"My goodness," Gwen Winthrop sighed as she, Theresa, Ethan, and Noah took
their seats in the Crane atrium, "so, Noah, tell me all about yourself.
I've heard a lot from your family. Sam and Grace go on and on about how
wonderful you are!"
"My parents are exaggerating." Noah blushed at the blonde woman's comments.
"Noah," Theresa patted Noah's back as she took her place beside him, "your parents are NOT exaggerating."
"Resa."
"No, I'm serious!" Theresa shook her head at her humble friend. "Noah is amazing! He is finishing pre-med as we speak, and he'll be off to med school in a little less than a year! Ever since we were younger, Noah's had the dream of becoming a world famous surgeon. Some people told him that he'd never make it, they all figured he'd give up and come back to Harmony and join the police force, but I knew better."
Noah felt his face begin to burn with embarrassment as his good friend talked highly of him. He hid his face in his hands, but seconds later, he felt Theresa's small hand rest on his back.
"I'm sorry, No." Theresa smiled. "You know I didn't mean to embarrass you. It's just I'm really proud of you, that's all. Don't I deserve to gloat about my best friend?"
"Don't pay any attention to the little raven-haired mamasita." Noah laughed at the tongue that Theresa stuck out at him. "She is definitely exaggerating. Sure, I'm pre-med, but I have no intentions of being 'world- famous'."
"You don't have to be so modest, Noah." Ethan spoke up after listening to the playful back and forth of words that were exchanged between Theresa and his half-brother. "I'm sure what Theresa says of you is all very much the truth."
Gwen eyed her husband, and cringed at the look on his face. She knew that look all too well, for it was a look that 'graced' her countenance every time she encountered Theresa Crane. It was the look of jealousy. She pursed her lips and her hands crossed against her chest as she watched Ethan try to maintain his composure around the two old friends. She knew that it was getting underneath his skin. Because in some twisted way, Ethan still felt like Theresa 'belonged' to him.
"I appreciate that, Ethan." Noah smiled to his older brother and stood from his seat.
"Oh, my goodness." Theresa jumped from her place on the loveseat. "It's almost five o'clock. We've got to get going to the hospital. I promised my mama that Paloma and I would be back home in time to visit Antonio."
"Let me go and get her." Noah squeezed his friend on the shoulder and walked out of the room.
Theresa watched Noah as he walked from the room, and her thoughts drifted back to her childhood with him. It felt so amazing to finally have the person who kept her grounded all her life, back in it. She smiled from ear to ear without paying any attention that there were two pairs of eyes staring at her.
"So," Ethan spoke, breaking Theresa's train of thought, "he seems like a great guy!"
"He really is, Ethan." Theresa nodded as her eyes grew wide, "He's been one of my best friends since I can remember. Aside from Whitney, Noah's been the friend who'd always be there for me. It's just really great to have him back."
Ethan felt his blood warm over with jealousy as he heard Theresa speak of another man with such respect and praise. He had NOTHING against Noah. It wasn't that at all. It just worried him to no end that Theresa had allowed the 'old Theresa' to shine through, instead of the stuck-up Theresa Crane. Ethan hadn't witnessed the hopeless romantic, extremely klutzy, silly, goofy Theresa in what seemed like ages, until now. And that thought brought a pang to his stomach because for once in his life, HE wasn't the one who brought out that side of Theresa. It was someoneELSE, and that didn't sit well in Ethan's mind.
'Not at all.' He thought as he watched Theresa walk out of the room with Gwen at his back shooting daggers at Theresa with her eyes.
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"Hey, Kiddo." Noah smiled as he saw Paloma make her way down the stairs in the mansion. "It's almost five, and Theresa said you guys have to go and meet up with the fam to visit Antonio soon."
"Yeah," Paloma stopped on the last step and patted Noah's head. "Thanks, No."
"Anytime."
"There you are!" Theresa smiled at her sister. "How's little Ethan?"
"Sleeping like a baby," Paloma assured her, "though, that IS what he is, isn't it?"
"Oh, how I've missed your wacky logic, Mana." Theresa laughed and took her sister by the arm.
"Hey, Kiddo." Noah walked between the sisters and placed an arm around each of them. "I just met my brother."
"You did?" Paloma looked up. "And?"
"He seems cool."
"I should introduce you to him, Mana." Theresa turned. "He would love to meet you."
"As great as that seems, Resa, I don't really WANT to meet good ole' Ethan." Paloma frowned. "No offense, but from all the things that you've said has happened in the past with your relationship, I'm not exactly jumping at the chance to meet the man that ruined my sister's life. I'm protective like that."
"I'm so sorry you think of me that way." Ethan cleared his throat as he entered the room.
"Ethan?" Theresa turned her head and pushed Noah's arm off her shoulder as her eyes grew wide.
"I am sorry that you feel that way toward me." Ethan sighed. "I know you must hate me."
"I don't know you as a person, Ethan Winthrop," Paloma stepped up and looked the older man in the eye, "So I can't HATE you. But I have heard about everything my sister has gone through with you, so I ask that you try and understand from my standpoint how you look to be."
Ethan had to nod and smile at the younger woman's character, she shared that same stubborn look that her older sister had. She was beautiful, he had seen pictures of her, but to see her in person put the pictures to shame. Ethan barely remembered Paloma from his youth, but he did remember a dark-haired little girl that would accompany Pilar to work many times from his childhood. He put two and two together and figured that he was standing in front of the grown-up version of that same girl.
"I understand completely, Paloma." Ethan nodded. "Theresa is your sister, and I don't expect anything less from you, especially since you ARE a Lopez- Fitzgerald. You're family stands beside each other through everything. I just hope that in time, we'll be able to see past our differences and be friends."
"Possibly," Paloma kept the stern, serious look on her face, "It will take time, Ethan. But I am happy to make your acquaintance."
"As am I." Ethan smiled and took the young woman's hand in his own to shake it.
"We got to be going now." Noah interrupted with a cough.
"You're right, No." Theresa checked her watch. "Mana?"
"Yeah, I'm ready." Paloma nodded at Ethan as the three made their way out of the mansion.
"Noah, I'll give you a call sometime, we can finish catching up!" Ethan called out.
"Sure thing, Ethan." Noah waved. "Thanks again, bro."
Ethan smiled, and turned around to make his way into the living room when he came face to face with his 'other' younger brother.
"Fox."
"I see you've made the acquaintance of the missing LF." Fox leaned against the wall as he spoke to his brother. "She's quite a little firecracker, don't you agree, Big E?"
"Whatever you are planning in that sick mind of yours Nicholas, you better put a stop to it this instant." Ethan shook his finger at Fox. "You WILL NOT touch Paloma."
"Ah, the knight in shining armor to the rescue, once again." Fox laughed to himself. "Worry not, big bro. I'm not planning a single thing."
"You may say that, Fox." Ethan walked up to his brother and spoke softly, "but believe that I will be watching you, and if you do anything to hurt Theresa's sister, I will hunt you down myself."
"Tsk, tsk, Big Man." Fox stood to his full height, and looked down at his brother, "Harsh words for a man that has his eyes on the other hot tamale."
"Fox."
"Ah, I see I've touched a soft spot." Fox laughed. "Listen, E. I saw how your eyes turned green when you watched the Bennett kid move in on 'your territory'. Newsflash bro, she's up for grabs and YOU are a married man."
"That's enough Fox." Ethan seethed. "Just forget about getting anything with Paloma, do you hear me?"
"Like I said." Fox licked his lips and walked to the end of the room with a smiled. "I'm not planning a single thing."
"You better not be."
'Not a SINGLE thing.' Fox thought, 'rather many, MANY, things.'
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*A/N* Hope you like PART II of this chapter, PART III is coming up in a few hours, so stay tuned. Please, again, if you have any comments on how the story is coming along, or if you have any suggestions --- e-mail me or post on the comment board. Thanks! =)
"My parents are exaggerating." Noah blushed at the blonde woman's comments.
"Noah," Theresa patted Noah's back as she took her place beside him, "your parents are NOT exaggerating."
"Resa."
"No, I'm serious!" Theresa shook her head at her humble friend. "Noah is amazing! He is finishing pre-med as we speak, and he'll be off to med school in a little less than a year! Ever since we were younger, Noah's had the dream of becoming a world famous surgeon. Some people told him that he'd never make it, they all figured he'd give up and come back to Harmony and join the police force, but I knew better."
Noah felt his face begin to burn with embarrassment as his good friend talked highly of him. He hid his face in his hands, but seconds later, he felt Theresa's small hand rest on his back.
"I'm sorry, No." Theresa smiled. "You know I didn't mean to embarrass you. It's just I'm really proud of you, that's all. Don't I deserve to gloat about my best friend?"
"Don't pay any attention to the little raven-haired mamasita." Noah laughed at the tongue that Theresa stuck out at him. "She is definitely exaggerating. Sure, I'm pre-med, but I have no intentions of being 'world- famous'."
"You don't have to be so modest, Noah." Ethan spoke up after listening to the playful back and forth of words that were exchanged between Theresa and his half-brother. "I'm sure what Theresa says of you is all very much the truth."
Gwen eyed her husband, and cringed at the look on his face. She knew that look all too well, for it was a look that 'graced' her countenance every time she encountered Theresa Crane. It was the look of jealousy. She pursed her lips and her hands crossed against her chest as she watched Ethan try to maintain his composure around the two old friends. She knew that it was getting underneath his skin. Because in some twisted way, Ethan still felt like Theresa 'belonged' to him.
"I appreciate that, Ethan." Noah smiled to his older brother and stood from his seat.
"Oh, my goodness." Theresa jumped from her place on the loveseat. "It's almost five o'clock. We've got to get going to the hospital. I promised my mama that Paloma and I would be back home in time to visit Antonio."
"Let me go and get her." Noah squeezed his friend on the shoulder and walked out of the room.
Theresa watched Noah as he walked from the room, and her thoughts drifted back to her childhood with him. It felt so amazing to finally have the person who kept her grounded all her life, back in it. She smiled from ear to ear without paying any attention that there were two pairs of eyes staring at her.
"So," Ethan spoke, breaking Theresa's train of thought, "he seems like a great guy!"
"He really is, Ethan." Theresa nodded as her eyes grew wide, "He's been one of my best friends since I can remember. Aside from Whitney, Noah's been the friend who'd always be there for me. It's just really great to have him back."
Ethan felt his blood warm over with jealousy as he heard Theresa speak of another man with such respect and praise. He had NOTHING against Noah. It wasn't that at all. It just worried him to no end that Theresa had allowed the 'old Theresa' to shine through, instead of the stuck-up Theresa Crane. Ethan hadn't witnessed the hopeless romantic, extremely klutzy, silly, goofy Theresa in what seemed like ages, until now. And that thought brought a pang to his stomach because for once in his life, HE wasn't the one who brought out that side of Theresa. It was someoneELSE, and that didn't sit well in Ethan's mind.
'Not at all.' He thought as he watched Theresa walk out of the room with Gwen at his back shooting daggers at Theresa with her eyes.
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"Hey, Kiddo." Noah smiled as he saw Paloma make her way down the stairs in the mansion. "It's almost five, and Theresa said you guys have to go and meet up with the fam to visit Antonio soon."
"Yeah," Paloma stopped on the last step and patted Noah's head. "Thanks, No."
"Anytime."
"There you are!" Theresa smiled at her sister. "How's little Ethan?"
"Sleeping like a baby," Paloma assured her, "though, that IS what he is, isn't it?"
"Oh, how I've missed your wacky logic, Mana." Theresa laughed and took her sister by the arm.
"Hey, Kiddo." Noah walked between the sisters and placed an arm around each of them. "I just met my brother."
"You did?" Paloma looked up. "And?"
"He seems cool."
"I should introduce you to him, Mana." Theresa turned. "He would love to meet you."
"As great as that seems, Resa, I don't really WANT to meet good ole' Ethan." Paloma frowned. "No offense, but from all the things that you've said has happened in the past with your relationship, I'm not exactly jumping at the chance to meet the man that ruined my sister's life. I'm protective like that."
"I'm so sorry you think of me that way." Ethan cleared his throat as he entered the room.
"Ethan?" Theresa turned her head and pushed Noah's arm off her shoulder as her eyes grew wide.
"I am sorry that you feel that way toward me." Ethan sighed. "I know you must hate me."
"I don't know you as a person, Ethan Winthrop," Paloma stepped up and looked the older man in the eye, "So I can't HATE you. But I have heard about everything my sister has gone through with you, so I ask that you try and understand from my standpoint how you look to be."
Ethan had to nod and smile at the younger woman's character, she shared that same stubborn look that her older sister had. She was beautiful, he had seen pictures of her, but to see her in person put the pictures to shame. Ethan barely remembered Paloma from his youth, but he did remember a dark-haired little girl that would accompany Pilar to work many times from his childhood. He put two and two together and figured that he was standing in front of the grown-up version of that same girl.
"I understand completely, Paloma." Ethan nodded. "Theresa is your sister, and I don't expect anything less from you, especially since you ARE a Lopez- Fitzgerald. You're family stands beside each other through everything. I just hope that in time, we'll be able to see past our differences and be friends."
"Possibly," Paloma kept the stern, serious look on her face, "It will take time, Ethan. But I am happy to make your acquaintance."
"As am I." Ethan smiled and took the young woman's hand in his own to shake it.
"We got to be going now." Noah interrupted with a cough.
"You're right, No." Theresa checked her watch. "Mana?"
"Yeah, I'm ready." Paloma nodded at Ethan as the three made their way out of the mansion.
"Noah, I'll give you a call sometime, we can finish catching up!" Ethan called out.
"Sure thing, Ethan." Noah waved. "Thanks again, bro."
Ethan smiled, and turned around to make his way into the living room when he came face to face with his 'other' younger brother.
"Fox."
"I see you've made the acquaintance of the missing LF." Fox leaned against the wall as he spoke to his brother. "She's quite a little firecracker, don't you agree, Big E?"
"Whatever you are planning in that sick mind of yours Nicholas, you better put a stop to it this instant." Ethan shook his finger at Fox. "You WILL NOT touch Paloma."
"Ah, the knight in shining armor to the rescue, once again." Fox laughed to himself. "Worry not, big bro. I'm not planning a single thing."
"You may say that, Fox." Ethan walked up to his brother and spoke softly, "but believe that I will be watching you, and if you do anything to hurt Theresa's sister, I will hunt you down myself."
"Tsk, tsk, Big Man." Fox stood to his full height, and looked down at his brother, "Harsh words for a man that has his eyes on the other hot tamale."
"Fox."
"Ah, I see I've touched a soft spot." Fox laughed. "Listen, E. I saw how your eyes turned green when you watched the Bennett kid move in on 'your territory'. Newsflash bro, she's up for grabs and YOU are a married man."
"That's enough Fox." Ethan seethed. "Just forget about getting anything with Paloma, do you hear me?"
"Like I said." Fox licked his lips and walked to the end of the room with a smiled. "I'm not planning a single thing."
"You better not be."
'Not a SINGLE thing.' Fox thought, 'rather many, MANY, things.'
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*A/N* Hope you like PART II of this chapter, PART III is coming up in a few hours, so stay tuned. Please, again, if you have any comments on how the story is coming along, or if you have any suggestions --- e-mail me or post on the comment board. Thanks! =)