"¿Mija?"

Sheridan looked up at the soft sound of Pilar's voice.

"Pilar." Sheridan's eyes fell to her lap. "I'm so sorry that I ruined your night, that I took you away from your daughter's wedding."

"Nonsense." Pilar crossed the room and sat down beside her.

Pilar lifted Sheridan's chin and placed one hand on her shoulder. "You are my daughter, too, Sheridan."

A rush of warmth enveloped Sheridan, melting every last reserve she had. Collapsing into Pilar's arms, Sheridan sobbed against her chest. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Pilar."

"As long as I have breath in my body, you'll never have to find out." Pilar rubbed her back. "I love you and Ethan as if you were my own children."

"I wish I could say I deserved that," Sheridan whispered.

"Sheridan?" Pilar leaned back. "Why would you ever feel like that?"

Sheridan bit down on her lip.

"I know you grew up in a house where everyone was always pointing fingers and assigning blame, but that's not how it works in this family." Pilar ran her fingers through the side of Sheridan's hair. "There is nothing you could say to me that would ever make me judge you."

Pilar stroked Sheridan's cheek and smiled gently at her. "You have a wonderful heart, Sheridan. I thank God every day that my Luis found you."

Sheridan's eyes fell to her lap. "I wish it had been me, Pilar. I wish it had been me instead of Martin."

"Sheridan, no . . ." Pilar reached out for her hand.

"No," Sheridan insisted. "If I could go back in time, I would stop Martin from trying to get me out of the mansion—insist that he not save me. I can't live with it, Pilar—the pain my existence has caused you. You were the only person I could count on when I was growing up, and look at how I've repaid you."

"Sheridan, I want you to listen to me." Pilar grasped Sheridan's arms. "This is not your fault. It never was."

Sheridan slumped; her voice quieted. "Even so, wasn't my father right when he said that I'm not worth it?"

Pilar's face fell. "Mija, no." Pilar squeezed her hands. "Your life, your heart—they're worth everything—especially to my Luis."

"Mama?" Luis poked his head into the room.

Pilar and Sheridan looked up.

"Mama, I have wonderful news." Luis smiled softly. "Papa . . . he's awake."


Eve backed up against the wall, the invisible grip on her chest tightening.

How could she still love Julian?

After everything he had done to her? After all of the pain he had caused?

Eve sank down to the floor. How was it that, after all of these years, he could still affect her like this?

Granted, she'd suffered a momentary lapse of sanity after she'd received divorce papers from TC, but this feeling—it hadn't gone away. If anything, it had only grown stronger.

Yes, Julian had changed.

But had he really changed that much?

Was it even possible for a human being to do a one-eighty the way he appeared to have done?

And if even he had, that couldn't matter to her right now.

So many more hearts were hanging in the balance this time around. So much more was at stake.

She had come back to Harmony to try to repair her relationship with her daughters—not to drive them further away.

She had to stay away from Julian. She had to stay strong.

No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't let him back into her life.

"Eve?"

Eve's eyes snapped up, her heart stopping. "Julian?" she gasped, tears springing to her eyes. "What are you doing here?"


"What did you just say, mijo?" Pilar asked. "Your father—he's awake?"

"Yeah," Luis choked out, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "One of the nurses just told me that he's regained consciousness." Luis gazed adoringly down at his mother. "He's asking for you, Mama."

"¡Gracias a dios!" Pilar gasped, clutching Sheridan's hand. "Our prayers have been answered!"

"They certainly have been." Sheridan gave Pilar a weak smile. "Go. See your husband."

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Sheridan?" Pilar asked quietly.

"Yes," Sheridan chuckled softly. "Now go. What you and I were talking about—it can wait."

"Never forget how much I love you, Sheridan." Pilar gave her one last smile before rising to her feet.

Sheridan squeezed her hand. "Pilar, I love you, too."

"I can't believe this day has finally arrived!" Pilar gathered up her things. "Oh, Luis, I don't know what to do!"

"Go, Mama! Go!" Luis beamed at her. "Sheridan and I will give you a few minutes alone with Papa, and then we'll come up and join you. I'll give Miguel and Theresa a call, too—maybe they can join us."

"Thank you, mijo." Pilar touched her hand to his cheek. "You're a good son, Luis."

Luis smiled and kissed her hand. "Anything for you, Mama." Luis's heart swelled with joy as he watched her rush out of Sheridan's hospital cubicle. "We'll see you in a few minutes."

Luis turned back to Sheridan and dug his hands into his pockets. Wandering over to the bed, he sat down beside her.

"Luis . . . your father . . ." Sheridan looked up at him. "You must be so thrilled right now."

"Thrilled? About my father? Yes." Luis picked at the edge of the bed. "But, Sheridan, I'm worried about you." Luis fixed his eyes on hers. "What did you mean when you told my mother you two could finish your conversation later? What were you talking about?"

Sheridan averted her eyes to the floor. "Your mother and I were just talking about your father, Luis." Sheridan sniffled. "I . . . I'm so happy for her."

"So am I." Luis squeezed her fingers. "But, Sheridan, you're the one I'm worried about right now."

"I know, Luis, but you can't fix this!" Sheridan burst out.

Sheridan buried her head in her hands and began to sob again.

"Sher . . ." Luis reached out for her shoulder.

Sheridan pulled back.

"Sheridan . . ." Luis studied her for a moment and rose up from the bed. "I'm sorry, but I'm just worried about you and our daughter. What happened tonight—it could have been serious."

"You think I don't know that?" Sheridan glanced down at her belly and caressed it, tears streaming from her eyes. "You think I don't know that I could have killed our daughter?"

"Sheridan, I wasn't implying that," Luis said.

"You don't have to. I'm already thinking it myself." Sheridan wiped her eyes. "And I'm sorry I pulled away from you. I'm just so overwhelmed right now."

Sheridan hung her head. "I shouldn't have gone to the wharf. I knew it was icy out, but I just wasn't thinking. All I could think about was your family and how painful all of this has been for them. I love you, Luis, but—for your sake—I sometimes wish we had never met."

"Sheridan, how can you say that?" Luis sat down beside her and took her hands into his. "There is nothing in my life more precious to me than you and our baby girl."

"Maybe so, Luis, but my head—it's all screwed up right now."

"That's because of your damn father."

"Maybe so, but I'm an adult now, and I'm going to be a mother." Sheridan fought back tears. "I have to get better—not only for me, but also for our daughter. I just feel like I'm wandering through a fog right now . . . like I don't know where to start."

Luis swallowed hard. His heart dropping, he gathered her up in his arms.

Closing his eyes, Luis buried his nose in her hair and breathed her in. His mouth uttering the only words he could think of: "I love you, Sheridan."


Pilar stopped in front of Martin's room and leaned against the wall. Her husband was alive. Her husband was alive and well.

Even though he had been back in Harmony for several months, she still hadn't allowed herself to believe that he was truly back until right this very second.

Pilar took in a deep breath, her hand flying to her heart. After so many years of being strong, it had finally come to this.

She didn't have to be the strong one anymore. She didn't have to be alone.

What if things had changed between them, though? They had been separated for such a long time. What if, during their long time apart, he had fallen out of love with her?

Nothing Luis had told her about his meeting in Mexico had indicated that anything of the sort had happened. Still, after not seeing her husband for all these years, she couldn't help but wonder.

"I have to pull myself together." Pilar straightened her back and ran her fingers through her hair. What was it that she was always telling Sheridan? That she had to believe in herself? If she could dish out that advice, she certainly could take it—and there had never been a better time to do so.

Inhaling one last time, Pilar turned and opened the door.

Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes met his—the man she had been dreaming about for so many long, lonely years.