Chapter 65
She laid her pen down and clutched the book to her chest. This was goodbye. The last day they would walk through this house's doors and call it home. It was a big change. But one she welcomed. "Sheridan!" she heard Luis yell. "It's time to go." She took one last look around. Closing her eyes and remembering all that had happened within these walls. She could still hear Ali's sweet voice. Her excitement as she tugged her to her room. Her first night back. And Luis. Standing outside this door. Giving her a kiss to remember. To replace all her misplaced memories. Misplaced. Not lost. Because her life with Ali and Luis…it was unforgettable.
Luis's brown eyes lit up when he saw her. He slipped an arm around her back. Pulling her close, and kissing the top of her golden head. "It's not goodbye forever," he whispered. "We'll make brand-new memories in the new house. You'll see. And if you ever miss this old place," he joked, "you can always come and visit Gwen and Hank." She laughed against his chest. Smiling at him with sparkling blue eyes. "Shh," Luis said. Putting a finger to her lips. "Listen. I think I hear…yeah, I did. She's groaning. Begging us to stay. Baby…our house is afraid of the Bennett boys."
She shoved him playfully. Leaving him there and walking to there car where Ali waited. Singing sweetly to herself while she stroked Miss Priss's soft white fur. "Are you ready, sweetie? Sure you got everything?" "Yes, Mommy," she said solemnly. Looking one last time at the house she'd spent her whole life in before Luis started the car, and they drove away. To their future.
Sheridan sighed and leaned back in her seat. She opened her eyes again when she felt Luis thread his fingers through her own. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked. She raised their hands to her lips and placed a gentle kiss to his. "I'm fine," she said. Smiling at him reassuringly. "Just thinking," she said softly. "About Chad?" he said. Squeezing her hand tightly. And returning his eyes to the road. "He took the news pretty hard, Luis."
Luis glanced back at her. Hoping the love shining in his eyes softened the blow of his next words somewhat. "Can you blame him? Your father—and your brother, to a lesser extent—were despicable men. He's just being a little cautious. That's all. He'll come around," he said. "You have to remember he's had a lot to deal with in the past few months. Give him some time. Chad's a good guy. He recognizes you're not like the rest of your family."
From the back seat, they heard Ali squeal excitedly, "Mommy! Daddy! We're here!" Luis grinned at her enthusiasm. Proud of her for keeping their little secret. Sheridan really had no clue what waited for her beyond the doors of their new home. "Ali! Ali! Slow down, sweetie!" Sheridan called as their daughter took off running. Disappearing through the front door. "Oh, Miss Priss," Sheridan sighed. Picking the purring bundle up in her arms. "She left you behind like an old shoe." "Sheridan," Luis said. "Don't worry about the cat," he laughed. Taking her by the arm and leading her up the walkway. "Well, somebody has to," she pouted. Looking just like her daughter. "We're both neglected in all this excitement."
"Neglected? Neglected?" he scoffed. Pulling her firmly against him. Snaking his arms around her waist. "I'll show you neglected," he whispered. Lowering his mouth to hers. And kissing her 'til she was afraid she had no more air left in her lungs. They broke apart. Laughing at Miss Priss's protesting meow. She rubbed his lips with her thumb to remove the traces of her lipstick. Then placed the cat on her feet, and opened the door. Tears coming to her eyes at the sight before her.
Her mouth hung open in surprise as she took in the decorations. The family. The friends all gathered in the room. Smiles on their faces at her emotional reaction. Ali's adorable grin the most noticeable of all. "You little sneak," she scolded affectionately. Kneeling in front of her and tickling her sides. Making her giggle helplessly. "You and Daddy," she said. Casting a loving glance Luis's way," knew all along."
"You don't know how hard it was, Mommy," Ali giggled. "I wanted to tell you, but Daddy wouldn't let me." "You should be proud of her, Mija," Pilar said with a smile as she Sheridan rose to her feet and hugged her. "She's known for a whole week and didn't tell," Martin laughed. Ruffling Ali's long blond hair affectionately. Then lifting her up into his arms. "And you," she said. Looking at Hank and Jake wearing identical mischievous grins. "How did you two ever keep this quiet?" "Easy," Jake said. "Mom threatened Dad if either of us squealed." "Oh, she did, did she?" Sheridan said in amusement. "Uh huh," Jake nodded. "She told Dad no..." Kay laughed hysterically as Gwen clamped her hand over her cousin's mouth. She'd already heard it all. And Jake delighted in telling the story.
Luis watched his wife with MJ, and he couldn't help his excitement. Just a few more months. They had a lot to look forward to, and he couldn't wait. Miguel came up beside him. Grinning at the look on his brother's face. "So...do you guys know yet? Boy or girl?" "Sheridan's making me wait, Bro. She wants it to be a surprise." "What happened? I thought she wanted to know just as much as you." "She did," Luis laughed. "But you see...we have a little bet going on..." Miguel slapped his brother on the back. Dying laughing at the predicament he had gotten himself into. "You are so whipped, Luis. Don't even try to deny it. And you know what the funniest thing is? I don't think you mind. Not at all."
Luis's eyes connected with Sheridan's across the room at that moment. And he saw the happiness in them. Happiness he'd do anything to keep there. Happiness that grew tenfold with the new arrival. He watched aunt and nephew embrace, and he knew it was all falling into place. "You know what, Bro?" he said. Arm around Miguel's broad shoulders. "Maybe I am. Being whipped isn't such a bad thing. You should know. Kay's got you wrapped around her little finger. And don't you even try to deny it. You know it's true," he called back over his shoulder as he crossed the room. Meeting his wife halfway. He wouldn't change a thing.
She laid her pen down and clutched the book to her chest. This was goodbye. The last day they would walk through this house's doors and call it home. It was a big change. But one she welcomed. "Sheridan!" she heard Luis yell. "It's time to go." She took one last look around. Closing her eyes and remembering all that had happened within these walls. She could still hear Ali's sweet voice. Her excitement as she tugged her to her room. Her first night back. And Luis. Standing outside this door. Giving her a kiss to remember. To replace all her misplaced memories. Misplaced. Not lost. Because her life with Ali and Luis…it was unforgettable.
Luis's brown eyes lit up when he saw her. He slipped an arm around her back. Pulling her close, and kissing the top of her golden head. "It's not goodbye forever," he whispered. "We'll make brand-new memories in the new house. You'll see. And if you ever miss this old place," he joked, "you can always come and visit Gwen and Hank." She laughed against his chest. Smiling at him with sparkling blue eyes. "Shh," Luis said. Putting a finger to her lips. "Listen. I think I hear…yeah, I did. She's groaning. Begging us to stay. Baby…our house is afraid of the Bennett boys."
She shoved him playfully. Leaving him there and walking to there car where Ali waited. Singing sweetly to herself while she stroked Miss Priss's soft white fur. "Are you ready, sweetie? Sure you got everything?" "Yes, Mommy," she said solemnly. Looking one last time at the house she'd spent her whole life in before Luis started the car, and they drove away. To their future.
Sheridan sighed and leaned back in her seat. She opened her eyes again when she felt Luis thread his fingers through her own. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked. She raised their hands to her lips and placed a gentle kiss to his. "I'm fine," she said. Smiling at him reassuringly. "Just thinking," she said softly. "About Chad?" he said. Squeezing her hand tightly. And returning his eyes to the road. "He took the news pretty hard, Luis."
Luis glanced back at her. Hoping the love shining in his eyes softened the blow of his next words somewhat. "Can you blame him? Your father—and your brother, to a lesser extent—were despicable men. He's just being a little cautious. That's all. He'll come around," he said. "You have to remember he's had a lot to deal with in the past few months. Give him some time. Chad's a good guy. He recognizes you're not like the rest of your family."
From the back seat, they heard Ali squeal excitedly, "Mommy! Daddy! We're here!" Luis grinned at her enthusiasm. Proud of her for keeping their little secret. Sheridan really had no clue what waited for her beyond the doors of their new home. "Ali! Ali! Slow down, sweetie!" Sheridan called as their daughter took off running. Disappearing through the front door. "Oh, Miss Priss," Sheridan sighed. Picking the purring bundle up in her arms. "She left you behind like an old shoe." "Sheridan," Luis said. "Don't worry about the cat," he laughed. Taking her by the arm and leading her up the walkway. "Well, somebody has to," she pouted. Looking just like her daughter. "We're both neglected in all this excitement."
"Neglected? Neglected?" he scoffed. Pulling her firmly against him. Snaking his arms around her waist. "I'll show you neglected," he whispered. Lowering his mouth to hers. And kissing her 'til she was afraid she had no more air left in her lungs. They broke apart. Laughing at Miss Priss's protesting meow. She rubbed his lips with her thumb to remove the traces of her lipstick. Then placed the cat on her feet, and opened the door. Tears coming to her eyes at the sight before her.
Her mouth hung open in surprise as she took in the decorations. The family. The friends all gathered in the room. Smiles on their faces at her emotional reaction. Ali's adorable grin the most noticeable of all. "You little sneak," she scolded affectionately. Kneeling in front of her and tickling her sides. Making her giggle helplessly. "You and Daddy," she said. Casting a loving glance Luis's way," knew all along."
"You don't know how hard it was, Mommy," Ali giggled. "I wanted to tell you, but Daddy wouldn't let me." "You should be proud of her, Mija," Pilar said with a smile as she Sheridan rose to her feet and hugged her. "She's known for a whole week and didn't tell," Martin laughed. Ruffling Ali's long blond hair affectionately. Then lifting her up into his arms. "And you," she said. Looking at Hank and Jake wearing identical mischievous grins. "How did you two ever keep this quiet?" "Easy," Jake said. "Mom threatened Dad if either of us squealed." "Oh, she did, did she?" Sheridan said in amusement. "Uh huh," Jake nodded. "She told Dad no..." Kay laughed hysterically as Gwen clamped her hand over her cousin's mouth. She'd already heard it all. And Jake delighted in telling the story.
Luis watched his wife with MJ, and he couldn't help his excitement. Just a few more months. They had a lot to look forward to, and he couldn't wait. Miguel came up beside him. Grinning at the look on his brother's face. "So...do you guys know yet? Boy or girl?" "Sheridan's making me wait, Bro. She wants it to be a surprise." "What happened? I thought she wanted to know just as much as you." "She did," Luis laughed. "But you see...we have a little bet going on..." Miguel slapped his brother on the back. Dying laughing at the predicament he had gotten himself into. "You are so whipped, Luis. Don't even try to deny it. And you know what the funniest thing is? I don't think you mind. Not at all."
Luis's eyes connected with Sheridan's across the room at that moment. And he saw the happiness in them. Happiness he'd do anything to keep there. Happiness that grew tenfold with the new arrival. He watched aunt and nephew embrace, and he knew it was all falling into place. "You know what, Bro?" he said. Arm around Miguel's broad shoulders. "Maybe I am. Being whipped isn't such a bad thing. You should know. Kay's got you wrapped around her little finger. And don't you even try to deny it. You know it's true," he called back over his shoulder as he crossed the room. Meeting his wife halfway. He wouldn't change a thing.