Chapter Seven:
Don't make me promises
Baby, you never did know how to keep them well
I've had the rest of you
Now I want the best of you
It's time for show and tell
Hours later, the doctor's prediction had come true. Alistair Crane had died. After everything had been taken care of, she had headed outside to her waiting limo to pick up her beautiful daughter.
"Hello, Sheridan!" Pilar greeted Sheridan as she opened the door. "You're certainly early today. Good news, I hope?"
Sheridan simply shook her head, knowing that words would fail her if she attempted to speak.
"Oh, Sheridan," Pilar consoled her. "That's terrible."
"Thank you, Pilar. Jack had to go to New York for business, and he won't be getting back until late tonight. Could I…?" Sheridan trailed off.
"Of course, Sheridan! We would love to have you with us today. You shouldn't be alone—not at a time like this."
"Thank you, Pilar. Thank you so much."
~*~*~*~
A few hours later, Sheridan was sitting at the dining room table in the Lopez-Fitzgerald home, surrounded by those she had always wished were her family. Miguel, Ethan, and Theresa were the brothers and sister she had always wished that she had had instead of Julian. Pilar was the only mother she had ever known. And Luis—well, Luis was the man that she had wanted to have a family with.
"Sheridan," Theresa began, "Bella is such a beautiful baby! She looks just like you—except for those brown eyes, that is."
"The eyes?" Sheridan asked softly. Deliberately avoiding Luis's identical eyes, she replied, "Bella gets those from her father."
"From Jack? Sheridan, doesn't he have green eyes?" Ethan questioned.
Sheridan should have known that Ethan would realize that. "Yes, Ethan, he does, but his sisters have darker complexions." Sheridan prayed that Luis wouldn't realize that Bella could be his. She was surprised that Pilar hadn't been the first to mention her eye color. Sheridan pasted on a huge smile, and hoped that she could survive the rest of dinner without giving anything away.
~*~*~*~
The next day, Sheridan, Bella, and Jack went to the offices of Alistair's attorney for the reading of the will. Sheridan almost didn't go, but Jack told her that she should be there in the unforeseen event that something was left to her.
Inside one of the rooms at the office building, Julian Crane anxiously awaited his sister's arrival. It wasn't so much that he wanted her presence there for reassurance or comfort or anything like that. He wanted her there since he knew that the attorney wouldn't begin until she had arrived. And the longer it took her to enter the room, the less time that he would have as the Chief Executive Officer of Crane Industries.
Julian glanced out into the hallway once again, searching for some sign of Sheridan. He heard Bella cry out and knew that she was on her way.
Great, Julian sighed inwardly. She brought along that spoiled brat. She'll probably interrupt the big announcement about my succession to the chair of Crane Industries.
~*~*~*~
Nervously, Sheridan stood just outside the room, trying to decide if there was anyway that she could duck out of Jack's arms and make a run for it.
"Come on, love," Jack said softly. "You'll have to face this sooner or later. Let's just get it over with, ok?"
Sheridan took a deep breath and looked at Jack. She saw the love for her shining brightly in his eyes, as she always did. "Ok, Jack. I think I'm ready." She took a cautious step forward, praying that she would be able to get through the reading of the will.
~*~*~*~
Michael Robertson heard the door close, and turned around. He breathed a sigh of relief. Ms. Crane had arrived. He knew that Mr. Crane wouldn't have waited much longer for his sister.
"Welcome, Ms. Crane. Now if we're all ready, I will begin."
"Yes, Michael, let's get started," Julian replied harshly.
Michael gulped but continued as if nothing had happened. "Your father has provided a written document, which must be kept on file, but he has also made a video that will describe his plans for his estate. I will play the tape now, and if either of you have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them afterwards."
Michael walked over to the TV and VCR and pressed play. Suddenly, Alistair Crane was larger than life on the screen before them.
"Hello, Julian and Sheridan. I know that if you two are watching this I must be dead. Therefore, this video shall be considered my last will and testament."
He paused and seemed to look directly at Sheridan. "We all know, I'm sure, that I have not announced who my heir is since the truth about Ethan's paternity came out. We also know that someone has assumed that were automatically restored to this position. After saying this, I will name Sheridan as my heir. Sheridan, you accepted what had to be done with Luis and carried it out quite perfectly. Also, you seem to have a real head for business—I didn't even have to tell you that you shouldn't change your name after your marriage. And the fact that you gave your daughter the Crane name speaks volumes."
Sheridan almost laughed. She couldn't believe that Father had thought that business was the reason she hadn't changed her name. She hadn't changed her name since she only wanted to be Sheridan Lopez-Fitzgerald—not Sheridan Mitchell. And as for Bella, well, she couldn't give her daughter the name of a man who wasn't even her father! After all the hell that she had watched Ethan go through, she knew that she could never do that to her own daughter.
"Sheridan, I bequeath the mansion, company, and my billions all to you. I am certain that you will be able to safely guard and protect all that we have built for ourselves."
"Now, Julian," Alistair continued, "I'm sure that you're wondering what I've left to you. I've left you a few refrigerator boxes that can provide you with insulation while you're living on the street. Julian, you are inadequate, incompetent, and no longer a member of this family. You are officially disinherited. After all of your screw-ups, you deserve nothing more."
"WHAT?!?" Julian exploded. "Sheridan is Father's heir?"
"That's correct, Mr. Crane. I'm sorry that you're disappointed."
"Sheridan, I don't know how you did this, but believe me—you'll pay!" Julian fumed before he stalked out of the room.
"Mr. Robertson, are you absolutely certain that Father named me as his heir? I mean, I don't have much business experience."
"Ms. Crane—"
"Please, call me Sheridan."
"Only if you call me Michael." Sheridan grinned and nodded slightly. "Sheridan, your father had the utmost respect for you and your intelligence. He often talked about how proud he was of you. And from what he had told me about your older brother, I believe that he made the right decision. You are a very intelligent and personable woman, Sheridan, and you shouldn't have much trouble with your employees. Your European connections will be very helpful as well. I have another appointment now, but please let me know if you have any further questions, Sheridan."
"Of course, Michael. Thank you, very much."
"The pleasure was mine, Sheridan," he told her as he walked out the door.
Sheridan glanced over at her husband, the new reality of her life just setting in. But Jack had his own business to run—in London. "How are we going to handle this? What are we going to do?"
"I can put Robert in charge of the London branch of the company, and move the headquarters here, to Harmony. I already have branches all over the world, and it would be easy enough to just add another in Harmony. Crane Industries needs your full attention right now," Jack stated in a no-nonsense tone.
"You're right. It does need my full attention—and that's something that I haven't even been able to give to you, Jack!" Sheridan lamented. "Oh, Jack, I've spent so much time remembering my time with Luis, that I have ignored you—and our marriage. But all that's going to change now. Luis is my past, and that's exactly where he belongs. From now on three things will occupy my mind—you, Bella, and Crane Industries."
Jack grinned. This was exactly what he'd been waiting to hear. "That's great, Sheridan. Sounds like an excellent plan."
