CHAPTER 10
Good Bye
"Mama, I'm going out."
"Where to?"
"Spending time with Fox before he leaves tomorrow. We're going out to the new French restaurant."
"When are you coming back?"
"I don't know, don't wait up. We'll be on the grounds later."
"As long as you're on the estate, it's fine."
She nodded and kissed Pilar on the cheek before she ran out and made her way to the mansion.
She rang the door bell and a maid answered it.
"Teresa! Mr. Fox will be down in a few minutes. If you want to wait for him in the living room.."
"Thank you."
She walked in and stood in front of the chimney. She looked at the mantle and understood for the first time what Fox meant when he said that his family didn't care for him. The only photographs sitting there were Ethan's.
"Teresa?"
She turned around.
"Ethan, I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in."
He looked at her. She was wearing a three quarter length black dress with thin straps. She was wearing black sandals strapped to her ankles. Her hair was pulled back. She looked beautiful. He wanted to hold her and kiss her.
"You were concentrating on those pictures."
"How come there are none of Fox or of your other siblings?"
"I don't know."
He sat on the couch and stared at her.
"Please, sit down."
"No, I'm alright. Thank you."
He was disappointed.
"So, what brings you here?"
"I'm going out for dinner with Nicholas."
"Really, he didn't say anything about that."
"That's because what I do is none of anyone's business, Ethan."
They both looked at Fox who had just walked in. He looked at Teresa and advanced towards her.
"You look amazing Resa."
"And you look very handsome."
He gave her his arm and she took it.
"Are you ready beautiful?"
She gave him one of those smiles that came straight from the heart.
"I'm ready to wherever you want me to go."
"Well then, let's get going."
He glanced at his brother.
"Have a nice evening, Ethan."
"Where are you going exactly?"
"Mind your own business."
Ethan heard the door close behind them. He went to the window and watched them walk to Fox's car. He opened the door for her but before she got in, he took her in a kiss. He helped her in, then took his place at the driver's seat. He watched the car take off and then it disappeared from his view.
"Father and Grandfather will be less than thrilled when I tell them about this."
*********************
"What was that all about?"
"What do you mean?"
"Ethan asking all those questions."
"He was just fishing for dirt to use against me."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Maybe Father and Grandfather put him up to it."
They entered in the restaurant where a host greeted them.
"How nice to have you here Mr. Crane. The table you requested is ready."
"Thank you."
They followed him and sat down.
"A waiter will be with you shortly."
He left and Teresa and Fox were left alone.
"This is a really nice place."
"Yes, it is."
He was running his fingers on her hand as they talked and laughed.
"Dinner was excellent."
"Yes, it was. And dessert sounds good right about now."
Fox called the waiter.
"I will have a crème brulee and Teresa...?"
"A chocolate mousse." (I'm kinda hungry right now and this is what I'm craving)
"This is like a piece of Heaven, it's melting in my mouth."
"Anything would melt in you mouth Teresa. And I know something about that."
"Oh I can't believe you."
He was looking at her with a huge grin on his face.
"Would you stop that, you are embarrassing me."
"Yes, I know. Your face is red right now. Can't say that I'm not enjoying it."
"Shut up!"
He started laughing.
"Let's get out of here."
He paid the bill and they both got up and left. They drove back to the estate silently. They walked on the grounds and sat in the gazebo.
"I'm going to miss you so much!"
"So will I. But a semester goes by pretty quickly."
"Does that mean you'll be home for Christmas?"
"I'll try."
He pulled her close to him.
"I would really like it if you spent the night with me."
"What in your room?"
"Well, yes."
"What if we're get cut?"
"We won't."
"But what if?"
"Do you trust me?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"Then let's go. I just want to wake up next to you. I want your face to be the first thing I see when I open my eyes."
She put her hand on his face. He took it and kissed it.
"Let's do it."
They walked in the mansion silently and went upstairs. They tip toed when they walked by Julian, Ethan and Ivy's room and ran all the way to his bedroom. They went in and Teresa stopped shocked when she saw the travel bags on the floor and the almost empty closet.
"What's wrong, Teresa?"
"I guess it just hit me. You really are leaving."
"But it won't be the first time that I go away."
"I know, but it's different this time."
"I know, but everything will be alright, I promise."
He put his thumbs under her eyes and wiped the tears that were starting to wash down her face. He then cupped her face and kissed her. She pushed him on the bed and got on top of him. A few hours later, he watched her as she slept. He laid his chin on her head and slept.
When she woke up, he wasn't in the bed anymore. She heard the water running in the bathroom, got up and went in. She stood behind him and he saw her reflection the mirror.
"Did I wake you?"
"No. May I?"
He sat down and she took his razor from his hands and proceeded to shave his face. He looked at her as she was concentrating not to cut him. He put his hands around her waist.
"You look sexy in this shirt."
"And you look nice wearing just a towel."
"Oh well, when you have a body like mine."
She smiled.
"Don't talk, I might cut you."
He didn't speak until she was done. She took a small towel in the linen closet and cleaned his face.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, like a baby."
"We better get dressed."
She nodded and got dressed. She handed him his shirt.
"No, keep it. It looks better on you than it does on me. Besides, a little something to remember me by."
"I have a lot more than that to remember you by."
She went into his arms, then kissed him.
"Don't forget to drop by the cottage before you leave."
"As if I could."
He opened the door and took a peek out.
"Coast is clear. You'll probably have to run down the stairs and all the way out of the mansion."
"No, I'll take the maids' corridor."
He kissed her and he watched her leave until she turned the corner.
**********************
She was in her room, sitting on her bed when she heard knocking. She ran to the door and opened it. Disappointment washed over her face.
"Ethan?"
"Hi, may I come in?"
"Actually, I was just leaving."
"I know that you spent the night with Fox."
"Are you spying on us now?"
"Not exactly, but with all the noise that was coming from his room, it was hard to ignore."
"Why don't you just go away, Ethan."
"Julian will not be happy about this."
"Nicholas is leaving today anyway, so what's the use of telling your father?"
"True."
He walked back to the mansion and Fox came out of behind a tree.
"What an idiot."
"Don't worry about it. I think I sent him away."
He looked at her face and saw that her eyes were starting to fill up with tears.
"Don't do this to yourself, don't do this to me."
"I'm sorry I can't help it."
"I know, believe me. I feel the same way. We had a wonderful summer and we will have a beautiful life together."
She nodded, and he leaned in and kissed her.
"Remember that I love you, always."
"I love you too, remember that."
"How can I forget."
He smiled at her and pulled her to him. She cried for a few minutes and he felt a lump forming in his throat.
"I got to go."
"I know, I'll walk you to the car."
"No, I don't want us to drag this more. It's too painful."
She cried even more and he lifted her chin with his finger.
"Good bye, Resa."
He walked away and she watched him go. She went in her bedroom and cried on her pillow.
******************************
He sat in the plane and looked out the window. He closed his eyes and pictured her smiling face.
"Soon, Teresa. Very soon. We will never be apart after this year. Ever again."
"Mama, I'm going out."
"Where to?"
"Spending time with Fox before he leaves tomorrow. We're going out to the new French restaurant."
"When are you coming back?"
"I don't know, don't wait up. We'll be on the grounds later."
"As long as you're on the estate, it's fine."
She nodded and kissed Pilar on the cheek before she ran out and made her way to the mansion.
She rang the door bell and a maid answered it.
"Teresa! Mr. Fox will be down in a few minutes. If you want to wait for him in the living room.."
"Thank you."
She walked in and stood in front of the chimney. She looked at the mantle and understood for the first time what Fox meant when he said that his family didn't care for him. The only photographs sitting there were Ethan's.
"Teresa?"
She turned around.
"Ethan, I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in."
He looked at her. She was wearing a three quarter length black dress with thin straps. She was wearing black sandals strapped to her ankles. Her hair was pulled back. She looked beautiful. He wanted to hold her and kiss her.
"You were concentrating on those pictures."
"How come there are none of Fox or of your other siblings?"
"I don't know."
He sat on the couch and stared at her.
"Please, sit down."
"No, I'm alright. Thank you."
He was disappointed.
"So, what brings you here?"
"I'm going out for dinner with Nicholas."
"Really, he didn't say anything about that."
"That's because what I do is none of anyone's business, Ethan."
They both looked at Fox who had just walked in. He looked at Teresa and advanced towards her.
"You look amazing Resa."
"And you look very handsome."
He gave her his arm and she took it.
"Are you ready beautiful?"
She gave him one of those smiles that came straight from the heart.
"I'm ready to wherever you want me to go."
"Well then, let's get going."
He glanced at his brother.
"Have a nice evening, Ethan."
"Where are you going exactly?"
"Mind your own business."
Ethan heard the door close behind them. He went to the window and watched them walk to Fox's car. He opened the door for her but before she got in, he took her in a kiss. He helped her in, then took his place at the driver's seat. He watched the car take off and then it disappeared from his view.
"Father and Grandfather will be less than thrilled when I tell them about this."
*********************
"What was that all about?"
"What do you mean?"
"Ethan asking all those questions."
"He was just fishing for dirt to use against me."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Maybe Father and Grandfather put him up to it."
They entered in the restaurant where a host greeted them.
"How nice to have you here Mr. Crane. The table you requested is ready."
"Thank you."
They followed him and sat down.
"A waiter will be with you shortly."
He left and Teresa and Fox were left alone.
"This is a really nice place."
"Yes, it is."
He was running his fingers on her hand as they talked and laughed.
"Dinner was excellent."
"Yes, it was. And dessert sounds good right about now."
Fox called the waiter.
"I will have a crème brulee and Teresa...?"
"A chocolate mousse." (I'm kinda hungry right now and this is what I'm craving)
"This is like a piece of Heaven, it's melting in my mouth."
"Anything would melt in you mouth Teresa. And I know something about that."
"Oh I can't believe you."
He was looking at her with a huge grin on his face.
"Would you stop that, you are embarrassing me."
"Yes, I know. Your face is red right now. Can't say that I'm not enjoying it."
"Shut up!"
He started laughing.
"Let's get out of here."
He paid the bill and they both got up and left. They drove back to the estate silently. They walked on the grounds and sat in the gazebo.
"I'm going to miss you so much!"
"So will I. But a semester goes by pretty quickly."
"Does that mean you'll be home for Christmas?"
"I'll try."
He pulled her close to him.
"I would really like it if you spent the night with me."
"What in your room?"
"Well, yes."
"What if we're get cut?"
"We won't."
"But what if?"
"Do you trust me?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"Then let's go. I just want to wake up next to you. I want your face to be the first thing I see when I open my eyes."
She put her hand on his face. He took it and kissed it.
"Let's do it."
They walked in the mansion silently and went upstairs. They tip toed when they walked by Julian, Ethan and Ivy's room and ran all the way to his bedroom. They went in and Teresa stopped shocked when she saw the travel bags on the floor and the almost empty closet.
"What's wrong, Teresa?"
"I guess it just hit me. You really are leaving."
"But it won't be the first time that I go away."
"I know, but it's different this time."
"I know, but everything will be alright, I promise."
He put his thumbs under her eyes and wiped the tears that were starting to wash down her face. He then cupped her face and kissed her. She pushed him on the bed and got on top of him. A few hours later, he watched her as she slept. He laid his chin on her head and slept.
When she woke up, he wasn't in the bed anymore. She heard the water running in the bathroom, got up and went in. She stood behind him and he saw her reflection the mirror.
"Did I wake you?"
"No. May I?"
He sat down and she took his razor from his hands and proceeded to shave his face. He looked at her as she was concentrating not to cut him. He put his hands around her waist.
"You look sexy in this shirt."
"And you look nice wearing just a towel."
"Oh well, when you have a body like mine."
She smiled.
"Don't talk, I might cut you."
He didn't speak until she was done. She took a small towel in the linen closet and cleaned his face.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, like a baby."
"We better get dressed."
She nodded and got dressed. She handed him his shirt.
"No, keep it. It looks better on you than it does on me. Besides, a little something to remember me by."
"I have a lot more than that to remember you by."
She went into his arms, then kissed him.
"Don't forget to drop by the cottage before you leave."
"As if I could."
He opened the door and took a peek out.
"Coast is clear. You'll probably have to run down the stairs and all the way out of the mansion."
"No, I'll take the maids' corridor."
He kissed her and he watched her leave until she turned the corner.
**********************
She was in her room, sitting on her bed when she heard knocking. She ran to the door and opened it. Disappointment washed over her face.
"Ethan?"
"Hi, may I come in?"
"Actually, I was just leaving."
"I know that you spent the night with Fox."
"Are you spying on us now?"
"Not exactly, but with all the noise that was coming from his room, it was hard to ignore."
"Why don't you just go away, Ethan."
"Julian will not be happy about this."
"Nicholas is leaving today anyway, so what's the use of telling your father?"
"True."
He walked back to the mansion and Fox came out of behind a tree.
"What an idiot."
"Don't worry about it. I think I sent him away."
He looked at her face and saw that her eyes were starting to fill up with tears.
"Don't do this to yourself, don't do this to me."
"I'm sorry I can't help it."
"I know, believe me. I feel the same way. We had a wonderful summer and we will have a beautiful life together."
She nodded, and he leaned in and kissed her.
"Remember that I love you, always."
"I love you too, remember that."
"How can I forget."
He smiled at her and pulled her to him. She cried for a few minutes and he felt a lump forming in his throat.
"I got to go."
"I know, I'll walk you to the car."
"No, I don't want us to drag this more. It's too painful."
She cried even more and he lifted her chin with his finger.
"Good bye, Resa."
He walked away and she watched him go. She went in her bedroom and cried on her pillow.
******************************
He sat in the plane and looked out the window. He closed his eyes and pictured her smiling face.
"Soon, Teresa. Very soon. We will never be apart after this year. Ever again."