~chapter 15~

"Mom? Oh you mean Grace Bennett?"

"Yes our mother. That is unless you have a new mother. Do you?" Noah said.

"The only mother I've ever known is Pilar Lopiz-Fitgerald. Grace Bennett just happened to give birth to me but she's not my mother."

"Ok, then what did Grace do to you?" Jessica asked.

"You want me to make a list? It'll take a while but I could make one."

"Ok, then what did she do now?"

"It's not what she did do but what she didn't do.  She didn't even remember my b-day, the kids' births, graduation she only came to because of Charity, my wedding, all my children's b-days, my engagement party…"

"I think we get the idea." Noah said.

"I'm glad someone does because I don't. I can't figure out why she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, Kay. She likes Charity a lot." Jessica said.

"A little too much!" Noah said

"You aren't going to get an argument from me." Kay said.  Jess was not about to agree. So Kay looked at her and said. "Come on, Jess. You know she does. When was the last time she even asked you about you and Reese or your life at all?"

"She's been busy."

"Does she even know you are married?" Kay asked.

"I don't think so."

"Or that you are going to have a baby?"

"You're what?" Noah said.

Jess looked at Kay hard. "I hadn't even told Reese yet!"

"Oh sorry."

"Well do not be mad Jessica, I mean she didn't tell Reese."

"Not yet!" Jessica said.

"Oh come on. I am good at keeping secrets. I haven't told Noah about Simone yet."

"What about my wife?"

"Simone is going to kill me."

"If I don't first." Jessica said. "Your two pregnant sisters are going to kill!"

"Two! Simone is pregnant!" Noah said.

Kay smiled. "This time I didn't say anything."

"Oh no, I'm so dead. Noah, can't you just forget I said anything?"

"Noah Bennett, forget something? Come on this is our brother like he has ever forgotten anything in his life." Kay said with a smile.

"I can't die! I'm too young!" Jessica said.

"You're what!" Sam said.

"Not again!" Eve said.

"You two just can't keep your hands off each other!" TC said.

"Ok, how about everyone take a deep breath." Ivy said nervously.

Everyone looked at her as if she was crazy.

"Oh poor Grace. Sam, you better tell her before she loses another child." Eve said.

Ivy looked at Sam. "Grace is pregnant!"

He put up his hands. "No nobody is pregnant. Not Ivy and not Grace! Actually there is more of a chance of Ivy being pregnant with my child then Grace." He said with a laugh.

"So if you not pregnant then why say it Ivy?"

"To break the tension."

"You thought that would help?" Sam said.

"Sorry I've held it for too long. But Eve why would you say Grace was pregnant?"

"To stop this! You're married Sam, remember?"

"How could I forget? Believe me if I could I would have."

"Ok it is official you're spending to much time with Ivy." TC said.

"This doesn't involve Ivy or David it just Grace and I and I wish it wasn't."

"Ok I'm confused if there isn't anyone else then what's the problem?" Eve said.

"You don't see it, Eve. Come on when was the last time you actually choose to spend time with Grace? You cannot even remember can you? You are her best friend and you will not even spend time with her. And I am her husband and I do not want to spend time with her. I think that's pretty much a sign that's there is something wrong."

"Ok, I don't understand you two stayed together though David and Ivy and John and Ethan, but you can't without?" TC asked.

"We still have Ethan and John not that they are threats. I think with the threats we were able to stay strong. We had to. Now we do not need to. The kids do not need us to be. They don't really want us to be."

"But do you?" Eve asked.

"No." Sam said.

"Theresa?" Ethan asked nervously. She did not move.

Chad whispered to Whitney. "Is she ok?"

Whitney walked over to Theresa. "Theresa, honey did you hear Ethan?"

Theresa nodded.

"Ok then why don't you answer him?"

She whispered something in Whitney's ear.

Whitney laughed. "Ok, that's fine. Chad how about we stop out for a second."

"Sure but I want to know what her answer is."

"You'll find out in a second. Now let's give them some privacy." Chad and Whitney walked out.

Ethan turned to Theresa. "So?"

Theresa sat down on the bed. "I've dreamed of this my whole life of marrying you, then I did, and I had to leave with out you. They told me I could never be with you again."

He could tell she was crying. He went to hold her but she pushed him away. "And I started to believe that. I believed that for the safety of everyone I loved, I could not be with you…"

"But you can."

 "How do you know that?"

"Because I know what it's like to not have you in my life and I don't ever and would not ever let you out of my life again. I do not care what it takes. I'm not losing you ever again."

She smiled. "Do you really mean that?"

"I've never meant anything more in my life."

"Oh Ethan." She said as she hugged him.

"So does this mean yes?"

"Yes, of course it's means yes."

"Then this is for you." He slipped the ring back on her finger.

"It's nice to have this back on and fate back on our sides."

He just laughed.