Luis looked up and saw Sheridan put on a smile. But he knew there was something nagging her behind that smile.
"Baby, you can tell me anything you want." He said reassuringly, trying to sound as comforting as possible.
"Well. It might shock you, but it's happened and there's nothing we can do to change it. It concerns all of you." Sheridan smiled genuinely this time, thinking about the baby growing inside her. By this time they were hooked on the mystery. It was something good, they could tell by Sheridan's smile.
"Ethan!" Theresa shouted so suddenly that everyone jumped, including Ethan who's piece of lettuce on his fork flew across the room and onto another table. After many apologies he retrieved his runaway leaf and returned, red faced, to the table. "Theresa! What on earth made you yell like that?"
Theresa knew the reason for Sheridan's hesitation was because she didn't know how Luis felt about an illegitimate child. Theresa knew of a way to find out, and she hoped Luis' response would be the right one. "I just remembered. I don't know how I could have forgotten really. I had such a scare a couple of days ago. This is kind of hard to say though."
Sheridan looked at Theresa, trying to figure out what she was doing.
"Well, you know how I've always wanted to have a family. And a few days ago I thought that fate had delivered my wish. I thought I was pregnant!" Theresa smiled and looked at her fiancé.
"Theresa, that's....so....unexpected." Ethan blurted out. "So? Are you?"
"No. The test came out negative."
"Oh." Was all Ethan said. He couldn't figure out wether he was glad about that or relieved.
"Theresa. You are my little sister and it's my job to make sure you look after yourself and be a good girl. Having a child out of wedlock is..."
"What?" Theresa and Sheridan waited in suspense for the end of his sentence.
"It's bad, alright? To be knocked up out of marriage is not what mama brought you up to be like. You should've known better." Luis also glared at Ethan for letting this happen.
"Luis, surely it isn't that bad." Theresa begged, hoping to change his mind, for Sheridan's sake.
"I'm sorry theresita, but it is. Your father and I made sure nothing like that could happen with any of you. To have an illegitimate child is not good."
By this time Sheridan had heard all she needed to know. Luis would be unhappy, pilar would be disappointed. There was nothing to be done but to have an abortion. But she couldn't do that. Not in a million years could she kill her child. Having a family meant more to her than life itself. But if Luis wouldn't like it...
Theresa was holding Sheridan's shaking hand and watched her go pale.
"Sheridan, I'm sorry. I'm sure he doesn't mean it." Theresa tried to calm her down. But it was too much. In her mind she could see herself choosing between her child and Luis. She could not handle it any longer.
Sheridan's hands converted her face yet her sobs could be heard clearly. She was shaking violently, desperately trying to choke back her tears.
"Luis???" pilar looked at Luis with a worried look.
"Sheridan. Baby. What the hell is the matter?" Luis asked desperately. Seeing Sheridan upset was almost unbearable.
"Nothing." She cried. "I'm just so tired. I'll be fine in a few minutes."
"I think you'll have to excuse us." Luis said to the rest of the group.
"Of course." pilar stood up and let them past, Sheridan clinging onto Luis as if her life was at stake. Luis walked her out to the car, then drove her home.
"Baby, you can tell me anything you want." He said reassuringly, trying to sound as comforting as possible.
"Well. It might shock you, but it's happened and there's nothing we can do to change it. It concerns all of you." Sheridan smiled genuinely this time, thinking about the baby growing inside her. By this time they were hooked on the mystery. It was something good, they could tell by Sheridan's smile.
"Ethan!" Theresa shouted so suddenly that everyone jumped, including Ethan who's piece of lettuce on his fork flew across the room and onto another table. After many apologies he retrieved his runaway leaf and returned, red faced, to the table. "Theresa! What on earth made you yell like that?"
Theresa knew the reason for Sheridan's hesitation was because she didn't know how Luis felt about an illegitimate child. Theresa knew of a way to find out, and she hoped Luis' response would be the right one. "I just remembered. I don't know how I could have forgotten really. I had such a scare a couple of days ago. This is kind of hard to say though."
Sheridan looked at Theresa, trying to figure out what she was doing.
"Well, you know how I've always wanted to have a family. And a few days ago I thought that fate had delivered my wish. I thought I was pregnant!" Theresa smiled and looked at her fiancé.
"Theresa, that's....so....unexpected." Ethan blurted out. "So? Are you?"
"No. The test came out negative."
"Oh." Was all Ethan said. He couldn't figure out wether he was glad about that or relieved.
"Theresa. You are my little sister and it's my job to make sure you look after yourself and be a good girl. Having a child out of wedlock is..."
"What?" Theresa and Sheridan waited in suspense for the end of his sentence.
"It's bad, alright? To be knocked up out of marriage is not what mama brought you up to be like. You should've known better." Luis also glared at Ethan for letting this happen.
"Luis, surely it isn't that bad." Theresa begged, hoping to change his mind, for Sheridan's sake.
"I'm sorry theresita, but it is. Your father and I made sure nothing like that could happen with any of you. To have an illegitimate child is not good."
By this time Sheridan had heard all she needed to know. Luis would be unhappy, pilar would be disappointed. There was nothing to be done but to have an abortion. But she couldn't do that. Not in a million years could she kill her child. Having a family meant more to her than life itself. But if Luis wouldn't like it...
Theresa was holding Sheridan's shaking hand and watched her go pale.
"Sheridan, I'm sorry. I'm sure he doesn't mean it." Theresa tried to calm her down. But it was too much. In her mind she could see herself choosing between her child and Luis. She could not handle it any longer.
Sheridan's hands converted her face yet her sobs could be heard clearly. She was shaking violently, desperately trying to choke back her tears.
"Luis???" pilar looked at Luis with a worried look.
"Sheridan. Baby. What the hell is the matter?" Luis asked desperately. Seeing Sheridan upset was almost unbearable.
"Nothing." She cried. "I'm just so tired. I'll be fine in a few minutes."
"I think you'll have to excuse us." Luis said to the rest of the group.
"Of course." pilar stood up and let them past, Sheridan clinging onto Luis as if her life was at stake. Luis walked her out to the car, then drove her home.