Tomorrow is Another Day

A few months had passed since that night. The night everything changed between them. They moved on with their lives. Or at least pretended to. They were cordial. Friendly even when they met each other around town. Harmony was a rather small place, after all. They couldn't untangle their lives if they tried. Theresa's involvement with Ethan saw to that. And it was at their engagement party that her world was brought to its knees again.

The memories haunted her. Echoed and replayed in her mind 'til she wanted to scream. To make it stop. She stared at the paper in her hands. Still not believing it was really true. Ethan wasn't a Crane. Ethan wasn't her nephew. He was a Bennett. Sam Bennett's son.

She still couldn't erase the memory of last night from her mind. Try as she might. She'd lost the one member of her family that had truly loved her. And now, she was all alone. She'd thought she'd felt empty that cold December night Luis had walked out of her life. But she'd still had Ethan.

Luis had looked at her with such pity the night before. Things were strained between them still. But he made an effort. An incredible effort. Because, like it or not, his sister was engaged to her...Ethan. And Theresa was determined to marry him. Come what may.

She didn't realize she was crying again until she felt a hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice say, "Come on. Let's get you out of here." She looked up into his dark brown eyes so filled with kindness, and the floodgates opened. He threw some money down on the table to pay for her tab, said goodbye to Beth, and led her out the Book Cafe by the arm.

He took her to the place where it all began. The Youth Center. Led her into his office. He was so gentle. So sweet. And her heart filled with love for him. The man standing before her looking at her with such concern was such a good man. And that's exactly what she told him.

She saw a brief flicker in his dark eyes. A flicker that gave her hope. Was it possible he still loved her? The way she loved him? But her hopes and dreams were pushed aside. Forgotten as she poured her heart out to him. She could tell from the look on his face he was astounded at her honesty. How forthcoming she was. But she felt safe with him.

They talked for hours. Sitting side by side. And somehow in the course of all that time, they got closer. And closer. Without even realizing it, she was in his arms. But it felt so right. To be sharing this moment with him. He was the only one. The only who could bring peace to her heart.

"I've missed you," she breathed. "Thank you for this. You're the only one..." Her slender fingers entwining with his larger brown ones. And she studied their linked hands. Listened to his heart beat. He swept his hand through her hair and placed a kiss to her forehead.

"That's what friends are for."

She closed her eyes. Lulled by his soft breathing, his steady heartbeat, into slumber. Friends, she thought with a smile. She could deal with that. And tomorrow...tomorrow, maybe something more.

Told you they were bad.

;)

Hope you derived some enjoyment out of them anyway.

Thanks so much for reading!