Warning: This chapter contains material not really fit for the kiddies. Most of the chapter is just K+, but the end of it moves more toward the M spectrum. That portion is in italics if you wish to try to avoid it.


Chapter Fifty-Five: Bitter Irony

As soon as Theresa saw Andrew standing in the doorway, she tried to close the door, but Andrew caught it with his foot

"Please, Theresa! Talk to me," Drew pleaded.

Theresa glared at him. She noticed that he looked disheveled, just as Ethan had. His bottom lip was swollen, and she could see the hint of a bruise along his jawline. It gave her a pretty good idea of what must have happened after she left the restaurant.

She felt like screaming. How dare he show up in the first place, but to force his presence on her? She was seething. "I have nothing to say to you, Andrew Crane."

Drew cringed when he heard the harshness in her voice as she spoke his last name. He knew that he'd hurt her, lied to her, but he had to do something to make her understand! He couldn't just leave things the way they were. She was too important to him.

After leaving the restaurant, he'd driven around for what seemed like hours. He had to admit that it was satisfying to see his perfect brother cut down to size. Yet some of that satisfaction had been marred once the reality of his situation began to sink in. He'd used someone that he truly cared about and hurt her in the process.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

He'd spent the better part of his life avoiding emotional entanglements, as they were too messy. He knew that he'd issued his share of broken hearts. Yet now he found himself in love with a woman, and she could no longer stand the sight of him. Oh the bitter irony.

How could he make it up to her? If he told her that he'd used her only as a means to hurt Ethan, that would be the end for certain. What could he do?

"Then will you at least listen to me? Please?"

"Why? So that you can stand there and try to justify what you did? I don't think so."

Drew shook his head. "I would think that you of all people would understand what it's like to get caught up in a lie and then feel powerless as the lie grows and everything starts to spin out of control."

"I've made plenty of mistakes, Drew, but it's not the same. I was never intending to hurt anyone. You, on the other hand, seem to derive great pleasure from it. You were in complete control the whole time. You played me like a violin and I blindly trusted you! What a fool I am!"

Drew reached out and touched her hand. She jerked away, as though his touch burned her. He sighed. "You're no fool, Theresa. I'm just a better liar than you are. I-I honestly wish that in some ways, you hadn't trusted me. Then perhaps you wouldn't be hurt right now."

Theresa shook her head defiantly. "You didn't hurt me, Drew. I would have had to care about you before that could happen. And see? I remain unscathed."

He crossed his arms. Her biting remarks hurt, but he knew she was lying. Theresa did care for him. Otherwise, she would never have let him get as close as she did.

"Are you going to invite me in, or are we going to continue putting on a show for the neighbors?" he asked.

Theresa hesitated. The last thing she needed was Drew Winthrop Crane in her home. At the same time, she couldn't help but want to understand what had motivated him. Why all the secrecy?

She sighed. It had hurt to be used by him. It had hurt to be betrayed by him. Not just because it made Ethan think the worst of her but because she had genuinely begun to have feelings for Drew.

Looking at his turquoise colored eyes, she finally said quietly, "Come in."

Drew stepped over the threshold and surveyed his surroundings. They'd spent many evenings at her home, evenings that he had enjoyed immensely. She made him want to be a better man, but he also knew that wanting something and working toward something were two entirely different things.

"Theresa-"

"You have five minutes, Andrew," she interjected as she looked at her watch. "Starting-now."

"Has it really come to this?"

"What did you expect?"

"Theresa, I am sorry that I hurt you."

"Oh? You're sorry? Well, then, that just makes it all better," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I, better than anyone else, know that lies have consequences. I think it's time that you start living with the consequences of yours."

She began walking, and he followed.

"Yes, I lied to you, but I had my reasons."

This caught her attention. She spun around. "I'm all ears."

"I wanted to tell you. Over and over, I did. I was too much of a coward, though. You kept insisting that I was a good person, and I really wanted you to believe that I was.

"When I first met you, I had no idea of who you were, but I knew that you were special. I found myself wanting to be around you, and when you agreed to go out with me, I was thrilled. I'm not used to doing the chasing, but I knew that you were a worthwhile effort."

The lies came so smoothly from his lips. He'd known exactly what he was doing when he first encountered her. The plan had been in his mind long before they actually had any contact.

"Then why not just tell me your name? Why the ruse, Andrew?"

"In this town, the name Crane attracts two types of people, Theresa. Those who want to latch on, hoping for handouts, and those who have a grudge to settle with my family. It's much easier to be Drew Winthrop than it is to be Andrew Crane."

"I asked you, point-blank, if you were Andrew Crane, and you denied it."

He felt like groaning. She had him there. He couldn't even argue that it was a lie of omission. He'd purposely deceived her.

Taking a deep breath, he responded, "I was caught up in the lie, Theresa. I considered telling you early on, but I couldn't. When I realized that you were the woman my brother once had feelings for, I was concerned that you would no longer want anything to do with me if you knew my true identity. So I let the lie continue. I didn't want to lose you, but I didn't know how to tell you…."

"Let's see. There's the tried and true method. You could have just said, 'By the way, my name is Andrew. What's yours?' or you could have even said it with a greeting card! But to invite me to dinner with your family, display me as though I was some kind of trophy, and then proceed to single-handedly make me look like the town tramp…let's see….there are better ways of introducing me to the real you."

"What I did was wrong, but I didn't know what to do. My family-it isn't like other families. Everything was just spinning out of control. I'm sorry, Theresa."

Drew watched in surprise as her features softened. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"With everything in me, I do," he replied emphatically.

"And everything was just spinning out of control?" she asked taking a step closer toward him, her voice calming.

"Yes," he replied.

As she approached him, he felt a chill run up and down his spine. Her very presence was enough to drive him mad.

She reached up and touched his shoulders. "And you never meant to hurt anyone?"

"Of course not," Drew retorted. He almost choked on the words, though. True that he'd never meant to hurt Theresa, but Ethan….good ole Golden Boy was a different matter altogether.

"Is there a future for us, Drew?"

Drew felt relief wash over him. "You would want a future with me?"

Theresa pushed away from him. "Of course not, but I've discovered something interesting. I still have the ability to lie right to a person's face. I would have thought you to be seasoned enough that you wouldn't fall for it, Andrew. It's not fun to be on the receiving end of lies, is it?"

He turned away from her. He didn't want her to see the hurt on his face.

"I was just playing along. Thought it might make you feel better," he replied.

"Right. You fell for it, just as I fell for your lies. The least you could do, though, is tell me the truth. You've already lied to me more times than you can count. But you still keep it up, don't you? You still keep telling lies."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this victim scenario you painted. Things were not spinning out of control because you were the one pulling the strings, Andrew. You knew exactly what you were doing when you met me. You knew just what to say to intrigue me, just what to say to make me feel sorry for you, just what to say to make me trust you, and if you'd had more time, you probably would have known just what to say in order to lure me to your bed. It was a plan! All of it!"

"Why would you say something like that?"

"Because it was all for Ethan's benefit. It's all starting to make sense. You spoke of your brother with such disdain, such blatant jealousy. You wanted me because Ethan cared for me. You wanted to use me against him, to hurt him, and at first, it worked. You hurt both of us, Andrew, all as part of your little sick game!"

"Ethan has figured it out."

Theresa smiled. "I know because he found me tonight."

Drew stiffened. He knew he shouldn't be surprised that Ethan went after Theresa, but it still bothered him. "He doesn't trust you, Theresa. He never will. There's always going to be that shadow of doubt with him where you're concerned."

She shook her head. "Not anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you managed to do the exact opposite of what you wanted. Rather than driving Ethan and me apart, you brought us together."

"What?" He never believed that Theresa would forgive Ethan so readily.

"Yes, it's true. I love Ethan, and he loves me. Nothing will ever come between us again. So, it looks like you gave it your best shot. Too bad it wasn't good enough."

"A little piece of advice for you about my brother, Theresa. He has good intentions. God knows he's just dripping with them!" Drew said wryly. "Yet it seems to me as though he has a difficult time with the follow-through. You should know that better than anyone else. Let's see…what did he tell you? I can only imagine. He probably told you that he was going home to break things off with Gwen. Oh, and that the two of you are going to have the best life ever. Nothing can stand in your way. Etc. Etc. Etc."

Theresa glared at him, waiting for the punchline.

"One thing, though. Don't you think he said those exact same things to Gwen? 'Oh, Gwen. I'm over Theresa. She never meant anything to me. She was just a distraction. You and I are going to make a life for ourselves. No one will ever come between us again.'"

"Go to hell, Andrew."

"I've already been there. It's called living my life."

"What reason do you have to think that your life is hellish? From where I'm standing, you've had every opportunity laid at your feet. And what have you done? You've wasted it because you're too afraid to try! You want to fail because you're afraid to succeed!"

"For a woman who is convinced that everything I did and said was part of a ruse, you certainly seem to think you know me and what I'm feeling."

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you are a spoiled brat, Andrew. You play with people's lives the way a child would play with toys."

Drew shook his head. He was getting nowhere tonight. Her wounds were still too fresh. Better to retreat until later. But it never hurt to plant some more ideas….. "Go ahead and think what you want, but I promise you this, Theresa. The time will come when you're going to realize that my brother is not this paragon of virtue that you seem to think him to be. He's just like the rest of us."

"I trust Ethan and love him with everything that I am. He would never purposely hurt me, unlike some people."

"If loving Ethan means that you need to hate me, by all means, take your best shot. I'm used to it." He walked to the door.

Theresa sighed. "I don't hate you, Andrew. I just don't like you very much right now."

He turned around and winked at her. "That's progress."


Gwen had an uneasy feeling as she felt Ethan's cold stare upon her.

Something had happened.

Something had definitely happened.

She was tired of being on pins and needles. Crossing her arms, she said, "You're even more standoffish than usual."

Ethan looked back at his wife. His wife. He almost choked at the thought. It never should have happened. It wouldn't have happened if he just would have trusted his instincts with Theresa. It wouldn't have happened if Gwen hadn't manipulated the situation. If, if, if…. He was going to go mad with ifs.

"Am I?" he asked, his voice filled with controlled anger.

Gwen shuddered. The look he was giving her was frightening. She'd never seen it before. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Surely you must have some idea," Ethan replied.

Gwen sat on the edge of the bed, trying to regain her equilibrium. Several possibilities ran through her mind. Could he know about Tom? Or about Andrew? Surely not. Tom didn't even know her real name, and Andrew….well, Gwen was fairly certain her brother-in-law wouldn't be spilling the beans anytime soon.

"I don't like this game, Ethan. Just tell me."

"Six years ago, you sat on that same bed, crying…."

"And I've cried plenty of times since then," she interjected.

He shook his head in disgust. "You came to me and told me that you had discovered the 'truth' about Theresa. Remind me, Gwen, of what you told me then. Remind me of what you found out."

Gwen's mind darted into a thousand different directions. Did he know? No. How could he? She and her mother had been so careful! There was nothing to tie them to the alterations in Theresa's diary.

Trying to maintain her calm, Gwen replied, "You know what I found out. Theresa played us both for fools. She made me think she was my friend while all the time she was after your money."

"Right. Theresa is such a gold-digger, isn't she?" Ethan stated.

Gwen's head was spinning. Where was he going with this? He couldn't know. He simply couldn't!

"You know she is! After I found her diary and read her words, I was shocked Ethan. Just as shocked as you were. But it was right there, undeniable proof."

Ethan sat next to Gwen on the bed. Leaning close to her, he whispered in her ear, "Yes. Undeniable proof. Proof that you planted."

Gwen practically leapt to her feet. "Ethan, I would never-"

"Save it, Gwen!" he roared.

"No, Ethan! I would never lie to you! Never!"

"Then tell me something, Gwen. Have you been telling Theresa that you and I are trying for a baby?"

"Of course not! I know how you feel about that right now-"

Ethan shook his head. "And you never would lie to me, would you Gwen?" he asked sarcastically.

Gwen felt the blood drain from her face. He knew. Dear God, he knew about the diary entries and he knew what she'd been telling Theresa.

Seeing the look on his wife's face, Ethan continued, "Are you finally ready to talk about this Gwen?"

She turned away from him and crossed her arms. "I can't believe this."

"Can't believe what? Can't believe that I found out or can't believe how gullible I've been for so many years? Which is it?"

Gwen spun around to face him once more. "Stop it, Ethan. Just stop it!" she cried out as tears came to her eyes.

"I most certainly will not stop it! Gwen, I gave myself in marriage to you, but it's all been one big lie!"

Gwen gulped. "Gave yourself? Gave yourself? Is that what you call it?" she asked angrily. "Ethan, you never gave of yourself in this marriage because you have always been too consumed by Theresa! If anyone has been a liar in this marriage, it has been you!"

Ethan sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, it was true that he'd never completely put his heart into his marriage. How could he when he'd already given his heart to someone else?

"Do you have any idea of how it feels to know that the person you love is in love with someone else? I've heard you call out her name in your sleep over and over, Ethan. I've seen you run off to rescue Fair Theresa, the damsel in distress. Can you even begin to comprehend how much it hurts?"

"Gwen, I'm sorry that I hurt you. We've both made mistakes, but I have to know why you did it. Why would you tamper with Theresa's diary? Why would you want to be with someone who loves someone else?"

She laughed bitterly. "Ah, yes. The million dollar question. Why did I put myself through the torment then, and why do I continue to do it now? That's easy, Ethan. I love you, and it's strange what love will make a person do. You can ask your precious Resa about that.

"When Theresa came into our lives, you and I had shared ten years. Ten wonderful, amazing years. You were the first man I ever kissed, the first man I ever made love to, and I gave you my heart. I gave you my heart for safekeeping, Ethan. I trusted you."

"I never meant-"

She cut him off. "You know, I've seen couples go through what we went through. Once the novelty wears off, the man starts looking elsewhere. I never wanted to believe you were like that, but when Theresa came along…." Her voice trailed off. "I-I just thought it was a physical attraction. I never dreamed that you actually loved her."

"Gwen, it was never about physicality with Theresa and me. How could you not know that I loved her?"

"It was just so sudden, Ethan. I managed to convince myself that once Theresa was out of the picture, your so-called love for her would disappear just as quickly as it came."

Ethan rubbed his forehead. "It wasn't your decision to make, Gwen!"

"Ten years, Ethan! Ten years! What was I supposed to do?"

"You sure as hell weren't supposed to manipulate me! What did you think you would gain? Would I love you more? Would I trust you more?" Ethan turned away from her. "I don't even know you anymore."

"I am the same person I've always been!" she exclaimed as she approached him and touched his arm.

He moved from her grasp. "No, Gwen, you aren't. I still remember that young, sweet girl I met at the school social. You were kind and generous, not vindictive. What you did to Theresa and me was vindictive. It makes me sick just thinking about it."

"You're leaving me, aren't you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Yes."

"For Theresa."

"No, Gwen. For myself," he responded. "I'm doing this for myself."

"But you are planning a future with Theresa, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Tears spilled down Gwen's cheeks. "This is so unfair! God, I sound like a child, but it's true, Ethan. It's unfair! She lied and manipulated her way into our lives! What? Are you going to trade in one 'manipulator' for another? She took the job with Ivy just to get close to you! Whenever we would start to figure out her schemes, she'd always pull a rabbit out of her hat! And here you are, still falling for it! If we hadn't let her get a foothold, we would be happy! We would be!"

"Theresa isn't perfect. I know that, Gwen. But I also know that she has my heart. I chose to ignore what my heart was telling me six years ago. I'm not going to do it again."

Gwen paced frantically. "Just like that? Just like that you're going to leave? We have been together for over fifteen years! Doesn't that mean anything to you? Anything at all?"

"The Gwen Hotchkiss I loved is gone, and in her place is a stranger."

Gwen reached for a vase and hurled it at Ethan. In the midst of her emotional turmoil, her aim was sorely lacking. She crumpled to her knees and began to sob. "What have I become? Oh God! What have I become?"

Ethan hesitated as he watched her. The raw emotion, the pain was all too real. Despite what she'd done, he hated to see her in such pain.

He went to her side and pulled her up into an embrace.

"I've become my mother, Ethan. I've become what I said I would never be!"

"You need a fresh start, Gwen. You deserve to have someone who can give you what you need. I'm not that person."

She clung to him. Why couldn't he see that he was the person she needed? Why couldn't he see that everything she'd done was for love? She loved him more than anyone else ever could. She'd continued to love him despite everything!

This couldn't be the end. It simply couldn't be.

No.

It wouldn't be the end.

Trying to compose herself, she said, "Ethan, I'm going downstairs to get us drinks."

"Gwen, I really don't think-"

"This will be the last time for us, Ethan; the last time we ever share a drink together. Please just do this for me. I used to enjoy having a glass of wine with you at the end of a long day so much. This has-" she sighed. "This has been a very long day."


It's been such a long day, Theresa thought as she sat on her bed with a small cardboard box. So long, but so amazing.

Her life had taken a turn that she'd never expected.

She lifted the lid and began to remove its contents. The contents of the box mostly consisted of photos and trinkets that Theresa had stored long ago. These were the things that reminded her of Ethan. At the time, they'd been too painful to look at, but she hadn't been able to bring herself to throw them away. Now she was glad she hadn't.

She pulled the post-it notes with the flowers he drew from the box. They were so simple, but they symbolized their love. They were special to her, just like he was.

The phone rang, stirring Theresa from her thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Theresa, it's Ethan."

Her heart involuntarily sped up. Just hearing his voice was enough to give her chills. "Is-is everything okay?" she asked.

"As good as can be expected. We were right, Theresa. Gwen-" he paused. "Gwen did change the entries in your diary. I still can't believe it."

Theresa felt tears well up in her eyes. They'd lost so much time….

No, that's about to change, she reminded herself. We have the rest of our lives.

"I told her tonight that it was over," he said. "I-" his voice broke off. "It wasn't easy."

"I'm sorry, Ethan. I know that it must have been so difficult for you."

"It had to be done," he replied. "She and I couldn't continue as we were. I just hope that she'll be able to find what she's looking for."

Theresa's heart melted when she heard his words. Despite all the misery that Gwen had put him through, he still wished her well. "Ethan, I love you so much….for your goodness, for your kindness!" she said emphatically.

"I love you, too, Resa." He smiled. "It feels so good to be able to tell you that. I love you, I love you, I love you."

"And if feels so good to hear you say that," she said as she settled back onto her pillow.

"I'm going to be saying it over and over for the rest of our lives."

"Everything's going to be wonderful for us, isn't it Ethan?" she said dreamily.

"It's going to be perfect. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

Theresa glanced at the clock. It was nearing midnight. "Eleven o'clock seems so far away," she sighed.

"Just try to get some sleep. Eleven will be here before you know it."

"You're right. I love you, Ethan. I'll be dreaming about you."

"I'll be dreaming about you, too, Theresa. Goodnight."

"Sweet dreams."

With that, Theresa replaced the phone on its receiver.

Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she stood and walked out of her room and down the stairs. Standing in the living room, she listened to the sound of the waves washing up on the shore.

She felt Serendipity around her feet and reached down to pick him up.

"Everything's different, my sweetie," she said as the cat nestled against her neck. "It's so hard to believe that Gwen took six years from us. But it wasn't a waste, was it? If she hadn't, I never would have known what it was to love Chuck."

A dull ache filled her heart as she thought of him. It was growing easier to think of him without being consumed by regrets, but she would always miss him.

Theresa lifted her left hand and looked at the diamond ring still on her finger. It had once held the promise of a beautiful future. Now it represented a future that would never be.

A new future was on the horizon.

Tears stung her eyes once more. The ring had become a part of her, but it was time to let it go. Slowly, she tugged at it and slid it off her finger.


"Just try to get some sleep. Eleven will be here before you know it."

Gwen froze outside the bedroom door when she heard Ethan's words.

"I'll be dreaming about you, too, Theresa. Goodnight."

She shook her head. There was no way that she was going to let a manipulator like Theresa win! Why should she be rewarded for lies heaped upon lies? It just wasn't right.

Quietly, Gwen turned around and walked back downstairs to the living room to retrieve her purse.

Good. Just where I left it, she thought. Setting the glasses of wine on the coffeetable, Gwen opened her purse and pulled out a small vial. Opening its lid, she looked around her before emptying its contents into one of the glasses. She returned the vial to her purse before picking up the glasses and returning upstairs.

When she opened the door of the bedroom, Ethan was sitting on the edge of the bed. She passed him a glass.

He looked at it, still uncertain as to whether they should even be sharing that drink.

"I would like to propose a toast, Ethan."

Gwen's words stunned him. It hardly seemed like an ideal time. Seeing the surprise on his features, she said, "Humor me."

"Very well."

She sat next to him. "To setting things right."

She lightly clicked glasses with him before sipping the contents of her glass. She noticed his hesitation. "Aren't you going to drink up?"

"Um, sure," he replied as he downed the contents of the glass in one gulp.

She took the glass from his hand and set it on the nightstand.

"Do you have a lawyer yet, Ethan?" she asked, trying to sound as casual as she could.

"I'm going-" Was the room spinning or was it just him? "I'm going to see..um, to see a lawyer tomorrow."

Sensing Ethan's disorientation, Gwen asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I…like I need to lie down."

Lightly, she touched his shoulder. "Just lean back, Ethan. I'll make it all better."

Everything was blurry, but Ethan could see her in the distance.

"Catch me if you can!" Theresa teased him.

Ethan tried to look around him, but it was difficult to tell where they were. Wait. They were outside. In the woods? Yes, in the woods. What were they doing there?

"Come on, Ethan!" she prompted.

He caught up with her, and touched her smooth skin. She looked beautiful! She wore a cream colored dress, her hair was lose about her shoulders, and she had a blanket pulled around her.

"Oh, Ethan, when you touch me like that…" Wrapping her arms around his waist, she kissed him tenderly on the lips.

Yet when Theresa spoke, she didn't sound as he remembered. Why was that?

He pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. He lifted her off her feet, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He kissed her long and hard on the lips, then began tracing the column of her throat with his lips and lower. She ran her fingers through his hair, and felt breathless.

"Ethan, I want to love you with all of me. Please. Make love to me."

"I thought you wanted to wait until we were married."

"Married? We are married."

It didn't make any sense, but he didn't care anymore. He needed no further encouragement. He loved Theresa more than anything in the world, and they'd waited so long to be together.

Too long.

He reached under the blanket and unzipped the back of her dress. He pulled it down and finally off, revealing her soft, round breasts and lacy, white panties.

"You are so beautiful," he said as he kissed her neck, all the while stroking her breasts.

He was driving her crazy, teasing her. He moved down, taking one breast into his mouth, sucking on her and then circling her breast with his tongue.

She moaned with pleasure and began to pull at his jacket. He took it off, even as she began to pull off his tie and unbutton his shirt. She finally slid her hands over the warm flesh of his chest.

She pulled away from him, and he thought he would go mad. Gently, she pushed on his shoulders, wanting him to go to the ground. He did as she wished.

Smiling, she straddled his lap. As she shifted her position, he groaned. She pulled tightly to him and began moving against him, her breasts teasing him as they rubbed against his chest. She kissed him hard, biting his lip in the process.

He couldn't stand it anymore. He pulled the blanket from her shoulders and threw it to the ground. He scooped her in his arms and laid her on it, settling beside her.

She reached for the buttons of his pants, tugging at them, trying to get them off. They came, and his briefs followed.

"It's always so good with us, Ethan. Always. No one can do for you what I can."

She took her hand and placed it on his manhood. Gently, she stroked it as he shuddered.

His kisses covered her body until she was breathless, hungry for more. She threw a leg over his thigh, and he had to force himself to not thrust into her that moment. He needed to make sure she was ready and certain.

His hands slipped down to her waist and lower. He felt the silky curls that hid the opening to their pleasure. His fingers slid between her folds. She was ready for him and tight.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. God, Ethan, it's been so long for us. So long…"

His lips came down on hers as she spread her legs.

He put his hands under her buttocks, pulling her closer, and entered her. Their eyes locked as he thrust deeper, planting himself deep inside of her. Slowly, he began to withdraw from her before thrusting deeply again.

She cried out his name, scratching his back.

She moved against him, impatient. He thrust again, and she arched her back to allow him deeper access. Their movements became rhythmic. Over and over, they moved together.

He could feel her start to shudder as she found her release.

"Theresa!" he called out as he thrust again, spilling his seed deep inside her.

Gwen held Ethan tightly against her. Her body was reeling from the sensations of feeling Ethan inside of her again. Only Ethan could make her feel that way.

It hurt that he called out Theresa's name, but she knew that in the end it would all be worth it. It would be a matter of setting things right.

"That's it, darling. Give me a baby. Give me a baby."


to be continued...