CHAPTER 13
For a moment
Many night Fox laid awake in his bed wondering what might have been if he had told Teresa how he felt about her. This night was no different from the other ones. He was living every day in his own private hell. Life was no longer simple like it used to be when Teresa and him were this unbeatable team. He felt empty inside. The feeling wasn't strange to him, but this time it left him hollow like a piece of himself had gone missing. Although he saw Teresa every day, he missed her more than words can say. She had become a part of him and he had lost her. He felt lost without her always by his side.
He got dressed and left his bedroom. He was about to step outside when he heard someone called his name. He turned around and surely enough, it was Teresa.
"Fox.you're going out this late?"
"I can't sleep. Would you like to join me?"
"I would love to, but I can't. Little Ethan is running a slight fever."
"Will he be alright? I mean I can stay with you if you want."
Another voice was heard.
"That won't be necessary Fox. I'll stay with Teresa and her son."
Fox looked at Ethan.
"Well then, maybe I should go for my walk."
He turned to Teresa and gave her a sad smile.
"If there's anything you need, give me a call on my cell phone."
She nodded and returned his smile. On her way toward the stairs she brushed against him wanting to feel close to him. She could smell him and it felt so warm and familiar that she felt her heart skip a beat and then another. He gave her one of those penetrating looks but she just walked away from him. He made his way to the front door.
"Fox!"
He turned around and watched her expectantly.
"Yes?"
"Umm, nothing."
She turned her back and went upstairs followed by Ethan who was glaring at him.
*****
Fox sat on one of the many benches on the wharf and stared into the night. He hated been alone without Teresa by his side, but she loves Ethan he kept telling himself. He remembered the nightmare of her disappearing before him and the distress he had felt. He also remembered the promise she made him that he would always be a part of her life. Only now, she didn't seem to be able to keep that promise again. Teresa was vanishing from his life and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Fox?"
Fox looked up and saw Luis standing right beside him.
"You looked like you were in other world just now."
Fox raised his shoulders as Luis sat down.
"Do you need to talk?"
"Not really. There is nothing to talk about, really."
Luis looked at him.
"Why didn't you tell her how you felt, Fox?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about how you feel about Teresa."
"There is nothing to tell her. She made her choice."
"If you love her then she has to know."
"Aren't you supposed to hate the Cranes, Luis?"
"Yes, but I don't hate you."
Fox laughed but became serious again.
"And why is that, Luis?"
"Because you saved my life and Sheridan's, because I've seen you with Teresa and I've seen Teresa with you. Because you were there for her and her son, because you were a true friend to her and you never did anything to hurt her. Most importantly, you did what Ethan failed to do."
"And what would that be?"
"You love her for what and who she is good and bad. You stuck by her and that to me says a lot about the kind of person that you are."
"Maybe, but I'm nothing without her."
"You know, I think that you replaced Ethan in Teresa's heart. She just doesn't see it yet."
"I don't think so."
"I do. Things changed the night of the fire at Sheridan's cottage. She was worried about you and only you. I was told that she almost went after you when you jumped in the cottage. Her feelings started changing that night."
"How do you know, Luis?"
"I practically raised Teresa. I know what goes on in that head of hers. And I'm certain that she loves you. I saw the way she looks at you, and I also know that she feels empty right now."
"Why?"
"Because as she puts it, she feels like she lost her best friend and a part of herself."
Luis got up.
"Fox, don't let a good thing slip between your fingers. Think about it."
He left and Fox got up and leaned on the railing, expecting to see Teresa show up.
"Who am I kidding?"
He walked back to the mansion slowly.
*****
Teresa spent the better part of the night in the nursery with her son. She took his temperature again and saw that the fever was down. She called a maid.
"His fever is down. I need to go for a walk. Watch him for me and call me if there's anything."
"Yes, Madam."
Teresa walked the Crane grounds for a little while. She arrived at the gazebo where she saw Fox sitting.
"Fox?"
He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her.
"How's the little guy doing?"
She sat beside him.
"His fever is down."
"That's good."
They fell silent and looked at the sky that was slowly filling with stars.
"Did you ever wish upon a star, Teresa?"
"Many times."
He smiled at her.
"Any of them come true?"
She nodded.
"Except for one. But I don't think it will come true now."
"Close your eyes."
"What?"
"I said close your eyes."
She did.
"Now make your wish."
She opened her eyes.
"Only if you make a wish with me."
"Alright."
She took his hand in hers and squeezed it. They both closed their eyes and whispered.
"Star bright, star light.first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I could have the wish I wish tonight.."
They fell silent for a moment then they both opened their eyes and smiled at each other.
"What did you wish for, T.?"
"Now, now Fox. That is a silly question.you know very well that I can't tell you."
They both laughed. For a moment, they had recaptured what they had lost the past three weeks and what they were about to lose forever once Teresa got married to Ethan.
"Promise me something, Teresa."
"Anything.."
"Don't ever forget me."
"How can I ever forget you, Fox. I told you once.next to my son, you are the most important person in my life. And I always want you to be there right next to me."
He got up to leave.
"Did I say something?"
He shook his head and she could see all the sadness and sorrow in his eyes.
"No, I'm just tired.that's all."
"Don't go, don't leave me."
"No, I have to."
She followed him and took his arm.
"Fox.."
He couldn't no longer feel the urge that was mounting in him. He pulled her by the waist and kissed her. He pulled his face away from hers. Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lower lip. He leaned in again and kissed her more passionately than the first time. She returned his kiss and he could feel her hands traveling on his back. They felt the heat and the electricity. He wanted more, so much more than that. They finally pulled apart, both were out of breath.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have."
"Fox."
"I got to go."
"No, please don't."
"No."
He was almost running away from her. At last, she heard his car take off. She sat on the bench and stared into the infinite sky. She put her fingers on her lips. They were swollen by his kisses. She wished that moment had never ended. She wished it had frozen in time. Tears started pouring down her face.
"Oh, Fox.Fox.Fox."
Many night Fox laid awake in his bed wondering what might have been if he had told Teresa how he felt about her. This night was no different from the other ones. He was living every day in his own private hell. Life was no longer simple like it used to be when Teresa and him were this unbeatable team. He felt empty inside. The feeling wasn't strange to him, but this time it left him hollow like a piece of himself had gone missing. Although he saw Teresa every day, he missed her more than words can say. She had become a part of him and he had lost her. He felt lost without her always by his side.
He got dressed and left his bedroom. He was about to step outside when he heard someone called his name. He turned around and surely enough, it was Teresa.
"Fox.you're going out this late?"
"I can't sleep. Would you like to join me?"
"I would love to, but I can't. Little Ethan is running a slight fever."
"Will he be alright? I mean I can stay with you if you want."
Another voice was heard.
"That won't be necessary Fox. I'll stay with Teresa and her son."
Fox looked at Ethan.
"Well then, maybe I should go for my walk."
He turned to Teresa and gave her a sad smile.
"If there's anything you need, give me a call on my cell phone."
She nodded and returned his smile. On her way toward the stairs she brushed against him wanting to feel close to him. She could smell him and it felt so warm and familiar that she felt her heart skip a beat and then another. He gave her one of those penetrating looks but she just walked away from him. He made his way to the front door.
"Fox!"
He turned around and watched her expectantly.
"Yes?"
"Umm, nothing."
She turned her back and went upstairs followed by Ethan who was glaring at him.
*****
Fox sat on one of the many benches on the wharf and stared into the night. He hated been alone without Teresa by his side, but she loves Ethan he kept telling himself. He remembered the nightmare of her disappearing before him and the distress he had felt. He also remembered the promise she made him that he would always be a part of her life. Only now, she didn't seem to be able to keep that promise again. Teresa was vanishing from his life and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Fox?"
Fox looked up and saw Luis standing right beside him.
"You looked like you were in other world just now."
Fox raised his shoulders as Luis sat down.
"Do you need to talk?"
"Not really. There is nothing to talk about, really."
Luis looked at him.
"Why didn't you tell her how you felt, Fox?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about how you feel about Teresa."
"There is nothing to tell her. She made her choice."
"If you love her then she has to know."
"Aren't you supposed to hate the Cranes, Luis?"
"Yes, but I don't hate you."
Fox laughed but became serious again.
"And why is that, Luis?"
"Because you saved my life and Sheridan's, because I've seen you with Teresa and I've seen Teresa with you. Because you were there for her and her son, because you were a true friend to her and you never did anything to hurt her. Most importantly, you did what Ethan failed to do."
"And what would that be?"
"You love her for what and who she is good and bad. You stuck by her and that to me says a lot about the kind of person that you are."
"Maybe, but I'm nothing without her."
"You know, I think that you replaced Ethan in Teresa's heart. She just doesn't see it yet."
"I don't think so."
"I do. Things changed the night of the fire at Sheridan's cottage. She was worried about you and only you. I was told that she almost went after you when you jumped in the cottage. Her feelings started changing that night."
"How do you know, Luis?"
"I practically raised Teresa. I know what goes on in that head of hers. And I'm certain that she loves you. I saw the way she looks at you, and I also know that she feels empty right now."
"Why?"
"Because as she puts it, she feels like she lost her best friend and a part of herself."
Luis got up.
"Fox, don't let a good thing slip between your fingers. Think about it."
He left and Fox got up and leaned on the railing, expecting to see Teresa show up.
"Who am I kidding?"
He walked back to the mansion slowly.
*****
Teresa spent the better part of the night in the nursery with her son. She took his temperature again and saw that the fever was down. She called a maid.
"His fever is down. I need to go for a walk. Watch him for me and call me if there's anything."
"Yes, Madam."
Teresa walked the Crane grounds for a little while. She arrived at the gazebo where she saw Fox sitting.
"Fox?"
He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her.
"How's the little guy doing?"
She sat beside him.
"His fever is down."
"That's good."
They fell silent and looked at the sky that was slowly filling with stars.
"Did you ever wish upon a star, Teresa?"
"Many times."
He smiled at her.
"Any of them come true?"
She nodded.
"Except for one. But I don't think it will come true now."
"Close your eyes."
"What?"
"I said close your eyes."
She did.
"Now make your wish."
She opened her eyes.
"Only if you make a wish with me."
"Alright."
She took his hand in hers and squeezed it. They both closed their eyes and whispered.
"Star bright, star light.first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I could have the wish I wish tonight.."
They fell silent for a moment then they both opened their eyes and smiled at each other.
"What did you wish for, T.?"
"Now, now Fox. That is a silly question.you know very well that I can't tell you."
They both laughed. For a moment, they had recaptured what they had lost the past three weeks and what they were about to lose forever once Teresa got married to Ethan.
"Promise me something, Teresa."
"Anything.."
"Don't ever forget me."
"How can I ever forget you, Fox. I told you once.next to my son, you are the most important person in my life. And I always want you to be there right next to me."
He got up to leave.
"Did I say something?"
He shook his head and she could see all the sadness and sorrow in his eyes.
"No, I'm just tired.that's all."
"Don't go, don't leave me."
"No, I have to."
She followed him and took his arm.
"Fox.."
He couldn't no longer feel the urge that was mounting in him. He pulled her by the waist and kissed her. He pulled his face away from hers. Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lower lip. He leaned in again and kissed her more passionately than the first time. She returned his kiss and he could feel her hands traveling on his back. They felt the heat and the electricity. He wanted more, so much more than that. They finally pulled apart, both were out of breath.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have."
"Fox."
"I got to go."
"No, please don't."
"No."
He was almost running away from her. At last, she heard his car take off. She sat on the bench and stared into the infinite sky. She put her fingers on her lips. They were swollen by his kisses. She wished that moment had never ended. She wished it had frozen in time. Tears started pouring down her face.
"Oh, Fox.Fox.Fox."
