XXV



On the flight to Chicago, Justin could not sit still. He resorted to staring out the window, but sighed heavily when he found that even looking at the beauty outside of his window could not hold his attention.

"Justin?" Theresa said quietly.

"Hm?" Justin turned to face Theresa.

"You're driving me crazy with all that squirming around." Theresa said frowning.

"I'm sorry." Justin said apologetically. He sighed heavily and laid his head against the back of his seat. Theresa reached over and reassuringly squeezed Justin's hand. "It'll be okay." She said softly.

Justin sighed again. "But what if it's not?" He asked worriedly. "What if~"

Theresa quieted Justin with her intense gaze. "Don't think like that. Why don't you try to sleep? Maybe that would help."

"I don't think I could sleep~" Justin said moving around in his seat. "I'm too tense."

"You never know unless you try." Theresa said patting Justin's hand. "Now close your eyes." She gently instructed.

Justin closed his eyes and sat rigid in his seat. It was not until he heard Theresa humming that he found his body relaxing and entering the realm of sleep.

~*~



"This is unbelievable." Fox thought angrily as he walked quickly to his car. On the ride home, Fox gripped the steering wheel tightly. "I can't believe they would start those rumors," Fox said.

Upon arriving home, Fox went inside. It was eerily quiet. He heard his footsteps echo as he moved about the house. The mendacity that the town spread was getting to Fox. He could not help but think about the rumors. He knew they were untrue, but they still stung. The idea of Theresa leaving him scared Fox.

"It won't happen." Fox thought to himself as he stared at a photo of Theresa. "She wouldn't." He said softly. Theresa's radiant smile made Fox relax. He reached over to pick up the telephone.

"Pilar?" Fox said shakily.

"Fox," Pilar said concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know if you heard~" Fox's voice trailed off.

"Heard what?" Pilar asked.

"There are rumors about Theresa going around." Fox said somberly.

"Oh no," Pilar said. "Not again. What kind of rumors?"

"They're about her and her professor." Fox said stroking his forehead.

"Oh no," Pilar repeated. "Does Theresa know?"

"I'm not sure," Fox said tiredly. "She's going to be upset though."

"Yes," Pilar agreed. "Call her later and check up on her." Pilar suggested. "In the meantime, why don't you spend the day with Stanley, Ethan Martin and me?"

"Sounds great." Fox said. "I'll be over in a little while."

~*~



Angela got out of the car and checked her reflection in the mirror. Belle shifted impatiently as she watched her mother. "C'mon mom," She said whiningly. "I wanna see Daddy."

"In a minute," Angela said, her voice so high it seemed as if she were singing.

"Mommy" Belle said tugging on the sleeves of her mother's jacket.

"Belle," Angela said warningly. "If you don't stand still we are going to get back into this car and you won't get to see your father."

Belle crossed her arms in defiance and lifted her chin high in the air. Resentment flashed in the blue or her irises. "I hate you," She said in a childish fury. "I hate you!"

Angela raised her hand threateningly. Belle shrank back in fear. Her eyes were wide with alarm and worry. Angela smirked. "That's what I thought. Now, either shut up or we're going home."

Belle crossed her arms in a huff and turned her back to her mother. "I wish I could live with Daddy," She thought sadly. "He and Theresa are nicer to me."

As Angela was fixing her hair, Fox opened the door. Belle turned around quickly, a smile lighting her face. She ran towards Fox with her arms outstretched. "Daddy!" Belle called happily as she jumped into his arms.

"Belle," Fox said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Mommy promised to take me to see you," Belle said as she hugged Fox tightly.

"Uh- Belle," Fox said gently as he pried her arms from his neck. "Not so tight, you're choking me."

Belle giggled. "I'm sorry." She said. "I'm just happy to see you."

"I'm happy to see you too." Angela said mischievously.

"Oh- you." Fox said with indifference in his tone. Far off, hidden in the bushes was the head of a camera lens. The pair of eyes that looked through the camera observing the scene unraveling belonged to none other than Paul Grissom. "What's this?" He thought intrigued. "Another twist," He said evilly.

Fox and Angela were unaware of the clicks of the camera that were capturing every moment of their meeting. "Yes me," Angela said. "I heard something interesting about your wife." She said smugly.

"Those are rumors." Fox said in an even tone. "They aren't true."

"Really," Angela said. "Hm, interesting. You sound as if you're in denial."

Fox glared at Angela. Resentment and hatred flooded his emotions. "What do you want, Angela?" He asked slowly.

"I want money, plain and simple." Angela said.

Paul moved closer. He was carefully trying to remain unnoticed. "I have to hear what's going on."

"Money?" Fox asked. "I should've known."

"I can milk you for every penny you own." Angela said in a huff. "You haven't paid a cent for our daughter."

"Daughter?" Paul thought to himself. Snap, snap, snap, went his camera. "This is getting even better." Paul thought gleefully.

"You only asked for money for our daughter's tuition." Fox retorted.

"Exactly." Angela replied. "So where is it?"

"I told you that I was going to go to the school myself." Fox replied.

"And?" Angela said. "Did you even go?"

"It slipped my mind." Fox admitted guiltily. "But it doesn't mean I don't love my daughter."

"I love you too Daddy," Belle replied as she hugged Fox tightly.

"I want you to pay child support." Angela said. "We're going to settle this in court."

"Whatever," Fox said.

"C'mon Belle," Angela said tugging on her daughter's arm. "Let's go."

"No!" Belle protested defiantly. "I don't wanna!" She cried as she hung on tightly to Fox.

"Belle!" Angela warned. "You're asking for it."

"She's staying with me." Fox said.

"Excuse me?" Angela said in surprise. "No she's not."

"She obviously doesn't want to go with you." Fox replied. "She's staying with me." He repeated.

Anger flashed in Angela's eyes. "Fine!" She sputtered. "She'll stay with you. It's not like I give a damn." Angela walked off. Fox and Belle heard the tires of Angela's car squeal against the pavement as she sped off.

When Fox looked down at Belle, he saw tears in her eyes. "Belle, what's wrong?" Fox asked as he wiped tears that escaped Belle's eyes.

"I don't ever wanna go back to Mommy," Belle admitted. "I hate her,"

"You don't mean that." Fox said softly.

"Yes I do.'" Belle said firmly. "She'd rather have her medicine than take care of me."

"Medicine?" Fox asked.

"Yeah." Belle answered wiping her eyes. "Mommy likes to sit in the bathroom and stick needles in her arms."

"A druggie?" Paul thought. "This is really twisted."

"What do you mean?" Fox asked. "She sticks needles in her arms."

Belle nodded. "She does it a lot."

"Oh my God," Fox thought disbelievingly. "She's a drug addict." Fox thought to himself. "Poor Belle, having to live with that~" "Let's go over to your grandma's." Fox said to Belle.

"I have a grandmother?" Belle said in surprise and awe.

"Technically, yes." Fox said.

"What's tek-ni-colly?" Belle asked.

Fox laughed. "Technically," He corrected.

"Oh." Belle replied as she made a face. "That's a big word." She said so solemnly that it made Fox smile. She was so adorable. Fox knew that Belle and Ethan Martin would get along fine.

"It is." Fox agreed.

"I wanna meet grandma." Belle said eagerly.

"All right." Fox said as he set Belle down on the ground. "Let's go."

"Yay!" Belle said happily as she ran towards the car.

~*~



Theresa nudged Justin awake. "Hey Justin," She called softly. "We're about to land."

Butterflies fluttered crazily in Justin's stomach. He clutched at the arm rests nervously. "We're already here?" He said softly.

Theresa nodded. "We're finally here."

Justin began sweating. He clutched the arm rests even tighter as his breath became quick and uneven. "This is it." He thought as he felt the turbulent bumps as the plane made its landing.

When the plane came to a full stop and the passengers began exiting the plane, Justin remained glued to his seat. Theresa looked at him worriedly. "Let's go, Justin."

"I don't think I can do this." Justin admitted as he felt his heart beating wildly in his chest.

"Justin, you can." Theresa encouraged. "You didn't come all the way here to chicken out."

"I-I'm scared Theresa," Justin said in a shaky voice. "I'm terrified. In a matter of minutes, I'm going to be facing my wife again."

"C'mon Justin. You love your wife. You've been waiting for this moment for so long. Get up."

Justin got up slowly, his legs still shaking from his obvious nervousness. He followed Theresa out of the plane, through the terminal, and finally out of the airport. Theresa motioned for a cab, and Justin and Theresa were off to the hospital where Lindsay was supposedly spotted.

Justin could not find a way to calm his frayed nerves. He tapped his fingers nervously against the window. When the hospital was in sight, Justin felt queasy. He tried swallowing, but it seemed that something was lodged in his throat. Justin wiped his brow where beads of sweat had collected. Theresa held his hand as they exited the cab. "You can do this." Theresa whispered to Justin as he stared at the entrance of the hospital.

Justin took a deep calming breath. He blinked a couple of times and grasped Theresa's hand firmly. "I can do this." He repeated as he automatically felt a new bit of confidence lifting his spirits and placating his nerves.

"Let's go." Theresa said as she led Justin into the hospital.