1 Part Nine
"W-W-What did you just say?" she stammered. Blinking in disbelief. "Sheridan," Luis shook his head. "There's no reason to hide it." "Hide what?" she asked. Removing her hands from his shoulders and crawling off of his lap. Confusion shone clearly in Luis's brown eyes at her question. Her denial, he thought silently. As he watched her button her blouse back up and stand up on unsteady feet. "What do you think I'm hiding, Luis?" she asked softly. Her back to him. "You tell me," he answered back with growing impatience. "How can you act like it isn't true?" She turned to face him then. Hurt dulling the blue of her eyes. But he continued. Plowed ahead without thinking. His emotions were overruling any logical thought he might have had, and he stood up. No more misunderstandings. He couldn't have been more wrong. "Because…" "I found the pregnancy test, Sheridan. It was positive. I saw it with my own eyes. How long were you going to wait before you told me?"
"Luis, I…it wa…" "Did you have ANY plans to tell me?" he asked. Brown eyes glittering with anger. "Luis…if you would just let me explain…" "What's there to explain? Obviously, we're getting our signals crossed here. We want different things. Months, Sheridan. We were together months ago." "Luis!" she yelled. "Would you just shut the hell up before you say something you're not going to be able to take back and let me explain?" He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her expectantly. "Go ahead. I'm listening." "Finally," she sighed. Leaning back against the arm of the sofa. "You know, Luis…words can't express how disappointed I am right now." "You?" he scoffed. "What about me?" "Dammit! Just listen to me," she snapped. "I didn't tell you because I'm NOT pregnant." "But…" She glared at him, and her chin jutted out stubbornly. "The test wasn't mine." His heart sank, and he dropped to the couch below. "I don't understand. Whose was it?" "I'm not at liberty to say right now, Luis. But when she gives me the okay I'll tell you all about it."
"I…I'm sorry," he uttered quietly. "I don't know what to say. I don't know how to make up for the things I accused you of," he told her. "Yeah, well…you were a complete, judgmental a$$hole," she said in a tremulous voice. "And it hurts to know we really haven't come as far as I'd originally hoped. I thought you trusted me, Luis. I thought you knew in your heart that I can't lie to you anymore. What you see is what you get. I just want to know one thing…" "What?" he questioned softly. "What you said…telling me you loved me…was that for real? Was that you? Or was it the baby? Don't lie to me, Luis. Please," she pleaded. "I'm a big girl. I can take the truth," she cried. Wiping at the tears that now slipped from her cheeks. "Sheridan!" Luis exclaimed. Jumping to his feet and grabbing her hands in his. "Don't think that," he shook his head. Reaching up a hand to gently wipe away her tears. "Telling you I loved you…that was ALL me. I've been trying to work up the courage to tell you for the longest time now. When I thought you were having my…our baby," he corrected. "I didn't want to waste another minute. I wanted you to know exactly how I felt about you. I love you, Sheridan. Baby or not. And that's the honest truth." He kissed her softly as if to prove his point.
"No, Luis," she cried. Pushing him away. "It's not that easy." His hands dropped to his sides. And he hung his head in shame. "It's one step forward, two steps back with us, isn't it?" His question hung in the air as she stepped away from him. Putting some distance between them. "Luis…I think it would be better…I think you should go home." "Sheridan…don't do this. Don't you run from me again." "Who said anything about running?" she looked at him with pain-filled blue eyes. "I love you too much to ever do that," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere. But I need time to think, and I can't keep a clear head when you're around me. Go home, Luis," she pleaded. "Sheri!" a little voice called out. Breaking the oppressive silence hanging in the air as Luis's brown eyes pleaded with her to change her mind. "No," Catherine cried. Flying down the steps and throwing her arms around Luis's legs. "Don't go, Luis. Don't go," she cried. "I don't want you to go." Sheridan turned her back on them as Luis untangled Catherine's little arms from his legs and knelt down to stroke her black curls from her damp face. "Shh. Catherine…I won't be gone long." Will I, Sheridan, he wondered. "No! No!" Catherine screamed hysterically. "Sheri! Tell him to stay," she begged. "Tell him to stay." Sheridan's blue eyes swam with tears as she looked at him. Them both. She didn't want him to leave anymore than Catherine did. But still…he had hurt her with his distrust. His willingness to jump to conclusions. Catherine's big green eyes were sad, and she couldn't bear to see that sadness there. "Sheridan?" "Stay, Luis."
Catherine refused to let Luis out of her sight and insisted he read her a bedtime story. She listened from the doorway as he wove a beautiful fairy tale that had Catherine oohing and aahing before she succumbed to sleep. "Sheridan?" She led him down the stairs to the living room and settled across from him. Knees drawn to her chest. "We need to talk, Luis. Really, really badly. Lay all our cards out on the table." "Okay," he agreed. "About us wanting different things…WHAT do YOU want out of this…relationship?" she asked haltingly. "Do you see any kind of future between us? If you don't, I think we should end things right here. Right now. You saw how she acted when she thought you were going to leave. She's so attached to you, Luis. She loves you to pieces. I can't stand the thought of you hurting her by leaving her. Us," she said quietly. Ducking her blond head down. "The future's a funny thing," he told her. "You can never predict it. But I do know that I want you and Catherine in mine. Forever," he said. And her blue eyes met his intense gaze. "Do you really mean that?" "I really mean it," he answered. Scooting closer to her. "Sheridan…" "Forever as in love you forever? Spend the rest of my life with you forever? Build a family together forever? I don't want us to get our signals crossed again," she murmured tearfully.
"Look at me. Sheridan…look at me," he pleaded. Grasping her chin in his hand. "Forever. An eternity. Hell yes I want to build a family with you. I was thrilled when I thought you were pregnant." "You want to have a baby with me?" she sniffled. "Lots and lots of babies," he grinned. "I think Catherine would make a great big sister, don't you?" She laughed softly at the image that formed in her brain. "Maybe a bit bossy. Are you really that disappointed? I mean…that I'm not pregnant." "I'm more disappointed in the way I treated you. I'm so sorry, Princess," he apologized sincerely. Tucking her blond hair back behind her ear. "I guess we have a whole lot further to go, huh?" he asked. Leaning his forehead against hers. "I want you to trust me, Luis. I NEED you to trust me. I would NEVER keep something like that from you. I promise. Unless…" "Unless what?" he asked. Pulling back to study her expressive face. Her depthless blue eyes. "Unless I wanted to make it a surprise." "I could live with that," he said affably. Brown eyes twinkling with her. "Where do we go from here?" she sighed. "I love you, Luis. But before we can…be together…we have a lot of things to work out. A lot of things left to learn about each other. Where do we start?" He ran his thumbs over her knuckles absently. A smile lighting up his handsome face when an idea dawned on him. "Back to the very beginning," he said simply. And her face fell momentarily as she thought about all the past months of yearning to be with him. But then she remembered how wonderful their true beginning was, and a brilliant smile broke over her face. He raised their joined hands to his lips and planted sweet kisses there. "What do you say, Princess?" he teased. "Are you up to it? Getting to know each other much, much better?" "I think," she hesitated at the expectant smile on his face. "I think that's a wonderful idea." "It's settled then," he said. Dropping her hands and rising to his feet. Pulling her to her own feet. "First date tomorrow? 7-ish? Meet me down here looking your usual gorgeous self?" She giggled as he bowed before her. "7-ish," she agreed. Backing up towards the staircase. "See you then," Luis waved. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "Tomorrow," she confirmed. Before turning on her heel and bounding up the stairs. "Tomorrow," Luis whispered to the empty room. He couldn't wait.
"W-W-What did you just say?" she stammered. Blinking in disbelief. "Sheridan," Luis shook his head. "There's no reason to hide it." "Hide what?" she asked. Removing her hands from his shoulders and crawling off of his lap. Confusion shone clearly in Luis's brown eyes at her question. Her denial, he thought silently. As he watched her button her blouse back up and stand up on unsteady feet. "What do you think I'm hiding, Luis?" she asked softly. Her back to him. "You tell me," he answered back with growing impatience. "How can you act like it isn't true?" She turned to face him then. Hurt dulling the blue of her eyes. But he continued. Plowed ahead without thinking. His emotions were overruling any logical thought he might have had, and he stood up. No more misunderstandings. He couldn't have been more wrong. "Because…" "I found the pregnancy test, Sheridan. It was positive. I saw it with my own eyes. How long were you going to wait before you told me?"
"Luis, I…it wa…" "Did you have ANY plans to tell me?" he asked. Brown eyes glittering with anger. "Luis…if you would just let me explain…" "What's there to explain? Obviously, we're getting our signals crossed here. We want different things. Months, Sheridan. We were together months ago." "Luis!" she yelled. "Would you just shut the hell up before you say something you're not going to be able to take back and let me explain?" He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her expectantly. "Go ahead. I'm listening." "Finally," she sighed. Leaning back against the arm of the sofa. "You know, Luis…words can't express how disappointed I am right now." "You?" he scoffed. "What about me?" "Dammit! Just listen to me," she snapped. "I didn't tell you because I'm NOT pregnant." "But…" She glared at him, and her chin jutted out stubbornly. "The test wasn't mine." His heart sank, and he dropped to the couch below. "I don't understand. Whose was it?" "I'm not at liberty to say right now, Luis. But when she gives me the okay I'll tell you all about it."
"I…I'm sorry," he uttered quietly. "I don't know what to say. I don't know how to make up for the things I accused you of," he told her. "Yeah, well…you were a complete, judgmental a$$hole," she said in a tremulous voice. "And it hurts to know we really haven't come as far as I'd originally hoped. I thought you trusted me, Luis. I thought you knew in your heart that I can't lie to you anymore. What you see is what you get. I just want to know one thing…" "What?" he questioned softly. "What you said…telling me you loved me…was that for real? Was that you? Or was it the baby? Don't lie to me, Luis. Please," she pleaded. "I'm a big girl. I can take the truth," she cried. Wiping at the tears that now slipped from her cheeks. "Sheridan!" Luis exclaimed. Jumping to his feet and grabbing her hands in his. "Don't think that," he shook his head. Reaching up a hand to gently wipe away her tears. "Telling you I loved you…that was ALL me. I've been trying to work up the courage to tell you for the longest time now. When I thought you were having my…our baby," he corrected. "I didn't want to waste another minute. I wanted you to know exactly how I felt about you. I love you, Sheridan. Baby or not. And that's the honest truth." He kissed her softly as if to prove his point.
"No, Luis," she cried. Pushing him away. "It's not that easy." His hands dropped to his sides. And he hung his head in shame. "It's one step forward, two steps back with us, isn't it?" His question hung in the air as she stepped away from him. Putting some distance between them. "Luis…I think it would be better…I think you should go home." "Sheridan…don't do this. Don't you run from me again." "Who said anything about running?" she looked at him with pain-filled blue eyes. "I love you too much to ever do that," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere. But I need time to think, and I can't keep a clear head when you're around me. Go home, Luis," she pleaded. "Sheri!" a little voice called out. Breaking the oppressive silence hanging in the air as Luis's brown eyes pleaded with her to change her mind. "No," Catherine cried. Flying down the steps and throwing her arms around Luis's legs. "Don't go, Luis. Don't go," she cried. "I don't want you to go." Sheridan turned her back on them as Luis untangled Catherine's little arms from his legs and knelt down to stroke her black curls from her damp face. "Shh. Catherine…I won't be gone long." Will I, Sheridan, he wondered. "No! No!" Catherine screamed hysterically. "Sheri! Tell him to stay," she begged. "Tell him to stay." Sheridan's blue eyes swam with tears as she looked at him. Them both. She didn't want him to leave anymore than Catherine did. But still…he had hurt her with his distrust. His willingness to jump to conclusions. Catherine's big green eyes were sad, and she couldn't bear to see that sadness there. "Sheridan?" "Stay, Luis."
Catherine refused to let Luis out of her sight and insisted he read her a bedtime story. She listened from the doorway as he wove a beautiful fairy tale that had Catherine oohing and aahing before she succumbed to sleep. "Sheridan?" She led him down the stairs to the living room and settled across from him. Knees drawn to her chest. "We need to talk, Luis. Really, really badly. Lay all our cards out on the table." "Okay," he agreed. "About us wanting different things…WHAT do YOU want out of this…relationship?" she asked haltingly. "Do you see any kind of future between us? If you don't, I think we should end things right here. Right now. You saw how she acted when she thought you were going to leave. She's so attached to you, Luis. She loves you to pieces. I can't stand the thought of you hurting her by leaving her. Us," she said quietly. Ducking her blond head down. "The future's a funny thing," he told her. "You can never predict it. But I do know that I want you and Catherine in mine. Forever," he said. And her blue eyes met his intense gaze. "Do you really mean that?" "I really mean it," he answered. Scooting closer to her. "Sheridan…" "Forever as in love you forever? Spend the rest of my life with you forever? Build a family together forever? I don't want us to get our signals crossed again," she murmured tearfully.
"Look at me. Sheridan…look at me," he pleaded. Grasping her chin in his hand. "Forever. An eternity. Hell yes I want to build a family with you. I was thrilled when I thought you were pregnant." "You want to have a baby with me?" she sniffled. "Lots and lots of babies," he grinned. "I think Catherine would make a great big sister, don't you?" She laughed softly at the image that formed in her brain. "Maybe a bit bossy. Are you really that disappointed? I mean…that I'm not pregnant." "I'm more disappointed in the way I treated you. I'm so sorry, Princess," he apologized sincerely. Tucking her blond hair back behind her ear. "I guess we have a whole lot further to go, huh?" he asked. Leaning his forehead against hers. "I want you to trust me, Luis. I NEED you to trust me. I would NEVER keep something like that from you. I promise. Unless…" "Unless what?" he asked. Pulling back to study her expressive face. Her depthless blue eyes. "Unless I wanted to make it a surprise." "I could live with that," he said affably. Brown eyes twinkling with her. "Where do we go from here?" she sighed. "I love you, Luis. But before we can…be together…we have a lot of things to work out. A lot of things left to learn about each other. Where do we start?" He ran his thumbs over her knuckles absently. A smile lighting up his handsome face when an idea dawned on him. "Back to the very beginning," he said simply. And her face fell momentarily as she thought about all the past months of yearning to be with him. But then she remembered how wonderful their true beginning was, and a brilliant smile broke over her face. He raised their joined hands to his lips and planted sweet kisses there. "What do you say, Princess?" he teased. "Are you up to it? Getting to know each other much, much better?" "I think," she hesitated at the expectant smile on his face. "I think that's a wonderful idea." "It's settled then," he said. Dropping her hands and rising to his feet. Pulling her to her own feet. "First date tomorrow? 7-ish? Meet me down here looking your usual gorgeous self?" She giggled as he bowed before her. "7-ish," she agreed. Backing up towards the staircase. "See you then," Luis waved. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "Tomorrow," she confirmed. Before turning on her heel and bounding up the stairs. "Tomorrow," Luis whispered to the empty room. He couldn't wait.