Chapter 36

Honeymoon Suite-Maryland

"Knock knock. Delivery from the soon to be husband of Miss Krystal Carey."

Tad said with a smile as he knocked on the hotel room door with a present for Krystal. He had been feeling like he still owed her more of an apology after the fight they had gotten into the other night. They had gone to the inevitable dinner with the family and dropped the bomb about the elopement. They received the expected reaction, nobody was thrilled by any stretch of the imagination, and even though from Tad's view everyone seemed to have done their best to accept it, Krystal still felt strange vibes from everyone at the table. After the dinner she made this quite clear during a long rant, and yet again brought up Dixie and that same metaphorical pedestal. Soon Tad had had enough, especially with Krystal harboring this much resentment to the former love of his life, who Tad still found himself missing daily, and found himself yelling right back at her, saying that she made the decision to elope and now was suffering the consequences. He also said how she was being completely ungrateful, that he had bent over backward to please her and she didn't care at all. Then he dug his heels in all the more, by saying how he married Dixie three times, and had less problems with all three of those ceremonies combined, then just getting Krystal down the aisle once. At this Krystal was all set to walk out on the engagement completely, and Tad was happy to see her go, until she grabbed Jenny and the diaper bag. Then all Tad saw was his nightmare coming true, he couldn't go through losing another daughter.

He had lost all of Kate's early years and couldn't bear to lose that with Jenny, not to mention he didn't want lose Jenny's mother either, despite the costs to his overall sanity and well being by staying with her. He took Krystal aside, apologized like there was no tomorrow, and after a great deal of begging, convinced her this wasn't a mistake, and they had to do this for their daughter's sake. Soon after, Krystal relented and the elopement was still as scheduled. But even after all the apologies and all the compromise, Tad still felt like something was off. He felt like he was practically forcing Krystal to walk down the aisle with him, and that this was only taking place for Jenny's sake, not because they really felt in love. However, Tad would do anything for his children, and believed he and Krystal could find a way to make it work.

"Tad?" Krystal said from the other side of the door.

"Yes the one and only Thaddeus J. at your service. Can you let me in?"

"Um, can you, hold on just a sec?"

"No can do sweetheart, I'm coming in."

"No! Tad I..Oh no."

"What the devil is, oh. Why hello Tad. Long time no see."

"What the hell is going on?"

Tad said painfully, even though he was already certain what had taken place, judging from the wrinkled bed sheets and the tall white haired man, scotch in hand standing next to Krystal in a robe.

"Tad I...I can explain." Krystal said panicked.

"No. Don't. Really. I need no clarification."

"But..."

"No! Look I may not be an outstanding detective but I can assure you I have a pretty good idea what's taken place."

"Actually Tad, while you may know what, has taken place. I'm not sure if you are aware of, the surrounding circumstances."

"You know Adam I'm actually a bit confused there. I mean, what it was two years ago since World War 3. I just assumed you guys had your feeling about each other pretty well established by now, considering oh, I don't know, this scum who you've decided to hit the sheets not so long ago was in the process of selling our daughter on the black market!"

"Oh Krystal come now, don't tell me this poor sap thinks our Lottie is still his precious Jenny Colby Carey." Adam said smugly.

"Oh Lord." Krystal said nervously.

"Krystal, what is this delusional drunk talking about?"

"Cold hard facts Martin, in the form of a DNA test. Your little Jenny is a Chandler through and through, and I couldn't be happier. Could I sweetheart?" Adam said adoringly at Krystal as he held Charlotte. Meanwhile Krystal just stared at the shaken heartbroken man holding the DNA test with anger and sorrow in his eyes.

"Tad. Say something please. I...I'm so sorry...I..."

But Tad couldn't even put a logical sentence together and just held up his hand telling Krystal her sentiment and apologies meant nothing, and then proceeded to throw the vase full of flowers he bought against the wall.

"Oh Tad..." Krystal said with tears in her eyes.

"Have a nice life. I'll be praying each night for your daughter, that despite her DNA she doesn't turn out to be a damn thing like either of her parents."

Tad said bitterly as he slammed the door and angrily walked down the hallway back to his car. As he got to the parking lot and got in his car, he looked up and saw a clouded over sky, with a single star off in the distance.

"Wow Dix, I bet you're looking down at me with that I told you so look in your eyes. All my Tad the Cad years are coming back to bite me in the butt right sweetheart? Was this how you felt each time I hurt you? Kinda sick to your stomach with a hole in your heart? When you lost Bess, and when Kate was taken, did you feel the same way I do now? Did that bastard Adam Chandler feel like this when Jenny was mine? Did I go too far? Did I deserve all this hell? I mean when I found Kate, when Jenny was mine, I never thought I'd have to feel like this again. I thought all that was behind me you know? But now Kate can barely even stand to look at me, and the reason why I've been so terrible to her, is in bed lying next to Adam. God Dix. I miss you so much, I'm so sorry." Tad said to himself with his head in his hands as he broke down and sobbed in the front seat. After a few minutes Tad realized it was 9:30 at night. But he knew he was in no condition to drive, all he wanted to do was curl up in his car and not wake up again. Knowing that wasn't an option he drove along the highway until he reached what looked like a lodge or an inn. After he checked in he realized he wasn't gonna make it home tonight.

"I gotta call home." Tad said to himself as he whipped out his phone and left a message at Wildwind.

"Um..Hey Julia. There's been a bit of a change of plans and the elopement is off, definitely off. But I'm in no condition to head home right now, physically I'm fine, but I've got the feeling like I was just hit with a ton of bricks.

Anyways, I'll be home in a few days. I just have to clear my head. And Kate. If you're there sweetheart, I just want to tell you how sorry I am. It's my job to treat you like the angel you are and I've totally let you down kiddo. I'm so sorry baby. I'll be home in a few days and then it'll be just me and you, like the old days. I promise you that pal. Okay so this machine's gonna cut me off any second so I'm gonna go. Don't worry I'm fine. Really. Ok. Bye for real now."