Chapter 3
Theresa goes home.
Pilar- "Mija, you're home early. Little Ethan is in bed and waiting for you. What's the matter?"
She notices Theresa's tears.
Theresa- "Ethan was at the tree."
Pilar- "Why?"
Theresa- "I have no idea."
Pilar- "Oh, are you okay?"
Theresa- "I don't know.
Pilar- "Well, I just made some cookies, do you want to go get Little Ethan so that we can open the gifts?"
Theresa- "Sure."
Theresa climbs upstairs to retrieve her little boy. She makes her way back downstairs with him in her arms.
After opening all of his gifts.
Little Ethan- "Thank you, Mommy. Thank you, Grandma."
Pilar and Theresa- "You're welcome."
Little Ethan- "Mommy, I'm tired."
Theresa- "Do you want to go to bed now?"
Little Ethan nods his approval.
Theresa- "Okay," Picking him up. "Come on little boy. Up we go."
Suddenly Pilar hears a knock on the door.
Pilar- "I wonder who that can be. Especially at this late hour. It's probably Luis or Miguel coming to share gifts. You just couldn't wait until tomorrow, could you?" She opens the door. "Ethan? What are you doing here?"
Ethan- "Pilar, sorry to bother you so late, but do you think that I could speak to Theresa for just a second?"
Pilar- "Look Ethan, I would love to let you in. However, I have no idea what was said or done tonight, or in the past between you two for that matter. I'm sorry, Ethan. I don't think it would be a good idea tonight. Theresa is really upset, and she just went up for bed. So maybe another time. Goodnight Ethan. Merry Christmas." She closes the door.
Theresa comes down the stairs, a look of sadness and confusion on her face.
Pilar- "Can you believe it? Carolers at this late hour."
Theresa- "It's okay, Mama. I know who was at the door. I heard what you said to him from the top of the stairs."
Pilar- "It'll be okay. You'll see."
Theresa- "No it won't. Mama, I thought that I was over Ethan Winthrop. Mama, I just realized tonight that I am still in love with him. And that will probably never change. And that's what scares me so much."
Pilar- "Love has never scared you before."
Theresa- "No, but now I realize that I am in love with a married man, that I thought I got over, and who I know still loves me. I don't know what to do now."
Pilar- "All you can do is pray. Pray for guidance in this manner. And what a better day to start. The Lord will surely hear your prayers tonight."
Theresa goes to bed.
Theresa- "Dear God, please guide me in this difficult hour of my life. Why did you bring Ethan back into it? I thought for sure that I was over him. Now, I don't know if I'll ever be able to heal. I once would have thought that this was all part of fate's big plan. But how can me living in misery be my fate? Please Lord, help me. Amen."
Theresa crawls into bed.
Theresa- "I love you, Ethan. I always will. I just wish I didn't love you so much." She cries herself to sleep.
Theresa goes home.
Pilar- "Mija, you're home early. Little Ethan is in bed and waiting for you. What's the matter?"
She notices Theresa's tears.
Theresa- "Ethan was at the tree."
Pilar- "Why?"
Theresa- "I have no idea."
Pilar- "Oh, are you okay?"
Theresa- "I don't know.
Pilar- "Well, I just made some cookies, do you want to go get Little Ethan so that we can open the gifts?"
Theresa- "Sure."
Theresa climbs upstairs to retrieve her little boy. She makes her way back downstairs with him in her arms.
After opening all of his gifts.
Little Ethan- "Thank you, Mommy. Thank you, Grandma."
Pilar and Theresa- "You're welcome."
Little Ethan- "Mommy, I'm tired."
Theresa- "Do you want to go to bed now?"
Little Ethan nods his approval.
Theresa- "Okay," Picking him up. "Come on little boy. Up we go."
Suddenly Pilar hears a knock on the door.
Pilar- "I wonder who that can be. Especially at this late hour. It's probably Luis or Miguel coming to share gifts. You just couldn't wait until tomorrow, could you?" She opens the door. "Ethan? What are you doing here?"
Ethan- "Pilar, sorry to bother you so late, but do you think that I could speak to Theresa for just a second?"
Pilar- "Look Ethan, I would love to let you in. However, I have no idea what was said or done tonight, or in the past between you two for that matter. I'm sorry, Ethan. I don't think it would be a good idea tonight. Theresa is really upset, and she just went up for bed. So maybe another time. Goodnight Ethan. Merry Christmas." She closes the door.
Theresa comes down the stairs, a look of sadness and confusion on her face.
Pilar- "Can you believe it? Carolers at this late hour."
Theresa- "It's okay, Mama. I know who was at the door. I heard what you said to him from the top of the stairs."
Pilar- "It'll be okay. You'll see."
Theresa- "No it won't. Mama, I thought that I was over Ethan Winthrop. Mama, I just realized tonight that I am still in love with him. And that will probably never change. And that's what scares me so much."
Pilar- "Love has never scared you before."
Theresa- "No, but now I realize that I am in love with a married man, that I thought I got over, and who I know still loves me. I don't know what to do now."
Pilar- "All you can do is pray. Pray for guidance in this manner. And what a better day to start. The Lord will surely hear your prayers tonight."
Theresa goes to bed.
Theresa- "Dear God, please guide me in this difficult hour of my life. Why did you bring Ethan back into it? I thought for sure that I was over him. Now, I don't know if I'll ever be able to heal. I once would have thought that this was all part of fate's big plan. But how can me living in misery be my fate? Please Lord, help me. Amen."
Theresa crawls into bed.
Theresa- "I love you, Ethan. I always will. I just wish I didn't love you so much." She cries herself to sleep.