Ch 10
"We need to talk." Luis looked in the mirror and rehearsed what he could say to Sheridan.
"No, that won't work," Hank said. He was reading a magazine. "If you say 'we need to talk', you're going to put her on the defensive."
"Do you have time to talk?"
"That's better," Hank said, nodding.
Luis glanced at his friend. "You're the expert, what do I say after that that won't make her run for the hills?"
Hank thought for a moment. "Make it clear that you're not looking to make her go back to Harmony. That's pretty much the sticking point with the girls around here."
"You ever get thrown out of here?"
"I talk to Paloma. Her temper is the longest about going back there. And she gives warnings before she loses her temper. Theresa, Sheridan and Kay don't."
"Speaking of Kay, I think she called Grace, so be ready for the fallout."
Hank made a face. "I should've stayed in Seattle for an extra day."
"There's no escaping now. Hey, where's that door in the kitchen go?"
"Which one?"
"The one on the right side of the refrigerator."
"The gym."
"They put in a gym?"
"It's basically a punching bag, a mat and free weights. It's for Kay and Theresa to have something to beat up."
"They need something to beat up a lot?"
"Kay does it mainly to stay in shape and Theresa does it to work off the tension that comes with her job. Beating on the punching bag is great therapy."
"Sheridan?"
"She has these Tae Bo videos or something. I don't keep track too closely."
"And Poe?"
"T'ai Chi."
"What?"
"She does T'ai Chi."
"You knew that right away."
"Oh, don't do this." Hank groaned.
"Hank, if I don't have the right to razz you about my baby sister, you don't get to critique my mirror talks."
"I am not critiquing your mirror talks. I am giving you advice so that Sheridan doesn't go screaming into the night."
"And I get to talk to you about Poe cause she's my little sister and you're a lot older then she is."
"She's a big girl now." Hank said.
"Still the baby of the family. Consider yourself lucky that you're not having this conversation with Antonio. He wouldn't be as understanding as I am."
Hank rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. I'll ignore you anyway."
"Look, all I'm saying is to be careful. I get the feeling she didn't have the easiest time with her first husband."
"He was an asshole." Hank affirmed.
"You meet him or hear about him?"
"I met him." Hank said. "Right before I came home from drifting over Europe and met Sheridan."
"Paloma was fifteen then." Luis said.
"They weren't married." Hank said. "Probably hadn't even met."
"Are you telling me she got married and had Alex by the time she was twenty?"
Hank shrugged.
"You don't know or won't say?"
"What do you think?" Hank asked pointedly.
"Hank, it's my sister."
"And it's her place to tell you, not mine. I'm not saying anything so give it up, okay?"
"But you'll be careful with her?"
"You're acting like you think I'm going to jump her."
If looks could kill, Hank would've been incinerated on the spot.
"I will always be careful with her." Hank finally conceded.
"Good. Now, about a job?"
"Oh, jeez, go back to making faces at yourself in the mirror."
HR
Ethan frowned when he heard the repetitive thumping of something coming from the kitchen. He walked in and stopped.
The kitchen was empty. Then he saw the light under the door. He opened it and poked his head in.
There was Theresa beating up a punching bag.
He approached her quietly, thinking it best not to spook her. Then he put his hand on her shoulder.
The next thing he knew he was on his back looking up at Theresa's concerned face.
"Are you okay?"
"You have a lot of anger issues." Ethan mumbled.
"Take my advice, never sneak up on someone who is beating up a punching bag," Theresa pulled him into a sitting position. "I don't think you'll have a bruise."
"That would be so hard to explain to the kids." He laughed.
She grinned in relief. "You grew a sense of humor!"
"Defense mechanism." He said, mock-seriously. "If I hadn't learned to laugh at my mother, Rebecca and Julian I would've gone out of my mind."
Theresa smiled as she made herself comfortable on the floor next to him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. My jaw is sore but I'm okay," Ethan groaned as he moved his jaw. "Nice right cross."
"By product of surviving three brothers."
"Right. So, why are you in here?"
"It helps me think. I had a lot of that to do tonight."
"I know exactly what you mean."
Theresa tucked a strand of sweaty hair behind her ear. "I've been thinking about us. Our situation."
He nodded.
"It wouldn't be fair to ask you to move here and give up everything you and Rosie have in Harmony. But by the same respect, it wouldn't be fair of you or anyone to ask me to take Ethan and Emma and move back to Harmony."
"Agreed."
She nodded. "Chicago."
"What?" He made an amused sound of disbelief.
"It's not a small town so I could still be a paramedic, you could make a great living as a lawyer, and it would be new for us both."
"I don't want to uproot everybody." He said.
Theresa gently interlaced their fingers. "Then what do you want?"
He looked into her eyes. "I want to come here. I want to help fix the third floor of this building. I want our children to grow up together. I want to laugh with you and kiss you and wake up with you every morning. Is that moving too fast?"
"No. But are you sure you want to move out here? Chicago is a lot closer to Harmony and Gwen might get better one of these days. Rosie has the right to be able to see her mother."
"Gwen isn't going to get better." Ethan told her. "I went through all the phases. I borrowed money, I used family names, I brought a doctor in from Switzerland. She is gone and she can't come back. And if I'm going to uproot Rosie anyway, I don't have to uproot Emma and Ethan and you. We have family here. You have friends here. We can build something here. I don't want Chicago."
"Any objections to living with my sister, her son, your sister, her daughter, Sheridan, and Thomas?"
"That's why I'll fix the third floor. We can make an apartment up there, so we can visit any time, but have our own space too."
Theresa smiled. "You know, we can't do that till something else is done. Luis would kill us."
"He'll be too busy killing Hank for laying a hand on the baby."
"He hasn't touched her yet."
"He's going to though. Have you seen how he watches her?"
"Yeah I have. For about five years now. Your uncle is trying to set a record for pining."
Ethan laughed. "Noah and Whitney almost beat him."
"We should go to sleep."
"That's another thing Luis would kill me for."
"I said sleep, I'm tired."
He kissed her forehead. "Good night."
"Good night," Theresa got to her feet. She discarded her gloves and hung them on a nail. "By the way, if you're interested there's an extra set of gloves in the closet."
"Tomorrow while you're out working for a living." He promised.
"You should think about giving notice at the DA's office if you're serious about moving out here."
"I want to look around here to see what's open."
"Of course," Theresa nodded. "Don't forget to get yourself a suit and take my brothers, Hank, and Sam with you."
"Why take them with me?" He asked suspiciously.
"So they can get suits too," she rolled her eyes.
"If you think I'll be able to get all of them to buy suits, you've gone soft. You need to send a taskmaster."
"I'll send Poe. Night," Theresa sang as she left Ethan in the gym.
HR
Paloma slid a paper out of a file. "Will this really be it?" She asked.
"A record of all the imports exports from this warehouse to the family warehouse in Barcelona and Seville and vice versa? Poe, this is the nail in the coffin." Hank promised.
"You've said it before."
"I mean it more."
"Really?"
"Look at this." He passed a paper to her.
She skimmed it and dropped it. "You're resigning. Oh my God. Can you do that?"
"Yep and I got my bartenders license. You looking for another one?"
"What?"
He dropped it and jumped to another topic. "I want to take you out this weekend."
She laughed. "Someone in Toni's family is getting married."
"A brawl preceded by a wedding? Interesting first date."
"Just interesting enough for us." She agreed.
"What about something where we can eat without your sister and brothers staring and whispering? I don't want to feel like a gawky teenager."
She laughed. "I never would put the word gawky in a sentence with you."
"You flatter me," Hank grinned.
"I'm trying to," Paloma smiled.
"So about my nephew and your sister, do you think they'll make it?"
"Barring an act of God, I think their shot is better than it was the first time around."
"Good," Hank nodded, and then pulled Paloma into his lap. "Now about us. What are our chances?"
"We don't have a first time around to judge against as a standard."
"So, our chances are up to us?"
"Yes," Paloma nodded.
"Then we'll be fine."
She grinned. "It took you a while to decide, didn't it?"
"Me? Oh no, I decided that Christmas I saw you crying on the phone with your mother."
"Well I decided when I was seven and you taught me how to swim."
"Liar." He squeezed her.
"Am not." She grinned. "I just forgot for a little while."
Long enough to get married. Hank thought. Long enough to have a child. "So why did we wait this long?"
"Because you were doing something very dangerous and we were both healing from the past."
"Are you healed?"
"I can't say that I never have nightmares about him and them, but in a weird way, I feel like I've finally woken up. You're not him. You're you, and you are a wonderful friend. And now, a bit more."
"I'll be around to wake you up from nightmares from now on."
Her face, which had been tilted flirtatiously crumbled as she smirked. "Hey now, let's not jump ahead. We haven't even had our first kiss."
"That can be fixed."
"Wh- Hmmm..." Paloma sighed as Hank kissed her. "Wow," she breathed when he pulled away. "I like that."
"Worth waiting for?"
"Definitely," she nodded. "Do it again?"
"Sure." Hank kissed her.
"Hey, Poe! Class was cancelled; want me to take your shift--" Kay had started talking all the way down the hall. By the time she was in the office, Hank and Paloma had sheepishly pulled apart. Paloma was standing by her filling cabinet adjusting her blouse slightly, as Hank pretended to read his letter of resignation and the import/export list.
"What was that Kay?" Paloma asked.
"Oh, I wanted to know if I should take your shift since my class was canceled."
"No, that's okay. Why don't you take Olivia to the movies or something?"
She looked from her uncle to her friend. "Should I take Alex too?" She asked wickedly.
"No, but take Miguel. And don't look at me like that. Do this to relax. Doesn't your mother's plan land tonight?"
"You had to remind me?"
"Yes. Now go!"
"Jeez, think you two had never had a minute alone in your office before." Kay winked and left.
"Will you hate me if I strangle my niece?" Hank asked.
"No, I'd help. By the way, about the bartending position? See Cole."
"I was joking. With the hazard pay I accumulated I'm ready to let the 'save the world gene' I've been repressing take over."
"Gonna take the police test?"
"Hell no." Hank said. "Spent too much time doing cloak and dagger ops to wear a uniform everyday."
"Fireman test then?"
"Miguel talked to me about opening a youth center around here. Close to your clinic."
"Oh that. Yeah I heard something about that too. And Theresa's across the street from that big empty Y."
"So, what do you think?"
"Hank Bennett, holding out a helping hand to troubled kids." She grinned. "It sounds perfect to me."
"Thank you."
"You know most of the guys at Theresa's firehouse right?"
"Yeah."
"Good. That'll make it easier to ask for free labor."
"I'm counting on you."
She smirked. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Do the dimple smile thing and say please and half of them will stampede across the street to do anything you ask."
"Are you implying that I use my feminine wiles to get what I want?"
"Yes."
"Good. Because I do."
"I've noticed."
"I don't use them on you." She said.
He snorted.
"Often." She amended.
Hank smiled. "Truth be told, I don't mind when you do," he said.
"Glad to hear it." She smiled back.
"So, Sunday?"
"Yeah. I think it's Mickey."
"I thought he was in jail."
"That's Big Mickey. This is Little Mickey."
"You're wrestling the little dude into a tux?"
"A tie at least. Fate is punishing me for loving clothes by giving me a son who hates anything but jeans and t-shirts."
"Should have gone into the business when Theresa chose to be a medic."
"Which business?" She asked suspiciously.
"Fashion," Hank said not catching the suspicious tone in her voice. "C'mon, the club opened a few minutes ago. Let's go dance."
She relaxed a little. "Did you ever think--do you understand--I'm the only one who didn't pursue an outside career. I'm glad to do this, but I sometimes feel like I don't give back enough."
"You give back plenty. You're the volunteer who puts in the most hours at the clinic, you balance the kids and your sisters, which is an accomplishment and don't think I don't know that you already talked to someone about buying the old Y when you heard about Miguel wanting to open a community center."
"That's the least I can do." She said. "C'mon, I like that idea of dancing."
"Okay, let's go."
HR
"Sheridan?"
She looked up. "Hi Luis. What's up?"
"Do you have a minute? I'd like to talk to you, if you do."
"Uh, yeah okay," Sheridan nodded. "Have a seat."
He did. He looked at her for a minute. She didn't give an inch.
"I'm not gonna ask you to move back to Harmony. I just want to get that out in the open first."
"Good to know." She snapped something in her hands. "Cause I would just-- "
"Throw a drink in my face, kick me, crash into my car again?" Luis guessed, smiling a little as he anticipated her threats.
"We did have an interesting beginning didn't we?" Sheridan had to smile.
"That's one way to put it," Luis agreed.
"So, you wanted to say..."
"How are you?"
"I'm okay. I really am. You don't have to worry about me Luis. Thomas and I are okay."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes, we are," Sheridan nodded. "Luis, if I had stayed in Harmony, I probably would've slit my wrists after a while."
Luis shrugged, uncomfortable. "I did some research on your condition. I think you would've gone into a fugue until you could deal. You would've left first, only no one would've known where you were. So I guess that it was better that someone knew where you were."
"We take care of each other. We're sisters," Sheridan told him.
"I see that."
Sheridan smiled, "I missed you. I did. I know that sounds weird but I did miss you. I wondered what you were doing and who Chloe looked like more, you or Beth. And, after Hank told us some things, I prayed you were okay and that you were able to keep your daughter safe."
"He said he didn't give you the whole story." Luis said.
"Only fair, I guess."
"Chloe looks like her aunts." Luis said. "She's spoiled rotten. I created a holy terror."
"Oh how the mighty have fallen. I never thought I'd see the day when a little girl had the big bad cop wrapped around her little finger."
"I was wrapped around your finger." He said frankly.
She looked away, uncomfortable for a moment.
She looked back a moment later. "I wasn't a little girl."
"No." He agreed. "That wasn't the attraction there."
"Right," Sheridan said quietly. "So, what are your plans?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. It depends a lot on what my mother and Ethan decide. I can't raise Chloe without help. Judging from the trajectory of things, I think Ethan may've landed here for good." Luis shrugged. "And I know Mama would love to be around her grandchildren. But I have a good job, a mortgage, car payments, and history in Harmony. I love it there. Some days I understand why you and Theresa and Kay hated it, but some days I can't imagine leaving."
"You and Chloe and Pilar are always welcome here Luis. I hope you know that. I think you're right about Ethan. I think he may stay for good. He has good reasons too. But if you want Harmony then you should stay there. I don't want you to move across the country because of a 'what if'."
"I wasted years dreaming about you." He said softly. "I never imagined turning away a second chance. Or third or fourth in this case."
Sheridan smiled a little. "I'm not saying we shouldn't try, I guess I'm just saying not to throw away everything you worked for."
"I don't want either of us to throw away anything. That's the problem though, isn't it? So many possibilities out there... Even if we make no choice, that is a choice. And what's right and what's wrong?" He smiled bitterly. "I wish I know how to answer those questions."
"Just don't do anything you'll regret. I'd love it if you were out here. I'd love to get to know you again, as a person with a child and for you to get to know me again," Sheridan admitted.
He nodded. "I'd like to know you again." He agreed. "I guess that's why there are telephones."
"And email," she nodded. "And besides, I think Chloe would like a vacation out here every once in a while. Anaheim isn't that far away."
"You don't know Chloe yet." He said unsteadily. "Besides, I'm sure Thomas would love to see Boston and New York and Washington."
"Neutral ground?" She asked.
"Let's just say I don't want to concede the home court advantage completely."
"We could take them up to Seattle to see the Space Needle. Hank brought pictures once and Thomas asked for weeks if we could go see it for real."
"Chloe heard the word Emerald City about it once and begged to see it for weeks. I think she thought she'd get ruby slippers if she made the trip."
Sheridan giggled. "She sounds sweet."
"I'm telling you, she's a holy terror. She'll corrupt your well behaved angels in ten minutes." Luis paused. "That is, if Rosie hasn't already managed it."
Sheridan laughed. "Boy, they got you fooled. They only look like angels."
"Must be a trait in our genes," Luis smiled. "But I do look forward to getting to know my nephew."
"I think he'll like that. He'll probably want stories about Antonio when you all were kids. I'm not much help there and Theresa and Poe are too young to remember."
"Theresa probably remembers some. She just can't tell him what she remembers."
"Why not?"
"She doesn't want to give him ideas. The two of us were awful to her." Luis admitted with a devilish grin. "Well, Antonio was anyway. He figured out how to melt things with a magnifying glass--" Luis stopped talking. "What are they doing?" He pointed at Paloma and Hank.
"Uh," Sheridan looked at them carefully. "I believe that's called dancing."
"He should not be touching her there. She should not be smiling. This is weird." Luis looked away and shook his head as if to clear the image. "This is very weird. This is the kid who I grew up with and the baby sister who used to follow us around."
"Didn't Theresa ever follow you?"
"She never adored me that much." Luis said. "Miguel and Kay were inseparable. They followed Noah or they followed Antonio. They ignored Hank and me. Poe and Jessie were the ones who acted like we were movie stars." He turned back to look, then closed his eyes. "Come on, didn't it freak you out a little the first time you saw Gwen and Ethan getting cuddly."
"Honestly?"
Luis nodded.
"Yes. They had grown up acting like brother and sister and even they weren't so comfortable with it at first. It was like they just figured it was the next step." Sheridan eyed her younger-sister-in-law and friend. "These two don't have that problem."
"You sound like you approve."
"Maybe I do," Sheridan said. Then she nodded. "Yes I do. I think they're good for each other. I think he'll make her happy and protect her and she'll feel more secure then she ever did with her last husband. This could be a good thing Luis. Don't wreck it just 'cause you think you have to protect your baby sister from your best friend. And while I'm on the subject. A lot of guys could be dancing with Paloma right now. Guys you don't know. Guys who could only have one thing on their mind. Aren't you glad it's Hank and not those guys?"
"I know Hank so well I do know what's on his mind. That's one of the things that scares me. But even I can tell her first husband was no good, and Hank told me he'd be careful with her. She looks happy. I just don't have to approve until after they're married and made their first son my godchild."
"You might be waiting for a while. It took five years for them to dance. They pined secretly for so long we were starting to plan to put them together."
"Yentas the lot of you," Cole said. "White wine and a beer. Enjoy."
"Thanks Cole," Sheridan said.
"Wait, why aren't you out there glaring at him? They promised me you acted like a big brother and guard dog rolled into one." Luis protested mildly.
Cole's laughter sounded more like a rumble. "Hey, I see what you see. He's good for her. Never gonna put a bruise on her body or her heart."
Sheridan just laughed at Luis' petulant expression. "And to think that this was how you used to sulk over Ethan and Theresa. Now they have two kids."
"You do know how to make me feel better." Luis pretended to shudder. "Seriously, on one level, I know this is a good thing. But on another, that's my little sister and my best friend."
"Just don't watch. And never ask questions if she wears a turtle neck."
Luis turned red. "You had to make me think that way? Now I'm going to be suspicious instead of purposely ignorant."
"My work here is done." Sheridan said with a satisfied smirk, as she sipped her wine.
hr
"Pretty good movie," Miguel commented. "I always did like the Muppets."
"Muppet babies, you mean." Kay said, over the heads of four napping children.
"Them too," Miguel nodded. "So, do you want something to drink?"
Kay shook her head. "I don't think so."
"Okay," Miguel nodded. "How about we go in the kitchen and talk? Really talk, I mean."
She looked at Livvie, who was cuddled against her, then at Emma, then Ethan, finally at Thomas who was leaning against Miguel. Alex was on Miguel's other side. He was tucked into the corner of the sofa. "Think you can move without waking them up?"
"I can try. You?"
"I'm an old pro." Kay expertly maneuvered out from under Livvie and put a pillow in her place. "Your turn."
"No fair, you only had one." Miguel twisted, then copied her maneuver and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch to take his place.
"Not bad. You've done that before."
"My niece and yours. I've babysat a lot."
Kay had to smile as they went into the kitchen. "There's a bottle of wine above the sink."
"Did you change your mind about a drink?"
"No, I figured you wanted one."
"I never drink alone." He said.
"Iced tea?" She offered an alternative.
"Sounds good," Miguel nodded.
Kay made them both a glass and the got out the Buffalo Cake Sheridan had made. It was the one thing the blonde woman could make without burning.
"There's no poison in this, right?" He asked, evaluating it with fork poised in the air.
"Sheridan made it. It's her one culinary triumph. That and frozen pizza."
"I'm impressed." He said. "There was a betting pool running for a while during the first engagement about whether she would make it to boiling water."
Kay giggled. "She's gotten a lot better but Poe, Theresa, and I still do most of the cooking."
Miguel blinked. "Your idea of a cooking implement used to be a phone to call for Dominoes."
"I'll have to make my veal parm. You'll love it."
Miguel took a careful bite of the cake.
"See? It's good."
"Yeah it is. I'm impressed."
"Good. She got the recipe from a cook we used to have at the club. He used to work in this cafe that solely served dessert. He quit here after Poe told him his chocolate soufflé tasted like old gym socks."
Miguel coughed. "And I used to think she was the tactful one of the family?"
"Well, it sort of did taste bad, but she was on a real tear that day. She was furious about some letter, I think. I don't remember much, except being surprised. She's usually careful to keep good staff members."
"Like Cole?"
"Oh here it comes. You have a problem with him cause he did time right?"
"No, no, I don't. If you all trust him, then so do I."
"Okay then," Kay nodded. "You wanna stay don't you?"
"Yes."
"Then you better get Cole to like you, cause he's been a good friend to us."
"Think he'll be able to learn to like a cop?"
Kay looked thoughtful. "Well he likes me and Livvie, and we're both cop's daughters. A cop is just the next step up."
"Or down, depending on how he thinks of it."
Kay smiled. "Just be good to Livvie, be respectful to your sisters and Sheridan, and be nice to me. He'll love you."
"Is that all it takes?" Miguel asked lightly, taking another bit of Sheridan's cake.
"Yeah, that and don't flash any badges when you're around him. He's the bouncer. Let him handle the rowdies."
"How many rowdies do you get?"
"Not so many that we can't handle them easily."
"I could help out at the clinic and Hank and I could do the Youth Center thing. Ethan might be able to help with the legalities once he passes the bar out here."
"You're leaving out Luis."
"Luis loves Harmony. He always has. He always will. He loves the people, the places, and the sites. He loves walking down any street and knowing every shop, every display, every customer and cashier. He loves the ocean and the beaches, and the park with the ducks. He even loves the tourists. Forcing him to leave it would be like tearing off his arm. He could recover, but he would always be bitter about it."
"Well Sheridan won't be moving back there anytime soon. L.A. is better for her mental health."
"So I guess they just part as friends?"
"Looks like," Kay nodded. "Maybe one day they'll come to a compromise but for now they're staying put on their respective coasts."
Miguel fiddled with his fork. "Have you ever wondered about the Cranes? They have a lot more resources than we did. They could've found you."
"They did find us. Paloma handled it. Sheridan and Thomas gave up any inheritance and use of the Crane name in the future for a lump sum of five million."
"No one ever mentioned it."
"Sheridan doesn't really know. It was when she got sick and we had to get her into a hospital, but the club wasn't producing and the money for admission just wasn't there. We put the rest of the money in an account for her and Thomas and we're looking for a way to bring it up without pissing her off."
"Good luck," Miguel shook his head. "I don't want to be anywhere near you guys when you tell her."
"Me neither. That's why since it was Poe who did it, it's going to be Poe who tells her."
"Sneaky of you."
"Why thank you," Kay smiled. "Are you doing anything tonight?"
He shrugged. "Are you?"
"No. I was gonna just go to the club. Wanna come with?"
"All the way downstairs?" Miguel grinned. "I think that would be fun."
"Good." Kay smiled. "Miguel, I'd like to be friends with you. I want Livvie to be able to see that even though her folks might not be married they can still like each other."
"And maybe someday--"
"I don't plan on maybe some days, Miguel. You throw your life away when you start dreaming like that."
"Then I'll do it for us," Miguel smiled. "Thank you. Thank you for being willing to try."
"I never said I was willing to do anything." She said in a sulky tone.
"Then thank you for asking to be friends again," Miguel smiled. "It means a lot."
She sighs. "Hope springs eternal for you Lopez-Fitzgeralds, doesn't it?"
"It runs in the family," Miguel agreed.
"We need to talk." Luis looked in the mirror and rehearsed what he could say to Sheridan.
"No, that won't work," Hank said. He was reading a magazine. "If you say 'we need to talk', you're going to put her on the defensive."
"Do you have time to talk?"
"That's better," Hank said, nodding.
Luis glanced at his friend. "You're the expert, what do I say after that that won't make her run for the hills?"
Hank thought for a moment. "Make it clear that you're not looking to make her go back to Harmony. That's pretty much the sticking point with the girls around here."
"You ever get thrown out of here?"
"I talk to Paloma. Her temper is the longest about going back there. And she gives warnings before she loses her temper. Theresa, Sheridan and Kay don't."
"Speaking of Kay, I think she called Grace, so be ready for the fallout."
Hank made a face. "I should've stayed in Seattle for an extra day."
"There's no escaping now. Hey, where's that door in the kitchen go?"
"Which one?"
"The one on the right side of the refrigerator."
"The gym."
"They put in a gym?"
"It's basically a punching bag, a mat and free weights. It's for Kay and Theresa to have something to beat up."
"They need something to beat up a lot?"
"Kay does it mainly to stay in shape and Theresa does it to work off the tension that comes with her job. Beating on the punching bag is great therapy."
"Sheridan?"
"She has these Tae Bo videos or something. I don't keep track too closely."
"And Poe?"
"T'ai Chi."
"What?"
"She does T'ai Chi."
"You knew that right away."
"Oh, don't do this." Hank groaned.
"Hank, if I don't have the right to razz you about my baby sister, you don't get to critique my mirror talks."
"I am not critiquing your mirror talks. I am giving you advice so that Sheridan doesn't go screaming into the night."
"And I get to talk to you about Poe cause she's my little sister and you're a lot older then she is."
"She's a big girl now." Hank said.
"Still the baby of the family. Consider yourself lucky that you're not having this conversation with Antonio. He wouldn't be as understanding as I am."
Hank rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. I'll ignore you anyway."
"Look, all I'm saying is to be careful. I get the feeling she didn't have the easiest time with her first husband."
"He was an asshole." Hank affirmed.
"You meet him or hear about him?"
"I met him." Hank said. "Right before I came home from drifting over Europe and met Sheridan."
"Paloma was fifteen then." Luis said.
"They weren't married." Hank said. "Probably hadn't even met."
"Are you telling me she got married and had Alex by the time she was twenty?"
Hank shrugged.
"You don't know or won't say?"
"What do you think?" Hank asked pointedly.
"Hank, it's my sister."
"And it's her place to tell you, not mine. I'm not saying anything so give it up, okay?"
"But you'll be careful with her?"
"You're acting like you think I'm going to jump her."
If looks could kill, Hank would've been incinerated on the spot.
"I will always be careful with her." Hank finally conceded.
"Good. Now, about a job?"
"Oh, jeez, go back to making faces at yourself in the mirror."
HR
Ethan frowned when he heard the repetitive thumping of something coming from the kitchen. He walked in and stopped.
The kitchen was empty. Then he saw the light under the door. He opened it and poked his head in.
There was Theresa beating up a punching bag.
He approached her quietly, thinking it best not to spook her. Then he put his hand on her shoulder.
The next thing he knew he was on his back looking up at Theresa's concerned face.
"Are you okay?"
"You have a lot of anger issues." Ethan mumbled.
"Take my advice, never sneak up on someone who is beating up a punching bag," Theresa pulled him into a sitting position. "I don't think you'll have a bruise."
"That would be so hard to explain to the kids." He laughed.
She grinned in relief. "You grew a sense of humor!"
"Defense mechanism." He said, mock-seriously. "If I hadn't learned to laugh at my mother, Rebecca and Julian I would've gone out of my mind."
Theresa smiled as she made herself comfortable on the floor next to him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. My jaw is sore but I'm okay," Ethan groaned as he moved his jaw. "Nice right cross."
"By product of surviving three brothers."
"Right. So, why are you in here?"
"It helps me think. I had a lot of that to do tonight."
"I know exactly what you mean."
Theresa tucked a strand of sweaty hair behind her ear. "I've been thinking about us. Our situation."
He nodded.
"It wouldn't be fair to ask you to move here and give up everything you and Rosie have in Harmony. But by the same respect, it wouldn't be fair of you or anyone to ask me to take Ethan and Emma and move back to Harmony."
"Agreed."
She nodded. "Chicago."
"What?" He made an amused sound of disbelief.
"It's not a small town so I could still be a paramedic, you could make a great living as a lawyer, and it would be new for us both."
"I don't want to uproot everybody." He said.
Theresa gently interlaced their fingers. "Then what do you want?"
He looked into her eyes. "I want to come here. I want to help fix the third floor of this building. I want our children to grow up together. I want to laugh with you and kiss you and wake up with you every morning. Is that moving too fast?"
"No. But are you sure you want to move out here? Chicago is a lot closer to Harmony and Gwen might get better one of these days. Rosie has the right to be able to see her mother."
"Gwen isn't going to get better." Ethan told her. "I went through all the phases. I borrowed money, I used family names, I brought a doctor in from Switzerland. She is gone and she can't come back. And if I'm going to uproot Rosie anyway, I don't have to uproot Emma and Ethan and you. We have family here. You have friends here. We can build something here. I don't want Chicago."
"Any objections to living with my sister, her son, your sister, her daughter, Sheridan, and Thomas?"
"That's why I'll fix the third floor. We can make an apartment up there, so we can visit any time, but have our own space too."
Theresa smiled. "You know, we can't do that till something else is done. Luis would kill us."
"He'll be too busy killing Hank for laying a hand on the baby."
"He hasn't touched her yet."
"He's going to though. Have you seen how he watches her?"
"Yeah I have. For about five years now. Your uncle is trying to set a record for pining."
Ethan laughed. "Noah and Whitney almost beat him."
"We should go to sleep."
"That's another thing Luis would kill me for."
"I said sleep, I'm tired."
He kissed her forehead. "Good night."
"Good night," Theresa got to her feet. She discarded her gloves and hung them on a nail. "By the way, if you're interested there's an extra set of gloves in the closet."
"Tomorrow while you're out working for a living." He promised.
"You should think about giving notice at the DA's office if you're serious about moving out here."
"I want to look around here to see what's open."
"Of course," Theresa nodded. "Don't forget to get yourself a suit and take my brothers, Hank, and Sam with you."
"Why take them with me?" He asked suspiciously.
"So they can get suits too," she rolled her eyes.
"If you think I'll be able to get all of them to buy suits, you've gone soft. You need to send a taskmaster."
"I'll send Poe. Night," Theresa sang as she left Ethan in the gym.
HR
Paloma slid a paper out of a file. "Will this really be it?" She asked.
"A record of all the imports exports from this warehouse to the family warehouse in Barcelona and Seville and vice versa? Poe, this is the nail in the coffin." Hank promised.
"You've said it before."
"I mean it more."
"Really?"
"Look at this." He passed a paper to her.
She skimmed it and dropped it. "You're resigning. Oh my God. Can you do that?"
"Yep and I got my bartenders license. You looking for another one?"
"What?"
He dropped it and jumped to another topic. "I want to take you out this weekend."
She laughed. "Someone in Toni's family is getting married."
"A brawl preceded by a wedding? Interesting first date."
"Just interesting enough for us." She agreed.
"What about something where we can eat without your sister and brothers staring and whispering? I don't want to feel like a gawky teenager."
She laughed. "I never would put the word gawky in a sentence with you."
"You flatter me," Hank grinned.
"I'm trying to," Paloma smiled.
"So about my nephew and your sister, do you think they'll make it?"
"Barring an act of God, I think their shot is better than it was the first time around."
"Good," Hank nodded, and then pulled Paloma into his lap. "Now about us. What are our chances?"
"We don't have a first time around to judge against as a standard."
"So, our chances are up to us?"
"Yes," Paloma nodded.
"Then we'll be fine."
She grinned. "It took you a while to decide, didn't it?"
"Me? Oh no, I decided that Christmas I saw you crying on the phone with your mother."
"Well I decided when I was seven and you taught me how to swim."
"Liar." He squeezed her.
"Am not." She grinned. "I just forgot for a little while."
Long enough to get married. Hank thought. Long enough to have a child. "So why did we wait this long?"
"Because you were doing something very dangerous and we were both healing from the past."
"Are you healed?"
"I can't say that I never have nightmares about him and them, but in a weird way, I feel like I've finally woken up. You're not him. You're you, and you are a wonderful friend. And now, a bit more."
"I'll be around to wake you up from nightmares from now on."
Her face, which had been tilted flirtatiously crumbled as she smirked. "Hey now, let's not jump ahead. We haven't even had our first kiss."
"That can be fixed."
"Wh- Hmmm..." Paloma sighed as Hank kissed her. "Wow," she breathed when he pulled away. "I like that."
"Worth waiting for?"
"Definitely," she nodded. "Do it again?"
"Sure." Hank kissed her.
"Hey, Poe! Class was cancelled; want me to take your shift--" Kay had started talking all the way down the hall. By the time she was in the office, Hank and Paloma had sheepishly pulled apart. Paloma was standing by her filling cabinet adjusting her blouse slightly, as Hank pretended to read his letter of resignation and the import/export list.
"What was that Kay?" Paloma asked.
"Oh, I wanted to know if I should take your shift since my class was canceled."
"No, that's okay. Why don't you take Olivia to the movies or something?"
She looked from her uncle to her friend. "Should I take Alex too?" She asked wickedly.
"No, but take Miguel. And don't look at me like that. Do this to relax. Doesn't your mother's plan land tonight?"
"You had to remind me?"
"Yes. Now go!"
"Jeez, think you two had never had a minute alone in your office before." Kay winked and left.
"Will you hate me if I strangle my niece?" Hank asked.
"No, I'd help. By the way, about the bartending position? See Cole."
"I was joking. With the hazard pay I accumulated I'm ready to let the 'save the world gene' I've been repressing take over."
"Gonna take the police test?"
"Hell no." Hank said. "Spent too much time doing cloak and dagger ops to wear a uniform everyday."
"Fireman test then?"
"Miguel talked to me about opening a youth center around here. Close to your clinic."
"Oh that. Yeah I heard something about that too. And Theresa's across the street from that big empty Y."
"So, what do you think?"
"Hank Bennett, holding out a helping hand to troubled kids." She grinned. "It sounds perfect to me."
"Thank you."
"You know most of the guys at Theresa's firehouse right?"
"Yeah."
"Good. That'll make it easier to ask for free labor."
"I'm counting on you."
She smirked. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Do the dimple smile thing and say please and half of them will stampede across the street to do anything you ask."
"Are you implying that I use my feminine wiles to get what I want?"
"Yes."
"Good. Because I do."
"I've noticed."
"I don't use them on you." She said.
He snorted.
"Often." She amended.
Hank smiled. "Truth be told, I don't mind when you do," he said.
"Glad to hear it." She smiled back.
"So, Sunday?"
"Yeah. I think it's Mickey."
"I thought he was in jail."
"That's Big Mickey. This is Little Mickey."
"You're wrestling the little dude into a tux?"
"A tie at least. Fate is punishing me for loving clothes by giving me a son who hates anything but jeans and t-shirts."
"Should have gone into the business when Theresa chose to be a medic."
"Which business?" She asked suspiciously.
"Fashion," Hank said not catching the suspicious tone in her voice. "C'mon, the club opened a few minutes ago. Let's go dance."
She relaxed a little. "Did you ever think--do you understand--I'm the only one who didn't pursue an outside career. I'm glad to do this, but I sometimes feel like I don't give back enough."
"You give back plenty. You're the volunteer who puts in the most hours at the clinic, you balance the kids and your sisters, which is an accomplishment and don't think I don't know that you already talked to someone about buying the old Y when you heard about Miguel wanting to open a community center."
"That's the least I can do." She said. "C'mon, I like that idea of dancing."
"Okay, let's go."
HR
"Sheridan?"
She looked up. "Hi Luis. What's up?"
"Do you have a minute? I'd like to talk to you, if you do."
"Uh, yeah okay," Sheridan nodded. "Have a seat."
He did. He looked at her for a minute. She didn't give an inch.
"I'm not gonna ask you to move back to Harmony. I just want to get that out in the open first."
"Good to know." She snapped something in her hands. "Cause I would just-- "
"Throw a drink in my face, kick me, crash into my car again?" Luis guessed, smiling a little as he anticipated her threats.
"We did have an interesting beginning didn't we?" Sheridan had to smile.
"That's one way to put it," Luis agreed.
"So, you wanted to say..."
"How are you?"
"I'm okay. I really am. You don't have to worry about me Luis. Thomas and I are okay."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes, we are," Sheridan nodded. "Luis, if I had stayed in Harmony, I probably would've slit my wrists after a while."
Luis shrugged, uncomfortable. "I did some research on your condition. I think you would've gone into a fugue until you could deal. You would've left first, only no one would've known where you were. So I guess that it was better that someone knew where you were."
"We take care of each other. We're sisters," Sheridan told him.
"I see that."
Sheridan smiled, "I missed you. I did. I know that sounds weird but I did miss you. I wondered what you were doing and who Chloe looked like more, you or Beth. And, after Hank told us some things, I prayed you were okay and that you were able to keep your daughter safe."
"He said he didn't give you the whole story." Luis said.
"Only fair, I guess."
"Chloe looks like her aunts." Luis said. "She's spoiled rotten. I created a holy terror."
"Oh how the mighty have fallen. I never thought I'd see the day when a little girl had the big bad cop wrapped around her little finger."
"I was wrapped around your finger." He said frankly.
She looked away, uncomfortable for a moment.
She looked back a moment later. "I wasn't a little girl."
"No." He agreed. "That wasn't the attraction there."
"Right," Sheridan said quietly. "So, what are your plans?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. It depends a lot on what my mother and Ethan decide. I can't raise Chloe without help. Judging from the trajectory of things, I think Ethan may've landed here for good." Luis shrugged. "And I know Mama would love to be around her grandchildren. But I have a good job, a mortgage, car payments, and history in Harmony. I love it there. Some days I understand why you and Theresa and Kay hated it, but some days I can't imagine leaving."
"You and Chloe and Pilar are always welcome here Luis. I hope you know that. I think you're right about Ethan. I think he may stay for good. He has good reasons too. But if you want Harmony then you should stay there. I don't want you to move across the country because of a 'what if'."
"I wasted years dreaming about you." He said softly. "I never imagined turning away a second chance. Or third or fourth in this case."
Sheridan smiled a little. "I'm not saying we shouldn't try, I guess I'm just saying not to throw away everything you worked for."
"I don't want either of us to throw away anything. That's the problem though, isn't it? So many possibilities out there... Even if we make no choice, that is a choice. And what's right and what's wrong?" He smiled bitterly. "I wish I know how to answer those questions."
"Just don't do anything you'll regret. I'd love it if you were out here. I'd love to get to know you again, as a person with a child and for you to get to know me again," Sheridan admitted.
He nodded. "I'd like to know you again." He agreed. "I guess that's why there are telephones."
"And email," she nodded. "And besides, I think Chloe would like a vacation out here every once in a while. Anaheim isn't that far away."
"You don't know Chloe yet." He said unsteadily. "Besides, I'm sure Thomas would love to see Boston and New York and Washington."
"Neutral ground?" She asked.
"Let's just say I don't want to concede the home court advantage completely."
"We could take them up to Seattle to see the Space Needle. Hank brought pictures once and Thomas asked for weeks if we could go see it for real."
"Chloe heard the word Emerald City about it once and begged to see it for weeks. I think she thought she'd get ruby slippers if she made the trip."
Sheridan giggled. "She sounds sweet."
"I'm telling you, she's a holy terror. She'll corrupt your well behaved angels in ten minutes." Luis paused. "That is, if Rosie hasn't already managed it."
Sheridan laughed. "Boy, they got you fooled. They only look like angels."
"Must be a trait in our genes," Luis smiled. "But I do look forward to getting to know my nephew."
"I think he'll like that. He'll probably want stories about Antonio when you all were kids. I'm not much help there and Theresa and Poe are too young to remember."
"Theresa probably remembers some. She just can't tell him what she remembers."
"Why not?"
"She doesn't want to give him ideas. The two of us were awful to her." Luis admitted with a devilish grin. "Well, Antonio was anyway. He figured out how to melt things with a magnifying glass--" Luis stopped talking. "What are they doing?" He pointed at Paloma and Hank.
"Uh," Sheridan looked at them carefully. "I believe that's called dancing."
"He should not be touching her there. She should not be smiling. This is weird." Luis looked away and shook his head as if to clear the image. "This is very weird. This is the kid who I grew up with and the baby sister who used to follow us around."
"Didn't Theresa ever follow you?"
"She never adored me that much." Luis said. "Miguel and Kay were inseparable. They followed Noah or they followed Antonio. They ignored Hank and me. Poe and Jessie were the ones who acted like we were movie stars." He turned back to look, then closed his eyes. "Come on, didn't it freak you out a little the first time you saw Gwen and Ethan getting cuddly."
"Honestly?"
Luis nodded.
"Yes. They had grown up acting like brother and sister and even they weren't so comfortable with it at first. It was like they just figured it was the next step." Sheridan eyed her younger-sister-in-law and friend. "These two don't have that problem."
"You sound like you approve."
"Maybe I do," Sheridan said. Then she nodded. "Yes I do. I think they're good for each other. I think he'll make her happy and protect her and she'll feel more secure then she ever did with her last husband. This could be a good thing Luis. Don't wreck it just 'cause you think you have to protect your baby sister from your best friend. And while I'm on the subject. A lot of guys could be dancing with Paloma right now. Guys you don't know. Guys who could only have one thing on their mind. Aren't you glad it's Hank and not those guys?"
"I know Hank so well I do know what's on his mind. That's one of the things that scares me. But even I can tell her first husband was no good, and Hank told me he'd be careful with her. She looks happy. I just don't have to approve until after they're married and made their first son my godchild."
"You might be waiting for a while. It took five years for them to dance. They pined secretly for so long we were starting to plan to put them together."
"Yentas the lot of you," Cole said. "White wine and a beer. Enjoy."
"Thanks Cole," Sheridan said.
"Wait, why aren't you out there glaring at him? They promised me you acted like a big brother and guard dog rolled into one." Luis protested mildly.
Cole's laughter sounded more like a rumble. "Hey, I see what you see. He's good for her. Never gonna put a bruise on her body or her heart."
Sheridan just laughed at Luis' petulant expression. "And to think that this was how you used to sulk over Ethan and Theresa. Now they have two kids."
"You do know how to make me feel better." Luis pretended to shudder. "Seriously, on one level, I know this is a good thing. But on another, that's my little sister and my best friend."
"Just don't watch. And never ask questions if she wears a turtle neck."
Luis turned red. "You had to make me think that way? Now I'm going to be suspicious instead of purposely ignorant."
"My work here is done." Sheridan said with a satisfied smirk, as she sipped her wine.
hr
"Pretty good movie," Miguel commented. "I always did like the Muppets."
"Muppet babies, you mean." Kay said, over the heads of four napping children.
"Them too," Miguel nodded. "So, do you want something to drink?"
Kay shook her head. "I don't think so."
"Okay," Miguel nodded. "How about we go in the kitchen and talk? Really talk, I mean."
She looked at Livvie, who was cuddled against her, then at Emma, then Ethan, finally at Thomas who was leaning against Miguel. Alex was on Miguel's other side. He was tucked into the corner of the sofa. "Think you can move without waking them up?"
"I can try. You?"
"I'm an old pro." Kay expertly maneuvered out from under Livvie and put a pillow in her place. "Your turn."
"No fair, you only had one." Miguel twisted, then copied her maneuver and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch to take his place.
"Not bad. You've done that before."
"My niece and yours. I've babysat a lot."
Kay had to smile as they went into the kitchen. "There's a bottle of wine above the sink."
"Did you change your mind about a drink?"
"No, I figured you wanted one."
"I never drink alone." He said.
"Iced tea?" She offered an alternative.
"Sounds good," Miguel nodded.
Kay made them both a glass and the got out the Buffalo Cake Sheridan had made. It was the one thing the blonde woman could make without burning.
"There's no poison in this, right?" He asked, evaluating it with fork poised in the air.
"Sheridan made it. It's her one culinary triumph. That and frozen pizza."
"I'm impressed." He said. "There was a betting pool running for a while during the first engagement about whether she would make it to boiling water."
Kay giggled. "She's gotten a lot better but Poe, Theresa, and I still do most of the cooking."
Miguel blinked. "Your idea of a cooking implement used to be a phone to call for Dominoes."
"I'll have to make my veal parm. You'll love it."
Miguel took a careful bite of the cake.
"See? It's good."
"Yeah it is. I'm impressed."
"Good. She got the recipe from a cook we used to have at the club. He used to work in this cafe that solely served dessert. He quit here after Poe told him his chocolate soufflé tasted like old gym socks."
Miguel coughed. "And I used to think she was the tactful one of the family?"
"Well, it sort of did taste bad, but she was on a real tear that day. She was furious about some letter, I think. I don't remember much, except being surprised. She's usually careful to keep good staff members."
"Like Cole?"
"Oh here it comes. You have a problem with him cause he did time right?"
"No, no, I don't. If you all trust him, then so do I."
"Okay then," Kay nodded. "You wanna stay don't you?"
"Yes."
"Then you better get Cole to like you, cause he's been a good friend to us."
"Think he'll be able to learn to like a cop?"
Kay looked thoughtful. "Well he likes me and Livvie, and we're both cop's daughters. A cop is just the next step up."
"Or down, depending on how he thinks of it."
Kay smiled. "Just be good to Livvie, be respectful to your sisters and Sheridan, and be nice to me. He'll love you."
"Is that all it takes?" Miguel asked lightly, taking another bit of Sheridan's cake.
"Yeah, that and don't flash any badges when you're around him. He's the bouncer. Let him handle the rowdies."
"How many rowdies do you get?"
"Not so many that we can't handle them easily."
"I could help out at the clinic and Hank and I could do the Youth Center thing. Ethan might be able to help with the legalities once he passes the bar out here."
"You're leaving out Luis."
"Luis loves Harmony. He always has. He always will. He loves the people, the places, and the sites. He loves walking down any street and knowing every shop, every display, every customer and cashier. He loves the ocean and the beaches, and the park with the ducks. He even loves the tourists. Forcing him to leave it would be like tearing off his arm. He could recover, but he would always be bitter about it."
"Well Sheridan won't be moving back there anytime soon. L.A. is better for her mental health."
"So I guess they just part as friends?"
"Looks like," Kay nodded. "Maybe one day they'll come to a compromise but for now they're staying put on their respective coasts."
Miguel fiddled with his fork. "Have you ever wondered about the Cranes? They have a lot more resources than we did. They could've found you."
"They did find us. Paloma handled it. Sheridan and Thomas gave up any inheritance and use of the Crane name in the future for a lump sum of five million."
"No one ever mentioned it."
"Sheridan doesn't really know. It was when she got sick and we had to get her into a hospital, but the club wasn't producing and the money for admission just wasn't there. We put the rest of the money in an account for her and Thomas and we're looking for a way to bring it up without pissing her off."
"Good luck," Miguel shook his head. "I don't want to be anywhere near you guys when you tell her."
"Me neither. That's why since it was Poe who did it, it's going to be Poe who tells her."
"Sneaky of you."
"Why thank you," Kay smiled. "Are you doing anything tonight?"
He shrugged. "Are you?"
"No. I was gonna just go to the club. Wanna come with?"
"All the way downstairs?" Miguel grinned. "I think that would be fun."
"Good." Kay smiled. "Miguel, I'd like to be friends with you. I want Livvie to be able to see that even though her folks might not be married they can still like each other."
"And maybe someday--"
"I don't plan on maybe some days, Miguel. You throw your life away when you start dreaming like that."
"Then I'll do it for us," Miguel smiled. "Thank you. Thank you for being willing to try."
"I never said I was willing to do anything." She said in a sulky tone.
"Then thank you for asking to be friends again," Miguel smiled. "It means a lot."
She sighs. "Hope springs eternal for you Lopez-Fitzgeralds, doesn't it?"
"It runs in the family," Miguel agreed.