Chapter 21
"Ivy! Ivy! Wait!"
Ivy ignored him.
Sam ran past countless nameless faces. Desperate to catch up with her. Apologize. "Ivy! Please!"
The diamond engagement ring glinted on her finger as she rested her hand atop the pier's handrail.
"Ivy," Sam said breathlessly. "It's not.I had NO idea she was going to do that."
"Kiss you? Sam," Ivy laughed bitterly. "She's your wife. She has NO memory of the last several years. All this time away.it means nothing to her. Of course she would want to pick up where you left off. Don't tell me you."
Sam grasped Ivy's arm. "I didn't," he insisted. "Believe me."
Ivy's eyes searched his.
And found nothing but truth.
"I believe you," she whispered.
Sam crushed her in his arms. So relieved. "Thank you."
Ivy closed her eyes and breathed in. Filling her lungs with his scent. "I love you, Sam."
"I love you, too," he smiled. Cupping her face in the palms of his hands. "Ivy.look at me. What's wrong?"
The expression on her face.
Stupid question, Sam.
"Everything's wrong, Sam. Can't you see? Grace is ALIVE. Alive, Sam. That means."
"You can't marry me," Sam sighed in resignation.
"I can't marry you," Ivy repeated.
She could feel the cracks in her heart splitting wide.
"Ivy.don't," Sam shook his head. His blue eyes troubled as she pulled at the ring on her finger.
"It's.it's stuck," Ivy faltered. Tears pooling in her eyes. "It won't come off."
Maybe it's a sign, Sam couldn't help thinking. "No, Ivy. Don't. It's yours. I gave it to you. I don't want it back."
Ivy stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek and smiled at him sadly. "Grace wears your ring, Sam. Not me. Never me."
Sam's fingers closed around the cool metal.
Her warmth already gone.
"Ivy."
Ivy raised a hand in goodbye.
She was leaving him all over again.
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"Bennett! I'm going to get you for this," Gwen hissed.
Hank winced when she kicked his shin under the table.
"Uncle Hank.are you okay?" Jessica asked in a concerned voice.
Noah snickered. Uncle Hank sure knew how to pick them.
Gwen speared a piece of lettuce with her fork. Intent on enjoying her meal if it was the last thing she did.
"Gwen.how is Ethan these days?"
Hank's mouth fell open. What the hell? "Grace."
"Mom," Jessica said gently. "Gwen and Ethan aren't together anymore. Remember?"
The pain in Gwen's blue eyes shone brightly.
"Oh! Gwen.please forgive me. So careless of me," Grace apologized.
ay's dark eyes studied her mother's face. Her eyes.
Something.something .was different.
"It's okay. Really.it's been years. Ethan's just a distant memory."
Jessica kept a watchful eye on the Lobster Shack's front entrance for her father.
Noah smirked and crossed his arms. Now who's lying?
"Interesting," Grace said. Sipping from her glass of water. The ice clinking against the sides as she set it
back down. "I don't believe you."
"Mom!" Jessica said in disbelief.
Gwen's chair scraped against the floor.
Hank glared at Grace and threw his napkin down.
Noah shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Um.I need to make a phone call."
"That's okay, Noah," Jessica smiled tightly. "Mom.I think it's time we went home. Kay?" Jessica questioned as she stood.
"I'll be right there," Kay answered.
"Mom?"
Grace hugged Jessica tight. "Me, too. I'm going to go apologize."
Her sister disappeared from sight, and Kay fixed her level gaze on the woman in front of her. With the frightening smile on her lips. "Who are you?"
Grace's laughter sent a chill up her spine.
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The old swingset creaked on its hinges.
The ocean breeze was cool.refreshing.against his skin. A reminder of life. All that lay ahead. Though it seemed very far away now.
Her golden hair fluttered underneath his chin.
The sound of her soft breathing lulled him into a false sense of comfort.
Danielle's melancholy blue eyes watched them both.
He sighed heavily. He didn't know when or how things were going to get better. If ever.
"Mijo.isn't that your sister's car?"
"Matthew," Danielle whispered. Just the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
The car door slammed.
He was achingly aware of every move she made. Every breath she took. "Sheridan?"
"Matthew! Wait!" Theresa cried. Chasing her son up the steps.
"Aunt Sheridan," Matthew smiled in that toothless smile of his. "These are for you," he said proudly. Presenting a colorful, fragrant bouquet of wild flowers.
"Thank you," Sheridan breathed. "These are the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen."
Matthew grinned from ear to ear. "Told you, Mommy."
Theresa's brown eyes sparkled as she settled her hands on her son's shoulders.
For an instant.Sheridan had a flash of what might have been. Andrew would be almost 6 now. She liked to think he and Matthew would have been best friends.
"What a lovely family moment. Am I interrupting?"
Danielle's dark head whipped around at the sound of her cousin's voice.
Luis's brown eyes grew even darker. Glittering with something Danielle couldn't name.
Or maybe she just didn't want to name it.
"Adam," Sheridan straightened up. "What brings you by?"
Adam could feel their eyes on him. Watching him with suspicion. Perhaps Pilar most of all. Grandfather had warned him about her.
Matthew gazed up at him with wide, innocent brown eyes.
"What brings you by, Crane?" Luis repeated. Raising himself to his full height.
Adam admired Theresa's slim figure with a touch of regret.
His brother's wife.
He blinked. And suddenly.They stood before him. A united front.
Danielle hugged her mother's waist, and Sheridan took strength from her love. Luis's love.
Surely she would need it.
Maybe Grandfather was mistaken, Adam thought for a fleeting instant. Aunt Sheridan was not the weakling he believed her to be. "Good. You're all here," he smiled.
"Crane," Luis ground out.
"Adam."
"I'm here to invite you all to a party."
"A party?" Matthew piped up with interest. "Mommy.can we go? Please? Me, you, and Daddy?"
Theresa clamped a hand over her son's mouth.
"A party? To celebrate what?" Sheridan asked in dread. Her face ashen.
"Mr. Adam.no," Pilar shook her head.
"Yes, Pilar. A party. To celebrate Father's homecoming, of course," Adam said coolly. "Aunt Sheridan? Will you come?"
"How's this for an answer?"
Adam didn't have time think before Luis's fist connected soundly with his jaw.
Blood oozed from his lip, and he rubbed his stiff jaw. "I'll take that as a definite 'no'. I'm really sorry you can't make it, Aunt Sheridan. Father and Grandfather will be so disappointed. Sorry, Chap. Maybe some other time," he said. Ruffling Matthew's dark hair. "Tell your dad I said 'hi'."
"Mommy? Who was that?" Matthew whispered.
"A bad man," Danielle answered him. Taking his smaller hand in hers and leading him inside. "A very bad man."
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Even in her dreams the images haunted her, Charity realized. Cradling Tessa's feverish little body close.
Miguel paced helplessly in the corner.
"What is it, Charity? What does she see? Visions?"
Charity shook her head. "I'm not sure."
"But she sees something. You can't deny that. Why did she say Papa's name the other day? She doesn't even know him. What he looks like. Charity? What is going on here? What's wrong with our daughter?"
Charity's cornflower blue eyes looked so much like Tessa's.
"No! Don't hurt him! Don't!" Tessa cried.
Her eyes moved rapidly behind her closed eyelids.
But Miguel knew.this was more than a nightmare.
This was frighteningly real.
To Tessa.
She was falling. Faster and faster.
The waves crashed against the rocks.
The gold chain sparkled against their surface before disappearing into the vast sea.
Tessa's torment was too much.
Charity brushed Tessa's damp hair from her forehead as she stared after him.
The roar of Miguel's motorcycle died down as the minutes passed.
"What are you trying to tell us?"
Faded blue eyes stared back into her very soul.
"The truth."
"Ivy! Ivy! Wait!"
Ivy ignored him.
Sam ran past countless nameless faces. Desperate to catch up with her. Apologize. "Ivy! Please!"
The diamond engagement ring glinted on her finger as she rested her hand atop the pier's handrail.
"Ivy," Sam said breathlessly. "It's not.I had NO idea she was going to do that."
"Kiss you? Sam," Ivy laughed bitterly. "She's your wife. She has NO memory of the last several years. All this time away.it means nothing to her. Of course she would want to pick up where you left off. Don't tell me you."
Sam grasped Ivy's arm. "I didn't," he insisted. "Believe me."
Ivy's eyes searched his.
And found nothing but truth.
"I believe you," she whispered.
Sam crushed her in his arms. So relieved. "Thank you."
Ivy closed her eyes and breathed in. Filling her lungs with his scent. "I love you, Sam."
"I love you, too," he smiled. Cupping her face in the palms of his hands. "Ivy.look at me. What's wrong?"
The expression on her face.
Stupid question, Sam.
"Everything's wrong, Sam. Can't you see? Grace is ALIVE. Alive, Sam. That means."
"You can't marry me," Sam sighed in resignation.
"I can't marry you," Ivy repeated.
She could feel the cracks in her heart splitting wide.
"Ivy.don't," Sam shook his head. His blue eyes troubled as she pulled at the ring on her finger.
"It's.it's stuck," Ivy faltered. Tears pooling in her eyes. "It won't come off."
Maybe it's a sign, Sam couldn't help thinking. "No, Ivy. Don't. It's yours. I gave it to you. I don't want it back."
Ivy stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek and smiled at him sadly. "Grace wears your ring, Sam. Not me. Never me."
Sam's fingers closed around the cool metal.
Her warmth already gone.
"Ivy."
Ivy raised a hand in goodbye.
She was leaving him all over again.
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"Bennett! I'm going to get you for this," Gwen hissed.
Hank winced when she kicked his shin under the table.
"Uncle Hank.are you okay?" Jessica asked in a concerned voice.
Noah snickered. Uncle Hank sure knew how to pick them.
Gwen speared a piece of lettuce with her fork. Intent on enjoying her meal if it was the last thing she did.
"Gwen.how is Ethan these days?"
Hank's mouth fell open. What the hell? "Grace."
"Mom," Jessica said gently. "Gwen and Ethan aren't together anymore. Remember?"
The pain in Gwen's blue eyes shone brightly.
"Oh! Gwen.please forgive me. So careless of me," Grace apologized.
ay's dark eyes studied her mother's face. Her eyes.
Something.something .was different.
"It's okay. Really.it's been years. Ethan's just a distant memory."
Jessica kept a watchful eye on the Lobster Shack's front entrance for her father.
Noah smirked and crossed his arms. Now who's lying?
"Interesting," Grace said. Sipping from her glass of water. The ice clinking against the sides as she set it
back down. "I don't believe you."
"Mom!" Jessica said in disbelief.
Gwen's chair scraped against the floor.
Hank glared at Grace and threw his napkin down.
Noah shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Um.I need to make a phone call."
"That's okay, Noah," Jessica smiled tightly. "Mom.I think it's time we went home. Kay?" Jessica questioned as she stood.
"I'll be right there," Kay answered.
"Mom?"
Grace hugged Jessica tight. "Me, too. I'm going to go apologize."
Her sister disappeared from sight, and Kay fixed her level gaze on the woman in front of her. With the frightening smile on her lips. "Who are you?"
Grace's laughter sent a chill up her spine.
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The old swingset creaked on its hinges.
The ocean breeze was cool.refreshing.against his skin. A reminder of life. All that lay ahead. Though it seemed very far away now.
Her golden hair fluttered underneath his chin.
The sound of her soft breathing lulled him into a false sense of comfort.
Danielle's melancholy blue eyes watched them both.
He sighed heavily. He didn't know when or how things were going to get better. If ever.
"Mijo.isn't that your sister's car?"
"Matthew," Danielle whispered. Just the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
The car door slammed.
He was achingly aware of every move she made. Every breath she took. "Sheridan?"
"Matthew! Wait!" Theresa cried. Chasing her son up the steps.
"Aunt Sheridan," Matthew smiled in that toothless smile of his. "These are for you," he said proudly. Presenting a colorful, fragrant bouquet of wild flowers.
"Thank you," Sheridan breathed. "These are the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen."
Matthew grinned from ear to ear. "Told you, Mommy."
Theresa's brown eyes sparkled as she settled her hands on her son's shoulders.
For an instant.Sheridan had a flash of what might have been. Andrew would be almost 6 now. She liked to think he and Matthew would have been best friends.
"What a lovely family moment. Am I interrupting?"
Danielle's dark head whipped around at the sound of her cousin's voice.
Luis's brown eyes grew even darker. Glittering with something Danielle couldn't name.
Or maybe she just didn't want to name it.
"Adam," Sheridan straightened up. "What brings you by?"
Adam could feel their eyes on him. Watching him with suspicion. Perhaps Pilar most of all. Grandfather had warned him about her.
Matthew gazed up at him with wide, innocent brown eyes.
"What brings you by, Crane?" Luis repeated. Raising himself to his full height.
Adam admired Theresa's slim figure with a touch of regret.
His brother's wife.
He blinked. And suddenly.They stood before him. A united front.
Danielle hugged her mother's waist, and Sheridan took strength from her love. Luis's love.
Surely she would need it.
Maybe Grandfather was mistaken, Adam thought for a fleeting instant. Aunt Sheridan was not the weakling he believed her to be. "Good. You're all here," he smiled.
"Crane," Luis ground out.
"Adam."
"I'm here to invite you all to a party."
"A party?" Matthew piped up with interest. "Mommy.can we go? Please? Me, you, and Daddy?"
Theresa clamped a hand over her son's mouth.
"A party? To celebrate what?" Sheridan asked in dread. Her face ashen.
"Mr. Adam.no," Pilar shook her head.
"Yes, Pilar. A party. To celebrate Father's homecoming, of course," Adam said coolly. "Aunt Sheridan? Will you come?"
"How's this for an answer?"
Adam didn't have time think before Luis's fist connected soundly with his jaw.
Blood oozed from his lip, and he rubbed his stiff jaw. "I'll take that as a definite 'no'. I'm really sorry you can't make it, Aunt Sheridan. Father and Grandfather will be so disappointed. Sorry, Chap. Maybe some other time," he said. Ruffling Matthew's dark hair. "Tell your dad I said 'hi'."
"Mommy? Who was that?" Matthew whispered.
"A bad man," Danielle answered him. Taking his smaller hand in hers and leading him inside. "A very bad man."
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Even in her dreams the images haunted her, Charity realized. Cradling Tessa's feverish little body close.
Miguel paced helplessly in the corner.
"What is it, Charity? What does she see? Visions?"
Charity shook her head. "I'm not sure."
"But she sees something. You can't deny that. Why did she say Papa's name the other day? She doesn't even know him. What he looks like. Charity? What is going on here? What's wrong with our daughter?"
Charity's cornflower blue eyes looked so much like Tessa's.
"No! Don't hurt him! Don't!" Tessa cried.
Her eyes moved rapidly behind her closed eyelids.
But Miguel knew.this was more than a nightmare.
This was frighteningly real.
To Tessa.
She was falling. Faster and faster.
The waves crashed against the rocks.
The gold chain sparkled against their surface before disappearing into the vast sea.
Tessa's torment was too much.
Charity brushed Tessa's damp hair from her forehead as she stared after him.
The roar of Miguel's motorcycle died down as the minutes passed.
"What are you trying to tell us?"
Faded blue eyes stared back into her very soul.
"The truth."