A one shot in which Gwen's nosiness finally pays off. Untitled. Circa 2003.
"Something is off with her Ethan, I know it", a heavily pregnant Gwen Winthrop fumed as she paced the floors of their home.
They'd run into Beth and her mother at the grocery store earlier that afternoon.
"You've been harping on this for weeks honey", Ethan sighed. "It's not good for you or the baby and we don't have any proof that Beth's done anything"
The blonde protectively rubbed her large belly and sighed. They'd had their own home built on the Crane estates two months ago in order to escape Theresa and the pressure for Ethan to work at Crane. That day the couple were settling in and working on their baby's nursery, but Gwen couldn't focus.
"It just doesn't seem right Ethan! Beth and Sheridan are both pregnant and suddenly Sheridan just up and disappears. No has heard from her for months, not a letter not anything"
"I have to admit It is strange", the lawyer agreed as he stared at instructions on how to build a crib. "But you have to take Sheridan's situation into consideration Gwen. She's married to one brother but in love with another, her and Beth both being pregnant- "
"That's the thing", his wife interrupted. "I don't believe that Beth is pregnant at all."
"What?", Ethan said turning to face his wife.
"I said I don't think Beth is pregnant."
The lawyer sputtered a bit before shaking his head.
"Or course Beth is pregnant, Gwen we've seen her stomach. And besides why would she fake her pregnancy."
"To get Luis!", The blonde exclaimed. "She's been in love with him since they were in high school, she probably thought they eventually get back together but then he met Sheridan. Ethan after everything we've been through you know the lengths a woman will go to get the man she wants. Think about it, Beth only announced her pregnant after Sheridan found out she was pregnant. She couldn't answer any of the questions I asked her about her pregnancy- "
"Enough honey", Ethan interrupted. "I know you love Sheridan and the way she left has upset everyone, but this sounds a bit farfetched."
Before his wife could go on another tangent, Ethan waved his cell phone in front of her.
"I just got a message from the hardware store. The paint that we ordered for the nursery is in."
"Finally!" Gwen gushed momentarily distracted. "Let's go pick it up right now."
As the lawyer went to grab their coats, he thought the situation was resolved.
Gwen however had other plans.
...
As their due dates neared Gwen Winthrop made it her mission in life to befriend Beth. She called periodically to check on her, inviting her to all baby events she attended, and she was unknowingly wearing on Beth Wallace's last nerve.
"Ugh!", the brunette screamed as she slammed the phone down and turned to face her mother. "Would you believe that was Gwen again?!"
Edna laughed her wheezy laugh.
"Where's she on inviting you this time."
"A Lamaze class this afternoon, I tried to get out of it, but she insisted. "It's so close to your due date these exercises are supposed to help with labor", Beth mocked before flopping down on the couch." No wonder Theresa hates her, she's so annoying!"
"Don't go rewriting history toots", Edna scoffed. "Theresa hates Gwen for the same reason you hate Sheridan. They got what you two wackos wants. The man, the baby- "
"Well", Beth snapped glaring at her mother. "In a few weeks I'm going to have the baby and in time I'll have Luis too because Sheridan is never coming back."
Edna paled at the dark look in her daughters' eyes.
"Please Gwen" she thought. "I know you're onto Beth. But if you don't figure this out soon, Sheridan's goose is cooked!"
...
Across town Gwen was preparing to head to her Lamaze class.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come honey", Ethan asked as he ate his lunch.
"No no", his wife replied. "You can come to the next one, Beth is my guest today."
She ignored his heavy sigh.
"I finally got her to agree and by the end of the day I'll know if she's really pregnant or not."
"How so", Ethan asked his curiosity pipped.
"Ethan no one has seen Beth's bare stomach this entire pregnancy", Gwen replied. "No one. Not me, not Luis, I'm not even sure her mother has! Well Lamaze class is doing a water exercise today and she'll have to show her stomach. If she doesn't- "
"Beth not showing her stomach doesn't mean she isn't pregnant", Ethan interrupted. "She could ashamed or embarrassed about her stretch marks."
"We'll see", Gwen said stubbornly.
Ethan kissed her check as he prepared to head back to work.
"I'll be home around 6", he said with a smile. "And I won't even say I told you so."
...
"Mother!", Beth yelled as she paced the living room. Have you seen my stomach?
"Of course, you wacko", came the response from the kitchen. "If you just look down, you'd see it too."
"I meant my baby belly", Beth fumed as she stormed into the kitchen. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making Sheridan something to eat", Edna snapped. "You haven't fed her all day and if she's not healthy neither is her baby."
"My baby", Beth snapped back.
Edna said nothing as she finished preparing the food.
"Here go feed them".
"Fine but you have to look for my belly", the brunette demanded. "Gwen will be here any minute.
As she headed down to the basement, Edna used her walker to hobble back to her favorite chair under which she'd conveniently hid Beth's fake belly.
That's exactly what I'm hoping for.
...
30 minutes later Gwen sat in the Wallace home checking her watch for the millionth time.
"Maybe I should go- "
"No, no", Edna pleaded. "Bethie will be right up. She'd hate to miss this class; she's been talking about it all day. Bethie! Bethie get up here!"
An annoyed Beth came up from the basement and headed into the living room.
"What is it Mother? You better have my belly"- the brunette paused as she spotted Gwen Winthrop seated on her couch.
"Beth your stomach?!, Gwen exclaimed eyes widened. "It's gone!"
"I-I", Beth stammered grabbing her flat stomach.
"I knew it, the blonde said struggling to lift herself from the couch. "I knew you weren't pregnant!"
She looked frantically for her purse to call Ethan before realizing it was in her car. As if reading her mind Beth moved to block the door before Gwen could make a run for it.
"It's over Bethie", Edna pleaded. "She's seen you and she knows everything, you've got to let them go."
Gwen stared at Edna then Beth as she held her stomach.
"Oh my God", she cried. "What have you done to Sheridan? Where is she!?"
"She's right behind you", Beth pointed.
As Gwen turned to look, Beth grabbed a lamp from the coffee table and smashed it against Gwen's head.
"Guess I'm having twins", she whispered as Gwen collapsed.
Edna screamed.
...
Hours later Gwen awakened in complete darkness. Blinding pain flashed in her head and she instinctively grabbed her stomach.
What happened? Where was she?
"Don't move".
At the sound of the voice, Gwen froze.
"Sheridan?", she gasped. "Sheridan is that you?"
"Yes, it's me Gwen", Sheridan reached out to grab her friend in the darkness. "I wish I could say I was glad to see you."
"I'm so glad you're okay", Gwen sobbed as she clung to the blonde. "What happened to you? I never believed you ran away to Paris."
"I was kidnapped", Sheridan said sadly. "I don't by who or why, but I've been down here all this time. I'm okay and so is my baby but I don't know for how long. And now you've been kidnapped too."
"I wasn't kidnapped", Gwen said struggling sit up and remember. "I-I was going to Lamaze class and- "
"Ethan!" Sheridan interrupted. "Did Ethan go to the class with you? Does he know where you are?"
Gwen placed both hands on her head as she struggled to remember through the ache in her head.
"H-he wanted to go", she whispered. "But I said no. I was taking-taking...Beth!"
As the memories rushed back to her, Gwen gasped.
"Sheridan, Beth is behind everything!"
...
7:30 pm at the Winthrop household
"Have you heard from Gwen?", Ethan asked as he paced the room.
He'd been phoning every one of his and Gwen's contacts. But no one had heard from her, even worse the director of the Lamaze center said the that she never showed up for class. The last thing Gwen was supposed to do before class was pick up Beth.
She couldn't have been right about Beth, could she?
...:
30 minutes later Luis and Ethan were headed up the walkway to the Wallace house.
"Ethan I can't believe that Beth has anything to do with Gwen's disappearance", Luis said.
"I didn't believe Beth had anything to with Sheridan's disappearance, but Gwen did and now she's gone too", Ethan snapped. "It's too much of a coincidence to ignore".
"We searched Beth's house when Sheridan first left Harmony and didn't find anything", Luis said. But it is strange that Gwen's missing. Just let me ask the questions alright."
After knocking for 10 minutes Beth finally came to the door looking disheveled.
"Beth what's wrong?", Luis asked reaching to touch her stomach. "Is it the baby?"
"No no no", She answered quickly. "I'm fine, just a little tired. See you later."
Ethan held out his hand to keep the door from closing.
"Beth, we're here about Gwen", he said firmly.
"Haven't seen her, now I really- "
"Well Beth If you haven't seen Gwen then why did her cell phone GPS ping here a few hours ago?", Luis asked eyeing her suspiciously.
"I-I just meant that I haven't seen her since our Lamaze class earlier this afternoon."
"Funny", Ethan said sharply. "Since the Lamaze director said Gwen never showed up to class today."
Without waiting for Beth to lie again the two men pushed their way into the Wallace house.
"Gwen! Gwen, where are you here?", Ethan called as he headed up the stairs.
"Sheridan!", Luis called heading for the kitchen.
"They're not here", Beth snapped following Luis. "I'm going to call the police if you guys don't leave."
"I am the police", Luis bit back. "I don't know what's going on with you, but I know you lied about not seeing Gwen and then you lied about going to the class with her. Now why would you do that unless you have something to hide."
Beth stood frozen in fear as Ethan came from upstairs.
"Nothing upstairs", he shouted. "I'm going to check the basement."
"No", Beth yelled and started to run after him, but Luis grabbed her wrist.
Forcing Beth to face him, he shook her.
"What have you done to Sheridan? Where is she!?"
"We could've been so happy Luis!", the brunette cried sobbing bitterly. "Just you, me, and our baby but you wouldn't let her go- "
"Luis, I found them!", came the cry from the basement. "Gwen and Sheridan are here in the basement!"
Luis instantly released the sobbing Beth and ran for the basement as he called for backup.
It was only hours later after the women had been rescued did Luis realize that Beth was gone.
...
One year later
"Come on slowpokes", Ethan yelled as he carried a cooler and diaper bag down toward the beach.
Behind him, Gwen and baby Lindsey struggled toward the beach. Lindsay was amazed by the sand and more content to stay where she was. Finally, Gwen scooped up the baby and raced down to the beach where Sheridan, Luis and baby Alex waited.
"About time you got here", Luis greeted the trio.
"Well you've only got one woman to get ready" Ethan laughed. "I've got two."
Gwen gave him a playful nudge before turning to Sheridan.
"How are you doing", she asked softly.
Today marked exactly one year since Sheridan and Gwen had been rescued from Beth's basement. Edna Wallace was found unconscious in a closet and had since moved to a retirement home. Julian, furious at Sheridan's kidnappers had bought the Wallace home and leveled it to the ground. Beth was on the run for a time but was eventually found in a wooded area with a single gunshot wound to the head. A year later Sheridan, Gwen and their families still struggled with everything that had happened.
"I'm-I", the blonde stammered grasping Gwen's hand.
She took a shaky breath before looking out at the beach. Alex and Lindsay waddled in the sand and suddenly Alex threw his head back and laughed.
Sheridan smiled and grasped Gwen's hand tighter.
"Every day gets a little better Gwen. Every day gets a little better."
End Notes: Hope this brightens someone's day amidst the chaos. I've had it for a while and am still unsure about it. #BlackLivesMatter