VII



"So," Whitney said as she and Theresa waited to get fitted for their dresses. "How's the married life?"

"It's wonderful." Theresa replied with a contented gaze. "You're really going to love it Whitney." Theresa replied with a smile on her face.

Whitney smiled. "I'm so glad you finally found happiness. You had been through so much with Ethan~" Whitney looked away as her voice trailed off. "I'm just so glad you finally found what you've always wanted with Fox."

"I'm so glad I found Fox," Theresa replied. "I just hope I don't lose him."

"Don't say that," Whitney said. "You're not going to lose him Theresa. He loves you and you love him."

"I know that~" Theresa said.

"But?" Whitney asked. "What's up Theresa? Tell me what's wrong." Theresa bit her lower lip and debated whether to tell Whitney about the letter Fox received from Audrey. Whitney's eyes scrutinized Theresa. "Theresa?" Whitney prodded. Theresa crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the back of the chair. "Fox received a letter today~"

"What kind of letter?" Whitney asked as concern masked her voice.

"A scented letter~" Theresa said. "From a woman," She added.

"Ohh," Whitney replied. "What did it say?"

"I have no idea," Theresa said miserably. "Dylan stopped by for a visit and told me that Audrey, the woman who sent the letter, always scented her letters with her perfume. But something tells me that the letter isn't just friendly. I just can't shake the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Whitney said.

"I just hope it's nothing." Theresa said miserably.

"Why don't we get some coffee or something after this?" Whitney suggested. "We can just talk."

"Sounds great." Theresa said as she gave her friend a wan smile.

A couple of hours later, Theresa and Whitney were seated in a coffee shop around the corner from the bridal boutique. They sat at a table that looked out of a window that gave them a view of the downtown Harmony streets. Theresa absentmindedly stirred her coffee as she gazed out of the window with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Theresa?" Whitney said as she waved her hand in front of Theresa's eyes.

"Hm?" Theresa said as she rapidly blinked a couple of times.

"Are you still thinking about that letter?" Whitney asked.

Theresa sighed deeply. "Yes." She admitted guiltily.

"Theresa!" Whitney gently reprimanded. "You've got to stop fretting about it." Theresa propped her elbow on the table and leaned her head against her hand, "I'm trying but it's still eating at me."

"Hey," Whitney said as her attention focused on a man who entered the coffee shop. She was hoping to get Theresa's mind off of the letter and on to something else of a different subject.

"What?" Theresa said as she turned around to look in her friend's direction.

"What do you think of that guy?" Whitney asked as she nodded her head in his direction.

"Whitney!" Theresa exclaimed. "We're taken women, we can't just be checking out guys!"

"I'm simply people-watching." Whitney replied. "And besides, I thought it would be fun if we did that thing we used to do. Ya know, the one where we look at a person and try to figure out what they're like?"

Theresa frowned. "I'm sorry, but~ I~ I don't remember."

Whitney blanched and immediately looked remorseful. "I am so sorry Theresa."

"Don't be sorry, please, tell me about this people-watching-thing we do." Theresa said as she took a small sip of her cappuccino.

"Whenever we went out, we would just watch the different people that passed us. We'd try to figure out what kind of person they were by their appearance."

"Oh." Theresa said. "That's interesting."

"Yeah." Whitney smiled. "Anyhow, I was just trying to see what you thought of that man over there."

"Over where?" Theresa asked. There were probably about five or so men in the direction that Whitney was noting.

"He's in that blue shirt. He's tall, handsome, you see him now?"

Theresa scanned the side of the room that Whitney was referring to and looked for the man in a blue shirt. He had his back turned towards the counter, but Theresa felt as though he seemed familiar. "He's turned around. I can't see his face."

"Just wait a minute." Whitney replied.

When the man turned around Theresa gasped in surprise. It was her professor Justin Hammond. "I can't believe it." Theresa said as she quickly turned around.

"Can't believe what?" Whitney asked.

Theresa turned her head to peek at Professor Hammond. He was staring in her direction. Theresa quickly turned her back and prayed that he didn't see her. To her dismay, he had.

"Oh my God, he's coming over here." Whitney said in a low tone.

"Mrs. Crane, what a coincidence." Professor Hammond said with no enthusiasm.

"Nice to see you too." Theresa said sarcastically.

"You two know each other?" Whitney asked Theresa.

"Whitney this is Professor Hammond, one of my teachers." She said before taking a swig of her coffee.

"Nice to meet you," Whitney said as she shook Professor Hammond's hand. She looked at her friend curiously and gazed at the man who stood before her with scrutiny.

"Something the matter Mrs. Crane?" Professor Hammond asked. "You look sort of disappointed. What, did the sex high wear off?"

Theresa almost choked. Her eyes filled with tears as she desperately tried to swallow the coffee trapped in her throat. Whitney stared at Professor Hammond with shock. Whitney thought that Professor Hammond's comment was quite audacious. She tried deciphering his expression. Hammond had a smile that was forming on the corners of his lips. His eyebrows were raised as his eyes sparkled with amusement. Hammond stood there tall with his hands folded across his broad chest. "I take that as a yes." He replied.

Theresa glared at Professor Hammond. Her temper was already beginning to rise. Anger flared within her eyes. "You have a lot of nerve," She said through clenched teeth. Theresa tightened her hold on her coffee and fought the urge to throw it on Professor Hammond.

"Uh~" Whitney said uncomfortably.

"Don't mind him, Whitney." Theresa said to her friend. "He's always like that."

"I am?" Professor Hammond said as he pulled a chair up to the table. "Actually, if you want my opinion,"

"Opinions are like behinds." Theresa interrupted. "Everybody has one, but sometimes they stink."

"Very clever." Hammond replied cynically. "Anyhow as I was saying, I'm not always like this." Hammond told Whitney. "In fact, I'm only like this when I'm around her."

Whitney looked confusedly from Theresa to Professor Hammond. She thought the relationship, if you could call it that, between them was fairly odd. "Okay," Whitney said slowly, her eyes revealing her confusion. Whitney cleared her throat, "Well, I have to admit, your-uh relationship is odd to me."

"There is no relationship." Theresa said immediately. "None at all."

"Nothing except a teacher-student relationship." Professor Hammond added.

"Uh-huh," Whitney said as she sat back and observed Theresa and Justin.

"So, Mrs. Crane, have you gotten started on that wonderful paper I assigned you?" Professor Hammond said with a smirk on her face.

"May I ask you a question, Professor?" Whitney asked.

"Please, call me Justin." He replied. "And yes, you may ask away."

"Okay, Justin," Whitney said. "But what topic did you assign Theresa?"

"It's utterly boring." Theresa answered.

"Perhaps you'd like to tell your friend what the topic is." Justin retorted.

"My pleasure." Theresa said caustically. "Anyhow, he told me to write a ten page paper on reasons why I don't like him."

Whitney stifled a laugh. "What?" She said. "Are you serious?"

"Very." Justin replied. "You see, Mrs. Crane here forgot to turn in her paper I had assigned last night. So, I assigned her an additional paper."

"But why that topic?" Whitney asked intrigued.

"Long story." Theresa rolled her eyes.

"Am I annoying you Mrs. Crane?" Justin Hammond asked Theresa.

"If you must know, yes" Theresa said.

"Theresa!" Whitney said in surprise. "Why are you being so mean?"

"She doesn't like me," Justin answered on Theresa's behalf.

"You're damn right I don't." Theresa mumbled.

"Oh look," Justin said as he glanced towards the door. "Your ex-lover just entered the room."

Theresa turned her head and saw Ethan enter the coffee shop. Whitney looked at Justin Hammond. "How did you?"

"Tabloids and gossip." Justin answered before Whitney finished her question.

"Oh." Whitney said.

"What's his name again?" Professor Hammond asked.

"Ethan Winthrop." Whitney replied. "Why?"

"Hey, Mr. Wintrop!" Justin called enthusiastically as he stood and waved. Ethan looked in his direction with a confused look on his face. "Who the hell is that?" He thought to himself.

~*~