song credits:
"I Try" – Macy Gray
Adulthood: Chapter 2
"Noah!!!!"
I yelled, rushing to hug my childhood friend. "I didn't… oh, my… What are
you doing here?"
Noah Bennett smiled and said,
"It's your eighteenth birthday, Resa. I wouldn't miss it for the
world."
Kay and Jessica came out soon
after me and smiled. "We just want to keep giving you surprises,
Theresa," Jessica said. "Although Charity doesn't know he's
here…" She trailed off as their cousin came outside. "Charity,"
Jessica said, "I want you to meet your cousin, our brother Noah."
Charity beamed. "So this is
Noah? I've heard so much about you. I'm so glad I could finally meet you."
"You
too, Charity," Noah said, as he gave her a hug. "Mom has told me a
lot about you." Noah and Charity got to know each other while everyone
else came out for the piñata. After a couple of times, Tony finally managed to
break it open. Everyone rushed for the candy and treats.
Later, Luis and Sheridan danced
the tango again (this time, it was a LOT better than the one they had danced at
Mama's party, because they were actually going out…), and Chad put on one more song for everyone to dance to. Ethan found me
and asked me to dance; I happily accepted.
Games, changes and fears:
When will they go from here?
When will they stop?
I believe that fate has brought us here,
and we should be together, babe, but we're not
I play it off but I'm dreaming of you
I keep my cool, but I'm feeling
I try to say goodbye and I choke
Try to walk away and I stumble
Though I try to hide it, it's clear:
My world crumbles when you are not near
I may appear to be free,
but I'm just a prisoner of your love
And I may seem all right, and smile when you leave
But my smiles are just a frown, just a frown
I play it off but I'm dreaming of you
I keep my cool, but I'm feeling
Here is my confession:
May I be your possession?
Boy, I need your touch,
love, kisses and such
With all my might I try,
but this I can't deny, deny…
It was wonderful. After the party wound down, and everyone was gone (Sheridan and Ethan were the last to go), Papa and Tony sat us down and told us everything.
"You remember that night long ago, don't you?" Papa said to us. Luis nodded, and so did I, though it was a very vague memory. "Well, Alistair Crane called me and told me to come over, he was going to speak to me about something. Anyway, I went over and found him yelling at Julian, telling him how stupid that was, using a letter opener to kill his own mother, and Sheridan was staring at the body under the sheet saying 'I didn't mean to do it!'" At that, Luis's eyes began to water. But he managed to listen well. "Then Alistair spotted me and told me not to tell anyone what I had just seen. I wanted to tell someone what I saw, so I called here, and Tony picked up the phone. I told him to tell Pilar, but being the adventurous one that he is, he left right away. He came to the mansion, and Alistair got furious and told us never to disobey the Cranes again. Then he locked us up in the basement, and told us to stay there. For two weeks we were there, but they gave us food and beds and everything. We were terrified beyond words, but at least we had each other. When they finally let us out, they told us that we had a different name, social security number, everything, and sent us off to New Mexico. We lived there for a while and then, Poe came to New Mexico with your aunt Maria. We bumped into each other and we had a family reunion." Everyone had tears in their eyes, Luis, Miguel, Mama, Tony, Papa, and me… how could Ethan's family do this to us?
"But
Papa," Luis said, "I went to New Mexico. With Sheridan." He smiled momentarily, then appeared to be in thought.
"We left there a few years
ago, Luis," Tony said, picking up where Papa had left off. "We came
closer and closer towards Harmony, and Poe followed us all the way. The three
of us have become very close." Tony smiled at Poe, who smiled back. "Anyway, we got here when we realized
it was your eighteenth birthday, Theresa, and we found all of you, all grown up
and beautiful." Papa smiled. So did Tony. "Wow… all my little
brothers and sisters are grown up now. It's a miracle."
"Wait a minute," Luis said. "You said Julian and Alistair blamed Sheridan for the death of her mother? Then… she didn't kill anyone after all!" He smiled so brightly, even the blind could see it. Poe and Miguel had blank faces that probably mirrored mine. "It's a long story, you guys. I'll explain later. Now…let me go call Sheridan." He went into the kitchen. I followed him, for no apparent reason. Luis picked up the phone and dialed. "Sheridan? I have the greatest news… Sher? You okay? You sound like you've been crying… What? What about him?… Oh, my gosh… You want to talk to her?" Luis looked at me. "Theresa, Sheridan wants to talk to you."
"It's
for me?" I asked. Luis nodded. Skeptical, I took the phone.
"Hello?"
"Theresa, hi, it's Sheridan."
Her voice was soft, and sad.
"Hey, Sheridan. What's
up?"
"It's Ethan."
"What about Ethan?"
"He… he was in a car crash,
Theresa."
"Oh, my God… no…" I
dropped the phone and nearly fainted. Luis rushed to pick up the phone and to
catch me. "Theresa? What is it?"
"Ethan…" I pointed to
the phone. "Ask… ask Sheridan…"
"Sheridan?"
Luis said into the phone. "Oh, my… I'll be right there, okay, hon? Just
hold on and I'll be there. Hang in there." He hung up and carried me,
barely conscious, to the living room, where he said that he had to go meet Sheridan at the
hospital because Ethan was in a car crash, and he took me, Mama, and Poe to the
hospital.
*At the hospital*
We rushed into the waiting room.
Sheridan was standing there, crying, and immediately Luis came over and
hugged her. Gwen, Richard, Marie and Jasmine were sitting in the chairs. I
walked over to Luis and Sheridan and saw Ethan lying in his bed. I gasped.
"Oh, Theresa… it's awful," Sheridan said,
clinging to Luis.
"Hey,
we're going to get him through this," Luis said comfortingly, hugging both
Sheridan and me. With his arms around us, the three of us watched Ethan, lying
helplessly, looking cadaverous in his bed. Then I realized that for some
strange reason, Mr. Crane wasn't there.
"Mrs. Crane,
Sheridan," Dr. Russell said, coming into the room.
Luis walked us over to Dr.
Russell while Mrs. Crane followed. "Eve? Is my son okay? He better
be…" She glared at her, but then remembered that Ethan was in a life or
death situation.
"He needs a blood
transfusion… from his father," Dr. Russell said.
"NO!" Mrs. Crane said,
quite loudly. Everyone became stunned. "Julian's blood will kill
Ethan," she said, quietly.
"And why is that?" Mr.
Bennett said, as he walked in.
"Because… you're his
father."