Chapter 55
Luis sighed heavily. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. They were on their way to see Sheridan's father. Alistair Crane. He glanced at Sheridan out of the corner of his eye and noticed her staring out the window.
"Hey," he said softly. Taking her hand in his. "You know we don't have to do this. Right?" He held his breath. Waiting for her answer. Praying she'd tell him to turn the car back around and head for home. And Ali.
"Luis," she said. "I'll be honest. This is the last thing I want to do. But it's what I have to do. Father's the only one, Luis. The only one who knows what happened to Julian's son. I have to know. Eve has to know."
"I still can't believe Eve Russell and your brother were lovers. And that they share a child together." She nodded her head. "I know. It is hard to believe. But I think Julian really did love her. He just didn't have the courage to stand up to Father."
"Like you did," he said with a smile. Her only response was a kiss to his cheek. "Have I told you lately how much I love you, Luis?" "Hmm. Let's see. I don't think so. You were kind of busy this morning," he grinned.
"Oh, you," she blushed. Hitting him playfully on the arm. "What was that for?" he asked. Knowing full well what it was for. Note to self, he thought. Buy some new locks. Ali was two seconds away from catching them in the shower together this morning.
He laughed. Remembering what Mama had told him about Jake and Ali. He needed to have a talk with Hank. Where else was Jake getting this stuff? His buddy had quite a kid. Jake was something else alright.
"What's so funny?" "I was just thinking about what Mama told us the other day. About Jake. And Ali's Christmas wish." She joined him in laughter. "Goodness knows what else that kid has told her, Luis. I love him to death. But I kind of sympathize with Hank and Gwen. Can you imagine him all grown up?"
"Just like Hank!" they said in unison. Laughing again. Things quieted down again. It was a comfortable silence. "Luis," she said. So softly he almost didn't hear her. "Yeah," he said. Cutting the car's engine and turning to face her.
"About Ali's Christmas wish..." she paused. Studying her nails. Refusing to meet his gaze. "Sheridan," he said. Raising her chin with a finger. "Look at me. What about Ali's Christmas wish?"
"Well...I don't know how you feel about it. But when Pilar told us what she said, all I could think was 'that's something I want too'. I want to have another baby, Luis. Your baby. Our baby. I missed so much with Ali," she said. Blue eyes staring into his dark ones.
"But you're making up for it now," he said. Wiping her tears away with his thumb. She smiled at him. Then took a shaky breath and continued. "That doesn't change the fact that I missed so many of her firsts. I wanted to be there for all them, Luis." "Shh," he whispered. Pulling her into his arms. Comforting her.
"I know it's not the same. I'm not trying to make it that way. But I want a second chance. I want to make Ali's wish come true. Because it's my wish, too. Luis. Luis? You're not saying anything," she said. Pulling back and staring into his eyes again. "Luis, tell me what you're thinking. Please."
He looked at her. His heart filled with more love than he thought possible at that moment for her. He kissed her then. Softly. Tenderly. His lips lingering on hers. "I can't wait to make your wishes come true. Each and every one of them," he said. Earning a brilliant smile from her. And a hug.
"Thank you, Luis. I love you so much." "If I knew I'd get this kind of reaction, I would have done this a long time ago," he joked. Brushing her hair away from her forehead. "Another baby," he said with a smile. "I can't wait to get started," he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "Shut up, Luis," she laughed. Getting out of the car. Walking away. The smile on his face just wouldn't go away. Not even thoughts of Alistair Crane could ruin his mood. He'd be there with her. Every step of the way. The old monster wasn't going to hurt her. Ever again.
Luis sighed heavily. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. They were on their way to see Sheridan's father. Alistair Crane. He glanced at Sheridan out of the corner of his eye and noticed her staring out the window.
"Hey," he said softly. Taking her hand in his. "You know we don't have to do this. Right?" He held his breath. Waiting for her answer. Praying she'd tell him to turn the car back around and head for home. And Ali.
"Luis," she said. "I'll be honest. This is the last thing I want to do. But it's what I have to do. Father's the only one, Luis. The only one who knows what happened to Julian's son. I have to know. Eve has to know."
"I still can't believe Eve Russell and your brother were lovers. And that they share a child together." She nodded her head. "I know. It is hard to believe. But I think Julian really did love her. He just didn't have the courage to stand up to Father."
"Like you did," he said with a smile. Her only response was a kiss to his cheek. "Have I told you lately how much I love you, Luis?" "Hmm. Let's see. I don't think so. You were kind of busy this morning," he grinned.
"Oh, you," she blushed. Hitting him playfully on the arm. "What was that for?" he asked. Knowing full well what it was for. Note to self, he thought. Buy some new locks. Ali was two seconds away from catching them in the shower together this morning.
He laughed. Remembering what Mama had told him about Jake and Ali. He needed to have a talk with Hank. Where else was Jake getting this stuff? His buddy had quite a kid. Jake was something else alright.
"What's so funny?" "I was just thinking about what Mama told us the other day. About Jake. And Ali's Christmas wish." She joined him in laughter. "Goodness knows what else that kid has told her, Luis. I love him to death. But I kind of sympathize with Hank and Gwen. Can you imagine him all grown up?"
"Just like Hank!" they said in unison. Laughing again. Things quieted down again. It was a comfortable silence. "Luis," she said. So softly he almost didn't hear her. "Yeah," he said. Cutting the car's engine and turning to face her.
"About Ali's Christmas wish..." she paused. Studying her nails. Refusing to meet his gaze. "Sheridan," he said. Raising her chin with a finger. "Look at me. What about Ali's Christmas wish?"
"Well...I don't know how you feel about it. But when Pilar told us what she said, all I could think was 'that's something I want too'. I want to have another baby, Luis. Your baby. Our baby. I missed so much with Ali," she said. Blue eyes staring into his dark ones.
"But you're making up for it now," he said. Wiping her tears away with his thumb. She smiled at him. Then took a shaky breath and continued. "That doesn't change the fact that I missed so many of her firsts. I wanted to be there for all them, Luis." "Shh," he whispered. Pulling her into his arms. Comforting her.
"I know it's not the same. I'm not trying to make it that way. But I want a second chance. I want to make Ali's wish come true. Because it's my wish, too. Luis. Luis? You're not saying anything," she said. Pulling back and staring into his eyes again. "Luis, tell me what you're thinking. Please."
He looked at her. His heart filled with more love than he thought possible at that moment for her. He kissed her then. Softly. Tenderly. His lips lingering on hers. "I can't wait to make your wishes come true. Each and every one of them," he said. Earning a brilliant smile from her. And a hug.
"Thank you, Luis. I love you so much." "If I knew I'd get this kind of reaction, I would have done this a long time ago," he joked. Brushing her hair away from her forehead. "Another baby," he said with a smile. "I can't wait to get started," he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "Shut up, Luis," she laughed. Getting out of the car. Walking away. The smile on his face just wouldn't go away. Not even thoughts of Alistair Crane could ruin his mood. He'd be there with her. Every step of the way. The old monster wasn't going to hurt her. Ever again.