Instead of going home Theresa went to the beach. It was starting to get windy and cold but she didn't mind. It was finally over. She could admit it now. Ethan was Gwen's and she didn't have to lie anymore. She was about to go home because it was around dinnertime and she knew Pilar would be worried. She walked by a picnic table and saw a man with his head down. She got a closer look and saw it was Ethan. She wanted to go to him but she didn't want to hurt anymore. But they were friends…she couldn't leave him. Not like that. She walked over to him. "Hi Ethan."
Ethan suddenly jerked his head up. "Theresa, what are you doing here?" he asked
surprised.
"I was just taking a walk when I saw you." She said looking into his sad eyes. She sat down beside him. "What's wrong, Ethan?" she asked wiping his tears away with her thumbs.
"It's nothing." Said Ethan trying to smile but failing miserably.
"Come on, you said we can tell each other anything. Remember?"
"Yeah of course I do." He took a deep breath. "After you left Mother came home and she was upset because she had found Julian cheating again. She said she didn't want me to compare myself to him. She then told me he's not my biological father." He stopped so he could calm himself.
"Oh, Ethan, I'm so sorry." She said putting an arm around him.
"That's not all. I called Gwen and told her and she hung up on me." Theresa put her arms around him and he rested his head on her shoulder. Ethan felt confused right then. Here he was the cause of all of Theresa's pain and heartache and she was comforting him when Gwen wouldn't.
Theresa was so gentle, she rubbed her hands up and down his back soothing him. He could feel her warm breath on his neck and right now the only arms he wanted to be in were hers. "Ethan, I know you're hurting right now and I'm sorry you're going through this. But Ethan, I will always be here for you. Gwen was probably just upset that's all. I'm sure when you get back you'll have a message from her." Said Theresa.
Ethan and Theresa sat at the table and talked for almost an hour. Ethan told her how he felt about his mother's news and the impact it would have on him. Theresa listened carefully and gave advice when she could. It was dark by the time they were done talking. "Hey Ethan, why don't we take a walk along the beach. That always seems to help me think."
"I think that's a good idea." He said as they headed toward the beach side by side.
"Wow, Theresa, it's really beautiful here at night, how the stars and moon glisten off of the waves. It looks magical." Ethan exclaimed.
Theresa just smiled. Ethan looked at her. She was truly beautiful. The moonlight fell upon her hair and made it gleam and her eyes were like a pool of stars.
Ethan bent down and picked up a shell. It was all different colors outside and a pearly pink inside. He brushed off the sand and handed it to Theresa. "This is a token of my appreciation for helping me get through this.
"Thank you Ethan. I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me."
"You're a true friend, Theresa. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Well I'd better get home. Mama will be worried."
"Okay, Theresa." He said giving her a hug that lasted longer than it should have. Ethan would have loved to stay like that for eternity. Theresa broke the embrace.
"Bye Ethan." She said walking away. Ethan stared after her and then went his own way.
"Why? Why did this happen to me?" Theresa asked the stars. "I love him but we will never be together. When he gets home he'll have a message from Gwen begging for forgiveness. She looked to the ground as she thought about her life and Ethan. He will forget about me. I have to quit my job and stay away from him. She was so busy thinking she didn't see the car come around the curb heading straight for her.
Ethan suddenly jerked his head up. "Theresa, what are you doing here?" he asked
surprised.
"I was just taking a walk when I saw you." She said looking into his sad eyes. She sat down beside him. "What's wrong, Ethan?" she asked wiping his tears away with her thumbs.
"It's nothing." Said Ethan trying to smile but failing miserably.
"Come on, you said we can tell each other anything. Remember?"
"Yeah of course I do." He took a deep breath. "After you left Mother came home and she was upset because she had found Julian cheating again. She said she didn't want me to compare myself to him. She then told me he's not my biological father." He stopped so he could calm himself.
"Oh, Ethan, I'm so sorry." She said putting an arm around him.
"That's not all. I called Gwen and told her and she hung up on me." Theresa put her arms around him and he rested his head on her shoulder. Ethan felt confused right then. Here he was the cause of all of Theresa's pain and heartache and she was comforting him when Gwen wouldn't.
Theresa was so gentle, she rubbed her hands up and down his back soothing him. He could feel her warm breath on his neck and right now the only arms he wanted to be in were hers. "Ethan, I know you're hurting right now and I'm sorry you're going through this. But Ethan, I will always be here for you. Gwen was probably just upset that's all. I'm sure when you get back you'll have a message from her." Said Theresa.
Ethan and Theresa sat at the table and talked for almost an hour. Ethan told her how he felt about his mother's news and the impact it would have on him. Theresa listened carefully and gave advice when she could. It was dark by the time they were done talking. "Hey Ethan, why don't we take a walk along the beach. That always seems to help me think."
"I think that's a good idea." He said as they headed toward the beach side by side.
"Wow, Theresa, it's really beautiful here at night, how the stars and moon glisten off of the waves. It looks magical." Ethan exclaimed.
Theresa just smiled. Ethan looked at her. She was truly beautiful. The moonlight fell upon her hair and made it gleam and her eyes were like a pool of stars.
Ethan bent down and picked up a shell. It was all different colors outside and a pearly pink inside. He brushed off the sand and handed it to Theresa. "This is a token of my appreciation for helping me get through this.
"Thank you Ethan. I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me."
"You're a true friend, Theresa. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Well I'd better get home. Mama will be worried."
"Okay, Theresa." He said giving her a hug that lasted longer than it should have. Ethan would have loved to stay like that for eternity. Theresa broke the embrace.
"Bye Ethan." She said walking away. Ethan stared after her and then went his own way.
"Why? Why did this happen to me?" Theresa asked the stars. "I love him but we will never be together. When he gets home he'll have a message from Gwen begging for forgiveness. She looked to the ground as she thought about her life and Ethan. He will forget about me. I have to quit my job and stay away from him. She was so busy thinking she didn't see the car come around the curb heading straight for her.
