Chapter Four

Kay Theresa and Whitney all exchange looks wondering what Theresa would say as Ethan Jr. gazes at her worriedly.
Ethan Jr: Why are you in bed? And why have you been so tired lately? And why do you look yellowish?
Theresa shakes her head she had thought she was doing such a great job of hiding her symptoms. Leave it to Ethan's son to be able to see it all.
Maria: Do you have a boo boo Mommy?
CJ: Maybe grandma can help. She helped me when I had chicken pox.
Russ: Can we go see grandma?
Whitney uses Russ's question as away to get off of the subject.
Whitney: We'll see grandma this weekend okay? It's grandma's birthday!
Russ: Yay!
Ethan Jr.: But are you okay Mommy?
Theresa smiles lovingly at her son and squeezes his little hand.
Theresa: Can you give us a moment?
Kay and Whitney nod. Kay takes Sammy and Maria and then with Whitney's help hustles the kids down stairs.
Whitney: So what do you kids think we should get Grandma for her birthday?
Russ: A fire truck?
CJ: A guitar!
Maria: Get her a Barbie!
Luis Jr.: A cop car!
Marten: A basket ball!
Kay and Whitney laugh and shake their heads. Leave it to the kids to cheer them up. Back in Theresa's room Ethan Jr. sits on the side of Theresa's bed. Theresa smiles at him lovingly.
Theresa: You're right. Mommy hasn't been feeling well lately. And that's why today I went to see Dr. Eve.
Ethan Jr: Did she give you medicine?
Theresa: No not yet sweetie because she doesn't know yet what's wrong. Remember last year when you weren't feeling well and Dr. Eve took some blood from you?
Ethan Jr. nods
Ethan Jr.: Yeah and it told her I have diabetes.
Theresa nods.
Theresa: That's right. But we didn't know right away, remember? We had to wait until the information came back. So, Dr. Eve took some blood from Mommy and when she knows what's going on she's going to call me.
Ethan Jr: And then she'll give you medicine?
Theresa: Maybe. But I don't want you to worry okay? Dr. Eve is a wonderful doctor.
Ethan Jr. nods and hugs Theresa.
Ethan Jr: I love you Mama.
Theresa hugs him close with tears in her eyes.
Theresa: I love you too sweet heart.
As Theresa hugs him she says a silent prayer.
Theresa: Oh God don't break my sons heart, don't let me leave him.
Miguel stomps down stairs with two suitcases and a hanging bag in hand. He hears his children playing in the family room. Miguel Jr. is playing with a fire truck pushing it all around the room. Gracie is busy feeding her dolly. Emilo is playing with one of his musical toys. Angel is sitting on the couch quietly looking at a book she looks up and he sees she's crying. He knows she knows. There eyes meet and he motions for her to stay put and keep quiet. Angel reluctantly nods and looks back at her book as tears fall on it. She whispers softly to herself.
Angel: Daddy doesn't want to be here. Daddy's leaving for good. He doesn't love us.
Miguel can here Charity cooking in the kitchen. He goes and stands in the door way. Charity knows what's coming she's felt him pulling away and now without even being told she knows. She turns to him with tears streaming down her face.
Charity: So this is it? You're just going to walk out on all of us huh?
Miguel: I can't stay Charity, I just can't.
Charity: Why not! We vowed to love each other and stay together forever!
Miguel looks at the ground sadly then back up at Charity's tear stained face.
Miguel: That's just it Charity. I don't love you and I don't want to be with you.
Charity gasps and catches herself against the sink. She had deep down known this but hearing it still cuts like a knife.
Miguel: I haven't for a long time. I've been living a lie and I'm sick of it.
Charity: That's it? You're not even going to try to save us? What, what about counseling?
Miguel: I can't imagine counseling helping at this point. I haven't loved you or felt close to you in years. Charity I was wrong we weren't meant for each other, we really never were. I'm sorry. I never should have asked you to marry me. That was a mistake.
Charity: How can you say that! What we had was magical! And it gave us four incredible children!
Miguel: No Charity. What we had was a lie. I was caught up in your beauty and all the adventures I had because of you. But the truth is my heart never truly belonged to you. As for the kids.
He shakes his head sadly.
Miguel: I wish I could tell you that I loved them and wanted to be there father. But...but I just don't. I care about them and I hope they have wonderful lives. But...
Charity's tears turn to anger.
Charity: GET OUT JUST GET THE HELL OUT! WHAT KIND OF MAN ARE YOU!
Miguel sighs
Miguel: I'd be a better one if I'd never married you.
Charity shoves him.
Charity: I said get out!
Miguel sighs and leaves. As he does he hears Emilo start crying and Angel yell out for him but he doesn't look back. He puts his bags in his truck and drives off. Angel runs to her mother sobbing.
Angel: Why doesn't he love us? Why? Why?
Charity holds her daughter as tears stream down her own face and Miguel Jr. and Gracie watch from near by in tears and very frightened.
Charity: I don't know baby, I don't know.

Ethan is on his way home when he decides to call Sam.
Sam: Police Cheif Bennett speaking.
Ethan: Hey Dad it's me.
Sam: Hey Ethan, how are you doing?
Ethan: I'm doing good. Listen Theresa has seemed kind of down lately and I was thinking that this Saturday with Chad back in town it would be a great chance for us to do a couples night. You know she always loves hanging out with Kay, Luis, Chad, and Whitney. So, do you think you and Grace might be able too
Sam smiles and finishes for him.
Sam: Watch all the kids? Sure I'm sure Grace wouldn't mind and I can never get enough of those kids. So what's been bothering Theresa?
Ethan: I'm not sure. She's just been kind of off lately. She hasn't had as much energy, she hasn't been acting like her usually happy go lucky self, and lately she hasn't looked physically well. She probably just needs some TLC or something.
Sam smiles
Sam: And no doubt my son can giver her that.
Ethan laughs you know I'll try. I'll get back to you with the times as soon as I talk to the others okay?
Sam: Sounds like a plan. Give Theresa my best and I'll see you later son.
Ethan: Will do. Love you.
Sam: I love you too. Bye.
They hang up. Sam sighs thinking back to the time right after Gwen and Rebecca stopped Ethan's wedding to Theresa. Ethan had been so distraught. It was the beginning of his and Ethan's true bonding. As time went on they grew closer and closer until the night before Theresa and Ethan finally got married when Ethan had asked him if he'd Sam would be okay with him changing his last name to Bennett. Sam hadn't felt so proud or so emotional since his other three children were born. Several months and a tune of paper work later Ethan Winthrope became Ethan Bennett. And it had been just in time for little Ethan Jr's birth. Sam smiles happily thinking back to that incredible time.

Kay and Whitney are busy playing with the kids down stairs and trying to keep them relitivly quiet so Theresa can sleep when suddenly Kay's cell phone rings.
Kay: Hello?
She hears a muffled voice on the other end begin to speak.
Voice: We will be together one day I swear it.
Kay hangs up her body trembling. Whitney notices.
Whitney: Kay are you all right?
Kay: What? Oh yeah I'm fine. Just one of those sick prank phone calls you know?
Whitney: Maybe you should tell Luis.
Kay laughs
Kay: About a prank phone call? What's he going to do? It's probably just some harmless kid trying to be cool. Nothing big.
Kay smiles and goes on playing with the kids trying to believe her own words even though something is telling her not to.

Luis arrives home and bounds into his house happily.
Luis: Honey, I'm hone!
He immediately then notices that no one is there. Dinner can't be smelled and there are no sounds of children or Kay. He becomes mildly concerned but then sees a note on the table for him.
Luis
the kids and I are over at Theresa's we'll be back soon.
Love,
Kay.

Luis smiles to himself.
Luis: I think I'll walk over there myself. I haven't seen much of Theresa lately because of that drug dealer. Maybe we can all order in or something.
Luis heads on over.

Charity and the kids are sitting at the kitchen table over dinner. Miguel Jr., Gracie, and Emilo all oblivious as to how much their lives have just changed eat happily. Charity and Angel push the food around on their plates.
Angel: I knew he was going to Mommy. I felt it when I came home from school. I knew he was packing.
Charity nods and sighs heavily.
Charity: I know sweetie I did too.
Angel: Why don't we know why he doesn't love us anymore? We know everything else, why don't we know that?
Charity considers this.
Charity: I don't know know baby. I have never understood why God allows us to know somethings and not others. But I'm sure there is a reason. We just don't know it yet. But baby I really do believe that somewhere deep down your Daddy does love you and your brothers and sister very much. I'm sure of it.
Angel looks at her mother doubtfully and tries to smile then looks back at her food.
MJ: Mommy more please!
Charity smiles lovingly at her son and serves him up some more chicken.
Charity: There you go.
Gracie: Why Daddy leave before dinner?
Charity gulps trying to figure out how to answer when Angel jumps in.
Angel: Daddy wasn't hungry and wanted to go out Gracie. We don't know why he just wasn't.
Gracie excepts this and continues eating. Charity smiles at Angel gratefully. Angel smiles back at her Mom.
Angel: I'll always help you Mommy, we're a team.
Charity: And for that I am grateful beyond words.
She hugs Angel tightly.

Theresa lay in bed dreaming. She is at the end of a long dark hallway standing with her family and at the other end is a door with a beautiful light streaming out from under it. She hears a voice calling to her and begins walking towards the door but her family doesn't fallow as she gets closer to the door she can hear her family screaming her name but she can't turn around. her heart is pounding like crazy and she is trying to turn but the pull towards the door is to great. Suddenly Theresa wakes up with a scream drenched in sweat and shaking her heart pounding in her ears and tears streaming down her face.

Out side the house Ethan pulls in just as Luis comes up the walk.
Ethan: Hey Luis, long time no see! How've you been?
They hug happy to see each other.
Luis: I'm good man, I'm good. I know, I've been going crazy running around town trying to get that big drug ring brought down. Just did it last night.
Ethan: That's awesome. I'm telling you Luis when my Dad retires you're going to be a shoe in for cheif of police.
Luis blushes
Luis: Well I don't know about that but thanks.
Ethan: So what brings you by?
Luis: Well, I got home to an empty house and found a note that my family was over here.
Ethan smiles
Ethan: I guess Kay got tired of watching them all day.
Luis: What do you mean?
Ethan: Well apparently my wife and Whitney dumped all the kids on her and went out for the day.
Luis laughs
Luis: Yikes! What she's going for saint hood now?
They both laugh.
Ethan: I don't know. But I'm actually glad she did it. Theresa has been kind of down lately so a day out with Whitney probably did her some real good.
Luis nods
Luis: What's she down about?
Ethan: I'm not sure. You know Theresa she's not all that forthcoming with information.
Luis nods in agreement.
Ethan: I'm sure seeing you will also cheer her up. Hey why don't you guys stay for dinner. We'll order in and just have a nice evening.
Luis: Works for me.
They enter the house and hear all the children playing in the basement which has been finished off into a play area.
Luis: Looks like Whitney and her brood will be joining us too.
Ethan laughs.
Ethan: I figured she would. It's lonely for her when Chad is out of town.
Luis nods
Luis: Yeah he goes on tour a lot, I'm sure Whitney misses the touring just as much as him sometimes huh?
Ethan: Maybe. She really loves being a stay at home Mom, but yeah I think sometimes she does miss the touring.
They are now at the kitchen door and see Whitney and Kay at the table talking. Whitney and Kay don't notice them.
Whitney: I'm so scared for Theresa. I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin.
Kay squeezes her hand supportively.
Kay: I know, I know.
Kay: I'm not sure who I feel worse for. Theresa who may have to face the actual illness or Luis and Ethan who may have to face another loved one fighting it.
Whitney nods in agreement.