D/C: Need I repeat it?
Theresa's POV
"Ethan? What... what are you doing here? At... Lyn's..." I started.
He laughed, but only briefly, because he suddenly turned to a serious demeanor.
"I should've believed you when you told me. I caught Gwen with Hank Bennett, just like you said," he said.
"I don't think we should talk about this right here, though," I said, indicating behind him to Lyn, who was tucking the babies into a playpen.
"Go ahead, we'll see you tomorrow," she said, and we all said our goodbyes.
***********
Ethan explained it to me while we walked home from Lyn's apartment.
"I didn't want to believe it at first, but when I saw her there, with her arms around Hank, I knew it was true," he explained.
"Like I said, you can stay here as long as you want to, just so long as you're okay with entertaining yourself during the day while I'm in class," I told him, as we approached my building.
We went inside, where we made hot chocolate to relax with. When it was done, we sat down in the living room, myself on the couch, Ethan in the reclining chair.
"Ethan, I don't know if you realize this, but I'm kinda seeing someone right now. It isn't serious..." I started.
"Theresa, please. I know now that I can trust you, and I still have feelings for you that Gwen couldn't help me with. You came to me and told me what you knew and I didn't believe you. I know that I can trust you again, because you stood up and told me the truth, instead of me finding out later on when who knows how far this thing with Gwen would go," Ethan explained.
"Ethan, what you fail to realize is that you didn't trust me. Do you know how much it hurts to know that the person you love doesn't trust you and makes it clear? I admit I shouldv'e told you sooner, but I didn't want to break my mother's trust in me. That's the only reason I didn't tell you about your mother and Sam Bennett. I can equate to what you're feeling. I never had a member of my own family turn like that before, but this whole thing about you not trusting me was killing me inside," I spoke clearly, looking into his eyes.
"Theresa, please. I've done something to you and I don't deserve to ask you this, but, please. Will you give me another chance? I have to make it up to you, and I don't know how. Please?" he begged, dropping down to his knees before me.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Ethan, I came here to start over, to make a better life for Little Ethan. I can't go back on that. I'm trying to get my life back in order here, so that Little Ethan can grow up and have a normal childhood, away from the Crane name. In fact, I'm going to the courthouse on Monday to change his name to Lopez-Fitgerald. If it comes to it, I'd rather he was seen as just mine," I tried to stay with my feelings on the matter.
"But what about 'Winthrop'? We can get married whenever you want to, and I'll adopt him. It'll be easier that way," he begged.
"I don't know if I can. You were so quick to leave me when you thought you couldn't trust me, when the fact of the matter was that you couldn't trust Gwen. I don't want to go through that again. Plus, it seems that I'm your last resort. You have a reputation to uphold, and that reputation is a woman at your side," I shot back.
We sat in silence for awhile, both thinking about the misdeeds we had done, whether it was keeping the marriage with Julian, or not trusting the only one with true love for you.
"Ethan, I need some real time to think. You can stay here if you like, but you have to let me live my life and abide by my choice, okay?" I asked.
"I could live with that," he thought outloud.
"That means staying out of my business, whether it's a private conversation, or going out with Alex, okay?" I asked.
"Fine," he said, after heasitating briefly.
***********
Lyn's POV
I was just about to put Mattie and Little Ethan to bed, when I got another unexpected guest, or in this case, two unexpected guests.
"Alex! What are you doing here?" I asked, confused.
"Can you watch Xander tonight? Mom's got a cold, and I wanted to stop by to see Theresa again," he requested.
"Sure, but..." I was interrupted.
"Thanks Little Sis, I owe ya' one!" he handed me Xander, before he fled to the elevator, his backpack swinging by the one strap he had around his shoulder.
"He never listens," I muttered to myself, shutting and locking the door behind me.
**********
Alex's POV
"Thanks Frank," I said, as I handed the elderly florist the money for the bouquet of white roses I had just purchased from him.
I ran up to Theresa's third-story apartment and knocked on the door.
Theresa answered it, with a flushed look on her face.
"Alex, this isn't really the time," she said, moving aside so that I could see Ethan.
Theresa's POV
"Ethan? What... what are you doing here? At... Lyn's..." I started.
He laughed, but only briefly, because he suddenly turned to a serious demeanor.
"I should've believed you when you told me. I caught Gwen with Hank Bennett, just like you said," he said.
"I don't think we should talk about this right here, though," I said, indicating behind him to Lyn, who was tucking the babies into a playpen.
"Go ahead, we'll see you tomorrow," she said, and we all said our goodbyes.
***********
Ethan explained it to me while we walked home from Lyn's apartment.
"I didn't want to believe it at first, but when I saw her there, with her arms around Hank, I knew it was true," he explained.
"Like I said, you can stay here as long as you want to, just so long as you're okay with entertaining yourself during the day while I'm in class," I told him, as we approached my building.
We went inside, where we made hot chocolate to relax with. When it was done, we sat down in the living room, myself on the couch, Ethan in the reclining chair.
"Ethan, I don't know if you realize this, but I'm kinda seeing someone right now. It isn't serious..." I started.
"Theresa, please. I know now that I can trust you, and I still have feelings for you that Gwen couldn't help me with. You came to me and told me what you knew and I didn't believe you. I know that I can trust you again, because you stood up and told me the truth, instead of me finding out later on when who knows how far this thing with Gwen would go," Ethan explained.
"Ethan, what you fail to realize is that you didn't trust me. Do you know how much it hurts to know that the person you love doesn't trust you and makes it clear? I admit I shouldv'e told you sooner, but I didn't want to break my mother's trust in me. That's the only reason I didn't tell you about your mother and Sam Bennett. I can equate to what you're feeling. I never had a member of my own family turn like that before, but this whole thing about you not trusting me was killing me inside," I spoke clearly, looking into his eyes.
"Theresa, please. I've done something to you and I don't deserve to ask you this, but, please. Will you give me another chance? I have to make it up to you, and I don't know how. Please?" he begged, dropping down to his knees before me.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Ethan, I came here to start over, to make a better life for Little Ethan. I can't go back on that. I'm trying to get my life back in order here, so that Little Ethan can grow up and have a normal childhood, away from the Crane name. In fact, I'm going to the courthouse on Monday to change his name to Lopez-Fitgerald. If it comes to it, I'd rather he was seen as just mine," I tried to stay with my feelings on the matter.
"But what about 'Winthrop'? We can get married whenever you want to, and I'll adopt him. It'll be easier that way," he begged.
"I don't know if I can. You were so quick to leave me when you thought you couldn't trust me, when the fact of the matter was that you couldn't trust Gwen. I don't want to go through that again. Plus, it seems that I'm your last resort. You have a reputation to uphold, and that reputation is a woman at your side," I shot back.
We sat in silence for awhile, both thinking about the misdeeds we had done, whether it was keeping the marriage with Julian, or not trusting the only one with true love for you.
"Ethan, I need some real time to think. You can stay here if you like, but you have to let me live my life and abide by my choice, okay?" I asked.
"I could live with that," he thought outloud.
"That means staying out of my business, whether it's a private conversation, or going out with Alex, okay?" I asked.
"Fine," he said, after heasitating briefly.
***********
Lyn's POV
I was just about to put Mattie and Little Ethan to bed, when I got another unexpected guest, or in this case, two unexpected guests.
"Alex! What are you doing here?" I asked, confused.
"Can you watch Xander tonight? Mom's got a cold, and I wanted to stop by to see Theresa again," he requested.
"Sure, but..." I was interrupted.
"Thanks Little Sis, I owe ya' one!" he handed me Xander, before he fled to the elevator, his backpack swinging by the one strap he had around his shoulder.
"He never listens," I muttered to myself, shutting and locking the door behind me.
**********
Alex's POV
"Thanks Frank," I said, as I handed the elderly florist the money for the bouquet of white roses I had just purchased from him.
I ran up to Theresa's third-story apartment and knocked on the door.
Theresa answered it, with a flushed look on her face.
"Alex, this isn't really the time," she said, moving aside so that I could see Ethan.