Part X
"What do you think?"
"I think it's wonderful and magnificent."
Fox and Teresa sat on the Courtyard's roof and watched the fireworks over Santa Monica Beach.
"It reminds me of all the great times we used to spend on the roof of my house with my brothers and how never wanted me to follow them."
"With a frail thing like you following three guys around and on a roof no less, I would have felt the same way."
"I'm not frail, Fox. I'm a strong.."
"..and wilful woman. And I have a lot of admiration for that, Teresa."
"I guess you have to learn how to be resilient when bad things keep getting dished your way."
"I think I know what you mean."
Fox and Teresa had been talking for hours when they realized that the city had gone dark and that the fireworks had ceased. They both got up and went down to the apartment. Fox unlocked the door and they both walked in. They found the babysitter sitting on the couch watching television.
"How was little Ethan tonight?"
"He was a perfect little angel as usual. He has been asleep for the past 4 hours now."
"Thank you, Molly!"
Molly turned to Fox and looked at him with a smile.
"You have a terrific son, Mr. Crane."
"Isn't he? This is the money we owe you for tonight. Thank you for coming on such short notice."
The babysitter nodded, took the money and left. Fox avoided Teresa's gaze as he went to the stereo and put a CD in it.
"Your son?"
Fox kept his back to Teresa.
"I hope you're not mad at me for not negating it. I mean I don't really see the use of telling anyone who doesn't know that your son is my half brother by my pig of a father."
Teresa went to Fox and put her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to face her. He turned around and looked at her. She was smiling.
"I think it's sweet that you feel this close to him. And I don't think there's a better role model for him than you, Fox."
"You mean you're not scared that I'm going to teach him how to be a womanizer or how to gamble and stumble back in his hotel suite so drunk that an entire day is blank for him?"
"Oh, Fox.it's simple. If you teach him any of that stuff, you'll have to run to save your life. The wrath of a mother is worst than anything you can ever expect in your life. And I'll hurt you!"
He laughed and so did she.
"I have no doubt that you will hurt me."
"I have to go check on 'our' son."
He watched her as she walked out of the living room and he went back to the CD. He put some music on just as Teresa came back.
"Music?"
"I thought you and I can dance, we haven't danced together since the night at the Blue Note."
"The night we almost burned to a crisp?"
"That would be the night."
He approached Teresa and reached his hand to her. She took and he pulled her in his arms. They started moving slowly as he held her close to him. They looked into each others' eyes and they both had a smile that kept growing wider and wider.
Fox kept looking at Teresa, thinking that him and her had come a long way. Since day one, their friendship had blossomed into something magnificent and very difficult to describe. There were really no words to describe the time he spent with her.
The music had stopped and both Teresa and Fox kept staring into each others' eyes. Every time Teresa looked into his eyes, she tried to search him to understand him. Fox had the reputation of a Crane and yet, he really wasn't one of them. Fox was amazing and different.
If he concealed his ingenuity, he concealed his hurts too. He was regarded as thick-skinned and insensitive, even cruel. But Teresa knew better. A man who loved a child as much as Fox loved her son was a man of heart and a man who commanded respect.
The front door opened and Gwen and Ethan made their way inside the apartment. Fox and Teresa both turned around holding each others' hand and looked at Ethan and Gwen.
Gwen seemed tired and she looked like someone who had cried all the tears she had and understandably so. She had lost her child and she felt it and Teresa felt her pain and anguish and she let go of Fox's hand. She walked to Gwen who was standing there next to Ethan.
"Gwen, I am so sorry for what you had to go."
And nothing else came out of Teresa's mouth. Gwen's hand had risen and made contact with Teresa's cheek with so much violence that the noise of the slap had echoed inside the apartment. Teresa brought her hand to her cheek and rubbed it. She could feel the burning and the stinging.
"What the hell is the matter with you, Gwen? Don't you dare raise your hand to her again."
Gwen looked at Fox's angry face with a blank expression. He was standing beside his brother's ex-girlfriend, with a hand on her shoulder making sure that she was alright."
"You bitch, don't you think I know what you've done?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Gwen. Look I know that you are in pain."
"You know nothing, Teresa. Why couldn't you just leave us alone? Why couldn't you stay out of our lives. I know that you kissed Ethan."
"That was a misunderstanding."
"You think I'm going to believe that? You wanted Ethan? There he is, there is no baby holing him to me now, nothing keeping him married to me. Tell her what you told me, Ethan, tell her so this bitch will leave us alone once and for all."
"That's enough out of you, Gwen. Sorry that your baby didn't make it, sorry that you're hurting, but you are wrong."
"Leave her alone, Fox. Maybe one day she'll understand that I don't want to be mixed in her life anymore than she wants me to be."
"You can't let her talk to you like that, Teresa."
Teresa squeezed his hand that was still on her shoulder.
"It's alright, don't worry about it."
Cries were heard coming from the bedroom.
"I have to go to my son."
"At least, I saved your son's life Teresa. And you cost me my child's life."
"I don't have to stand and listen. I'm going to my son, he needs me."
Teresa left the living room and went to her crying son while Fox stood there glaring at Ethan.
"I cannot believe how ruse you were."
"Well do I look like I care? Because I don't. She deserves all of that and more."
"Just think about it, Gwen. It takes two to tango and Teresa didn't instigate that little incident."
"Oh, please.you don't know what that bitch is capable of. She acted like my best friend to take Ethan away from me. She came between us so often and now she is the reason I lost my child."
"How so, Gwen? Tell me. She stayed away from you, she didn't talk to you or approach you or go anywhere near him."
Teresa came back in the living room.
"Fox, you're the one he wants."
Fox gave one last look at Gwen and Ethan.
"I am truly sorry for what you're going through, Gwen. Honestly. And Teresa had nothing to do with this. I understand that you have to take your anger out on someone, but she doesn't deserve it."
"You don't know her like I do."
"You're right, I know her better than you do, Gwen. I know her better than anyone."
He went to Teresa and took little Ethan from her who calmed down instantly. Teresa took Fox's arm and they both walked to their bedroom.
Gwen turned to Ethan and followed his gaze. He was staring at Teresa and once again, Gwen felt let down by her husband.
"How could you, Ethan?"
"Could what?"
"Our baby died and all you're doing is stare at Teresa."
"I wasn't."
Gwen shook her head and went to the bedroom she shared with Ethan. She laid down on the wide bed and closed her eyes. She never thought she can suffer that much over losing her baby, but she was. She was now realizing how much of a mistake it was to try and hold on to Ethan. She might have loved him, but he too had cost her the life of her baby.
*****
Fox put little Ethan to bed as Teresa got out of her street clothes a negligee. She went up to Fox and looked inside the crib at her sleeping son.
"Thank you for backing me up tonight, Fox."
"I told you, Teresa.you can always count on me."
"I know."
She hugged him, then crawled into bed. He soon followed her and tuned towards her to face her. She didn't look too well.
"Come here."
Teresa went in his arms and they both laid down for a few minutes without saying a word.
"Want to tell me what's going on in that head of yours?"
"What if Gwen was right, what if I caused her to lose her baby?"
"I don't think it's true at all. She was just looking for a scapegoat and she has you to blame for all her problems."
Teresa nodded her head and looked and looked up at Fox.
"You always have a way to make me feel better about everything, Nicholas."
She sat up and he did the same.
"What's wrong?"
"I heard a noise outside our door."
Fox put his finger on his mouth and signalled Teresa to remain silent. He got up and opened the door. Ethan was standing outside.
"What do you think you're doing? Are you eavesdropping?"
It was Teresa's turn to get out of bed and make her way to the door. She stood in as close as possible to Fox and looked at Ethan.
"Why aren't you with Gwen?"
Ethan looked at Teresa.
"And why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
Again he looked at Teresa with desperation.
"Let's go back to bed, Fox."
"With pleasure."
He ran his hand on her neck and he felt her shiver and Ethan had seen it.
"Go to your wife, Ethan. She needs you."
Fox went back in the room as Teresa closed the door on Ethan's face. She crawled back in and repositioned herself the way she was before.
"Kiss me good night?"
"What do you think?"
"I think it's wonderful and magnificent."
Fox and Teresa sat on the Courtyard's roof and watched the fireworks over Santa Monica Beach.
"It reminds me of all the great times we used to spend on the roof of my house with my brothers and how never wanted me to follow them."
"With a frail thing like you following three guys around and on a roof no less, I would have felt the same way."
"I'm not frail, Fox. I'm a strong.."
"..and wilful woman. And I have a lot of admiration for that, Teresa."
"I guess you have to learn how to be resilient when bad things keep getting dished your way."
"I think I know what you mean."
Fox and Teresa had been talking for hours when they realized that the city had gone dark and that the fireworks had ceased. They both got up and went down to the apartment. Fox unlocked the door and they both walked in. They found the babysitter sitting on the couch watching television.
"How was little Ethan tonight?"
"He was a perfect little angel as usual. He has been asleep for the past 4 hours now."
"Thank you, Molly!"
Molly turned to Fox and looked at him with a smile.
"You have a terrific son, Mr. Crane."
"Isn't he? This is the money we owe you for tonight. Thank you for coming on such short notice."
The babysitter nodded, took the money and left. Fox avoided Teresa's gaze as he went to the stereo and put a CD in it.
"Your son?"
Fox kept his back to Teresa.
"I hope you're not mad at me for not negating it. I mean I don't really see the use of telling anyone who doesn't know that your son is my half brother by my pig of a father."
Teresa went to Fox and put her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to face her. He turned around and looked at her. She was smiling.
"I think it's sweet that you feel this close to him. And I don't think there's a better role model for him than you, Fox."
"You mean you're not scared that I'm going to teach him how to be a womanizer or how to gamble and stumble back in his hotel suite so drunk that an entire day is blank for him?"
"Oh, Fox.it's simple. If you teach him any of that stuff, you'll have to run to save your life. The wrath of a mother is worst than anything you can ever expect in your life. And I'll hurt you!"
He laughed and so did she.
"I have no doubt that you will hurt me."
"I have to go check on 'our' son."
He watched her as she walked out of the living room and he went back to the CD. He put some music on just as Teresa came back.
"Music?"
"I thought you and I can dance, we haven't danced together since the night at the Blue Note."
"The night we almost burned to a crisp?"
"That would be the night."
He approached Teresa and reached his hand to her. She took and he pulled her in his arms. They started moving slowly as he held her close to him. They looked into each others' eyes and they both had a smile that kept growing wider and wider.
Fox kept looking at Teresa, thinking that him and her had come a long way. Since day one, their friendship had blossomed into something magnificent and very difficult to describe. There were really no words to describe the time he spent with her.
The music had stopped and both Teresa and Fox kept staring into each others' eyes. Every time Teresa looked into his eyes, she tried to search him to understand him. Fox had the reputation of a Crane and yet, he really wasn't one of them. Fox was amazing and different.
If he concealed his ingenuity, he concealed his hurts too. He was regarded as thick-skinned and insensitive, even cruel. But Teresa knew better. A man who loved a child as much as Fox loved her son was a man of heart and a man who commanded respect.
The front door opened and Gwen and Ethan made their way inside the apartment. Fox and Teresa both turned around holding each others' hand and looked at Ethan and Gwen.
Gwen seemed tired and she looked like someone who had cried all the tears she had and understandably so. She had lost her child and she felt it and Teresa felt her pain and anguish and she let go of Fox's hand. She walked to Gwen who was standing there next to Ethan.
"Gwen, I am so sorry for what you had to go."
And nothing else came out of Teresa's mouth. Gwen's hand had risen and made contact with Teresa's cheek with so much violence that the noise of the slap had echoed inside the apartment. Teresa brought her hand to her cheek and rubbed it. She could feel the burning and the stinging.
"What the hell is the matter with you, Gwen? Don't you dare raise your hand to her again."
Gwen looked at Fox's angry face with a blank expression. He was standing beside his brother's ex-girlfriend, with a hand on her shoulder making sure that she was alright."
"You bitch, don't you think I know what you've done?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Gwen. Look I know that you are in pain."
"You know nothing, Teresa. Why couldn't you just leave us alone? Why couldn't you stay out of our lives. I know that you kissed Ethan."
"That was a misunderstanding."
"You think I'm going to believe that? You wanted Ethan? There he is, there is no baby holing him to me now, nothing keeping him married to me. Tell her what you told me, Ethan, tell her so this bitch will leave us alone once and for all."
"That's enough out of you, Gwen. Sorry that your baby didn't make it, sorry that you're hurting, but you are wrong."
"Leave her alone, Fox. Maybe one day she'll understand that I don't want to be mixed in her life anymore than she wants me to be."
"You can't let her talk to you like that, Teresa."
Teresa squeezed his hand that was still on her shoulder.
"It's alright, don't worry about it."
Cries were heard coming from the bedroom.
"I have to go to my son."
"At least, I saved your son's life Teresa. And you cost me my child's life."
"I don't have to stand and listen. I'm going to my son, he needs me."
Teresa left the living room and went to her crying son while Fox stood there glaring at Ethan.
"I cannot believe how ruse you were."
"Well do I look like I care? Because I don't. She deserves all of that and more."
"Just think about it, Gwen. It takes two to tango and Teresa didn't instigate that little incident."
"Oh, please.you don't know what that bitch is capable of. She acted like my best friend to take Ethan away from me. She came between us so often and now she is the reason I lost my child."
"How so, Gwen? Tell me. She stayed away from you, she didn't talk to you or approach you or go anywhere near him."
Teresa came back in the living room.
"Fox, you're the one he wants."
Fox gave one last look at Gwen and Ethan.
"I am truly sorry for what you're going through, Gwen. Honestly. And Teresa had nothing to do with this. I understand that you have to take your anger out on someone, but she doesn't deserve it."
"You don't know her like I do."
"You're right, I know her better than you do, Gwen. I know her better than anyone."
He went to Teresa and took little Ethan from her who calmed down instantly. Teresa took Fox's arm and they both walked to their bedroom.
Gwen turned to Ethan and followed his gaze. He was staring at Teresa and once again, Gwen felt let down by her husband.
"How could you, Ethan?"
"Could what?"
"Our baby died and all you're doing is stare at Teresa."
"I wasn't."
Gwen shook her head and went to the bedroom she shared with Ethan. She laid down on the wide bed and closed her eyes. She never thought she can suffer that much over losing her baby, but she was. She was now realizing how much of a mistake it was to try and hold on to Ethan. She might have loved him, but he too had cost her the life of her baby.
*****
Fox put little Ethan to bed as Teresa got out of her street clothes a negligee. She went up to Fox and looked inside the crib at her sleeping son.
"Thank you for backing me up tonight, Fox."
"I told you, Teresa.you can always count on me."
"I know."
She hugged him, then crawled into bed. He soon followed her and tuned towards her to face her. She didn't look too well.
"Come here."
Teresa went in his arms and they both laid down for a few minutes without saying a word.
"Want to tell me what's going on in that head of yours?"
"What if Gwen was right, what if I caused her to lose her baby?"
"I don't think it's true at all. She was just looking for a scapegoat and she has you to blame for all her problems."
Teresa nodded her head and looked and looked up at Fox.
"You always have a way to make me feel better about everything, Nicholas."
She sat up and he did the same.
"What's wrong?"
"I heard a noise outside our door."
Fox put his finger on his mouth and signalled Teresa to remain silent. He got up and opened the door. Ethan was standing outside.
"What do you think you're doing? Are you eavesdropping?"
It was Teresa's turn to get out of bed and make her way to the door. She stood in as close as possible to Fox and looked at Ethan.
"Why aren't you with Gwen?"
Ethan looked at Teresa.
"And why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
Again he looked at Teresa with desperation.
"Let's go back to bed, Fox."
"With pleasure."
He ran his hand on her neck and he felt her shiver and Ethan had seen it.
"Go to your wife, Ethan. She needs you."
Fox went back in the room as Teresa closed the door on Ethan's face. She crawled back in and repositioned herself the way she was before.
"Kiss me good night?"
