Chapter 64
Calm down, Sheridan, she told herself. You've done this before. It's no big deal. Just follow the instructions and wait so many minutes. Piece of cake, she told her reflection in the mirror. But what if you're not pregnant? What then? What are you going to tell Luis? He'll be so disappointed.
Well, if Hank hadn't proven Gwen wrong, you wouldn't have to worry about that little problem. Luis wouldn't be waiting on pins and needles outside with your friends and the children at this moment. Ready to call the entire family with the good news. As nervous as she was, she had to smile at that thought. Luis was already about to burst, and they didn't even know if she was pregnant.
She shut the bathroom door behind her. And ran right into Luis. "Luis!" she exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you were outside with Gwen and Hank and the kids. What are you doing in here?" He grabbed her gently by the upper arms and stared into her eyes. His own dark eyes shining with anticipation. "I couldn't wait. Do you know yet? Are we going to have another baby?"
She smiled at his enthusiasm and raised her hand up to cup his cheek. "Not yet," she answered softly. "Luis. I don't want you to be disappointed if I'm not pregnant. We can keep trying." He laughed and kissed her palm. Leaning down to give her lips the same treatment. "I certainly have no problem with THAT. Baby or no baby," he grinned.
She swatted him him affectionately on the rear as she passed. "Hey, where do you think you're going? Aren't you going to…" "Luis," she shot back over her shoulder. "It's not like it's going to get up and walk away," she teased. "Come on. Standing there staring at it is not going to make the time pass more quickly. We have guests outside. We shouldn't totally ignore them. I'll check back later." "But Sheridan…" he whined.
"No buts," she said firmly. "Besides...I just heard the doorbell. Why don't you go see who it is while I go check on everyone outside?" she asked. Smiling back at him. Blue eyes twinkling. She laughed. Hearing him mutter under his breath. 'Damn. Those eyes again.' "You are too good for your own good, you know that Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald?" he said as he caught up with her and gave her a sound kiss on the lips before going to answer the door. "Too good," he laughed.
"Why thank you," she called out. Before going outside. She had to laugh at the looks on Gwen's and Hank's faces. "Not yet," she smiled. "And you," she said. Pointing at Hank. "I should be thinking up appropriate punishments for you, you traitor." Hank just grinned at her and threw up his hands. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't keep it to myself. And such good news. You and Luis deserve it," he said. Hugging her. "Luis. Buddy. What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost," he called. Releasing her and studying his friend.
Luis ignored him. Walking up to Sheridan and taking her by the hand. Leading her back inside. "Luis? Luis, what's wrong?" she asked. Voice rising with worry. "Is it your mother? Martin? Oh my god, it's Theresa. Or the baby. Is everything okay with MJ? Luis? Luis, please answer me," she pleaded. Growing frantic. "Shh," he said. Pulling her into his arms and squeezing her tight. "It's not them. They're all okay."
"But who is it?" she asked. Blue eyes searching his for answers. "Sheridan," he said. Taking a deep, steadying breath. "It's your father, Baby," he said. Running his fingers through her hair. "He's dead." He watched her concerned as her face lost all color, and she swayed on her feet. He caught her before she fell and eased her down onto the sofa. "It okay," he soothed. Running a calming hand up and down her back. "Cry if you need to. If you want to. He was your father. It's only natural to be upset."
She turned stricken blue eyes on him. And in a trembling voice said, "I'm numb, Luis. After all that he has done to me in my life, I have no tears. No more tears for him. Only tears of relief. Does that make me an awful person?" she asked. Tears shimmering in her eyes. Waiting to spill over. "No," he rushed to assure her. "You're a beautiful person, Sheridan. Inside and out. Don't cry because you feel guilty at not being able to cry over the loss of your father. Alistair Crane does not deserve your tears. He doesn't deserve anyone's tears."
"Sheridan? Luis? Is everything okay?" Gwen called. Walking into the living room. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to intrude. It's just Ali's getting a little worried out there, and Hank's tried everything he can think of to calm her." "Damn," Luis swore. Running a hand over his face. Ali was too sensitive and observant for her own good. Always picking up on her parents' feelings and moods. "Gwen. You stay here with Sheridan. I'll go outside and take Ali off of Hank's hands. Are you going to be okay?" he asked. Wiping the tears from Sheridan's cheek with the pad of his thumb. He kissed her forehead when she nodded 'yes'. And thanked Gwen on his way out.
Gwen sat down beside Sheridan. Placing a hand over Sheridan's own. Stilling her movements. "He's dead, Gwen. My father's dead. Can you believe it? I feel so terrible for feeling this way, but the only thing I can think is 'I'm finally free'. He can't interfere in my life anymore. He can't get to Ali. Or anyone I love ever again," she said. Squeezing Gwen's hand and rising to her feet. Going to look outside once more. At her family. The only close family she had left. "He ruined so many lives. And now...now Julian's son will never be found. Ever," she added softly. Spinning around at the sound of Gwen's voice.
"I don't know about that," she said in a shocked voice. Getting up and crossing the room to where Sheridan stood. "Sheridan," she began. Holding out some papers. Some important-looking documents she'd ignored earlier. Documents Luis had left for her. From her father's personal secretary. "I think you may have found what you've been looking for, after all," she said. Handing the papers over to her. Studying her face for a reaction as she read the name scrawled at the bottom. The name of Julian and Eve's son. She gasped in surprise, and the papers fluttered to the ground. Written boldly across the page was a name she recognized easily. A name she was familiar with: Chad Harris.
Calm down, Sheridan, she told herself. You've done this before. It's no big deal. Just follow the instructions and wait so many minutes. Piece of cake, she told her reflection in the mirror. But what if you're not pregnant? What then? What are you going to tell Luis? He'll be so disappointed.
Well, if Hank hadn't proven Gwen wrong, you wouldn't have to worry about that little problem. Luis wouldn't be waiting on pins and needles outside with your friends and the children at this moment. Ready to call the entire family with the good news. As nervous as she was, she had to smile at that thought. Luis was already about to burst, and they didn't even know if she was pregnant.
She shut the bathroom door behind her. And ran right into Luis. "Luis!" she exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you were outside with Gwen and Hank and the kids. What are you doing in here?" He grabbed her gently by the upper arms and stared into her eyes. His own dark eyes shining with anticipation. "I couldn't wait. Do you know yet? Are we going to have another baby?"
She smiled at his enthusiasm and raised her hand up to cup his cheek. "Not yet," she answered softly. "Luis. I don't want you to be disappointed if I'm not pregnant. We can keep trying." He laughed and kissed her palm. Leaning down to give her lips the same treatment. "I certainly have no problem with THAT. Baby or no baby," he grinned.
She swatted him him affectionately on the rear as she passed. "Hey, where do you think you're going? Aren't you going to…" "Luis," she shot back over her shoulder. "It's not like it's going to get up and walk away," she teased. "Come on. Standing there staring at it is not going to make the time pass more quickly. We have guests outside. We shouldn't totally ignore them. I'll check back later." "But Sheridan…" he whined.
"No buts," she said firmly. "Besides...I just heard the doorbell. Why don't you go see who it is while I go check on everyone outside?" she asked. Smiling back at him. Blue eyes twinkling. She laughed. Hearing him mutter under his breath. 'Damn. Those eyes again.' "You are too good for your own good, you know that Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald?" he said as he caught up with her and gave her a sound kiss on the lips before going to answer the door. "Too good," he laughed.
"Why thank you," she called out. Before going outside. She had to laugh at the looks on Gwen's and Hank's faces. "Not yet," she smiled. "And you," she said. Pointing at Hank. "I should be thinking up appropriate punishments for you, you traitor." Hank just grinned at her and threw up his hands. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't keep it to myself. And such good news. You and Luis deserve it," he said. Hugging her. "Luis. Buddy. What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost," he called. Releasing her and studying his friend.
Luis ignored him. Walking up to Sheridan and taking her by the hand. Leading her back inside. "Luis? Luis, what's wrong?" she asked. Voice rising with worry. "Is it your mother? Martin? Oh my god, it's Theresa. Or the baby. Is everything okay with MJ? Luis? Luis, please answer me," she pleaded. Growing frantic. "Shh," he said. Pulling her into his arms and squeezing her tight. "It's not them. They're all okay."
"But who is it?" she asked. Blue eyes searching his for answers. "Sheridan," he said. Taking a deep, steadying breath. "It's your father, Baby," he said. Running his fingers through her hair. "He's dead." He watched her concerned as her face lost all color, and she swayed on her feet. He caught her before she fell and eased her down onto the sofa. "It okay," he soothed. Running a calming hand up and down her back. "Cry if you need to. If you want to. He was your father. It's only natural to be upset."
She turned stricken blue eyes on him. And in a trembling voice said, "I'm numb, Luis. After all that he has done to me in my life, I have no tears. No more tears for him. Only tears of relief. Does that make me an awful person?" she asked. Tears shimmering in her eyes. Waiting to spill over. "No," he rushed to assure her. "You're a beautiful person, Sheridan. Inside and out. Don't cry because you feel guilty at not being able to cry over the loss of your father. Alistair Crane does not deserve your tears. He doesn't deserve anyone's tears."
"Sheridan? Luis? Is everything okay?" Gwen called. Walking into the living room. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to intrude. It's just Ali's getting a little worried out there, and Hank's tried everything he can think of to calm her." "Damn," Luis swore. Running a hand over his face. Ali was too sensitive and observant for her own good. Always picking up on her parents' feelings and moods. "Gwen. You stay here with Sheridan. I'll go outside and take Ali off of Hank's hands. Are you going to be okay?" he asked. Wiping the tears from Sheridan's cheek with the pad of his thumb. He kissed her forehead when she nodded 'yes'. And thanked Gwen on his way out.
Gwen sat down beside Sheridan. Placing a hand over Sheridan's own. Stilling her movements. "He's dead, Gwen. My father's dead. Can you believe it? I feel so terrible for feeling this way, but the only thing I can think is 'I'm finally free'. He can't interfere in my life anymore. He can't get to Ali. Or anyone I love ever again," she said. Squeezing Gwen's hand and rising to her feet. Going to look outside once more. At her family. The only close family she had left. "He ruined so many lives. And now...now Julian's son will never be found. Ever," she added softly. Spinning around at the sound of Gwen's voice.
"I don't know about that," she said in a shocked voice. Getting up and crossing the room to where Sheridan stood. "Sheridan," she began. Holding out some papers. Some important-looking documents she'd ignored earlier. Documents Luis had left for her. From her father's personal secretary. "I think you may have found what you've been looking for, after all," she said. Handing the papers over to her. Studying her face for a reaction as she read the name scrawled at the bottom. The name of Julian and Eve's son. She gasped in surprise, and the papers fluttered to the ground. Written boldly across the page was a name she recognized easily. A name she was familiar with: Chad Harris.