so was I,� Luis admitted. �I tried to change his mind, but he feels that considering the situation he should tread lightly. He did get one of those huge suites at the Waverly.�
�Well it is the finest hotel in Harmony and it is also owned by the Cranes,� Sheridan said, contemplating the situation. �I have a wonderful idea Luis. I�ll make sure that his suite is decorated with lots of Christmas decorations. I�ll have Pilar tell me some of the Spanish Christmas traditions so he will feel at home.�
�Thank you for doing that,� Luis said, standing to give her a quick kiss.
�Hey, no hanky panky in front of the kids,� Chad said, joining them.
�They�re used to it,� Sheridan chuckled. �We�re a very affectionate family. Speaking of which, come here and give me a hug.�
�So, it�s about time you came back to work,� Chad said, teasing her.
�Well, I was hoping that you guys could do without me today,� Sheridan said, hopefully. �I know that I�ve been gone and we need to get the billing out but I have so much to do between now and Christmas that I can�t see straight.�
�Don�t worry about it,� Chad assured her. �I hired a temp while you two were gone and she got all the bookkeeping done and also did the billing.�
�Thank you Chad. You have been so great to carry the load while we were gone. We bought you a special Christmas present in Spain. You are coming for Christmas aren�t you?�
�I wouldn�t miss it for the world. I�m dying to meet Luis� grandfather. I will have to go to the Russell�s for a while..............�
Just then to everyone�s surprise Paloma walked in looking like she had just lost her best friend. The twins sensing nothing amiss ran up to greet their favorite aunt excitedly, and she did manage to break into a smile when she saw what she so fondly referred to as the little squirts. As she squatted down to give them a hug and a kiss, tears formed in her eyes. �As much as I would love to play with you right now, I really need to speak to your mommy and daddy.�
�Paloma, what are you doing here?� Luis asked, concerned. �Did something happen to mama or papa, and why aren�t you in school?�
�Everybody is fine Luis, and it�s the day after Thanksgiving so we don�t have school today,� she explained.
�Then why are you acting like your dog just died?� he inquired with a raised brow.
�Because there is something that I need to tell you and Sheridan and I�m dreading it. Is there some place where we could talk?� she asked, nervously.
�Can we do this later sis because I�m expecting some clients in about fifteen minutes,� Luis told her, looking at his watch.
�Look Luis, I�m sure that Chad can greet the clients if we don�t finish in time, but this is obviously important to your sister,� Sheridan advised, wisely.
�Well,� Luis said, looking around the open loft space. �I guess the kitchen area is about the only private place we�re going to find. Chad will need the conference room for the clients.�
�That�s fine Luis,� Poloma told him. �I just need to get this off my chest while I still have the nerve.
When the three of them were safely ensconced in the kitchen, Luis looked at his sister with a mixture of concern and bewilderment. �Paloma, what could be so terrible that you are dreading telling us about it?�
�I�m just so afraid that when I tell you this that you�ll never let me see Luke and Lily again,� Paloma said, teary eyed.
�Sweetie, don�t be ridiculous,� Sheridan told her. �It�s so obvious that Luke and Lily love you and I know that you feel the same way about them.�
�Come on Paloma, you know you can tell us anything,� Luis told her putting his hand on her shoulder affectionately.
�Oh God, why do you guys have to be so nice?� Paloma wailed. �I guess I should just come out with it. While you were in Spain, I did something that was really stupid. When I first started school I didn�t know anybody and I felt really out of place, so I kind of got involved with the wrong crowd of people. Well, we were all planning on going to a concert, and I was dumb enough to let them talk me into buying some pot.�
�Don�t tell me you�ve been smoking that crap?� Luis demanded furiously. �Sheridan and I both almost lost our lives in an explosion trying to get all this poison off the streets.�
�I know, mama and papa told me all about it, but I swear to you that I never smoked any of it and papa flushed it down the toilet,� Paloma said, shaking.
�You mean to tell me that mama and papa knew about this.............? Wait a minute, you said that papa flushed it down the toilet, and we were in Spain at the time. Did you bring that crap into our house?� Luis asked, angrily.
�Luis, please keep your voice down,� Sheridan warned. �I just heard your clients arrive. I�m not thrilled about this either, but it�s not going to do any good for you to go off like a rabid dog.
�I�m so sorry,� Paloma said, crying hard now. �Papa punished me, but he said that I needed to be the one to tell you. Please don�t freak, but the stuff was in my backpack and Luke found it.............�
�Oh my God,� Sheridan gasped. �He didn�t get into it did he?�
�You better tell me right now that my son didn�t ingest any of the stuff or I might not be responsible for my actions,� Luis said through clenched teeth.
�No, I swear he didn�t,� Paloma cried. �He took it right over to papa. I know that you probably hate me now, but please know that I would never do anything to purposely hurt Luke and Lily. I�ve really come to love them and they are so special to me.�
Luis had a chance to calm down a little but he was still upset. �Paloma, we do not hate you, but I�m not going to lie to you. I�m really disappointed in your choices, especially when you put my children at risk. I don�t know what to say to you right now because I need a chance to absorb all of this. Now, I have a meeting to get to, but I do appreciate you telling us. I know it couldn�t have been easy for you.�
After Luis left, Sheridan went over and hugged her sobbing sister-in-law. �Try to calm down Paloma. Luis is angry right now, but he does love you and he�ll realize that you made a bad mistake that you�re truly sorry for. I have to admit that I�m still a little angry myself, but no harm was done and I think that you learned a very important lesson.�
�I did Sheridan,� Paloma said, wiping her tears away. �I�m not trying to make excuses for what I did, but I was in a very confused and bad place when I first got home. This might be hard for you to understand, but I felt so out of place..............�
�You know Paloma, I understand a lot better than you think I do. I grew up most of my life in Europe living at boarding schools. I was never invited home for the holidays and my family never came to see me. Sure, I saw Ethan and Jordan when I got older and they would come to visit, but my father and brother never bothered with me.�
�I�m so sorry Sheridan,� Paloma said, softly. �I had no idea that we had similar upbringings.�
�I appreciate your sympathy, but when I met Luis and had Luke and Lily, I learned to get over it because I know that all the pain was worth it because of the happiness I have right now. There is a big difference between our situations though. Your family sent you away because of love, and my family sent me away because they were incapable of love. I know that sometimes it�s hard for you to see it, but your family loves you very much Paloma, and so do I and my children.�
�Thank you Sheridan,� Paloma said, hugging her tightly. �You are the best sister-in-law in the world. I just hope that my brother will be able to find it in his heart to forgive me.�
�I don�t think you have to worry about that. Luis� bark is louder than his bite. He believes in family and he is not going to turn his back on you just because you made a mistake. Just give him some time, and I�m sure he�ll come around,� Sheridan assured her. �So, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?�
�Not really,� Paloma said rather tentatively. �Why do you ask?�
�Because, I�m taking the twins out to fight the masses of shoppers, and I was wondering if you wanted to come along?�
�I would love to come, but let me just call mama and tell her where I�m going to be,� Paloma said, excitedly.
�I have a feeling you�re going to be just fine Paloma..........�
********************
The following weeks passed with a flurry of activity and everyone was filled with anticipation for the coming holiday season. This would be a special Christmas since it was the first one the family would share since Martin had returned home. Also there was an added excitement that Don Miguel would be spending the holidays with them as well. The only thing to put a damper on this joyful time was the board meeting at Crane Industries, and Ethan�s de-thronging as head of the company. He was devastated of course, but he truly seemed to believe Ivy�s story that Alistair had orchestrated all of this just as an excuse to marry Evan�s mother. But then why wouldn�t he when the alternative would be too much for him to handle. There was however something about the shared looks between mother and son that made Sheridan believe that Ivy was up to something and had somehow convinced Ethan to go along with her scheme. She filed that all in the back of her mind for now because the days were passing quickly, and there was still so much to do before Christmas. It was no wonder that Sheridan fell into an exhausted sleep every night as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The snow had fallen making the city look like a scene from a Christmas card, and Luis showed the twins how to make a snowman, whom was affectionately named Frosty. The biggest surprise came when Luis rented a horse-drawn sleigh when they went to the tree farm to pick out their Christmas tree. It took them a lot longer than usual because they had to keep making stops so the twins could pet the horses and play in the snow. They did finally manage to pick out the perfect tree that was thirteen feet tall that made the house smell like a pine forest. Luke and Lily would have no part of letting their mother do all the decorating and they took delight in putting the ornaments on the bottom of the tree. Of course, Sheridan rearranged them after the little imps went to bed but they would never be the wiser.
The big day had arrived and the twins were beside themselves with excitement over their visit to see Santa. Sheridan and Luis had been reading them stories and showing them pictures of good old St. Nick so that they wouldn�t be afraid when it came time to sit on his lap. They were on their way, and Sheridan was telling Luke and Lily once again what to expect. �Now when you sit on Santa�s lap you need to tell him what special presents you want him to bring you for Christmas. Santa may be big but he is a very nice person and he loves little children.�
�That sounds a little creepy,� Luis teased under his breath.
�Will you stop?� Sheridan whispered.
�Mommy�s right, and did you know that Santa rides around in a big sleigh just like the one that daddy took you in when we got our Christmas tree? The only difference is that Santa has reindeer pulling his sleigh instead of horses.�
�Rudee Red,� Luke said, excitedly.
�That�s right Sport,� Luis said, amazed that his son would make that connection. �Rudolf is the reindeer that pulls Santa�s sleigh. Do you know why?�
�No dadee,� Luke told him in a little frustrated voice.
�Rudee shiny dadee,� Lily offered.
�That�s right Peanut. Rudolf has a red shiny nose that lights the way in the dark so Santa can see where he�s going.�
�You are both so smart,� Sheridan said, making a big deal. �I guess you were listening really close when mommy sang Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer to you the other day, and you also watch that program on television about Rudolf.�
�Frosty too mama,� Lily reminded her.
�We did watch Frosty the other night,� Sheridan said, amazed at her children�s memories. �He looked just like the Frosty that daddy built for you didn�t he?�
�Well, it looks like we�re here,� Luis announced. �Are you ready to see Santa?�
�See Sanna,� the twins said, clapping.
As it turned out Luis and Sheridan�s concerns about the twins being afraid of Santa had been unfounded, because the minute they put the children down on their feet, they ran toward Santa. The little munchkins didn�t understand that they had to wait their turn and their parents had to go collect them, while apologizing to the people waiting in line.
They both started to cry, not understanding why they couldn�t see Santa. �Now, you need to dry those tears,� Luis said, wiping their cheeks. �You can still see Santa, but you have to wait your turn.�
�Why don�t you watch Santa�s elf�s while we�re waiting,� Sheridan suggested, trying to take their mind off of their disappointment.
The twins were getting quite a bit of attention by the crowd, and everyone was telling Luis and Sheridan how cute they looked. Lily had on a green jumper with a candy cane striped turtleneck, and Luke had the matching overalls with the same festive shirt. When it finally came time for their turn, the twins hopped on Santa�s lap giggling the whole time. �Ho, ho, ho, what happy little children you are,� the red elf said with a hint of relief in his voice. It was obvious that some of the children had really put him through the wringer. �Now Lily, tell Santa what you want me to bring you for Christmas?� Santa asked, looking at Lily�s nametag.
�Ho, ho Sanna,� Lily greeted him with a gamine smile. �Me Banabelle dress.�
�A Banabelle dress,� Santa smiled. �Well, I�ll add that to my list for Lily. What would you like Luke?� he asked turning to the little boy.
�Big truck,� Luke told him, spreading his hands out to show him the size.
�Santa has a lot of big trucks at the North Pole, and I�m sure he can find one just for you Luke. Ho, ho, ho. You have a Merry Christmas Luke and Lily.�
�Bye bye Sanna,� Lily said, kissing him on the cheek and making good old St. Nick turn as red as his suit.
�God, she certainly isn�t shy around men,� Luis grumbled in Sheridan�s ear.
�I thought it was sweet Luis,� Sheridan said, smiling at her little girl. �Did you get some good pictures?�
�Yes, I got plenty of pictures,� Luis assured her. �Even one of our daughter being an outrageous flirt.�
********************
It had been a long exhausting flight, but Don Miguel felt rejuvenated the minute he saw Luis and Sheridan standing there with their children. He couldn�t help but get a warm feeling inside when the precious little ones waved to him with their tiny little hands. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever believed that he would actually meet his grandchildren, let alone his great grandchildren, and this was a very profound moment for him. He greeted them with affectionate hugs. �Hi buelo,� the twins told him on cue.
�Abuelo, it is good to see you,� Luis said, giving his grandfather a warm hug.
�You are certainly a wonderful site for me to see Luis, and your lovely wife and precious children just complete the package,� Don Miguel said, fondly.
�Welcome to Harmony,� Sheridan said, kissing him on his weathered cheek.
�I am happy to be here. I have never been to this part of the United States before. I could tell from the window as we were getting ready to land that this is quite the charming town.�
�I�m sure that you are worn out from your trip. Why don�t we get you to your hotel so that you can get some rest� Sheridan suggested. �We would love it if you could join us for Christmas Eve mass tonight if you�re not too exhausted.�
�I could use some rest,� Don Miguel agreed. �It is times like this that remind me of my age.�
�Are you sure that we can�t convince you to stay at our house?� Luis offered.
�I do appreciate your generous offer, but I think perhaps that it would be better for me to stay at the hotel. I am sure that my daughter spends a lot of time at your home during the holiday season and I do not want her to be uncomfortable. We have a lot of years to rebuild and I realize that it cannot happen overnight.�
�Well, I can promise you abuelo that mama is very anxious to see you too. She is very excited that you�re going to be spending the holidays with us,� Luis assured him.
�That is good to hear,� Don Miguel smiled. �I must admit that I am nervous about seeing her again for the first time in all of these years.�
�Dadee buelo, Sanna comes,� Lily told her great grandfather excitedly.
�Did she just call you daddy abuelo?� Sheridan asked, shocked.
�It did sound like that,� Don Miguel chuckled.
�Maybe she was referring to both of us,� Luis suggested.
�We�ll find out soon enough. Lily, who is this nice man?� Sheridan asked, pointing to Don Miguel.
�Dadee buelo,� Lily told her in a serious voice.
�Sorry Luis, but I don�t think she was referring to you,� Sheridan laughed.
�Do you think that you can spare a hug for your daddy abuelo?� Don Migel asked of the children, never expecting the little imps to hug him affectionately. �You two are such a joy.�
�Come now dadee buelo,� Luke requested picking up Lily�s name for him, as he pulled his great grandfathers hand.
�I have a feeling that this is going to be the best Christmas I have had in many years,� Don Miguel said with tears in his eyes.
Luis and Sheridan picked up Don Miguel at the hotel for mass later that evening and he thanked them profusely for having the forethought to decorate his suite with Spanish Christmas decorations. It was very evident that the old man was nervous about seeing his daughter again after all of these years, because even though he was being very gracious, it was also clear that he was distracted. �It�s going to be fine,� Sheridan told him as they were leaving the suite.
�I hope that you are right about that Sheridan,� Don Miguel said, smiling bravely.
As luck would have it they arrived at the church at the very moment that Pilar, Martin and the rest of the Lopez-Fitzgerald siblings appeared. Father and daughter just stood there staring at each other with a mixture of surprise and longing apprehension, until finally Don Miguel made the first move and stepped in front of her. �My beautiful daughter,� he said with blatant emotion. �You have not changed at all since the last time I saw your face. I cannot tell you what this moment means to me.�
�Oh papa,� Pilar cried, throwing herself into his arms.
They hugged each other tightly, and all that were present could feel their eyes welling up with tears over the long overdue reunion of father and daughter. When they finally parted, Don Miguel just stared at Pilar, like he was trying to convince himself that this was really happening. �Mija, I have so many regrets...........�
�As do I papa, and we will speak of them later, but now is the time for joy and I want you to meet the rest of your family. �I am sure that you remember my husband, Martin.�
�Martin,� Don Miguel said, extending his hand in greeting. �It is good to see you well and back with your family again. I owe you an apology for misjudging you..........�
�That is not necessary Don Miguel,� Martin said, smiling. �I have learned the hard way that life is too short to hang on to the unpleasantness.�
�Yes, I am sure that you have learned that lesson. All those years that you were separated from your family must have been terrible for you. I want you to know that I did hire some investigators to look into your disappearance after you turned up missing, but they constantly met with a dead ends. Alistair Crane covered his tracks well I am afraid.� Everyone was shocked by his revelation, but Don Miguel explained that it was the only way he knew to help his daughter during a terrible time in her life. The fact that Pilar turned down his offer to come and live in Spain was tastefully not mentioned by the elderly gentleman.
�Papa, come and meet the rest of your grandchildren,� Pilar said, happily. �This is my son, Miguel.�
�So you are the grandson that is named after me?� Don Miguel said, proudly. �Luis has informed me that you are a very good student and very adapt at sports. I am honored that you have are my namesake.�
�I am honored that mama named me after you abuello,� Miguel said, giving his grandfather a hug.
�Don�t forget about us mama,� Theresa called out, standing off to the side with Paloma.
�Of course not,� Pilar said, smiling. �Papa, this is my oldest daughter, Teresita, and my baby Poloma.
�I had no idea that my granddaughters were so beautiful. I can see so much of your abuela, Teresita in both of you,� Don Miguel said, affectionately. �The two of you would be the toast of Spain. I would not be able to keep the suitors away from you.�
�Really abuelo?� Theresa gushed. �Can we come and visit you sometime because I would like to see if your prediction is true.�
�I can already see that you are preconscious,� Don Miguel laughed, kissing her on the cheek. �You can come and visit anytime, and stay as long as you like.�
�Thank you abuelo,� Theresa said, excitedly.
�Paloma, are you always so quiet?� Don Miguel said, turning to his youngest granddaughter.
�Well, I�m not as vocal as Theresa, but I do manage to speak once in a while,� Paloma teased.
Don Miguel hugged and kissed her, and whispered in her ear. �I think perhaps that there is a lot going on in that mind of yours that you do not share with others. I know this because I am the same way. How did you get to be so tall?� he said out loud for everyone to hear.
�I guess I inherited my height from papa�s side of the family,� Poloma said, feeling an instant connection with her grandfather.
�The church bells are ringing,� Pilar reminded them. �We should get inside the church so that we are not late for mass.�
�Come now,� Luke instructed them, bringing smiles to everyone�s faces over the little director�s orders.
********************
After mass everyone went over to the Lopez-Fitzgerald�s to sing Christmas carols and partake in some traditional Spanish delicacies. The twins were starting to nod off and Luis and Sheridan regretfully called it a night. They offered to take Don Miguel back to his hotel, but Pilar insisted that one of them would make sure that he got back there because she wasn�t ready to see her father leave just yet. They all said goodnight, looking forward to spending Christmas day at Luis and Sheridan�s home. Luke and Lily slept the whole way home, and didn�t even stir when changed into their pajamas. �I guess we better be prepared for an early morning,� Luis whispered, as they were leaving the nursery.
�Oh, I�m sure they will be up at the crack of dawn,� Sheridan agreed. �They have talked of nothing else but Santa coming tonight.�
Just as they reached the doorway, a little voice stopped them. �Mama, dadee,� Lily called out.
�Hey Peanut, you�re supposed to be asleep,� Luis whisper, so he wouldn�t awaken Luke.
�Dadee, Sanna come,� Lily whispered back.
�Rudee too, Leelee,� Luke�s voice sounded, surprising them all.
�Yes Luke, Santa and Rudolf are both coming tonight, but not if you don�t go back to sleep,� Sheridan told him. �I�m going to go downstairs right now and leave some milk and cookies so that Santa can have a snack when he gets here. I think that maybe I can find some carrots for Rudolf and the other reindeers too.�
�They�re already out again,� Luis whispered.
They went out into the hallway and closed the door to the twins room leaving it open just a crack to let some light stream in. The baby monitors still came in handy if the twins should wake up during the middle of the night. �I�m about as tired as they are,� Luis admitted. �What do you say we hit the sack too?� he said with a devilish glint to his eyes.
�If you can contain yourself for just a while longer, I was hoping that you and I could open our gifts tonight,� Sheridan chuckled softly. �I know that we decided not to go overboard with our presents to each other because of all the money we spent in Spain, but I would really like our gift exchange to be just between us.�
�Okay, I think that would be nice too,� Luis said, putting his arm around her shoulders to lead her downstairs. When they were sitting in front of the tree, Luis grabbed his gift to her. �You go first,� he said, excitedly.
�Did the twins help you wrap this?� Sheridan teased, looking down at the box he had handed her.
�Well, I can�t be perfect all the time,� he laughed. �Come on, open it.�
Sheridan tore the paper away, and opened the box to find a small oil painting. It looked like the artist had painted it while standing in the city of Toledo, because there was a view of the hills were they were remarried, and the monastery was off to the side nestled between the trees. �Oh Luis, it�s beautiful, but this must have cost a fortune. How did you manage to get it home without me seeing it?�
�While you were busy buying your nightgown, I saw this in the window of a gallery and I knew if was perfect for you. I had them ship it here to the office. See here,� he said, pointing to a spot on the hill. I think that�s the very spot were we got married again.�
�It�s so beautiful,� Sheridan said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. �I will treasure it always.�
�Now, I want to see my gift,� Luis said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
�Well, it didn�t cost nearly as much as your gift to me, but I can assure you that it�s one of those presents that just keeps giving,� she said, hading him a small box.
�Let�s see,� he said, shaking it. �It doesn�t weigh enough to be a watch. Maybe, a gold pen?�
�Will you just open it,� she urged, laughing.
When Luis tore the paper away and opened the box, he just stared at it perplexed at first when it finally dawned on him just what he was looking at. �Oh my God,� he gasped, looking down at the plastic applicator used to show the results of a pregnancy test. �It�s shows a plus sign............�
�I would say that�s a pretty good indication that we�re going to have a baby,� she said, smiling with delight.
�Oh my God Sheridan.............. Oh my God,� he said, pulling her into a bear hug. �I can�t believe this.�
�Neither could I, so I took the test twice just to be sure and it came out positive both times. So, I take it that you are happy with your gift?�
�You have no idea Sheridan,� he said, emotionally. �This is by far the best gift that anyone has ever given to me.�
�Merry Christmas Luis.............�
Click here for the next chapters!