Chapter Forty-One:
"Papa? Papa, is that really you?" Luis asked. Slowly. His words tinged with shock as he moved closer and closer to the man he hadn't seen in years. Many years. Too many years. Sheridan felt tears come to her eyes as she saw the tears in her husband's brown eyes. Tears in Martin's eyes. The man who had protected her. Saved her. Brought her back to her family.
Martin's voice shook with emotion as he answered his son. "Yes. Yes, Son, it's me." "Oh my god," Luis whispered as he looked at his father. Realized it wasn't all a dream. "You're really here. I'm not just imagining this," he said as he hugged his father. Hard. Closing his eyes and remembering the last time they had hugged this way. He was just a boy. Mama was so young. "Mama," Luis gasped. His dark brown eyes going wide. Pulling away to meet his father's eyes.
"Yes, Luis. I talked with your mother," Martin said with a grin. Twinkling eyes. "She was, she was surprised." "She was sobbing," Luis corrected. Backing away. Slight anger making his voice rise. "She's never given up hope," he said. Dark eyes glittering as he bore into his father. Trying to see into his soul. Get answers to all the questions. Find out why. "She lit a candle for you all these years. Convinced you were still alive. Her faith unshakeable. Why Papa? And where have you been all these years?"
Martin's eyes shifted to her. As if asking permission. She felt her throat tighten with tears as she answered for him. "My father, Luis. It was my father's doing," she said in a trembling voice. Pain ripping through her heart as she realized anew just how much hurt, how much pain her father had caused during his lifetime. She squeezed the hand Martin offered. Leaned into Ali's sweet embrace. Luis was silent. Unwilling to upset her any further.
"Later, Luis," Martin said. Promise in his voice. "I'll fill you--and your mother when she gets here, in on all the details later." "Mama's coming?" Luis asked. In disbelief. "Uncle Miguel's bringing her, Daddy. They're bringing the b..." Sheridan stopped her with a hand over her mouth. A grin stole over Luis's face. No doubt picturing the look on his mother's face when she came face to face with his father once again. And the look on his father's face when he met his grandson. His namesake. M.J. Sheridan's blue eyes sparkled with love and happiness at the joy written on Luis's face.
She was still smiling when she found herself alone with her husband minutes later. Ali and Martin getting reacquainted. As granddaughter and grandfather. "Sheridan," Luis breathed pulling her body close. "I have my Papa back. He saved you. Twice," he said. Releasing her. Barely catching the brief flash of discomfort, pain, that shone in her beautiful eyes. "Did I hurt you? I did, didn't I?" he asked. Concern in his dark eyes as he looked at her. Really looked at her for the first time since entering the hospital room. "I nearly lost you. Again," he choked. Fingering the bandage on her forehead.
She reached up and covered his hand with her own as it cradled her cheek. Leaned into his touch. "I'm still here, Luis. I'm never leaving you. Never again. My heart will always be with you," she whispered. Laughing lightly as he wiped the tears that escaped from her blue eyes away. "I love you," she said. Smiling brilliantly at him. At the tender smile that lit his own face. "I loved you then. I love you now. And I will always love you. No matter what. You're not going to get rid of me that easy, Buster. When I promised myself to you with our wedding vows, I meant forever."
"Our...you?," he began. Understanding dawning on his beloved features. "Oh Sheridan," he said. Cupping her face in his hands. "Welcome back. I've been waiting so long. Here I was, on the way to the hospital, cursing this day. Hating myself for letting you and Ali out of my sight. For even a minute. So scared I had lost you both. Forever this time. But I didn't lose you. Either of you. You're both okay," he said. Searching her eyes for verification. "Just a mild concussion and a few fractured ribs," she qualified. "Ouch," he said. Tracing her features with the tips of his fingers. Delighting in her soft sighs.
"You're both okay. Thanks to my father. My papa. Sheridan, Papa's back," he said in excitement. "Yes, he is," she said. Laughing softly. "This is the happiest day of my life," he said. Bringing his lips to hers. Kissing her tenderly. Sweetly. "Mine, too," she whispered. Leaning her forehead against his. Holding him close. Kissing him again, and snuggling close as he pulled her into his arms and lay back against the pillows. Wrapping his arms securely around her. Smiling into her shoulder when they heard a wonderful sound just moments later. A smile that was there to stay as they listened. As husband and wife reunited.
"Papa? Papa, is that really you?" Luis asked. Slowly. His words tinged with shock as he moved closer and closer to the man he hadn't seen in years. Many years. Too many years. Sheridan felt tears come to her eyes as she saw the tears in her husband's brown eyes. Tears in Martin's eyes. The man who had protected her. Saved her. Brought her back to her family.
Martin's voice shook with emotion as he answered his son. "Yes. Yes, Son, it's me." "Oh my god," Luis whispered as he looked at his father. Realized it wasn't all a dream. "You're really here. I'm not just imagining this," he said as he hugged his father. Hard. Closing his eyes and remembering the last time they had hugged this way. He was just a boy. Mama was so young. "Mama," Luis gasped. His dark brown eyes going wide. Pulling away to meet his father's eyes.
"Yes, Luis. I talked with your mother," Martin said with a grin. Twinkling eyes. "She was, she was surprised." "She was sobbing," Luis corrected. Backing away. Slight anger making his voice rise. "She's never given up hope," he said. Dark eyes glittering as he bore into his father. Trying to see into his soul. Get answers to all the questions. Find out why. "She lit a candle for you all these years. Convinced you were still alive. Her faith unshakeable. Why Papa? And where have you been all these years?"
Martin's eyes shifted to her. As if asking permission. She felt her throat tighten with tears as she answered for him. "My father, Luis. It was my father's doing," she said in a trembling voice. Pain ripping through her heart as she realized anew just how much hurt, how much pain her father had caused during his lifetime. She squeezed the hand Martin offered. Leaned into Ali's sweet embrace. Luis was silent. Unwilling to upset her any further.
"Later, Luis," Martin said. Promise in his voice. "I'll fill you--and your mother when she gets here, in on all the details later." "Mama's coming?" Luis asked. In disbelief. "Uncle Miguel's bringing her, Daddy. They're bringing the b..." Sheridan stopped her with a hand over her mouth. A grin stole over Luis's face. No doubt picturing the look on his mother's face when she came face to face with his father once again. And the look on his father's face when he met his grandson. His namesake. M.J. Sheridan's blue eyes sparkled with love and happiness at the joy written on Luis's face.
She was still smiling when she found herself alone with her husband minutes later. Ali and Martin getting reacquainted. As granddaughter and grandfather. "Sheridan," Luis breathed pulling her body close. "I have my Papa back. He saved you. Twice," he said. Releasing her. Barely catching the brief flash of discomfort, pain, that shone in her beautiful eyes. "Did I hurt you? I did, didn't I?" he asked. Concern in his dark eyes as he looked at her. Really looked at her for the first time since entering the hospital room. "I nearly lost you. Again," he choked. Fingering the bandage on her forehead.
She reached up and covered his hand with her own as it cradled her cheek. Leaned into his touch. "I'm still here, Luis. I'm never leaving you. Never again. My heart will always be with you," she whispered. Laughing lightly as he wiped the tears that escaped from her blue eyes away. "I love you," she said. Smiling brilliantly at him. At the tender smile that lit his own face. "I loved you then. I love you now. And I will always love you. No matter what. You're not going to get rid of me that easy, Buster. When I promised myself to you with our wedding vows, I meant forever."
"Our...you?," he began. Understanding dawning on his beloved features. "Oh Sheridan," he said. Cupping her face in his hands. "Welcome back. I've been waiting so long. Here I was, on the way to the hospital, cursing this day. Hating myself for letting you and Ali out of my sight. For even a minute. So scared I had lost you both. Forever this time. But I didn't lose you. Either of you. You're both okay," he said. Searching her eyes for verification. "Just a mild concussion and a few fractured ribs," she qualified. "Ouch," he said. Tracing her features with the tips of his fingers. Delighting in her soft sighs.
"You're both okay. Thanks to my father. My papa. Sheridan, Papa's back," he said in excitement. "Yes, he is," she said. Laughing softly. "This is the happiest day of my life," he said. Bringing his lips to hers. Kissing her tenderly. Sweetly. "Mine, too," she whispered. Leaning her forehead against his. Holding him close. Kissing him again, and snuggling close as he pulled her into his arms and lay back against the pillows. Wrapping his arms securely around her. Smiling into her shoulder when they heard a wonderful sound just moments later. A smile that was there to stay as they listened. As husband and wife reunited.