Tabitha Lenox was in her kitchen, looking into her magic bowl. Endora was calmly having some cookies and milk at the table, watching her mother intently as she studied the goings on at Crane House with great interest.
"Oh, dear, Endora," Tabitha commented fretfully as she frowned in irritation. "It looks like Theresa and Gwen are getting chummy."
The Boys in the Basement howled their displeasure.
"What's wrong with that?" Endora's voice asked telepathically.
"Gwen and Theresa are two powerful entities that are best left in opposition to each other if the Dark Forces are to prevail," Tabitha answered. "They allowed their real daughters to be discovered because they thought that both girls would intensify Gwen and Theresa's rivalry over Ethan (and normally it would), but something has changed."
"What is it?" Endora enquired.
"It is Gwen's feelings for Ethan!" Tabitha gasped as she saw in her bowl that after seeing that Theresa treat Jenny no differently than Jane, Gwen was watching Theresa settle back onto the sofa in the crook of Ethan's arm without a trace of jealousy in her eyes. "She no longer is in love with him! How the hell did that happen?"
"Maybe Hell had nothing to do with it," Endora quipped cheerfully.
"You're absolutely right!" Tabitha retorted bitterly. "Hell didn't have a damned thing to do with it. In fact, Hell is very unhappy over this!" Tabitha continued jumping back from the bowl as it frothed a little angrily.
Tabitha watched moodily as what started out an intimate gathering of family and friends to get together and support Sheridan over the death of her husband had evolved into a low-key celebration over Jane and Jenny's recovery by their respective mothers. The two little girls were decidedly the center of attention and the whole room seemed to bask in the wonder and joy of their presence now that Gwen and Theresa were no longer at each other's throats.
Tabitha leaned back over the bowl to observe the family get together gradually break up with Sam and Ivy and Hank all heading to their respective homes as the hour got late.
Sheridan picked up Katie, Gwen and Theresa followed suit respectively with Jenny and Jane. All three headed up the stairs to the nursery with Pilar escorting James and Little Ethan.
Tabitha scowled and the Boys in the Basement howled some more as she watched the sweet tableau of Sheridan tucking Katie into her crib, Gwen tucking Jenny into a canopied double bed as Theresa tucked Jane into the other side. Both women leaned over and kissed their daughters as they lay there, wide-eyed, clutching their stuffed toys; Jenny clutching Simba and Jane clutching Buddy. As they straightened up, they met each other's gaze and overwhelmed by the mutual miracle that was Jenny and Jane, smiled tremulously with misty eyes at the notion that they both had their child restored to them.
Theresa and Sheridan then proceeded to tuck James and Little Ethan into their beds, kissing the goodnight. All three left the nursery. As each headed to their rooms Gwen and Theresa could actually bid each other a cordial goodnight.
"There's too much happiness, here!" Tabitha snarled as the Boys in the Basement continued to howl. "I wonder how the Dark Forces are going to resolve this?"
Tabitha peered into the bowl more intently.
"What's this?" She asked curiously as Luis walked up to Gwen's bedroom door and knocked discreetly. "Well, this is interesting," she said speculatively as Gwen's smiled warmly and opened the door.
"I thought now would be the perfect time for me to collect that picture you promised me," Luis said, smiling at Gwen warmly.
"I was wondering when I could get it to you," Gwen replied softly. "I'm glad you found this opportunity."
Gwen reached into the dresser drawer.
"Actually, I got you more than a wallet-sized photo of Jon-Louis. I got you one of Jenny, too. And then there's this for your apartment."
Luis' eyes widened and his strong face softened in pleasant surprise as Gwen pulled out an expensive, glossy, hinged item. She opened it to reveal a double-framed portrait picture of Jon-Louis and Jenny. She pulled up the back of Jenny's picture to show the inscription.
"To the best man in the world. That's you, Uncle Luis. Love, Jenny," Gwen read aloud.
She pulled up Jon's picture to show what she had inscribed on the back. Before she could read it aloud, Luis did.
"To my godfather, Uncle Luis. Thank you for helping Mommy bring me into the world. Love, your namesake, Jon-Louis," Luis read aloud. "Gwen, I'm touched!"
Gwen handed Luis two different wallet-sized photographs of Jon-Louis and Jenny without any inscriptions on the back and watched him as he placed them into some clear plastic sheets designed for that purpose.
"I'm glad you're happy," Gwen responded. "I hope I'm not assuming too much. I mean, I never asked you before this and you never agreed to be Jon-Louis' godfather."
"I'd be honored to!" Louis answered fervently.
"It will be a while," Gwen told him. "Until Ethan and Theresa are married and have a boy of their own, I'll have to put it off. In fact, I have to further delay Jenny's re-baptism, too."
"Jenny's re-baptism?" Luis asked curiously.
"I want her re-baptized now that we all know she is not Jane," Gwen said. "I imagine that Theresa will want to have her own daughter baptized. I don't think the Hoopers ever bothered."
"Come to think of that," Luis admitted. "Theresa did talk about setting up a baptism. She's talking about having Noah and Paloma stand in for Jane."
"Not Kay and Fox?" Gwen asked.
"No," Luis said quietly as if he read her thoughts in her eyes. "Theresa wanted both sides of the family represented and that would ordinarily mean Kay and Miguel, but she didn't think Fox would go for that, so it was best to leave them out of it altogether."
"Besides," Gwen said slowly, thinking of how Miguel was circling Fox and Kay's relationship much like Theresa had hers with Ethan, "We don't know how Kay and Fox are going to work out now that Miguel is back in the picture."
"No, we don't." Luis agreed reluctantly. "Hopefully it will work out best for all three parties involved."
"I hope so, too."
"So why are you putting off Jenny's re-baptism?" Luis asked curiously.
"I was going to ask Chris and Sheridan to be her godparents," Gwen explained. "But now that Chris is dead, I don't know who will be her godfather. I know!" Gwen exclaimed as the solution hit her. "Hank could be Jenny's godfather! He is Ethan's uncle on Sam's side, after all … and … for years, Ethan thought Sheridan was his aunt! That's it!"
"That's a great idea!" Luis enthused.
"I think so, too," Gwen admitted modestly, dimpling at him.
This way, Gwen thought, Sheridan will have to interact more with Hank. Maybe he'll get a chance with her now that Luis is involved with Fancy. Sheridan liked Hank in the past, maybe he can help her get over Chris and Luis. Gwen's matchmaking instincts were going into overdrive as she envisioned the possibilities.
"In a couple of years, after Ethan and Theresa marry and hopefully have a son of their own," Gwen said, interrupting her thoughts, "I can have Jon-Louis' baptism. You and Fancy will probably be married by then and you both can stand in as his godparents."
By then, Gwen thought, Sheridan and Hank should be together and I won't alienate my best friend!
"I can't speak for her, but I suspect Fancy will be delighted to be Jon-Louis' godmother," Luis said.
"I think so, too," Gwen responded. "At least I hope so."
"Well, I know it's getting late and we have a viewing and a Rosary Mass for Chris tomorrow," Luis smiled. "Not to mention a good, old-fashioned wake to see him off, so we have to say goodnight."
"That we do," Gwen agreed. "Good night, Luis."
"Good night, Gwen," Luis responded, giving her a warm hug as he kissed her on the cheek as Gwen involuntarily trembled with delight and desire. "Are you cold?" Luis asked solicitously.
"A little," Gwen lied shakily.
"Well, you better get under those covers then, pronto!"
"I will," Gwen promised, as she saw him to the door. Sighing, she leaned back against the portal watching him walk off, involuntarily telegraphing her love and longing for him for all to see … if there had been anyone else in the hallway.
"Aha!" Tabitha exclaimed. "So, that explains it!"
"Explains what?" Tabitha asked.
"Why Gwen is no longer in love with Ethan. She is head over heels in love with Luis!"
The Boys in the Basement howled their displeasure at this news.
"What's your problem?" Tabitha asked curiously. "Forget the Ethan Project. There is tons of Misery and Mayhem to mine out of this. Sheridan is Gwen's best friend and she still loves Luis. She's already lunging for Fancy's throat over Luis and Fancy is Gwen's friend, too! And the icing on the cake is he's Theresa's brother! Gwen and the rest of the Lopez-Fitzgeralds can't stand each other! Don't you see-"
The Boys in the Basement howled even louder at this.
"Ohhh," Tabitha said in comprehension.
"Gwen is Luis' true love," Endora said. "They are a match made in Heaven. Fancy and Sheridan are meant for other men."
More howling and growling ensued from the basement.
Endora frowned delicately as Tabitha listened intently.
"That is why another little girl must die!" Tabitha proclaimed morbidly, like the gloomiest of oracles.
"Is Theresa going to kill Jenny?" Endora asked.
"No," Tabitha intoned darkly. "That will not bring Gwen back to Ethan; that will push her further away! She'll never let him find out about that boy of hers!"
"Then, who is it?" Endora demanded. "It better not be Maria. We love Kay and Maria is my friend!"
"Gwen will kill Jane!" Tabitha predicted.
"Gwen is not capable of doing that!" Endora scoffed.
"Not on purpose, no," Tabitha explained. "It will be an accident, but Theresa will think it was deliberate, in revenge for Sarah and Nathan."
"Maria will be sad if Jane dies," Endora protested. "Jane can't die!"
"Jane must die, so Theresa blames Gwen for it," Tabitha said. "She cannot bring herself to give up the Crane Fortune by revealing that Little Ethan is his, so Jane's death will sever their connection again. Ethan is destined to find out about Jon-Louis. That will draw him closer to Gwen, which will make Theresa crazy. You know how Theresa gets when she goes crazy. She will start raising Cain … again! Most of all, this will strain Gwen's relationship with Luis. His family will go all out to force him to take sides and we know how loyal Luis is to the Lopez-Fitzgerald family! He will further be torn between Fancy and Sheridan and eventually end up with one of them. Either way, it will be the wrong woman! Gwen and Luis will never unite! There will be NO Match Made In Heaven!"
"Jane doesn't have to die to keep Gwen and Luis apart. Besides, I don't want Jane to die; I like Jane. I refuse to permit this."
"There is nothing you can do about it," Tabitha warned her wayward daughter. "The Boys in the Basement see no other way and the Dark Forces are already set in motion for the wake tomorrow. Jane will have a fatal accident and Theresa will blame Gwen for it."
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Endora retorted.
"You don't."
"We'll see."
Tabitha shook her head in exasperation at her daughter's stubbornness.
"Very well," Tabitha sighed. "But you are spinning your wheels!"
"I am not."
"What do you have planned?"
"That would be telling."
The next day, Tabitha made her excuses to avoid the viewing of Chris Boothe in his casket and the Rosary Mass, claiming that Endora was ill. She was determined to leave her wayward daughter at home, because she was afraid of bringing the wrath of the Dark Forces down on Endora's head, if she interfered as she had threatened.
The day passed into dusk. Tabitha dressed herself for the Wake which was to be held at Crane House.
"Hello, Mother," Endora said cheerfully. "But it was not Endora's childish telepathic voice. It was the voice of a young woman in her twenties. Tabitha whirled around in shock.
"Endora," Tabitha scolded the beautiful blonde woman. "What are you doing still up? I put a sleeping potion in your milk."
"I know," Endora answered. "I gave it to Fluffy."
Tabitha heard Fluffy's loud snoring which sounded more like a low roaring.
"So, that's what that was." Tabitha remarked. "I thought it was the Boys still raising hell."
"I'm going to the Wake with you, Mother," Endora informed her.
"How am I going to explain a strange young woman crashing a Wake?" Tabitha protested.
"You will introduce me as your niece, Samantha. I just came into town and surprised you with a visit."
"Very well, but there is nothing you can do to stop the Dark Forces. Jane will die and Theresa will blame Gwen for her death."
"We'll see."
"Yes, we will."
Tabitha shook her head in exasperation again as they headed out the door together.