Sheridan picked up her teacup and tucked her legs underneath her. "I'm so happy you stayed with us last night, Mother. It's so good to have you here."
Katherine reached across the sofa cushion and squeezed Sheridan's hand. "Oh, darling, I can't tell you how good it is to be here with you—to see you so happy with your husband."
"He is quite a special guy," Sheridan smiled, glancing back at the kitchen.
"And he can cook, too!" Katherine laughed. "Wherever did you find him?"
Sheridan raised her eyebrows, chuckled, and put down her tea. "Would you believe that I literally crashed into his car?" Sheridan shook her head. "He gave me a speeding ticket and arrested me—he even put me in jail for the night."
"Oh my!" Katherine gasped.
"Yes, Luis and I have quite a history . . ." Sheridan laughed. "Believe me—telling you the whole story could take all day."
Katherine covered one of Sheridan's hands with her own. "Sheridan, darling, tell me . . . have you been happy for all of these years?"
Sheridan looked up. "I don't really know how to answer that, Mother."
"Please, just be honest," Katherine said. "I understand from Julian that your father has been very cruel to you. If you're worried about making me upset, please don't be. I know I abandoned you."
"Mother, I know you didn't abandon me," Sheridan said. "I know you tried to take me with you—that you tried to come back for me."
"Yes, but your father caught me." Katherine's shoulders slumped. "I was foolish to think that he wouldn't—I never should have left you in the first place."
Sheridan blinked back tears. "I remember some of the things Father did to you, Mother. I can't blame you for wanting to get out—for doing what you could to leave."
"Oh, but, Sheridan, I never thought he'd be as cruel as he was to you and Julian," Katherine lamented. "After all, you are his children."
"Yes, well, that means nothing to Father." Sheridan frowned and rubbed her belly. "He barely acknowledged my existence most days—I might as well have been a stranger to him."
Katherine clasped Sheridan's free hand. "Sheridan, I'm so sorry. That must have been very lonely for you."
"It was," Sheridan admitted, her eyes falling to her lap. "Some days I thought there wasn't anyone on the planet who cared whether I was dead or alive."
"Oh, Sheridan!" Katherine put down her own teacup and embraced her daughter. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that!"
"It's okay, Mother," Sheridan reassured her. "I have Luis, and now you're with me, too."
"I can't imagine anywhere else I'd rather be," Katherine said.
"Neither can I, Mother." Sheridan squeezed her mother's hands. "And don't worry so much—I wasn't as alone as I felt. Ethan has always been one of my best friends."
Katherine smiled and bowed her head.
"I . . . I had Pilar, too," Sheridan said softly. "She sent me a lot of letters when I was away at boarding school and always made me feel special when I came home. She comforted me when I had nightmares and made sure I felt loved."
"It sounds like she was a second mother to you . . ." Katherine peeked up at Sheridan.
"Yes . . . she was." Sheridan bit down on her lip. "I . . . I'm sorry if that's hard for you to hear . . ."
Katherine smiled sadly, her eyes glistening with tears. "I'm not going to say it's easy for me to hear that another woman raised my daughter, but I'm so grateful that she did that for you. I'm so happy that you had her in your life—that you still have her now."
"I am, too." Sheridan's face lit up. "I really lucked out when I met Luis, didn't I? Not only is he everything I could have ever wanted in a husband, but I couldn't have asked for a better mother-in-law."
Katherine smiled and stroked her daughter's cheek. "I'm so happy that you have both of them in your life. All I've ever wanted was for you to feel loved . . . that you wouldn't suffer the same way I did."
"It's funny that you say that. I started seeing a therapist last month for the very same reason." Sheridan caressed her belly. "I . . . I have so many insecurities, Mother—I don't want to pass them down to my daughter."
"Oh, Sheridan, you're such a loving and caring person," Katherine said. "Your daughter is lucky to have you."
"That's what Luis, Pilar, and my friend Gwen keep telling me," Sheridan admitted. "Maybe, one day, I'll get there myself."
"It seems like you're already getting there to me," Katherine observed.
"I do feel a lot stronger than I have in the past," Sheridan said. "But it's still wonderful to have you back."
"Oh, Sheridan, there is no place I'd rather be!" Katherine embraced her. "I hope you and I can be close again."
"I hope we can be, too, Mother," Sheridan smiled, her eyes glistening. "I'd really like that."
Luis flipped the eggs and whistled, grabbing the phone as it rang and tucking it under his chin.
"Hello?" he smiled, the eggs sizzling underneath his spatula.
"Luis, it's your father."
Luis straightened. "Papa, what's wrong? You sound really upset."
Martin let out a sigh. "It's your sister Paloma. She's changed her mind about coming home."
"What do you mean?" Luis asked. "I thought she was excited to come back to Harmony."
"Yes, well, she somehow got it in her head that your mother doesn't love her," Martin said.
"Why would she ever think that?" Luis slid his spatula under the eggs and flipped them onto a plate.
"Because she feels like your mother abandoned her . . . that she was singled out from the rest of you children." Martin went quiet for a moment. "I want to go down to Mexico to talk to her in person, but I don't think I can manage that by myself. I would bring your mother with me, but Paloma won't even speak to her right now, so I'm not sure having Pilar along with me would be such a good idea."
Luis turned off the fire under the pan he had been using. "Are you saying you want me to go with you?"
"Yes, Luis . . . would you?" Martin went quiet again. "I'm sorry. I know this is a lot to ask, given that Sheridan is pregnant and that Christmas is so close. We'd only be gone for a day, though—and be back by Christmas Eve."
Luis glanced back toward the living room and frowned. "I want to help you, Papa, but I don't want to leave Sheridan alone."
"I understand that," Martin said. "Maybe your mother could stay with her. After all, the two of them are close—it might be good for both of them."
"That's a good idea, Papa, but maybe it won't be necessary . . ."
"What do you mean, Luis?"
"I was going to call you this morning with some news," Luis said. "Katherine Crane is back."
Luis smiled softly as he walked into the living room. Seeing Sheridan and Katherine sitting together on the couch with their arms wrapped around each other—the entire scene made him fight back tears. He almost couldn't believe that Sheridan finally had her mother back—she had longed for this day for years.
Sheridan looked up and captured his eyes with her own, the tender look she gave him filling his body with warmth. God, why on earth had he fought his feelings for this woman for so long when she could make him feel so loved with just a simple look?
Sheridan smiled at him.
Luis gave her a small smile and scratched the back of his head.
"Luis, is something wrong?" Sheridan asked as he sat down next to her. "You look like you're worried about something."
Luis's smile faded; he folded his hands in front of his face and sighed. "I am. I'm sorry to interrupt you ladies, but I need to talk to you about something, Sheridan."
Katherine sat up immediately and scooted over to give them space. "Do you need me to leave you two alone?"
"No, Katherine . . . please stay." Luis looked at his wife and then at her mother. "I didn't mean to interrupt your time together, but I just got a call from my father."
"Martin?" Katherine smiled. "How is he doing, Luis?"
"He's doing all right," Luis answered. "He's thrilled that you're safe, Katherine."
"Your father is such a gentle and caring man," Katherine smiled. "He deserves every happiness."
"Yeah, well, right now, Paloma is refusing to come home, so he's not all that happy."
"What?" Sheridan gasped. "Why would she do that?"
"Because she somehow got it in her head that Mama doesn't love her and that's why Mama sent her away." Luis massaged his temples.
"Oh, Luis . . . your poor mother!"
"She's beside herself, Sheridan." Luis leaned forward on his knees. "This is what she gets—after everything she's sacrificed."
"This is all my fault!" Katherine gasped, rising to her feet. "I never should have let your father help me. I should have found some other way to leave."
"Listen, Katherine, this is not your fault." Luis rose to his feet. "Alistair is to blame for all of this. My family and I don't turn our backs on people who are in trouble. If my father were here, he'd say the same thing."
Sheridan stood up behind Luis and slipped her arms around his chest. "Luis and Martin have been trying to convince me of the same thing for months, Mother. They really mean what they say."
"Sometimes, it's just so hard to believe that there are such good people in the world," Katherine cried softly.
"I know, Mother," Sheridan said. "I know."
"Well, if it takes me the rest of my life, I'm going to make you believe that you're worth taking care of, Sheridan." Luis lifted Sheridan's hand and kissed it. "You, too, Katherine."
Sheridan smiled softly at her husband, tears coming to her eyes. "Thank you for taking such good care of us, Luis."
"I will always take care of you, Sheridan." Luis kissed her hand again and turned around to face her. "Sher, there's something else. Papa wants me to go to Mexico with him tonight—to bring Paloma back."
"Well, of course you should go," Sheridan insisted. "She's your family, Luis."
"Yeah, but so are you," Luis said softly. "And if I'm being honest, I'm worried about leaving you alone. I know your father is still unconscious and under heavy FBI guard, but he's not actually behind bars yet."
"Sheridan won't be alone," Katherine said. "I'll stay here with her as long as you two need me to—I won't leave my daughter's side."
"Thank you, Katherine. I appreciate that," Luis said. "But, Sheridan, are you sure about this? If you want me to stay, just say the word . . ."
"I want you to go, Luis." Sheridan laid one hand on his chest. "Listen, I understand why you're worried about me. But I'll be fine—I'll have my mother right here. Just do what you need to do."
"Okay, but please promise me that you'll keep your cell phone on you." Luis frowned and looked down. "I couldn't take a repeat of my trip to Washington."
Sheridan smiled sadly and stroked Luis's cheek. "That's not going to happen." Pressing her lips together, she glanced down at the floor and then looked back up at him. "Would it make you feel better if Sam sent someone over to stay with us?"
Luis released a breath. "I didn't want to suggest it because I know how you feel about having bodyguards, but, yes, Sheridan, it would."
"Well then, why don't you call him and ask him to assign someone?"
Luis squeezed her fingers and pressed his lips to them. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"
"Yes, I am." Sheridan smiled softly. "I can deal with having a bodyguard for twenty-four hours if it will give you peace of mind."
Luis's voice softened. "Thank you for doing this for me, Sher."
Sheridan laid her hands on his chest. "I want you to be able to focus on helping your mother and father, Luis. I don't want you to worry about me."
