CHAPTER 3
Breakfast at Crane
She got up and could hear the shower in their common bathroom. She knocked at the door and heard the water turn off.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Teresa."
"I'll be out in a sec."
The door opened and she looked at him. The only thing he was wearing was a towel. She blushed and he noticed.
"Sorry, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."
"No, not at all.I-I."
"Did you have breakfast yet?"
"No, it's going to be served in about 20 minutes."
"I should probably let Mother and Father know that I'm here."
He stopped and grinned broadly.
"On second thoughts, what do you say if we made this an eventful morning, with me just showing up at the table?"
She laughed and so did he.
"I think you and I will get along just fine, Nicholas."
"No one ever calls me Nicholas."
"Oh, I'm sorry. What should I."
"Fox will do."
"Alright then. I have to take a shower. I'll see you at breakfast." She stood under the shower and let the warm water run over her body. Fox seemed to be a nice man.
"I don't know him that well, but he seems to hate Ivy and Julian as much as I do."
She went back to her bedroom and got dressed. She proceeded to go downstairs when she heard someone walk behind her.
"Fox, I thought you'd already be downstairs."
"I was taking my time. So tell me Teresa, who is at the breakfast table usually?"
"There are your parents, Rebecca Hotchkiss, Ethan and Gwen."
"Rebecca?"
"Yeah, Julian and her sleep together."
"Doesn't that bother you?"
"I really don't care. As long as she gives him what he wants.besides, it's not like I'll ever let Julian touch me again."
He looked at her. He certainly had a lot to learn about her. He had the feeling that the file his grandfather gave him was incomplete.
She went in the living room first. Breakfast was already served. Everyone looked up when she walked in.
"Well look what the cat dragged in."
"I wouldn't say anything if I were you Rebecca."
"Decided to sleep in this morning?"
"What do you care, Ivy?"
She looked behind her, Fox wasn't following her. She went back to the hallway.
"Fox, are you alright?"
"Yes, perfectly fine. I haven't seen them in years."
"Were they sour and mean when you last visited with them."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Well then, I don't think they really changed that much."
To his surprise, she took his hand and gave him an encouraging smile.
"There's no time like the present."
They walked in together. Once again everyone looked up and this time they were all startled.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was expecting a hello, how are you son. But I guess that's too much to ask of you Mother."
"Last time you were in Harmony, it's because you got yourself in trouble."
"Maybe I missed you and Father, maybe I wanted to be around my family.if in fact we can call this a family."
Fox pulled a chair for Teresa and then sat down beside her. Ivy couldn't help notice that how Teresa and her son had come in hand in hand. And she wasn't the only one who had seen that. Ethan was tapping his fingers on the table uncontrollably.
"Fox, why don't you tell us the real reason you are here."
"If you must know, Ethan.I am here because I'm not the perfect man that you are, or golden child or the crowned prince, or.."
"Cut it out Fox. This is a perfectly reasonable question. I want the truth."
"Well Father, I am here because I got kicked out of Cambridge because the Dean happened to find me in his office with his daughter. That Elizabeth is a very naughty girl. Then there was Oxford, they said that I wasn't Oxford material because I cut class all the time. Oh yeah, Paris.La Sorbonne didn't really want to have me there because of my reputation. So I decided to go to Monaco and I lost all my money, including my Rolex at a poker game. So I decided that I should come to Harmony and make your lives miserable."
"Really, Fox. I cannot believe you. You been have thrown out of more Ivy league schools than I can count. What are you going to do with your future?"
"I am a Crane Mother."
"Your grandfather will not let you anywhere near Crane Industries."
"For your information, Grandfather is the one who suggested that I go back to Harmony."
He turned to Teresa who had been silent during the pleasant conversation he had with his parents.
"Do you have any plans today, pretty lady."
"One thing I can assure you is she is no lady, Fox."
"I'm sure she is more of a lady then you ever were Rebecca."
"Pookie, are you going to let him talk to me that way?"
"Rebecca, please not right now..I think I'll have an early start on the brandy today." "So Fox, Teresa is occupying your room. Where did you sleep last night?"
Fox looked at his brother and a smile came across his face.
"I don't know why you would care, but if you must know I was in the adjoining room with the common bathroom, you know the one next to Teresa's."
"I was thinking that Gwen and I could move to that room since it's much bigger than the one we have right now."
"There is a reason I left the room I had next to yours, Ethan. I couldn't stand hearing you and Gwen going at it."
Fox looked at Teresa. He really had no clue what was going on.
"So, Teresa.I asked you a question before we were so rudely interrupted."
"Actually, I have nothing specific. Why?"
"I haven't been in Nowhere USA in about 10 years now. Would you like to give me a tour?"
"I don't think it has changed that much, but sure we can do that."
He got up and pulled her chair. He gave her his arm and she took it.
"Teresa, wait I would like to speak to you in private."
"About what, Ethan?"
"I said in private."
He led her to the library.
"You have to stay away from him."
"I've always done what I wanted and."
"And look where that has gotten you."
"That's not fair."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You should know that Fox is bad news."
"And you would know because you spend so much time with him?"
"No, he has a reputation and I grew up with him."
"Maybe he acts out because you mother doesn't give him any attention. She hasn't seen him in years and the first thing she asks him is why he is back? No kiss, no hug, no 'I'm happy to see you'."
"Why are you defending him? You barely know him."
"He seems to be a good guy. Besides, he could use a friend while he is here."
"Teresa, no."
"What do you care anyway Ethan. We are not a part of each others' lives anymore. So please, stop trying to control my life."
She left the library and found Fox waiting for her near the front door.
"Everything alright?"
"Yes, shall we go?"
"We shall."
What a beautiful day it was. And Teresa intrigued him. Ethan watched them leave. She couldn't move on this quickly, he wouldn't let her.
She got up and could hear the shower in their common bathroom. She knocked at the door and heard the water turn off.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Teresa."
"I'll be out in a sec."
The door opened and she looked at him. The only thing he was wearing was a towel. She blushed and he noticed.
"Sorry, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."
"No, not at all.I-I."
"Did you have breakfast yet?"
"No, it's going to be served in about 20 minutes."
"I should probably let Mother and Father know that I'm here."
He stopped and grinned broadly.
"On second thoughts, what do you say if we made this an eventful morning, with me just showing up at the table?"
She laughed and so did he.
"I think you and I will get along just fine, Nicholas."
"No one ever calls me Nicholas."
"Oh, I'm sorry. What should I."
"Fox will do."
"Alright then. I have to take a shower. I'll see you at breakfast." She stood under the shower and let the warm water run over her body. Fox seemed to be a nice man.
"I don't know him that well, but he seems to hate Ivy and Julian as much as I do."
She went back to her bedroom and got dressed. She proceeded to go downstairs when she heard someone walk behind her.
"Fox, I thought you'd already be downstairs."
"I was taking my time. So tell me Teresa, who is at the breakfast table usually?"
"There are your parents, Rebecca Hotchkiss, Ethan and Gwen."
"Rebecca?"
"Yeah, Julian and her sleep together."
"Doesn't that bother you?"
"I really don't care. As long as she gives him what he wants.besides, it's not like I'll ever let Julian touch me again."
He looked at her. He certainly had a lot to learn about her. He had the feeling that the file his grandfather gave him was incomplete.
She went in the living room first. Breakfast was already served. Everyone looked up when she walked in.
"Well look what the cat dragged in."
"I wouldn't say anything if I were you Rebecca."
"Decided to sleep in this morning?"
"What do you care, Ivy?"
She looked behind her, Fox wasn't following her. She went back to the hallway.
"Fox, are you alright?"
"Yes, perfectly fine. I haven't seen them in years."
"Were they sour and mean when you last visited with them."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Well then, I don't think they really changed that much."
To his surprise, she took his hand and gave him an encouraging smile.
"There's no time like the present."
They walked in together. Once again everyone looked up and this time they were all startled.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was expecting a hello, how are you son. But I guess that's too much to ask of you Mother."
"Last time you were in Harmony, it's because you got yourself in trouble."
"Maybe I missed you and Father, maybe I wanted to be around my family.if in fact we can call this a family."
Fox pulled a chair for Teresa and then sat down beside her. Ivy couldn't help notice that how Teresa and her son had come in hand in hand. And she wasn't the only one who had seen that. Ethan was tapping his fingers on the table uncontrollably.
"Fox, why don't you tell us the real reason you are here."
"If you must know, Ethan.I am here because I'm not the perfect man that you are, or golden child or the crowned prince, or.."
"Cut it out Fox. This is a perfectly reasonable question. I want the truth."
"Well Father, I am here because I got kicked out of Cambridge because the Dean happened to find me in his office with his daughter. That Elizabeth is a very naughty girl. Then there was Oxford, they said that I wasn't Oxford material because I cut class all the time. Oh yeah, Paris.La Sorbonne didn't really want to have me there because of my reputation. So I decided to go to Monaco and I lost all my money, including my Rolex at a poker game. So I decided that I should come to Harmony and make your lives miserable."
"Really, Fox. I cannot believe you. You been have thrown out of more Ivy league schools than I can count. What are you going to do with your future?"
"I am a Crane Mother."
"Your grandfather will not let you anywhere near Crane Industries."
"For your information, Grandfather is the one who suggested that I go back to Harmony."
He turned to Teresa who had been silent during the pleasant conversation he had with his parents.
"Do you have any plans today, pretty lady."
"One thing I can assure you is she is no lady, Fox."
"I'm sure she is more of a lady then you ever were Rebecca."
"Pookie, are you going to let him talk to me that way?"
"Rebecca, please not right now..I think I'll have an early start on the brandy today." "So Fox, Teresa is occupying your room. Where did you sleep last night?"
Fox looked at his brother and a smile came across his face.
"I don't know why you would care, but if you must know I was in the adjoining room with the common bathroom, you know the one next to Teresa's."
"I was thinking that Gwen and I could move to that room since it's much bigger than the one we have right now."
"There is a reason I left the room I had next to yours, Ethan. I couldn't stand hearing you and Gwen going at it."
Fox looked at Teresa. He really had no clue what was going on.
"So, Teresa.I asked you a question before we were so rudely interrupted."
"Actually, I have nothing specific. Why?"
"I haven't been in Nowhere USA in about 10 years now. Would you like to give me a tour?"
"I don't think it has changed that much, but sure we can do that."
He got up and pulled her chair. He gave her his arm and she took it.
"Teresa, wait I would like to speak to you in private."
"About what, Ethan?"
"I said in private."
He led her to the library.
"You have to stay away from him."
"I've always done what I wanted and."
"And look where that has gotten you."
"That's not fair."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You should know that Fox is bad news."
"And you would know because you spend so much time with him?"
"No, he has a reputation and I grew up with him."
"Maybe he acts out because you mother doesn't give him any attention. She hasn't seen him in years and the first thing she asks him is why he is back? No kiss, no hug, no 'I'm happy to see you'."
"Why are you defending him? You barely know him."
"He seems to be a good guy. Besides, he could use a friend while he is here."
"Teresa, no."
"What do you care anyway Ethan. We are not a part of each others' lives anymore. So please, stop trying to control my life."
She left the library and found Fox waiting for her near the front door.
"Everything alright?"
"Yes, shall we go?"
"We shall."
What a beautiful day it was. And Teresa intrigued him. Ethan watched them leave. She couldn't move on this quickly, he wouldn't let her.