CHAPTER 18
Truth Takes Time
"Let us introduce the woman responsible for the beautiful fall line you have seen tonight. Kelly Fitzgerald, come out and take a bow!"
People started applauding as Teresa walked out on stage with her models wearing the clothes that she had designed. She stood on the stage and watched as people stood to their feet, applauding her.
"I did it, I did it."
She waved at the crowd and her gaze stopped on a familiar face. Fox was standing like everyone else, his hands in his pockets looking back at her. Beside him, Tina was applauding. She turned her heels and went back stage.
"Miss Fitzgerald, this is has arrived for you."
"What a beautiful bouquet! My favourites."
She pulled the card from the middle of the white roses and lilies.
"I always knew you would be a hit. Congratulations on your success. I hope you enjoy your stay in Paris. I am sorry for last night, I will stay away from your way. Be happy, Teresa."
She looked again and again at the hand writing.
"Fox..."
She got up and went back inside the showing room (I have no clue it that's the name for that, butt you get the idea.) and looked at the people who were still there. She was gone.
"This might have been the last time I ever see him."
"Kelly, your car is waiting to take you back to the hotel. Don't forget the reception."
Teresa nodded at the assistant.
"Not a chance, I'll see you there."
She left the building and got in the car. She was holding the flowers in her hands. Tears were running down her cheeks.
"You've done it Teresa. He made a mistake, why can't I forgive him? After all the mistakes that I made with Ethan, I always hoped that he would forgive me. But my son, he helped take away my son from me. I can't just forget that."
The car pulled in front of the hotel, she got out and went into the elevator.
"I should go apologize to Ethan about last night. I really thought that he would be at the show tonight."
She got out and could hear giggling. It was coming from Ethan's suit. His door was slightly open.
"My dear, you have done a wonderful job."
"Well thank you Mr Crane."
"Please, Tina..call me Alistair."
She giggled.
"As for you Ethan, your idea of using Fox to get little Ethan away from Teresa was excellent. But you didn't count on them falling in love."
Tina approached the phone.
"Don't worry Alistair, Fox is leaving Paris. And I think that she is over him. She saw us together so often. I was always all over him. I just wish he was a little more cooperative."
"Where is he going?"
"He doesn't know yet. I guess he wants to go as far away as possible from here."
"That sounds like Fox, always running away."
"Don't be so hard on him, Ethan. Your brother is confused, but he is a Crane. He'll realize that love is overrated someday soon."
"In any case, I didn't think this plan would work so well. I didn't think it would take months for him to get Teresa to sleep with him. I didn't think he would put so much energy to try and find her. He came really close too. Good thing you bought those private investigators he hired. All those bumps you put in his way..what can I say, pure genius."
"It did work out very well if I do say so myself. Tell me Ethan, how are things working with the lovely Teresa?"
"Well, Alistair..not very well. She thinks she loves Fox. But because of everything that went down with her son, she won't forgive him. They both played in our hands. It's only a matter of time before she is mine again. Little Ethan is not around to constantly remind me of her drunken night with Julian."
"I guess everything is working out for the best. Fox will be back within the family soon, Teresa is out of her son's life. And Tina, you're not the wife I was anticipating for my grandson, but you will do for the time being."
He hung up.
"You know Tina, you and I make a pretty good team."
"I know."
She started giggling.
Teresa walked to her suite as fast as she could. She couldn't believe her what she had heard. She closed the door behind her and picked up to phone.
"I have to talk to Fox, I have to..."
"Reception, how may I help you?"
"Connect me the Nicholas Foxworth Crane, please."
"I'm sorry madam, but Mr. Crane already checked out."
"When?"
"About 10 minutes ago."
Teresa hung up the phone.
"No, this cannot be happening. I can't lose him again. I can't let my daughter go through life without her father. I can't, I just can't."
She went inside the bedroom and looked at her sleeping daughter.
"Jasmine, there's something I have to do. Watch over my baby."
She ran to the elevator.
"Please, God...let me find him before he leaves forever."
"Let us introduce the woman responsible for the beautiful fall line you have seen tonight. Kelly Fitzgerald, come out and take a bow!"
People started applauding as Teresa walked out on stage with her models wearing the clothes that she had designed. She stood on the stage and watched as people stood to their feet, applauding her.
"I did it, I did it."
She waved at the crowd and her gaze stopped on a familiar face. Fox was standing like everyone else, his hands in his pockets looking back at her. Beside him, Tina was applauding. She turned her heels and went back stage.
"Miss Fitzgerald, this is has arrived for you."
"What a beautiful bouquet! My favourites."
She pulled the card from the middle of the white roses and lilies.
"I always knew you would be a hit. Congratulations on your success. I hope you enjoy your stay in Paris. I am sorry for last night, I will stay away from your way. Be happy, Teresa."
She looked again and again at the hand writing.
"Fox..."
She got up and went back inside the showing room (I have no clue it that's the name for that, butt you get the idea.) and looked at the people who were still there. She was gone.
"This might have been the last time I ever see him."
"Kelly, your car is waiting to take you back to the hotel. Don't forget the reception."
Teresa nodded at the assistant.
"Not a chance, I'll see you there."
She left the building and got in the car. She was holding the flowers in her hands. Tears were running down her cheeks.
"You've done it Teresa. He made a mistake, why can't I forgive him? After all the mistakes that I made with Ethan, I always hoped that he would forgive me. But my son, he helped take away my son from me. I can't just forget that."
The car pulled in front of the hotel, she got out and went into the elevator.
"I should go apologize to Ethan about last night. I really thought that he would be at the show tonight."
She got out and could hear giggling. It was coming from Ethan's suit. His door was slightly open.
"My dear, you have done a wonderful job."
"Well thank you Mr Crane."
"Please, Tina..call me Alistair."
She giggled.
"As for you Ethan, your idea of using Fox to get little Ethan away from Teresa was excellent. But you didn't count on them falling in love."
Tina approached the phone.
"Don't worry Alistair, Fox is leaving Paris. And I think that she is over him. She saw us together so often. I was always all over him. I just wish he was a little more cooperative."
"Where is he going?"
"He doesn't know yet. I guess he wants to go as far away as possible from here."
"That sounds like Fox, always running away."
"Don't be so hard on him, Ethan. Your brother is confused, but he is a Crane. He'll realize that love is overrated someday soon."
"In any case, I didn't think this plan would work so well. I didn't think it would take months for him to get Teresa to sleep with him. I didn't think he would put so much energy to try and find her. He came really close too. Good thing you bought those private investigators he hired. All those bumps you put in his way..what can I say, pure genius."
"It did work out very well if I do say so myself. Tell me Ethan, how are things working with the lovely Teresa?"
"Well, Alistair..not very well. She thinks she loves Fox. But because of everything that went down with her son, she won't forgive him. They both played in our hands. It's only a matter of time before she is mine again. Little Ethan is not around to constantly remind me of her drunken night with Julian."
"I guess everything is working out for the best. Fox will be back within the family soon, Teresa is out of her son's life. And Tina, you're not the wife I was anticipating for my grandson, but you will do for the time being."
He hung up.
"You know Tina, you and I make a pretty good team."
"I know."
She started giggling.
Teresa walked to her suite as fast as she could. She couldn't believe her what she had heard. She closed the door behind her and picked up to phone.
"I have to talk to Fox, I have to..."
"Reception, how may I help you?"
"Connect me the Nicholas Foxworth Crane, please."
"I'm sorry madam, but Mr. Crane already checked out."
"When?"
"About 10 minutes ago."
Teresa hung up the phone.
"No, this cannot be happening. I can't lose him again. I can't let my daughter go through life without her father. I can't, I just can't."
She went inside the bedroom and looked at her sleeping daughter.
"Jasmine, there's something I have to do. Watch over my baby."
She ran to the elevator.
"Please, God...let me find him before he leaves forever."