The Truth, And Nothing But The Truth - Part 7

Note: Not that this will stop you, but several chapters contain R Rated material!

Chapter 19

Luis approached the entrance to the Seascape with hurried steps. He was already running late for his lunch date with his grandfather, and he didn�t want to keep him waiting any longer. This would be the first chance that he had to speak to Don Miguel since the family dinner in honor of his brother�s homecoming, and Luis was anxious to hear his abuelo�s thoughts on the evening.

The hostess led him to Don Miguel�s table, and the old man stood to greet Luis with a warm embrace. �Abuelo, I�m so sorry that I�m late. I had a meeting with a client that ran overtime. I guess I can�t complain too much since I charge by the hour,� he laughed.

�Please do not apologize,� Don Miguel said, taking his seat again. �I know how busy you must be with your business and political campaign. I am so pleased that you could find the time to have lunch with me.�

�I�m so glad you called abuelo. I�ve been dying to talk to you since Antonio�s welcome home dinner the other night.�

�I wanted to discuss that with you as well. I am worried about you Luis,� Don Miguel said, concerned written on his face.

�Why are you worried about me?� Luis asked, surprised.

�I am leaving early next week to visit with your Tia Maria, and I am very concerned about all of the tension I witnessed between you and Antonio.�

His grandfather�s announcement was a real blow to him. He had come to depend on Don Miguel�s advice and beside Sheridan, he was the only person in the family that knew the truth about Antonio. �Abuelo do you really have to go now?� he asked, clearly disappointed.

�I know that the timing could not be worse, but I promised your Tia that I would be there. The trip was already pushed back a few days so that I could see Terasita, but I can not delay it any longer than that.�

�Of course you can�t,� Luis said, flashing his grandfather a smile. �I want you to go and have a nice visit with Tia Maria and please don�t worry about me.�

�How can I not when I see you and your brother ready to tear each other in two,� Don Miguel admonished.

�Was it that obvious?� Luis asked, sheepishly.

�Luis, even little Lily felt uncomfortable by it,� Don Miguel reminded him.

�I tried my best to keep control, and had I known at the time that he was lying, I probably would have asked him to step outside,� Luis admitted.

�Luis, I too suspected that his explanation about why he left home was not completely true, but we have no proof,� he reasoned.

�I�m glad to see that you didn�t fall for that story either, but that�s not what I was talking about abuelo, when I said that Antonio was lying.�

�You mean that there is something else?� Don Miguel asked, lifting a silver brow.

�Sheridan told me after me left mama and papa�s that night that Antonio was lying about just getting back to the states that day. She said she saw him in town about a mouth before that, and she remembered him because she found it strange the way he was staring at her and mama across the street. Just to be sure, she called her travel agent to confirm that there were no flights arriving that day from Athens, Greece.�

A look of disgust came over Don Miguel�s face. �Why does he feel the need for all this secrecy and deceit?� he growled, hitting his fist on the table.

�I don�t know abuelo, but I have every intention of finding out what he�s up to,� Luis informed his grandfather.

Don Miguel looked thoughtful for a moment then finally spoke. �Perhaps we should stop covering for Antonio. It is time for him to show his true colors. We can not protect your mama and papa forever.�

�No abuelo,� Luis insisted. �It will break mama�s heart, and papa will feel guilty because he wasn�t around for all of those years.�

�Luis, I am proud of you for being so protective, but it is time for you to let go. You have Sheridan and those beautiful children. They should have all of your free time, especially now that you are pursing politics. I do not want to see this situation with Antonio to consume you.�

�I know what you�re trying to say abuelo, but trust me when I say that Sheridan and our children are my life and they will always come first,� Luis assured him. �I just want some more time to figure out what Antonio is up to, and I promise I won�t let it consume me.�

Don Miguel finally smiled, and reached over and laid his hand on Luis� arm. �I trust you, but you must remember that you are running for office and people are not going to vote for you if you are seen brawling with your brother.�

�Don�t worry abuelo,� Luis said, smiling. �I�ll make sure that we�re inside so that nobody can see us.�

********************
Jordan and Kay were out distributing posters of Luis around town while Sheridan waited for the printers to deliver the letters for the mass mailing they were sending out. With Reece's assistance she had managed to set up a database for mailing labels and was in the process of trying to print those out, but things were not going well. It didn't help her frustration level any with Luke constantly pestering her to go next door to the toy store. "Peas mama," he begged.

"Lukie, I'm sorry sweetie, but mommy is really busy right now and I just don't have time to take you. Besides, we brought plenty of your toys from home and the small television so that you can watch your videos."

"I be so bored though mama," Luke complained.

"It looks like Lily is finding plenty to do. Why don't you draw mommy a pretty picture?"

"Kay," he said, dejectedly. "But I be drawing sumptin for daddy."

Sheridan watched him dragging his feet as he walked back to the table where the color books and markers were located. She felt bad, but she had told them both before they came that this was a work day for her and gave them both the option to have a babysitter come and stay with them. She wished now that she would have just gotten a someone to come to the house and watch them because by the time she packed up all of their toys and all of Sofie's things, the morning had been half over by the time she got there.

"Well, I think we about covered the entire main village," Kay said as she walked through the front door, with a pregnant Jordan lagging behind.

"I think that I need to sit down for a minute," Jordan said, trying to catch her breath.

"Jordan, I don't think you should be out running around like that," Sheridan gently scolded her. "I know the exercise is good for you but you don't want to overdue it."

"I realize that Sheridan, but Miss Long Legs here forgets that I'm shorter and can't keep up with her gait," Jordan chuckled.

"Sorry about that Jordan. Evan is always telling me to slow down. You should have said something."

"I think I'll survive," Jordan assured her. "So Sheridan, what's next on the agenda?"

"Well, the printers should be here any minute to deliver the letterhead and envelopes. Plus, I had them make up a huge poster of Luis from the same shot like the ones you were just hanging up around town. I thought we could mount it on the wall in here."

"Luis is going to love that," Kay laughed.

"I guess we'll find out later because he's going to stop in later on this afternoon," Sheridan told them.

"Jordee, is your baby going to be bornded today?" Lily asked.

"Well Lily I hope not because the baby needs to grow a little bit more before he or she comes out," Jordan explained.

"The baby needs to hurry up and grow, cause Soapie needs a playmate," Lily said in her most serious voice.

Everyone laughed at the little imp's statement. "I'll pass the word along to your little cousin," Jordan told Lily.

"Why is Luke looking all down in the dumps over there?" Kay asked Sheridan.

"Lukie is being bad cause he wants to go to see the toys," Lily announced.

"Don't say that Leelee," Luke shouted, angrily.

"Okay, I don't want you two squabbling," Sheridan told them. "I brought some snacks for you so why don't you get them out of my bag?"

"Oh, what kind of snacks?" Lily asked, excitedly.

"I brought juice boxes and animal crackers," Sheridan said, handing her the bag.

Just then, the delivery truck arrived from the printers and Sheridan directed them to the back door. After bringing in all the boxes as well as the poster of Luis, they left through the back, forgetting to close the door behind them. Everyone was helping
Sheridan unpack when Luke approached her.

"Mama, I has to go to the potty," he whispered in her ear.

"Okay sweetie, mommy will take you???"

"No mama, I be a big boy now and I can go by myself," his insisted.

Sheridan was hesitant at first, but finally relented when she saw how adamant he was. "Alright, you can go by yourself, but you need to promise to call mommy if you have any problems reaching the sink, because you have to wash your hands."

"Kay mama," he said, scampering to the back where the restrooms were located.

Luke managed to do his business and even flush the toilet with out any problems, but when it came to washing his hands, he was just too short. He got the bright idea to dump the wastebasket upside down so that he could stand on top of it. Totally unaware of the mess he made, he proudly washed his hands and dried with the paper towels sitting on the counter. He really hadn't planned on leaving, but when he spotted that the back door was opened, a plan formed in his little brain. If he left for just a short while and went next door to look at toys, his mommy would never even know he was missing. It was so easy to slip out the back door, but it opened to an ally way, and he was all confused on what direction he needed to take. Unfortunately, the little adventurer went in the opposite route. He knew that he had to be quick so he took off running, and ended up going between some of the buildings, but when he made it to the street nothing looked familiar to him. Determined to get back before his mommy noticed that he was gone, he took off running once again, but he had no sense of direction, and went in the opposite way from his destination. All thoughts of toys left his head, when he realized that he was lost and had no idea what he was going to do. "Oh no, me be in big trouble now," he said, starting to cry.

Sheridan heard Luke banging around in the back, but when it grew quiet and he never materialized, she ran to the back room to look for him. She checked the bathroom first, and noticed the waste basket turned over in front of the sink, but Luke was no where to be seen. When she saw that the back door was wide open, panic seized her. "Oh God, they told me they were going to close the door," she said, angrily. Stepping outside, she looked both ways, but Luke was not there. She shouted his name and almost cried when he didn't answer.

"Sheridan, what wrong?" Kay asked, from the open doorway.

"Did Luke come back to the front of the store?"

"No, I thought he was going to the bathroom? Why is the door open?"

"Those idiot delivery guys left if open when they told me they would shut it. Oh my God, we have to find him?�

"Just try to calm down Sheridan. He couldn't have gotten far, and I'm sure we'll find him soon," Kay said with more bravado then she actually felt.

"Okay, we need to have a plan," Sheridan said, rubbing her head, trying to think.

Jordan with Sofie in her arms, and Lily tagging behind her came to see what all the commotion was all about. "What happened?" she asked, fearfully.

"The delivery guys left the door open, and we think Luke must have walked out," Kay explained.

"Lily, did Lukie tell you where he was going?" Sheridan asked, kneeling down in front of her daughter.

"No mama, but he wanted to see the toys."

"That's right," Sheridan said, feeling a bit more relieved. "He must be in the toy store next door."

"Why don't I start looking back here and you go next door to see if he's there? Kay said.

"Okay, but somebody has to stay here and watch the children??.."

"Don't worry Sheridan. I'll stay here with Lily and Sofie," Jordan offered. "Also, I think you two should take your cell phones so that we can check in with each other."

"Good idea," Sheridan said, running to the front of the store to get her phone, and rifled through her purse until she found a picture of Luke before she went next door to the toy store. When she got next door, she looked around frantically, but didn't see
Luke anywhere. The clerk approached her and asked if he could be of assistance.

"Yes, did you see this little boy come in here?" she said, showing her the photo.

The lady took the picture and studied it before shaking her head no. "I'm sorry, but I'm sure I would have noticed him if he were. We haven't been busy at all today."

"Are you positive?" Sheridan asked, hopefully. "It would have been in the last half hour at the most."

"No, I'm really sorry, but I would have known if he came in because the door has a bell on it, and I haven't had a customer for almost forty minutes now."

�Thank you,� Sheridan said, dismally. �If he should come in here would you please call me at this number?� she said writing down her cell phone number on a piece of paper.

�Yes, of course I will,� the lady said with a look of pity on her face. �Good luck. I hope you find him.�

Sheridan walked back outside and took some deep breaths. She hadn�t known a fear like this since the night the twins were in the accident with Paloma. All these terrible horror stories about abducted children filled her mind and she almost lost control right there on the sidewalk. But, she couldn�t lose it now when her little boy was out there all by himself probably scared to death. �I can�t fall apart now,� she said out loud. She checked in with Kay and Jordan and neither one of them had seen or heard anything about Luke. She decided to start checking in the other shops to see if maybe Luke had gotten confused and went into one of those. Nobody had seen him at all and she was really starting to believe that somebody had taken him.

She turned and smacked right into a man�s chest. �Oh, I�m sorry����

�Sheridan, are you okay?� Evan asked.

�Evan,� she said, falling into his arms. �What are you doing here? Did Kay call you?�

Evan could see that she was frantic about something and he knew he had to get her to calm down. �No she didn�t call me. I was in town for a meeting at the bank and I decided to come and see what you girls where up to, but forget about that. I want to know what�s wrong,� he said, putting his hands on her upper arms to keep her steady.

�Oh Evan, my baby is missing,� she sobbed.

�Sofie����?

�No Luke. The delivery men left the back door open and he must have walked out, but I�m so afraid that he�s hurt or worse, somebody kidnapped him. Oh God Evan, if something happens to him I don�t know how I can ever forgive myself.�

�Listen to me Sheridan,� he said in a calming voice. �Who is looking for him besides you?�

�Just Kay. She took the back and I�m covering the street and the shops. Jordan is with Lily and Sofie. Oh Evan, he kept asking me all day if he could go to the toy store next door, but I wouldn�t let him. I checked there but they never saw him. I should have taken him.�

�Sheridan, you can�t waste time standing her blaming yourself. We need to call Luis. He does this for a living and he�ll know the best way to conduct a search.�

�Yes, you�re right. I need to call Luis.� Sheridan dreaded making this call, but she knew that Luis would know what to do. After all, he had always been there to save her, and now he had to save their little boy.

********************

Luke had wandered for a while and ended up in front of the Book Caf�. He was so tired and all he wanted to do was to see his mommy again. Big tears filled his eyes, and he sat down on the curb and put his head in his hands. It was amazing that people were so focused on their own lives that nobody had noticed a little boy alone and walking the streets. Fortunately, two ladies there were out shopping for the day spotted him sitting there weeping, and their hearts broke at the site.

�Hi there,� one lady said, squatting down beside Luke.

Luke looked up, his brown eyes filled with tears. �Hi,� he said so softly that she barely heard him.

�Are you all by yourself sweetheart?� she asked, gently.

Luke rubbed his eyes with his little fist. �I can�t find my mama.�

�Okay, well do you remember where you were when you lost her?�

�I was at daddy�s ofer store by the toy store,� he said, his little lip shaking.

�What�s your name?� the lady asked, smiling.

�Luke Lopez-Gerald,� he said, shyly.

�Well Luke, this is my friend Fran and my name is Lorraine. Why don�t you let me help you up and I�ll find a tissue to wipe those tears away.�

�Here Lorraine, I have a tissue,� Fran said, digging in her purse to produce a clean white tissue.

Lorraine helped Luke to a standing position, and helped to dry his tears and blow his sniffling nose. �Do you feel better now?�

�Yes,� he said, shaking his head. �Tank you.�

�You�re welcome Luke. Now, you are going to have to help me find your mommy because Fran and I are just visiting and we don�t really know anybody around here. Is there anything that you can tell me?�

�I don�t know,� Luke whimpered.

�Lorraine, maybe we should take him to the police station. This is a small town and I�m sure somebody there will know him,� Fran suggested.

�Dat�s my daddy,� Luke said, excitedly as he pointed to the campaign poster of Luis in the window of the Book Caf�.�

�Oh my, you certainly look just like him,� Lorraine said, happily. �If his father�s poster is up here, maybe someone inside knows him?�

Beth was pouring coffee for a customer when the two ladies walked in the front door with the little boy beside them. She knew right away that is was Luis� little boy since he was a dead ringer for his father. When she was finished with her task, she approached them. �Luke, is that you?�

�Oh, thank heavens you know him,� Lorraine said. �We found him out front crying his eyes out. He said that he get separated from his mother.�

�Thank you so much for your help,� Beth said, smiling. �I�ll make sure that his parents know that he�s here.�

�Well, I guess this ended up well after all,� Lorraine said. �It was nice to meet you Luke.�

�Nice to meet you too,� Luke said, finally gracing her with a charming smile. �Tank you for helping me.�

�You are so sweet,� Lorraine said. �I bet your mommy and daddy will be so happy to see you.�

After the ladies left, Beth offered to get Luke some ice cream, and he readily accepted. �I�ll call your mommy while you�re eating your ice cream.� The little boy had no idea that she had no intention of calling his mother just yet. She knew that Sheridan was probably going crazy and she wasn�t going to pass up a chance to make that bitch suffer. Besides, Luis would surely be mad at his wife for letting their son get away from her, and she could come in and save the day.

********************

Luis was having a meeting with some potential clients when Whitney interrupted, telling him that he had an urgent call. �I�m sorry Luis, but Sheridan is on the phone and she sounds really upset.�

�Excuse me gentlemen, but I need to take this call from my wife,� Luis said, hopping to his feet.

�Go ahead Luis, I�ll take over,� Chad offered.

As he made his way to the phone, Luis� worried that something terrible had happened. It was not like Sheridan to call him when she knew that he had client�s in that day. When he picked up the phone, his hand was shaking. �Sheridan, what� wrong?� was all he said.

When Luis picked up the phone, his hand was shaking. "Sheridan, what's wrong?" he asked, trying to control the panic in his voice.

Sheridan had done a pretty good job of keeping it together, until she heard Luis' voice, and she just crumbled. "Luis �..., It's Luke��." she sobbed.

"What about Luke��..?"

"He's missing," she said, barely able to choke the words out.

Fear and a million questions entered his mind, but there would be time for that later. "Where are you?"

Since Sheridan couldn't stop crying, Evan had taken the phone from her. "Luis, it's Evan. We were out searching, but we came back to campaign headquarters to call you. We were all just going around in circles."

"Stay right there Evan," Luis directed. "I'm on my way." He told Whitney that he had to leave because Luke was missing and to have
Chad join them when he was finished with the clients. On the way there, he tried his best not to give into the fear that was building inside of him. Instead, he grabbed onto the cop instincts that he had always relied upon in the past. He was there within
ten minutes and the moment that Sheridan saw him she flew into his arms.

"I am so sorry Luis. This is my entire fault. He told me he wanted to use the bathroom by himself and I didn't realize that the delivery men had left the back door open. When I went back to check on him, he was gone," she said, her words rushing out with deep
gasping breaths. "We have to find our baby, Luis."

"Don't worry Sheridan, I promise you that I will find him," Luis said, hugging her close. �I promise����

"Daddy, daddy," Lily called out running toward him. "Lukie be missing and I be so sad."

"It's going to be okay Peanut," Luis said, in a comforting manner. "Daddy is going to make everything all right again."

"Daddy, don't be mad with Lukie for being bad He just wanted to see the toys."

"I know Peanut. Mommy and daddy are very worried, but we are not mad," he assured his little daughter. "Okay, everyone gather round. I have a strategy and we don't have any more time to lose."

Luis had called Martin and Miguel on the way there and they joined the search while Pilar stayed with Jordan and the children. Everyone split into groups of two and with instructions to check in every fifteen minutes. Luis and Sheridan teamed up and began
to comb the area by the park. Neither one spoke much afraid that if they did the devastation and alarm they felt would overwhelm them. Another hour passed and still no sight of Luke anywhere, but they're prayers must have been answered, because two woman approached.

"Excuse me sir, but are you the person that is running for city council?" the lady asked with a friendly tone.

"Yes, I am, but I'm afraid that I have a family emergency right now��"

"Do you mean to tell me that you haven't gotten your little boy back yet?" the lady asked, shocked.

"You've seen our son?" Luis asked, excitedly.

"Thank God," Sheridan cried, happy tears filling her eyes. "Where is my baby?"

"Strange, but I thought for sure he would be back with you by now. My friend and I found him over an hour ago in front of the Book Caf� crying his little eyes out."

"It was more like two hours Lorraine," the other lady reminded her.

"Where is he now?" Luis asked, trying to keep the impatience from his voice.

"We took him inside and the lady that managed the place said that she was a friend of the family and that she would make sure that she called you."

"Was her name Beth?" Luis asked.

"Yes, I believe that was her name," Lorraine said. "I hope that it was okay for us to leave him there."

Luis smiled, and thanked them. "Of course it was. Thank you so much for helping."

"Yes, thank you," Sheridan said, taking their hands. "You have no idea how much I appreciate your kindness to our little boy."

"He was so sweet too," Lorraine told them. "He thanked me for helping him."

"I'm curious though," Luis said, thoughtfully. "How did you know that we were Luke's parents?"

"Because your campaign poster was on the window and Luke pointed right at it and said that you were his daddy. When I saw you and your wife, I put two and two together," Lorraine explained.

"I guess those posters are good for something," Luis said, smiling. "Thank you again."

"I would like to give you a reward," Sheridan offered.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Lorraine protested. "You just get over to that Book Caf� and get your little boy."

By the time they said their goodbyes, Sheridan's fear was replaced by a mounting anger. "I can't believe her Luis. She has had Luke for two hours and she had not bothered to call us? What kind of a monster is she?"

"I know Sheridan, but why don't we try to give Beth the benefit of the doubt until we hear her side of the story," Luis suggested.

"There is no excuse for this Luis. She had to have known that we would be frantic with worry."

"Believe me, I'm angry too Sheridan, but right now I just want to get our son back, and then we can ask questions."

Luis called the others participating in the search to let them know that they had located Luke. When they arrived at the Book Caf�, Beth was waiting on some customers. Sheridan didn't care, and approached her. "Beth where is my son?"

"Oh, Luis, Sheridan," Beth said, a mixture of guilt and surprise on her face. "How did you know that Luke was here?"

"Because we met a lady that said she brought him here TWO hours ago," Sheridan said, furiously.

"Where is he Beth?" Luis asked, looking around.

"He's in my office taking a nap. The poor little guy was exhausted," Beth said, leading them to the counter.

Sheridan didn't wait to be invited, and proceeded behind the counter and toward Beth's office. "Good, I'll just get him."

"I can do that Sheridan," Beth demanded.

"As far as I'm concerned, you don't have any say in the matter. The Cranes own this place and you work for us," Sheridan said, arrogantly. "Now, get out of my way."

"I am not going to stand here and let you talk to me this way. Just because your family owns this place doesn't give you the right to treat people like second class citizens," Beth protested.

"I only treat people like second class citizens when they act like insensitive fools. Now, I'm going to get my baby," she said, brushing past Beth.

"Why didn't you call us Beth?" Luis asked in a seething tone. "That lady said she brought Luke in her two hours ago."

"I tried to call your office but the line was busy, and you haven't exactly given me your cell phone number," Beth said defensively.

"It's a place of business. Nobody is going to be on the phone for two hours straight," Luis argued. "What number did you dial?"

Beth gave him a phone number that was similar to the office, only two of the digits were mixed up. She had planned that out ahead of time in case they discovered how long Luke had been there. "That is your number isn't it?"

"No, you have it mixed up. No wonder you got a busy signal," Luis said, shaking his head in disgust. "There were other ways to get in touch with us. You could have called mama."

"Well, I do have a business to run Luis. I called every chance that I got," Beth pouted.

"We'll discuss this latter," Luis said, turning to walk back to the office.

Luke must have sensed that his mother was there because the minute that Sheridan stepped into the office, he opened his eyes. "Mama," he said, sitting up.

"Oh sweet pea," Sheridan said, hugging him close. "Mommy is so happy to see you. Are you okay?"

"I bumpted my head mama," Luke said, pointing to the spot above his temple.

"Let mommy see," Sheridan said, gently rubbing her fingers over the spot. There was a huge knot there.

�Mama, don�t make tears,� he said, sweetly. �I don�t want you to be sad.�

�Oh baby, these are happy tears,� Sheridan told him. �I was just so worried about you.�

"There's my big guy," Luis announced, coming into the door with a big smile on his face.

"Luis, he has a big knot on his head," Sheridan said with a worried frown.

"What happened to your head Sport?" Luis asked tenderly.

"I slippted daddy and bang my head on a building," Luke told him.

"I think we should take him to the hospital just to be safe," Sheridan said, kissing her little boy.

"It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get him checked out," Luis agreed. "Can you walk Sport?"

"I just be so tired daddy," Luke said with a weary voice.

"How about if daddy gives you a horse back ride?"

"Kay daddy," Luke readily accepted, and turned to look at Sheridan. "I so sorry mama."

"I know you are sweetie. We'll talk about it later, but right now we have to get that bump checked out."

There wasn't any chance for further confrontation with Beth because the place was filled with all their family and friends. Lily was so excited to see her brother that she could hardly contain herself. "Don't ever do that again Lukie," she told him. "You gave me the worstes headache."

Everyone laughed at Lily's words. "I think that your brother has a worse headache then you do Lily," Sheridan told her. "We're going to take him to the hospital. He's got quite a bump on his noggin."

Truly touched by everyone's kindness, Sheridan and Luis thanked them all for their help. Pilar and Martin took Lily and Sofie home with them while they drove Luke to the hospital. Noah was doing his ER rotation and greeted them when they came through the door. "I take it Jordan called to tell you we were coming?" Sheridan said in greeting.

"Yeah, she just called. It sounds like you had a harrowing afternoon. I couldn't even imagine."

"I never want to go through it again," Sheridan told him.

"Hey Luke, I hear you have a ping pong ball on your head," Noah teased.

"No Noah, I be having a bump," Luke said, confused.

"Oh, is that what it's called?" he laughed. "How would you like to come in here and sit on the table so that the doctor can examine you?"

"Aren't you going to examine him?" Luis asked.

"I'll do some of the prelims like check his blood pressure and vitals, but I'm still officially a student so I can't really sign off on any orders or anything. I'm sure that the doctor will want to get an X-ray just to be safe."

As it turned out, Luke was fine, although the bump on his head would be sore for a few days, but he was perfectly happy with the balloon they gave him when it was over. Luis and Sheridan couldn't have been more touched when he asked the nurse if he could have an extra balloon for his sister because she had a headache too.

Later that evening, Antonio paid a visit to Ivy. He hadn't been to see her since the homecoming dinner with his parents. She almost jumped out of her skin when he came up behind her like a panther in the night. "My God, why do you always have to do that?" she asked, angrily.

"I'm just trying to keep you on your toes Ivy," he chuckled.

She turned, shooting daggers at him with her eyes. "Well, I don't like it at all and would appreciate it if you wouldn't do it again." She didn't want to admit that the real reason that she was angry was because he had ignored her for so long.

Ivy's bad mood was the last thing on Antonio's mind, when he happened to look into her steely blue eyes. There was something about them that reminded him of another pair of blue eyes he had seen just recently, and suddenly Dario's face popped into his mind. Why would Ivy's eyes remind him on Dario's unless��� Paloma's story about the birthmark also entered his mind and an unbelievable thought occurred to him. "Impossible��," he whispered out loud.

"What's impossible?" she asked, looking at him like he has lost his mind.

"I met my new adoptive brother, Dario," he said, suddenly.

Ivy looked taken aback, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, and did you like him?"

"Yes, he seemed like a real nice kid, but Paloma told me the strangest story about him and some birthmark," he said, testing her reaction.

Either she was a consummate actress and liar, or she truly knew nothing about what he was talking about, because she looked as cool as ice. "A birthmark? Whatever are you talking about now?"

�Mama used to tell us that papa had a birthmark on his back, and apparently every other generation of males also has this birthmark. I think she called it the Fitzgerald Mark. Anyway, Dario has this mark and so does Luis� son, Luke. Don�t you find that strange Ivy?�

�I admit that it is strange, but surely, it�s just an odd coincodence,� Ivy laughed. �I can�t believe that you would even buy into this.�

�I didn�t say that I did, but Paloma certainly is convinced, and so is mama and Sheridan. My little sister even thinks that Luis or me could be Dario�s father. Wouldn�t that be a kicker?� he asked, studying her face.

�Are you worried?� Ivy asked with a hollow laugh.

�Should I be���.?�

�Why are you asking me? How would I know about all of your conquests? Now, I think it�s about time to change this silly subject. It�s been far too long since you made love to me,� Ivy said, dropping her gown to the floor, to puddle in a silken cloud at her feet.

Antonio�s eyes raked her from head to toe, and he felt himself respond. �You�re a tempting bitch Ivy,� he said, scooping her up in his arms to fall to the bed with blissfull pleasure.

Ivy breathed a sigh of relief that she had that she had dodged that bullett. She knew now more than ever that she needed to move forward with the plan to make Beth convince Luis that Dario was their long lost child.

********************

Luis and Sheridan agreed to let Luke and Lily sleep together that night. Lily had insisted that she wanted her brother by her side, and after the day they had how could they refuse her. After a bedtime story, they said their prayers, and gave their little imps extra hugs and kisses before turning out the light.

Sheridan had been especially quiet that night, and said she was going to bed early. When Luis came into the room, she was already in bed. �I guess you�re pretty exhausted after everything you�ve been through today,� he said, pulling his shirt over his head.

�What is that supposed to mean?� she said, defensively.

�Sheridan, there was no hidden meaning. I was just coming on how you must be tired,� he said, confused by her mood. �What is going on with you?�

�I�ll tell you what is going on,� she snapped. �You have not said one damn word to me about how irresponsible I was today. Our son�s picture could have very easily ended up on the side of some milk carton, and you act like nothing happen.�

�Sheridan, if you think I�m trying to minimize what happen today you are wrong. I was scared as hell and there were times when I almost lost it, so don�t try to tell me how I felt.�

�That is not what I was talking about,� she said, starting to cry. �I feel like the worst mother in the world, and I know that you are waiting for the perfect time to tell me how disgusted you are with me, so why don�t you just say it����

�Oh my God, do you really think that?�

�Yes, I do, because it�s true, and I wouldn�t blame you if you never forgave me,� she said, crying even harder now.

Luis sat down in bed and pulled her into his arms. �Sheridan, I have never lied to you and I promise that I�m not going to lie to you now. I do not blame you for today. It could have happened to any of us, but I think that the real reason you are picking this fight is because you�re trying to punish yourself. I am not going to let you beat yourself up over this.�

�Oh Luis, I have never been so scared in my life,� she said, sobbing against his shoulder. �I�m just so terrified that it�s going to happen again.�

�No sweetie,� he said, brushing her hair with his fingers. �You are the best mother in the world, and after today, I don�t think that you�re going to have to worry about the munchkins going off on any adventures by themselves.�

Chapter 20

Sheridan had been especially protective over her children for the next couple of days. She knew that it was a bit extreme, but she decided to work on Luis� campaign at home for the time being. For the most part Luke seemed to be recovered from his ordeal and was not displaying any symptoms of trauma, but they were keeping a close eye on him just the same.

Now that the dust had settled, Luis suggested that it was time to talk to the twins about the dangers of running off by themselves, and Sheridan agreed, even though she was loathed to disillusion her children about the evil in the world, but she knew that it was necessary for their safety. She watched them with adoration as Luis led them into the living room and thanked God that they were both safe and out of harms way.

�Daddy, why we be having a family meeting?� Luke asked.

�Well Sport, there is something important that mommy and daddy want to discuss with to you.�

�But daddy, our project is portant too,� Lily protested.

�I know it�s important Peanut, and as soon as we�re finished you can go back to your project,� Luis assured her.

�Why don�t you come here and sit down by mommy?� Sheridan said, patting the sofa beside her.

Once everyone was situated Luis began. �The reason we called this family meeting was so that we can discuss what happened to Luke the other day.�

�Do I have to go to timeout daddy?� Luke asked, his little face lined with anxiety. �I didn�t mean to be bad.�

�No Sport, we are not going to punish you, but you do need to know just how dangerous it was for you to leave all by yourself that way��..�

�I know daddy. I got lost and I was so cared,� Luke said with a little shiver.

�It was a terrible experience for you, but it could have been much worse,� Sheridan said, brushing his hair aside in an affectionate gesture. �All kinds of bad things could have happened to you.�

�What kind of bad things mama?� Lily asked, her eyes big fright.

�Well, you could have been hurt much worse than you were when you bumped your head, and if you would have fallen, you might have laid there for a long time before anyone found you,� Sheridan said in a shaky voice, a picture of her little boy laying on the ground unconscious made her hesitate for a moment.

Luis sensed that this was difficult for her, so he continued. �Look Sport, what mommy is trying to say is that there are so many things that can happen to you. I know that you have always been surrounded by people that love you are always nice to you, but there are people that are not very nice��.. Sometimes they do bad things to children.�

�Like that bad lady at daycare?� Lily asked, quietly.

Sheridan�s eyes filled with tears at her little girl�s words. �Yes sweetie, like that bad lady at daycare,� she confirmed, gently. �That is one of the reasons that mommy and daddy were so worried about Lukie. We didn�t want one of those bad people to see that he was alone without an adult there to protect him.�

�But mama, I didn�t see any bad people,� Luke said, astute enough to see that his mother was very worried, and he wanted to make her feel better.

�That�s just it Sport, you were very lucky,� Luis told him. �If those ladies that found you would have been bad you might not be sitting here right now.�

�What do you mean daddy?� Luke asked fearfully.

�Some of these bad people kidnap little children,� Luis said, hoping the twins would understand without him having to go into detail.

�What�s kiddy nap daddy?�

�Well, kidnapping is when someone takes people away from their families when they don�t want to go,� Luis explained in the simplest terms so the children would understand.

�I don�t want bad people to take me away from my mama and daddy,� Lily said, starting to cry.

�Me either,� Luke cried. �I would be too sad.�

�Now, I want both of you to listen to me,� Luis said, putting his arms around them. �Mommy and daddy are not going to let any bad people take you away from us. We are going to protect you, but you have to help us by never going off by yourselves ever again.�

�I promise daddy I will never, never go away by myself,� Luke swore with tears in his big brown eyes.

�I won�t either daddy,� Lily said, climbing on Sheridan�s lap. �Don�t be sad mama.�

�I�m not sad sweetie,� she said, kissing her cheek. �Mommy is so proud of you and Lukie.�

�So, are you both okay?� Luis asked. �Because, if you�re scared or upset you can talk to us about it.�

Lily contemplated his question for a moment before she spoke. �I think I be a little a little scared, but not too scared,� she said, smiling.

�What about you Sport?� Luis asked, ruffling his son�s hair.

�I won�t be very scared if mama gives me some cookies,� he giggled.

�Well, I think that�s a good sign,� Sheridan laughed. �He�s hungry.�

�Why don�t I get you two a snack and then you can go back to working on your project,� Luis suggested.

�Before you go will you remember that you can come and talk to mommy and daddy any time you feel scared or sad or confused?� Sheridan asked.

�Yes mama,� they told her sweetly.

Later, after the twins were fed and busy working on their project, Sheridan was taking advantage of the quiet time to work on Luis� speech for the Memorial Day celebration in the park. She looked up and smiled when Luis entered the room carrying Sofie. �Oh, there�s my baby girl,� she said with a brilliant smile.

�I went in to check on her and she was wide awake and jabbering a mile a minute.�

�Let me hold her,� Sheridan requested, reaching out her arms as Luis handed the baby to her. �You smell so fresh and clean. I guess daddy changed your diaper.�

�Ma�.ma��.ma,� Sofie chanted, grabbing for Sheridan�s earring.

�Let go sweet pea, that hurts mommy,� Sheridan said, winching. �This kid has a death grip.�

�That�s good,� Luis chuckled. �When she�s older, she�ll be able to punch out all of those boys that are going to be camped out on her doorstep.�

�Poor Lily and Sofie,� Sheridan said, shaking her head. �They are never going to have a social life with you around.�

�Who knows, I might loosen up in my old age,� Luis chuckled.

�Yeah right,� Sheridan said, rolling her eyes. �Luis, do you think that we did the right thing by telling the twins so much?�

�I really do Sheridan. I think that we have a responsibility to educate them about the dangers out there.�

�I know that, but I don�t want to traumatize them, and I also don�t want them to be afraid to go out in public for fear that somebody will steal them away. I just want them to have a normal life.�

�Maybe being afraid is a good thing. Unfortunately, there are some sick people out there and we are not going to be able to protect our children if they are completely oblivious to the danger. You don�t want any more incidents like the other day when Luke was lost do you?�

�God no,� she said, adamantly. �I don�t think I could handle that again.�

�I really think that the munchkins are going to be fine with this. We�ll just have to keep reminding them that they can always come to us and assure them that we�ll keep them safe.�

�Not to change the subject, but there is something else that we need to discuss about the barbeque we�re having for Theresa�s homecoming.�

�Why do I have a feeling that you want to discuss my shiftless brother����

�Luis, you do know that you have to invite him,� Sheridan said with a worried frown. �Theresa will expect him to be there.�

�Theresa is going to be home for five days,� he reminded her. �She has plenty of time to get reacquainted with Antonio.�

�You�re joking right?�

�Maybe I am a little, but I really can�t stand the thought of having him as a guest in my home.�

�You can�t leave Antonio out Luis. Your family will think it is strange that he isn�t here, and then you will have to explain why you didn�t invite him. Do you really want to be in that position?�

�As usual you�re right,� Luis admitted. �Okay, I�ll invite him, but will you promise to make me feel better.�

�Oh, I have plenty of ways to make you feel better,� Sheridan chuckled.

********************

It was almost closing time when Phillip Kade entered the Book Caf� that evening. There was a couple sitting at one of the tables, and one other person browsing through the books at the Best Seller display. He recognized Beth Wallace from the picture that Ivy had supplied for him. She was standing behind the counter counting out the cash register, finally looking up to catch his gaze. It was obvious by the look on her face that she was not please to have a customer at this late hour, but he had a feeling that she
would get over her bad mood when he presented Ivy's golden opportunity to her. She approached him, and pasted a smile on her face.

"I'm really sorry, but we're closing in about five minutes. I've already totaled out the register???."

"I'm really not here for any coffee Ms. Wallace," he said, smiling.

"How do you know my name? I don't remember meeting you before," Beth said, looking at him curiously.

"Oh, we haven't met before, but I think that before the night is through you are going to be extremely happy that I came by."

"This is sounding very mysterious Mr???.."

"Just call me Phillip," he supplied.

"Look Phillip, if this is some kind of a come on, I can assure you that I'm not interested."

"I can assure you Ms. Wallace that this is no come on, but a very lucrative business deal."

Beth noticed that they were suddenly alone. Some time during their conversation the few patrons had left the caf�. She was a little afraid of this man, but a bigger part of her was dying from curiosity. "If you promise to be on your best behavior, I'll
lock the door so that we can talk."

"I am always the perfect gentleman Ms. Wallace," he assured her with a smile. "Do you have an office in the back? I really would prefer that nobody see us together."

"I'm not sure that I like this," Beth protested.

Phillip was becoming angry from all of her hedging. "Look Ms. Wallace if you don't want to capitalize on this deal that is fine with me. Just tell me now and I will get the hell out of here, and stop wasting my time," he said, turning to leave.

"No, don't leave," Beth said, pulling on his arm. "A woman can't be too careful these days. I'm sure you can understand my reservations��.. Anyway, follow me in the back. We can talk in my office."

Once they were seated Phillip wasted no time in getting to the point. "I am here to offer you a substantial sum of money and all you have to do is make sure a certain person thinks that he fathered your baby."

"Wait a minute�� Is this some kind of a joke? You obviously checked me out before coming here so have to know that I don't have any children, nor have I ever given birth."

"Of course I know that," he told her. "In fact, Ms. Wallace I know a lot about you."

"Okay, let's just say that I agree to do this. Just who is that man that I supposedly had a child with, and why would this employer of yours care one way or the other?"

"The man is Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald��."

"Luis?" she asked, shocked and excited at the same time.

"Yes, I'm sure you are aware of the boy recently adopted by Luis' parents." When Beth shook her head yes, he continued. "I would like for you to tell Luis that Dario is his child that you gave up for adoption thirteen years ago."

"Wait a minute," Beth said stopping him. "You are telling me that you will pay me to tell Luis that we had a child together?"

"That's exactly what I am telling you. So Ms. Wallace, are you interested?"

"How much money are we talking about here?" Beth asked, feeling her heart beat faster.

"Fifty thousand dollars to start, and if you are able to convince Luis that the child is his there will be an additional twenty-thousand in it for you."

"Before I make any deals, I want to know what assurance I have that Luis is not going to demand a DNA test, and where what I
supposed to have had this kid? I mean, Harmony's a small town??.."

"It's simple Ms. Wallace. Should you agree to accept this deal all the facts will be provided for you, and things will be handled
should Luis demand a DNA test."

Beth's head was spinning. This was a lot of money to consider, and just seeing the look on Sheridan's face would be priceless, but there were risks. If anybody found out that she was lying about this they could bring her up on charges, not to mention that Luis
would kill her. Something suddenly occurred to her. Why would somebody go to all this trouble and expense just to make Luis believe he had a child with her? "I just have a few more questions first," she told him. "Why is it so important for your employer to make Luis believe that Dario is his son?"

Ivy had coached him well, so Phillip was prepared for her questions. "Let's just say that my employer does not want Luis to be elected to the city counsel and this scandal could very well cost him the election," he lied smoothly.

"Okay, but what if Luis finds out I'm lying?" Beth asked, nervously.

"Don't worry Ms. Wallace. As long as you keep your facts straight, nobody is going to discover the truth, and just think about all that money."

"Well Phillip, I think you have talked me into this plan of yours," Beth said, smiling. "Why don't I put on a pot of coffee so we can discuss the details? Oh by the way, I hope you have that check ready for me."

********************

Sheridan, wake up,� Luis murmured, kissing her neck.

�No,� she moaned. �It�s too early.�

�I figure we have about an hour before the twins wake up. Please����

�I need my rest Luis. We have your family coming today, and I�ll have to get things ready and then there is the children to get ready���.�

�Okay,� he said, sounding disappointed. �I�ll leave you alone.�

Sheridan smiled to herself. She had decided it was ridiculous to tease him any longer when she would only make herself suffer. Suddenly, she was laying on top of him moving her body in the most sensuous way. �You didn�t really think I was serious did you?�

�You are going to pay for that,� he chuckled, as he pulled her head down for a heart stopping kiss.

Chapter 21

Luis studied Sheridan�s face in the misty light of dawn. Even in the soft illumination of early daylight, he could see that she was more relaxed since the day of Luke�s disappearance. �You know it�s much too early for you to be teasing me this way,� he said, tracing her profile with his finger.

�Oh, you can dish it out but you can�t take it?� she said in a low throaty voice still laden with sleep, and it excited him immensely.

�Okay, I guess I can handle being on the receiving end of a little teasing once in a while,� he said, touching her bottom lip. He almost came out of his skin when she flicked it with the tip of her tongue.

�Good,� she said, giving him a beautiful smile. �Now that you admitted that we can get down to business.�

�I am so happy to see you smiling again,� he whispered tenderly. �I have been worried about you the last couple of days.�

�I�m better now that we�ve talked to the children, but I don�t think I will ever forget the horror of that day,� she said with a frown.

�Neither will I, but all of our little munchkins are safe and sound, and I think it�s important for them that we don�t dwell on this.�

�You�re right of course,� she said, finally smiling again. �When I see the love in your eyes I know that everything is going to be okay. You always manage to get me through my worst moments.�

�You do the same for me,� he said, pulling her back down against his body. �I need to kiss you��.. Now��..�

And kiss her he did. It was a deep, searching assault that filled her very soul. His fingers hooked onto the thin strap of her nightgown to move the silky fabric away from her breast. He placed his large bronzed hand over the creamy softness and began to caress with expert precision while the whole time never taking his lips from her mouth. She melted against his naked body, the evidence of his ridged desire throbbing against her abdomen. It was Sheridan that finally broke their kiss. She wanted to look into his smothering eyes and explore the muscular vastness of his hard body.

Luis couldn�t take his eyes off of Sheridan. She was so incredibly beautiful as she straddled him. Her short nightgown was hiked up around her waste, and he could feel her moist passion heating his skin and the feeling almost sent him over the edge. The strap of her gown had fallen down her arm and one breast was completely exposed to him. Unable to resist, he pulled her forward so he could taste the sweetness that was beckoning him. She moaned as he pulled her aroused nipple into his mouth and her body began to move on top of him in a sensuous rhythm. He shifted and eased his hardened length inside of dewy flesh. They increased the rhythm feeling every nuance until finally, the damn broke and washed them in a shower of pleasure.

�Wow, that is one hell of a way to start the day,� Luis said, smiling with contentment.

�Mama, daddy, we be so hungry,� Luke said from the other side of the door.

�Time to get up,� Lily giggled.

They both moved as if the bed was on fire.

********************

Theresa surprised them all when she brought Gaston along with her, and they had a big announcement for them all. Theresa said that she was not telling them any more until Antonio arrived at the cookout. The whole family was there, and Sheridan even invited Chad and Whitney, since she and Theresa were still good friends. They greeted each other with screams of delight and it was just like old times seeing them both whispering with their heads together. Luis couldn't help but comment on the scene. "Look at them mama. Remember in the old days when you saw the two of them like that you could just about bet your paycheck that Theresa was thinking up some wild scheme and poor Whitney was trying desperately to talk her out of it," he laughed.

"Yes, thank God, Terasita has finally grown up," Pilar said, reflectively. "There were times when I wondered if she would ever settle down, but meeting Gaston and moving to Paris was the best thing that could have happened to her. Although, I do miss her dearly."

"I miss her too mama," Luis said, putting his hand on his mother's shoulder. "I'm just glad that Paloma decided to go to college here at Castleton."

"Me too mijo," Pilar agreed. "I could not bear to lose her so soon after she has come home to us again."

"Speaking of wayward children, did Antonio say he was coming today?" Luis asked.

"Yes, he said that he would not miss a chance to see his baby sister again," Pilar said, smiling. "Terasita is so excited to see her big brother again."

"I'm sure she is. I know that she and Antonio were always close........."

"She was just as close with you mijo," Pilar said, taking his hand.

"Yes, but I had to be the disciplinarian to her, and I'm sure that there were times when she would have preferred that I had been the one to take off and not Antonio."

"You handled it the proper way mijo. Terasita needed a father figure more than a big brother that would cater to her every whim. I know that you were a God send to me."

"I appreciate you saying that mama," Luis said, kissing her cheek.

"Why do the two of you look so serious?" Martin asked, approaching them. "This is supposed to be a celebration."

"We were just discussing what a beautiful young lady Terasita has grown
into."

"She certainly has," Martin agreed. "Both of my daughters have become beautiful young ladies. I am very proud of both of them, and of my sons too. Especially you Luis."

Luke came running up wearing his little red ball cap, and tugged on Luis' arm. "Daddy, will you come play baseball with us?"

"Normally I would love to Sport, but I have to cook the ribs for our dinner. It looks like you have a pretty big crowd out there though. I see Dario, and JJ, and Miguel, and Chad, and it looks like even Gaston is in on the game."

"But I want my daddy to play too," Luke said with a pouty lip.

"Luis, go ahead and play with them. I'll watch the ribs," Martin offered.

"Why don't you both go and play and I will watch the ribs," Pilar suggested.

"Thanks mama. Come on Sport, climb up on my shoulders," Luis said, squatting down.

Sheridan smiled as she watched Luis carry Luke out to the makeshift baseball diamond the guys had set up. Her little boy just loved to play with his daddy, and she could tell by the look on his sweet face that he was ecstatic. Poor Paloma had the misfortune of letting Lily sweet-talk her into combing her hair, and her sister-in-law was doing everything within her power not to wince in pain. "Lily, maybe you should comb one of your doll's hair. You are being too rough with Aunt Polama."

"I don't mind Sheridan," Paloma said, graciously.

"See mama, Poma likes me to comb her hair," Lily retorted.

"Well, just try to be more gentle sweetie," Sheridan advised. She noticed Pilar at the grill and went over to keep her company. She also had Sofie whom had just awakened from her nap and she knew that her mother-in-law would be thrilled to see her baby granddaughter. "I can't believe the guys stuck you with the grill duty."

"I do not mind Sheridan. In fact I volunteered, so that all of the boys could play ball. Oh, here is my precious Sofia. Come to see your abuela."

Sheridan handed her the baby. "It is nice to see them all having fun. It looks like even Don Miguel is getting in on the action," Sheridan laughed.

"I hope that papa doesn't overdue it," Pilar worried.

"I wouldn't be too concerned Pilar. With Luke out there they are not going to have a very ambitious game. It's probably great exercise for Don Miguel."

Theresa and Whitney joined them, and Sheridan was glad that she finally had a chance to ask Theresa about Paris. "I've been dying to ask you about school. Are you enjoying it?"

"I love it Sheridan," Theresa gushed. "I just don't know what I would have done if you hadn�t offered me your townhouse to stay in. Some of the other students at the school are struggling terribly and living in the worst little apartments on the Left Bank."

"I always thought the Left Bank was kind of romantic," Sheridan said with a
dreamy look on her face. �Luis and I had a wonderful day there.�

"I guess it's okay, if you like those bohemian types," Theresa said, wrinkling her nose. �You are never going to believe this Sheridan, but I may get the chance to study under Francois Girbaud."

"Are you serious Theresa?" Sheridan asked, clearly impressed. "What a wonderful opportunity that will be for you."

"I really am excited about it, and I'll find out for sure when I get back next week," she said, excitedly. "Mama, when is Antonio supposed to get here?"

"Well mija, I thought he would be here by now. I suspect that he got detained, but I am sure that he will be here soon."

"I sure hope so. It's been so long since I saw him, and I just can't wait to see if he has changed at all."

"He is a lot older of course, but for the most part he looks the same," Pilar assured her daughter.

"I just remember him being this tall handsome guy that always seemed to be going out on dates," Whitney chuckled. "He teased us all the time."

"I know that he was very excited to see you too mija," Pilar told her.

Forty minutes later, the meat was done, and they all decided to go ahead and eat, even though Antonio hadn't arrived yet. Luis approached Sheridan looking like he was ready for blood. "Where in the hell is he Sheridan?" Luis asked in a low voice. "Isn't it just like him to be late?"

"Luis, please try not to get so upset," Sheridan begged. "Maybe he has a legitimate excuse for being so late."

�There is no excuse for being rude, especially when I know that he has a cell phone.�

�I agree, but if we make a big deal about it the family will just get upset,� Sheridan reasoned.

Don Miguel had been watching their exchange, and came over to see if there was a problem. �Luis, I take it that you are upset about Antonio?�

�I just can�t believe him abuelo. Theresa is so excited to see him and he shows up late. Hell, knowing him he probably won�t show up at all,� Luis said, furiously.

�I am angry with your brother too Luis, but he is the one that looks like the fool. Let us all sit down and have a nice dinner. We must not let him control our lives this way.�

�Honey, your grandfather is right,� Sheridan said, putting a calming hand on his arm. �We can not let this ruin Theresa�s homecoming������

The phone rang then and Sheridan insisted on answering it. If the caller was Antonio and Luis picked up the phone there was no telling what he would say. �Hello.�

�Sheridan, this is Antonio. I�m really sorry for the late notice, but I really did start to come and then something came up����

�So, I take it you�re not coming?� Sheridan asked, trying to hide her disgust.

�Look Sheridan, this might be hard for you to believe but I do feel terrible about this. I didn�t start out on purpose to let Theresa down��..�

�Good, then maybe you should explain that to her. I�m going to put her on the phone��..�

�Wait Sheridan,� he said, trying to stop her, but it was too late, because Theresa�s voice sounded.

�Antonio, where are you? You�re still coming aren�t you?� Theresa asked, anxiously.

�Wow, my baby sister sounds all grown up,� Antonio said, smiling into the phone.

�I can hardly believe it�s you Antonio. When mama called me and said that you were home again it was like a dream come true. Finally after all of these years our family is together again. I just can�t wait to see you, so when are you coming?� she asked, finally taking a breath.

�I�m really excited to see you too, but I had something come up that I just can�t get away from. I promise that I�m going to make this up to you. What do you say we spend the whole day together tomorrow just the two of us?�

�I would like that Antonio, but my boyfriend, Gaston is here with me and I don�t want to desert him��..�

�Bring him along,� Antonio offered.

�Okay then I guess it�s a date,� Theresa said, trying to hide her disappointment. �I can�t wait to see you tomorrow.�

�I can�t wait to see you either sis,� he told her fondly.

Nobody said a word when Theresa announced that Antonio wouldn�t be able to make it, but the looks on Martin and Luis� faces was all too revealing. In fact, he never did tell them her special announcement. Sheridan knew that Luis was ready to blow, and she was going to have to use all of her influence to calm him down before he met his brother again.

After their guests departed, and they put the children to bed, Luis announced that he was going into town to run an errand. �Get the bed warmed up, because I will definitely be wanting some more of that amazing loving like we had this morning.�

�Don�t try to distract me Luis,� Sheridan said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. �I want to know where you are really going?�

�Look, I just need to run an errand����

�Don�t you dare lie to me Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. You�re going to find Antonio, aren�t you?� Sheridan demanded.

�Okay, you�re right, but I just want to have a little talk with him.�

�Luis, please don�t go,� she pleaded. �I know how angry you are with him right now, and I don�t want there to be any trouble.�

�Sheridan, I don�t want to upset you, but you know that this has been coming for a long while now. It�s time for me and Antonio to get all of our differences out of the table.�

�Luis, please think about your political career���. For God�s sake, think about our children. Just stay home and we�ll spend a romantic evening together.�

�It�s going to be fine Sheridan,� he said, putting his arms around her. �I promise that I�m not going to do anything crazy. I just want to talk to him.�

�Oh God, why am I not convinced,� she mumbled against his shoulder.

********************

Antonio felt terrible when he thought about his earlier conversation with Theresa. She had tried to be so gracious, but he hadn't missed the disappointment in her voice. He really did want to see her, and had even started out for his brother�s house but decided to turn back at the last minute. He just couldn't face going to another family function, especially at Luis' house. If he was really honest with himself he had to admit that Luis and his perfect life reminded him all too much of his own shortcomings. Besides, he just couldn't imagine that his brother would make any effort to see that he felt welcomed in his home. Once he had a chance to spend the day with Theresa, he knew she would feel better, and so would he. But, in the mean time, he decided to get drunk so that he could block out the demons that kept creeping into his head. He was dozing when a knock on the door made him sit up with a start. When he finally managed to make his way to the front door, it was like somebody threw a cold bucket of water over his head when he saw who was standing there.

"Ivy, what the hell are you doing here?" he asked, poking his head outside to see if anyone was around.

Ivy was dressed completely in black, and even though it was night time, she wore a pair of dark glasses to cover her eyes. "You could invite me in and I'll tell you."

"Yes, get in here," he said, grabbing her arm to pull her inside and slamming the door behind her. "Have you lost your mind? Anyone could have seen you coming here."

"Maybe I have lost my mind, but I couldn't take being in that empty mansion for one more second. I was about to go stir crazy," she complained.

"Then why don't you get a dog to keep you company?" he grumbled, combing his fingers through his hair, impatiently. "Do you have any idea how insane this is? You can't be here Ivy."

"Since I paid for this place, I have a perfect right to be here," she said, looking around the stylish living room. The space was decorated with masculine clean lines and huge abstract oil paintings on the walls. The designer she hired had done an excellent job.

"Believe it or not Ivy, I'm only looking out for your best interests. You have much more to lose than I do if anybody catches you here."

"I appreciate your concern, but I promise I was extremely careful," she said, slipping her arms around his waist. "Just let me stay for a little while."

He looked down into her beautiful blue eyes and again was strangely reminded of Dario, but he quickly dismissed the thought. "I guess I could use the company," he said, pouring himself a drink. "Can I get you one?"

"Yes, thank you," Ivy said, studying his face for some hint of his mood. "So, why were you sitting around by yourself tonight? I would think that since you've been here awhile your social life would be pretty busy."

"Actually I did have some place to be, but I cancelled at the last minute," he replied with a brooding look. Normally he would not share such personal feelings with Ivy, but he felt like talking. "I was invited to Luis' house for a barbeque in honor of Theresa's homecoming."

"Theresa's back home again?" Ivy asked, surprised.

"Just for a week, and I really did want to see her, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. We were pretty close when I was still at home."

"I still don't understand why you didn't go. I'm sure that Luis would be on his best behavior with the rest of his family around."

"I just wasn't in the mood for his looks of disapproval, and I knew that it was probably killing him to have me at his house."

"You really shouldn't let him get to you this way. He isn't exactly a paragon of virtue."

"By the way he acts one would think that he is the Second Coming," Antonio grumbled. "He always has been a judgmental ass and he only gets worse with age."

"I take it you've seen the campaign posters tacked up all around town," Ivy commented.

"Yeah, I saw them, and believe me Ivy this does not bode well for me where the business is concerned."

"What do you mean?"

"I've heard grumblings that some of the businessmen around town are not too happy that I'm bringing gaming to Harmony."

"I kind of expected that would happen, but what does Luis running for city council have to do with your business?"

"Because Ivy, it's just the thing that my brother will latch onto as one of his campaign issues. I can hear him now talking about the evils of gambling, and how he will promise to rid Harmony of the disgusting practice."

"Well, it's all perfectly legal, so there is not a thing that Luis can do about it. Besides, once he finds out that his brother is the person that is bringing gambling to Harmony, he may want to drop out of the race all together."

Antonio smiled with realization. "You know Ivy, you just might be on to something. I would love to see the look on his face when he finds out that I'm going to be the bump on his road to politics," Antonio laughed.

"You really are a bad boy," Ivy purred as she crawled onto his lap. "I think that we have much more important subjects to discuss besides your brother."

He graced her with an amorous smile. "You really are a hot little witch Ivy," he groaned, as he ripped her blouse apart sending the buttons flying everywhere.

"You�ve ruined my expensive blouse," she protested weakly.

�I�m going to ruin your panties too,� he said tearing them away from her body.

�Oh God,� she gasped, as her hands worked the zipper on his jeans open. �Take me now��.. Right this second,� she demanded.

He grabbed a hold of her and lifted her onto his erection to bury himself deep within her lush softness. �Kiss me,� he demanded, capturing her mouth as he moved his body in a rocking motion. �Oh God, you feel good����

�I think I�ve died and gone to heaven,� Ivy said, gasping from the intense feeling.

Afterward, as they lay there in contented bliss, the silence of the afterglow was broken by a loud pounding on the door. They jumped up, their hearts almost pounding out of their chests. �What the hell!� Antonio said, quickly zipping his pants. The pounding started again.

�Who is that?� Ivy asked, scrambling for her clothing.

�I have no idea, but I might have to kick their ass for making so much noise.�

�Open up Antonio,� Luis shouted through the door. �Come on, I know you�re in there.�

�Damn�..!�

�He can�t find me in here,� Ivy whispered in a panicked voice.

�Come on Antonio, let me in,� Luis demanded. �Open up or I�ll break the damn door down.�

�Hold on, I�m coming,� Antonio shouted back. �Ivy, take your things and hide in the guest bedroom.�

He gave the place one last look to check for any stray clothing, and moved toward the door. Unfortunately, he didn�t notice Ivy�s torn panties peeking out from under the sofa where he had thrown them earlier. He flung the door open ready to do battle. �What do you want Luis?�

�We need to talk,� Luis responded, walking in without an invitation. �What took you so long to answer the door?�

�If it�s any of your business I was on the phone. What the hell were you doing pounding on my door like a maniac?�

�I wanted to make sure that you heard me���.�

�Hell, the dead heard you��..�

�How could you do that to Theresa?� Luis asked, getting right in Antonio�s face.

�Look, as I explained to Theresa, I had something important that came up, but I�m going to spend the whole day with her tomorrow.�

�What could be so important that you would upset our little sister that way?� Luis demanded. �I don�t know why I bother to ask when we both know that you don�t give a damn about anybody but yourself.�

�I already apologized to Theresa, so mind your own damn business.�

�Sorry Antonio, but it is my business when you continue to hurt this family time after time. I don�t know why you bothered to come home when you obviously have no intention of being a part of our family.�

�Back off Luis. You gave up your position as family hero when papa came home.�

�You�re wrong Antonio, because papa doesn�t know about what a low life you really are and I need to protect him from that,� Luis snarled. It was then that he saw the black panties lying by the sofa. He also finally noticed Antonio�s disheveled appearance and it was obvious what business his brother had been up to. His blood boiled, and he grabbed Antonio by the shoulders and pushed him against the wall. �You son of a bitch.�

�Take your hands off of me Luis, because if you don�t, Sheridan won�t even recognize you when you get home,� Antonio snarled.

�Not if I beat you to a pulp first���.�

Chapter 22

This was a confrontation that had been coming for years. All the unleashed anger that had been building for so long could no longer be contained. The brothers knew this and neither one refused to back down. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife as they stared into each other�s faces. Antonio finally broke the silence.

�I told you to take your hands off of me,� he demanded harshly.

�Oh, I�ll let you go when you answer my question,� Luis said with determination. �Did you stand up Theresa tonight for a woman?�

�I don�t owe you any explanations,� Antonio said, pushing Luis away. �Get out of my house.�

"Sorry Antonio, but I'm not leaving until I get some answers so you may as well start talking. Now, I'm going to ask you again. Did you disappoint Theresa tonight to be with some woman?"

"No Luis!" Antonio spat out. "If you want to know the truth I wasn't up to another family function, especially at your house. I'll see my little sister in my own way."

"Oh, so as usual it's all about you," Luis said, unable to hide the disgust in his voice. "Poor Antonio is so misunderstood. The family has bent over backwards to welcome you back home again, even after your desertion, and all you can think about is how this affects you. Well, you know what? I don't give a damn about your hurt feelings any longer, and I'm tired of covering for you........"

"Covering for me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means big brother that I know all about your unsavory past. I know all about the payoffs from the crime syndicate to throw races, and I know that you had no choice but to make a deal with the authorities to save your own butt. Then there are all of those rich socialites in Europe that you sponged off of for years. I even know that your car export business had some questionable deals that the ITA would be real interested to hear about. Now, I have to wonder about this mysterious new business that you told papa about. How successful would it be should all your dirty laundry be exposed to everyone?"

�Your detective business must be pretty pathetic if you have nothing better to do than investigate me. With that brood of little brats you have you might want to get a second job��. Oh, wait a minute����. You don�t need a second job because you�re married to one of the richest women in the world, and you have the nerve to talk down to me for living off of wealthy women,� Antonio laughed.

Luis saw red over his brother's callous words. He grabbed Antonio's shirt with one hand and raised the other into a fist, but reason started to overshadow the fury when he thought of Sheridan and their children. "Forget it," he said, letting go of Antonio's shirt. "You're not worth it."

"Oh really, well you are," Antonio growled, planting a left hook right into the side of Luis' jaw.

His head snapped back and the bitter taste of blood filled his mouth. He rubbed his jaw, staining the tips of his fingers with his own blood. "I decided to be big about this but you don't know the meaning of fair play.� Luis lunged, catching Antonio off guard and began to plummel his brother with his fists.

Ivy listened at the door with a mixture of emotions. She was scared to death they were going to come crashing through the door revealing her hiding place, but at the same time she also wished she could see them in action. There was a lot of overblown testosterone in the next room, and she was strangely excited more than she cared to admit. She could only imagine the look on Luis' face when Antonio had accused him of living off of Sheridan's fortune. That was probably the worst thing he could have said, because Luis had always been so vocal about his refusal to let his wife support him.

If she was honest, it had stung a little when Luis had accused Antonio of living off of rich socialites in Europe, but she quickly buried that feeling too afraid to explore what it could really mean. She almost jumped out of her skin when there was a loud thud against the door she was leaning against. As much as she hated to give up her position, she decided that it was time to move into the closet. If Luis discovered her here she would never be able to explain her presence. It seemed like hours that she waited
in there, but unable to stand the small area any longer, she noticed that it was eerily silent in the living room. As she made her way to the door, she prayed that the Lopez-Fitzgerald brothers hadn't killed each other. She opened the door just enough to see through the tiny slit and saw Luis standing over Antonio's body.

"Are you ready to stop this now?" he asked, holding out his hand as an offer of help.

Antonio pushed his hand away and stood up on his own. Ivy gasped when she saw his beautiful face puffy and bleeding. Luis' face wasn't in great shape either, but Antonio's was far worse. "I'm ready for you to get out of my sight," Antonio spat.

"You started it," Luis accused. "I was just defending myself.

"What do you want from me?" Antonio asked, suddenly sounding defeated. "Why
is it so impossible for you to forgive?"

"Oh, I can forgive Antonio, but you make it damn hard when you can't tell the truth to save your life. I just want you to be straight with me for once."

"Straight about what?�

"Why not start with telling me the real reason you left Harmony."

"I already did. The Cranes forced me."

"I believe that part. It's the reason behind it that I'm having a problem swallowing."

"You know something Luis. It wouldn't matter what I told you because you would just say I was lying. I really don't give a damn if you believe me or not."

"You sound a little defensive Antonio."

"Who wouldn't be with you around?" he said, pouring himself a drink.

�Why did you lie about when you got back to Harmony?� Luis asked. He knew that he had caught his brother off guard when he saw him stiffen. �Don�t try to deny it either because somebody saw you in town at least a month before you actually showed up at mama and papa�s house.�

�Well, that person is mistaken,� he said simply, without offering any more details in his defense.

�I guess I shouldn�t be surprised that you won�t admit it,� Luis said, shaking his head in disgust. �Even though I�ve been furious with you for years for walking out on us, there was also a part of me that wanted to come to terms with this animosity so that we could move on. I wanted there to be a good reason why you would never once send us word that you were alive so that mama wouldn�t have to worry. But, I can see that you have no interest in getting everything out in the open so that we can heal this relationship.�

�You�re so gallant Luis,� Antonio said with an edge of bitterness. �I find it quite amusing that you talk a good game about putting our differences behind us, but as usual it has to be under your terms. Why can�t you be like the rest of the family and just get over it and be happy that I�m back?�

�Because I�m the one that had to deal with the consequences when you left. I had to witness the devastation in mama�s eyes never knowing if you were dead or alive. I had to help mama make the heart wrenching decision to send Paloma away because we didn�t have the money to feed another mouth. It still breaks my heart to think about our little sister growing up away from home. Theresa and Miguel were too young to remember any of that because we never let them know just how bad things had become. Well, I�m sorry Antonio if I can�t just forget all of that pain and pretend that it never happened. All I wanted was some damn answers from you and you can�t even give me that.�

Antonio was moved by his brother�s speech, but he would be damned if he would let him know that the guilt was eating him away inside. �You forgot to mention all your personal sacrifices Luis. Would you feel better if I petitioned the Catholic church to have you canonized as a saint?�

�You just don�t get it do you?� Luis said, sadly as he made his way to the door, shutting it quietly behind him.

Antonio poured himself another drink hoping that if he got drunk enough he would be able to forget the pain in his brother�s eyes. Ivy came out of the bedroom and approached him cautiously. �I can�t believe he finally left. Thank God he didn�t find me here��� Oh, look at your face,� she said fussing over him. �I swear your brother is just crazy���.�

�Shut up Ivy��� Just shut up.�

********************

Sheridan paced the floor worried sick about Luis� confrontation with his brother. He had promised that he was just going to talk, but she knew too well how her husband could lose his temper, especially where Antonio was concerned. She had tried to call him on his cell phone, but discovered that he had forgotten to take it when it started ringing and she found it laying on the coffee table. Finally, she heard a car drive up and ran to the window to look outside. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Luis get out of the car. It was impossible to discern his expression because of the shadows of the night, but there was something about his gait that told her all was not well. She met him at the door and gasped out loud when she saw his bloody lip and the side of his face where it was already starting to bruise. �Oh Luis, no,� she groaned. �Are you okay?�

�I�m fine Sheridan,� he said, taking a seat on the sofa.

�Let me get something to clean up that cut on your lip��..�

�No Sheridan, it�s fine��..�

�Don�t you dare argue with me Luis,� she stated emphatically as she left the room, only to return with a bottle of antiseptic and an ice pack. She sat down next to him and wet a cotton ball and dabbed it on his cuts.

�Ouch, that stings,� he said, wincing.

�Don�t be a baby. It couldn�t possibly hurt worse than Antonio�s fist.�

He felt lousy, but he couldn�t help but smile over Sheridan�s sassy attitude. �If it�s any consolation to you, Antonio looks much worse than I do.�

�Oh yes Luis that gives me great comfort to know that you beat your brother to a pulp. How did this happen anyway? You promised me that you were just going over there to talk.�

�That was my intention Sheridan, and I even held back when he said some really insulting things, but he hit me first and I just lost it,� Luis said in his defense.

�What did he say that was so insulting?� Sheridan asked, knowing full well that it had to be bad to make Luis so angry.

�He accused me of living off of your fortune, but that wasn�t the worst thing. The bastard actually had the nerve to refer to our kids as a brood of brats.�

�How dare he!� Sheridan sputtered. �I feel like going over there myself and punching him in the nose.�

�The sad thing is, I don�t think he really meant it,� Luis admitted. �He was just trying to get to me, and it worked.�

�Did you even get a chance to talk?�

�Oh, we talked. At least I did, but Antonio didn�t explain himself at all. Every answer for him was another insult. I just don�t see any way for the two of us to ever heal this breach between us,� he said, sadly.

�I�m so sorry Luis,� Sheridan said, sincerely. �Did you ask him about being in Harmony long before he said he arrived home?�

�Yes, and I even told him not to deny it because somebody saw him, but he said that person must be mistaken��.�

�I was not!� Sheridan said, definitely. �Your brother is really a piece of work.�

�Oh, and you know what else? I think the real reason he didn�t show up at the barbeque was because he was with a woman. I saw a pair of ladies� panties on the living room floor, and he looked like he had just gone a couple of rounds with her if you know what I mean.�

�That pig,� Sheridan said, making a face. �I can�t believe that he couldn�t contain himself long enough to see his little sister. Put that ice pack on your face. It will keep the swelling down.�

�I know Sheridan. I get furious every time I think about it, but I thought a lot about it while I was driving home, and I came to a decision.�

�Oh, and what is that?�

�I�m through worrying about what Antonio does or says. I have too many good things in my life and I am not going to bring myself down any longer because of my brother�s garbage.�

�Probably a wise decision, but you still have to co-exist with him because you do share a family,� Sheridan reminded him.

�I�ll be on my best behavior from now on every time I have to share the same air with him,� Luis assured her.

�We do have another problem that needs to be addressed that concerns the children.�

�They�re okay aren�t they?� Luis asked, worriedly.

�They are fine, but they are going to ask you what happened to your face. What are you going to tell them?�

�Oh damn, I didn�t even think about that. I don�t want to lie to them, but I can hardly tell them that I was beating up on my brother. What am I going to do Sheridan?�

�Well, you have until tomorrow morning to come up with an explanation. I�m sure you�ll think of something.�

�Are you sure you don�t have any ideas?�

�Sorry Luis, but I�m fresh out when it comes to that matter, however I do think that you should come upstairs and let me run a hot bath for you. It will help get the soreness out of your muscles.�

�I think you�re going to have to get in the tub with me,� Luis smiled. �You know to rub my sore muscles and everything.�

�What a guy,� Sheridan chuckled. �You�re not going to let a few bruises get in the way of your romantic pursuits.�

�You better believe it sweetheart, but I don�t think I�m going to do much kissing tonight.�

********************
The next morning came with a lot of painful reminders of the night before. Luis felt as though every muscle in his body was screaming for relief. If that wasn�t enough to contend with, when he finally got the strength to open his eyes, he was greeted by two little faces staring at him beside the bed. He felt for Sheridan, but the other side of the bed was empty. If he didn�t know better, he would swear that she had planned this. �Hi munchkins,� he said, managing a smile. �Where is mommy?�

�Mommy be changing Sopie�s stinky diaper,� Luke told him.

�Why do you have that big booboo on your face daddy?� Lily asked, curiously.

Leave it to his little girl to not waste any time in bringing up the dreaded subject. �Well something hit me in the face, but it�s just a little cut. I�ll be fine in a couple of days.�

�I can get you a smiley face band-aide to put on your booboo,� Luke offered.

�That�s sweet of you to offer Sport, but I don�t think the band-aide would stick to my lip very well.�

�But daddy, I don�t want for you to be hurt,� Lily said, with a pouty lip. �It makes me so sad.�

�Oh Peanut please don�t be sad. I promise you that I�m fine,� he said, kissing her cheek with the good side of his lips.

�What are you two doing in here?� Sheridan asked sternly. She was standing in the doorway holding Sofie in her arms. �I thought I told you to let daddy sleep in this morning.�

�We did mama,� Luke told her adamantly. �We didn�t wake daddy up at all.�

�Yeah mama, we were just watching daddy sleep,� Lily added in their defense.

�It�s true Sheridan,� Luis confirmed. �They were being extra quiet. I woke up all on my own.�

�Okay, but it�s time for breakfast. Come with me so we can give daddy some privacy.�

�You go with mommy. I�ll be down in a few minutes.�

�Are you okay?� Sheridan asked as she turned to leave.

�I�ll survive,� Luis assured her with a smile.

When Luis joined them for breakfast, Sheridan was pleased to see that Luis� face didn�t look all that bad. The closed curtains in the bedroom had prevented her from getting a good look at it earlier. �Would you like some coffee?�

�I would love some coffee,� he said, give her an appreciative look.

�We be having waffles daddy, and mama put ballberries on them,� Luke told him.

�Wow, mommy made waffles. I�m really impressed.�

�Well don�t be,� Sheridan laughed. �All I did was pop them in the toaster.�

�They sound pretty delicious to me right now. I�m starving.�

�You can have some of mine daddy,� Lily offered.

�That�s sweet Peanut, but mommy can make me some of my own,� Luis said, affectionately. �Thank you for thinking of me though.�

�Dada, dada,� Sofie squealed, hitting her hands on the tray of her highchair.

�Sopie�s happy to see you daddy,� Luke giggled.

�I�m happy to see her too,� Luis said, bending down to give his baby daughter a kiss. �How�s my little pixie today?�

�I found her trying to pull herself up in her crib this morning,� Sheridan told him. �Before we know it she is going to be walking.�

�Oh boy, that�s going to be big trouble then,� Luke announced in his most prolific voice.

Luis and Sheridan couldn�t help but laugh at their little boy�s prediction. �If she is anything like the two of you were, then you�re right son. We are in for big trouble.�

********************

Antonio arrived at his parent�s house the next morning clad in his sun glasses and he had no intention of removing them either. Luis had left him with a black eye that would be just too difficult to explain. Theresa greeted him at the door and threw her arms around him. �I just can�t believe it�s really you,� she said, excitedly.

Antonio stood back to get a good look at his sister and was surprised to see that she had grown into a lovely young woman. With Paloma, it hadn't been such a shock because he could only remember her as a baby, but the Theresa he remembered was a little girl with big eyes and a bubbly personality. "You look like a beauty queen."

"Oh Antonio, you always were the charmer," she giggled. "You look exactly the same to me, but it would be nice if you would remove the glasses so I can see your eyes."

"Well actually, I have an infection in my eye and it's a little sensitive to the light," Antonio explained.

"Come in," she said, grabbing his hand. "I want you to meet my boyfriend, Gaston."

After Theresa introduced them, Antonio and Gaston shared stories about Paris. It was then that he noticed that everything but the big furniture pieces was packed up in boxes. "It looks like mama and papa are moving soon."

"They're moving next weekend. I guess the next time I come home I'll be going to the new house. It will be kind of strange to never to see this place again," Theresa said, sadly.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Antonio agreed. "There are certain memories I have of growing up and I will always associate them with this house."

"Are you staying in Harmony for a visit, or will you be returning to Europe soon?" Gaston asked politely.

"Actually Gaston, I have plans to stay right here in Harmony, but one never knows for sure," he smiled.

"If things don't work out here you could always move to Paris, and then I could see you all the time," Theresa suggested.

"I'll keep that in mind sis," Antonio said, smiling at her enthusiasm. Theresa was one family member he could always depend on not to judge him. "So, where is mama and papa?"

"Papa is at the restaurant, and mama took Dario to the doctor. I think Paloma is in her room talking to her boyfriend on the phone."

"Is Dario sick?" Antonio asked, anxiously. He didn't know why, but he really cared about the boy's welfare.

"No, he's fine," Theresa assured him. "He is going out for football and he needed to have a physical."

"Boy does that bring back memories," Antonio said. "He might change his mind when they start practicing in the August heat."

"He is so excited that I don't think anything is going to change his mind......"

"Oh, I see that big brother is here," Paloma announced, bouncing into the room. "What is with the shades Antonio? Did somebody mug you last night?"

If she only knew Antonio thought to himself. "Actually, I have a bit of an eye infection and I'm really sensitive to the light. If it's okay with you Theresa, I thought we could go hang out at the beach. Do you want to come along Paloma?"

"It does sound like fun, but I was going to do something with JJ today. Is it okay if he comes along?"

"The more the merrier," Antonio laughed. "Besides, this will give me a chance to check out my little sister's guy friends and make sure they meet my standards."

"I guess that won't be too high," Paloma mumbled under her breath.

"What did you say Paloma?" Theresa asked innocently.

"Nothing really," Paloma assured her sister. "I have this weird habit of talking to myself."

"Oh, I have the best idea," Theresa said, brightly. "We should pick up Luke and Lily and take them to the beach with us."

"I don't think that would be a very good idea," Antonio protested.

"Why not?" Paloma asked. "The little squirts are a lot of fun."

"I'm sure they are, but I don't think we would have a lot of time to visit if we had to keep our eyes on the kids."

"I guess you're probably right," Theresa agreed.

"Okay, well why don't you guys grab your gear," Antonio suggested. "We can stop on the way and get some drinks and food to take along."

Pilar arrived home right then with Dario, and they invited him to come along. He was so excited to be spending a day at the beach with his siblings that he could hardly contain himself. "Go and get your things mijo. There are beach towels in the linen closet. Thankfully I haven't packed those yet."

"It's going to be strange with you not living her any more mama," Antonio said, remembering all the times they had together as kids.

"I will miss this place too mijo, but things change. It does not matter where we live as long as our family is together. By the way, why are you wearing those dark glasses?"

"It's just a little infection mama. I'm sensitive to the light, and the glasses help."

"It looks like you have bruising around your eye to me. What are you not telling me?"

"I think it might be better if we just dropped this mama......."

"Oh no, please do not tell me that you fought with your brother?" Pilar worried. "He was so angry last night."

"Mama, I really don't want the others to hear. Everything is fine now, so please don't worry," Antonio assured her.

"We're ready to go," Theresa announced.

After they had gone Pilar worried about the contention between her sons. She could understand Luis' anger, but now that her family was finally together again, she didn't want anything to ruin this time. She decided that she would talk to Martin. Maybe he would know how they could fix this breech between their sons.

********************

Luis was working late at the office hoping to finish the proposal for one of their potential clients. It was a big deal that would make them a lot of money, so it was important that he was fully prepared. Chad and Whitney were also assisting, but he had told them to go home about a half hour ago. He had just a few more notes to make and he would be on his way too. When he heard the freight elevator, he assumed that Chad had come back for something, so it totally caught him off guard when he saw Beth standing there. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry about not calling first Luis, but I have something really important to discuss with you."

"Look Beth, if this is about business it would probably be a good idea for you to make an appointment........"

"No Luis, this is personal," she said, biting her lower lip nervously.

Luis actually felt uncomfortable with her being there. "Is this an emergency?"

"Well, not exactly, but it is important. I'm sorry Luis, but I finally got the nerve after all of this time to talk to you about this and I just have to get this out," she said, clearly distressed.

Luis didn't know whether to be intrigued or nervous about what she was going to tell him. His gut feeling was telling him that whatever it was, it would not be good. "Okay Beth, I guess I have a few minutes."

She sat down in the down in front of him and bowed her head down in front of her. He could see her body shaking and knew she was crying. "I'm sorry Luis, but this is not easy for me. I just don't know where to begin."

"Come on Beth it can't be all that bad," he said, trying to lighten her mood. "You didn't kill anybody did you?"

"No, of course not, but you are going to feel like I did when I get finished telling you this......."

"Please just spit it out Beth," Luis demanded, suddenly feeling like his world was going to be turned upside down.

"All those years ago when we broke up, I never told you this but I was pregnant at the time."

Luis felt like she had just hit him with a sledge hammer, and he had to struggle to find the words to respond. "If that is the case then why didn't you come to me at the time?"

"Because you had just broken up with me to support your family. You made it quite clear that you didn't foresee a future for us. I was desperate and alone."

"You could have still come to me Beth. I would have never turned my back on
you."

"I know, and that's why I didn't want to put you in that position. You could barely support your family. How were you supposed to support me and a baby," she said, wiping her tears.

Once Luis had a chance to calm down, he started to become suspicious. "So, where is this child Beth, and why did you feel the need to tell me about this now?" he asked, skeptically.

"That's just it Luis. The child that I gave birth too is in Harmony right now," she sobbed.

"What?" Luis said, coming up from his chair. "What the hell are you saying Beth?"

"Our son is your adoptive brother, Dario........."

"No, I don't believe you Beth, and I know for a fact that you're lying."

"No Luis, I swear that I'm telling the truth," she said, defensively. She knew that she had to produce the facts or he would never buy her claim. She again went through the checklist that Phillip Kade had provided for her to memorize.

"Okay, then tell me the facts of Dario's birth," he challenged.

"Well, when I found out that I was pregnant, my mother contacted my aunt in Vermont. Aunt Esther is pretty well off from a pension my uncle left to her when he died. If you remember Luis I was gone during that time."

"I thought you were visiting your cousin in Providence back then,," he said, thinking to himself that he was sure she was lying because Dario was born in Paris. "Go on....."

"Well, that�s what we told everyone, but I really went to my aunt�s house. Aunt Esther is very religious and didn't know how she would explain a pregnant niece to her neighbors, she decided to send me to Paris.....��

Luis froze at her words. He put his head down and started to rub his temples. "What happened then Beth?" he asked in a defeated voice.

"I stayed there until I delivered our little boy and put him up for adoption to this very good Spanish family, and that was the last I heard about him until he showed up here in Harmony."

�Wait a minute��.. How did you know that Dario was the child that you gave birth too?� Luis asked, sure that he had forced her hand this time.

�I didn�t at first,� Beth admitted. �The first time he came into the Book Caf� I felt a strong connection to him, but I didn�t know why. Then one day Theresa came in and she told me about Dario�s birthmark, and it all started to make sense. I made some inquires and that�s when I knew for sure.�

Luis had to admit that everything she said seemed to check out, but something was nagging at him that he couldn�t explain. He just didn�t know what to believe. �You really knocked me for a loop Beth.�

�I know Luis, and I�m so sorry, but I think that now that we know we have to tell Dario the truth��.�

�NO!� Luis said, adamantly. �You are not going to say one word to him.�

Beth was shocked by his words. Luis was not the type of person to run away from responsibilities. �I can�t believe you would say that. Are you trying to deny our child? I suppose he�s not as important because he wasn�t conceived with Sheridan.�

�Don�t you dare bring Sheridan into this,� Luis said, furiously. �I love Dario and I would be proud to call him my son, but we can�t just go over there like it�s no big deal and turn his life upside down. Besides, you have no rights where Dario is concerned. You gave him up for adoption, remember Beth?�

�He deserves to know the truth Luis. How can you deny him his birthright?�

�I�m not trying to deny him his birthright. Damn,� Luis said, pounding his fist on the desk. �This is just all too much Beth. I need some time to think about this, but in the mean time, I don�t want you to breath a word of this to anyone.�

�Oh, I see what this is about,� Beth said, knowingly. �You just don�t want Sheridan to find out. Protect the princess because we don�t want to upset her fragile state, but our child can be damned.�

�You better be thankful that you�re a woman or I would knock you off of that chair,� Luis threatened. �I have every intention of telling Sheridan about this.�

Beth knew that she had to calm down and try to make Luis feel sorry for her. She turned on the waterworks and sobbed into her hands. �I just can�t believe you�re talking to me this way. You should at least treat me with respect for the simple fact that I am the mother of your first born child.�

�I�m sorry I yelled at you Beth, but I won�t let you disparage Sheridan. Do you understand that?�

�Yes Luis,� she said, meekly. �I�m going to go now, but will you please let me know what you�ve decided to do about Dario?�

�Yes Beth, I�ll let you know,� he assures her.

After Beth left Sheridan called. �I don�t mean to bother you honey, but Luke and Lily are asking for you and I wanted to know if you would be finished in time to tuck them into bed.�

�You could never bother me,� he said, sweetly. �I�m on my way so tell the munchkins I�ll be there to read them a story.�

�Luis your voice sounds funny. Is everything all right?�

�Yeah, everything is going to be fine. I love you Sheridan.�

�I love you too Luis. Hurry home��..�

 

Chapter 23

When Luis pulled into the long driveway that led to his house, he stopped the car to try and get some semblance of control. Beth had dropped a bombshell on him, and if she was telling the truth so many lives would be affected by the news. He just didn�t know what to think. Dario could actually be his son and it infuriated him to think that the boy had to suffer for all of those years. Accepting Dario as his son was easy because he already loved him, but would it be right to tell him the truth without turning his life upside down? And then there was Sheridan. How could he possibly get the words out of his mouth when he knew that she was going to be crushed by the news? How did his life turn into such a mess in a matter of a few hours? It was time to face the music, because his kids were waiting for him and he could never disappoint them.

When he came through the front door the twins were there with their sweet welcoming faces. They were already dressed in their pajamas smelling all fresh from their baths. �Hi munchkins. Come here and give me a kiss,� he requested of his little imps.

They converged on him full of excitement. �Daddy, we have a big surprise for you,� Luke announced.

�Yes daddy,� Lily said, pulling on his hand. �You have to come upstairs and see.�

�Maybe you should give daddy a chance to catch his breath,� Sheridan said, smiling. She had just come into the room with Sofie in her arms.

In all the time he had known her, Luis still couldn�t get over the way she lit up the room with her beauty. He couldn�t bear to think that soon her smile would fade and her big blue eyes would be filled with pain. �Why don�t you let me kiss mommy and Sofie and then you can show me your surprise,� Luis said, turning his attention to the twins.

�Kay daddy, but you better hurry cause we can�t hardly stand it,� Luke said, jumping up and down.

�Hi,� was all he said, as he kissed Sofie, and then laid a soft kiss on her lips. Her eyes were filled with love and for a moment he could see a glimpse of apprehension. �I love you,� he whispered, feeling the need to reassure her.

Something was wrong. She could feel it in the way he looked at her. �Luis, I���. Never mind,� she smiled. �You better go upstairs before the children burst with excitement.�

�Okay munchkins, let�s go and see this big surprise you have for me,� he said, taking their hands.

The twins directed him to Luke�s room where Luis was shocked to see a tent sitting in the middle of the room. �Where did this come from?�

�Mama bought it for us so that we could camp out,� Luke explained.

�How did you get the tent up?� Luis asked, but then drew his own conclusions. �Oh, I bet pawpaw was out here today.�

�No daddy, mama put our tent up and she said that me and Lukie can sleep in it tonight,� Lily told him, her little face bright with animation.

�Wait a minute; you�re trying to tell me that mommy put this tent up?� Luis asked, unable to contain his laughter.

�I may not be Martha Stewart, but I can read directions,� Sheridan said, defensively. �Besides the thing is all in one piece and all I had to do was pull it upward.�

�Mama was so smart,� Luke said, grinning at Sheridan.

�You are too sweet,� Sheridan smiled.

�We wanted Soapie to sleep with us but mama said she be too little,� Lily told her daddy.

�Yeah, I think it�s going to be a while before Sofie can camp out in the tent, but you know what? When the two of you get a little older daddy will take you on a camping trip where we will sleep outside,� Luis promised.

�But daddy, it might rain on us,� Lily worried.

�Not if we sleep in the tent Peanut,� Luis told her. �We can build a campfire and roast marsh mellows too.�

�Oh mama, can we have some marsh mellow now? I be so hungry,� Luke said, rubbing his tummy.

�No sweetie. It�s already past your bedtime. Why don�t you let daddy read you a story and I�ll put Sofie to bed. When I�m finished I�ll come in and kiss you goodnight.�

Later, they went downstairs and Sheridan poured herself a glass of wine. She had a feeling she was going to need the fortification. �Would you like a glass?�

�What���?� he asked, clearly distracted. �Oh yeah, that would be great.

�Are you going to tell me what is going on?� Sheridan asked, handing him the glass as she took a seat beside him.

Now that the time had come, Luis couldn�t even look at her. He raked his hand through his hair and let out the breath he had been holding. �I don�t even know where to begin.�

�Come on Luis, it can�t be that bad,� she said with more bravado than she felt. �Why don�t you just start at the beginning?�

�Beth came to see me tonight, and she told me something that could change all of our lives forever,� he began.

�Oh God, I know what you�re going to say,� she whispered, feeling the hot tears stinging her eyes. �Dario is your son and Beth is his mother��.. It�s true isn�t it?�

�Yes,� he confirmed in a low voice. �At least that�s what she�s claiming����

�Are you saying that you�re not convinced she�s telling the truth?� she asked with a hint of hopefulness in her eyes.

�I don�t know Sheridan. She had all the right answers, but there is something that is nagging at me that I can�t explain.�

�But how could Beth afford to go to Paris to deliver her child, and why did she wait until now to tell you about this?�

�I asked her the same questions and she said that she was devastated by our breakup and when she found out that she was pregnant she was thinking of me. She knew that I had so much on my plate with all of my responsibilities and she couldn�t bare to burden me with another one��.�

�Oh please,� Sheridan said, rolling her eyes. �Since when has Beth ever been that altruistic?�

�She was different back then Sheridan.. She was a sweet girl.�

�Oh my God, don�t tell me you are falling for her act?� Sheridan asked, accusingly. Her earlier distress was quickly turning to anger. By this time she was pacing the floor with her fists clenched tightly.

Luis knew that he had to get control of the situation before she let her temper get the best of her. He hopped up and put his hands on her upper arms to stop her. �Sheridan you are way off base here����

�No Luis, I�m not off base,� she said, shaking his hands loose. �How dare that bitch do this now, and how dare you defend her?�

�Sheridan, I wasn�t defending her,� Luis said, adamantly. �You need to calm down so we can talk about this rationally.�

"No, what I really need to do is get out of here. This is just too much," she said, grabbing her keys. "I need to go for a drive so I can think."

"Sheridan, I don't want you driving around when you're this upset," Luis said, taking her arm.

"Please Luis, just watch the children. I need some time alone," she told him as she ran out the front door.

He took off after her but she was already pulling away when he got outside. If it wouldn't have been for the children asleep upstairs, he would have gone after her. He had expected her to be upset, but never would he have imagined that she would be so angry. If anything happened to her......... God, he couldn't even think about that. The only thing to do was pray that she would not drive like a crazy person. Just then Sofie started to cry. He ran upstairs to check on her, hoping that she didn't wake Luke and Lily.

"What's wrong pixie?" Luis said, turning the light on. It broke his heart to see her little red race soaked with tears. "It's okay, daddy's here now." He picked her up in his arms and cradled her tiny shaking body close. Her diaper was dry and he knew that she never ate at this time. Maybe he would try giving her a little juice to see if that calmed her down. When it didn't, he turned on some of her lullabies and rocked her gently.

"Maaa, maaa," she wailed, crying for her mother.

"I'm sorry pixie, but mommy had to go out for a while. She should be back soon, but in the mean time daddy will rock you, so just try to go back to sleep," he whispered, kissing his baby daughter.

********************

Sheridan began driving with no destination in mind and ended up in town at the water's edge. The gentle flow of the tide always helped her think better so it was only natural that she would gravitate toward there. It was nothing short of a miracle, but she had actually managed to keep the tears in check while she had been behind the wheel, but now they began to flow freely. Her worst nightmare had come true and all that she could think about was the shabby way that she had treated Luis earlier. He hadn't deserved her wrath, but she had made him the convenient scapegoat as usual. She was so busy playing the victim that she hadn't stop to consider how Luis would feel about suddenly discovering that he had a son out there. It must have been a lot for him to process, and all she did was make the situation worse.

She slipped out of the car and headed for the wharf. It was quiet by that time since most of the shops had already closed for the evening. She leaned against the railing and let the sea breeze cool her heated body. Even this early in the summer, the air was filled with humidity that could almost be stifling sometimes. Now that she had time to think about it, the news was not all that terrible. Dario was a wonderful boy and they all loved him dearly. "But, why did Beth have to be his mother?" she said out loud. "Anybody but her."

"Sheridan, are you all right?" a male voice asked, making her jump.

As startled as she was, it finely occurred to her that it was her father-in-law�s voice. "Martin, I didn't see you standing there," she said, putting her hand over her heart to calm the rapid beating.

"I'm sorry Sheridan," he said, smiling. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay," she assured him. "What are you doing out here tonight........? Wait a minute, did Luis send you to look for me?"

"Please don't get angry Sheridan. He was really worried about you because you were so upset when you left the house."

"Did he tell you why I am so upset?" Sheridan asked, quietly.

"No, and I didn't ask. He gave me some locations where he thought you would be and I got lucky the first place I checked."

"I guess I'm pretty predictable," she said, managing a small smile.

�No, I think it�s just a case of Luis knowing you well. The two of you must have quite the connection.�

�Yes we do, but unfortunately I�m not always the best wife.� She barely got the words out of her mouth before the tears started to fall again. �Oh Martin, things are just so complicated,� she sobbed.

Martin put a fatherly hand on her shoulder to comfort her. �Sheridan, I�m not even going to pretend to know how you�re feeling right now, but you have a husband that loves you very much and three of the most precious children alive. That has to overshadow everything else, and I promise that things will get better. Here, take this,� he said, producing a white linen handkerchief for her.

She looked at him with her big blue watery eyes. �I wish that I could tell you everything, but it�s not my story to tell. I�m sorry Martin.�

�Why don�t you let me drive you home?� he offered kindly.

�I appreciate your offer, but there really is no reason for you to drive me all that way out there,� she refused.

�Look, I�ll bring your car out to the house tomorrow morning and Miguel can follow me. I would sleep much better tonight if I knew you arrived home safely.�

�Well, I wouldn�t want to be responsible for you losing any sleep,� Sheridan said, smiling slightly.

"Just let me call Luis to let him know that I found you so that he doesn't worry any longer."

"Yes," she said, distantly. "I don't want him to worry."

As they drove back to the house Sheridan was very quiet and Martin decided not to press her with a lot of questions. He didn't know what happened between his son and daughter-in-law, but he had every confidence that they would work out whatever it was that was causing this strife. He glanced at her and saw that she was looking his way. "Is everything okay Sheridan?"

"To be honest, I'm really rather embarrassed that you had to get involved in this. You must think I'm real drama queen."

"Not at all," Martin assured her. "People have a right to be upset about things, and who am I to judge? I just hope that you are not angry with Luis for calling me. It would kill him if anything happened to you."

"I know that, and I'm not angry with him. Just promise me that you won't discuss this incident at family get-togethers," she teased.

"I promise," Martin chuckled. �Seriously though, everything is going to be all right.�

�Thank you Martin,� she said, sincerely.

�For what?�

�I think you were just the person I needed to put things into perspective.�

*******************

Beth checked her watch again and saw that only five minutes had passed since the last time she looked. Where was Phillip? He had told her to meet him here in the park thirty minutes ago and if he didn�t show up soon she was going to go ballistic. The only thing that could cool her heated temper right now was the thought of Sheridan�s face when Luis told her the news. How she wished she could have been a fly on the wall to witness that shining moment. That witch had been a thorn in her side since the day she came riding back into town on her broom all those years ago. Well, this was just the beginning of the downfall of the golden princess. Luis was caught off balance right now, but once he had time to think about it she felt sure that he would want to be a father to Dario. They would only grow closer bonding over their son, and eventually Luis would remember that she was his first love���

�Ms. Wallace, are you all right?� Phillip asked when he saw Beth looking up at the sky with a smile on her face.

�Of course I am,� she said defensively. �Why would you even ask that?�

�Well, you looked like you were on another planet,� Phillip laughed.

�Just never mind about my state of mind. Where is the rest of my money?� she asked, holding out her hand.

�Not so fast Ms. Wallace. I need some details about how this went down.�

�Well, I waited until Chad and Whitney left and then I went in to talk to him. I could have won an Academy Award with my performance. There was just the right amount of tears and regret,� Beth laughed.

�But did he believe you?�

�I think he was a little skeptical at first, but once I told him all that stuff about Paris he was totally convinced.�

�Good, so when are you going to announce it to the world?� Phillip asked.

�Well,� Beth said biting her lip nervously. �That part is still a bit of a problem.�

�What do you mean?� Phillip demanded.

�When I suggested that we go together and tell Dario the news, he freaked out on me, and told me that since I gave my baby up for adoption that I had no right to do that. I couldn�t exactly fight him on that, so I just laid on the guilt trip about how he didn�t care about our child because he didn�t have it with Sheridan.�

�That�s very commendable Ms. Wallace, but all of this is for nothing if Luis� keeps this revelation as his dirty little secret. I would suggest that you make call to the tabloids and tell them that you had Luis� love child.�

�I can�t do that!� Beth shrieked. �Luis would know it was me and I don�t even want to think about what he would do to me.�

�Fine, if you can�t do that then you need to make sure that at least his family knows. You could go to his mother and plead your case.�

�No, that wouldn�t work either,� Beth protested. �Besides, Luis will probably tell them eventually.�

�Can you be sure about that?�

�Of course I can�t be sure, but I know Luis and he wouldn�t keep this from his family. Why does this matter anyway? I thought this was all about ruining Luis political career��.. Wait a minute, that�s not at all what this is about. Just what are you really up to?�

�Ms. Wallace, you are not being paid to ask questions. Just do your job, nothing more, nothing less,� he said with a threatening voice that made her flinch.

�Look, I really don�t care about your agenda, but I do want my money,� Beth demanded.

�Here,� Phillip said, handing her an envelope.

Beth quickly checked the contents and discovered that the amount was short. �This is only half the amount of what you owe me. You either give me the rest of it or I will go to Luis right now and tell him the truth.�

�Don�t threaten me Ms. Wallace,� he commanded. �Finish the job and you�ll get the rest of the money.�

�I did do what you asked. What else do you want from me?� Beth asked, her voice edged with frustration and a bit of fear.

�Tell the family the good news about their new grandchild and the rest of the money will be all yours.�

�Even if I do tell them, how are you going to know? It�s not like they�re going to broadcast it all over town.�

�Don�t worry Ms. Wallace, I�ll know.�

********************

Luis knew that he would probably suffer Sheridan�s wrath because he had called his father but it didn�t matter. He would rather have her shooting daggers at him then to have her out there hurt or worse because she was too upset to watch her own back. It was a given that she would be heartbroken about the news, but he had never expected her anger. If he were honest with himself, he knew that the only reason he had defended Beth was because it made him look less the fool for having ever been involved with her in the first place. Unfortunately it was the last thing that Sheridan needed to hear when she was still so raw.

When the phone rang, he grabbed it quickly before it awakened Sofie again, but his sudden movement roused her again. She was crying when he picked up the phone so it was hard to hear, but he was finally able to make out his father�s voice telling him that he had found Sheridan. He was giving her a ride home and they should arrive at any time. Relief washed through his body and the tension he had been feeling dissolved. As long as he knew she was safe, he felt sure that everything would work out. �Shhh pixie, mommy�s coming,� Luis said, trying to sooth his baby daughter.

Fifteen minutes later when they arrived home, Sheridan came through the door and immediately rushed to get her crying daughter. Luis readily handed Sofie to her mother and the child stopped crying almost immediately. �My poor baby girl. It�s okay, mommy is here now,� she said, softly.

�Thanks papa,� Luis said, walking his father to the door. �You have no idea how much I appreciate your help.�

�Any time son,� Martin said, putting his hand on Luis� shoulder. �She�s fine.�

After his father left, Luis approached Sheridan with a feeling of apprehension. �She�s been fussy ever since you left. I did everything I could think of, but nothing seemed to calm her down.�

�I think she�s starting to cut her teeth,� Sheridan explained. �I have some medicine to rub on her gums that should help.�

�Oh God, I didn�t even think about that. I feel terrible,� Luis said, sincerely.

�You wouldn�t have known,� Sheridan told him. Other than concern for her baby, she was giving him no clue as to her mood.

Sheridan took Sofie, gave her some medicine and put her to bed while Luis checked on his little campers. The twins were both sleeping, so he tucked them in and made his way to the master bedroom. Sheridan was already there sitting on the bed with her legs crossed in front of her. She looked up with watery blue eyes and her next words shocked him.

�I�m so sorry Luis.�

�Sheridan, you don�t have any reason to be sorry,� he said, sitting down on the bed next to her.

�Yes I do,� she insisted. �I�ve been so selfish. Never once did I think about how you must feel about all of this. You find out after all this time that you have a son, and I never once asked you how you dealing with the news.�

�Sweetie, you were just

"No really Luis, I made this all about me and I ran away when I didn't want to face things. No matter how hard I try sometimes I regress back to my old ways, but not this time. Not any more, because you deserve my support in this and I'm going to be there for you every step of the way."

"All I ever wanted was for you to understand that as long as we stick together we can overcome anything," he said, hugging her close. "I've had some time to think while you were gone and I know that the best thing for all of us is to find out if Beth is telling the truth."

"Do you really think there is a possibility that she could by lying?"

"Like I said before, she had all the right answers, but there is something nagging at me that I can't explain. She actually suggested that the two of us go over right then and tell Dario the truth. Why after all of this time was she in such a hurry?"

"What did you tell her?" Sheridan asked, surprised.

"I told her that we were not going to turn Dario's life upside down, and that she had no rights to him since she put him up for adoption. I also told her she was not to say one word to anyone until I had time to think about it."

"I can't help but be concerned for poor Dario," Sheridan said. "He is so well adjusted now it worries me to think that Beth might tell him and then what if you are really not Dario's father? He doesn't need that kind of disappointment again."

"I know Sheridan, I've thought a lot about that too. No matter how convincing Beth is I just can't afford to take her word for it. I'm going to demand a DNA test."

"I think that's an excellent idea, but if it does turn out that Dario is your son, things are going to get really complicated," she pointed out.

"I know, because legally mama and papa are Dario's parents and as much as it would kill me to not be able to acknowledge my son, I would have to respect their wishes."

"I really don't think that Martin and Pilar would object to you telling Dario the truth."

"There is no sense in discussing it until we know for sure, and then we'll decide what we should do. There is one thing that I have to know though Sheridan."

"What is that?"

"If it does turn out that Dario is my son, would you be able to welcome him into our home as part of the family?"

"I think that I already have Luis," she said, hurt that he would even ask.

"I didn't mean it like it sounded. I know that you love Dario, but no matter how much we spin it if Dario is my son, Beth will be involved whether we like it or not."

"Well like you said, if your parent's object then it won't be an issue. Besides, I'll kick Beth's sorry behind if she starts to get to me," she smiled.

"That's my girl," Luis chuckled, pulling her into a kiss. �Oh Sweetheart, I just want you to know who much I love you and if it does turn out that Dario is mine, Beth will never come between us.�

�Luis, make love to me,� she said, nipping on his earlobe with her teeth.

�Are you serious?� Luis asked, hoping against hope that she was serious.

�Of course I�m serious. I can�t believe that you would even ask that.�

�It�s just that when you left tonight, I would have never thought that our evening could possibly end up like this.�

She got up onto her knees and stripped away her shirt. �That�s the thing about me Luis; I will always keep you on your toes. Look, don�t question, just do���

He quickly removed his clothing and then proceeded to tear her undergarments away. She complained about the destruction of her delicates, but he silenced her with a kiss that curled her toes. In the long run it didn�t really matter anyway because when she was in Luis� arms all the problems just seemed to disappear.

Chapter 24

Sheridan watched Luis as he slept beside her. She took in the way his long dark lashes rested against his cheek and the sensuous contours of his lips. The urge to kiss him was strong but she resisted, knowing that she would awaken him. She knew that he had been awake most of the night because as she lay wrapped in his arms she could feel the tension in his body. After they made love Luis had shared his feelings about learning that Dario was his son. He had been filled with such a range of emotions from anger that the boy had suffered so much to pride that he had turned out so well in spite of it. He also confessed that

She was heartbroken for him because she knew that he must be facing a terrible dilemma, but one thing was foremost in his mind. He had to do what was best for Dario, and she was going to stick beside him every step of the way. She too had spent sleepless night thinking about the current situation, and she had come to a decision. It was time to conduct her own investigation on Beth. The DNA test could take weeks, and she just didn't have the patience to wait that long. Besides, she had her suspicions about Beth also, and the sooner she could prove if her allegations were true the better off everyone would be. She heard Sofie stir, so she quietly slipped out of bed and wrapped a silk robe around her, tying the belt around her slim waist.

When she arrived in Sofie's room, the little girl was busy playing with her toes. She looked over and saw her mommy and began to laugh. "Ma, ma, ma."

"Good morning sweet pea. I can see you're in a better mood this morning. Your teeth must not be bothering you as much today," she said, picking up her baby daughter. "Let mommy look at your gums." Sheridan saw that Sofie's gums were not as red and inflamed. "They do look much better. Let's change your diaper and then we'll go and see if your brother and sister are awake.�

When Sheridan arrived in Luke's room, she almost laughed out loud at the site of Ace sleeping on the floor with Sassy lying on top of him curled in a ball. The cat had even won over the master of the house. The dog opened his eyes, and when he saw her, sat up quickly causing the white feline to slide off of his back. She could have sworn that he was embarrassed to be caught being nice to the cat.

"Are my little campers awake?" she called out.

The flap of the tent came open and both the twins peeked out. "Hi mama," Luke said with an impish smile.

"We had so much fun capping mama, and Lukie didn't even kick me," Lily told her.

"Well that's good to know," Sheridan laughed. "Our little Lukie seems to move a lot when he�s sleeping.�

�Dat�s cause I be busy in my dreams,� Luke told her, making Sheridan chuckle.

�Mama, why are you waughing at me?� Luke asked embarrassed.

�Oh sweetie, I�m not laughing at you. It�s just that you and Lily and Sofie are such a delight for mommy to be around and you make me happy.�

�Where�s daddy?� Lily asked. �I need some of his special cancakes.�

�Daddy was awake most of the night so I think we should let him sleep, but mommy bought some of those frozen pancakes that you put in the microwave. Would you like some of those?�

�No thank you mama. They just don�t taste as good as daddy�s,� Lily said, disappointment written on her little face.

�I�ll make you some pancakes Peanut,� Luis announced from the doorway.

�Luis, I thought you were sleeping,� Sheridan said, turning to look at her husband. Even after all this time, she couldn�t help but feel a little breathless at the site of him. He was in a pair of jeans, worn in just the right places, and a white sleeveless shirt, that showed off his golden brown skin.

�I woke up when I didn�t feel you beside me,� he said, flashing her a disarming smile that spoke volumes.

�Daddy, you wokted up,� Lily said, excitedly. �I just knew you would make us cancakes.�

�I don�t want to disappoint my munchkins,� Luis chuckled, lifting Lily into the air, making her giggle with pleasure.

�My turn daddy, my turn,� Luke pleaded.

�Okay Sport, hop up on my back and I�ll give you a ride downstairs. We need to let poor Ace outside before he has an accident.�

�We better hurry, cause Ace makes big potties,� Luke warned.

Later as they were sitting down enjoying their pancakes, Sheridan remembered something important. �With everything that happened last night I forget to tell you the good news.�

�Well good news is always the best way to start the day,� Luis said, spooning some cereal into Sofie�s mouth. The baby spit the food into Luis� face and started to giggle.

�Oh, you think that�s funny don�t you?� Luis said, trying to hide his smile so he didn�t encourage her.

�Oh no Soapie, daddy�s going to make you go to time out,� Lily said, giving her baby sister a worried look.

�Sweetie, babies� spit their food out all the time. Sofie is too young to understand that she shouldn�t do that,� Sheridan explained.

�Mama did me and Leelee spit food when we were babies?� Luke asked.

�You certainly did and I had two of you doing it at the same time,� Sheridan laughed.

�Yeah, the two of you were spitting machines,� Luis said, making the twins giggle.

�Oh Luis, I still need to tell you the good news,� Sheridan reminded him. �We sent out some of the volunteers to canvas the neighborhoods and if they all vote the way they said they were going to you already have seventy-five percent of the vote.�

�It must be my charming smile, because I sure feel like an idiot when I give those speeches.�

�What are you talking about Luis? You are doing a wonderful job with your speeches. You are coming across as very down to earth and honest and people are relating to you.�

�I think it has more to do with the fact that people are really opposed to gaming coming to Harmony and I�m speaking out against it,� Luis reasoned.

�Well, I don�t agree, but it looks very good for you.�

�So, what does my family have planned for today while I�m at work?� Luis asked.

�We�re going down to campaign headquarters. Paloma was sweet enough to volunteer to watch the children while we�re there.�

�Good, maybe she can keep the little munchkins busy so they won�t feel the need to wander.�

�I�m going to be good daddy,� Luke assured him. �I don�t want a bad stranger to get me.�

�I know that Sport. I trust you,� Luis told his little boy with a smile.

�About that other matter Luis. When are you going to speak to your parents about the DNA and everything?� Sheridan asked, hoping that he would say soon because she so wanted to get this resolved.

�I thought that I would go and talk to them tonight. It�s important for everyone concerned that we confirm this soon. Beth is a loose cannon and I don�t want this getting out before we can think of a way to tell Dario. It could turn out that we don�t need to tell him anything if we find that Beth is lying.�

�Why are you talking about Daro mama?� Lily asked, curiously.

�Well sweetie, it�s just boring adult talk,� Sheridan told her.

********************

Sheridan noticed that Jordan was looking a little peeked today and it concerned her since she was so close to her delivery. �Jordan, maybe you should go home and get some rest,� she suggested.

�I would go stark raving mad there all by myself. Kay went to New York with Evan on his business trip and I�m kind of lonely around there.�

�I really wish that they hadn�t left you alone when you�re so far along in your pregnancy.�

�Sheridan, it�s not like I�m completely alone. Noah is there at night, and besides, I�m not due for another three weeks. Evan and Kay have been kind enough to offer their home to us and they shouldn�t be obligated to stay by my side every minute�

�I realize that, but it doesn�t stop me from worrying about you.�

�I could say the same about you,� Jordan said, giving her a knowing look.

�What do you mean?� Sheridan asked while busing herself with some envelopes.

�I can see how you stare off into space like you have something troubling on your mind. You just don�t seem to be yourself today. Do you want to tell me what�s going on?�

�I wish that I could Jordan, but I�m just not at liberty to say anything right now. I hope you understand?� Sheridan asked, wishing she could confide in her niece. �it�s not that I don�t trust you����

�I know that, and I also know that you�ll tell me when you can,� Jordan said, confidently when a sharp pain made her grab her belly.

�Jordan, what�s the matter?� Sheridan asked fearfully. �Are you in labor?�

�No, it�s just a little Braxton Hicks contraction. It�s already passing,� Jordan assured her.

�Do you promise, because I can drive you over to the hospital just to be safe?�

�Why, so they can just send me home again? I just don�t see any reason to alarm Noah when it isn�t necessary.�

�Okay, I�ll back off, but just remember that this is not the time for stubborn pride. Your little baby is depending on you.�

�I know that Sheridan,� Jordan said, rubbing her tummy. �There is nothing more important to me than my little baby.�

�Mama, I have to go to the potty, and I be too scared to go by myself,� Lily said, catching them by surprise.

�Okay, sweetie I�ll take you back there, but there really isn�t any reason to be scared to go to the bathroom.�

�But when Lukie went back there he was lost for a long, long time,� Lily said, explaining her fear.

�Oh Lily, that was because he left the building, but mommy knows you won�t do that.�

�Why don�t you let me take her Sheridan,� Jordan offered. �I need to get up and walk around. My back gets so stiff these days when I sit for a long time.�

�I remember that well,� Sheridan laughed. �Try carrying two of them around at the same time.�

�I think I have quite enough with just the one baby right now,� Jordan said, taking Lily�s hand. �Come on cutie; let�s go take you to the potty.�

While Jordan was helping Lily wash her hands, she was suddenly hit with another pain that sucked the very breath from her. She couldn�t help but groan out loud because the pain was so intense. This was so different from the last contraction and she knew that something was wrong. �Lily, could you go and get your mother sweetie?� Just as the words left her mouth, another pain racked her body, and she groaned again.

�Jordee, why are you so hurt?� Lily asked, her little face blanketed in concern.

�I think that the baby might want to be born,� Jordan explained, not wanting to frighten the little girl. �Just go and get your mommy so she can help me.�

�I�ll get mama now,� Lily said, running off to the front. �Mama, mama, you have to come now. Jordee be so hurt���

�Lily, calm down and tell mommy what�s wrong. I can hardly understand you,� Sheridan said.

�Jordee told me to get my mommy cause she be so hurt,� Lily said, starting to cry.

�Lily, please don�t cry. Mommy is going now to check on Jordan. Paloma will you keep your eye on the children?�

�Yes, of course,� she agreed. �You just go.�

By the time that Sheridan got to the back, Jordan was sitting on the floor leaving against the wall in pain. �Sheridan, something is wrong,� Jordan said in a panicked voice.

Sheridan could see that Jordan was as white as a ghost and there was perspiration beading her forehead. �Are you in labor?� Sheridan asked, squatting down beside her niece.

�It might be, but there is something else wrong. I feel so dizzy and faint.�

Sheridan knew that this was not normal labor, and that she needed to get Jordan to the hospital as soon as possible. �You just sit right here and I�ll call 911,� she said, trying to comfort her niece. It was then that Jordan fell unconscious, her head rolling to the side. �Jordan, can you hear me?� There was no response, so Sheridan rushed to the front and called the emergency number.

�Sheridan, what�s going on?� Paloma asked in a low voice.

�Something is very wrong with Jordan. She�s unconscious and I�m scared to death that this is more than just labor. I want you to take the children to your mother�s. Can you do that for me?�

�Yes, of course,� Paloma agreed.

�Thank you. I think it would too upsetting for them to see Jordan being carried out of here on a stretcher. Luke and Lily, I want you to go with Aunt Paloma. She�s going to take you and Sofie to abuela�s house.�

�But why mama?� Luke asked, confused.

�Because abuella wants you to see her new house,� Sheridan told him.

�Mama, is Jordee still pained?� Lily asked, sadly.

�Well yes sweetie, but mommy is going to take her to the hospital and the doctors will make everything okay again.�

After they left, Sheridan found a blanket that the children used to cover up with when they took a nap and rushed back to Jordan. She was still lying in the same spot unconscious. She covered her up, and waited for the EMT�s to get there. She also prayed that they would get her to the hospital in time to save her life and that of her baby.

********************

Beth drove up the long driveway to the new Lopez-Fitzgerald home. It was hard to imagine that the family she had grown up knowing would ever live in a place this grand. She wasn�t looking forward to this, but there was no way that she was going to lose out on the rest of the money that she had coming to her. Pilar looked surprised when she answered the door.

�Beth, this is a surprise. What can I do for you this morning?� Pilar asked, still looking confused by Beth�s visit.

�I�m sorry for just dropping by without calling, but I thought that you might have changed your number when you moved.�

�Actually Beth, our number is the same. I do not mean to be rude, but I have to admit that I am very surprised about your visit. Please come in,� she invited.

�I�m sure you are,� Beth said, looking around the huge entryway. There were still some boxes sitting around but they didn�t detract from the beauty of the place. She would have been a part of this life had it not been for Sheridan she thought with resentment. It was vital that she got Pilar on her side. She made the decision that she was going to have to play the sympathy card in order to win Pilar over, so she turned on the tears. �I�ve just discovered some shocking news that has really knocked me for a loop and I need somebody to lean on.�

�Oh no Beth, it�s not your mother is it?� Pilar asked. �I know that she has been sickly for many years, but the last I heard she was doing well since you put her in the retirement home.�

�Actually, my mother is doing fine�� She�s lost touch with reality, but her health is good. .�

�Then what could it be that is upsetting you so much?� Pilar asked, really confused now.

�Oh God, I don�t even know where to begin, so I�ll just blurt it out,� she said, wiping her tears away for maximum effect. �Fourteen years ago when Luis broke up with me, I found out that I was pregnant. I knew that Luis had family obligations so I decided not to tell him. I went away to my aunt�s to keep from anyone from finding out that I was pregnant.�

�Beth, why did you not tell us about this?� Pilar asked, horrified. �You must know that regardless of our family situation we would have helped you. Luis would have taken responsibility for his child.�

�I didn�t realize that at the time. I was distraught from the breakup and I didn�t want to put anymore stress on Luis or your family. I thought it would just be better for everyone if I just left town and never told anyone about the baby.�

�Dear God, where is the baby now Beth?� Pilar asked, clearly distressed.

�I had put my baby up for adoption, but I discovered recently that my child is right here in Harmony. It�s Dario Pilar���..�

�Mi Dios. C�mo puede ser esto?� Pilar gasped, putting her hands to her head.

�I�m sorry Pilar, but I don�t understand Spanish��.�

�I said how can this be? Dario was born in Paris.�

�That�s because my aunt paid for me to go to Paris and that is where I delivered my baby. I can remember holding him for a short while before they took him away and I remember his birthmark. When I heard that Dario had a birthmark I started to put the pieces together,� she lied smoothly, putting just the right amount of distress in her voice.

�This is all so overwhelming,� Pilar said. �Have you told Luis about this?�

�Yes, when I told him that Dario was our biological child, he acted as if he didn�t want any part of it,� Beth sniffled.

�I cannot believe that. Luis would never turn his back on his son,� Pilar argued.

�Maybe not a son that he had with Sheridan, but Dario is my son so he is not that important to Luis. I need you to help me get through to him Pilar.�

Neither woman saw the boy standing behind them. Dario had heard the last few sentences of their exchange. Stunned by the revelation of who his parents were, and hurt that they never wanted him was too much to bear. He took off running out of the house with anyone knowing that he had even been there.

Martin came through the front door just then and walked into the living room. He looked surprised to see Beth sitting there, and after a cursory greeting, he turned his attention to Pilar. �I just saw Dario riding his bicycle down the driveway like a bat out of hell. What�s going on?�

�Oh dear God, he must have overheard our conversation,� Pilar said, worriedly.

�I think that you should tell me what is going on,� Martin requested.

********************

Ivy was on her way to a dress fitting when she happened to be passing Lighthouse Park, and saw Dario sitting on one of the picnic tables with his head down in his hands. He looked so upset and her maternal instinct kicked in. She demanded that the driver stop the car, and she got out of the limo and went toward the distraught boy. �Dario, are you all right?� she asked in a gentle voice.

He looked up with his watery blue eyes. �Senorita Crane?� he asked.

�Yes, it�s Mrs. Crane. We met at your parent�s restaurant that night,� she said, taking a seat beside him. �I know that you don�t know me very well, but when I drove by and saw how upset you were I just had to stop to see if you were okay.�

�I heard some news that upset me,� he said, putting his head back down.

�You know that even though you don�t know me very well, I was a good friend of your adoptive mother for many years and Sheridan is my sister-in-law. Sometimes it helps to get a clearer picture when you talk with someone that isn�t close to the situation.�

�For so long I have wanted to know who my real mother and father are, but now I wish that I had never wanted that,� Dario said, with such sadness in his eyes that it broke Ivy�s heart.

�Are you saying that you know who your parents are now?� Ivy questioned him.

�Yes, that lady from the caf� came to see mama, I mean Senora Pilar and she said she was my mother, but that is not why I am so upset. She said that the man that is my father, a man that I had nothing but respect for never wanted me.�

Ivy couldn�t remember a time when she felt so guilty. Her actions had caused this pain for her son, and she wished that she could take everything back. Now that he was sitting there by her side the reality of what she had done hit her hard. She wanted to take him in her arms and tell him that it wasn�t true and that she was his mother, but she was too much the coward. When she looked into his handsome face, it so reminder her of his father. The man that she had suddenly realized she was in love with. �Dario, I know that you are upset right now, but maybe you don�t know the whole story. I think that you should give your father a chance.�

�Right now I do not know what to believe about him. I trusted him and now I found out that he turned his back on me. How can I ever face him again?�

�Dario, Luis is a good man and I�m sure that he will explain everything to you,� Ivy assured him.

�How did you know my father was Luis?� Dario asked, puzzled. �I do not think that I ever told you his name.�

�Well, you didn�t, but I just assumed it was him because he and Beth were high school sweethearts. I�m sorry if I jumped to conclusions��..�

�Please do not apologize Senora Crane. You have been so kind to me today,� Dario said with such sincerity.

�Listen Dario,� Ivy said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. �Why don�t you let me take you home. You can talk to Pilar and I�m sure that she will explain everything.�

�I appreciate your offer Senora Crane, but I think that I would like to sit here and think for a while.�

Right then Ivy�s cell phone rang. �Excuse me,� she said, answering the phone. It was Sheridan telling her that she needed to get to the hospital. Jordan was there listed in critical condition. �Dario, I must go. My daughter Jordan has been rushed to the hospital.�

�I am so sorry Senora Crane. I hope that Jordan will be okay. She is such a nice person.�

�Yes, Dario, she is,� Ivy said, worriedly. �But I am still concerned for you. Are you sure that I can�t give you a ride on the way to the hospital?�

�I have my bicycle,� Dario said, finally smiling. �Your phone call just reminded me that I have a lot to be thankful for.�

********************

As Martin searched for Dario, Pilar paid a visit to her second born son. There was no question that she was extremely upset, and the first thought he had was that one of the children were hurt. �Mama, are the twins okay? Sofie?�

�Yes Luis, your three youngest children are fine, but I can�t say the same for Dario.�

�Oh no, Beth told you��.. I was planning on coming over tonight to talk to you and papa,� Luis explained.

�Well now it does not matter. Dario overhead Beth telling me that you do not want any part of him and he has run away.�

Luis� body stiffened with anger. �Damn her,� he spat. �Is somebody looking for Dario?�

�Yes, you papa is out there now combing the streets. I am going there now, but I think that you should be there when we find him so that you can explain that this is all a terrible mistake,� Pilar demanded. �I just pray that we do find him.�

�We�ll find him mama, and I promise you that Beth is wrong and I�m going to make Dario knows that.�

Chapter 25

Had Beth been present, Luis knew he would have strangled her. How dare she go to his mother when he distinctly asked her not to? "I'm so sorry mama; I never wanted you to find out this way. I asked Beth not to say anything until I could work this out," Luis explained.

"Mijo, I know that this does not sound like you but did you tell Beth that Dario was not as important to you because Sheridan was not his mother?"

"No mama, I would never say that because I don't think that way. I was shocked when she just showed up and announced this to me. The ramifications of this affect so many people, especially Dario. I told Beth that since she gave Dario up for adoption that she had no legal right to interfere in his life. God, are you sure that Dario heard everything?"

"I do not know how much he heard, but according to your father he was speeding down the driveway and looked very upset. I can not bear to think of him out there feeling the way he does," Pilar fretted.

"Me either mama," Luis said, embracing his mother. "I'm going to go out and join the search and then I will have a long talk with Dario. I'm sure that I can make him understand that I was only thinking of him and that I do love him."

"This should not surprise me," Pilar said. "I have always felt that Dario had a blood link to our family and now we know for sure. I am just so sorry that you missed out on all those years of your son's life."

"Well, that remains to be seen," Luis said, skeptically.

"Are you saying that you do not believe Beth?" Pilar asked, surprised.

"Let's just say that I am not going to be completely convinced until I have the proof of a DNA test. Besides mama, you and papa are his legal parents and your wishes need to be considered as well. Dario has finally found a home and he is so happy and I hate to think that now his whole world is shattered."

"We love him very much, but mijo, the birthmark....... Dario has to be your
son," Pilar said, adamantly.

"I'm not saying that he isn't mama, but I owe it to Dario and to my family to be sure about this. I don't want to find out years from now that it was all a big mistake and that Dario is really not our son. That would just make all this worse for him."

"You do have a point mijo, but I still feel that Dario is related to us in some way," Pilar said. Her cell phone rang, just as they were leaving and it was Martin announcing that he had found Dario and they were at home now. "Thank God, your papa found Dario. They are at the house now."

"I need to go and talk to him now," Luis said, telling Whitney that he had to leave for some personal business.

When they pulled up to the house, Luis was surprised to see Sheridan's Land Rover in the driveway. "What is Sheridan doing here? Did you call her about Dario?"

"No mijo, she was not here earlier. Perhaps she just happened to drop by," Pilar suggested.

"That's odd because she was supposed to be working at campaign headquarters
today," Luis said, perplexed.

As they entered the front door they found the twins in stocking feet sliding on the black and white marble floor. They were giggling with pleasure as they tried to maintain their balance on the slippery floor. "Hey munchkins, you better be careful," Luis warned from the doorway.

"Daddy!" they both shouted, sliding toward him. "We be having so much fun."

"I can see that, but it looks kind of dangerous. I'm surprised that mommy is letting you do that. Where is she anyway?"

"Mama didn't come," Luke informed him.

"What do you mean mommy didn't come? Her car is out there," Luis said.

"Poma drive us here daddy. She be putting Soapie down for a nap right now," Luke responded.

"But, where is mommy?" Luis asked, his voice filled with frustration. As angry as he was with Beth, he was in no mood to solve mysteries right now.

"She had to go to the ospital. Jordee was pained so bad,� Lily said, clearly upset.

�Oh no, I hope it�s not the baby,� Pilar worried.

�Come here Peanut,� Luis said, motioning for her. He could tell that whatever happened to Jordan had really upset his little girl. �I�m sure that everything is gong to be okay. Mommy probably just wanted to take Jordan to the hospital to get checked over by the doctor.�

Just then Paloma descended the beautiful carved staircase. �Luis, what are you doing here? I was just getting ready to call you at the office, but I guess Sheridan must have already called you about Jordan.�

�No, she didn�t,� Luis told her. �I came here to see Dario.�

�I was just going to ask you about Dario. What is going on with him?� Paloma asked. �Papa brought him home and they were both so serious. They are both up in his room now.�

�It�s kind of complicated sis,� Luis told her, not wanting to get into it now. �Tell me about Jordan.�

Pilar was wise enough to get the twins out of there. �Come Luke and Lily and abuela will get you some of those cookies you love so much,� Pilar said, leading them away.

�Oh Luis, it was just terrible. Jordan took Lily back to the bathroom, and the next thing we know, Lily comes running to the front and tells Sheridan to come because Jordan was in pain. Sheridan came back and called 911 and told me to get the squirts out of there as soon as possible.�

�Maybe she was just in labor,� Luis guessed.

�I think it was more than that Luis. Sheridan did manage to tell me that Jordan had lost coconsciousness. Now, I�m certainly no expert on child birth but that is not normal.�

�Jordan has been through so much and now she has to deal with this. I just hope that she and the baby are going to be okay,� Luis said with a worried frown.

�Yeah, hopefully Sheridan will call soon and let us know what is going on,� Paloma said.

Before Luis went upstairs, he stopped and hugged his sister �Thanks for helping with the kids. It�s nice to know that we can always count on you.� He was a little shaky when he knocked on Dario�s door. Even now that the moment was here, he still hadn�t figured out what he was going to say. He had always believed that honesty was the best policy, so he decided that approach was the best way to go in this situation too.

His father answered the door. �Luis, I�m glad that you�re here,� Martin said loudly enough for Dario to hear, but then he whispered. �I think I have him calmed down.�

�Thanks papa,� Luis said, gratefully. �This is the second time you came to the rescue in the last twenty-four hours.�

�I have a lot of years to make up for, but I�m sure that you can identify with that now,� Martin said, knowingly.

�Yeah papa, but that was from no fault of ours,� Luis said with an edge of bitterness to his voice.

�We can�t change that son. What�s important now is to make the best of the time we have now,� Martin said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. �You�ll do fine.�

�How can you be so sure about that papa?�

�Because I know that you�re a good man, and I couldn�t be more proud of you. Now go in there. He�s waiting for you.�

Luis found Dario sitting on the edge of his bed, a leather mitt on one hand and a baseball in the other. He was tossing the ball up in the air, catching it in a firm grip. �I can see that you have a natural talent for sports. You handle that ball with confidence.�

�I am really not so good,� Dario said, his head bent downward.

�That�s not what I saw when we went to your game at the Memorial Day picnic in the park. You scored a homerun Dario. That takes talent.�

�Maybe it was just a lucky day for me,�

Luis could see that his attempt to break the ice was not working. He took the chair from desk and straddled it. �Would you please look at me Dario?� Luis asked with a bit of pleading in his voice. When the boy finally looked up and Luis saw the sadness in his eyes it broke his heart. �I don�t know what you heard Beth say, but you need to give me the chance to hear my side of the story.�

�I heard her say that she was my mother and that you were my father, but you did not want me because I was not your son with Sheridan��..�

�Dario, that is simply not true,� Luis said with gentle conviction. He knew that he had to be careful to not to disparage Beth in any way. If she truly was Dario�s mother he deserved to form his own opinions about her. �I had no idea about you being my son until last night when Beth came to see me. As you can imagine, I was totally shocked, but never once did I feel regret about the possibility that you were my son.�

�Then why did she tell mama��. I mean Senora Pilar that you did not want to be my father?� Dario asked wearily.

�First of all Dario, no matter what mama is your mother in every sense of the word. She may not have given birth to you, but she couldn�t love you any more than if she had. Now, about what Beth said. You need to understand that she can be a bit emotional sometimes and she is the one that came to that conclusion when I questioned her. She wanted to come over here right then to tell you, but I objected.�

�Why?� Dario asked, puzzled.

�Because, I was trying to protect you. I wanted to make sure that I had definitive proof before we upset your life. Your welfare is what is most important to me.�

�Do you think that Beth is lying about being my mother?� Dario asked.

Luis hated to stretch the truth, but he couldn�t let Dario think badly of Beth. At least not yet until he knew the truth. �Well, I wouldn�t exactly say that she was lying,� Luis answered carefully. �But, I do think that Beth really believes that you are the child that she gave up for adoption. If it turned out that Beth and I are really not your biological parents don�t you see how bad that would be to live in a lie?�

�Yes, I see what you are saying, but how do we find out the truth?� Dario asked, curiously.

�With something called a DNA test. The doctor will take samples of our blood and they will be able to tell from the cells if we are truly your parents,� Luis explained.

�Yes, I have heard of that,� Dario said, excitedly. �I was watching a show about it one time, and they even use that to catch criminals.�

�Yes they do,� Luis agreed. �It really has been an amazing discovery that has changed a lot of people�s lives because of it.�

�So, when can we do this test?� Dario asked.

�As far as I�m concerned as soon as possible. It�s never a good thing to live with uncertainty, but Dario there is something that I think is important for you to understand.�

�What is that?�

�No matter what the DNA test reveals, it will not change the way that I already feel about you. When I first met you in Spain, I couldn�t help but admire you, and when I got to really know you I couldn�t help but love you too. The rest of the family feels the same way about you, and I don�t want you to ever forget that. I am just so proud of you,� Luis said with emotion. Even he was surprised by the tears that formed in his eyes.

�I love you too Luis. You and Sheridan saved me from that lonely place and I will never forget that. I would be proud to have you for a father, but I am just as proud to have you as my brother.�

They stood and embraced each other then. �So, are we okay now?� Luis asked.

�We are great,� Dario said with a huge smile that warmed Luis� heart.

********************

As Sheridan sat in the waiting room, she thought back to the trip here in the ambulance. The whole way, she had prayed so hard that they would get here in time. Jordan still had not regained consciousness and in fact seemed to be getting worse. It wasn�t until they took her out of the ambulance that she noticed the pool of blood staining the side of the stretcher. The EMT saw it too and the look on her face spoke volumes. She was ready to go off on the poor woman when Noah came running out through the emergency room doors. The man she saw was not displaying the clinical composure of a doctor, but a frantic husband and father-to-be. Noah had asked her what happened and she explained how Lily had come after her to help Jordan. He was in with his wife now behind the green curtain and Jordan�s doctor, and there was still no word on Jordan�s condition. She didn�t know what else to do but call Sam and Grace and then Ivy. They all arrived at the same time.

�Sheridan, what is going on? That nurse out there wouldn�t tell me a thing,� Ivy complained.

�I don�t know anything yet Ivy. They are still trying to assess her condition. Noah is in there now with her doctor,� Sheridan explained.

�How did this happened?� Sam asked.

�I was just so sudden. We were at campaign headquarters and Jordan had a contraction. I asked her if she was okay and she told me that it was just Braxton Hicks. She took Lily to the bathroom and apparently she started to have sharp pains because she told Lily to come and get me. By the time I got back there she was on the floor. She said she was so dizzy and then she passed out.�

�Oh God, this does not sound good,� Grace worried. �Noah must be devastated.�

�Sam, you�re the Chief of Police. You have to do something,� Ivy demanded.

�Ivy, I can�t make medical tests go any quicker. I�m sure they will tell us something as soon as they know,� Sam reasoned.

�That�s easy for you to say. It isn�t your daughter that is in danger,� Ivy retorted.

�Ivy, I know that you�re upset, but this is not going to help the situation,� Sheridan said, almost regretting that she had called her sister-in-law.

Thankfully, the doctor came in then. �Are you the family of Jordan Bennett?� the doctor asked.

�Yes, I�m her mother, and this is my son�s parents,� Ivy said, answering for everyone. �Please tell us about Jordan.�

�I�m afraid that the news is not good. Jordan has a serious condition called Placenta Abruptia���.�

�What is that?� Ivy asked, worriedly.

�This happens when the placenta suddenly separates from the wall of the uterus. Jordan�s started to hemorrhage and her blood pressure is very high right now. Also the baby has an abnormal heart rate. We are going to take her in for a cesarean right away.�

�But couldn�t that be a danger to the baby?� Grace asked. �It�s not due for another three weeks.�

�Under normal conditions, yes we would never take the baby this early since this is the time when their lungs develop, but I think the baby is far enough along. Besides, we really don�t have a choice. If we don�t deliver the baby soon we could lose both of them. I�m sorry but I really need to go, Time is of the essence,� Dr. Michael�s said, leaving the room hurriedly.

�Oh no,� Grace said, going into Sam�s arms.

Sheridan approached Ivy to offer her some comfort since she looked so alone standing there. �It�s going to be okay Ivy. We will just have to pray for both Jordan and the baby.�

�I don�t see how you can be so nice to me,� Ivy said, shaking her off.

Sheridan was shocked by Ivy�s words. �What are you talking about Ivy?�

�Nothing, I�m just so worried about Jordan that I don�t know what I�m saying.�

Noah joined them right then. It was obvious that Grace was right. Noah was devastated. �I understand that doctor was in to see you.�

�Yes son,� Sam said, hugging him. �Everything is going to be fine.�

�I�m so sorry Noah,� Grace said, kissing his cheek.

�Well, I better get in there,� Noah said, turning to leave.

�Wait Noah,� Ivy said, going after him. �Will you tell Jordan that I�m here pulling for her?�

Noah didn�t bother to remind Ivy that Jordan was not conscience. �Yes Ivy I�ll tell her.�

�Poor Noah,� Sheridan said, sadly. �I�m going to go call and check on the children. Ivy, do you want me to call Ethan?�

�Yes, thank you,� Ivy agreed.

Sheridan was glad for the chance to escape before the tears flowed. How could something so terrible happen to Jordan? It was just so unfair and she was the last person that deserved this. She leaned against the wall and just cried for her niece.

�Sheridan, what�s wrong?� a familiar, comforting voice asked.

�Oh Luis, thank God you�re here,� she said, coming into his arms. �You always know when I need you the most.�

�Jordan�s alive isn�t she?� Luis asked, holding her close.

�Yes, but she has a serious condition and we could lose her and the baby.�

�Listen to me sweetie. You know how I always have the best luck with my gut feelings?� When she shook her head yes, he continued. �Well, I have a very strong one right now and I think that Jordan is going to be fine, and so is the baby.�

�I pray that you�re right Luis,� she said, her voice filled with sadness.

Chapter 26

Even though Sheridan was scared for Jordan and her baby, Luis� warm embrace and comforting words had a way of making her feel better. He led her over to a bench by the nurses� station so that they could sit down. �Do you want me to get you some water?�

�No, thank you,� Sheridan declined. �I�ve already had two cups of coffee and I�m ready to float away.�

�What about Sam and Grace and Ivy? Do you need for me to call them?� he offered.

�They�re already here in the waiting room. I called them as soon as we got to the hospital��.. Oh wait, I promised Ivy that I would call Ethan.�

�Sit right here and don�t move. I�ll go and find a spot where I can use my cell phone to call Ethan,� Luis told her. It seemed like a matter of minutes before he was back again. �Ethan is on his way.�

�Oh God, I just don�t know where my head is. I was also going to call to check on the children. They�re probably so confused about everything that is going on,� Sheridan fretted.

�Don�t worry about the kids. I just saw them and they were happily stuffing themselves on mama�s cookies,� Luis assured her.

�What were you doing at your mother�s house?� Sheridan asked, confused.

The last thing Luis wanted to do was to upset Sheridan more than she already was, so he decided not to tell her about Dario just yet. When Beth was involved, his wife had a tendency to loose her cool. �Actually, it was one of those spur of the moment things. I�ll tell you all about it later.�

Sheridan flashed him a strange look, but didn�t press him about his reasons for going to his parent�s house. �So are Luke and Lily really okay? They were so upset about Jordan, especially Lily.�

�Luke was fine and Peanut did seem to be a little upset when she told me what happened, but when I left she was playing Candyland with her brother and Paloma. Sofie was taking a nap.�

�Thank God for your sister,� Sheridan sighed.

�So, tell me more about Jordan�s condition. Is it really that serious?�

�It�s pretty bad Luis. She has something called Placenta Abruptia. Apparently the placenta suddenly separates from the wall of the uterus. When we were in the ambulance she started to bleed and the doctor said her blood pressure was sky high. And now that poor little baby is having problems with its heartbeat. We could lose them both,� Sheridan cried.

�Hey,� Luis said, pulling her close. �Remember what I said about my gut feeling. I don�t say that unless I�m sure,� he said, trying to reassure her.

�I know,� she said, granting him a small smile. �I am so glad that you�re here.�

�Come on,� he said, taking her hand. �Let�s go join the others.�

********************

Another wonderful feature of the Lopez-Fitzgerald�s new house was the swimming pool in the back yard. The minute the twins spotted it they begged to go �fwimming� and nobody could resist them. Paloma drove out to Luis and Sheridan�s to gather their bathing suits and some clothing for overnight in case their parents decided to stay at the hospital. Luke and Lily were like two little tadpoles in the pool thanks to their swimming lessons. They were having the best time with Paloma and Miguel playing in the water, while Martin cooked hamburgers on the grill and Pilar prepared all the side dishes for a family cookout. Much to Pilar�s delight, even Dario came down and joined the fun and his charming smile warmed her heart.

When Sofie awakened from her nap even carried her into the pool. The little girl was giggling and hitting the water with her hands, when a worried Pilar called out to her daughter. �Mija, please be careful with the baby.�

�Don�t worry mama, I have a firm grip on her and she is having so much fun.�

�I can see that, but I would feel much better if you would sit on the steps with her. I have these terrible visions of you slipping with the baby in your arms.�

�Okay mama,� Paloma conceded.

�You can finish up in the kitchen Pilar. I�ll keep my eye on the children,� Martin assured her.

�Thank you,� she said, giving her husband a kiss on the cheek. The phone was ringing when she walked into the house. It was Sheridan. �Is there any news on Jordan and the baby?� she asked, anxiously.

�I�m afraid not, but we expect to hear something soon,� Sheridan told her. �I just wanted to call and check on the children.�

�They are doing fine. I hope you do not mind, but Paloma went out to your house to get the children their bathing suites and some clothing to spend the night. I did not know how long you would be at the hospital.�

�Of course I don�t mind. You are all lifesavers,� Sheridan said, relieved. �Would it be okay if they spent the night with you?�

�You should know better than to ask that. They bring us such joy and they are having so much fun. Paloma, Miguel and Dario are playing with the children in the pool right now and then we are going to have a family cookout.�

Sheridan wished she could escape and join them it was such a contrast to the atmosphere where she was, but she couldn�t go anywhere until she knew if Jordan was okay. �That sounds wonderful Pilar. How is my baby girl?�

�Sofia had her nap and now she�s sitting in Paloma�s lap on the steps to the pool splashing around and laughing.�

�She loves the water like her brother and sister. Do you think that Luke and Lily would drag themselves out of the pool to talk to me for a minute?�

�I am sure that they would. Let me go and get them,� Pilar said.

Five minutes later she heard Lily�s sweet voice on the phone. �Mama, are you still at the osptial?�

�Yes sweetie and daddy is here with me.�

�Is Jordee still pained?� the little girl asked anxiously.

�No, she�s not in pain, but the doctor�s are with her now and we�re waiting for them to tell us how she is.�

�I be sad about Jordee mama.�

Her little girl was a spitfire, but there was also a sensitive side to her that was heartwarming. She hadn�t realized until now just how much all of this had affected Lily. �I know sweetie, but maybe if we all say some special prayers if will make your sadness go away.�

�Kay mama. Maybe buela can help me say prayers?�

�Yes, abuela is the perfect person to help you with your prayers since you are going to spend the night there tonight.�

�That�s good mama, cause buela�s new house is fun,� Lily said, excitedly.

�I heard that you were having fun, but mommy has to go soon so why don�t you put Lukie on the phone�

"Kay mama, I'll get Lukie."

"Wait Lily," Sheridan stopped her. "I just want you to know how much I love you."

"I love you too mama," the little girl told her sweetly, and then she yelled right into the phone. "Lukie, mama wants to talk to you."

Some time passed before Luke got on the phone. "I has to hurry mama cause I be fwimming right now."

"I know," Sheridan smiled. "I just wanted to check in with you."

"Are you and daddy coming now to fwim with us?" Luke asked.

"No sweetie, we are going to be at the hospital for a while, so you and your sisters are going to spend the night at abuela's house."

"Goodie," Luke said, happily. "Can I go fwimming tomorrow too mama?"

"I don't know for sure yet, but we'll see how tomorrow goes," Sheridan told him.

"Well mama, I has to go now cause I be missing all the fun......."

"Okay sweetie, mommy loves you, and put abuela on the phone again."

"I love you too mama........"

"Yes Sheridan," Pilar said through the receiver.

"I'm hanging up now Pilar, but I just wanted to thank you again. I'll give you a call as soon as we know something about Jordan."

"Yes, please do, and do not worry about the children. They will be fine."

"Thanks again Pilar," Sheridan said, hanging up the phone.

"So, how are the munchkins?" Luis asked, handing her a cup of coffee.

"They are having the time of their lives swimming in the pool. Poor Lily is still worried about Jordan."

"Peanut can be a sensitive little thing when she wants to be. I'm sure she'll be okay though Sheridan. She's bounced back from some pretty traumatic stuff before."

"You know it wouldn't be normal if I didn't worry about my babies," Sheridan
said, sighing. "Oh look, here comes the doctor."

Everyone hopped out of their seats and gathered around Dr. Waterson. She was still wearing her scrubs and looked exhausted. "We were able to deliver a beautiful baby boy. He's small, but he's a little fighter and we're going to keep him closely monitored to make sure his vitals remain stable."

�Oh Sam, we have a grandson,� Grace said, teary eyed.

"Is the baby going to be okay?" Ivy asked.

"Well Mrs. Crane, we can not always guarantee these things, but I feel very
confident that he will be just fine. However, Jordan had a pretty bad time
of it and we almost lost her during the surgery."

"Oh God," Ivy said, swaying on her feet. "Is she........?"

"We were able to stabilize her and Jordan made it through the surgery, but she's still in a coma."

"She'll come out of it won't she doctor?" Ethan asked.

"I wish I could give you a definitive answer to that, but there is just no way to know about these things. Her body went through a lot of trauma in the last eight hours, so it could be that this is the way she needs to heal."

"So, you're saying that Jordan could be in a coma for a long time?" Sam asked.

"Again, there is just no way of predicting these things. I'm so sorry," the doctor said, wearily.

"Noah must be devastated," Grace worried. "His emotions must be all over the place. First he has this beautiful little boy and then to find out that Jordan is in a coma."

"He is very upset," the doctor confirmed. "He should be out here in a little while to talk with all of you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check on a patient."

�Wait doctor,� Ivy called out to her. �Can I see my daughter?�

�She�s still in recovery. It should be about thirty minutes before they get her to a room and you can see her then. But only one person at a time and keep the visits short.�

After the doctor left, everyone started talking at once. Sheridan needed some time to absorb all of this and went to sit back down. Luis followed her, and put a comforting arm on her shoulder. "I just can't believe this Luis. Maybe if I would have insisted that she go to the doctor earlier this wouldn't have happened."

"Sheridan, I am not going to let you take the blame for this. You did everything that you could........"

"I know, but still......"

"You can't keep taking the whole world's problems on your back and you are letting that conditioning from Alistair control you again. Jordan is an adult and if she felt at the time that she needed to see a doctor she would have done so. It was just a bad situation that nobody could have predicted."

"I guess it's an old habit that's hard to break, but I'll try to work on it," she assured him. �This is just so sad though Luis. Jordan had this beautiful little boy and now she may never even know him.�

�I refuse to believe that Sheridan. Jordan has to know about her little boy and she�s going to fight to come back for him,� Luis said with confidence.

�Oh, there�s Noah,� Sheridan said, standing up. He looked as if he had been through the ringer, but what especially stood out was the sadness in his eyes.

�Come here son,� Grace said, hugging him. �We�re all praying for Jordan, and I just know that she�s going to come out of this to be with your sweet baby.�

�She�s just so still mom. I�m trying to be happy about the baby, but then I think about Jordan laying there. I thought I was going to lose her in the operating room,� he said, his eyes filled with tears.

�Look son, I know this is tough for you, but you have to try and be strong for that little baby. You know that Jordan would want that don�t you?� Sam said, hoping to restore his son�s fighting spirit.

�We already picked a name if he was a boy,� Noah told them, his eyes lighting up a little. �Christopher Crane Bennett.�

�That�s a wonderful name, but I can�t believe that you agreed to a middle name of Crane,� Ivy said, surprised.

�Actually, it was my idea,� Noah told them. �He�s a part of Jordan too and I thought it would be nice for her.�

�Well, I think that�s a wonderful gesture,� Sheridan told him. �The doctor said that we could take turns visiting Jordan, but do you think they would let us see the baby?�

�Yes, we would love to see the baby,� Grace said.

�Well, you can�t hold him yet but you should be able to see him through the window of the nursery. He really is amazing,� Noah said, proudly. �I just wish that Jordan could be with him.�

�We all just have to pray that she�ll wake up soon,� Grace told him.

�Look, when you all go to visit Jordan you need to talk to her. The experts are certain that coma patients can hear what we�re saying, so please just be positive,� Noah pleaded.

A nurse arrived to tell them that Jordan was settled in her room. Ivy went first, and as Sheridan watched her leave she couldn�t help but dread her visit with Jordan. It was going to break her heart to see her niece that way. Luis must have sensed her turmoil because he grabbed her hand and it gave her a renewed sense of strength. �You are my rock, do you know that?�

�Hey, it�s all about love,� he whispered in her ear, making her shiver from his hot breath.

********************

Antonio knew that the moment of truth had come. As he drove up to his parent�s new home, he felt a sliver of resentment come over him. He knew that it was unfounded, but the grand house in front of him was only a reminder that his family had done just fine without him. It was just enough to give him the resolve he needed to tell them the news about his new business venture. He really didn�t have another choice since the grand opening was just two weeks away, and as much as he claimed it wasn�t so, he wanted his family�s approval. As he parked his car and walked to the front door it seemed almost surreal that this was actually his family�s home. His mother answered the door, and she broke out into the biggest smile when she saw that it was him.

�Mijo, this is a pleasant surprise, but you do not have to ring the doorbell. This is your home too.�

�Sorry mama, but it still seems a little strange to me to think about you living here.�

�I am still trying to adjust myself. We lived in the house on Railroad Street for so long I thought that I would die in that place.�

�Well mama, if anyone deserves this it�s you,� Antonio said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

�Thank you mijo. You have come at just the right time. The children are staying with us tonight so we decided to have a cookout. You must join us.�

�So, if Luis and Sheridan�s kids are here where are they?�

�They are at the hospital. Jordan Bennett developed a serious condition with her pregnancy and they are taking the baby.�

�Is the whole family there?� Antonio asked, thinking silently of Ivy and what she must be going through.

�Yes, they are all there. Sheridan said she would call as soon as they heard something, but you must come out by the pool. Everyone is swimming and your father is cooking the hamburgers.�

�That sounds great mama, but I think I�ll get a beer if that�s all right?�

�Of course, there should be some in there. Come out and join us by the pool when you are finished.�

Antonio was greet warmly when he walked outside, except Luis� kids didn�t seem real thrilled to see him. Luis probably told them he was the big bad monster. He was thankful when his mother told the gang in the pool to go in and change into their clothes for dinner so he would have some private time to talk to his parents. His father ended up giving him the perfect lead in.

�So son, we don�t see enough of you around here. It�s good to see you,� Martin said.

�Sorry about that papa, but I�ve been really busy with this new business venture of mine,� he said, taking a drink of his beer.

�Are you ever going to tell us about what this business is?� Martin asked.

�Actually, that�s why I stopped by,� Antonio said, nervously peeling the label from his long neck bottle.

�So, what is this business mijo?�

�I�m the proud owner of the casino ship sitting in the harbor,� Antonio announced taking a deep breath after his words.

Martin looked at Pilar and backed to him again. �Are you telling me that you are the owner of that gambling boat that has the town in an uproar?� Martin asked, shock written on his face.

�Oh mijo, please tell us you are joking,� Pilar said, worriedly.

�I�m afraid not mama��..�

�Antonio, have you lost your mind?� Martin asked. �Why would you get involved in a business that could have criminal connotations?�

�Don�t be ridiculous papa. I have a very legitimate business, with a license issued by the gaming commission.�

�Where did you get the backing for this? It must have cost a fortune to outfit a ship that size.�

�If you�re implying that I got the money from the mob, you�re wrong papa. My backer is rich and very respectable.�

�Just because everything is legitimate now, doesn�t mean that the mob won�t try to get a piece of the action sooner or later. This is just the type of business they love to get a hold on. Once you get into bed with those people you can never get out.�

�Papa, would you give me a little credit. It�s not like I just fell off the turnip truck. I can handle these guys. Besides, I don�t think that�s going to be a problem.�

�Son, I�m begging you. Get out of this thing now while you still can,� Martin pleaded.

�I�m sorry papa, but I can�t. I have too much time and money invested in this to not see it through,� Antonio said, stubbornly.

�Dear God,� Pilar said, wringing her hands. �Your brother is campaigning against this very thing. You will put him in a very bad position.�

�Oh, now I see what this is all about. The mob is just an excuse for what the real issue is. You don�t want me to mess up your precious Luis� campaign,� Antonio said, bitterly.

�That is not what this is about. We�re frightened for your welfare. I want you to give up this madness,� Martin demanded. �Come and help me run the restaurant.�

�Sorry papa, but I don�t want or need your handouts,� Antonio said, slamming his bottle on the table. �Mama, I won�t be staying for dinner after all.�

�Antonio, please do not leave this way,� Pilar pleaded. �Stay, so we can discuss this.�

�I have to go,� he said, leaving through the back gate.

�Where is Antonio going?� Paloma asked, coming out onto the patio with the twins.

�Your brother had to leave,� Martin said, shaking his head sadly.

********************

Luis and Sheridan were in a great mood the next day when they went to pick up their children. They had received a call earlier that morning with news that Jordan had awakened from her coma. Sheridan was so relieved and excited that she had celebrated by seducing her husband much to his delight. It only improved their day when their precious children greeted them with sweet enthusiasm. Little did they know that Martin was going to deliver some news that would shock them speechless.

Chapter 27

Seeing Dario reminded Luis that he still hadn�t told Sheridan about what Beth did. He had every intention of discussing it with her this morning after they made love, but she had been so anxious to go and get the kids that she had asked if they could talk later. Just the thought of that conversation filled him with dread because he knew it would send Sheridan into a tailspin, and he hated to upset her. The previous twenty-four hours had been so emotional for her, that she deserved to have some peace of mind. Sheridan looked so happy with Sofie in her arms and the twins by her side telling her about their time at abuela�s new house.

He approached Dario hesitantly, hoping that things were still okay between them. When he smiled, Luis knew that everything was fine and he gave the boy a hug. Sheridan looked over just then and saw the exchange between Luis and Dario. She honestly didn�t know how to feel about the little bonding moment. Part of her was thrilled that for Dario�s sake because he couldn�t ask for a better father, but the other part of her resented the fact that Beth was his mother, and she felt terrible about that. It was time to do something about that. �Come Luke and Lily, let�s go and see daddy.�

Luis looked up when he saw his family walking toward him and graced them with a smile. �Here come the munchkins.�

�Yes, and the baby munchkin too,� Dario laughed. He still couldn�t believe that they might actually be his brother and sisters.

�Daddy, we need to go home now cause Sassy be missing me,� Lily told him.

�Sassy did ask me about you this morning,� Luis teased.

�Oh, what did she say daddy?� Lily asked in her most serious tone.

�She said it sure is quiet around here without Peanut talking all the time��.�

�No sir daddy,� Lily protested, sticking her bottom lip out.

�Sweetie, daddy is just teasing you,� Sheridan told her. �You know that Sassy can�t talk.�

�I�m sorry Peanut. Will you give me a kiss?� Luis asked, sweetly.

�Kay, but peas don�t be teasing me any more daddy,� Lily requested, as she leaned over and gave Luis a kiss on the cheek.

�Daddy, can we get a fwimming pool like pawpaw�s and buela�s?� Luke pleaded.

�Well Sport, we already have the spring and that�s much better than a pool,� Luis reminded him.

�Yea, but we have to walk far and mama never takes us there,� Luke complained.

�I�m sorry Lukie, but it�s hard for mommy to take you to the spring because it�s too hot for Sofie to be out in the sun for that long,� Sheridan explained, feeling bad.

�But mama, we can leave Soapie at home so she can be in the cool house,� Luke innocently reasoned.

�Sweetie, you know that mommy can�t leave your baby sister all by herself. If something should happen she wouldn�t be able to take care of herself.�

�I�ll tell you what Sport,� Luis said. �Why don�t I take you and your sister to the spring when we get home today?�

�Alright daddy,� Luke said, holding out his little hand for a high five.

�Daddy, can we bring Ace and Sassy too?� Lily asked, excitedly.

�Well, we can certainly bring Ace, but I don�t thing that kitty cats like swimming very much.�

�Oh no daddy, Sassy loves to fwim too,� Lily told him.

�Okay Peanut, we�ll bring Sassy, but you have to let her decide if she wants to swim�� But, just remember Sassy doesn�t usually go outside so she might just run away,� Luis warned.

Lily contemplated that for a minute and suddenly her eyes grew big. �Maybe we should leave Sassy at home daddy.�

�I think that is a good idea Lily,� Sheridan told her. �You know Dario; it�s been a while since you came out and stayed with us for the weekend. We miss having you around.�

�I am so sorry Sheridan,� Dario said, sincerely. �I was busy with school and baseball.�

�Sweetie, don�t be sorry. I just wanted you to know that we miss you and would love to have you visit with us,� Sheridan assured him. She couldn�t help but notice the look of grateful love that Luis sent her way.

�Daro, you should come fwimming with us,� Luke announced with a big grin.

�Luke�s right Dario, you should come swimming with us and stay overnight� Luis suggested.

�May I stay with Luis and Sheridan tonight mama?� Dario asked Pilar.

�Of course you may,� she said, smiling, but Luis saw the worried look in her eyes. �Why don�t you go upstairs and pack a few things while that I can speak with Luis and Sheridan?�

�Luke and Lily, I think your favorite show is on right now. Why don�t you watch it while mommy and daddy talk to abuela,� Sheridan said, leading the twins to the family room for the television was kept.

Luis was sweating by that time because he felt sure that his mother wanted to discuss Dario and what happened with Beth yesterday. �Mama, if this is about Dario and Beth I haven�t told Sheridan about that yet. Can you just let me talk to her before we all have a discussion?�

�It is not about Dario mijo���..�

�Then what is this about mama?� Luis asked, confused.

�It�s about your brother, Luis,� Martin informed him.

�Antonio?� Luis asked. �Oh God, what did he do?�

�We�ll tell you everything as soon as Sheridan gets back.�

As if on queue, Sheridan walked into the foyer. She was still holding Sofie since the children were too small to watch her. �Well, the twins are engrossed in their program, but I don�t know how long that�s going last. They can�t stop talking about going swimming in the spring.�

�Why don�t we go into the library?� Martin suggested.

�You two are acting very mysterious,� Sheridan commented.

�It�s no mystery Sheridan. Just Antonio up to his old tricks,� Luis said, knowingly.

�Please mijo, this is difficult enough,� Pilar said, concerned about Luis� attitude. If he felt this way now what would he do once he was told the rest of the story?�

�I guess since the little natives are restless I should get straight to the point,� Martin said with a slight smile, hoping to soften the blow when he delivered the news. �Antonio was here last night and he announced to us that he is the owner of the casino boat parked in the harbor.�

�He actually said that?� Luis asked, furiously. �Where in the hell would Antonio get the capital for something like that?�

�I asked him the same question,� Martin admitted. �He said that he had an investor. I was concerned that it might be somebody with ties to organized crime, but he adamantly denied it.�

�Please tell me that you didn�t believe him papa?� Luis asked incredulously.

�He did seem sincere about that Luis, and I believed him. The problem I have though is how long before the mob moves in and starts demanding a piece of the action?�

�Oh no, I just thought of something,� Sheridan said with a worried frown. �Gaming in Harmony has been one of the key issues that Luis has campaigned on. What are the voters going to think when they hear that it�s Luis� own brother is the person bringing this to our town?�

�I�ll tell you what�s going to happen Sheridan. I�m going to look like the village idiot. Damn, I should have dug deeper when I did the searched for the name on the gaming license, but the bastard set up a dummy corporation so his name wouldn�t be connected to the business.�

�Mijo, please do not call your brother such names,� Pilar said, clearly upset. �I do not think that your brother set out to hurt you when he opened this business.�

�Maybe not mama, but he certainly didn�t give a damn that he was going to bring shame to our family name. The whole town is up in arms about gambling coming to Harmony and how do you think they are going to react when they hear that it�s one of our own that is behind this?�

�Luis, I honestly don�t think that he even looked at it that way. He wants us to be proud that he has started this business on his own, but I�m afraid that we didn�t give him the reception he was hoping for. When he left here he was not at all happy with us,� Martin told him.

�That�s the problem papa. Antonio never stops to think about how his actions affect anyone else. He proved that when he stayed away for all of those years and never once called mama to let her know he was alive.�

�Son, I�m not disputing the fact that your brother is selfish, but I refuse to believe that he�s a heartless monster,� Martin said, passionately.

Luis thought about telling his parents all of Antonio�s dark secrets, but dismissed the idea when he considered how hurt they would be. �It doesn�t change the fact that now I�m going to have to drop out of the race for city council��.�

�You most certainly are not!� Sheridan insisted.

�Come on Sheridan, the voters are going to find out eventually that my brother is the person that brought gambling to Harmony, and what is that going to do for my credibility?�

�Of course they are going to find out because you are going to tell them,� Sheridan said with a gleam of confidence in her eyes.

Everyone turned toward her with stunned looks on their faces, but Luis was the one that spoke. �Honey, you can�t be serious���

�Oh, I am very serious,� she assured him. �I wouldn�t be a good campaign manager if I didn�t know how to do turn this around in our favor. I�ll call a press conference for Monday morning and you will announce that you have just discovered that your brother is the owner of the casino ship, but that will not change your position. That if you are elected, you are still dedicated to move gambling out of Harmony.�

�You might be on to something, but I�m going to have to give them a plan on how I�m going to accomplish that, and I think I have some ideal,� Luis said, smiling.

�Now that�s what I want to hear,� Sheridan said with a bright smile.

�Luis, I don�t blame you for wanting to stay in the race, but please just be careful that you don�t turn this into an all out war with your brother,� Martin said with concern.

�Yes mijo, this could tear our family apart,� Pilar warned, her face racked with anxiety.

�Mama, it should be no secret to Antonio that I oppose his gambling venture. He should have expected this.�

�Daddy, are you all finished talking cause we want to go fwimming?� Luke said, peeking in around the door.

�Sure Sport, we�re getting ready to leave right now,� Luis said, scooping his son up to swing him around making the little boy giggle with pleasure.

********************

Noah was exhausted, but every time he would start to doze off he would shake the sleep away. He wanted to be awake when Jordan opened her eyes again. When she had come out of her coma earlier, she was very confused at first, but had eventually remembered their baby. She panicked when she didn�t feel the child inside of her, but Noah had assured her that she gave birth to a beautiful little boy. When she had insisted on seeing Christopher, he had gently explained that the baby had to stay in the nursery because he was a little small, but the doctor�s felt that he would be fine. It didn�t take long for her spunk to come back, because she attempted to sit up in bed, determined to see her son, but the ordeal she had gone through had taken it�s toll. In her weakened condition, she had fallen back down gasping for breath eventually going back to sleep.

That had been several hours ago and all the relatives had finally gone home. He knew that they would all be back later, so he wanted Jordan to get all the rest she could. Christopher had been doing great the last time he checked on him, and he couldn�t help but feel a rush a pride whenever he saw his little boy. One of the nurses had stopped in earlier and brought him a picture of their baby so he could show it to Jordan when she awakened. He was staring at the picture when he heard a weak voice.

�Noah,� she called out softly.

�Hey beautiful,� he said, gracing her with a brilliant smile. �How are you feeling?�

�Thirsty,� she said, licking her lips.

�Let me get you some water,� he said, pouring her a glass from the bedside table. �I�m going to move your bed up so you can drink better. Now, just take small sips.�

After she drank some water, she handed the glass back to him. �God, I feel like a truck ran over me.�

�That doesn�t surprise me with everything you went through a lot last night,� he said, brushing her hair with his fingers. �You scared me to death you know?�

�Oh Noah, I just remembered,� she said, leaning up in bed. �Please tell me our baby is okay?�

�Sweetie, I promise that he is fine, but he needs to stay in the nursery until he�s stronger.�

�You wouldn�t lie to me because you think I can�t handle it right now would you?� she asked, fearfully.

�No Jordan, I promise I�m not lying. I just checked on him a little while ago and he is acting pretty feisty just like his mother,� Noah smiled.

�Well, I would feel a lot better if I could just see him. Please Noah, you have to know that this is killing me,� she said, starting to get agitated.

�Jordan, you need to stay calm. As soon as your doctor gives the okay, I�ll take you to the nursery. In the mean time, I show you the next best thing,� he said, handing her the picture of Christopher.

She clutched the photo in one hand and rubbed her finger over the smooth surface as if she was touching him. �Oh Noah, he�s so tiny, and so beautiful,� she said, tears forming in her eyes. �Why does he have that IV?�

�They are just giving him nourishment until his mommy can feed him,� Noah explained.

�I can�t wait to hold him in my arms,� she said, staring down at her baby.

A nurse came in just then to check Jordan�s vitals. �It�s so good to see you awake, and it looks like your color is coming back,� she said with a cheery voice as she put the blood pressure cuff around Jordan�s upper arm.

�How�s she doing Ruthie?� Noah asked.

�Well, her blood pressure is just about back to normal and her heart rate is normal. I think she�s on the mend. You gave us all quite a scare last night.�

�So my husband tells me, but I still don�t know what happened to me.�

Noah explained to her about the condition that can sometimes afflict pregnant women. �You were lucky that Sheridan got you to the hospital when she did.�

�I vaguely remember being at campaign headquarters and everything after that is a blur,� Jordan said.

�I�m just glad that you made it through that,� Noah said, emotionally. �I don�t know what I would have done if something happened to you.�

�Well, you certainly had a lot of people pulling for you. That waiting room was packed,� Ruthie told her. �In fact, your mother just called a little while ago to see how you were doing.�

�My mother actually called?� Jordan asked, surprised.

�She was here the whole time Jordan, and she was very worried about you,� Noah told her. �I think that she was truly sincere too.�

�Wow, I guess miracles really do happen, but I don�t think I can process this whole change with my mother right now. I just want to see my little boy.�

�I know,� Noah said, kissing the top of her hand. �Ruthie, do you think you can get the doctor to stop in to check Jordan out?�

�Why certainly Dr. Bennett,� she said, smiling. �The doctor is on rounds right now and should be in shortly.

After the doctor came in to check on Jordan, she was pleased with her patient�s progress, but was hesitant to let her go to the nursery. She finally relented when Noah promised to take his wife in the wheel chair and only for a short visit. Jordan was still so weak that Noah had to carefully lift her out of bed and place her in the wheelchair. With his training, he knew the proper way to move her without disturbing her incision. He almost put her right back into bed when he saw her face turn white, but she would have none of it. Once her IV bag was secured on the hook attached to her chair, he wheeled her down to the nursery.

�Well, Mrs. Bennett, meet our son, Christopher Crane Bennett,� Noah said, proudly.

�Can I touch him?� Jordan asked, her voice filled with awe.

�Of course you can,� Noah told her, kissing her forehead. �You�re his mommy.�

�Maybe I should wash my hands,� Jordan said, suddenly nervous.

�If it would make you feel better, I give you an alcohol wipe,� the nurse said, smiling.

�Oh Noah, I just can�t believe how simply amazing he is. I never knew that you could love someone so completely the second you lay eyes on them,� she said, wiping away her tears. She knew right then that her baby would always feel her love.

�I know what you mean. It�s that instant unconditional love,� Noah added.

�When will I be able to hold him?� she asked the nurse.

�You can hold him now if you feel strong enough,� the nurse told her.

�I�m strong enough,� Jordan told her excitedly.

The nurse carefully removed the baby and placed him into Jordan�s arms. She leaned down and kissed him gently on the forehead. �Hi Christopher,� she whispered to her baby. �You look so much like your daddy. I can�t wait until you get better and we can go home and be a family. Mommy promises you that you are going to have the best life in the world.�

********************

The children were all tucked into bed, and Dario was enthralled with the computer, when Luis suggested that they go outside for a walk. �I don�t know Luis. What if the children wake up?�

�Sheridan, Dario is here do listen for them, and we�ll be right outside,� Luke reasoned.

�Luis, why are you so determined to take a walk all of a sudden?� Sheridan asked with a raised brow.

�Remember this morning when I told you I had to talk to you about something, and you asked if we could speak later because you wanted to go and get the kids?�

�Yes I remember, but sweetie, we do we have to go outside to talk?�

�Because, I can�t risk Dario overhearing us,� he explained in a low voice.

�Oh, I see. Dario, would you mind listening for the children while Luis and I take a walk?� she called out.

�No, I do not mind at all,� Dario called back.

Sheridan handed him the baby monitor. �We should be right outside within calling distance.�

The summer before, Martin had helped Sheridan plant an English garden, and it was her favorite spot in the yard. She led Luis over to the cement bench and padded the spot beside her. So, what is going on with Dario?�

�I wanted to tell you about this last night, but with everything that was going on with Jordan, I just didn�t want to upset you more than you already were.�

�Oh God, I don�t know if I can handle any more bad news after the two days I�ve had,� Sheridan said with a worried frown.

�Why don�t we just wait and discuss it tomorrow and enjoy the summer night?� Luis suggested. He was dreading her reaction when she heard what Beth had done.

�No Luis, I don�t want to wait until tomorrow. This day is already ruined, so why not just come out with it.�

�Just remember I love you honey,� Luis said, sheepishly.

�Luis��..�

�Okay, I�ll tell you. Beth went over to mamas yesterday and told her that she was Dario�s mother and I was the father��.�

�She what?!� Sheridan shouted. �I can�t believe that witch, and after you specifically asked her not to say anything yet. What the hell is wrong with her?�

�There�s more Sheridan. She was feeding mama a line about how I didn�t want to claim Dario because he wasn�t my child with you and Dario overheard her.�

�Oh my God, that poor kid. Are you positive that he overheard that?�

�Yes, I�m positive,� Luis confirmed. �He ran away, and papa finally found him in Lighthouse Park and brought him home. That�s why I happened to be at their house yesterday. Mama came to my office and got me because she thought that it was important that I speak to Dario and try to make him understand.�

�Oh Luis, my heart is just breaking for Dario. He must have been devastated to have to hear that you are his father under those circumstances. What did you say to him?�

�Well, I told him that I had just found out the news myself, and that we weren�t positive yet that we really were his parents. I told him about the DNA test that we wanted to make sure because it would be really bad if he found out the truth.�

�But how did you explain the fact that Beth may be lying? If she really is his mother you can�t make her look bad to him, even though he would be lucky if she wasn�t.�

�I did think about that, and I told him that Beth can be over emotional sometimes and that she that she really did believe what she was saying.�

�Did he believe you?�

�Yeah, he is pretty mature for his age. He was very understanding and I also told him that whether or not he was really my son, I couldn�t be anymore proud of him. It was a pretty emotional moment.�

�He does seem to be acting fine,� Sheridan observed. �It still must have been so terrible for him during the time before he spoke to you. That woman is just a monster. I swear to God, if she were here right now, I would strangle her.�

�Well get in line, because that is exactly what I said about her when I found out what she did. She�s not going to get away with this Sheridan. I�m going to go to see her tomorrow and call her on what she did and I�m also going to tell her that I want a DNA test as soon as possible. I talked to Eve yesterday and she said that she would set it up for me.�

�Good, I�m going with you.�

�Sheridan I don�t think that would be a very good idea,� Luis said.

�I don�t want you alone with viper Luis. No telling what she might do.�

�Sheridan, I�ll go to the Book Caf� so there won�t be much that she can do,� Luis laughed.

�I still want to go along,� Sheridan said, stubbornly.

�Come on honey, you know how volatile she makes you. I don�t want to do something that will set her off so that she goes blabbing to the whole town that she is Dario�s mother. We have to think of Dario here.�

�Oh, all right,� she said, finally conceding. �I have a question though. Even if you have the DNA test done in the next couple of days won�t it take a while to get the results?�

�Yeah, it depends on how backed up the lab is, but I can�t imagine that it would take longer than a month����

�A month! That�s just now soon enough for me.�

�Sheridan, you still have to be ready for the possibility that she really could be Dario�s mother,� Luis warned.

�I know that Luis, but I still have a strong feeling that it will not be the case. I think I just might do a little investigating on my own while we�re waiting for the results.�

�What are you up to Sheridan���?�

�I�m really not sure just yet, but as soon as I do you will be the first to know,� Sheridan said with a devilish smile.

Chapter 28

Sheridan was trying with much difficulty to feed Sofie her cereal but it wasn�t easy when she kept giggling. Luke decided that it would be fun to tickle his baby sister�s feet and the little girl was loved it. Of course any time she received attention from Luke and Lily, Sofie was a contented baby.

�Tickle, tickle, Soapie,� Luke teased.

�Tic, tic,� Sofie giggled, kicking her chubby legs.

�Lukie, it�s sweet that you want to play with your sister, but she needs to eat her breakfast,� Sheridan said, shooting her son a look of warning.

�But mama, Soapie likes it,� Luke argued.

�Sport, turn around in your chair and finish your breakfast, and Peanut you need to put Sassy down. Animals don�t belong at the kitchen table,� Luis corrected them.

�But daddy, Sassy�s not an animal. She be my friend,� Lily pouted.

�Sorry Peanut, she might be your friend, but she is an animal so put her down,� Luis said, trying to soften his tone.

Dario was doing his best to contain his laughter over the twins� antics, and finally had to put his hand over his mouth to hide his smile. He also had an idea that would hopefully get them to eat. �If you hurry and finish your breakfast I will take you outside and push you on the swing.�

Both of the twins were sulking, pushing the food around on their plates, but Dario�s offer made them smile. �Can we go now Daro?� Luke asked, excitedly.

�I think the deal was that you finish eating,� Dario reminded him.

�Kay Dario,� Luke said, scooping his food in his mouth. Lily even began to finish her meal.

�Thank you,� Sheridan mouthed to Dario.

After Dario took the twins outside, Sheridan finally got the nerve to mention her plan to Luis. �You know honey, I was thinking that I would really like to go and visit Jordan today, so why don�t I follow you into town with the children.�

�And what are you going to be doing while I�m in the Book Caf� talking with Beth?� Luis asked with a knowing smile.

�I thought that I would take the children to the park across the street from the Book Caf�,� she said, nonchalantly.

Luis chuckled. �You just can�t stand it can you?�

�I don�t know what you are talking about,� she said, defensively.

�It�s just driving you crazy that I�m going to be talking to Beth and you can be there, so you figure that if your across the street it will be the next best thing. If I didn�t know better Sweetheart I would think you are jealous,� he teased.

�There is no way that I am jealous of that witch,� Sheridan said, defiantly. She stood and started to clean the breakfast dishes away. �I just don�t trust her.�

Luis pulled Sheridan down on his lap and started to nuzzle her neck. �Come on, you should know by now when I�m teasing you.�

Sheridan struggled against the wave of pleasure that assailed her from the touch of his hot mouth and tried to pull away. �Now Luis, you know one of the children can come in at any minute,� she protested.

�I know, but just give me one kiss, and I�ll let you get up,� he coaxed in his most seductive voice.

�Okay, maybe just one,� she said, moving in toward his lips. It almost took her breath away when their mouths touched and she was lost in the sensation.

�Promise me that we can finish this tonight in bed?� Luis murmured against her lips.

�If you don�t stop kissing me that way, we�ll end up finishing it here at the kitchen table,� Sheridan chuckled.

Luis was in the process of kissing her once again to see if she was serious when he felt a splat of something gooey hit his cheek. When he looked over to the little culprit, there was Sofie with her hand raised and drenched with the remains of her cereal bowl. �Dada,� she squealed with the biggest smile on her face.

�Well, that�s one way to get daddy�s attention,� Sheridan said, laughing as she grabbed a napkin to wipe the mess from Luis� cheek. �I think mommy needs to clean your hands.�

�Now daddy is going to have to teach you a lesson,� Luis said in a teasing voice as he eased the little girl from her highchair. �I just might have to tickle your tummy Pixie.�

The little girl screamed with laughter as Luis tickled her tummy. �Dada, dada, tic tic.�

�You always did have a way with the ladies,� Sheridan laughed.

*******************

Luis entered the Book Caf� and searched the room for Beth. He finally spotted her standing at the cash register waiting on a customer. Thankfully, there were only a few people in the place so she wouldn�t be able to avoid speaking to her with the excuse of being busy. When she finally saw him standing there the look of fear on her face almost made him laugh. �Hello Beth.�

�Luis, what are you doing here?� she asked, looking down shuffling through her receipts.

�I came to talk to you Beth, but then you had to know I would be here sooner or later after that little stunt you pulled the other day.�

�You know Luis; I really can�t talk about this now. In case you didn�t notice, I�m trying to run a business here.�

�You don�t have a choice,� Luis said in a voice that begged no argument. �Now, tell your waitress to watch for customers and sit down with me.�

�I can see you�re not giving me much choice here,� Beth complained. �Brenda, I�m going to take a break.� She led Luis over to a table and offered him some coffee.

�No thank you,� Luis declined. �Sit down Beth.�

�What do you want Luis?� Beth asked impatiently. �I don�t have all day to chit chat.�

�What the hell were you thinking going over to mama�s the other day when I distinctly asked you not to say anything?�

�I went over there because I could see that I wasn�t going to get any support from you����

�Do you have any idea what you did?� Luis asked through clenched teeth. �Dario heard you and he was devastated by the lie you told mama about how I didn�t want to claim him as my son. That poor kid not only had to hear the truth about his biological parents but also the fact that his father didn�t want him.�

�I didn�t mean for that to happen. Is he okay now?�

�Yes, after I explained to him that you were over reacting and that I just wanted to get to the truth.�

�I suppose you made sure that you turned him against me,� Beth accused.

�I would never do that Beth and you know it. I told him that you truly believe that he was our son, but it was possible that you were wrong.�

�He is our son,� Beth said, defiantly.

�If you�re so sure then you shouldn�t have a problem with taking a DNA test,� Luis told her, anxious to see her reaction.

Beth looked extremely uncomfortable, but quickly collected herself. �I can�t afford an expensive test like that. This is just so ridiculous that you are going to these extremes. I know my old child Luis.�

�I�ll pay for the test Beth so all you have to do is get your self to the hospital for a blood test on Tuesday morning.�

�I can�t make it on Tuesday because I have to work,� Beth hedged.

�You don�t open until nine o�clock. You can stop by the hospital before you go to work. It will only take about fifteen minutes,� Luis responded, granted her no quarter.

�I�ll do my best to make it,� she said, standing up.

Luis stood also and he leaned forward with his hands planted on the table. �Oh you�ll be there Beth, or I�ll bring the technician right here to draw your blood.�

*******************

The original plan had been to drop Dario off at home, but he offered to go with Sheridan to the park to help look after the children. She could have just kissed him when he uttered those words. Luke and Lily were having the best time playing on the wooden gym and crawling through the tunnel that led to a slide. Sheridan found a nice shady spot under a tree to spread out a blanket with a perfect view of the children. She also had a view of the Book Caf� across the street, and she couldn�t help but glance that way from time to time to watch for Luis. If only she could be a fly on the wall to see what Beth�s reaction had been to the DNA test.

Dario decided to take a rest from chasing around the twins and came over to sit down beside her. He ruffled Sofie�s head affectionately when she tried to grab for his nose. �Are you worried about Luis?�

�No, not really, but I am dying of curiosity,� Sheridan admitted. �Luis told me what happened the other day when Beth came over to your mother�s house. I�m so sorry that you had to find out that way.�

�I could not believe what I was hearing, but when Luis came to talk to me I felt so much better. He told me that he would be proud to be my father and that even if it turned out that he was not, that he would love me just as much.�

�We all love you Dario and you will always be special to us����

�But I do not understand what is so special about me,� Dario said, confused.

�Because you haven�t had an easy life and you never let it affect you. You are just so giving and kind so how can you not be special?� Sheridan said, giving him a warm smile.

�I do not want you to think badly of me, but can I tell you a secret?� Dario asked softly.

�Of course you can tell me anything, and I promise I will not think badly of you,� she assured him.

�As much as I would like for Luis to be my biological father, I do not want Beth to be my mother,� Dario admitted.

Sheridan was surprised since Dario never said anything negative about anyone. �Why would you say that sweetie? I wasn�t aware that you even knew Beth all that well.�

�It is true that I do not know her well, but the times when I was in the Book Caf� there was something about her that made me uneasy. I do not want to be disrespectful, but I do not trust her. You probably think that I am terrible don�t you?�

�Not at all,� she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. �You are allowed to have your feelings, and it�s not easy to just feel affection for someone even if they are your mother.�

�Well she gave me away, and Senora Pilar is my mother now,� Dario said with a defiance Sheridan never heard from him before. �I wish that if I had to find my biological mother that it would be you Sheridan.�

�Oh Dario, I am so touched by that,� Sheridan said, feeling her eyes well up with tears. �I can promise you one thing. If I was your biological mother you would have never left my side. But, with that being said, I hope that if Beth turns out to be your mother you will at least try to understand why she gave you up. Maybe she didn�t feel like she had any other choice,� Sheridan said, surprised that she was actually defending the woman, but she knew that if wasn�t right to try and poison Dario�s mind against her.

The twins were playing in the little tower on the wooden gym, so they were the first to spot Luis walking across the street. �There be daddy coming now,� Luke shouted, pointing toward him.

�Daddy, watch me go down the slide,� Lily called out to him.

�Okay Peanut, I�m watching.�

�My turn now,� Luke shouted not wanting his chance to show off too. �Watch me too daddy.�

�Wow, you munchkins are pretty fast going down that slide. I might have to enter you in the Olympia bobsledding competition,� Luis teased.

�What?� the twins asked with confused looks on their little faces.

�Never mind. Daddy will explain it to you some other time,� Luis said, plopping down on the blanket with them. �Come here Sofie girl.�

�So, how did it go in there?� Sheridan asked unable to wait one more second for the scoop.

Careful to watch his words in front of Dario, he didn�t go into the details of bringing Beth to task about what she had done. �I simply told her that she needed to be at the hospital on Tuesday morning for a blood test.�

�Then you are going to take this test so soon?� Dario asked.

�Yes Dario, I think that the sooner we find out the truth, the better it will be for everyone,� Luis explained.

�I want that too Luis,� Dario told him. �I will be there on Tuesday to give me blood.�

�Thank you Dario,� Luis said, smiling at the boy. �You are really being a trooper about this whole thing.�

�That�s because he�s wise beyond his years,� Sheridan said with conviction.

�I agree with you about that,� Luis said. �Well munchkins, are you ready to go with me to take Dario to abuelo�s house?�

�Yes daddy, I want to see Poma,� Lily said, excitedly.

�I want some of buela�s cookies,� Luke said, rubbing his tummy.

�I guess it would be easier for us to just change cars since I have all the baby gear and car seats in my Range Rover,� Sheridan suggested.

�Mama, are you coming with us?� Lily asked, hopefully.

�No sweetie, I have to go to the hospital to visit Jordan and then I have some errands to run.�

�Is Jordee all better now?�

�Yes, she is so much better, and guess what else? You now have a new baby cousin. His name is Christopher.�

�Can we go see the baby too mama?� Lily asked.

�I think we need to wait until he comes home from the hospital,� Sheridan told her.

Of course Luke would have to get the last word in. �It�s about time we have another boy,� he said, rolling his eyes.

********************

When Sheridan arrived in the hospital parking lot she caught of glimpse of Ivy pulling out. She was glad that her sister-in-law seemed to finally be making an effort to be there for Jordan. After finding a place to park, she made her way to her niece�s room, and was pleasantly surprised to see Evan and Kay there. �When did you get home?� she asked, after giving them both a hug.

�Late last night,� Eve told her. �We would have come home sooner had we know all this was going on with Jordan.�

�I know I feel terrible that I wasn�t here for Jordan,� Kay said.

�Kay, we have gone over this, and you have nothing to feel guilty about,� Jordan said in her defense. �You could not have done anything to change the way things turned out. Besides, thanks to Lily, she was able to get her mother to come to my aid.�

�Yes, my little girl was pretty amazing that day,� Sheridan said, proudly. �She has been so concerned about you too Jordan.�

�Poor little thing. I felt so bad that she had to see me that way, but it just happened so suddenly.�

Sheridan noticed all the gifts stacked up in the corner. �My goodness, somebody sure has been generous.�

�Yes, my mother,� Jordan sighed. �Don�t get me wrong. I really do appreciate it, but she didn�t think about the fact that we would have to haul all of this stuff home.�

�Noah and I can take some of with us tonight,� Kay suggested.

�Oh Kay, that would be wonderful if you could do that.�

�Speaking of gifts, I brought you some flowers, and I have something for Christopher too,� Sheridan said, handing Jordan a gift bag.

�The flowers are beautiful. Thank you Sheridan.�

�You�re welcome. Come on, open the box,� Sheridan urge her.

�Okay,� Jordan said, pulling out the familiar blue box. �Now what could you have purchased from Tiffany�s?� Jordan asked, knowingly as she opened the box to find a silver rattle. �Oh Sheridan, it�s beautiful, and you even got it engraved with Christopher�s name and birth date. How did you manage that so quickly?�

�Well, I actually ordered the rattle some time ago. I stopped at the jeweler�s on the way over here and had it engraved.�

�I just love it. Thank you Sheridan.�

�Well, I have some other gift�s for Christopher, but you have to wait for us to give you the shower that we never got a chance to have,� Sheridan told her.

�We�re still having it at my house,� Kay said. �When you�re feeling better we�ll just plan a date.�

�It sounds like a plan to me,� Jordan said. �I just can�t wait to get my little boy home.�

�Did the doctor give you any idea when that would be?� Sheridan asked.

�Well, they want to keep him for at least a week, and they said they would evaluate the situation then. Noah thinks they are just being cautious, but he said that Christopher is doing so well that he thinks we can take him home then.�

�Speaking of Noah, where is he?� Sheridan asked. �I thought he would be here playing the proud papa.�

�I finally insisted that he go home and get some sleep. He hadn�t slept in two days.�

�And I was going to ask him if he wanted to shoot some hoops with me,� Evan joked.

�I doubt that he would have the energy,� Jordan said.

�Well Evan, it�s time for us to go home. We still haven�t unpacked, and I thought that I would make a nice dinner for my brother before he comes back to the hospital.�

�That would be wonderful. Thank you Kay.�

�No problem and I don�t want you to worry about the nursery. Mom and I are going to make sure that everything is ready for Christopher when he comes home.�

Once Kay and Evan left, Sheridan moved a chair over by the bed and sat down beside Jordan. �You certainly are looking a lot better than the last time I saw you. I was worried sick about you.�

�I know, and I�m sorry that you had to go through that Sheridan, but I understand that you were with me every step of the way.�

�You would do the same for me,� Sheridan said, brushing her assistance. �So tell me, have you been able to hold your baby yet?�

�Yes, I�ve held him several times,� Jordan said, breaking out into a smile. �He is just so amazing; I still can�t believe that I created such a precious little gift.�

�I know the feeling,� Sheridan said, smiling. �It�s like nothing you�ve ever felt before.�

�I�m feeling so many things right now Sheridan��.. Instant, intense love and a fear like I have never known before. I have this tiny human being that is totally dependant on me and I just don�t know if I can do this.�

�Oh you would be surprised about what you can do. Everybody feels that way about their first baby. Believe me I felt the same way, and I had two of them. You�re going to do just fine and you have so many people that love you that will help you out at first.�

Sam and Grace came in then, so Sheridan said goodbye, but stopped by the nursery to see Christopher. Seeing the precious little bundle through the glass almost made her want to have another baby, but the practical side of her knew that if was too soon after Sofie�s birth. She left then and headed for the Autumn Woods Nursing Home which was located in Castleton. Hopefully Beth�s mother could give her some information about her daughter�s movements back when Dario was born.

When Sheridan walked into the lobby of the nursing home and asked to see Edna Wallace, she was surprised by the look of shock on the lady�s face. �Is there a problem with me seeing Mrs. Wallace?�

�No, not at all. It�s just that Mrs. Wallace never has visitors and you kind of caught me off guard,� the lady responded.

�But surely her daughter comes to visit her,� Sheridan said, confused.

�Well, don�t tell anyone that I said anything, but that poor lady is lucky if her daughter shows up twice a year to see her.�

�That�s too bad,� Sheridan said, feeling sorry for Mrs. Wallace. �She must be so lonely.�

�Yes, she is, but when she finds out you are here, she is going to be so thrilled. There is a visitor lounge down at the end of the hall. Why don�t you go and wait there and I will bring Mrs. Wallace in to see you.�

�Thank you,� Sheridan said, giving her a warm smile.

There were several elderly folks in the lounge with their visitors, and Sheridan found a spot to set down away from the other people. It wasn�t long before the lady at the front desk came into the lounge pushing Mrs. Wallace in a wheelchair. She stood as they approached, but before she could speak Beth�s mother pointed to her. �I know you. You�re Sheridan Crane.�

�Yes, Mrs. Wallace, but actually I�m Sheridan Lopez-Fitzgerald now.�

�You can leave now,� Mrs. Wallace said, waving the nurse away.

�Okay, you call me when you�re ready to go back to your room,� the lady said, leaving to go back to her duties.

�I heard that you married Luis. He was always such a sweet guy, and he wasn�t too bad in the looks department either. I never could understand what he saw in Bethy.�

"I hope its okay that I came by without calling?"

"Don't you worry about that beauty, I don't have anything else to do," Mrs. Wallace chuckled. "I am curious though about why you're here."

Sheridan dug in her purse and produced a small box of Godiva chocolates. "Here, I hope you have a sweet tooth."

"Oh," Edna said, clapping her hands together like a child. "I love chocolates, and you even brought the expensive kind."

"That was the least I could do. I was hoping that you could provide some information for my about your daughter."

"What could you possibly want to know about that little heathen?" Edna asked, making a face.

"She came to Luis the other day and told him that she had a child about fourteen years ago and that he is the father. I was hoping that you could give me some information about that time. I'm not trying to call your daughter a liar, but I think you can understand that Luis would need to know all the facts."

"You can call her a liar all you want, because that's what that evil spawn is. I don't know where she came up with such a preposterous story, but you tell Luis that Beth is full of it," Edna spat out defiantly.

"Are you saying that according to your recollection Beth was never pregnant?" Sheridan asked, thrilled by the news.

"Hell yes! That's exactly what I'm trying to say. I can't believe she tried to pull this one over on poor hunky Luis," Edna said, shaking her head in disgust. "Don't tell me he fell for it?"

"Well, she did have a lot of information about the child's birth that only a person that delivered him would know. Is it possible that Beth could have been pregnant without you knowing about it? I know she went to stay with her aunt during that time. Maybe they hid the truth from you?"

"No way Jose. What year was this anyway?"

"It would be around nineteen-ninety," Sheridan responded.

"Then I know she's lying through her teeth. Bethie only has one aunt and that's my sister Esther. I doubt she could have stayed with her in nineteen-ninety because the woman died back in seventy-nine."

"Are you positive?" Sheridan asked, shocked.

"I know for a fact, because I can still remember her saying that she wouldn't even make into the eighties. She had cancer you know."

"That's so sad. I'm sorry for your loss," Sheridan told her.

"We didn't get along too well, but she was all I had left in the world of my immediate family, except for Esther's daughter Beverly, but she lives in Providence......... Wait a minute, if memory serves me Bethie was staying with Beverly that summer."

"Yes, that is what Luis thought too, but maybe Beth stayed with her cousin so that you wouldn't know that she was having a baby. According to her, she eventually went to Paris to deliver the child."

Edna started to laugh then. "That girl has never even been out of the northeast part of the United States, let alone Paris. I don't know where she came up with this story, but you can just about bet that she has a motive that stinks to high heaven."

"Wow, I have to admit that I'm really mystified by all of this," Sheridan said, overwhelmed by the information Mrs. Wallace provided for her.

"Sweetie, there is nothing to be mystified about. Bethie is up to no good and you and Luis should just stay far away from that lunatic."

"I'm so sorry that things are not good between your daughter and you......."

"That would be an understatement. You know I'm in this wheelchair because of her. She got mad at me once and pushed me down the stairs. I haven't been right since then."

"My God," Sheridan said, appalled. "Did you report her to the authorities?"

"I tried to tell the doctor and nurses, but Bethie convinced them that I was crazy. If they only knew who the real crazy person was," she said in an agitated voice.

"Mrs. Wallace surely there is somebody that will listen to you about this. If Beth was abusing you she should have charges filed against her."

"Oh honey, you don't know the half of what the evil girl has done. It's no use now, but she'll get hers. You reap what you sow."

"Are they giving you the proper therapy in here?" Sheridan asked.

"Oh the nurse comes in and rubs my legs once in a while, but insurance won't cover anything else."

"Well, don't you worry about that because I'm going to make sure that you get everything that you need for rehabilitation. There are several Crane charities that will offer assistance for this very thing."

"Bless you Sheridan," Edna said, folding her hands in prayer.

"I need to get home to my children, but I was wondering if you could give the name of your niece. That is if you wouldn't mind? I want to talk with her about the time Beth stayed there."

"She sent me a Christmas card this year and I believe I saved the envelope. If you would just push me to my room and I'll get it for you."

When Sheridan left the nursing home; she was filled with all kinds of emotions. It was obvious that Beth had lied about her aunt sending her to Paris, so how did she know all the details about Dario's birth? She was also sick to her stomach when she thought of the way Beth had abused her mother. If it turned out that she really was Dario's mother, the woman was not getting within ten feet of him if she had anything to say about it. On the drive home, she called Evan to set up some funding to be dispersed to
the home for Mrs. Wallace's physical therapist. He promised to get on it first thing in the morning. Now, she had to decide how she was going to break the news of her sleuthing mission to Luis. Maybe if she could convince him to take a hot bath with her he wouldn't go ballistic when he heard what she did.

********************

Ivy's mind was too occupied to listen to Antonio as he complained about his parent's reaction to his new business. She really wanted to be there for him, but her own problems were weighting on her heavily right now. Jordan almost dying and Dario being so upset had really knocked her for a loop. Her failure as a mother was foremost in her mind.

"Ivy, are you listening to me?" Antonio asked, impatiently.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said that all mama and papa could worry about was how this was going to affect Luis' campaign. They could have at least acknowledged my efforts."

"You know Antonio, I'm really sorry that you didn't get the reaction that you wanted from your parents, but you can't really be surprised by this. You knew that you were going to be up against disapproval when you decided to take on this venture."

"Of course I expected it, but not to this degree. It's not like I'm breaking the law here. What's wrong with you? You've been distracted all night."

"I've had a lot happen in the last few days. My daughter almost died, and we could have very well lost the baby too. It was just terrible......."

"It's not like you to be so motherly, but I thought that Jordan was going to be fine, so why are you still so upset?"

"I think the whole experience made me start thinking about how I have never been there emotionally for my children. Sure, they always got everything that money could buy, but I certainly didn't shower them with love."

"You can't pretend feelings that are just not there."

"That's just it, I do love my children, but other than Ethan I have been such a failure of a mother to them. It's not their fault that they had Julian for a father."

�Maybe now you can start to build a relationship with Jordan. I�m sure you want to be part of that baby�s life too,� Antonio said, moving up behind her to wrap his arms around her waste.

�I do want that Antonio, but I�m afraid that it might be too late. I�m not proud of the way I�ve treated her in the past and I don�t know if she can forget that.�

�I�m the last person to give advice on broken relationships, but the best thing to do is keep trying,� Antoino advised.

�Yes, I suppose you�re right, but there is something else that I�m a little bothered about. I would only admit this to you, but I guess it does make me feel old now that I�m a grandmother.�

�Well, you�re the sexiest grandmother I�ve ever seen.�

�Thank you for that, but I�m tired of talking about me. What are you going to do about your situation?�

�What can I do?� Antonio asked with frustration. �Even if I can manage to win my parents over, Luis will be a constant thorn in my side. He won�t stop until he gets my club shut down���. Oh, speaking of Luis, I can�t believe that I forgot to tell you about this bombshell. I stopped at the Book Caf� today and Beth Wallace told me that she and Luis had a love child and it is none other than Dario. I guess that whole birthmark thing was not so off the wall after all.�

�Actually, I already knew about that,� Ivy admitted. �I ran into Dario the other day, and I could see that he was really upset about something, so I asked him if I could help. I think that he was a little hesitatant to take about it to me since I don�t know here that well. But, for some odd reason he opened up to me.�

�How did he find out?� Antonio asked.

�That was the bad part. Apparently, he overheard Beth tell Pilar that he was not only their biological child, but that Luis didn�t want to claim him as his son.�

�I can�t believe my sainted brother would deny his own child. Maybe he�s not so perfect after all. You know Ivy I could use this to fight him. All I have to do is talk to the press. I can see the headlines in the tabloids now. City council hopefull has illuminate son,� Antonio laughed.

�No!� Ivy cried. �I will not let you exploit that child.�

Antonio was astounded by her reaction. �Ivy, I wasn�t planning on giving them Dario�s name. I�m not that heartless.�

�It doesn�t matter. Those vipers would dig and dig until they found out his name. Do you have any idea how devastating that would be for that child?�

�Okay, relax Ivy. I won�t say anything to the tabloids, but I want to know what is really going on here?�

�I don�t really know, but I can�t get the picture of Dario�s sad eyes out of my head, and he has already been through so much,� Ivy said, sofly. �He deserves to have some happiness.�

********************

It was kaotic at the Lopez-Fitztgerald household that evening. Luke and Lily were wound up like tops from eating too many of their abuela�s cookies earlier that day. Sheridan did hold Luis partly responsible since he should have been watching them, but they had managed to raid the cookie jar. After getting the twins to sleep finally, she went downstairs to find Luis wathing the baseball game on television. She went over and sat down on his lap, cuddling up against him. �I�m not bothering you am I?�

�You can never bother me,� he said with a warm smile. �What more can a man ask for? A great baseball game, a cold beer, and the most beautiful woman in the world.�

"It's too bad you are so interested in your game because I was going to ask you to join me in a steamy bath," she said with a knowing smile.

Luis picked up the remote and turned the television off. "I think I could use a nice bath right now."

"What about your game?"

"I can always look up the score in the paper tomorrow."

Sheridan hopped up. "Okay, I'll face you upstairs. Last one there has to prepare the bath."

"You're on," he chuckled, as he scooped her up and flung her over his back.

"Luis, put me down," she squealed. "Have you lost your mind?"

His only response was a deep chuckle. They had reached the steps, and fearing she would wake the children, all she could do is grumble under her breath. Once in their room, he tossed her on the bed, and ran to the bathroom, laughing just like a little boy. "I win."

"That is not fair," she grumbled, trying to roll off the bed. "I can't believe the way you always cheat, and you're also acting just like Luke right now."

"Come on woman, hop to it," he said, clapping his hands. "I don't hear any bath water running."

"I'm coming," she grumbled. When she walked into the bathroom, Luis was already completely naked, and she had to catch her breath as she gazed at his glorious body. "Wow, I can already feel the steam." She was quick about running the bath, and poured some musky scented oils in the water.

Before long, they were both in the relaxing bath and Luis was washing her body with soft, even strokes. She started to tell him about her visit earlier that day with Mrs. Wallace, but the only thing that would come out of her mouth were little groans of pleasure. Luis had his fingers on her most intimate place making her shiver with delight. Her guilt finally surfaced and she could no longer contain herself. �Luis, I have a confession to make. I seduced you on purpose so I could get you in a good mood���. Don�t get me wrong. You�re sexy as hell, and I love you����

�Sheridan, I already figured it out that you were up to something today, and I�m sure it�s going to make me crazy���� But, right now I just want to think about how it feels when I�m inside of you,� he murmured against her neck as he cupped her breasts.

�I see, so the punishment will come later?� she asked in a breathless whisper.

�Yes, I might have to give you a spanking���.�

�Oh,� she chuckled. �That sounds interesting.�

�Shhh, I can�t kiss you when you talking so much,� Luis said, pulling close to plant a sensuous assault on her lips.

They made love in the bath tub, and when the water grew cold they toweled each other off and headed for bed to made love again. Sheridan forgot all about her visit to Mrs. Wallace, and Luis never brought up the subject of her confession. They fell asleep wrapped in each others arms exhausted from their strenuous lovemaking.

 

Chapter 29

When Luis awakened earlier the next morning, he heard Sofie on the baby monitor calling out to them. Sheridan was still sound asleep, so he slipped out of bed, pulled on a pair of worn jeans and made his way to the nursery. He found his little baby standing in her bed hanging on to the railing bouncing up and down.

�Mama, dada, mama, dada��..�

�How�s my pretty little pixie this morning?� Luis said, lifting Sofie out of her bed. �I think somebody needs their diaper changed.� After Luis changed her, he carried the baby back to his bedroom. �You can help daddy bust mommy.�

�Mama,� Sofie said, smiling brightly.

�Shhh Sofie,� Luis whispered. �We have to sneak up on mommy.� He sat down on the bed gently and guided the baby�s hand to brush Sheridan�s cheek. �Wake up mommy. You got some splaining to do.� Luis was very amusing while trying to do a baby�s voice.

One blue eye opened slowly, and then the other. She smiled when she saw her baby daughter. �Oh, what a wonderful sweet little face to wake up to. Now, what were you trying to tell mommy earlier?� she teased, winking at Luis.

�Well, Sofie wants to know what kind of trouble you got into yesterday,� Luis told her, smiling.

�Can�t a girl get some coffee before the inquisition starts?� she asked checking the time. �I put the timer on the coffee pot last night and it should be just about ready.�

�Okay, I�ll get some coffee, but you better start getting your thoughts together because your reprieve won�t last long,� Luis said, leaving to get Sheridan�s early morning dose of caffeine.

Sheridan was sitting up with her knees out so with Sofie sitting in the middle. �Is daddy trying to convert you to his side so that you all can gang up on mommy?�

Sofie let out a little squeal. �Dadada.�

�You are so adorable,� Sheridan said, kissing her baby. �I can�t believe you brother and sister is still sleeping. I guess it�s because they were up late because they ate all those cookies at abuela�s house.�

�Coocoo,� Sofie said, pounding the bed with her hands.

�No cookies for you until you get some more teeth little girl,� she said, touching Sofie�s nose.

Luis arrived then, holding two mugs of steaming coffee. �Okay, here you go,� he said, handing her the cup. �No more delays. Tell me what you did yesterday.�

Sheridan blew on the dark brew and took a small sip. �Well, after I left the hospital I kind of went to see Beth�s mother���

�Oh Sheridan, please tell me you�re kidding����..?�

�I think you already know that I am not. Luis, before you pop a cork you are not going to believe what I found out,� she said, excitedly.

�Sheridan, have you stopped to consider that Beth may retaliate if she finds out you were snooping around in her business?�

�I�m not worried about that,� Sheridan said, confidently. �She only visits her poor mother a couple of times a year, and I really doubt that Mrs. Wallace is going to call Beth and tell her all about our conversation���..�

�You don�t know that for sure Sheridan. Blood is thicker than water,� he reminded her. �Why did you feel the need to rock the boat when we are all set up to get the DNA test this week?�

�Because, the DNA results will take a while to come back, and you didn�t hear Dario in the park yesterday. He told me in his usual polite manner that he doesn�t want Beth to be his mother, and I can hardly blame the kid.�

�He actually said that?� Luis asked, surprised.

�Yes he did, because he doesn�t have a good feeling about her. He also told me that he wished that I was his biological mother. It really touched my heart when he said that,� Sheridan said, emotionally.

�Wow, that was sweet, but he�s astute enough to know a beautiful kind-hearted person when he sees one. Look Sheridan, I do understand your desire to prove Beth to be a liar, but you have to also accept the fact that she really could be Dario�s mother.�

�That�s just it Luis, I�ve already proven her to be a liar, and this is big too. Remember when she said that when she first discovered that she was pregnant that she went to live with her aunt?�

�Yes, she said that her aunt was the one that sent her to Paris to have the baby because she wanted to keep up appearances.�

�Well, that might have been a little difficult since her aunt died in nineteen seventy-nine,� Sheridan announced with a smug smile.

�Are you sure about this Sheridan? Maybe Beth was staying with a different aunt��.�

�No Luis, she was not. Mrs. Wallace told me that Beth�s only aunt was her sister Esther, and the woman died long before Beth could have been pregnant with Dario. If you ask me this is major, and proves that we already caught her in a huge lie,� Sheridan said, excitedly.

�Before you throw a party Sheridan, I would feel a lot better if we got some proof to back this up,� Luis said, cautiously. �Now, tell me what a good investigator would do in this case?�

Sheridan chewed on her bottom lip as she considered Luis� question, when her eyes lit up with realization. �You check for a death certificate.�

�Exactly, and it doesn�t hurt to find a copy of the obituary either. It will help confirm there aren�t any other aunts. I know Beth doesn�t have any on her father�s side because she told me he was an only child.�

�I don�t know where to begin,� Sheridan fretted. �Wait a minute���. I�ll go to Providence and check with the hall of records.�

�You�re close, but there really isn�t any need to go to Providence when you live in the age of technology,� Luis said, smiling. �Check the computer.�

�Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, are you actually helping me?� Sheridan asked with a knowing smile.

�I�ve learned a long time ago that once you set you mind on something there is no changing it, so why not guide you in the right direction,� he said, turning toward Sofie. �I hope you�re not going to get into the habit on finding trouble like you mommy and sister do.�

�Dada,� she giggled, grabbing Luis� nose.

�I guess that says it all,� Sheridan said, laughing. �Seriously though Luis, I�m determined to expose Beth. Her mother told me that the reason that she is disabled is because Beth pushed her down the stairs. We can�t let an abuser around Dario.�

Luis was dumfounded by her revelation. �My God, Beth should be in jail for that. Did her mother report her?�

�She tried, but Beth convinced everyone that her mother was crazy,� Sheridan told him.

�I just can�t believe that the Beth I grew up could be so vicious. If she was like that when we were together in high school, I certainly never saw it. How could I have been so blind?�

�Issues like that are obviously deep seated, and it takes a long time for that to develop. I think that Beth has been good at disguising her true character in the past, but it�s becoming more difficult for her as time goes on,� Sheridan speculated.

Just then the twins came bouncing into the room. �Well, well, there�s the sleepy little munchkins,� Luis smiled.

�My goodness, mommy was just ready to come in and check on you,� Sheridan told them. �Come here and get in bed with us, so I can give you a big kiss.�

�Kay mama, but you have to get up soon, cause I be so hungy my tummy be making noise,� Luke told her.

�Lukie, you want to eat all the time,� Lily said, rolling her eyes. �You�re tummy is going to be so fat.�

�Hey Peanut, your brother is a growing boy and he needs to eat a lot just like daddy,� Luis told her.

�But daddy, Lukie�s not big like you are,� Lily said, confused.

�He will be some day Peanut and so will you, but daddy doesn�t even want to think about that yet, because I�m enjoying you two just the way you are right now.�

�Can we stop talking now?� Luke asked. �I be needing some beckfast now.�

�Okay sweetie, let�s go get you something to eat,� Sheridan said, handing Sofie to Luis before she slipped out of bed and into her robe.

�Mama, Sassy told me that she wanted some Fancy Feast,� Lily told her mother.

�Well, we have a big selection downstairs, so I�ll let you pick the flavor for Sassy.�

�Kay mama,� Lily said, excitedly.

Later as they sat down to breakfast, Sheridan brought up Luis� press conference schedule for that afternoon. �Do you want to practice your speech with me?�

�I really don�t have a speech Sheridan,� Luis said, taking a drink of his coffee.

�Honey, I know you�re not going for the normal method of campaigning, but this is a pretty important speech. Don�t you think you should be prepared?�

�Sheridan, I�m going to speak from my heart and my gut because so far the voters have responded to that. If I go up there with some fancy speech I�m not going to come off as sincere.�

�Okay, I trust your judgment, but it sure is tough being your campaign manager,� Sheridan said in a half teasing voice.

�I couldn�t do this without you. You�re the one that suggested that I go to the public about Antonio owning the casino boat. I was ready to throw in the towel,� Luis reminded her as he folded his hand over hers.

�It means a lot to me that you feel that way,� Sheridan said, clearly touched.

�Are you going to kiss mama now?� Lily asked, giggling.

�I think I just might Peanut, but only if I can kiss you too,� Luis said, ruffling her soft curls.

Lily loved it when her daddy paid special attention to her. �Kay daddy,� she said, with an impish smile.

Luis leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before he planted a quick kiss on Sheridan�s lips. �Now I know my day is going to be a good one,� he announced.

********************

Don Miguel cut his visit short with Maria when he received a phone call from his younger daughter, Pilar and she informed him of everything that had happened in his absence. He immediately chartered a private jet to fly him back to Harmony. The news about Dario being the son of Luis and Beth did not sit well with him. Not that he would not welcome the boy as his true great-grandson, but his distrust of the woman claiming to be his mother left him with an uneasy feeling. If she was up to something, he had every intention of finding out what it was, but the most important issue was dealing with Antonio. He was determined to put a stop to this new business venture of his grandson�s before he caused an even bigger rift in the family. Also, Martin and Pilar�s concern about organized crime forcing their way into the business was not unfounded. Gambling brought in huge profits and it was just the kind of thing that the crime families would want to control.

When the plane landed a limousine was waiting at the airport. Since Pilar had informed him that the grand opening for Antonio�s business was tomorrow night, he had a strong feeling that his grandson would be there overseeing the preparations. After the driver loaded his bags, he gave him instructions to take him to the dock. The place was alive with activity and it brought a nostalgic feeling to see the crews of the ships unloading their cargos. He was still hopeful that one of his grandsons would take over his shipping business since he had spend so many years of his life building it into the empire it was today. His eyes scanned the area until he spotted the smallest of all the vessels, and made his way to the long plank adorned with a red carpet. There was a man polishing the brass railings who stopped his task when he saw Don Miguel.

�Sir, we�re not open yet,� the workman told him.

�I am not here as a patron,� Don Miguel told him politely. �My grandson owns this boat and I wish to speak to him.�

�Oh, you must be talking about Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald.� The workman could see that this gentleman looked important, and since he was claiming to be his boss's grandfather, he knew that he should be on his best behavior. "I believe that Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald is in the main casino. Would you like me to show you the way?"

"No thank you, I think that I can find my own way. If you will just give me directions, I would appreciate it," Don Miguel responded.

"Of course sir," he said, giving him the route to the main casino.

Don Miguel was impressed by the richly appointed d�cor of the main casino. There were workers busy with different tasks, and he finally spotted his grandson standing behind the long mahogany bar counting the liquor stock. He approached, tall and dignified with the baring of his lineage and stood in front of his grandson. Antonio looked up and saw Don Miguel, his face written with shock. "Abuelo, what are you doing here? I thought you were visiting Aunt Maria."

"I was, but I found it necessary to cut my visit short. It appears much has happened in the short time that I have been gone."

"I talked to mama earlier and she didn't mention that you were coming back today," Antonio said, suddenly feeling intimidated by his grandfather's shrewd stare.

�Your mother does not know that I am back in town. I decided to surprise her,� Don Miguel said, offering him a small smile.

�I have to admit abuelo; I�m surprised to see you here. I didn�t know that you were aware that I had this place����

�I spoke with your parents the other night and they informed me about your new business venture,� Don Miguel told him.

�Oh, I can see what�s going on now,� Antonio said, suspiciously. �Let me guess. You�re here to berate me for causing Luis problems with his campaign? Sorry, to drag you away from your visit with Aunt Maria, but I really don�t have time for this right now.�

�That is not why I am here Antonio,� Don Miguel said, furious with his grandson�s attitude. �I wanted to speak to you about another matter. Is there some place private where we can talk?�

�I guess we could go to my office, but I have a lot to do around here before the opening tomorrow night so I can�t talk long,� Antonio said, leading the way to his private space.

Once they were seated behind closed doors, Don Miguel began. �I must say that this place is very impressive. You did a good job with the ambiance of the club.�

�Thank you abuelo,� Antonio said, surprised by his grandfather�s words. �At least somebody in the family is showing me some support.�

�Do you think that a small town like Harmony can support a place like this?� Don Miguel asked with the keen sense of a businessman.

�Well Harmony a big tourist industry believe it or not. The hotels and rental cottages are packed every year.�

�Yes, but tourist season is going to be over soon, and if memory serves me the citizens of Harmony were not pleased about gaming coming to their community,� Don Miguel reminded him.

�I should have known your show of support would be short lived,� Antonio said, shaking his head in frustration.

�This has nothing to do with support. These are questions that any good businessman should consider.�

�I figure that the tourist season goes into the fall because a lot of people like to come to look at the leaves, and by that time the townspeople will come around,� Antonio said, confidently.

�It is not a good practice to depend on things that may never happen,� Don Miguel warned. �There is also a strong possibility that some thugs from organized crime will try to move in on your business.�

�Not this again,� Antonio said, rolling his eyes. �I�m going to tell you the same thing that I told papa. I am not going to let that happen.�

�How can I believe that when you let it happen before��� Yes, I know all about your past involvement with fixing races for those thugs in Europe.�

�So, Luis couldn�t wait to poison your mind to me��..�

�Just stop,� Don Miguel demanded. �Luis had nothing to do with this. I hired a private investigator to find you, and he is the one that discovered your criminal activities in the past.�

�Oh yes, I ran into one of your investigators. Imagine my surprise when he informed me that my grandfather had hired him. I almost beat him within an inch of his life for lying to me because I was told that my grandfather was dead.�

"I am not proud of that face, but I will not apologize for hiring an investigator to find you. Your family had not heard from you in years, and in fact did not know if you were dead or alive. My motive was to bring them some peace of mind."

"How can you sit in judgment of me when you are no better," Antonio reminded him, still stinging form his grandfather's words.

"I will admit that I have done things that I am not proud of....... Things that I will regret the rest of my life, but there is one big difference between us Antonio. I learned to swallow my stubborn pride and admit my mistakes, because reuniting with my family was that important to me. Sadly, you still think the world owes you a favor and you have yet to acknowledge that you hurt the people that loved you. It is time for you to do some self-examination and be honest with yourself and your family as well."

"Why can't my family just trust that I did what I thought was best at the time?" Antonio said, defensively.

"Because, you hurt them, and you need to tell them that you are sorry," Don Miguel said, feeling frustrated from his grandson's lack of understanding on this issue. "You are my grandson, and I love you, but I can not tell you how disappointed I am that you do not seem to feel any culpability."

�You know abuelo, maybe we should just agree to disagree," Antonio said, trying to drop the subject. "Why don't you tell me the real reason you came here today?"

"I want to make you an offer to purchase your business," Don Miguel said, bluntly. "I will double the original investment."

"You're saying that you want to buy the casino from me?" Antonio asked, shocked.

"That is exactly what I am saying. You would be a fool to turn down such an offer."

"Why would you do such a thing? I can't imagine that you would want to run a gambling casino in Harmony."

"Because I want peace for my family, and I do not want to see you get yourself into a bad situation."

"Forget it abuelo," Antonio said, stubbornly. "You and I both know that I can turn a profit worth a lot more than your offer. I'm not selling."

Don Miguel stood. "I guess that we have nothing further to discuss then, but please think about what I said," he said, turning to leave. "Be careful Antonio."

********************

Beth was frantic about the DNA test and she had put in a call to Phillip telling that she had to see him immediately. After waiting for a day, he had finally responded, instructing her to meet him in the park that night. She arrived early and had time to think about her dilemma. He had promised her before that he would handle any problems with DNA testing, but how could she trust him? Although, whoever was paying for her to perpetrate this scam certainly had deep pockets, so hopefully they also had the influence to make sure the test results were tampered with. It was still a mystery to her who would want to go to all of this trouble to convince everyone that Dario was her and Luis child. She was convinced already that Antonio was his real father, because the boy's features were so like the Lopez-Fitzgerald's, and she knew that he could not belong to Luis. Not to mention the birth mark that was very telling. The mother was the true mystery, and she racked her brain thinking back to that time. She did know that Antonio was working for the Crane's back then, but she couldn't remember any specific woman in his life.

Suddenly, a thought entered her mind when she recalled a time when they were all at the pool hall. She specifically remembered that Antonio had quite a few beers that night, and had offered to pay for everyone's drinks. It had surprised her when he opened his wallet and pulled out several hundred dollar bills. When she had remarked that she didn't realize the Cranes paid so generously, his slurred comment had taken her by surprise. He said that he had a rich sugar mama, and when she had pleaded to know who it was he told her to forget about what he said, and that he was just joking. She had thought that he was just kidding around at the time, but now she wondered if
maybe he had revealed something that he didn't mean to. There wasn't much more time to ponder the situation, because Phillip arrived then.

"It took you long enough to call me back," she complained. "I called you two days ago."

"Ms. Wallace, I do have other things to due besides run at your beck and call. What is the emergency?"

"Luis is demanded that I take a DNA test on Tuesday morning. What am I supposed to do?"

"I guess this does present a bit of a problem, but I'm sure that everything will be taken care of," Phillip assured her.

"Is that all?" Beth asked, clearly upset. "I need a little more reassurance that that."

"I don't know what else you want me to say," he said, impatiently. "I told you in the beginning that if Luis was to demand a DNA test that it would be handled."

"Well, I want more money," Beth demanded. "The pressure of all of this is very upsetting to me."

"You have already been paid the amount of money that was agreed upon, and you're not getting one more cent. And, don't think that you can continue to blackmail me in this matter or you will regret it."

"I'll tell Luis the truth and let him come after you demanding answers," Beth threatened.

"You go right ahead Ms. Wallace," Phillip laughed.

"Oh, you don't think I will?"

"You are too much of a coward to spill the beans to Luis. We both know that by the time he finished with you there would be no reason for you to have any money."

"Don't be too sure about that Phillip. I want you to go to your boss and tell them that they need to pay me more money, or this whole game is finished."

"I'll tell them about your demands, but I wouldn't count on anything more. The well is dry where you are concerned Ms. Wallace," he laughed, as he turned to walk away.

"That's what you think Phillip," she said out loud, when he was out of earshot. She watched him go to his car, and decided to follow him. If she was lucky he would be heading straight to the person that he was working for. She was furious about his cold dismissal of her and she was going to have her revenge if it killed her in the process. It was difficult to keep up with him since she didn�t want him to catch on that she was behind him, and she almost lost him when he caught the green light, and she missed it, but she spotted him again heading toward Old Coast Highway. It struck her then that then there was only one place he could be heading��. The Crane estate. She pulled over and watched him stop at the gates. There was a brief conversation with the guard before the gate opened and Phillip proceeded up the driveway. �Oh God, its Ivy Crane,� Beth squealed, starting to laugh with excitement. �You are so busted.�

********************

Luis felt good about his news conference earlier that day. Most of the people that were there told him that he still had their vote and they had every confidence that he would be an asset to the city. Sheridan was also in a great mood because she had been able to discover that everything that Mrs. Wallace had said about her sister was true. They were sitting down to dinner when there was a knock at the door.

�I wonder who that is?� Sheridan asked dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

�I don�t know, but I guess we�ll find out soon enough. You finish eating, I�ll get it.�

�Can I come too daddy?� Luke asked.

�No Sport, finish your green beans.�

�They taste yucky to me,� Luke whined.

�I�m sorry Luke, mommy doesn�t cook very well, but just try to eat a few,� Sheridan suggested.

�I like your bean beans mama,� Lily told her mother with a cheeky grin.

�Why thank you Lily,� Sheridan chuckled.

�Look whose here Sheridan,� Luis announced.

�Don Miguel,� she said, getting up to give him a hug. �This is a pleasant surprise. We didn�t know you were due back in town yet.�

�Actually I was not scheduled to come back for a week, but when I spoke with Pilar, I decided that I was needed here more. As usual, you look wonderful Sheridan.�

�You do too, and I can see that you got plenty of rest. Maria must have taken good care of you.�

�She did,� Don Miguel confirmed. �Now, how are all my precious great grandchildren?�

�We be good daddy buela,� Lily told him. �And Soapie be good too. She can�t talk so I have to talk for her.�

�Well, that is very kind of you,� Don Miguel said, humoring her. �It is nice that Sofia has a big sister like you.�

�Daddy buelo, do you have your big car with you?� Luke asked, excitedly.

�Yes I do,� Don Miguel laughed.

�Abuelo, why don�t you sit down and join us,� Luis offered. �I�ll heat up a plate for you.�

�No thank you Luis, I already had my dinner. I a so sorry that I interrupted your meal, but I thought perhaps you had eaten already.�

�Well, normally we do, but we got home late today,� Sheridan told him. �Will you at least sit down and join us for desert and coffee, or an after dinner brandy?�

�I would like that,� he said, gratefully.

�So, have you seen mama and papa yet?�

�Yes, actually I had dinner at the restaurant.�

�Good, I bet mama was happy to see you. What did you do, come straight from the airport?�

�Actually, I arrived in town earlier this afternoon. I stopped off to see Antonio at his new business,� Don Miguel admitted.

Luis looked shocked, but recovered quickly. �I can�t wait to hear about that visit.�

Chapter 30

Sheridan was dying to hear about Don Miguel�s encounter with Antonio, but she knew that as long as the children were present they wouldn�t be able to speak freely. In order to give Luis some time alone to catch up with his grandfather, she offered to get the children ready for bed. �Come on Luke and Lily, it�s time to get your baths,� Sheridan said, wiping off Sofie�s face and hands.

�But mama, it�s not time,� Luke protested.

�Yeah mama, we always do family time before bedtime,� Lily said in a pleading voice.

�Actually it is time. Remember we had dinner late tonight and it�s getting really close to your bedtime,� Sheridan reminded them.

�Kay mama, but can we have bubbles?� Lily asked.

�Yes you can. Now, go kiss your great grandfather goodnight,� Sheridan told them.

The twins went up and hugged and kissed Don Miguel bringing a huge smile to his face. �Very soon I am going to take you both on a great adventure. How would you like that?�

�Yes daddy buela,� they both said, excitedly.

�Can we go in your big black car?� Luke asked.

�We will definitely go in my big black car,� Don Miguel promised.

Sheridan took Sofie out of her highchair. �Okay, let�s get moving,� she told the children.

�Sheridan why don�t you leave Sofie with me while you give the munchkins their bath? I�ll bring her up when I come to tuck the kids in.�

�That would be great Luis,� she said, gratefully, as she handed the baby to him.

�Luis, do you mind if I hold Sofia?� Don Miguel asked, hopefully.

�Sure you can, but I have to warn you ahead of them that she likes to go for the nose and ear lobes, and the little pixie has the strength of Atlas,� Luis laughed.

�I think that it will be worth the risk,� Don Miguel said, cuddling Sofie in his lap. �I do believe that she gets more beautiful every time I see her.�

�I won�t argue with that,� Luis said. �All my girls are beautiful. I�m the luckiest man in the world.�

�You certainly are,� Don Miguel agreed. �I suppose you are very curious to hear about my visit with Antonio?�

�Well, now that you brought it up, yes I was wondering what you said to him, but if you don�t want to tell me, I understand����

�Of course I want to tell you since you are the only person that I can honestly discuss this with. I wish that I could talk to your mother and father about Antonio, but I feel this need to protect them, and who knows. I think a part of me wants to protect your brother too. I keep hoping that Antonio will eventually be honest with them about his past.�

�I wish that too abuelo, but I don�t think it�s going to happen. I tried to talk to him about our problems but he just sees me as a self-righteous jerk. Even when I tried the gentle approach he just got defensive.�

�My instincts tell me that Antonio feels a lot of guilt about the past but he is too proud and stubborn so he lashes out instead. I told Antonio that I would give him double the amount of the original investment if he would sell me his business, but he refused."

"He refused?" Luis asked, surprised. "I would have thought that he would jump at the chance for that much money. Not to mention that he has a tough road ahead of him because of the way the townspeople feel about gambling in Harmony."

"He said that he could make three times that amount if he kept the business going, and he believes that the people of Harmony will eventually come to accept his business."

"I know he's going to be furious when he finds out that I am going to continue to oppose this business, but I have to be true to myself. I was against this whole gambling thing long before I knew he was the owner."

"I know that Luis, and I admire you for it. That is why I offered to buy him out so that there would not be further dissention between the two of you, but it was all in vain," Don Miguel said, dejectedly.

"I appreciate your efforts abuelo, but it's obvious that Antonio is not going to change his colors any time soon. You do understand that I have to fight him on this gambling business don�t you?� Luis asked, hoping that he had his grandfather�s support.

�I do know that Luis, and I admire you for sticking to your convictions, but you should also keep in mind that this could forever sever any change of reconciliation with your brother,� Don Miguel warned.

�I hope not abuelo, but it�s a chance I have to take.�

�There is another matter that we need to speak about Luis,� Don Miguel said, hesitantly.

�I suppose you�re referring to Beth�s claim that Dario is our son?�

�Yes,� the old man acknowledged. �Do you believe her claim?�

�I�m not sure abuelo. She certainly knew some details that she would only know if she had been there, but we have already caught her in a lie.�

�Oh really?� Don Miguel sat up with interest. �What was this lie about?�

�Beth claimed that she went to stay with a rich aunt in Providence when she found out she was pregnant, and this aunt sent her to Paris to have the baby. Well, Sheridan found out that this aunt died years before that and she confirmed it today by looking up the death certificate.�

�This does not surprise me since I have always had a bad feeling about that woman. So, what do you plan to do about this situation?�

�We�re all going to take a DNA test tomorrow, so one way or another that should put the whole thing to rest. If it turns out that Dario really is my son I will love and protect him just like all of my other children��. Well, I would do that anyway because he is such a wonderful kid.�

�But legally he is the son of your parents. How will they feel about this?�

�I don�t know abuelo, but we�ll all work it out if and when the time comes��..�

�Mama,� Sofie said, suddenly holding her hands out.

�Sorry to interrupt,� Sheridan said, smiling.

�You didn�t interrupt sweetie,� Luis assured her.

�I know the two of you are catching up but Luke and Lily are waiting for you to tuck them in. I hope you don�t mind Don Miguel?�

�Of course not Sheridan. It is important that a father spends time with his children before they go to sleep. I always tucked my children in when they were young,� Don Miguel said, wistfully.

�Abuelo will you be here when I�m finished tucking the munchkins in?� Luis asked.

�I am afraid that I must be on my way. The problem with growing old is that you grow weary very easily, and with the time change I am quite exhausted.�

�That�s right, you�ve lost two hours and that is a long flight. You need to go home and get a good night�s sleep, and we can plan to get together for a longer visit,� Sheridan suggested.

�Well Sofia, it is time to go back to your mama�s arms,� Don Miguel said, giving the baby a kiss on the cheek. Now that she was facing her great grandfather the first thing she did was reach for his nose.

�Sofie, you need to let go and come with mommy,� Sheridan said, trying to work the little girl�s hand loose from Don Miguel�s nose. �Oh, I hope she didn�t hurt you���

�I am fine,� Don Miguel laughed as he stood to leave.

�Good night Don Miguel. It is so good to see you again,� Sheridan said, holding Sofie closely.

�Good night Sheridan, and again I am sorry for interrupting your dinner.�

�Please,� she said, brushing off his apology. �You are family, and we are happy to see you any time.�

�I�ll walk you to the door abuelo,� Luis offered.

�Do you want me to get my investigators to do some checking on Beth Wallace?� Don Miguel asked at the door.

�I appreciate the offer abuelo, but I think we have everything under control for now,� Luis said.

�Goodnight Luis,� Don Miguel said, hugging his grandson.

�Good night abuelo,� Luis responded warmly. �I�m glad you�re back.

�So, what did Don Miguel have to say?� Sheridan asked.

�You know Sheridan; it�s been a really long time since we went out on a date. I would love to have an evening alone with you.�

�Where did that come from?� she asked, pleasantly surprised.

�It just seems like there is so much going on in our lives that we haven�t taken time for us lately, and I miss you,� he said, sweetly kissing both her and Sofie.

�I would love that, but you still haven�t answered my question. Did Don Miguel tell you something you don�t want me to know about?�

�Not at all, he said he offered to purchase Antonio�s business for double the amount of the original investment and my brother refused.�

�Wow, that�s a pretty generous offer. It sounds like being stubborn runs in the family,� she said, teasingly.

�People in glass houses��..�

�I know, I know,� she chuckled. �So, what do you have in mind for this romantic evening out?�

�Actually, I was thinking of an overnight trip. That address that Mrs. Wallace gave you says that Beth�s cousin lives in Boston now. I thought we could drive down there Friday morning, look up this woman, spend a romantic evening, and drive back the next day.�

�Oh Luis, that�s a perfect idea. I really want to talk to her to see if she can give us some more evidence that proves Beth is lying about this whole thing.�

�Honey, just keep in mind that it could still turn out that even though Beth was lying about her aunt that she could still be Dario�s mother,� Luis warned.

�Say what you will, but I have the strongest feeling that there is a lot more to her tale that she�s saying. I�m convinced that she is no more Dario�s mother than I am.�

�You�ve certainly done an about face. Ever since you found out that Dario had the Fitzgerald birth mark you�ve been worried that he is my son with Beth. What changed?�

�I think it was my little talk with Mrs. Wallace. The fact that she lied about her aunt and also don�t you find it strange that Beth would be pregnant and her mother would not know about it?�

�Mamaaa,� Sofie cried while rubbing her eyes.

�Oh, my poor little sweet pea is so tired. Mommy is going to put you in your pajamas and tuck you into bed, and then I�ll sing you a lullaby.�

�Damn, I forgot about the munchkins,� Luis said, sprinting toward the stairs.

********************

Ivy regretted ever putting the whole plan with Beth being Dario�s mother into motion. But, it was too late to turn back the hands of time and she had to make sure that the DNA test proved Beth to be telling the truth. She had considered using her knowledge about Eve�s past with Julian to force her to fix the test, but dismissed that thought almost immediately. She couldn�t risk having the good doctor know about that part of her past. It was much too powerful and destructive. Even Phillip didn�t know the real reason behind this scheme. She had told him that she was acting as an intermediate for a friend, and thankfully he had appeared to believe her. The doctor that ran the lab at Harmony Hospital had a mistress that he didn�t want his wife to hear about, so he had been very easy to bribe. The monetary incentive had only sealed the deal. She just prayed that Dario would not be hurt in all of this. Maybe if she had a drink it would get the picture of his sad, blue eyes out of her mind. She had just poured it when the maid announced that there was somebody in the foyer that wanted to see her.

�Oh Martha, just tell who ever it is that I�m otherwise occupied and not up for visitors,� Ivy told the maid.

�But Mrs. Crane, she�s really being insistent. I don�t know if Ms. Wallace is going to go away,� the maid said, clearly distressed.

�Are you telling me that Beth Wallace is here?� Ivy asked, worriedly.

�Yes Mrs. Crane, it�s me in the flesh,� Beth said, walking into the living room like she owned the place.

�You can�t just come in here like that,� the maid protested.

�No Martha, it�s okay,� Ivy told her. �You can leave us alone now.�

�Yes, Mrs. Crane,� Martha said, closing the double doors behind her.

Ivy was nervous, but she refused to let Beth know that. �Look Beth, if this is about the coffee shop you�re going to have to speak to Ethan or Evan. I don�t have anything to do with Crane holdings.�

�Oh, this has nothing to do with the shop,� Beth said with a smug smile. �This is personal business between you and me.� She discreetly turned on a small tape recorder in her pocket.

�I can�t imagine that you and I would have any personal business to discuss Beth,� Ivy said, shooting her visitor a look of distain.

�You know, just because you were born on the right side of the tracks doesn�t make you any better than I am. You get right down in the dirt with the rest of the lowlifes��..�

�How dare you?� Ivy said, reaching for the phone. �I�m calling security to have you thrown out of here��..�

�Oh, I don�t think you�ll do that or I�ll have to go to the tabloids with my story about your dirty little secret.�

Ivy froze unable to believe what she was hearing. No, it was impossible that Beth could know that she was really Dario�s mother. She had been so careful��.. �What the hell do you want with me?� she asked her voice calm by now.

�I want you to write me a big fat check. Let�s see we can start with fifty-thousand dollars to start with����

�Have you lost your mind?� Ivy asked, astounded. �I am not giving you a cent.�

�Gee, I guess I�m going to have to tell the whole world that you gave birth to Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald�s baby and gave him up for adoption. Maybe I should start with Dario so he can hear the real truth about his parents����

The glass slipped out of Ivy�s hand and shattered to the ground into a million pieces. It was hard to even breathe, but she knew that if she didn�t gain control, Beth would know that she was right. She would never know how she pulled it off, but a look of outrage came over her face. �Now I know you have lost your mind. That is the most ridiculous story I�ve ever heard. Only a crazy person would come in here and accuse a Crane of such an outrageous thing. Do you have any idea who you are messing with?�

�You know Ivy; you really should have let Phillip give me more money when I asked for it. That really made me furious, so I decided to follow him when he left the park that night and guess when he ended up? Right here, and then I started to think about all the times in the past when Antonio used to have all that money when he worked for the Cranes. I figured that who ever was paying me had to have a lot of money and a lot to hide. It all made so much sense when I saw Phillip pull into the Crane Estate.�

�So, you came up with this convoluted story just because you saw Phillip come here?� Ivy laughed. �For your information he is dating one of the maids here so I guess your theory is nothing but your over-active imagination.�

�Good try Ivy, but I�m not buying it,� Beth said with a knowing grin. �You can deny it all that you want too, but all I have to do is tell my little tale to the tabloids and it will set this whole town on fire.�

�Okay you bitch, I�ll give you ten-thousand dollars, but it�s not because you�re right about any of this. If you started this vicious rumor, I would never live down the scandal.�

�Sorry Ivy, but that�s just not enough money��..�

�You listen to me you little viper,� Ivy said, getting into Beth�s face. �You take this money and keep your mouth shut, or I�ll destroy you. Now, do I make myself clear?�

�Yes,� Beth said, taking the cash from Ivy. �Perfectly.� With that, she turned and left never once looking back.

Ivy started shaking, and sat down on the sofa. She knew that Beth Wallace was a big problem, and she had to do something to keep her quiet. The problem was, she didn�t know how she was going to accomplish that.

********************

Luis and Sheridan dropped their children at their grandparent�s house and began their trips to Boston. Even though she was feeling her usual separation anxiety about leaving her babies, Sheridan was also excited about their upcoming meeting with Beth�s cousin, but she was especially looking forward to a romantic night with her husband.

�You�re being very secretive about this hotel we�re staying in tonight. Will you just give me a little hint?� Sheridan pleaded.

�Okay, I�ll just tell you,� Luis said, giving her his most charming smile. �I reserved a room at the Boston Harbor Hotel.�

�Oh Luis, I love that hotel, but isn�t it a little out of our price range?�

�Don�t worry about that. I got a special deal,� he assured her.

�I�m not even going to ask how you managed that,� she said, reaching for his hand. �I brought the sexiest dress for you.�

�You shouldn�t have told me that,� Luis groaned. �Now I�m going to think about that the whole time we�re talking to Beth�s cousin.�

�I�m just hoping that she agrees to see us,� Sheridan worried.

�I have a feeling she will,� Luis said, confidently.

�How can you be so sure?� Sheridan asked.

�Because she�ll curious, and she won�t be able to resist,� Luis predicted.

�Oh, so now you�re a profiler,� Sheridan laughed.

�You have to have some profiling skills to be a cop and even an investigator. It�s all part of the game.�

�Well, we�ll see if you�re right. As soon as we get to Boston, I�m going to give her a call,� Sheridan told him.

As it turned out Luis was right about one thing. Beth�s cousin, Beverly did agree to see them. When they pulled up in front of her should, she was waiting on the front porch. �See, what did I tell you? She�s dying to know what we want,� Luis smiled.

They walked up to the porch and introduced themselves. �I hope this isn�t an inconvenience for you,� Sheridan said, holding out her hand in greeting.

�Not at all. Why don�t you come in and get comfortable,� Beverly invited. She couldn�t seem to take her eyes off of Luis. �Can I get you some coffee or a soft drink?�

They both declined. �Beverly��� I can call you Beverly can�t I? Luis asked.

�Sure, I was never one to be all formal and everything. You know, I can see now why Beth was so upset when you broke up with her. I have to admit that I�m shocked that you would even give her the time of day.�

�Why do you say that?� Luis asked, surprised.

�Because she�s an evil bitch, but I suppose that she was good at hiding that from you.�

�Beverly, did Beth spend some time with you back in nineteen ninety four?� Sheridan asked, trying to get off the subject of Luis and Beth�s relationship.

�Yeah, she stayed with me for about five months until I kicked her out. I caught her in bed with my boyfriend. Of course, I kicked him out too.�

�Beverly, was Beth pregnant during that time?� Luis asked.

�Are you kidding?� Beverly said, shocked.

�No, I�m not kidding. According to Beth she claims she was pregnant at the time and living in Paris,� Luis explained.

�Is it possible that she might have been pregnant and you just didn�t know it?� Sheridan asked.

�There is no way that she was pregnant,� Beverly said with conviction. �Her stomach was as flat as a pancake. Wait a minute; I think I might just have some old pictures.� She got up and pulled open a closet and found a shoebox. �I don�t know why I even kept these, since I haven�t spoken with Beth since the day I kicked her out. Check this out.�

Luis and Sheridan looked at the picture she handed to them and there was Beth and Beverly both clad in a bikini. It was perfect because Beth was standing at a side view and just has her cousin had said, her stomach was perfectly flat. What was even better was that the photo had a date on the back. �Looks like somebody is busted,� Luis said, showing Sheridan the date on the back.

�Beverly, do you mind if we borrow this picture?� Sheridan asked.

�You can have it as far as I�m concerned,� Beverly told them. �I could care less if I ever see it again, and if it gets Beth in trouble then that�s all the better.�

�Thank you so much for all of your help,� Sheridan told her gratefully. �You have no idea how big of a help this is to us.�

Once they got in the car, Sheridan screamed with delight. �There is no way that Beth could be Dario�s mother. We got her Luis.�

�It certainly looks like she�s lying, but now we have to find out how she knew all that information about Dario�s birth. That�s the part that�s really bugging me.�

�I don�t even want to think about it right now, I so happy,� Sheridan said, smiling. �Let�s go check into our hotel and we can order some campaign to celebrate.�

Luis couldn�t help but smile at her exuberance. �Can we take our clothes off while we celebrate?�

�Most definitely,� she said, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. �I am going to tire you out Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald.�

Chapter 31

The hotel room they secured for the night was beyond fabulous. It was a corner suite with a large window on one wall that faced the ocean, and the other wall had two large glass doors that opened to a balcony. Both afforded a different view of Boston Harbor, with one just as spectacular as the other. Luis was already dressed for the evening, looking rakishly handsome in his dark suit. Sheridan was still in the bathroom putting the finishing touches to her ensemble.

Luis picked up the paper to check out the baseball scores, and as he was leafing through the pages, he was shocked to see a full page add for Antonio�s casino. �What the hell? I can�t believe he did this,� Luis bellowed.

Sheridan was in the process of applying her lip color, and almost dragged it across her face when she heard Luis� outburst. She hurried into the room to see what the commotion was. �Luis, what is going on in here?�

�Look at this Sheridan,� Luis said, handing her the paper. �Where is he getting all this money? Do you have any idea how much a full page add cost? No wonder he�s had a crowd in his place all week. He�s shipping them in from Boston.�

�Honey, you need to calm down about this,� Sheridan said, glancing at the advertisement.

�I�m sorry I blew up, but it just scares me that he�s involved with the wrong kind of people. I may be mad as hell at him, but he�s still my brother and I�m concerned that he could be in over his head,� Luis said with a worried frown.

�Luis, I know that it�s in your nature to be the protector, and I love that about you, but your brother is a grown man, and you�ve bent over backwards to hide his past from your parents. I know that has been difficult for you, and I know he�s your brother, but it�s time to let him sink or swim.�

�As usual, you�re right��� Wow, you look gorgeous and sexy too,� Luis said, his voice raspy with desire when he finally noticed her attire.

�You like?� she asked, spinning around.

�I like very much,� he growled, taking in her little black dress. It was simple with the exception of the beaded work on the spaghetti straps, giving the illusion that the only thing holding her dress on were glistening ropes of jewels.

She leaned down planting her hands on the arms of the chair he was sitting in. The generous view of her breasts took his breath away. �I say we make a deal that there will be no more talk about Antonio or Beth. Tonight is going to be all about us.�

�You definitely have a deal,� he said, touching his lips to the curve of her breast. She started to shake when he flicked his tongue over her smooth flesh.

�You need to stop that right now or we will never make it to dinner,� she said, breathlessly. �Besides, we promised to call the children before their bedtime.�

�I hope the munchkins are behaving,� Luis worried. �I want my family to be speaking to me tomorrow.�

�They�re always good for your mother. It�s poor Paloma that they go into devil mode for,� Sheridan chuckled. �I do miss my little babies though.�

�We�ll see,� Luis said, dialing the phone. �Hey mama, how�s it going with the kids, and please be truthful?�

�I�ll get on the other phone,� Sheridan said. �Hi Pilar.�

�Hello,� Pilar responded. �The children have been little angels. They have had their baths and are in their pajamas, and Sofia is already asleep.�

�Oh good,� Sheridan said, relieved. �Did you play her special music?�

�Yes, and she fell right to sleep. She is so precious,� Pilar said, fondly.

�We think she�s precious too,� Sheridan agreed.

�Mama, can we talk to the little munchkins?� Luis asked.

�Yes, they are standing right here. They have been waiting for you to call. I will put on the speaker so you can talk to both of them at the same time,� Pilar offered.

�Hi mama and daddy,� Luke said, excitedly. �Daddy buelo took us in his big black car to get some ice cream.�

�And buela made us ronies and cheese cause we like it so much, and you know what else? We helpeded Poma make cookies for JJ, and we even got to eat the dough,� Lily beamed.

�Paloma should have just given you straight sugar right out of the bag,� Luis laughed. �I hope you plan on staying up all night with them mama.�

�No, I promise that they only had a little,� Pilar assured them.

�It sounds like you�re have a great time at abuela�s house, and mommy is so proud of you for being good,� Sheridan told her children.

�Yeah mama, we are being so good,� Lily told her.

�Pawpaw gave me and Leelee a whole dollar. Can we go buy something when you get home daddy?� Luke asked, hopefully.

�Sure Sport, but you have to promise me not to spend it in one place,� Luis laughed.

�Kay daddy,� Luke giggled.

Luis pointed to his watch. �Well, it�s time for you to get into bed and daddy and I have to go to dinner. We love you very much.�

�You be good little munchkins and we�ll see you tomorrow.�

�Mama, are you going to bring us pressies?� Lily asked, sheepishly.

�Oh, I think that if you and Lukie continue to be so good, we might just bring you a surprise,� Sheridan told her.

�You�re the bestest mama and daddy,� Lily said, sweetly.

�Yeah, we want you to come home soon, cause we miss you,� Luke added.

Sheridan and Luis were touched, and said goodbye to their children, but not before the twins knew how much they were loved.

�Well daddy, should be go to dinner?� Sheridan asked.

�God yes, I�m starving, but I think we should have dessert sent to the room.�

�That sounds wonderful. I�ve been dying for a piece of chocolate cheese cake,� Sheridan said, licking her lips. �What are you going to have?�

�I�ll be having you,� he said in a sensuous tone, while staring at her wet lips.

�We better go,� Sheridan said, grabbing his hand. �I have a feeling that if we don�t get out of her now, we never will.

They both had lobster and reminisced about their first date when things had been tentative and filled with the anticipation of romance. The Luis impostor had put a huge road block on their budding passion, but they had made it through the rough times because the love was always there. Luis arranged for some chocolate cheese cake to be deliver to their room and they made their way upstairs. As soon as they got inside the door, they were in each other�s arms kissing passionately.

�Oh Luis, we need to wait until they deliver the dessert. Somebody needs to be decent when we open the door,� she said, trying to catch her breath.

�Okay, you�ll get your dessert, and then I�m going to get mine,� he promised. �Let�s go outside on the balcony and enjoy the view while were waiting.�

�That�s a perfect suggestion,� Sheridan said, walking toward the double doors. She opened them and stepped outside. �It�s beautiful. Look at all the ships in the harbor.�

�It�s amazing that we live by the ocean every day, but we take it for granted. Seeing it like this makes you appreciate it much more.�

�There is something really romantic about the sea,� Sheridan said, wrapping her arms her body trying to warm herself from the breeze blowing off the water.

�Here sweetheart, take my jacket,� Luis said, wrapping his suit coat around her as he pulled her into his arms.

�Now I feel nice and cozy,� she said, leaning against his chest. �You feel so warm.�

�Actually, I�m hotter than hell,� he said, brushing his lips against her neck. He moved his hand inside the jacket and cupped her breast rubbing his thumb across her nipple.

�Oh Luis, you are really driving me crazy,� she moaned. �I want you so badly��.�

He turned her around and took her chin in his hand and pulled her up for the hot assault of his mouth. �You taste so good��. I want you too.� Suddenly he lifted her and began to carry her into the bedroom. Just as they fell to the bed, there was a loud knock on the door. �Damn,� Luis swore, getting up to answer the door.

Sheridan sat up and adjusted her dress while the bellman rowed the cart into the room. Luis signed off and gave him a generous tip. �Well my lady, your dessert has arrived.�

�You know what?� she said, standing to pull her dress over her head. �I think I�ll eat that later.�

Luis took in the vision before him, and felt himself grow hard. She was such a beautiful temptress standing there wearing nothing but her black lace panties and high heels. �God woman, you could bring a monk to his knees.�

�I only want to bring you to your knees,� she said, seductively, as she wiggled out of her panties.

He stripped his shirt away and moved toward her, dropping to his knees. She almost fell, and had to grab on to the dresser for support when his lips found her most secret place. He was merciless and so hot that she felt a raging fire burning her alive. She tired to hold on, but her efforts were all in vain when the explosion of passion overwhelmed her. �Just let go sweetheart.� She did then, and Luis stood to catch her as she crumbled against him.

�Oh God, I can�t move��.�

�You don�t have to,� he said, swinging her up in his arms. He carried her to the bed, and laid her down, and made quick work of removing the rest of his clothing. As he gazed down at her luscious body, he thought he would burst with love for her. Easing down to place his body on top of her, he whispered the hottest love words to her. She came alive again, and wrapped her long legs around him, and began to undulate beneath him.

�Take me know Luis,� she begged, dragging his nails down his back.

�Oh sweetheart, I have every intention of taking you,� he said, filling her completely with his pulsing erection.

They rode the waves of passion until they reached that place that shattered their very beings, but it still wasn�t enough. As soon as they were able to catch their breaths, the heat erupted all over again. Sheridan never did eat her dessert. She had more pleasurable things to fill her time.

********************

This was the second night in a roll that Beth had been to Antonio�s floating casino, and the more she saw of the place, the more she wanted to be a part of it. For so many years she had been stuck working at that dead end job of managing the Book Caf�, and she decided that it was time to broaden her horizons. Antonio didn�t know it yet, but he was going to have a new partner. She couldn�t help but smile over her good fortune. Ivy had made a very foolish mistake by bringing her into her sick little game and she planned on reaping all the rewards. That bitch thought she could so easily dismiss her, but she refused to go away without a fight. If that DNA test came back proving that she was not Dario�s mother, she was going to suffer all kinds of hell when Luis got through with her and Ivy would pay for her suffering.

Beth looked around trying to locate Antonio and finally spotted him talking to one of the dealers. She made her way quickly so that she wouldn�t lose site of him again. �Hello Antonio,� she said, grabbing a glass of champagne from the tray of a waiter passing by. �You have a beautiful place here.�

�Thanks Beth,� Antonio said, flashing her charming smile. �I hope that you�re enjoying yourself?�

�Oh yes, I�m having a wonderful time, but I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to speak with me in private?�

�Can this wait Beth? I�m kind of busy here��..�

�Trust me Antonio, it would be in your best interest to make some time for me,� Beth said in a tone that bore no argument.

Antonio felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he sensed that Beth had something sinister in mind. �Okay, why don�t we go to my office,� he suggested.

Once they were seated with the door closed from all the noise of the club, Beth opened her purse to press her tape recorder to the on position. It was on her lap so Antonio couldn�t see what she was doing. Just like with Ivy, she was going to make sure she had the proof of their conversation. �I guess I�ll get right to the point Antonio,� Beth said, smiling. �I have come into some money lately left to me when my dear aunt died, and I want to invest it in something profitable. Anyway, when I came in here last night I thought that this would be the perfect place to invest my money into to.�

�Are you saying that you want to be an investor in my club?� Antonio asked, surprised and a bit relieved as well.

�That�s exactly what I�m saying, but I also want you to take me on as a partner,� Beth told him with a confident smile.

Antonio started to laugh at her outrageous request. �Sorry Beth but I don�t want any partners.�

�Sorry Antonio, but you don�t have any choice in the matter. You see I figured out how you managed to get the capital to open this place, and I am pretty sure that Julian Crane would not be a happy camper if he found out that his wife gave you all that money.�

Antonio looked physically shaken by her statement, but quickly recovered. �You have no idea what the hell you�re talking about Beth. I haven�t seen Ivy Crane in years, and even then it was only on a few occasions when I worked at the Crane Estate.�

�Oh please Antonio have you forgotten that I knew you pretty well back then since I was dating Luis. I especially remember one occasion when we were all drinking one night, and you had a whole lot of cash in your wallet. We were all a little drunk but I distinctly remember when I asked where you got so much money you told me that you had a sugar mama. At first I didn�t think much about it, but it finally started to become obvious that you and the lady of the manor were doing the nasty.�

�You certainly have an over-active imagination Beth, but you are way off the mark. I�m sure that if I told you I had a sugar mama, I was joking at the time.�

�Come on Antonio, you left suddenly with no word from you in years, and then you tell your family that Julian Crane forced you to leave town. What happened, did old Jules catch you with his wife?�

Antonio couldn�t believe that she had guessed the truth, but he would be damned if he would admit that to her. �You are delusional Beth. Why would Ivy Crane even give me the time of day? I don�t exactly fit into her social circle.�

�Of course you do Antonio. Your grandfather is a Spanish aristocrat, and all the country club set have been fawning all over him since he showed up in town. Not to mention that Ivy is an older lady that would love to sink her claws into a good looking younger guy like you, so it doesn�t sound as outlandish as you think.�

�Well, you have developed quite a wild little tale here Beth, but if you think I�m just going to make you a partner in my business over a bunch of theories that have no basis in reality, you really are crazy.�

�I guess you haven�t given me any choice but to go to the tabloids with my wild tale, or better yet, maybe I�ll go and pay Julian Crane a visit in prison. Of course, your poor mother will be heartbroken to learn you were having sex with her friend and employer. Oh, and there�s another big old nasty secret about you and Ivy that would rock your world, but I think I�ll keep that to myself for now,� Beth chuckled.

�What the hell are you talking about?� Antonio demanded.

�Maybe you should ask Ivy about that one? Now, what�s it going to be? Do I become your partner, or your worst nightmare?�

�I�ll call my attorney in the morning, but this could take some time. How much money are you willing to invest anyway?�

�Fifteen-thousand,� Beth answered.

�Are you kidding me?� Antonio laughed sarcastically. That might buy you one of those slot machines out there.�

�I don�t care,� Beth said, embarrassed. �All I want is a little piece of this business so I can�t quit working at the Book Caf�. I think that you will find me to be a wonderful asset to this place.�

�Okay Beth you win, but let me give you a piece of advice. You�re lucky that I�m a nice guy because anyone else might find a way to shut your mouth permanently if you know what I mean,� Antonio said with a menacing look that sent a bolt of fear through Beth.

It occurred to Beth that her childhood friend was not the same man that she had known all those years ago. Something had happened to harden him, and she knew that she was going to have to be very careful when dealing with him in the future.

********************

Ivy located the number of Phillip�s apartment and knocked on the door. It appeared that he did very well for himself because the building was very upscale. No doubt most of her money had paid for his high style of living. Well, he was about to find out that his meal ticket was about to come to an abrupt end. It was apparent by the look on his face that he was surprised to see her standing there.

�Mrs. Crane, please come in,� he invited. �Can I get you something to drink?�

�No thank you,� she said, curtly. �I won�t be staying long.�

�Has something happened? I mean, you�ve never come to my place before,� he said, confused.

�That is because I never want you to step foot in my house again. Do you have any idea what you have done?� she asked, furiously.

�Wait a minute Mrs. Crane, maybe you better tell me why you are so upset because I have done everything you have asked of me.�

�You were foolish enough to let Beth Wallace follow you to my house. That woman showed up threatening to go to the tabloids and tell them that I was Dario�s mother. I was just trying to help out a friend and she had assumed the worst.�

�Mrs. Crane, I�m so sorry. I had no idea that she was behind me��.�

�It�s your job to watch for things like that. Here is a check for what I owe you. Your services will no longer be needed. You�re lucky that I don�t make sure that you never find work in Harmony again after that stupid move.�

�Mrs. Crane, you can�t be serious. I promise I�ll make this right,� he assured her.

�The damage is done,� she said, turning to leave. �Goodnight Philip.�

As soon as the door closed, Phillip hit it with his fist. �Damn you Beth Wallace. You are going to regret the day you crossed me.

********************

Jordan and Christopher has been home for several weeks now, and Kay decided to it was time to have the shower that had to be postponed. Lily was so excited because Jordan had specifically asked that Sheridan bring her along, and Sofie too. She and Sheridan were in her bedroom now trying to pick out the perfect outfit.

�Mama, you just have to find me a pretty dress to wear,� Lily told her mother.

�Well that shouldn�t be a problem because you have some very pretty dresses,� Sheridan said, unable to resist a smile. Her daughter was already a fashion plate. �What about this pretty pink one?�

�No mama, that�s kind of babyish,� Lily said, turning her little nose up.

�Okay, what about her blue skirt and top? Mommy thinks that looks very grown up.�

�Oh yes mama, that would be the best,� Lily said, excitedly. �You and Sopie can wear blue dresses too so we can all be twins.�

�I think that is a good idea Lily,� Sheridan laughed. �The blue dresses will show off our blue eyes. Except Sofie has brown eyes like daddy, but she�ll still be as cute as a button.�

�What are you girls doing?� Luis said, peeking in the door with Sofie in his arms.

�We�re picking out outfits to wear to Cistofer�s party daddy, but boys can�t come.�

�Oh darn, are you sure that we can�t come too Peanut?� Luis asked, teasingly.

�Sorry daddy, but only me and mama and Sofie are invited.�

�That�s okay Peanut; we guys have some big plans for today too.�

�What are you and Lukie going to be doing today?� Sheridan asked.

�Mama, daddy�s taking be to the bootball game,� Luke said, happily as he came bouncing into the room.

�That�s so exciting sweetie. You�re very first football game. Who is playing?�

�Harmony High is playing Marshall. Papa and Miguel are going with us too,� Luis told her.

�Well, I�m sure that you guys will have a blast.�

�I bet we have a better blast,� Lily said in her most saucy voice.

 

Chapter 32

Sheridan almost wished that they could all go to the football game together, but then she remembered that she didn�t really understand the game. It was the togetherness she loved and they really were going to have to do something as a family soon. In a couple of days the DNA test should be back, and that should finally put all this business about Beth being Dario�s mother to rest, but today she was going to put all that out of her head. She had children to get dressed. �Luis, you should probably take Luke�s sweat shirt in case it gets chilly.�

�Sheridan, it�s a nice, sunny day out there today.�

�I realize that but the air can get chilly this time of year, and it doesn�t hurt to be prepared. I don�t want my baby to get cold.�

�Mama, I�m not a baby,� Luke protested.

�I know you�re not sweetie, but it�s just hard for mommy to get used to the fact that you�re growing up. Do you forgive me?� Sheridan asked, winking at her son.

�Yes mama,� Luke said with an impish grin.

�Well Sport, we have to get going now,� Luis told his son.

�Oh, you have to leave so soon?� Sheridan asked.

�Yeah, we want to go to the junior varsity game first to watch Dario play, but I promise we won�t stay for the varsity game if Luke is too tired,� Luis promised, already guessing ahead of time what Sheridan was thinking.

�It�s nice to see Dario adjusting so well, and it sounds like he�s quite the athlete too,� Sheridan said so pleased for the once lonely boy.

�I�m really proud of him,� Luis said, fondly.

�Come on daddy, we has to go,� Luke said, pulling on Luis� arm.

�Okay Sport, but we have to give our girls a kiss goodbye first,� Luis said, bending down to pick up Lily. He swung her into the air and planted a big kiss on her cheek.

�You�re so funny daddy,� Lily giggled.

�Now, you come here my little man and give mommy a big hug and kiss,� Sheridan requested of her little boy.

�Kay mama, Luke said, flying into his mother�s arms.

Luis kissed Sheridan and Sofie, and as he and Luke were walking out the door Lily stopped them. "Lukie, I'll bring you a big piece of cake," she offered sweetly.

"Okay!" Luke squealed. "I love cake. Thanks Leelee."

"You're welcome Lukie."

"You two are so sweet," Sheridan said, fondly.

"They are sweet, but we really need to go Sport," Luis urged.

"Say bye bye to daddy and Luke," Sheridan said to Sofie.

"Baba, baba," she said, trying to wave her tiny hand.

"That's so cute," Luis said, proudly.

After the boys left, Sheridan scurried around to get them all ready. By the time she loaded them up in the car and packed the gifts they were already late. "Well Lily, nothing like making an entrance."

"What do you mean mama?" Lily asked, confused.

"It's just an expression sweetie. Come on, we better get into the house before we miss everything," Sheridan said, getting Sofie out of her car seat.

When they knocked, Kay answered the door. "We were starting to think you were not going to make it. Wow Lily, you look so pretty today."

"Mama dressed us all alike so that we could be twins," Lily told Kay in her most serious voice.

"Well, come on in. You need to meet your new baby cousin, Christopher."

All the Bennett and Russell women were there, as well as Pilar and Paloma. Ivy had even showed up with some of her friends from the country club. You could just see these ladies turn their noses up at the blue streamers and balloons. "Look at those old crows," Kay whispered in Sheridan ear. "If they are so appalled why don't they just leave? I didn't ask them to be here anyway."

"I know they can be a bit judgmental, but Ivy probably felt like she had to invite them," Sheridan whispered back. "I hope you won't let them ruin your time Kay."

�Oh believe me Sheridan; I do know how to handle those old bats. I�ve had to go to enough of those functions with Evan and one learns how to survive.�

�I�m sure you can take care of yourself,� Sheridan laughed. �Oh, there�s Jordan with the baby. Come on Lily; let�s go meet your new cousin.�

�I�ll take baby squirt off of your hands,� Paloma offered, holding her arms out for Sofie.

�Thank you Paloma, but don�t put her down. She�s crawling all over the place and she just loves to find trouble.�

�Yeah Poma, Soapie came and knocked down our big tower that me and Lukie built, but we didn�t get mad,� Lily told her.

�Sheridan, there you are,� Jordan said, coming up to them with Christopher in her arms.

�Oh Jordan, you look wonderful, and I can�t believe how much Christopher has grown. He�s just precious,� Sheridan said, rubbing his soft cheek with her finger. �He looks so tiny compared to Sofie.�

�I think he�s pretty precious too,� Jordan said, kissing her baby on the forehead. �I just can�t get enough of him.�

�I know the feeling,� Sheridan smiled. �Lily, this is your cousin, Christopher.�

�Hi Cistopher,� Lily gushed. �Look mama, he�s so cute.�

�He certainly is. I swear he looks just like Noah,� Sheridan said, studying the baby�s face. �Although, the shape of his mouth looks like yours. How is Noah adjusting to fatherhood?�

�Oh Sheridan, he is just crazy about Christopher, and every time he even makes a peep, he is running over to the crib to see if he�s okay. The poor guy works so hard and then he has to come home and study, but he still finds time to help me with the baby and wait on me hand and foot.�

�He sounds like Luis,� Sheridan said, smiling when she though about her wonderful husband.

�Okay everyone, we are ready to open up the gifts,� Kay announced.

�Oh goodie,� Lily said, clapping her hands together. �We brought lots of pressies for Cistopher.�

�Jordan, why don�t you let me hold Christopher while you open his presents?� Grace offered with a hopeful look.

�Thank you Grace,� Jordan said, handing her the baby. �I�m sure it won�t be any great burden to you,� she winked.

�Come to Grandma,� Grace said, hugging her grandson. Nobody but Sheridan noticed Ivy rolling her eyes.

After Jordan worked through the mound of gifts, Ivy opened her purse and handed Jordan an envelope. �What is this mother?� Jordan asked, staring down at the envelope. �You have already given Christopher enough to fill three nurses.�

�Go ahead and open it,� Ivy urged her. �This is a Crane tradition.�

�Okay,� Jordan said, hesitantly. �Oh my God, it�s Crane stock.�

�Don�t be so surprised Jordan. Believe it or not Alistair set it up so that all of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren get stock in the family business when they are born. Isn�t that right Sheridan?�

�Yes, all of my children received it when they were born,� Sheridan confirmed.

�It�s very generous, but I�m not sure Noah is going to be very happy about this. He�s kind of touchy about my money. It�s a pride thing, and I admire him for that.�

�Jordan, I don�t think that Noah would begrudge his son part of his birthright,� Grace said.

�Really, if Luis can get over it, anyone can. I�m sure that Grace is right about this.�

�I suppose you�re right. Thank you mother,� Jordan said, surprising Ivy with a hug.

�You�re welcome,� she said, happily. �My darling grandson deserves the best.�

Sheridan suddenly noticed that Lily was no where to be found. �Has anyone seen my daughter?� Sheridan asked, praying that the little imp was not getting into trouble.

�She is in the kitchen with Paloma,� Pilar told her.

�Excuse me, I better go and check on her,� Sheridan told them. She made her way to the kitchen, and stopped at the doorway when she heard her daughter talking.

�I have the bestest mama in the whole world,� Lily told Paloma. �She always buys me pretty dresses and she be so nice to me and Lukie.�

�I have to agree Lily. You do have a nice mommy. When I first came back to Harmony she was really good to me.�

Sheridan was so touched that a tear formed in her eye. She brushed it away and went into the kitchen. �What are you two doing in here all by yourselves?� she asked, smiling.

�Mama, Poma is getting me some more punch.�

�Well hurry out here. Kay is getting ready to serve the cake,� he said, turning to leave. �Oh, by the way, I think the two of you are pretty special too.�

Just as the shower was wrapping up, Sheridan got a call on her cell phone. It was Luis. �Hi sweetie, are you guys about finished?�

�Yes we are. We were just getting ready to leave. How is the football game?�

�It�s over. We didn�t stay for the varsity game. Our son couldn�t wait for his cake,� Luis laughed.

�That figures,� Sheridan chuckled. �Where are you now?�

�We�re sitting right outside as we speak,� Luis said, sheepishly.

�I�m sure Kay wouldn�t object if you wanted to crash the shower. Actually just about everyone�s left.�

�We�ll be right in.�

In a matter of minutes, Luke came bouncing through the door. �Mama, Daro ran really fast and he made a touchdown.�

�He did,� Sheridan said, hugging him. �That must have been so exciting.�

�Yep, but it would be more citing to eat some cake,� Luke said, rubbing his tummy.

********************

Ivy had to admit that the baby shower earlier that day had been quite enjoyable even in spite of Grace Bennett�s presence. Tiny Christopher had somehow managed to capture her heart and she hoped that he would be the link to mending her relationship with Jordan. At least the afternoon has been a reprieve from worrying about what Beth would do next. That little caffeine pusher was a lose cannon that had to be dealt with, because there was no way she was going to be satisfied with the payoff check she had given to her. �Damn, how am I going to get rid of her?� she said out loud.

�Who are you trying to get rid of Ivy?� a deep voice asked, scaring her half to death.

�My God,� she said, holding her hand to her chest in an attempt to slow her pounding heart. �Why is it that you always have to sneak up on me? One of these days I�m just gong to keel over from a heat attack.�

�Would you prefer that I knock at the front door and have the maid announce me?� Antonio chuckled.

�Of course not. What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn�t somebody be minding the store?�

�I�ve been at the casino non stop since I opened, and I needed a break. Besides, I have a competent manager that can run the place while I�m gone,� Antonio told her pouring himself a drink.

�I will confess that I have been missing you lately,� Ivy admitted. �Had I known that you would be working so much I would have never agreed to finance this little venture for you.�

�I missed you too Ivy, but that is not the only reason I came by tonight. We have a real big problem,� Antonio said, wearily.

�What kind of a problem?� Ivy asked, having a bad feeling about this.

�Beth Wallace came to see me the other night and she knows about us. The bitch is trying to blackmail me into giving her a partnership in my casino.�

�Oh God,� Ivy said, shakily. �What did she say?�

�Oh she had it all figured out. From our time together before I left town to you financing the club. Now tell me Ivy how in the hell did she guess the truth?� Antonio asked, roughly.

�I have no idea,� Ivy lied. �If you must know, she came to see me too. I paid her a sizable amount of money to keep her mouth shut, but apparently she isn�t backing off.�

�Why didn�t you warn me about this?� Antonio demanded.

�Because I thought that I had the situation contained. I didn�t want to upset you with everything that�s going on in your life,� she said, defensively.

�Ivy, this woman is dangerous to us. I don�t even want to think of the repercussions if she starts flapping her mouth because believe me you have much more to lose than I do.�

�Don�t you think I know that,� Ivy said, clearly upset. If he only knew the whole truth of the matter he would go ballistic. �What can we do?�

�We�ll just have to think of a way to beat Beth at her own game, and if she still doesn�t cooperate then who knows���,� Antonio said, coldly.

Ivy couldn�t help but shiver at his implication, but she knew that it just might be necessary to go to extreme measures to get rid of Beth�s threats. �I could pay her to leave town permanently, or better yet I could have someone plant drugs on her and have her arrested.�

�Nice plan Ivy, but the first phone call she would make is to you, although your first idea might work.�

�Then I�ll see what I can do,� she murmured, saying a silent thank you that Beth hadn�t told him anything about Dario, but her reprieve was short lived.

�By the way Ivy, Beth also said something else that was very strange��.�

�Oh really, what was that��..?�

�She told me to ask you about some big secret that you were hiding. Do you care to fill me in?�

She decided right then that she was going to kill that little bitch. �I have no idea what she could be talking about. The woman is loony.�

�She seemed to be very pretty lucid to me. Spill it Ivy. Tell me your big secret.�

�There is no damn secret,� she shouted. �Now, will you please just drop it?�

�I�m not so sure that I believe you, but I�ll let it drop for now,� he said, coming up behind her. His hands moved up to cup her breasts. �It�s been a while Ivy, and I suddenly have this need to take you to bed.�

�Yes,� she sighed. �Take me to bed, and make me forget all this craziness with Beth.�

********************

Luis and Sheridan met Pilar and Martin outside of Eve�s office to hear the results of the DNA tests. �Did you tell Dario that the test was in? Luis asked his parents.

�Yes mijo, but he said he did not want to come. I felt so sorry for him, he looked so scared,� Pilar said, worriedly.

�I wonder if I should feel insulted about that,� Luis joked, trying to add a little levity to the tense situation.

�Son, I think that Dario would be very happy to find out that you�re his father, but he seems to have a problem with Beth,� Martin told him. �It�s just not at all like him to take such a dislike to somebody.�

�Well, I always said that Dario was a smart boy. He knows a snake when he sees one,� Sheridan said under her breath.

�Be nice honey,� Luis said, unable to hide his smile.

If Pilar and Martin heard, they didn�t comment. �Mijo, did you call Beth about the test results being in?� Pilar asked.

�Yes mama, but she said that she didn�t need to be here because she was confident that Dario would turn out to be our son.�

Suddenly Eve approached, holding a large envelope in her hand. �I�m glad that you�re all arrived. I have the test results right here,� Eve said, looking around. �Will Beth be joining us?�

�Beth couldn�t make it,� Luis told her.

�Okay, well why don�t you come into my office so that we have some privacy,� she said, leading the way.

Luis hung back for a moment, pulling on Sheridan�s arm to stop her. �Are you going to be okay no matter how the results come out?�

�I�m going to be fine because I know that we are going to prove once and for all that Beth is lying about being Dario�s mother,� she said, confidently.

�Let�s hope for his sake that you�re right,� Luis said.

A few minutes later they were all sitting in front of Eve�s desk waiting for her to open the envelope. It was like slow motion as she pulled the papers out to study them. �Well Luis, it looks like Beth was right. The DNA results show that you and she are Dario�s biological parents.�

�No, it can�t be,� Sheridan protested, jumping up from her chair.

�I�m sorry Sheridan, but that�s what the report says,� Eve explained gently.

�Luis, I know that part of you is happy, but we both know that this has to be a mistake,� Sheridan insisted.

�Eve are you sure that there isn�t some mistake?� Luis asked. �Are these tests always reliable?�

�Well, there is always a chance that the tests aren�t done properly or contaminated, but that�s very rare Luis. Why is it that you and Sheridan seem so shocked by these results?� Eve asked, confused.

�I guess we should tell them what we discovered,� Sheridan said.

Luis told them that Beth had lied about her aunt and they also showed Eve the picture of Beth in her bikini when she was supposed to be seven months pregnant. �It just seems odd too that Mrs. Wallace never knew that Beth was ever pregnant.�

�Is it possible that you could be mistaken about the year that Dario was born?� Eve asked.

�No Eve, the attorney that we hired in Paris to take care of the adoption saw Dario�s birth certificate. The parent�s names were blocked out but he did see the year of his birth. Besides, Dario�s first adoptive parents were killed in an accident, and I doubt that they would not know his age.�

�This does not make any sense,� Pilar said with a worried frown. �I can not tell Dario the news if there has been some mistake.�

�Is it possible that the test could have been tampered with Eve?� Martin asked.

�Let me take a closer look,� Eve said, leafing through the papers again. �Wait a minute, this is very strange.�

�What is it Eve?� Luis asked, leaning forward with interest.

�The typed report definitely says that you and Beth are Dario�s parents, but when I see the chart with the actual DNA markers they just don�t seem to match up. Of course, I�m not an expert in reading these but this looks suspect to me.�

�That explains it,� Sheridan said, excitedly. �Somebody just read the test incorrectly.�

�That�s what doesn�t make sense to me though,� Eve said, puzzled. �This report was signed off on by Bruce Marshall and he has run the DNA lab since its inception. He�s always been very professional.

�Maybe it was just an innocent mix up,� Martin suggested.

I�ll just get to the bottom of this right now.� Eve dialed the lab and asked to speak to Bruce Marshall. The response she received stunned.

�What�s wrong Eve?� Sheridan asked.

�One of the technicians just told me that Bruce Marshall quit suddenly without notice. I just can�t believe this because I happen to know that his wife quit her job when she became pregnant, so Bruce was the only one bringing in money to the household.�

�Something is definitely rotten in Denmark,� Luis said, knowingly.

Chapter 33

On the drive home from the hospital Luis was so deep in thought that Sheridan was loathed to disturb him. She suspected that he was upset to find out the evidence was compelling that he was not Dario�s father and was afraid to admit it to her. She had been so tenacious in her quest to prove that Beth�s claim wasn�t true that he probably thought it would upset her to admit that he was disappointed. It was time to assure him that he could share his feelings with her. �Luis,� she said, putting her hand on his leg. �I am so sorry.�

�Why are you sorry?� Luis glanced at her with a confused look.

�You have been so quiet that I thought you might be upset that it�s looking more evident that Dario is not your son.�

�To be honest with you Sheridan, I have mixed emotions about Dario being my son, but that is not the reason I�ve been so quiet.�

�Then what is troubling you? You know that you can tell me anything don�t you?�

�Of course I do, but the reason I�m so quiet is because I�m just trying to figure out how in the hell Beth pulled this off?�

�That is the million dollar question,� Sheridan sighed.

Luis looked thoughtful for a moment, and finally smiled. �That�s it Sheridan.�

�Excuse me?� she asked, confused.

�It�s becoming obvious that someone put Beth up to this, and this person has to have money and influence,� Luis said, thoughtfully.

�Oh Luis, I think you�re on to something, but why is this person doing this? Why make it look like Dario is your child with Beth?�

�That�s the part I haven�t quite figured out yet, but trust me; I�m going to sooner or later. Eve said she would rush the second DNA test and I feel sure that the results are going to prove once and for all that Beth has been lying.�

When they pulled up to their house they were surprised to see Don Miguel�s car in the driveway. Paloma was babysitting and they suddenly worried that something had happened and she had called her grandfather for help. �Oh God Luis, what if something happened?�

�No Sheridan, I trust Paloma and if anything had happened she would have called us at the hospital,� Luis assured her trying to convince himself as well.

�You�re right,� Sheridan agreed, but she couldn�t help but breathe a sigh of relief when they went inside and found Paloma playing a board game with the twins and Don Miguel was sitting on the sofa. Baby Sofie was standing in front of him holding onto the coffee table playing with her toy that made animal sounds when you pressed the buttons.

�Wow, it looks like there�s a party going on here,� Luis said, announcing their presence.

�I hope you do not mind that I dropped by,� Don Miguel said. �I thought that I would come over and keep Paloma company and I always enjoy spending time with my great-grandchildren.�

�You know that you are welcomed here any time Don Miguel,� Sheridan told him smiling. �Were my little sweet peas good for you?�

�Yes mama, we were really good,� Luke told her.

�Poma is playing Candy Land with us and I�m winning,� Lily said, excitedly.

�Are you following the rules Peanut?� Luis asked teasingly. �You know how you can be sometimes.�

�No sir daddy,� Lily protested, but then she saw her father�s smile. �You�re joking with me daddy.�

�I guess the little squirt has you figured out Luis,� Paloma laughed.

Feeling left out, Sofie decided to show off her new skill. �Mama, dada, cow,� she said, pushing the button that made the mooing sound.

�Oh Sofie, that is so good,� Sheridan said, clapping. �Mommy is so proud of you.�

�I can�t believe how smart you are Pixie,� Luis said, giving her his rewarding smile.

�Sofia has been working very hard on her animal sounds today,� Don Miguel told them.

�I can tell, and I can�t believe how smart my little baby is. Aren�t you Sofie?� Sheridan asked, squatting down to Sofie�s level.

�Mama,� Sofie, giggled happily over all of the attention. Everyone in the room was shocked when she let go from the table, took four steps toward her parents before plopping down on her little behind.

�Sofie just walked,� Sheridan said, holding her hand to her heart. �Did you all see that? Sofie just walked all by herself.�

�Wow, I can�t believe she just took off like that,� Luis said, astounded. �Pixie, that�s so special.� He walked over and scooped Sofie up in his arms to plant a kiss on her cheek. Sheridan joined them and even the twins came over to give their baby sister praise.

�Well, now that Sofie has given us all this wonderful surprise, can I interest the two of you to stay for dinner?� Sheridan asked. �By the way the roast smells wonderful. Thanks for putting it in the oven for me Paloma.�

�No problem, and yes I would love to stay for dinner,� Paloma accepted. �After all we have to celebrate baby squirt�s big moment and I�m dying to know what happened at the hospital today.�

�I must admit that I am very curious too,� Don Miguel said. �I also accept your kind invitation Sheridan.�

�Right,� Luis nodded. �Hey munchkins. I was going to wait to give you my surprise, but since you were so good today I�m going to let you have it now.�

�What is it daddy?� Lily asked, excitedly.

�Yeah daddy, we love prises,� Luke added.

Luis walked over to the desk and pulled a DVD out of the drawer. �What would you say to watching Nemo?�

�Yes, daddy,� Luis said, clapping her hands.

�We love Nemo daddy. This is the best prise,� Luke squealed.

Once the twins were engrossed in their movie, Luis explained what happened at the hospital. �Actually, the test was inclusive.�

�What does that mean?� Paloma asked with a wrinkled brow.

�Well, when Eve first read the results to us, she said that Luis and Beth were definitely Dario�s biological parents. Of course I protested because I happened to come across some information that proved that Beth was lying about being pregnant. Anyway when Eve looked closer at the test, she said that the chart with the DNA markers didn�t match the written report.�

�What kind of information did you discover?� Don Miguel asked.

�Beth claimed that her rich aunt financed her trip to Paris so that she could have her baby there, and her own mother told me that her sister, Beth�s only aunt died in the eighties.�

�But Dario was born in nineteen-ninety,� Paloma said, amazed. �I can�t believe that little snake Beth.�

�Exactly, and Sheridan checked it out with the hall of records and she confirmed that it was the truth. When we took our trip to Boston, we met Beth�s cousin and she told us that Beth was staying with her at the time and she even produced a picture for us. Show them the picture Sheridan.�

�That stomach looks flat as a pancake,� Paloma observed. �Oh, and it has the date on it. She is so busted.�

�Is Dr. Russell going to run the test again to confirm your suspicions?� Don Miguel asked.

�Yes abuelo. She said she is going to try and rush the results.�

�I am concerned about how Dario will take the news,� Don Miguel worried.

�Well, I know for a fact that he doesn�t want Beth to be his mother, so he might just be happy about the news,� Sheridan told him.

�What about you Luis? How do you feel about the fact that Dario may not be your son after all?�

�I have mixed feelings abuelo, but to be honest I�m a little relieved. Don�t get me wrong, I love and admire Dario and I would be proud to be his father. It�s just that the circumstances surrounding this thing seem to be bringing everyone concerned pain.�

�I hate to ruin the moment, but you just have to look at the little squirts over there,� Paloma said, softly.

All three children were sitting on the floor lined up in front of the television with Sofie in the middle. They were like little statues, with their heads tilted upward, eyes glued to the screen. �Well daddy, it looks like your surprise movie is a huge hit with your children,� Sheridan said, smiling fondly.

�Yeah, it looks like it is,� Luis said, smiling too. �They look so darn cute sitting there.�

Later as they were sitting down to dinner, Sheridan reminded the twins of the big day that quickly approaching. �You know that Halloween will be here soon. We have to decide what you want to dress up for this year.�

Lily�s eye grew big. �Oh mama, I didn�t know that trick or treat was coming so soon. I think I want to be a kitty cat, and I want to be white like Sassy.�

�That�s a great costume Lily. What about you Lukie?�

Luke pondered the question for a moment. �I know mama. I�m going to be a doggy like Ace, and Soapie should be Peep.�

�That�s the best idea Lukie, but what are mama and daddy going to be?� Lily asked.

�I think that mommy and daddy are going to dress up as mommy and daddy this year,� Luis said, praying that the twins would fall for his suggestion.

�Oh come on Luis where is you�re your spirit of Halloween? You have to wear a costume,� Paloma said with a little snicker.

�Paloma, you are so going to pay for that one,� Luis said, shooting her a look that said he fully meant to make good on his word.

�Daddy please,� Luke begged. �You and mama just have to dress up with us.�

�I have a good idea for our costumes, and I think that daddy will even like this,� Sheridan said. �Well, you know how sometimes we take our pets to the vet to get their checkups and shots? So, I was thinking that since you are all going to be animals this year that daddy can be the vet, like Dr. Morgan and I�ll be his assistant.�

�Now, I think that I can deal with that,� Luis said, relieved. �But you do know munchkins I will have to give you shots so you don�t get rabies.�

�No daddy!� both the little imps said with fearful eyes.

********************

Beth slammed the phone down swearing with words that would have shocked a seasoned truck driver. She had just called Antonio to find out why it was taking so long to make her a partner. As she suspected, he put her off again with a lame excuse that it took time for his attorney to draw up the papers. The call had not ended on a good note when she threatened to pay a visit to Julian Crane in prison if he didn�t come up with the papers in the next couple of days. �If you think that I�m going to let you blow me off Antonio, you are in for a big surprise,� she said out loud.

A sudden loud knock on her front door almost made her jump out of her skin. When she looked through the peep hole, it surprised her to see Phillip Kade standing on her front porch. Hopefully, Ivy had sent him over there with nice fat check in his pocket. She opened to door eagerly. �Phillip, please come in,� she invited. �I hope you have some good news for me.�

�Sorry Bethie, but it�s not very good news for you,� he said in a voice that sent chills down her spine.�

�Did Ivy send you?� Beth asked, shakily.

�No Beth, Ivy Crane didn�t send me. I came all on my own.�

�I don�t understand��.�

�You see, I don�t work for Ivy any longer because she fired me. Do you want to know why that was?�

�How am I supposed to know why Ivy would fire you?�

�Because, it�s all your fault. When you showed up at her house and told her that you followed me there, she was furious and blamed me for everything. I haven�t been able to get another job because she blackballed me.�

�Look, I�m sorry you lost your job, but I wouldn�t have to follow you if she would have only paid up. I�m taking a big risk her by pretending to be Dario�s mother and I just wasn�t getting enough money.�

�Regardless, you owe me Beth and that is why you and I are going to form a little partnership,� he said, smugly. �You�re going to squeeze Ivy Crane for more money, but this time you�re going to spilt it with me.�

�Now, why would I want to do that?� Beth laughed. �You have to be crazy if you think I�m going to share my wealth.�

�You know when Ivy first approached my about this job she also gave me access to the financial records for the Book Caf�, just in case there was anything out of line. That way if you weren�t cooperative, she would have something to hold over your head. All I can say is that you are very lucky that the Crane�s didn�t pay a lot of attention to that little piece of their business or they would have discovered the blatant accounting errors.�

�Did you report this to Ivy?� Beth asked, chewing on her lip nervously.

�No, I had a feeling that the information would come in handy some day. So Beth, if you don�t want the Crane�s to know that you have been embezzling from them for years I don�t think you have a choice but to bring me in on your blackmail of Ivy.�

Beth was furious, but Phillip had her backed into a corner. �You haven�t really given me a choice in the matter, so it looks like we�re partners,� she said, holding out her hand to seal the deal.

Phillip took shook her hand with a pleased smile on his face. �I suggest that you work on Ivy real soon because I have some very expensive lifestyle that I need to maintain.�

�Yeah, whatever,� she said, walking her to the door. �I�ll call you.�

�Make sure you do that Beth,� he said, turning to leave.

She closed the door behind him, and swore again for the second them that evening. If Phillip got too greedy, she was going to have to think of a way to deal with him. �You just might have to have an accident Mr. Kade,� she seethed. At least one thing went right for her today. The DNA test must have come out to prove that she and Luis were Dario�s parents because if they hadn�t there was no doubt in her mind that Luis would have been on her doorstep ready to tear her to shreds.

********************

There were three significant events that happened for the Lopez-Fitzgerald�s in the next several weeks. Of course Halloween was more for the children, but Luis and Sheridan loved watching their excitement. As usual, they were the center of attention at the youth center party, and their father was especially happy that his costume was basic enough to not make him feel like a fool like in previous years. Sofie even won best costume for a baby, and she looked just precious in her little chick outfit. Sheridan bit was concerned that the twins would be jealous of their little sister, but she was pleasantly surprised and very proud when they gave Sofie congratulations kisses. The only bad note of the evening was trying to wrestle the candy away from Luke and Lily when they arrived home.

The next day Eve called with the results of the DNA test, and as they expected, Luis was not Dario�s father, nor was Beth his mother. Luis had mixed emotions, but when he saw how pleased Dario was he was glad that the results came out the way they did. He made a promise that he would do everything possible to find the boy�s real parents, but Dario said that he had Pilar and Martin, and the rest of his brother�s and sister�s and didn�t care any longer who his real parents were. Sheridan suspected that he would change his mind about that some day, but for now he was still gun shy from the thought of Beth being his mother. Strangely, when they went to break the news to Beth, she was no where to be found. The assistant manager told them that she had left town for a couple of days. Sheridan was furious because she had been just itching to confront the witch about her scheme to turn all their lives upside down, but Beth couldn�t stay away forever and she was going to have her day in court.

Luis won his bid for city council with seventy percent of the vote and they had a huge celebration with all of their family and friends. Everyone was shocked when Antonio showed up at the party. Luis approached his brother and offered him a glass of champagne. �Thanks for coming Antonio,� Luis said, graciously. �You shouldn�t be such a stranger.�

�I�ve been pretty busy these days,� Antonio said, taking a sip from his glass. �So, you pulled it off little brother?�

�Yeah, I guess I did.�

�I don�t suppose I could talk you into reneging on your campaign promise to put me out of business can I?�

�Gee Antonio, and here I thought that you came tonight to congratulate me. I shouldn�t have known you had an ulterior motive.�

�Come on Luis, the casino is doing great and there haven�t been any unsavory characters frequenting the place.�

�That�s not what I hear. In fact, I heard that some members of the Mansino crime family have been regular visitors to the club.�

�They�re paying customers Luis, and that is all.�

�Sorry Antonio, but I made a promise to the people of this city and I have every intention of keeping it. It�s nothing personal big brother.�

�You bastard���.�

�Hello Antonio,� Sheridan said, smiling. �It�s so nice that you came tonight.�

�Sheridan, it�s good to see you. If you�ll excuse me, I�m going to go and say hi to the rest of the family.�

�Of course,� Sheridan nodded. �I know your mother will be thrilled to see you.�

Antonio turned to leave, but stopped and turned toward her. �Sheridan, you should stop by the club some night. I heard you used to be quite the gambler when you lived in Europe,� he said, as he walked away.�

�Do you care to tell me what that was about?� Sheridan asked Luis.

�I�ll tell you about it later. I need to calm down right now.�

�Okay, but how long do you think this celebration is going to last?� Sheridan asked, grabbing his hand.

�I don�t know,� he smiled. �Why do you ask?�

�Because I�m dying to get home,� she said, whispering in his ear. �I never did a politician before.�

�Well get ready baby, because you�re going to do one tonight,� he chuckled. �All night long.�

 

Chapter 34

When the crowd finally left, Sheridan looked around campaign headquarters and made a face at the mess before her. There was confetti and balloons all over the floor, and the tables were littered with plates and plastic champagne glasses. �I�m going to be here half the night cleaning up this mess,� she groaned.

�No, you are not,� Luis said, slipping his arms around her waste. �Mama and Paloma already volunteered to come back here tomorrow and help us clean up.�

�Bless them, but do you think if will be okay leaving the place like this overnight?�

�Of course it will be okay,� Luis said, kissing her neck, making her shiver with anticipation. �We still have the lease until the end of the month, so short of destroying the place we can do anything we want.�

�Well, I guess you do have a point. Besides we need to get Mrs. Hendrickson home. I�m sure it�s already past her bedtime,� Sheridan laughed.

�She�s probably exhausted from keeping up with the munchkins. I wonder what great project she had them involved with today?� Luis smiled, thinking about the twins all intent on their task.

�I can just about imagine that it will be something impressive. The children were so excited when they saw her walk in with her big bad of craft supplies.� Mrs. Hendrickson, a retired teacher lived down the road from them and watched the children when the family was unavailable.

�Shall we go?� Luis asked, holding his hand out to her.

�Yes Councilman,� she smiled, taking his hand.

�Wow, that�s going to take some getting used too,� Luis said, turning out the lights.

After they locked up and got into the car their playful mood changed when Sheridan began to question him. �Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Antonio?�

She could see him scowl even in the dark of night. �Let�s put it this way. He didn�t come to congratulate me on my win. My brother is a self-serving bastard.�

�Oh, please don�t tell me that he had the nerve to ask you to back off from your mission to get his casino out of town?� Sheridan asked, amazed at Antonio�s audacity.

�That is exactly what he did, but I told him that I had every intention of making good on my campaign promise. If he only knew that I just might have found a way to do it too.�

�What did you find Luis?� Sheridan asked, curiously.

�I was looking through some books at city hall and I found this old ordinance. That whole north section of the pier is zoned for only fishing and cargo vessels. Even though Antonio�s boat is a business, it�s still considered a pleasure ship, and if you remember all those dinner cruise boats have to dock in the marina,� Luis said, excitedly.

�But Luis, Antonio�s boat is too large to dock anywhere in the marina.�

�Exactly,� Luis smiled devilishly.

�I�m happy that you found something, but I have a feeling that Antonio is not going to just back down without a fight,� Sheridan predicted.

�Oh believe me, I�m counting on that, but you know me. I never back down from a fight and I do have the law on my side,� Luis said, confidently.

Even though Sheridan supported Luis� decision, she feared that it would forever ruin any chance of him mending the already precarious relationship with his brother.

When they arrived home, Mrs. Hendrickson was sitting on the sofa knitting a sweater while watching the evening news. �Oh, you�re home,� she smiled. �Congratulations Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. I�m just thrilled that you won, and so are the children.�

�Thank you Mrs. H.,� Luis said, graciously. �Hopefully, I will be able to do some good things for our town.�

�I�m sure that you will, or I wouldn�t have voted for you,� Mrs. Hendrickson said with conviction.

�Did the children behave for you?� Sheridan asked.

�They were all perfect and very industrious too. Wait until you see all the surprises they have for you. By the way, I hope you don�t mind that we used some of those pumpkins you had displayed around the house?�

�I don�t mind at all,� Sheridan assured her. �I bought so many so that we could decorate the whole house for Halloween. Luke and Lily get so excited about things like that.�

�So Mrs. H., what big project did you and the munchkins work on while we were gone?� Luis asked, curiously.

�Well,� she said, chewing on her lip. �I did promise the children I would let them show you in the morning, but if you promise to act surprised I�ll show you.�

�We promise,� Sheridan and Luis both swore.

�Okay, well come into the sunroom,� Mrs. Hendrickson urged. �Wait until you see what they did. It is so precious.�

Lined up on the window seat that ran against the far wall was a line of five pumpkins. All had faces and hair and ranged in sizes of large to small. Eyes and noses were glued on to the faces, and they all actually had hair. �Oh my goodness, it�s like a whole family,� Sheridan said, surprised by all of the little details.

�Sheridan, look at the color of the hair. I think it�s supposed to be our family, and look at the little tiny pumpkin. It looks like Sofie,� he smiled.

The faces had big eyes with eye lashes and noses, and the hair was made from curling ribbon. Of course Sheridan and Lily's pumpkin had curly yellow hair. The little creature that made them laugh out loud was the yellow squash with a long tail made to look like Sassy the cat. "I can't believe how much work they put into these. I'm sure that you had to give them a lot of guidance though," Sheridan said.

"Not as much as you would think. They would make suggestions and I would just help them accomplish what they wanted to do. You have very creative children," Mrs. Hendrickson said, proudly.

"These are so cute," Luis said with a pleased grin. "They even remembered to curl Sofie's hair."

"We'll have to remember to take lots of pictures of our pumpkin family tomorrow so the children will always have a memento of their hard work," Sheridan suggested. She also noticed their babysitter trying to stifle a yawn. "Luis, why don't you take Mrs. Hendrickson home now? I'm sure she's exhausted from keeping up with the children all day."

"I guess I am a bit tired," she admitted.

Sheridan pulled a stack of money out of her purse and paid Mrs. Hendrickson
before they left. "Here you go," Sheridan said, folding the money in the babysitter's hand.

"Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald, this is way too much," Mrs. Hendrickson protested.

"You have been here since early this afternoon, and you always go way beyond
the call of duty. Trust me, it's not enough as far as I'm concerned," Sheridan assured her.

"Well, if you insist," she said, thankfully.

"I do," Sheridan smiled.

"Are you ready to go Mrs. H.?" Luis asked, picking up the car keys.

"Yes, I'll just grab my coat."

"I'll be back in about ten minutes. Make sure you have the home fires burning for me, if you know what I mean?" Luis whispered in a suggestive tone.

"Yes, I know exactly what you mean," Sheridan chuckled.

When they left, Sheridan went upstairs and checked on the children. Luke had kicked his covers off, so she pulled the blanket up around him and kissed his soft cheek. Lily was curled up with Sassy in her arms and Ace at the foot of her bed. She brushed her soft curls out of her face and kissed her forehead. Sofie looked just like a little bug. She was in her usual position lying on her stomach with her knees bent and her little bottom sticking up in the air. When Sheridan stood beside the bed, the baby must have sensed her presences, because she opened her big brown eyes, smiled and went back to sleep. "Goodnight sweet pea," Sheridan whispered, rubbing her baby's back.

Their bedroom was filled with some more surprises. On the wall were posters with congratulatory sayings for Luis. The one that she especially loved said "WE ARE PROUD OF OUR DADDY". Of course the letters were crooked and it was obvious that Mrs. Hendrickson helped them, but she knew that Luis was going to be extremely touched when he saw them. She was in the bathroom running a batch when she heard Luis come into the bedroom.

"Oh my God, these are the sweetest things I've ever seen," Luis called out when he saw the posters. "My little munchkins are so special."

"I knew that you would just love them," she said, coming out of the bathroom, tying her silk robe around her slim waist.

"I can't wait to see them tomorrow, so I can tell them how special these are to me," Luis said, feeling his eyes tear up with joy.

"They are going to be so excited that you love their surprise for you," Sheridan said, slipping her arms around him. "I have a nice hot batch in there. Would you like to join me? I thought it would feel good after such a tense day."

"I would love a hot bath with you," he groaned moving his head down to kiss
her lips.

"Good, then let me assist you with removing this shirt," she murmured, pulling the buttons apart....... "And this," she smiled, going for the zipper on his pants.

"I love it when you're bad," he chuckled.

"Oh, you have no idea just how bad I can be," she said, sliding out of her robe to give him the full backside view of her as she moved into the bathroom.

He watched in awe as she climbed into the steaming tub with the grace of a gazelle. His reaction was instant and so powerful that it was painful to keep his clothes on. Stripping quickly, he followed her lead and lowered himself in to sit across from her. His eyes traveled over her full breasts, and taunt nipples, dotted with teasing droplets of water. How he longed to be one of those beads of water running so intimately across her luscious flesh.

She was just as enthralled with his expansive bronze chest as she studied the perfect male specimen in front of her. Her eyes traveled from his handsome, rakish face to the perfection of his body, and down to the water's edge where she shivered with anticipation when she saw the evidence of his full desire jutting out of the water. "Good Lord, Councilman, I'm definitely happy that I voted for you," she said, with a seductive breathily whisper.

"I bet that I can make you even more happy," he groaned, pulling her toward
him and began to feast on her on throbbing nipples. �You taste delicious��..�

Sheridan cupped his head, dragging her fingers through his dark hair, and she watched with fascination. His sexy mouth was purely an instrument of pleasure that drove her crazy with desire. She reached for his erection running her hand over the hard length of him, and smiled when she heard his moan of pleasure. �I want you inside of me Luis��. I want to feel every part of you��.�

He raised his head and paralyzed her with his smothering eyes. �I want to feel you too. We�ll be so close that tomorrow when I�m away you will still feel me inside of you.� As he uttered the words, he plunged into her welcoming warmth and filled her completely. They connected with an explosion of pleasure that sent them both over the edge of no return.

Afterward, they toweled off each other�s bodies. Their mood started off as playful, but it soon turned to passion and they fell into bed to continue what they had started earlier in the bathtub. Another round of heated lovemaking sent them into an exhausted sleep.

Luis never awakened until the next morning when he felt a gentle tugging on his arm. When he opened his eyes, the twins were standing their with big grins on their faces. �Graduations daddy,� they both said in greeting.

�I think what they really mean to say is congratulations,� Sheridan said, smiling. She was standing behind the twins with Sofie in her arms.

�Thank you munchkins. You have no idea how happy it makes me when I came home last night and found all your posters. That was so special.�

�You�re welcome daddy,� Lily said, kissing him on the cheek.

�We be so proud of you daddy,� Luke said, sweetly. �Ms. H. told us you won.�

�Well, you know what? Daddy is proud of you and your sisters too,� Luis told him fondly.

�We have another big surprise for you and mama,� Lily said, excitedly. �You have to get up now so you and mama can see.�

�Okay, well why don�t you go downstairs and wait for me, and I�ll be down in just a minute,� Luis said, giving Sheridan a pleading look.

She suddenly remembered that he was naked under the sheets and decided to have a little fun with him. �Oh come on daddy. Why can�t you come right now?�

�Yeah daddy, we�ve been waiting for so long to show you,� Luke begged pulling on Luis� arm.

�Okay, if you insist,� Luis said, starting to pull the sheet away so that he could get up.

�No, wait,� Sheridan shouted. �Luke and Lily, I just remembered that daddy has to brush his teeth, so why don�t we just go and wait for him downstairs?� As she herded the children out of the door, Luis� booming laughter echoed in her ears.

The unveiling of the pumpkins was a huge success and Sheridan and Luis showered the children with praise. Plenty of pictures were taken and the twins even suggested that their little sister be included. It was a precious family moment that they would all cling to in the days to come.

*******************

Ivy was shocked when Beth Wallace had the audacity to show up at the mansion. Since the news about the second DNA test filtered through the ranks of the family, she had been worried that Beth was going to crack and reveal everything she knew. Through discrete inquires she had discovered that her nemesis had skipped town giving her a welcomed sense of relief. So, seeing her standing here now was a bit disconcerting to say the least. �Come into the office, and be quick about it,� Ivy commanded. �I don�t want anyone to catch you here.�

�You know Ivy, you might want to treat with a little respect considering that I could blow your world apart,� Beth warned.

�I thought I made it clear that our business was concluded the last time we met. Do you realize what a risk you took coming her to my home?� Ivy asked through clenched teeth.

�That was before the DNA test came back proving that I wasn�t Dario�s mother. You promised me that you would take care of everything.�

�I did take care of it and it would have worked too if they hadn�t decided to do another DNA test. What did you say to Luis?�

�I haven�t spoken to Luis because I wasn�t prepared with my story, but I think I worked it out. You put me in an impossible position Ivy and you are going to pay.�

�Absolutely not, � Ivy protested adamantly. �I have given you a small fortune, and you are not getting one more cent from me.�

�You are going to pay Ivy or I will tell Luis and anyone else that cares to listen that you are the one that paid me to pretend to be Dario�s mother. I can just picture the scene now,� Beth laughed. �You will be stammering like a fool trying to explain that away.�

Ivy felt a bolt of fear flash through as she envisioned Beth�s scenario in her head. No, she couldn�t let that happen. �What is it going to take to make you keep your mouth shut and go away?�

�Let�s see,� Beth said, bringing her finger to her lip contemplating the situation. �You can write me a big fat check with lots of zeros and sign over ownership of the Book Caf� to me.�

�Have you lost your mind?� Ivy asked, astounded. �I have nothing to do with Crane business dealings. I can�t just sign the Book Caf� over to you.�

�Come on Ivy, I know that you can be very resourceful. I�m sure you can think of a way to pull it off.�

�Why would you want the responsibility of running a business when you can milk me for every cent that I have?� Ivy asked, sarcastically.

�Because I have big plans Ivy. I�m going make something of myself in this town, and nobody is going to stand in my way,� Beth said with a look of crazed delight.

Ivy knew then that she was not only dealing with a greedy person, but Beth was loose cannon ready to go off at any moment. She would have to tread lightly. �I�ll just write you out a check and I promise to speak with Ethan about signing the Book Caf� over to you.�

�How are you going to explain to Ethan that you want me to have the Book Caf�?� Beth asked, suspiciously.

�I�m not sure yet, but as you said before, I�m very resourceful,� Ivy said, handing Beth the check.

�You work on that Ivy, and now, I have to go and see a man about owning a casino ship,� Beth said, trying to walk out the door.

�Wait a minute,� Ivy said, stopping her. �Don�t use the front entrance. I can�t risk anyone seeing you. Go out this back door and from now on call me on my cell phone.�

�You�re lucky I�m in a good mood tonight or I might take offense to that,� Beth said, grabbing the door handle to the French door leading out to the garden. �See you soon Ivy.�

�Yeah, hopefully you�ll be on a cold slab when I do,� Ivy mumbled after Beth closed the door.

********************

The next evening Sheridan attended one of her charity events at the Harmony Junior Women's League. They were sponsoring an antique auction to raise proceeds for the women's shelter. This was a favorite cause of hers because she couldn't bear to think of those poor women and children living in poverty because they were trying to escape an abusive situation. Gwen was also a member and it had been so nice to catch up with her, and to also hear the wonderful news. She and Ethan had finally set a date for their
wedding and she asked Sheridan to be in her wedding. Of course she accepted since they had talked about their weddings since they were in high school. Maybe now, they would get the opportunity to spend more time together and that pleased Sheridan because Gwen had always been a good friend to her.

As fulfilling as the event was for her she hated that she missed putting the children to bed. Luis was doing babysitting duty and she was looking forward to getting home to her family. Her sweet little Sofie walked to her daddy when he arrived home from work and she hated to leave during such a special family moment. At least she would be home soon so she could kiss her babies goodnight. While walking to her car, she happened to glance across the street to the Book Caf� and saw Beth locking the door. So, she had finally come out from hiding and Sheridan had every intention of confronting her before she took off again. She looked both ways, and crossed the street and approached the Book Caf� with a determined stride, and began tapping the window with her key.

A worried looking Beth approached the door hesitantly. "I'm closed Sheridan," she called through the glass.

"I am not here for coffee Beth," Sheridan called back. "I want to talk to you."

"Come back another time. I'm closing up now......"

"Since my family owns this place, I demand that you open up now and talk to me or I'll just follow you home when you leave here," Sheridan threatened.

"Okay, but I only have a few minutes, so make it quick," Beth said, unlocking the door.

"Where have you been Beth?"

"If it's any of your business I went out of town for a few days."

"I find that strange since you knew full well that we were doing the second DNA test on Dario's paternity. But then I guess you already knew what the results were going to be so you decided to hide out so you didn't have to face Luis."

"You must have done too many party drugs when you lived in Europe, because as usual you have no clue what you are talking about. Look, I was sure that Dario was my son with Luis, but I was wrong. It still doesn't change the face that Luis and I have a child together and he is out there somewhere."

"You liar," Sheridan spat out with disbelief. "You have no child with Luis."

"That's what you want to believe Sheridan, but face the facts. I have given Luis something that you never could. I am the first woman he ever made love to and I also gave him his first child. You are just so damn jealous of me that you can't stand it."

Sheridan was seething, but she refused to let Beth know she had gotten to her. "I know for a fact Beth that your aunt that you claimed sent you to Paris dies years before you even got out of high school, and I also had a nice long chat with your cousin Beverly in Boston.�

Beth looked shaken by her news, but she recovered quickly. �So, you had me investigated, but if I were you I wouldn�t pay any attention to anything Beverly says. She has mental problems if you know what I mean,� Beth laughed.

�I have to wonder which cousin has the mental problems,� Sheridan muttered under her breath.

�What did you say?� Beth demanded.

�Nothing,� Sheridan brushed off her question. �Did you really think that we wouldn�t investigate your claim? As it turns out its good thing that we did, because we found enough proof that you were lying about giving birth in Paris, or that you even had a child.�

�I did have a child,� Beth insisted. �You just don�t want to face it.�

�Stop lying, and tell me who fed you all that information about Dario�s birth? It had to be somebody that was very close to the situation, and it had to be somebody that had some influence. I bet that if we pulled your bank records we just might find a large deposit,� Sheridan said with sudden realization.

�Get out of here,� Beth shouted. �I don�t owe you any explanations.�

�You most certainly do,� Sheridan cried. �You wreaked havoc with my family, not to mention what you did to poor Dario. If you think I�m just going to drop this you are crazy, so tell me now who put you up to this.�

The frightening look that came over Beth�s face caused Sheridan to step back from her. �You bitch,� she screetch. �You ruined my life when you came back to town and seduced Luis away from me with your poor little rich girl routine. I want you dead!�

Suddenly Beth lunged forward and knocked Sheridan against the table, wrapping her hands around her neck. �Stop,� Sheridan gasped, desperately trying to breath. She tried to fend off Beth�s attack, pulling on her arms, but the woman had the strength of Atlas. She prayed to God that this would not be her last minutes on earth as a wave of darkness started to decend upon her.

Chapter 35

In the last seconds before she faded into the darkness, a picture of Luis and the children flashed through Sheridan�s mind. The thought of never seeing her family again gave her the surge of strength needed to fight off her attacker. She brought her hands up and with karate chop motion, and hit Beth on the pressure points of her upper arms. It worked, and Beth�s hands dropped away, but not before she raked her fingernails downward on Sheridan�s neck. She stepped back surprised giving Sheridan just enough time to collect herself before she leveled a punch to her attacker�s jaw that sent her flying across the room.

�You caught me off guard you crazy bitch, but make no mistake it will never happen again,� Sheridan said, her voice still raspy from her assault.

Beth sat up dazed and began to rub her jaw. �I�m bleeding,� she cried out, dapping at the warm liquid running out of the corner of her mouth.

�Did you think I was just going to let you kill me? Come near me again and I�ll punch the other side of her face in,� Sheridan threatened.

Beth grabbed a hold of the counter and lifted herself up to a standing position shooting Sheridan a look of pure contempt the whole time. She reached below the register and pulled out a baseball bat. �It�s a good thing I keep this handy for troublemakers,� Beth said, her voice laced with pure hatred.

�What are you going to do with that?� Sheridan asked, backing up.

�Geez, do I have to repeat myself again?� Beth asked, rolling her eyes. �Okay, since you must have the attention span of a flea, I�ll just have to tell you again. I�m going to kill you with this bat and by the time I�m done with you Luis won�t even recognize your face. Of course, I�m going to have to set it up like I just happened to come in here and find you like this. Don�t worry though, because I�ll be there to comfort Luis and help him raise your children.�

�Like hell you will,� Sheridan shouted, looking around for a weapon to defend herself. �I will never let you touch my children you sick freak.� How she wished she could taken back her words when she saw the look on Beth�s face.

�Sick freak!� Beth shrieked charging toward her swinging the bat in the air.

Sheridan happened to be standing by one of those spinning display racks holding books, and she pushed in down in front of her to block Beth�s path. She saw her slip on one of the books and fall on her behind. Beth swore and reached for the bat that had fallen out of her hands. Sheridan decided that now was the time to make her escape while that lunatic was still groping around for that bat. She flew out the door and didn�t stop running until she arrived at her car. Her ears were still burning from the foul names Beth has shouted after her. She hit the automatic door locks and squealed out of the parking lot.

As Sheridan drove her adrenaline rush wore away and she began to shake uncontrollably. She had always known that Beth had an evil streak in her but to realize that the woman was also a psychopath was truly frightening. Her neck was so sore that it hurt to swallow, and the deep scratches began to burn, reminding her just how close she had come to dying. As if her night wasn�t bad enough, it began to rain profusely which made navigating the winding dark roads more difficult. As she turned onto the road leading to home her cell phone rang. While keeping her eyes glued to the road, she fumbled around in her purse locating her phone. �Hello,� she said, shakily.

�Sweetie, are you okay?�

Luis� concerned voice was almost her undoing. �Yes honey, I�m okay,� she answered, not sounding at all convincing. �Why are you calling?�

�Sheridan, you said you would be home by ten and it�s now eleven thirty. I was worried sick that something had happened to you, and don�t tell me that you�re okay because I can hear it in your voice that something is wrong.�

�Luis, please don�t yell at me,� she pleaded, her voice quivering. �I just can�t handle it right now.�

�I�m sorry Sheridan, but you know that it comes out all wrong when I�m worried. Just come home so I can be here for you.�

�I just passed Mrs. Hendrickson�s house so I should be home soon.�

�Please be careful. Those roads are really slippery when it rains,� he cautioned.

�I will,� she promised.

Sheridan felt a sense of relief when she finally pulled into the long lane that led to their house. The lane came into a brick driveway that circled in front of the house and she pulled up in front not bothering to put her car in the garage. She pulled her leather coat up over her head and ran to the front door where Luis was waiting for her. �Oh God,� she cried, leaning against the door.

�Come here,� Luis said, taking charge of the situation. He removed her coat, and led her into the living room to sit in front of the fire. �Now, tell me what happened.� When she finally looked up he saw the scratches on her neck and the red ring that was already starting to bruise. �Oh my God. Who did this to you?�

�It was Beth��.. She tried to kill me.�

�Beth, but how?� Luis asked, his voice already laced with rage.

�I was coming out of the building where we held our event, and I saw Beth closing up the Book Caf�. I couldn�t believe that she was back in town and I just had to confront her. When I told her that we knew that she was lying about being Dario�s mother and that we knew she was never pregnant she just became so angry. I couldn�t help it Luis, but I just had to know who put her up the travesty. She just went crazy and lunged at me and before I knew what was happening she was strangling me. I almost blacked out but I finally managed to get her hands from around my neck and I punched her in the face.� She couldn�t help it; the tears finally began to flow.

Luis pulled her into his arms. �Don�t worry sweetie. I am never going to let her hurt you again��..�

�God Luis, she came after me with a baseball bat. She said she was going to kill me and she would be there to comfort you and raise our children�

�Listen to me,� Luis said, cupping her face to look in her eyes. �Tomorrow morning we are going to go to the police department and press charges against Beth for attempted murder.�

�No Luis, I just want to put this behind me,� Sheridan protested.

�Don�t argue with me about this Sheridan. That bitch needs to be behind bars, and I�m not going to let her get away with this. I promise that I�ll be there for you every step of the way.�

"Luis, I just know that this is going to turn into a media nightmare if I press charges against Beth, and then we'll have to go to court."

"Sheridan, you can't just let her get away with this. She tried to murder you, and she needs to be locked away. What if she tries again and this time she succeeds? Do you have any idea what that would do to me and the kids?"

"Okay, okay, I know you are right," Sheridan finally acknowledged. "I just hope that she doesn't end up getting away of this."

"She won't if I have anything to do with it," he swore. The look on his face almost made her feel sorry for Beth if Luis got a hold of her. "Why don't I run a nice hot bath for you?"

"That's so sweet Luis. I would love a bath," she said, gratefully. "But, I want to check on the children first."

"You do that," he said, kissing her forehead. "I'll get some ointment to put on those scratches."

Later as Sheridan was relaxing in the steaming water, the events of earlier the evening almost drifted from her mind until she brought her hand to her throat and felt the painful throbbing. An ominous feeling came over her and she began to shiver in spite of the heated water surrounding her. Why did she feel as though something earth shattering was going to happen?

"Sheridan, is the water cold?" Luis asked from the bathroom door.

"No, it's fine. I just got a momentary chill there for a second," she said with a smile, trying to disguise the strange foreboding she was feeling.

"I called abuelo and he said that he would come and watch the kids tomorrow morning when we go to the police station."

"Isn't it kind of late to be bothering your grandfather?" Sheridan asked,
surprised.

"Not at all," Luis assured her. "Abuelo is a night owl so I knew he would still be awake."

"Did you tell him why we are going to the police station?" Sheridan asked, suddenly feeling embarrassed to be in her current situation.

"Yeah, I told him because he would have found out sooner or later. He's furious by-the-way, and said he has never trusted Beth Wallace. Between abuelo and me, the witch doesn't stand a chance."

The next morning Sheridan awakened early and dressed in a pair of jeans and a turtle neck sweater. The last thing she wanted was for the children to start asking questions about the booboos around her neck. She would never be able to explain them, so it was best to just cover them until they healed. When she arrived in Sofie's room, the little girl was already wide awake.

"Mama," she said, laughing so sweetly.

"How is my sweet baby girl this morning?" Sheridan asked, picking up her daughter to rain kisses on her little cheek.

"Baba," Sofie said, pointing straight ahead.

"Okay, let's change your diaper first and then we'll get you a bottle."

By the time she was heading downstairs with Sofie, Luke and Lily joined them. "Morning mama, I need some beckfast," Luke said in greeting.

"For some reason that doesn't surprise mommy," Sheridan said laughing. "I swear you eat as much as your daddy."

"Mama can I have ronies and cheese?" Lily asked.

"No sweetie, you can't have macaroni and cheese for breakfast. What about waffles instead?"

"With grape jam?" Lily asked hopefully.

"Yes, you can have any flavor of jam you want," Sheridan told her smiling.

Once Sheridan had the children settled in the kitchen she told them that Don Miguel was coming to stay with them. "I have a surprise for you. Your great-grandfather is going to baby sit you this morning while daddy and me go into town for a while."

"Oh goodie," Luke said, happily. "Can we go in daddy buelo's big black car?"

"I don't think so Luke, because you great-grandfather does not have a car seat for Sofie."

"Kay mama," the little boy said with disappointment.

"Lukie, we can show daddy buelo are pumpkin family. I'm sure he will think it's special," Lily said in an attempt to cheer up her brother.

"I think that's a really good idea Lily," Sheridan told her.

"What's a really good idea?" Luis asked, as he walked in the room, planting
a kiss on each of his children's forehead.

"I told Lukie that we could show daddy buelo our pumpkin family," Lily said,
proudly.

"Well, you should show them to him Peanut, since you and your brother worked so hard on them. You both should be very proud."

"Hurry and finish your breakfast so I can get you dressed. Daddy and I have to leave pretty soon," Sheridan told the twins.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked.

"Um," Sheridan stammered, giving Luis a pleading look for help.

"We have some grown-up business to take care of today," Luis said, simply.

�Kay daddy, but when you come home will you play ball with me?� Luke asked.

�You better believe I will Sport,� Luis assured him. �Now munchkins, eat up.�

Later Sheridan was standing in front of the mirror applying some lipstick. At Luis� request, she had changed into a V-necked sweater so that the police would be able to see the evidence of Beth�s attack. The bruise was more pronounced today, and the scratches looked deep and ragged. �Oh God, I can�t let my babies see this,� she said, opening the drawer to pull a scarf out. She tied it around her neck and arranged it until she was satisfied that everything was covered.

�Sheridan, abuelo is here,� Luis announced from the doorway. �Are you ready to go?�

�Oh Luis, are you sure that we should do this���?�

Luis came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. �Look honey, I know that you�re scared, but we can not let Beth get away with trying to kill you. We�ll get through this together.�

�You�re right,� she said, gracing him with a smile. �Let�s get this over with.�

When Luis and Sheridan walked into the police station they were surprised to see that the place was practically deserted. In fact the dispatcher was the only one around. Murphy came out of the back room with a cup of coffee in his hand. �Luis, Sheridan, what are you doing here?�

�We have some police business Murph,� Luis said, looking around confused. �Where is everyone?�

Murphy looked uncomfortable. �There is something big going down Luis.�

�What happened, did somebody run a red light?� Luis laughed.

�Very funny Luis, but seriously I can�t really say anything right now. So, what police business do you have?�

�We need to file attempted murder charges against Beth Wallace. She attacked Sheridan last night and tried to kill her.�

Murphy took a big gulp of his coffee, burning the inside of him mouth. �Damn,� he swore running for the water cooler. After taking a long drink of water, he finally looked at them again. �You know Luis; I think that Chief Bennett should take care of your complaint. Why don�t you just let me call him?�

�What the hell is going on Murph?� Luis demanded. �You can handle this.�

�Look Luis, calm down. I just thought that since you and the Chief were friends that you would feel more comfortable filing this charge with him.�

�Maybe we should just forget about this Luis,� Sheridan urged, taking his arm.

�Sheridan, we�re not leaving here until we file those charges.�

�Hey Murph, the Chief is on line two for you,� the dispatcher called out.

�Excuse me,� Murphy said, walking across the room to pick up the phone. �Hey Chief, I think you better get back here right away. Luis and Sheridan are here to file an attempted murder charge. Apparently Beth Wallace tried to kill Sheridan last night.�

�Keep them there Murphy,� Sam instructed. �I�m on my way.�

�Right Chief,� Murphy said, hanging up. �The Chief said he�d be here in a few minutes. Why don�t you wait in his office?�

Once they were seated in Sam�s office, Sheridan started to freak. �Luis, something weird is going on here. Why was Murphy acting so strangely and why is so important that Sam interview us?�

Luis had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he wasn�t about to let Sheridan know that. �It�s going to be fine honey,� he said, squeezing her hand.

�Famous last words,� Sheridan said, shakily. �I���..� The rest of her sentence was cut off by Sam�s arrival.

�Thanks for waiting,� Sam said, sitting down behind his desk. �Murphy told me that you want to file attempted murder charges against Beth Wallace. Do you want to tell me what happened, and don�t leave out any details.�

�What the hell is going on here Sam?� Luis said, staring to lose his temper over all this cloak and dagger behavior. �Sheridan was almost killed last night and you�re treating us like we�re the criminals.�

�I�m sorry Luis, but Beth Wallace was murdered last night, and I have two witnesses that say they saw Sheridan running from the crime scene.�

�Oh my God,� Sheridan gasped, her face turning to ashen white right before she crumpled into a dead faint.

 

Chapter 36

If it wasn�t for Luis� quick reaction Sheridan would have hit her head on Sam�s desk when she pitched forward into blackness. He leaned her back in the chair and loosened the scarf from around her neck. �Sheridan, come on sweetie wake up,� Luis coaxed gently.

Sam had offered to get a glass of water, and returned to hand the glass to Luis. He was shocked by what he saw. �My God, Sheridan�s neck looks bad,� he said in a shocked voice. �Beth actually did that?�

�Why in the hell do you think we�re here Sam?� Luis said, impatiently over his concern for Sheridan. �She�s coming around.�

Sheridan opened her eyes, and began to rub her head. �Wha��, what happened?� she asked, confused.

�You fainted,� Luis told her with a worried frown. �Here, take a drink of water.�

She took a small sip and handed the glass back to Luis, and that�s when she saw Sam�s concerned face looming over her. �Oh no, it�s really true. I thought maybe I was having a nightmare���. Beth is really dead.�

�I�m afraid so Sheridan,� Sam confirmed gently.

�I think that Eve should check you out,� Luis insisted. �Who knows, you might be hurt worse than we thought.�

�No Luis, I�m fine,� she said, sitting up straight. �At least physically����

�You don�t know that for sure,� Luis argued.

�Look Luis, I haven�t eaten anything since yesterday, and then last night�s attack had me pretty shaken. Now, on top of all that the shock of hearing that Beth was murdered was just too much��� Oh God, I punched her in the jaw, but I swear she was alive when I left there. What if I hit her harder than I thought and she died later because of it�����

Luis knew that he had to turn this around before Sheridan confessed to something that she didn�t do. �That�s just crazy Sheridan. You told me yourself that Beth was chasing you with a baseball bat after you hit her. If she was injured that badly from a punch in the jaw she wouldn�t have been running around like a maniac trying to kill you again.�

�Luis, I think you should just let Sheridan tell me exactly what happened last night. I don�t want you answering for her either.�

�Come on Sam, surely you don�t think that Sheridan had anything to do with Beth�s murder?� Luis asked, incredulously. �My God, look at her neck.�

�Just calm down Luis,� Sam ordered. �You better than anyone knows that I have to question Sheridan about this. I have a homicide to investigate and Sheridan admitted to being there last night. I�m just trying to get all the facts.�

�It will be okay Luis,� Sheridan said, putting her hand on his arm. �I�ll tell Sam everything, but there is one thing that I would like to request from you?�

�I�ll do my best Sheridan,� Sam told her.

�It�s just that the reason I confronted Beth is because of a personal family matter and I don�t want this to get out for public scrutiny.�

�This is confidential police business Sheridan,� Sam assured her.

�Okay then,� she said, taking Luis� hand for strength.

�Wait, before you begin, do you mind if I record this?� Sam asked. �It�s really to your benefit.�

�Well, I guess that would be okay,� Sheridan said, looking at Luis for approval.

�Sam, do we need to get a lawyer first?� Luis asked.

�Nobody is under arrest here Luis. I just want Sheridan to tell me what happened last night.�

�Let me just tell him Luis. I want to get this over with.� Sheridan began her tail from the minute she walked out of the building across the street from the Book Caf� until she pulled in the driveway of her house. �I swear to you Sam, Beth was alive when I left there last night,� she said with pleading eyes.

�Okay, so you said that after you pushed the book display down that Beth slipped and fell����

�On her bottom,� Sheridan finished for him. �It�s not like she had some horrific fall.�

�Okay, so she fell on her bottom, but I�m confused about what happened after that and you running to your car. Did Beth ever manage to get up?�

�I don�t know,� Sheridan admitted. �The last thing I saw was her groping around for the bat, and the last thing I heard was her using every swear word in the book at me. I ran for my car and never looked back.�

�So, you�re trying to tell me that Beth was threatening to kill you and you didn�t turn around once to see if she was behind you? For all you knew, she could have been right behind you ready to hit you with the bat.�

�I don�t like what you�re implying Sam,� Luis said, standing up to put his hands on the desk.

�Sit down Luis or I will finish this interview with you waiting on the other side of the door,� Sam commanded.

�Luis, I appreciate you defending me, but maybe you should just let me answer Sam�s question,� Sheridan said, pulling on Luis� arm, urging him to sit down. �I want you here by my side.�

�Sheridan, I�m not trying to be hard on you, but I do have to play devil�s advocate because if I don�t somebody else will.�

�I understand Sam,� she acknowledged. �I don�t know why I didn�t turn around. Beth was acting deranged and I just knew that there was no reasoning with her. I ran out of there as fast as I could and locked my car doors. There is not a script for how a person is supposed to act when a lunatic is trying to kill you.�

�I�m not trying to minimize what you�ve been through Sheridan. I can tell by that nasty bruise and the scratches around your neck that it must have been very frightening for you. I want Murphy to take some pictures and then I�m going to have to insist that you go to the hospital and get checked out,� Sam advised.

�I really don�t need to go to the hospital Sam,� Sheridan protested.

�It would be best for your own protection Sheridan. We need to get it documented, and besides like Luis said earlier, you could be hurt worse than you think. She must have been pressing hard, because I can see two perfect thumbprints on your larynx.�

�I agree with Sam honey,� Luis encouraged.

�Okay, I�ll do what you ask, but Sam I just have to know how Beth died.�

�We�re still waiting for the official autopsy report, but the preliminary findings by the coroner are blunt force trauma to the head. It looks like whomever murdered Beth bludgeoned her to death with that baseball bat, but this information is not for public disclosure yet.�

�My God,� Sheridan said, horrified. �I wouldn�t wish that on my worst enemy.�

�It sounds like overkill to me,� Luis said, shaking his head in disgust.

When Sheridan left with Murphy to get her neck photographed, Sam collected some evidence bags and brought them into his office.

"Where did they discover the body Sam?" Luis asked, already investigating the case in his head.

"Beth was found lying behind the counter, on her stomach. It looks like the murderer caught her by surprise. Wilson was patrolling his beat last night and happened to see the back door of the Book Caf� wide open. Since it was about three o'clock in the morning, he knew that the place was closed. He went inside to investigate, found the body and secured the crime scene."

"Then that means the killer left through the back door Sam," Luis said, excitedly. "Don't you see what this means? That proves that Sheridan couldn't have done it."

"Luis, until the forensic people go over the place, we can't come to any conclusions," Sam reminded him.

"No offense Sam, but you don't exactly have the most sophisticated crime scene investigators."

Sam ignored Luis' comment, knowing full well that his old friend was correct. "You know Luis' I find it strange that you don't seem very upset about Beth's murder."

"Am I a suspect too Sam?" Luis asked bluntly.

"Luis, I wasn't even thinking along those lines. It's just that you and Beth were pretty tight at one time, and I just thought that you would be more distressed about her murder."

"Look Sam, Beth has been a thorn in our side for quite some time now, but there was still always a small part of me that cared about her. Not in the romantic way, but there was history between us. That all changed though the minute I found out she tried to kill Sheridan and any feelings I had for her died. I don't mean to sound cold, but I think you would feel the same way if somebody tried to kill Grace."

"You're right Luis, I would feel the same way, but damn it was just so brutal," Sam said, shaking his head.

"Then you have to know Sam that Sheridan would never do this," Luis said, pleading her case.

"Between you and me, I know in my head and in my heart that Sheridan would never do anything this atrocious, but the police officer in me has to consider her a person of interest. I'm sorry Luis."

Luis swallowed any response because Murphy brought Sheridan back into the room just then. "That didn't take too long," he said, smiling.

"Yes, actually it was pretty painless." If she had overheard Sam's last statement she didn't let on. "What now?"

"I just have a few more questions, and then you can go on over to the hospital," Sam told her.

"Will I be able to go home after that?" Sheridan asked, hopefully.

"Of course you will, but stick around town because I may need to call you in for more questioning. Now, Luis were you aware that Beth owned fifteen percent of Antonio's casino?" Sam asked, handing him a contract enclosed in a clear plastic evidence bag.

"No," Luis said, shocked as he studied the contract. "It�s signed with yesterday's date. Why in the hell would Antonio let Beth buy into his business? I know my brother and I can't imagine him wanting to share the wealth with anyone."

"Maybe Antonio needed some extra capital," Sam suggested.

"How much extra capital could fifteen percent mean in the grand scheme of things? I wasn't even aware that Beth and Antonio had gotten reacquainted. Something is really strange about this whole setup."

"Maybe Antonio was doing Beth a favor," Sheridan offered as something to consider.

"My brother? I don't think so, but I intend to find out about this."

"Luis, I think you should leave it alone. This is a police investigation and you know that I shouldn't even be showing you this evidence," Sam warned.

"I promise Sam, Antonio will never know that you showed me that contract," was all that Luis would concede too. "Is there anything else, or can we leave now?"

"Just one more thing. I'm sorry Sheridan, this isn't pleasant, but I need to know if this belongs to you?" Sam produced another evidence bag with a blood soaked scarf inside.

"Of God," Sheridan groaned, putting her hand on her stomach as if the sight made her ill. "No Sam that is not my scarf."

"Are you sure Sheridan, because it has a designer label on it? Murphy looked it up on the internet on the Hermes site and this thing cost more than my paycheck. There are not many women in this town that could afford this scarf."

"No Sam, I am positive that that is not mine. It doesn't even match the outfit that I was wearing last night. If you don't believe me, ask Gwen because she was with me at the auction last night."

"I just might do that to confirm your story," Sam told her.

"What's the damn difference Sam? Even if it were Sheridan's scarf, she has already admitted to being there last night," Luis pointed out.

"I realize that Luis, but you know that we need to follow-up on every little lead."

"Well, if that's all Sam, I would really like to get Sheridan to the hospital........"

"Go ahead," Sam said, waving them on. "I'll call you if I have any more questions."

Neither one said anything until they got to the car, and then Sheridan broke down. "I feel like I'm stuck in some terrible nightmare. Sam let me go today, but I just know that they are going to try and pin this murder on me," she cried. "It took every bit of strength I had to hold it together in there Luis."

"I know you're scared but you have the truth on your side, and if Sam had any hard evidence against you he would have arrested you on the spot," he said, pulling her into his arms in a comforting embrace."

"We have to be realistic about this Luis. The truth may not be enough.......... Damn, I should have never gone to confront Beth last night. I don't have anyone to blame but myself."

�Listen to me Sheridan,� Luis said, looking right into her eyes. �I would have done the same thing that you did, and I am not going to let you blame yourself for this. You are a victim in this tragedy too.�

�Oh Luis, please tell me that everything is going to be okay?� she said, with a pleading look in her big blue eyes.

�Haven�t I always protected you?� he asked, lifting her chin.

�Yes.�

�Then this time will be no different.�

�Let�s go to the hospital,� Sheridan suggested. �I feel this great need to get home to
our children.�

********************

It didn't take long for the news of Beth's murder to get out. Crimes of this nature did not happen often in Harmony and the media couldn't stop talking about it. When the maid told Ivy, she immediately sequestered herself away in Julian's study and poured a hefty drink, and then another. Why hadn't she noticed that her scarf was missing until she arrived home last night? She racked her brain trying to remember the last time she had it around her neck. A mad search of her car had produced nothing and it was becoming more apparent that it was lying out on the street somewhere or worse on the floor of the Book Caf�. If the latter was true then the police may have taken it for evidence by now, and then there was the money. Thankfully, she had been smart enough to bring Beth cash, but what if the police dusted the envelope for fingerprints? Oh God, she just had to step back from this and think of a story in case the police connected her to Beth Wallace.

Tomorrow was Thanksgiving and as usual all of her children were spending it elsewhere. Ethan and Gwen were going skiing in Sundance and Jordan and Christopher of course would be at the Bennett's house. Noah had extended the invitation to her as well, but she declined not wanting to spend the day with Grace Bennett. Even Antonio was going to spend the day with his family. She decided to go to New York for Thanksgiving, and that way she would be able to lay low for a couple of days. Hopefully the police wouldn't discover that the scarf belonged to her and that she was at the Book Caf� the previous night. She would never be able to explain why she
was there after hours. Her decision gave her new resolve. "Helen," she called out to the maid.

"Yes, Mrs. Crane," the maid answered.

"I need for you to pack some things for me. I'm going to New York for the holiday."

"Shall I pack something formal for you Mrs. Crane?"

"Yes, Helen that would be fine," Ivy said, distractedly. "Oh, and I almost forgot. Call the Crane pilot and tell him to be ready to fly me there within the next couple of hours."

"Yes Mrs. Crane," Helen said, dutifully.

As Ivy oversaw the packing, a thought struck her. Why hadn't Antonio called her? Surely by now he had heard the news of Beth's murder. She didn't know what to think of his silence, but she knew that she couldn't leave town without feeling out her situation with him. "Helen, why don't you have James help you carry my bags downstairs."

"Of course," Helen said, leaving the room.

Ivy wasted no time calling Antonio's cell phone number. "Oh come on," she said, impatiently. "Pick up the stupid phone."

"Ivy," was all he said, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"How did you know if was me?"

"I have caller ID on my phone, but then you already knew that Ivy."

"How can you just stand there and act like everything is status quo when I feel like I'm going to be sick to my stomach any minute?"

Neither one mentioned Beth's name, but there was no doubt as to who they were talking about. "Think of it this way Ivy. The problem is gone. I would think you would be ecstatic?"

"You must really think of me as a cold hearted bitch," Ivy said, almost regretfully.

"I've always thought you were a bitch Ivy, but you are my kind of bitch," he said, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You do know that if the police starting digging around, they just might come up something from our past don't you?" Ivy asked, fearfully. "I can't believe that you sound so calm."

"Unless Beth left some kind of evidence behind, then the police are never going to find out about us," Antonio assured her.

"And, what happens if Beth did keep some kind of journal? I can bet that she didn't bother to change our names. We would both be destroyed."

"Look Ivy, for the moment let's concentrates on the fact that we're free of that bitch for now. Let's not stir up problems that aren't even there yet."

"I have decided to go away for a couple of days. I have friends in New York that I can spend Thanksgiving with."

"Good, I think that's an excellent idea. You need to get away from this situation until things settle down," Antonio advised.

"Are you even going to miss me?" she asked, feeling almost sad for a moment.
"Of course I'm going to miss you. I sense that you are a little bit on edge right now and a few days with friends should be just the thing to relax you. We have to keep it together right now Ivy."

He had no idea just how on edge she really was. "Well, I guess I'll see you in a couple of days," Ivy said, not knowing what else to say. "The Crane jet is waiting for me at the airport."

"Have a good Thanksgiving, and remember that the police are not going to find out about us if we just keep our mouths shut," Antonio told her, cautiously.

"Oh God Antonio we are going to be the first people they suspect if the police find out that Beth was blackmailing us," she said in a panicked voice.

"Take some deep breaths and go and catch your plane. Everything is going to be fine," he assured her.

Ivy hung up the phone and sat down on the bed to rub her temples. "You wouldn't say that Antonio if you knew that was a strong possibility that I left my scarf at the crime scene." There was a sudden knock on the door that startled her. "Yes."

"Mrs. Crane, Ms. Jordan is here with Master Christopher," the maid announced.

"Tell Jordan I'll be right down," she called out.

"Yes, Mrs. Crane."

Ivy took a few minutes to get herself under control before she descended the staircase to greet Jordan. She found her daughter standing in the foyer holding her grandson, and looking at the luggage stacked by the door with confusion. "To what do I own this wonderful surprise," Ivy said, smiling.

"I came by to talk with you mother, but it appears you're going some place."

"Yes, I decided to visit some friends of mine in New York," Ivy told her.

Jordan couldn't help but feel bad for her mother. "I really wish that you would just come to the Bennett's house. It's Christopher's first Thanksgiving and I really wanted you to be there."

"Look at my precious grandson," Ivy said, reaching out for the baby. "I can't believe how big he is getting, and I really don't know if I've ever seen a more beautiful baby," Ivy gushed.

"Mother, you are ignoring me about Thanksgiving," Jordan reminded her.

"I'm sorry Jordan," Ivy said, sincerely. "I know that this is Christopher's first Thanksgiving and that really is important to me, but I just feel so uncomfortable at the Bennett's house. I promise that I will make it up to you though. When I get back, we can all celebrate Thanksgiving here. Cook can make a big turkey and Ethan and Gwen will be home by then. We'll just have our celebration late."

"I suppose that will be okay, but please promise me that you are not going to spend Thanksgiving all alone."

"I'll be with friends Jordan," Ivy assured her. "Now sweetie, I don't mean to be rude but the Crane jet is waiting for me." She kissed Christopher and handed him back to Jordan. "Please be careful Jordan."

"Oh God, I almost forgot. Can you believe the news about Beth Wallace? I'm so shocked that somebody actually murdered her. What a terrible way to die."

"Yes, the news was quite shocking. What does Sam have to say about it?" Ivy asked, hoping that her daughter could shed some light on what the police thought may have happened.

"Noah spoke with his father earlier today, and right now they think it might have been a possible robbery," Jordan told her.

Ivy couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm sure that is probably
what happened. What other reason could somebody have to murder Beth
Wallace? Not to speak badly about the dead but she really didn't have much of a
life other than working at the Book Caf�."

"I know she was a pain in the butt to Luis and Sheridan, but they would never do anything that horrific."

"Of course they wouldn't. Now, again I really must go. You have a wonderful Thanksgiving Jordan."

"You too mother," Jordan said, suddenly feeling as though something really big was bothering her mother. Ivy's face practically turned white when she had brought up Beth's murder. On the other hand, maybe she was wrong because as far as she knew her mother hardly knew the woman. �Come on Christopher. Let�s go to the hospital and see daddy.�

********************

When Antonio hung up the phone he felt satisfied that he had pulled off the confident routine without a flaw. Inside his stomach was twisted into knots just thinking about Beth lying in a pool of blood. Had her murder been the result of a hit by the mob at his request? He thought back to a few nights ago when he had been playing cards with Vincent "Turk" Turcco. Beth had forced her way into the private room ranting on about the damn contract. To keep her from making a scene he had excused himself to escort her into his office. He had pulled the contract out of his desk drawer and threw it at her to sign. "Let's get one thing straight Beth. Don't you ever come in here again screeching like a bitch in front of the customers'."

�Now why would I do that Antonio when I'm part owner now?" Beth said, smiling smugly.

"I have a business to attend to," Antonio said, dismissing her without a second glance.

"I will not have you treat me like I'm garbage," Beth demanded. "You give me the respect that I deserve."

"You have to earn respect Beth," Antonio told her, leaving the room and slamming the door behind him.

When he got back to the table the card game had already broken up, but Turk was still sitting there counting his winnings. "You got some problems with the lady Tony?"

"Nothing that I can't handle Turk," Antonio assured him.

"Don't tell me you knocked her up?" he laughed.

"Hell no, I've never touched her. She just happens to think I owe her something when I don't," Antonio informed him, keeping it vague.

"So, she's blackmailing you then?" Turk said, pulling out a cigar. He lit it and a cloud of smoke billowed in the darkened room.

"Something like that, but the problem has been resolved now," Antonio told him. Hopeful the guy would back off.

"Look Tony, why don't you just let me help you out with this problem?" Turk urged. "It wouldn't take much to get her off of your back permanently.

Antonio seriously considered the offer. He knew that one word to Turk, and the nightmare of Beth would be erased from his life forever, but in the end he told Tony that he would rather he didn't do anything. "You're offer is appreciated Turk, and believe me very tempting, but I think we should leave it alone for now."

Antonio knew the offer had not been because of the kindness of Turk's heart. He was a member of the Marcelli crime family and they would like nothing better than for him to be indebted to them. He had a really bad feeling that the mobster had gone ahead and done the deed anyway and now with the mob involved, he had even bigger problems on his hands. He had sent his pit boss, Pauly out to see if he could get some information on the streets about Beth's murder. The police weren't really saying anything yet, but sometimes the best source of information was in the pool halls and the back ally. A loud knock on the door brought him out of his musings.

"Yeah?� was all Antonio said.

"It's me boss...... Pauly."

"Come in Pauly," Antonio invited. "Where you able to get any information on Beth's murder?"

"Yeah boss, and you are not going to believe this," he said, smiling. "There are a couple of witnesses that saw none other than your sister-in-law running from the crime scene."

"Do the police know about this?" Antonio asked, shocked.

"From what I hear she is definitely a person of interest to the cops."

"That is interesting Pauly, but I just can't imagine that Sheridan had anything to do with Beth's murder."

"Maybe not, but she's the only person that the police have on their list from what I understand," Pauly told him.

"Well if anything it will keep my brother out of my business," Antonio said, thinking that this might not be a bad turn of events afterall. He was going to the folk�s for Thanksgiving tomorrow, so maybe he could find out some more about Sheridan�s involvement in all of this mess.

********************

Thanksgiving brought a wonderful surprise. Theresa had come home with Gaston the night before to spend the holiday with her family and also to make a special announcement. The happy couple was officially engaged to be married. They had meant to tell everyone the last time they were home, but all the tension of Antonio�s homecoming had a damper on that. Unfortunately the news of Beth�s murder put a bit of a damper on the evening but everyone decided that they were not going to let it ruin their celebration.

Don Miguel was quite upset about the situation with Sheridan. When Luis told him what the police had put her though he was ready to go and raise holy hell, but his grandson had convinced him that it was best to keep a low profile to take the focus off of her. When he arrived home he told only Martin and Pilar, and asked that they keep quiet about Sheridan�s involvement to the rest of the family. He wanted her to have nice family time without any questions that would surely upset her.

�What is going to happen to those babies if Sheridan is arrested?� Pilar asked worriedly. �Poor Sheridan must be scared to death.�

�Now Pilar, you heard your father. Sheridan is far from being arrested. The police had no choice but to question her since she was there that night. I�m sure they are investigating other people too and the real murderer will be caught.�

�You should see what that woman did to Sheridan�s neck,� Don Miguel spat out angrily. �She could be the one laying in the morgue right now.�

�What a terrible experience. She must be going through hell right now,� Pilar agonized.

�Mija, we must do everything possible to take Sheridan�s mind off of this nightmare,� Don Miguel said, putting his arm around his daughter.

�I know that papa, and we shall. There will be no talk of this terrible murder at our Thanksgiving celebration. We must focus on the positive things.�

�That�s the spirit,� Martin said, smiling.

When Luis and Sheridan arrived with the children you would never know that anything had happened, but there would be moments when Sheridan would let her guard down, and her eyes were filled with uncertain fear. They were so thrilled to hear the good news about Theresa and Gaston, and the meal was filled with talk of wedding plans.

�So, when is the big day sis,� Luis asked affectionately.

�Well, we thought an early summer wedding would give mama enough time to plan the wedding,� Theresa said, excitedly. �We want the biggest celebration this town has every seen.�

�And that is exactly what you are going to get,� Martin assured her.

�Tweesa, are me and Lukie going to be in your wedding like we were with Kay?� Lily asked.

�Sweetie, you shouldn�t put Aunt Theresa on the spot that way,� Sheridan told her.

�Oh, she�s not putting me on the spot Sheridan. I wouldn�t have a wedding without my favorite little niece and nephew.�

�What about Soapie?� Luke asked. �Isn�t she your favorite too?�

�Yes Luke, you are all very special to me,� Theresa said, dropping a kiss on his cheek.

�Just make sure you keep them away from the cake table,� Luis teased, making everyone laugh with the memory of Kay�s wedding when the twins� pulled the wedding cake from the table.

�What happened with the cake table?� Dario asked.

�Yeah, maybe you should fill us in,� Antonio added.

�Me and Leelee made the cake come crashing down on us,� Luke giggled.

�Don�t tell Lukie,� Lily said, putting her hand over her brother�s mouth. �It�s baressing.�

�My kids really know how to steal the show,� Luis laughed, grabbing another piece of turkey.

�Well Dario, it looks like we missed a fun time,� Antonio said, noticing the look of distain that Luis shot his way.

�Buela, can I have some of that pumkie pie?� Luke asked, sweetly. �My tummy doesn�t want anymore turkey.�

�Sweetie, why don�t you try to eat just a little more turkey for mommy?� Sheridan asked.

�Kay mama,� Luke conceded. �I�ll have three more bites.�

After the meal the men retired to the living room to watch football, and Luis finally got the chance to get Antonio alone. �We need to talk,� he said, pulling his brother aside.

�I just knew you wouldn�t be able to resist ruining another family event for me Luis.�

�I don�t have any plans to ruin you time Antonio,� Luis growled. �I just have a simple question for you.�

�Oh, and what is that?� Antonio asked with a bored look.

�Why in the hell would you sell part of your business to Beth Wallace?�

For the first time in a long time Antonio was completely speechless.

Chapter 37

Luis stared at his brother�s ashen face and knew that he had hit a very big nerve. Something was really rotten here and the big question would Antonio tell him the truth? �Cat got your tongue Antonio? You look like you�ve just seen a ghost.�

�Only because I can�t believe you audacity,� Antonio responded, finally gaining his composure. �How in the hell did you find out about that?�

�I have my connections, but that�s not the point. I just want a simple answer Antonio. Why would you bring Beth in as a partner, and please don�t tell me you did it out of the kindness of your heart?�

�That�s exactly why I did it. In case you�ve forgotten, Beth and I were pretty good friends back when the two of you were an item. We got reacquainted recently and I was just trying to help her out.�

�Well, I don�t buy it,� Luis said with a flash of anger in his eyes. �You couldn�t even show up for your own sister�s party last summer, and you�re trying to tell me that you would let Beth in on your business because you�re such a good guy?�

�You know Luis, this really isn�t any of your damn business,� Antonio warned. �This conversation is over.�

�It is my business if you are involved in something that got Beth murdered��..�

�Oh, I see where this is going,� Antonio said, smiling smugly. �You want to pin Beth�s murder on me to save Sheridan�s neck. If you think I�m going to go down for something your wife did you can guess again.�

�You bastard,� Luis hissed, his hands forming fists. �If we weren�t in mama�s house with my kids in the next room I would beat you within an inch of your life.�

�Don�t let that stop you Luis,� Antonio said, pointing his finger at Luis� chest. �Take your best shot.�

�What the hell is going on here?� Martin demanded.

Luis pushed Antonio�s hand away from his chest. �Nothing papa. We�re finished for now.�

�Do you think if would be possible for the two of you to put your differences aside at least for the holiday?� Martin asked, sternly.

Both brothers silently glared at each other for a moment before answering. �Yes papa.�

�Thank you,� Martin said, with relief.

�Just so you known, after today all bets are off,� Luis said, turning to leave.

�Yeah well, bring it on,� Antonio called after him.

********************

The ladies were all gathered in the kitchen helping Pilar clean up from the Thanksgiving feast. Sheridan was standing at the sink staring out of the window while she dried off the glass serving dish. As she watched her children playing with Luis and their uncle's and grandfather in the yard a strange foreboding came over her. What if this was the last Thanksgiving she would be able to celebrate with her family? Would she be locked away in some prison when the holiday came around next year? She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Theresa calling to her.

"Sheridan, are you okay?" Theresa asked. "Sheridan......."

Theresa's voice finally penetrated Sheridan's mind and she swung around to face her. "I'm sorry Theresa, what did you say?"

"I asked if I could give Sofie some apple sauce."

"Oh, of course," she smiled. "Just make sure you put a bib on her. She thinks it's funny to spit her food out of her mouth."

"She's just so adorable," Theresa gushed, kissing her niece on the forehead.

"Maybe because she looks so much like her aunts," Sheridan suggested.

"Do you really think she looks like us?" Paloma asked. "I mean, I'll admit that she has our coloring, but I definitely think her features look just like yours Sheridan."

"I hope that Gaston and I have a little girl just like her some day,"
Theresa said, dreamily.

"Are you planning on having children right away mija? Pilar asked, surprised.

"No mama, we want to wait for a while, but it's nice to think about it anyway. I need to get the wedding planned before I do anything," she laughed. "By the way Paloma, I would love it if you would be my maid-of-honor."

"Are you serious Theresa?" Paloma asked, astounded by her sister's request. "What about Whitney? I just assumed that you would want your best friend to be your maid-of-honor."

"I think that Whit will understand that it's important for me to have my sister by my side. Besides, she'll be one of my bridesmaids, and Sheridan I would really love it for you to be one too."

"Well Theresa, I am so thrilled that you would want to include me in your wedding, and normally I would say yes.......... It's just that I don't feel real certain about my future right now," Sheridan said, shakily.

"Sheridan, I do not want you to even think this way," Pilar said, coming over to comfort her. "They will find the person that murdered Beth before it even comes to that."

"What if they don't find the murderer Pilar? When I was looking out the window earlier, I was watching the twins playing with Luis and the most terrible feeling came over me that this would be the last Thanksgiving I would spend with them."

"Sheridan, Luis would never let that happen," Paloma assured her. "He wouldn't rest until he found the person that did this to Beth."

"Paloma's right Sheridan," Theresa agreed. "Luis fights to the death when it comes to somebody he loves."

"It might just be out of his control, but I think we should change the subject. This should be a happy time for Theresa and I don't want to bring everyone down with my problems," Sheridan suggested.

"I feel guilty being so happy when you are going through this Sheridan," Theresa said, sadly.

"Oh please don't feel that way Theresa," Sheridan begged. "I want you to think about nothing but good thoughts and planning your wedding. I would love to help you and your mother with the plans too if you'll let me?"

�Oh Sheridan, I would love to have your help,� Theresa said, happily. �You always have the best taste.�

�Well, I don�t know about that,� Sheridan smiled. �However, I do know the right people and it�s all about connections.�

�You know Theresa, this could end up being one of those celebrity weddings that you read about in People magazine,� Paloma said, excitedly.

�How do you figure that?� Theresa asked, wrinkling her nose.

�Because abuelo is a cousin to the King of Spain, and he is kind of famous. Not to mention your husband-to-be is making quite a name for himself as a model. I saw him in that two-page Calvin Kline spread and Tommy Hilfinger�����

�He is quite gorgeous,� Theresa said, dreamily. �When we get back he�s going to Milan to do runway for the Hugo Boss spring collection, but seriously Paloma I don�t think our wedding is going to be that big of a deal to the public.�

�I�m not so sure about that Theresa, and just in case I�m going to lose a few pounds,� Paloma said. �The camera does add ten pounds��..�

�You are already too thin as it is,� Pilar said with a worried frown.

�You know what they say mama. You can never be too rich or too thin,� Theresa said, smiling.

�Well, I think while you all hash this out I�m going to collect my children for a nap,� Sheridan announced. She went to find her coat and headed outside. When Luke and Lily spotted her, they ran up to greet their mother.

�Mama, are you going to play ball with us?� Luke asked, excitedly.

�Oh please play mama,� Lily begged. �We promise we be easy on you.�

�That�s very sweet of you,� Sheridan said, laughing at her daughter�s remark. �But, I�m afraid that I�m going to have to break up the fun.�

�But why mama?� Luke asked with a disappointed frown.

�Well, it�s going to be a long day and I would like for you to take a little nap.�

�But we�re supposed to celebrate cause it�s Tanksgiving,� Lily said with a pouty lip.

"I know this seems like a bad thing, but mommy only wants you to lie down and rest for a little while. When you wake up Uncle Evan and Kay are coming over with your cousin Jordan and Noah."

"Is baby Cisstopher coming too?" Lily asked.

"Yes sweetie, Christopher is coming too," Sheridan assure her. Your cousin Chad and Whitney will be here too."

"Oh, is Whitney our cousin too mama?" Luke asked, curiously.

"No Lukie, Whitney is not your cousin, but she is Chad's girlfriend and Aunt Theresa's best friend."

Luis approached then and kissed Sheridan on the cheek. "What's going on over here? All of a sudden I look up and half my team is missing." He said, winking at Sheridan.

"Mama wants us to take a nap," Lily said, wrinkling her little nose with disgust.

"Why does that seem so strange? You take a nap every day at this time," Luis told them.

"Cause daddy, we want to celebrate Turkey Day," Luke informed him.

"You can still celebrate and take a nap," Luis reminded the little boy.

"Geez, we just can't talk them out of it Lily," Luke told his sister while rolling his eyes.

"I'll give you a ride on my shoulders Luke," Miguel offered.

"Come on Peanut, you can ride on mine," Luis told his daughter.

Suddenly the twins didn't seem to be so upset about taking naps. Now if Sheridan could only get them to go to sleep she would be extremely happy.

Later that night Sheridan was sitting before her dressing table combing her hair, when Luis walked into the room after taking his shower. She was too preoccupied to notice the way the low damp towel hugged his hips and tight behind, and it wasn't until he was standing right behind her that she was even aware that he was in the room. "You must really have a lot on your mind. I asked you a question and you didn't answer me," Luis told her.

"I'm sorry Luis. What is it that you asked?" she said, giving him her full attention. The state of his body did not go unnoticed this time.

"I was saying that if you didn't have anything planned for next Saturday that we could take the kids and go to the Christmas tree Farm to pick out our tree."

"That sounds like fun," Sheridan smiled. She didn't have the heart to admit that she was hoping that she would still be free to join them.

"Honey, you look so distracted. You're thinking about Beth's murder again aren't you?"

"I am really trying not to Luis, but it keeps creeping back into my mind. Theresa asked me earlier today to be in her wedding, and I didn't know how to answer her because I didn't know if I would be in prison or not," she sniffled, her voice quivering.

Luis turned her around so that she was facing him. "Honey, I know this is tough and things are uncertain, but we know that you are innocent and they need to have some pretty strong evidence against you to make a case."

"I saw you in a huddle with Evan and Chad today being all secretive. What were the three of you talking about?"

"Actually, since the Cranes own the Book Caf� I asked Evan to make sure that the placed stayed closed and sealed off even after the police release the crime scene," Luis explained.

"Why do you want to keep the crime scene in tact?" Sheridan asked, confused.

"Because I don't trust the forensic team for the Harmony Police department. I'm not saying they're crooked, but I don't think that use the best methods for collecting evidence."

"But what are you planning on doing with the crime scene?"

"Let's just say that just in case I need to bring in an expert criminal specialist I'll have a secure crime scene."

"You mean should I get arrested?"

"I'm not saying that's going to happen, but I want to have all of my ducks in a row just in case they do try to pin this on you."

"I just wish this nightmare would be over," Sheridan said, fearfully.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Luis said, pulling her into a hug.

"Make love to me Luis. I need you so much right now," she mumbled, ripping her towel from around his body.

He looked at her with the most intense love shining in his eyes before he picked her up and carried her to the bed. As he lowered her to the mattress, Sheridan climbed on top of him and became the most passionat agressor. She stripped her silk night gown away and moved her naked body against his muscled form. It wasn�t like Luis to give up control, but he understood Sheridan�s need to feel like there was something she could still have command of. She was like a wildcat as she dominated him with her sexual proficiency, and he was hard and throbbing with his need for her.

After the third time of pure, exhausting cumulation, Luis decided that being in control was very over-rated. Although, he couldn�t resist pulling her into one last hot kiss so he could fall asleep with the taste of her on his swollen lips.

******************

It was Antonio�s usual routine to have a nice lunch and read the paper before heading over to the casino for the day. Ivy had called him the night before to say that she would be returning home tonight and he had to admit that he really missed her. Maybe once things were under control at the club, he would be able to turn the place over to his competent manager and go over to the mansion to welcome her home. As he walked on the wharf, he was thinking about the night ahead of him, whistling some Christmas tune he had heard on the radio. The last thing he expected to see when he got to the gang plank leading to the casino was two marshalls. �What the hell is going on here?� he asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

�Are you Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald?� one of the marshall�s asked.

�Yeah, I�m Lopez-Fitzgerald. Are you going to tell what�s going on here?�

�Yes sir, we have a court order here for you to vacate these premises��.�

�What the hell! Let me see that,� Antonio demanded, grabbing the papers. �This says that I have I can no longer conduct business on this wharf.�

�That�s correct Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. There is a city ordinance that says the only vessels that dock at this wharf are for shipping freight and the fishing industry.�

�Why haven�t I heard about this ordinance before now?� Antonio asked with a furious voice.

�I wouldn�t know about that sir, but you are going to have to move your boat as soon as possible.�

�Where in the hell do you suggest I move it? My patrons are going to come tonight and expect to see the casino here.�

�I would suggest that you move it to the marina,� the marshall told him.

�You know damn well there isn�t a spot big enough for my boat at the marina,� Antonio said, crumbling the paper in his fist.

�Well then, you�re going to have to anchor it out in the harbor until you can find a place to dock.�

�Can you at least give me a couple of hours until I can make arrangements?� Antonio asked.

�You have four hours, but if you haven�t moved it by then we will tow it away,� the marshall told him.

Antonio made his way back to his car in the parking lot swearing the whole way. He knew without a shadow of a doubt who was behind this and Luis was not going to get away with this. He was a street fighter and his brother was going to learn that he had messed with the wrong person.

******************

Antonio and his gambling casino was the last thing on Luis mind right now. He had retrieved all the boxes from the attic containing the Christmas decorations earlier and Sheridan and the children were excitedly going through them. Luis was busy with his most dreaded chore of untangling the lights when there was a knock on the door. When he answered it there were two uniformed police officers standing there. Luis knew them both from when his time working at the Harmony Police Department. �Hey guys, what�s up?�

�Sorry Luis, but we have a warrant here to take Sheridan�s car and clothing into our possession,� Burt Hopkins told him.

�Don�t look so uncomfortable Burt, I�ve been expecting this,� Luis said wistfully.

�Yeah, forensics wants to check it out Luis.�

�I�m assuming that you mean the clothing Sheridan�s was wearing the night Beth was murdered?�

�Luis, who�s here?� Sheridan asked, coming up behind him with Sofie in her arms. When she saw the officers standing there her face when white. �Oh God.�

�It�s okay Sheridan,� Luis said in a low voice so that the twins wouldn�t hear. �They just want to impound your car and the clothes you were wearing the night Beth was killed.�

�Why Luis?� she asked, fearfully pulling her baby closer in her arms.

�They need to have forensics go over them to check for any trace evidence,� he explained.

�You mean blood don�t you?� she said, knowingly.

�Look guys, do you mind if I have a private moment with Sheridan?�

�Sure Luis, take your time,� Burt assured him.

Luis pulled Sheridan further into the foyer to afford them some privacy. �Honey this isn�t a bad thing.�

�How can you say that Luis? They are only one step closer to arresting me now,� she said in a frazzled voice.

�No Sheridan, that�s not necessarly true. Don�t you see, the person that murdered Beth would be covered in blood, and they would be sure to transfer it all over the car. Your clothes and car are clean so they won�t find anything.�

�Oh,� she said with an enlightenend look. �If they can�t find any blood evidence then they will have to know I�m innocent.�

�Exactly,� Luis told her with an encouraging smile.

�Mama, what are you standing there for? We have to get the decorations out of the boxes,� Luke said, impatiently.

�Who are those men at our door?� Lily asked, moving closer to get a better view.

�They are here to see daddy,� she told them. �Come with me so we can finish with our decorations.�

She turned as she led the twins into the living room to look at Luis for some added resurance. �Everything is going to be fine,� he told her with a smile.

 

Chapter 38

In spite of the turmoil Sheridan was feeling, she was determined that her family would have the best Christmas ever. They all had a wonderful time on their trip to the Christmas tree farm to pick out their tree. Luis carried Sofie bundled up in her little pink snowsuit like a papoose on his back, and the twins nibbled gingerbread cookies and sipped hot chocolate as they conducted their search. When they finally spotted it looming above all the other evergreens in all of it�s beautiful splendor, they knew they had found their perfect tree. When it began to snow, Sofie giggled with excitement as she held her chubby little hands out to catch the fluffy flurries. All the children looked so adorable with the flakes clinging to their long eyelashes.

After two men loaded the tree on the top of Luis� SUV they headed for home. Sheridan led them in Christmas carols, but after a while the little voices faded away as each one of the children fell asleep. �Well, it looks like I lost my backup singers,� Sheridan said in a low voice.

Luis gazed in the rearview mirror observing his sleeping children. �Looking for a Christmas tree is tough work,� Luis laughed. When he turned back to look at Sheridan, he noticed that sad faraway look on her face. �What�s wrong honey?�

�I was just thinking about Beth�s sad life,� she said, sighing. �There was hardly anyone there at her funeral, and even her own mother was too ill to attend.�

�Sheridan, I don�t mean to sound like a bastard but when you live your life the way that Beth did the ending isn�t going to be good. I�m sorry but I just can�t get over the fact that she tried to kill you.�

�Just the same, I really want to visit with Mrs. Wallace,� Sheridan announced, making Luis look at her with a start.

�Sheridan, I�m not so sure that�s a good idea. What if Mrs. Wallace believes you had something to do with Beth�s death. I�m not going to let you go through that.�

�Luis, if she does then that is exactly why I have to go,� Sheridan said, stubbornly. �I have to make her understand that I didn�t murder her daughter.�

�I can see I�m not going to talk you out of this����

�No Luis, you�re not.�

�Then I�m going with you,� Luis insisted.

�Daddy,� Luke called out sleepily.

�Hey Sport, I thought you were sleeping.�

�I just wakted up cause I wanted to ask you if you would help us build Frosty when we get home.�

�You better believe I will,� Luis assured his son. �We�ll build the biggest Frosty you ever saw.�

�Oh goody,� Luke said, falling back to sleep.

�He�s not going to forget that you know?� Sheridan smiled.

�I know that, and I hope that you don�t forget that I�m going with you to see Mrs. Wallace,� Luis reminded her.

�I�ll remember Luis.�

*******************

After the bombshell delivered by the marshals, Antonio�s first inclination had been to go and beat the life out of his brother. He had some time to cool down and decided that he was not going to give Luis the satisfaction of knowing how upset he was. Since it was the dead of winter and the ocean could often be unpredictable, he had decided to close the boat down for a couple of months anyway. In the meantime he would find a place to reopen and there wouldn�t be a damn thing that Luis could do about it. He watched Ivy swirl the wine in her glass as if she was mesmerized by the rose-colored liquid. She still hadn�t answered his question. �Ivy, did you hear me?�

She looked up suddenly giving him a puzzled look. �I�m sorry what did you say?�

�I asked if you had found a place near here for me to dock my boat. I can�t let it sit out there on the water forever��..�

�You know Antonio, there are more important matters occupying my mind right now,� she snapped, rubbing her temples. �I can�t believe all you can think about is that stupid boat.�

He wanted to lash out, but he bit his tongue. �Okay Ivy, you want to tell me what�s going on with you?�

�I don�t believe that you could even ask that. In case you�ve forgotten we are up to our necks with this Beth Wallace thing. If the police find out that she was blackmailing us we are going to be first on their list of suspects.�

�How are they going to find out? The only person that knew about it is Beth and she�s not talking anymore,� he reminded her.

�Oh God,� Ivy gasped. �You�re wrong Antonio. Phillip Kade knows and I�m probably not on his list of favorite people right now. I fired him remember?�

�But didn�t you say you thought he left town?� Antonio asked with a worried frown.

�Well, I haven�t seen him around town, so let�s hope that he did leave,� Ivy said, calming down a little.

�You need to relax Ivy,� Antonio said, rubbing her shoulders. �Your muscles are so tight. Besides, it looks like the only person the police are looking at right now is Sheridan.�

�I really hope that they don�t arrest Sheridan. She does have three small children and they need their mother,� Ivy said, wistfully.

�Since when have you been such a champion for Sheridan?�

�Sheridan and I have had some differences in the past, but she is my sister-in-law as well as yours and I just don�t think she�s capable of murder.�

�Ivy, we�re all capable of murder given the situation. People do things when they are pushed to the limit that they wouldn�t normally do. Take us for instance. Both of us would have been driven to murder Beth with the way she was blackmailing us threatening to ruin our lives.�

Ivy shivered at his words. �I don�t know about you but I could sure use a drink,� she said, changing the subject.

Antonio stared at her thoughtfully as he watched her pour a drink. Her hands were shaking so badly that he was surprised that she didn�t spill the liquid on her Chippendale writing desk. �Ivy is there something that you want to tell me because you know I won�t judge you?�

�No, of course not. Is there something that you want to tell me?� she asked, looking at him through narrowed eyes.

�Hey you know me,� he said, gracing her with a charming smile. �Nothing to tell from me. I�m an open book.

�Actually, there is something I wanted to tell you. There is a place about fifteen miles up Coast Road that Crane Industries owns. It�s a cannery that they closed down a couple of years ago and there is a dock that is more than adequate for parking your boat.�

�Well, it is a little isolated, but this could work Ivy,� Antonio said, excitedly. �With some renovations we could turn the cannery into a nightclub��..�

�Before you get ahead of yourself just remember that is still Crane property,� Ivy reminded him.

�Oh Ivy,� he said, coming up behind her to run his lips along her neck. �I have all the faith in the world that you�ll think of a way to sell me the property.�

�You are incorrigible,� she groaned, turning to kiss him passionately on the lips.

********************

When Luis and Sheridan arrived at the nursing home they were shocked to find out that Mrs. Wallace had suffered a stroke the night before and had been taken to Harmony Hospital. Luckily, the woman at the front desk was the same person that had been on duty the first time Sheridan had been there, and she remembered her. �Can you tell us what her condition is?� Sheridan asked, worriedly.

�I�m sorry, but I really don�t know,� she admitted. �I probably shouldn�t have even given you the information about Mrs. Wallace�s stroke but I remember how kind you were to her the last time you were here.�

�We appreciate it,� Luis told her, smiling. �Let�s go to the hospital Sheridan. Maybe Eve can give us more information.�

�Thank you,� Sheridan told the lady as they left.

�Poor Mrs. Wallace,� Sheridan said, when they reached the car. �She�s been through so much lately and now this.�

�Yeah, I know,� Luis said, thoughtfully. �Since she doesn�t really have any family around to speak of we�re going to have to make sure that she gets everything she needs.�

They managed to locate Eve when they arrived at the hospital and she informed them that Mrs. Wallace had some paralysis on her left side and her speech was effected by the stroke. �She�s aware of what�s going on but very frustrated that she cannot communicate,� Eve told them.

�Is it okay if we see her?� Luis asked.

�Of course, but keep it short, and please try not to excite her,� Eve warned.

�Thank you Eve,� Sheridan smiled. �We promise we won�t stay long.�

When they walked into the room, Mrs. Wallace�s eyes lit up when she saw them. Sheridan couldn�t help but feel that was a good sign that she didn�t blame her for her daughter�s death. The older lady held out her good hand in welcome. �Ssssher��.�

�Please don�t try to talk,� Sheridan said, taking her hand. �Luis and I just wanted to make sure that you were okay and to let you know that we will pay for any medical expenses that are not covered by insurance.�

�Ahh ahh,� she mumbled, tears flowing out of her eyes.

�Don�t cry Mrs. Wallace,� Luis said, gracing her with his smile. �We just want to see you back to one-hundred percent. We�re so sorry about Beth��.�

�Be, be,� she grunted, shaking her head back and forth with disgust.

�Please calm down Mrs. Wallace,� Sheridan urged her softly. �We didn�t mean to upset you.�

�We promise that we are going to do everything possible to find out who did that to Beth,� Luis promised.

�Nooo,� she said, shaking her head again. �Taaa��.., taaapa, taaapa.�

�I�m so sorry Mrs. Wallace, but I don�t know what you�re trying to tell us,� Sheridan said, looking at Luis for some help. He shrugged his shoulders as a sign that he had no idea either.

�Taapa,� she shouted, making a fist with frustration.

�What is going on in here?� a nurse asked, entering the room. �Mrs. Wallace you cannot get yourself so upset.�

"Taapa, taapa," Mrs. Wallace shouted again, beating on the bed with her good fist.

"I think that the two of you should leave so I can try and calm her down. It certainly isn't good for her condition to get so upset this way," the nurse told them sternly.

"Mrs. Wallace, we'll be back to see you later," Sheridan said, putting her hand on the old lady's arm in a comforting gesture.

"You take care of yourself and get better," Luis said in parting.

"I feel terrible that we caused Mrs. Wallace to become so agitated," Sheridan said, as they were walking out of the hospital. "What do you think she was trying to tell us?"

"I'm not sure, but it seemed so important to her that we know. I'm trying to figure out what taapa meant. Maybe table.......?" Luis guessed, thoughtfully. �But what the hell does that mean?�

"Yes, but I think she was trying to say Beth�s name right before that, so that doesn't make sense. Unless, she meant to say tape?"

�I think you�re right honey, but it still doesn�t mean anything. I guess we�re just going to have to wait until she can communicate better to know what she was talking about.�

�Yes, I guess you�re right, but this is going to drive me crazy in the meantime.�

�Right now we have to concentrate on making a special Christmas for our little munchkins.�

Sheridan couldn�t help but feel sad by Luis� words. �Yes, it�s really important that we make this Christmas special���.�

�Sweetie, I know you�re still worried, but I promise that everything is going to be okay.�

�I believe you,� she said with more conviction than she was really feeling inside.

**********************

The holiday did end up being very special. The police returned Sheridan�s car and Sam had confided that the only forensic evidence they had discovered was a few small drops of blood on Sheridan�s sweater and it was her own blood from the scratches on her neck. For the first time in weeks Sheridan could actually relax and truly enjoy the time with her family. Early Christmas morning, the sun had barely risen when the twins ran into their bedroom screaming for them to get up.

�Mama, daddy, you has to get up,� Luke said, jumping on the bed. �Santa came.�

�We just peaked downstairs and there are so many pressies under the tree,� Lily said, excitedly.

�It�s way too early,� Luis teased, pulling the covers over his head. �Why don�t you go back to bed for a couple of hours.�

�No daddy, please don�t make us,� Luke cried.

�Sweetie, daddy was just teasing,� Sheridan said, getting out of bed to slip on her robe. �Let�s go downstairs and see what Santa brought for you.�

�I�m so glad you said that mama, cause I was almost getting ready to cry,� Lily told her.

�Peanut, I would never want to make you cry,� Luis said, swooping her up to plant a big kiss on her cheek.

�Come on daddy, we better go. I just bet Santa brought you pressies too.� Lily said, pulling on Luis� hand.

�We need to stop and get your little sister, Sheridan told them.

Sofie was adorable when she saw all the presents and colorful ribbons. Luis had to show her how to rip the paper off of the packages, but she seemed more interested in chewing on the ribbons. �Come on Sofie, don�t you want to see your new teddy bear,� Luis said, trying to distract her from the Christmas garnish.

The first thing the twins did was check to see if the milk and cookies were gone. �Look mama, Santa ate the treats we left for him and all the carrots for the reindeer are gone too,� Luke said, excitedly.

�Do all the children leave cookies and milk for Santa?� Lily asked.

�I�m pretty sure that they do,� Sheridan told her. �Santa must be pretty full before the night�s over.�

�Hey munchkins, you better get over here and open your presents,� Luis called out.

That was all the urging the twins needed as they ran to the tree and began to rip open their packages. �Make sure you read the tags to see if your name if on there,� Sheridan said, hurrying over there to get control of the situation.

�Look, Santa brought some new dresses for Banabelle,� Lily squealed.

�Those are very pretty. I�m sure that Annabelle will love them,� Sheridan said, smiling.

�I got a big truck,� Luke shouted.

�It�s a special truck too Sport. It�s got a remote control, so when you push down this button the truck moves all by itself.�

�Oh my goodness mama, I got an American Girl doll. Look how beautiful she is,� Lily said, hugging her new friend.

�She�s very beautiful Lily, but I see some presents here for Ace and Sassy. Maybe you and Lukie should open them for your pets.�

�Kay mama,� Lily said. �Come on Lukie, you need to help me.�

Sassy got some Shrimp Cat Treats and little colored balls with bells inside, and Ace got a squeaky toy and some rawhide dog chews. As the animals checked out their treats, the children went back to opening their presents. The twins drew pictures as gifts for Luis and Sheridan and of course their parents just had to brag about how special they were.

�I think that Santa brought something for you too,� Luis said, handing Sheridan some boxes.

�No sir daddy, those pressies are from you,� Luke corrected his father.

�That�s right, cause we helped Poma wrap them,� Lily added.

�Mommy knows that munchkins,� Luis laughed. �I was just teasing when I said that Santa brought her something too.�

Sheridan opened the first box to find a full-length black cashmere sweater. �Oh Luis, it�s simply gorgeous, I just love it��� Thank you,� she said, leaning in to kiss him.

�Open you next pressie mama,� Lily urged with a big smile.

�Yeah, open it. This is from me and the munchkins.�

�Oh, now I am excited,� Sheridan said, tearing the paper away. �This is a heavy one.�

�Mama, do you need some help?� Luke asked, impatiently. �You�re way too slow.�

�I�m afraid that Aunt Paloma used the whole roll when she was taping this box shut,� Sheridan said, laughing at her little boy. She was finally able to work through so that she could lift the lid of the box. Tears came to her eyes when she saw the oil painting of her children. The artist had managed to capture the very essence of their spirit. �I just don�t even have the words to tell you how special this is to me.�

�Don�t be sad mama,� Lily said, stroking Sheridan�s face.

�Oh sweetie, I�m not sad,� Sheridan said, hugging her. �These are happy tears because this is just the best present in the whole world. �How did you manage to do this Luis?�

�There�s this artist that is renting warehouse space next to our office. We struck up a conversation one day and I just asked him if he would paint the munchkins. He agreed and mama took the kids there on the days when they were staying over there.�

�I can�t believe that they would sit still for that long,� Sheridan said, amazed.

�They only went a couple of times and then he worked from a photo too,� Luis explained.

�I think I need to hug all of my babies for being so sweet to do this for me,� she said, reaching for Sofie. The little girl leaned over and kissed her mother and then she planted a big one on her teddy bear too.

�Tetee,� Sofie said, holding her bear out to her brother�s face.

�I think Sofie wants you to kiss her bear Lukie.�

�Kay,� Luke said, rolling his eyes.

Sofie made sure that everyone kissed her bear and Luis made sure to get pictures of every minute. Luis opened his gifts of a beautiful watch and a set of golf clubs. It was a wonderful family time, and Sheridan treasured every second of it.

�You know, this is the first time I�ve seen you look really happy in weeks,� Luis whispered to her.

�I finally feel like I don�t have this heavy weight hanging over me,� Sheridan admitted. �I have a feeling that it�s going to be a wonderful New Year.�

�So do I,� Luis said, hugging her close.

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