Author's Note: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I'm sorry I haven't updating in a while, but here's a new chapter! Enjoy!
Fox was rushed into a cubical where Dr. Russell was waiting for him to arrive. Theresa was following Fox they whole way, but she was told that she wasn't allowed inside yet.
"What do you mean? That's my boyfriend! I have to make sure he's fine." Theresa said in tears.
"I'm sorry, Miss. But you have to wait out here." The nurse said as she went to get something for Eve.
Theresa sat down and placed her head into her hands. She couldn't believe. She and Fox had just made up after all those years of being separated, and now something may come between them once more.
"Theresita," Pilar said as she entered the hospital with Ethan.
"Oh Mama!" Theresa exclaimed as she embraced her mother's hug.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Fox and I were dancing and the next thing I knew he collasped onto the floor. I don't know what happened, Mama."
"Any word on how he is?"
Theresa shook her head no, "Not yet. We just got here."
"I see. I'm going to go and get us some coffee. It may be a while."
"Thank you, Mama."
Theresa absently took a seat next to her son. She didn't realize that her son was scared himself until he spoke.
"Mama,"
"Yes, honey?" She answered kindly as she had always done.
"If Fox gonna live?"
Theresa smiled weakly, "I hope."
"Is it serious?"
"I don't know, baby. I really hope not."
"Do you love him?"
Theresa was shocked by her son's words.
[i]Do you love him?[/i]
She never discussed her love life with her son before, but it was obvious that Ethan was interested when it came to his mother and Fox. Theresa wasn't sure what to say. Ethan was old enough to understand, but she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to talk about with him.
"Ethan, I love Fox. Just like I love you, mama, and everyone." She said.
"I don't mean like that." He said getting a little frustrated. "Do you [i]love[/i] him?"
Theresa nodded her head, "Yes. Yes, I do." She paused for a moment, "Do you like Fox?"
"You know I do."
"Then why did you ask me that?" She asked wondering why.
"Because I don't want to see you get hurt again. I remember when he hurt you before."
"You do?"
"I do. I was young, but I remember you crying every night for the first year or so."
Theresa smiled.
"Mama, is Fox going to hurt you again?"
"No," she said as she hugged him. "He's never going to hurt either of us."
"There's the chalupa that tried to kill my step-son!" Rebecca exclaimed as she entered the hospital with two officers, Gwen, and Julian.
"Rebecca, what are you talking about?" Theresa was confused.
So this is how Rebecca and Theresa would meet again after 5 years.
"Rebecca, please." Julian begged her, "stop all of this non-sense."
"No, Julian!" She told him. "She tried to kill Fox and she must pay for that."
"Theresita, please tell me that this is not true?" Pilar asked as she came back with 2 cups of coffee.
Theresa turned to her mother, "Mama, I would [i]never[/i] try to hurt Fox."
"Oh please!" Rebecca laughed. "You've hurt him plenty enough since you've left."
Theresa lowered her head from shame. She knew how she had hurt Fox, but she never meant it. Fox had hurt her when he slept with Whitney. Theresa was hurt from that for a very long time. There were even times when she couldn't trust any man.
"See!" Rebecca pointed to Theresa, "She knows she's guilty! Arrest her!"
The two officers approached Theresa slowly. One officer held her as the other put her in hand cuffs. As they were beginning to read Theresa her rights, Eve came out from Fox's cubical.
"What in God's name is going on here?" She asked becoming very confused.
"Rebecca is having Theresa arrested for the attemped murder of Fox." Julian informed her.
"What!? That's impossible. There's no way Theresa could've tried to kill Fox." Eve told them. Eve turned to Theresa, "Theresa, once they take those cuffs off of you, you can go in and see Fox. He's asked for you."
Theresa didn't even wait. She ran inside with the cuffs still on. She stopped right away once she saw Fox lying on the bed with an i.v. hooked up to him.She walked slowly over to his bedside and sat down.
"How are you?" She asked him as she brushed his hair with her fingers.
"I'm better," he said.
Theresa smiled.
"What are with the cuffs?" He asked. "A gift for me later?"
Theresa laughed, "You wish. No, Rebecca had this crazy idea that I tried to kill you."
"What!? She's has got to be kidding. There's no way you could've tried to kill me."
"That's what Dr. Russell said. Everything's all cleared up now, so don't worry."
Eve knocked at the door before stepping in.
"Theresa, you really should go and have those removed." She said pointing to the cuffs.
"I will. Once I know what's wrong with Fox." She said seriously.
Eve nodded her head.
"Is it serious?" She asked.
"No, not at this time."
"What do you mean? Not at this time?" Theresa looked at Fox with worried eyes.
"Theresa, Fox is suffering from severe anxiety attacks. If they get worse than this last one, I'm afraid it can lead to big problems for Fox."
"Oh Fox! This is all my fault!" Theresa began to cry in his arms. "I'm so sorry! If I never left this would've never happened!"
"Shh! It's not your fault, Theresa" he said as he tried to calm her down.
"Fox, you'll be able to leave in a little bit. I just want to run one more test to be sure that nothing else is wrong." Eve told him.
"Thank you," he said.
As Eve was walking out, Theresa stopped her.
"Eve, how can Fox get better? There has to be something I can do to help him."
"Well," she thought, "there is something you can do."
"What?"
"Fox, needs to take it easy. I suggest that you two go on a long, relaxing vacation. But make sure Fox gets lots of rest."
"I will, thank you."
"Well, it's settled!" Theresa smiled once they were alone.
"What is?"
"We're taking a vacation. Just you and me."
"I could get use to that idea." He smiled as he kissed her. "Maybe you could even bring those handcuffs," he laughed.
"Anything you want Mr. Crane. Anything you want."
Theresa left Fox alone so she could go and tell Pilar and Ethan how Fox was doing. Ethan ran up to her once he noticed her.
"How is he, Mama?"
"Fox is going to be just fine," she sighed.
"Oh thank you Lord!" Pilar said. "Why did he collapse though?"
"He had a bad anxiety attack." She told them.
"But he's gonna be fine?" Ethan asked.
"Yes, just fine."
"Can I see him? I haven't seen him since we came back."
"Yeah. Come with me," Theresa said taking his hand.
"Mom, I'm not 4 anymore."
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
She remembered the day that she stopped calling him Little Ethan. It was the first day of third grade and Theresa was dropping him off for school. She had walked Ethan to the door of his new classroom. She got down to his height and kissed him on his cheek.
"Have a good day, baby."
"Mom!" He exclaimed as he wipped away his kiss. "Don't call me baby! Or Little Ethan! I'm not a baby anymore."
Theresa's eyes filled up with tears. She knew he was right. Little....err Ethan was growing up so fast. And the thing that hurt her most was that he didn't have a male influence in his life. He only had Theresa and Mark, and Mark didn't exactly chase the ladies so he couldn't really look up to Mark. Yes, Ethan liked Mark, he had known him since they had moved to New York, but Mark wasn't his father and he would never be. Mark was Theresa's best friend and assistant, nothing more.
"I'm so sorry, Ethan." She apologized. "Have a good day."
"Fox!" Ethan exclaimed when he saw his old friend.
"Hey Buddy!" Fox smiled.
"Fox, are you gonna stick around this time?"
Fox was a little surprised at Ethan's question.
"Yeah," he said slowly, "yeah."
"Good!" He said as he hugged Fox. "Cause I want you to."
"I want to too, buddy."
Theresa stood in a corner looking on them. They were so cute together and she could imagine them all being a family one day.
[i]Soon, one day soon, Theresa.[/i]
Rebecca stood in the library drinking a glass of Julian's precious brandy.
"That bitch is back...[i]again[/i]!"
Gwen walked in at that moment and was rather surprised to see her mother drinking so much.
"Mother, how much have you had?" She asked holding up the almost empty bottle of brandy.
"Not much," she slurred.
Gwen rolled her eyes.
"Are you ever going to stop whinning about Theresa? It's old mother. I've had 5 years free of hearing that name and all of the sudden you bring it back up once she comes back for her best friend's funeral."
"Gwen, she's back to break up your marriage to Ethan."
"Oh really?" Gwen said doubtfully.
"Yes, she is," Rebecca said as she ripped the bottle of brandy from Gwen and sucked the last of it down.
"Don't tell me you already have a new plan to destroy Theresa."
Rebecca smiled, "Gwen, what else did you expect?"
"Mother, enough is enough. This has got to end. Theresa hasn't even talked to Ethan yet. How do you know she wants him? From the looks of things at the cottage and the hospital, she's more interested in Fox. Not Ethan."
"Gwennie," she laughed then hiccupped, "Oops!" She giggled. "Theresa, is a good little poker player. She knows exactly what's she's doing. She's tricking all of us to believe that she's in love with Fox when she really is trying to get Ethan back."
"Mother, no! Ethan loves me. We have a family now, he's happy and he won't ever leave me."
"I suppose you're right, but I saw the look in his eye when he learned that that chalupa was back in town."
"Well, you're wrong, mother. Ethan won't [i]ever[/i] leave me or his children for Theresa." Gwen said before storming out of the room.
"We'll see, Gwennie. But don't worry. I have everything set up. Once I'm done with Theresa, she'll be gone for good this time. She won't ever think of returning to Harmony, not even for her own mother's funeral." Rebecca laughed impishly.
"So where, my lady," Fox said pulling Theresa close to him, "did you have in mind of going away to?"
Theresa smiled, "Well, somewhere where we could have lots of privacy for once. Then maybe somewhere where it's beautiful out. Somewhere tropical!" She said excitedly. "What do you think?"
"I think you may be thinking of somewhere south, correct?"
"Maybe, she smiled. "Why don't you want to go there?"
"Yes, of course. But I was thinking of somewhere more romantic."
"Like where?"
"Pairs maybe."
"Hmm that could be nice, but..." she paused.
"But what?"
"But I was hoping that we could go somewhere and just lay out on the beach. Just [i]you[/i] and [i]me.[/i] Doesn't that sound nice?"
"Yes, it does." He admited.
"Good, then it's settled."
"Theresa, wait. Let me surprised you with where we are going. Let's not go to Paris or to the Bahamas. Somewhere different and new."
"Well, okay. Just let me know what to pack though in case we go to somewhere cold and I bring clothes for the summer," she laughed.
"Deal," he kissed her. "Thank God nothing is seriously wrong with me. I don't think I could stand it if I lost you."
"Me neither." She said as they rested their heads next to each other.
Next time...Theresa and Fox go away! Rebecca puts her plan into motion!
~Mandi~
Fox was rushed into a cubical where Dr. Russell was waiting for him to arrive. Theresa was following Fox they whole way, but she was told that she wasn't allowed inside yet.
"What do you mean? That's my boyfriend! I have to make sure he's fine." Theresa said in tears.
"I'm sorry, Miss. But you have to wait out here." The nurse said as she went to get something for Eve.
Theresa sat down and placed her head into her hands. She couldn't believe. She and Fox had just made up after all those years of being separated, and now something may come between them once more.
"Theresita," Pilar said as she entered the hospital with Ethan.
"Oh Mama!" Theresa exclaimed as she embraced her mother's hug.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Fox and I were dancing and the next thing I knew he collasped onto the floor. I don't know what happened, Mama."
"Any word on how he is?"
Theresa shook her head no, "Not yet. We just got here."
"I see. I'm going to go and get us some coffee. It may be a while."
"Thank you, Mama."
Theresa absently took a seat next to her son. She didn't realize that her son was scared himself until he spoke.
"Mama,"
"Yes, honey?" She answered kindly as she had always done.
"If Fox gonna live?"
Theresa smiled weakly, "I hope."
"Is it serious?"
"I don't know, baby. I really hope not."
"Do you love him?"
Theresa was shocked by her son's words.
[i]Do you love him?[/i]
She never discussed her love life with her son before, but it was obvious that Ethan was interested when it came to his mother and Fox. Theresa wasn't sure what to say. Ethan was old enough to understand, but she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to talk about with him.
"Ethan, I love Fox. Just like I love you, mama, and everyone." She said.
"I don't mean like that." He said getting a little frustrated. "Do you [i]love[/i] him?"
Theresa nodded her head, "Yes. Yes, I do." She paused for a moment, "Do you like Fox?"
"You know I do."
"Then why did you ask me that?" She asked wondering why.
"Because I don't want to see you get hurt again. I remember when he hurt you before."
"You do?"
"I do. I was young, but I remember you crying every night for the first year or so."
Theresa smiled.
"Mama, is Fox going to hurt you again?"
"No," she said as she hugged him. "He's never going to hurt either of us."
"There's the chalupa that tried to kill my step-son!" Rebecca exclaimed as she entered the hospital with two officers, Gwen, and Julian.
"Rebecca, what are you talking about?" Theresa was confused.
So this is how Rebecca and Theresa would meet again after 5 years.
"Rebecca, please." Julian begged her, "stop all of this non-sense."
"No, Julian!" She told him. "She tried to kill Fox and she must pay for that."
"Theresita, please tell me that this is not true?" Pilar asked as she came back with 2 cups of coffee.
Theresa turned to her mother, "Mama, I would [i]never[/i] try to hurt Fox."
"Oh please!" Rebecca laughed. "You've hurt him plenty enough since you've left."
Theresa lowered her head from shame. She knew how she had hurt Fox, but she never meant it. Fox had hurt her when he slept with Whitney. Theresa was hurt from that for a very long time. There were even times when she couldn't trust any man.
"See!" Rebecca pointed to Theresa, "She knows she's guilty! Arrest her!"
The two officers approached Theresa slowly. One officer held her as the other put her in hand cuffs. As they were beginning to read Theresa her rights, Eve came out from Fox's cubical.
"What in God's name is going on here?" She asked becoming very confused.
"Rebecca is having Theresa arrested for the attemped murder of Fox." Julian informed her.
"What!? That's impossible. There's no way Theresa could've tried to kill Fox." Eve told them. Eve turned to Theresa, "Theresa, once they take those cuffs off of you, you can go in and see Fox. He's asked for you."
Theresa didn't even wait. She ran inside with the cuffs still on. She stopped right away once she saw Fox lying on the bed with an i.v. hooked up to him.She walked slowly over to his bedside and sat down.
"How are you?" She asked him as she brushed his hair with her fingers.
"I'm better," he said.
Theresa smiled.
"What are with the cuffs?" He asked. "A gift for me later?"
Theresa laughed, "You wish. No, Rebecca had this crazy idea that I tried to kill you."
"What!? She's has got to be kidding. There's no way you could've tried to kill me."
"That's what Dr. Russell said. Everything's all cleared up now, so don't worry."
Eve knocked at the door before stepping in.
"Theresa, you really should go and have those removed." She said pointing to the cuffs.
"I will. Once I know what's wrong with Fox." She said seriously.
Eve nodded her head.
"Is it serious?" She asked.
"No, not at this time."
"What do you mean? Not at this time?" Theresa looked at Fox with worried eyes.
"Theresa, Fox is suffering from severe anxiety attacks. If they get worse than this last one, I'm afraid it can lead to big problems for Fox."
"Oh Fox! This is all my fault!" Theresa began to cry in his arms. "I'm so sorry! If I never left this would've never happened!"
"Shh! It's not your fault, Theresa" he said as he tried to calm her down.
"Fox, you'll be able to leave in a little bit. I just want to run one more test to be sure that nothing else is wrong." Eve told him.
"Thank you," he said.
As Eve was walking out, Theresa stopped her.
"Eve, how can Fox get better? There has to be something I can do to help him."
"Well," she thought, "there is something you can do."
"What?"
"Fox, needs to take it easy. I suggest that you two go on a long, relaxing vacation. But make sure Fox gets lots of rest."
"I will, thank you."
"Well, it's settled!" Theresa smiled once they were alone.
"What is?"
"We're taking a vacation. Just you and me."
"I could get use to that idea." He smiled as he kissed her. "Maybe you could even bring those handcuffs," he laughed.
"Anything you want Mr. Crane. Anything you want."
Theresa left Fox alone so she could go and tell Pilar and Ethan how Fox was doing. Ethan ran up to her once he noticed her.
"How is he, Mama?"
"Fox is going to be just fine," she sighed.
"Oh thank you Lord!" Pilar said. "Why did he collapse though?"
"He had a bad anxiety attack." She told them.
"But he's gonna be fine?" Ethan asked.
"Yes, just fine."
"Can I see him? I haven't seen him since we came back."
"Yeah. Come with me," Theresa said taking his hand.
"Mom, I'm not 4 anymore."
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
She remembered the day that she stopped calling him Little Ethan. It was the first day of third grade and Theresa was dropping him off for school. She had walked Ethan to the door of his new classroom. She got down to his height and kissed him on his cheek.
"Have a good day, baby."
"Mom!" He exclaimed as he wipped away his kiss. "Don't call me baby! Or Little Ethan! I'm not a baby anymore."
Theresa's eyes filled up with tears. She knew he was right. Little....err Ethan was growing up so fast. And the thing that hurt her most was that he didn't have a male influence in his life. He only had Theresa and Mark, and Mark didn't exactly chase the ladies so he couldn't really look up to Mark. Yes, Ethan liked Mark, he had known him since they had moved to New York, but Mark wasn't his father and he would never be. Mark was Theresa's best friend and assistant, nothing more.
"I'm so sorry, Ethan." She apologized. "Have a good day."
"Fox!" Ethan exclaimed when he saw his old friend.
"Hey Buddy!" Fox smiled.
"Fox, are you gonna stick around this time?"
Fox was a little surprised at Ethan's question.
"Yeah," he said slowly, "yeah."
"Good!" He said as he hugged Fox. "Cause I want you to."
"I want to too, buddy."
Theresa stood in a corner looking on them. They were so cute together and she could imagine them all being a family one day.
[i]Soon, one day soon, Theresa.[/i]
Rebecca stood in the library drinking a glass of Julian's precious brandy.
"That bitch is back...[i]again[/i]!"
Gwen walked in at that moment and was rather surprised to see her mother drinking so much.
"Mother, how much have you had?" She asked holding up the almost empty bottle of brandy.
"Not much," she slurred.
Gwen rolled her eyes.
"Are you ever going to stop whinning about Theresa? It's old mother. I've had 5 years free of hearing that name and all of the sudden you bring it back up once she comes back for her best friend's funeral."
"Gwen, she's back to break up your marriage to Ethan."
"Oh really?" Gwen said doubtfully.
"Yes, she is," Rebecca said as she ripped the bottle of brandy from Gwen and sucked the last of it down.
"Don't tell me you already have a new plan to destroy Theresa."
Rebecca smiled, "Gwen, what else did you expect?"
"Mother, enough is enough. This has got to end. Theresa hasn't even talked to Ethan yet. How do you know she wants him? From the looks of things at the cottage and the hospital, she's more interested in Fox. Not Ethan."
"Gwennie," she laughed then hiccupped, "Oops!" She giggled. "Theresa, is a good little poker player. She knows exactly what's she's doing. She's tricking all of us to believe that she's in love with Fox when she really is trying to get Ethan back."
"Mother, no! Ethan loves me. We have a family now, he's happy and he won't ever leave me."
"I suppose you're right, but I saw the look in his eye when he learned that that chalupa was back in town."
"Well, you're wrong, mother. Ethan won't [i]ever[/i] leave me or his children for Theresa." Gwen said before storming out of the room.
"We'll see, Gwennie. But don't worry. I have everything set up. Once I'm done with Theresa, she'll be gone for good this time. She won't ever think of returning to Harmony, not even for her own mother's funeral." Rebecca laughed impishly.
"So where, my lady," Fox said pulling Theresa close to him, "did you have in mind of going away to?"
Theresa smiled, "Well, somewhere where we could have lots of privacy for once. Then maybe somewhere where it's beautiful out. Somewhere tropical!" She said excitedly. "What do you think?"
"I think you may be thinking of somewhere south, correct?"
"Maybe, she smiled. "Why don't you want to go there?"
"Yes, of course. But I was thinking of somewhere more romantic."
"Like where?"
"Pairs maybe."
"Hmm that could be nice, but..." she paused.
"But what?"
"But I was hoping that we could go somewhere and just lay out on the beach. Just [i]you[/i] and [i]me.[/i] Doesn't that sound nice?"
"Yes, it does." He admited.
"Good, then it's settled."
"Theresa, wait. Let me surprised you with where we are going. Let's not go to Paris or to the Bahamas. Somewhere different and new."
"Well, okay. Just let me know what to pack though in case we go to somewhere cold and I bring clothes for the summer," she laughed.
"Deal," he kissed her. "Thank God nothing is seriously wrong with me. I don't think I could stand it if I lost you."
"Me neither." She said as they rested their heads next to each other.
Next time...Theresa and Fox go away! Rebecca puts her plan into motion!
~Mandi~