Ethan pulled away from his father and said, "Where is she? Is she alright?"
Sam pointed in the direction of Theresa's room and said, "734" as he dried his eyes.
Ethan was scared to death as he made his way to the room where Theresa would be. He already knew the look she would have on her face, the tears that would form in her eyes, and the hurt that would be in her voice. Finally reaching room 734, he wiped his eyes and tried to compose himself before going in. Theresa lay on the bed in front of him, staring out the window.
"Theresa?" Ethan spoke almost in a whisper.
She turned to look at him. "Ethan…what are you doing here?"
He couldn't help but notice how hurt she looked. He had to bite his lip to keep from crying.
"I am starting a job here tomorrow and we were taking a tour of the hospital when I saw…" his voice trailed off.
"She's so beautiful, Theresa." He paused. "I am so sorry." He approached her bed and took her by the hand. "I never would have left you if I would have known. I didn't even let you explain your side of the story. I just walked out, telling you that I never wanted to see you again. I am such a jerk!"
"No one knows about her." She spoke quietly and timidly. "I left Harmony to live with Tio Francisco and Tia Christina soon after the wedding. Mama, Luis, and Miguel have no idea that I am back. I wanted to tell them, but as soon as I arrived here in Harmony I went into labor. Dr. Russell promised me that she wouldn't tell anyone, but I told her she could tell Chief Bennett. I knew he would understand."
"I saw him in the hall" Ethan spoke through the tears that were dripping down his cheeks. "He was coming to see you and the baby. I treated him so badly. I know now what he went through. I had to learn how he felt the hard way, I guess." He sighed and looked up at Theresa, who had let him keep his hand in hers. It was evident that she still loved him, but he didn't know whether she could ever forgive him.
"Tell me everything." He said "But only if you want to. I want to know your side of the story."
Theresa sighed and started at the beginning, going down the list. She told him that she had gotten the job with his mother just to be close to him, that the wedding gown sketches were for her wedding to him instead of Gwen's, that she had made Chuck up to cover the fact that she loved him, and she finally got to the part about his paternity.
"I am not trying to blame you, Ethan, but you didn't make it very easy for me to tell you about your father. After the tabloid came out, you vowed vengeance on anyone who knew about Chief Bennett being your father. I was so scared that you would leave me, so I didn't tell you that I had found your mother's letters and scanned them onto my computer. You do not know how I felt that night at your engagement party to Gwen, when you read her that poem. I thought that all of my dreams had been shattered, and I was very hurt and angry. That didn't make it right, though. I should have confessed, but I just didn't know how to break it to you. I may not have told you everything I knew, but I never lied. I didn't send that e-mail to the tabloid, I swear."
When she was finished, Ethan sat in shock.
"How did we let it get this far? We hurt each other a lot, and it all would have been avoided if we had just sat down and talked about it." He gently touched her cheek. "I love you, Theresa. I haven't stopped thinking about you since the wedding. I want to try it again, for the sake of our child and if you say yes, I promise to always let you explain yourself. Theresa, I want to start over again and build a relationship on trust and love."
"I do too. I want to have a family with you and our daughter. I am so sorry that I kept things from you. I was only trying to protect you, but I ended up hurting you worse. Please forgive me." Theresa said as her big brown eyes welled up with tears. "I have to ask you one thing, Ethan. If the baby…doesn't make it…do you still want to be with me?"
He kissed her gently on the lips. "Fate brought me here to this hospital to get us back together. Theresa, I will never leave you again. I love you and even if the baby doesn't make it, I will be here forever."
As they kissed again, Ethan knew that the journey wasn't always going to be easy but he knew that he had been lucky. He said a silent "thank you" to God.
**Six weeks later, Ethan and Theresa took their healthy baby girl, Christabelle, home to a quaint two-story home Ethan purchased with his salary. They were married soon after that on the beach in a small ceremony.**