This is a follow up to my story The Ex Factor.

I know the story is old, but it would still mean a lot to me to know what you think. :) I love reviews.

Whisper

Chapter Two: The Bride to Be

Gwen nearly squealed in delight as her five bridesmaids lined up for her inspection. The buttery yellow gowns she had chosen for them made all five of them glow..Whitney, Sheridan, and her three former sorority sisters, Daphne, Elizabeth, and Lauren. "They're perfect!" She exclaimed happily. "Are there any problems with the fit?"

Everyone shook their heads, smiling at her excitement. "No, they're great!" Whitney smoothed down the fabric of her skirt, and then looked at the clock. Sheridan was giving her a significant look, and then peering out the window at the driveway below. The other guests must have arrived.

"Gwen, I'll be right back. I want to call and check on Miles." She hurried out of the bedroom and down the stairs, and quietly opened the front door. Theresa, Fancy, Paloma, Jessica, Simone, Pilar, Kay, and Eve were standing there, all holding gaily wrapped gift boxes. Smiling, she put a finger to her lips and gestured them inside, and then called up the stairs.

"Hey, you guys, come down here for a minute!"

Gwen appeared at the top of the stairs, followed by the other bridesmaids, looking perplexed.

"SURPRISE!!" Everyone cried at once.

Gwen burst out laughing. "Oh my God, you guys, what is this?"

"Your bridal shower, of course." Sheridan put a hand on her shoulder, smiling. "We're having food delivered too. Let's go downstairs and set everything up. Well, after I change."

Downstairs Theresa was admiring the dress Whitney was wearing. "Very pretty, I must admit. You all are going to look great on the big day."

"Just two more weeks to go!" Whitney smiled back. "And you could have been wearing one of these too, if you hadn't turned down Gwen's offer to be a bridesmaid yourself.

Theresa snorted. "She didn't really want me to say yes. She only asked out of politeness, because of Jane."

Whitney shrugged. "Still, it would have been nice to share this with you. We didn't get to dress up together for my wedding."

"That's because you and Chad eloped. I'm still a little bent with you about that...I really wanted to be there." Theresa lightly scolded Whitney, shaking a mocking finger at her.

Whitney laughed ruefully. "I know, I know and I am sorry. But with everything we'd gone through these past few years, I just didn't want to deal with putting together a big wedding. Plus..well, it was kind of an impulsive thing. It was romantic though...a nice, quiet ceremony, just us, Miles, and a couple of strangers we pulled off the streets for witnesses. Anyway, I better get upstairs and change. Be right back."

"Hurry!" Theresa called after her, and then squared her shoulders resignedly, prepared to be as sweet as apple pie to Gwen for the next few hours, even if it made her want to choke.

Forty five minutes later Theresa had to admit to herself that she was having a good time, Gwen or no Gwen. It was rare that they had a girls' only get together, and all of them were enjoying it, catching up on all the gossip and sharing confidences.

Gwen was admiring am expensive perfume set that Sheridan had given her. "Oh, I love this-it smells beautiful!" She rubbed a little on her wrists and sniffed it. "I think Kieran will like it too." She grinned. "Let's see, what's next?" She picked up a large white box and looked at the name on the tag. "Theresa! This should be interesting." She ripped open the box and then suddenly she froze, just staring at the contents.

"Gwen, what's wrong?" Whitney shot Theresa a wary look. "What did you give her?" she stage whispered to her friend.

Slowly, Gwen reached into the box and pulled out a beige trenchcoat, staring at it as if it might explode in her hands any moment. She still hadn't said anything.
"

A trenchcoat?" The guests exchanged bewildered looks.

"Theresa, I don't get it. Why would you give Gwen a trenchcoat as a bridal shower gift?" Whitney scooted closer to examine it and pulled back with a horrified expression. "And it's used! Oh my God...is that motor oil on the corner?"

That did it. Gwen burst out laughing, still clutching the coat in her hands, and Theresa, feeling relieved that her little joke hadn't backfired too badly, joined her.

"I just thought you could make good use of it." Theresa grinned as Gwen met her eyes.

Gwen was nearly doubled over laughing. "I never..." - she wiped a tear from her eyes as the bewildered guests looked on - "I never thought I'd laugh about that day."

"Me neither." Theresa chuckled. "I think I lost ten years off my life when I saw you coming through that window. I nearly wet my pants!"

"What pants?" Gwen laughed, still unable to believe herself that she was actually able to see the humor in it now. "As I recall, you weren't wearing any!"

"True, true. I really thought you were going to kill me. The look you gave me..."

"In all honesty, the only thing that stopped me was knowing the insanity defense wouldn't work a second time." Gwen snickered. "You know, I think I needed to laugh about it all. It was really...wow, I just can't believe how far we've come."

Whitney looked at Sheridan, who shrugged. Nobody had any idea what the two were talking about, but since they weren't killing each other they could all consider it a win/win situation.

"By the way..." Theresa was saying now. "Your real gift is in the pocket."

Gwen opened it to find a white, lacy, almost see through nightgown. She pulled out the delicate piece gently, and everyone oohed and aahed.

"That's definitely a wedding night piece." Kay said, looking at it. "It's beautiful." Her voice was wistful.

"It will be your turn soon, Kay." Simone gave her friend a gentle pat on the back. "Fox forgave you for being with Miguel, and the wedding's back on. It will happen this time, I'm sure of it."

Kay sighed. "I hope so. I just can't believe he forgave me. I put him through so much."

'Yes, you did.' Theresa wanted to say, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Fox had left Kay at the altar a mere month after they had returned from Prague. It had been a shocking turn of events, but he had discovered that Kay had been secretly involved with Miguel behind his back. He had tried to believe that it was over, and went on with the wedding as if nothing was wrong, but once he was in front of Father Lonigan he realized he couldn't go through with it. Kay had been devastated, but since then the two had reconnected. Theresa, though, had been witnessing many of the looks Kay and Miguel were still giving each other, and she wasn't prepared to place any bets on their second wedding being any more successful than the first.

"Well, what about the rest of you?" Kay forced herself to smile. "How about you and Luis, Fancy? You two are pretty serious." Suddenly realizing what she'd said, she clapped her hand over her mouth, looking nervously at Sheridan, who had paled at the comment. It was an open secret that Sheridan still wasn't even close to being over Luis, despite her many protestations.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She looked apologetically at both Sheridan and Fancy.

"It's OK." Sheridan spoke first, plastering an obviously fake smile on her face. "It doesn't bother me at all." She turned to her niece. "Well, what do you think, Fancy? Do you think Luis will be popping the question any time soon?"

Fancy laughed. "With the way he sweats and looks panicked whenever weddings are brought up, I don't think so. I keep working on him though. But I know another man who's not afraid of the old ball and chain." She looked teasingly at Theresa. "I would not be surprised at all if Jared proposes very soon."

Theresa blushed. "I don't know..." she said, smiling.

'I do.' Gwen thought to herself. 'Jared is planning to propose, and I know that for a fact because Kieran ran into him while he was buying the ring.' Standing up, she smiled at her guests. "I'm going to put the gifts away real quick." She picked up the stack of opened boxes.

"Do you want some help?" Sheridan enquired.

"No, no. You all keep talking. I'm just going to put these on the bed for now." Gwen hurried out of the room before anyone could join her. Once in the bedroom, she put the boxes on her bed, then reached for the phone. Hesitating, she peered out of the bedroom, where she had a clear view down the stairs. Everyone was still in the living room. For a minute she stood there, torn, still clutching the phone in her hand.

'A lot has happened between us, Theresa. And truth be told, the memories do still hurt. But I have two daughters because of you, and that means I owe you a debt, whether I like it or not. And I never leave a debt unpaid.' She dialed the phone and waited patiently as it rang.

"Ethan Winthrop."

"Ethan, it's Gwen. I wanted to talk to you...about coming home."

To Be Continued...

Sheridan is shocked by Gwen's plans.

Meanwhile, a snake in the grass wants Gwen's fiance for herself.