Chapter 28


Mom. She'd called Sheridan Mom last night just before falling asleep. The word had just…slipped from her lips. So easy. So natural. It felt like the most right thing in the world to her, but this morning Haley had something else altogether to ponder…saying it had felt natural. But what about hearing it? Did Sheridan hear her last night? Part of Haley hoped she hadn't, but part of her wished she had. She wanted so badly to say it in the morning light and have Sheridan hear her. These thoughts she pondered as she tiptoed out of Sheridan's bedroom in the early morning hours, with the sun still climbing the sky. The tiles in the kitchen floor were slightly cool beneath Haley's bare feet, and she hopped from foot to foot as she opened the refrigerator door, peering inside. Haley had big plans for this day with Sheridan. But it all started off with a big breakfast. A girl couldn't think on an empty stomach. Haley hummed happily under her breath as she cracked eggs into a bowl and glanced at the bacon, sizzling in a nearby pan. If Sheridan was one of those health nuts…where oh where did she get the bacon? "Grandma," Haley smiled to herself as a light bulb went off inside her brain. Who else? A soft knock on the back door had Haley whirling around, and her smile turned into a tickled grin as she hurried forward to open the door. "I was just thinking about you," she said, taking her grandmother off-guard when she threw her arms around her. "Where's Dad? He promised…"

Pilar swept an affectionate hand through Haley's tangle of brown hair. "Your father will be here soon. I brought your clothes, Mi hija."

"Grandma, will you…"

"Go change," Pilar ushered her out of the room, walking toward the stove with a smile.

Haley pushed the door to Sheridan's bedroom open gently, surprised to find the bed empty. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the noise of the shower in the bathroom. Haley dug through the duffel bag her grandma had brought for her, withdrawing a purple tank top and a pair of denim cutoffs. She was just slipping her feet into her favorite sandals when Sheridan emerged from the bathroom, blond hair slicked back on her head, looking clean and refreshed and smelling wonderful. "How do you always do that?" Haley's forehead wrinkled as Sheridan walked toward her.

"Do what?" Sheridan asked, wholly amused.

"Smell good," Haley answered her. "Aunt Theresa's perfume is so strong we have to open all the windows in the house."

Sheridan laughed, reaching past Haley to grab the sundress she'd laid out earlier. "Aren't you a little hard on Aunt Theresa?"

"Please," Haley rolled her brown eyes. "Hurry up," she told her. "I got a surprise for you in the kitchen."

"A surprise, huh?"

"Yeah, so hurry," Haley repeated, darting out of the bedroom.

"Mi hija," Pilar smiled, looking up at Haley as she finished setting the table.

Just three plates? "Grandma?"

"I can't stay for breakfast, Mi hija," Pilar told her, resting her hands on her shoulders and smiling into her brown eyes. "I have to get to work."

"Ivy'll understand," Haley whined, unable to keep the disappointment from her voice.

"Mi hija," Pilar admonished, brushing her lips against Haley's forehead. "Tell Sheridan good morning for me?"

Haley nodded silently.

"And you…be good. Promise me you'll be good and not be angry with your father when he..."

"When he what, Grandma?" Haley asked, puzzled at the strange turn their conversation was taking.

"You'll see," her grandma dodged her question, shaking her head slightly. "I want you to be good and give things a chance, Mi hija. Goodbye, Haley."

Haley tightened her arms around her grandma's waist, confused. Why did she sound so weird? So upset? "Grandma," she pulled back to look into her grandma's brown eyes, trying to understand what she saw there.

"Enjoy your breakfast with Sheridan and your father, Mi hija. I love you."

"I love you, too, Grandma," Haley whispered against her grandma's neck.

Pilar released her.

Haley watched her as she walked the short distance to the Mansion. What had her grandma acting so weird? She didn't have long to wonder because at the same moment that Sheridan entered the kitchen, a knock sounded at the front door, and Haley went running. "Dad!"

Her dad was so handsome, Haley thought, grinning up at him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "You saw Grandma?"

"Yeah," Haley nodded. "And she acted real weird, Dad. What's going on? Dad? Dad? Oh," she giggled when she realized exactly why her dad attention was no longer focused on her. Sheridan. That's why. He was gawking at her, dumbstruck. Haley turned around in her dad's arms, leaning back against his chest and sighing happily. Sheridan was beautiful in her blue sundress—so beautiful she had stunned her dad into silence.

A traitorous smile flickered across Sheridan's lips, and her blue eyes were shining as she crossed the room slowly to them.

Haley reached for her hand and grabbed her dad's hand, resting on her shoulder. If they couldn't speak or move, it looked like she was going to have to do it for them both. "Good morning, Luis. Great to see you. Good morning, Sheridan. Wonderful to see you," Haley said in a deeper voice, making them both laugh. "C'mon," she urged, pulling them both toward the kitchen. "Close your eyes. I said close them," she arched a dark brow at Sheridan, biting her lip to keep from laughing. "Eyes better be closed," she repeated in a stern voice, dropping their hands and hurrying to the table to make sure everything was set. Satisfied, she turned back to them, rolling her brown eyes at their awkwardness. She grinned wickedly, walking back over to them.

"Can we open our eyes now?" her dad muttered impatiently, a smirk on his lips.

"Not yet," Haley told him, tugging him closer to Sheridan.

Her dad's hand reached out blindly, closing around Sheridan's.

Haley's smile was so bright it was a wonder they were blinking at its force and demanding some shades. "Open them!"

"So this is the surprise," Sheridan said. "Haley, did you do this all yourself?"

"Well…mostly. Grandma said to tell you good morning," Haley grinned, bouncing up to Sheridan and her dad and gazing up into their eyes. "Do you like my surprise? Is it a good surprise?"

"A very good surprise," her dad told her, and Sheridan agreed.

"Well…what are we waiting for? It's going to get cold," Haley said. "Dad," she muttered under her breath. Her dad let go of Sheridan's hand with such reluctance, Haley almost had to laugh.

"Thank you," Sheridan told him as he pulled out a chair for her.

"What?" Haley teased. "I'm not good enough?"

Her dad laughed and pulled out a chair for her, too, and soon they were all seated.

Was this what it felt like to share a morning breakfast with your parents, Haley wondered.

Dad and Sheridan relaxed almost totally, and they talked about everything. How quickly summer had passed and how fast the beach party was approaching (it was just a couple of weeks away now). How much Sheridan had hated the idea of working at the Youth Center at first, but she couldn't imagine a luckier twist of fate now.

Haley leaned back in her chair and watched them with a smile, awed at how far they had come. Her heart was filled with hope that with summer's end came the fulfillment of her wish. When everyone had finished, Haley leapt to her feet, clearing their plates without complaint (it was her surprise, after all…complaining would have ruined the effect).

"She must really like you," her dad told Sheridan with a smile. "She's never as quick to do the dishes at home."

"You're so funny, Dad," Haley rolled her brown eyes at him goodnaturedly.

"Thank you," he smiled. "I try."

Haley groaned, and Sheridan burst into laughter. "I love Sheridan. What about you, Dad?"

Sheridan's laughter died in her throat.

Haley bit her lip, not daring to turn around and face her dad after that little surprise question.

"Um…I…I…I think Sheridan knows I like her. Very, very much."

"Very, very much?" Sheridan questioned.

"Very, very, very much," her dad further elaborated.

Haley wanted to squeal in frustration. She wanted to demand her dad kiss Sheridan right then, right there. When were they going to quit dancing around each other? She wasn't exactly the most patient girl, but it was getting a little bit exhausting. "I'll be right back," Haley called over her shoulder, making herself scarce. To her way of thinking, her dad wasn't about to lay a big one on Sheridan anytime soon with her in the same room. So she'd help things along a little. She ducked behind the kitchen door, quiet as a mouse. She kept her fingers crossed as she peeked her dark head around the corner. Eavesdropping and spying were big no-no's in Grandma's book, but sometimes they were necessary, Haley thought, holding her breath and hanging on every word that escaped Sheridan and her dad's lips.

"Very, very, very much?" Sheridan's blue eyes twinkled shyly at her dad.

"Yes," her dad smiled back at her, shifting in his seat to face her and taking her hand in his own. "What about you? How do you feel?"

Sheridan ducked her blond head, and Haley felt all warm and fuzzy inside with her softly whispered answer. "I'm in love with your daughter."

The humor in her dad's brown eyes were visible even from feet away as he lifted Sheridan's chin with his fingers. "Sheridan?"

"I could fall in love with her father too, if…" Sheridan trailed off.

It was coming! It was coming, Haley rejoiced inwardly as she watched her dad's fingers move from Sheridan's chin to cup her cheek, and their faces (and their lips!) inched closer.

"If…" Sheridan's voice dropped to a faint whisper, and her eyes fluttered close as her dad's nose nuzzled against her own. "Luis?" she breathed, leaning her forehead against his.

"Shh," her dad silenced her unspoken question.

Haley was dying inside. They were…they were…their lips were thisclose, and she just knew they were going to…what kind of enjoyment did God and Sheridan and her dad get out of prolonging this inhumane torture? "Kiss her. Kiss her, Dad," Haley whispered as her dad's other hand cupped Sheridan's face, and he brought their lips even closer together (was it possible to be so close and still not touch?), and…

A loud knock on the front door had them jumping apart.

Haley wanted to scream as she practically stomped to the door, flinging it open.

"Good morning, Haley," she smiled at her. "Are you and your dad ready?"

Haley glared at her, crossing her arms around her middle and refusing to speak.

She shrank away at what was surely a look full of murderous intent.

Haley's hand grasped the doorknob, ready to slam the door shut in her face at that instant.

"Beth."

Haley turned around at the sound of her dad's voice. He didn't sound mad. He didn't sound surprised. He didn't sound…He didn't sound surprised!

"You're early."

Haley's brown eyes bored into her's, making her flinch away in embarrassment. "Dad, what are you talking about? Early for what? Sheridan?" she looked past her dad to Sheridan standing in the kitchen doorway, a somber expression on her face.

"You haven't told her, Luis? You told me you'd…"

"Beth," her dad soothed, moving forward and beckoning her to come inside. "You're early. I was going to break the news to her after breakfast. You were supposed to wait on us at the Bed and Breakfast."

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I was nervous. And excited. And I could wait to start our trip…"

"What trip? What's she talking about, Dad?" Haley demanded to know. "Sheridan? Dad? Somebody please tell me what's going on here?" Haley pleaded, dread washing over her in waves. Her dad brushed past her, coming back inside Sheridan's cottage, suitcase in hand.

"Haley…" her dad began.

"Daddy, no," Haley shook her head, running to Sheridan and seeking the comfort of her embrace.

"Haley," her dad sighed. "Haley, it's only a week. Maybe more, and I'm going with you. You won't be alone."

"It'll be fun, Haley. The three of us. Taking a trip together. Like a family," she said.

"I won't go. I won't!" Haley screamed, racing out of the room.


Beth, Beth, Beth.

It's not as easy as 1, 2, 3.

You have to do more than just show up after years and years away.

Sigh.