As Ethan entered the Mansion, he saw Rebecca and Gwen sitting in the
parlor, both with big smiles on their faces. This was not the Gwen he left
just an hour ago.
"What could you two possibly be smiling about?" questioned Ethan.
"Oh darling, your home! Mother just came up with the most perfect idea. We are going to adopt Little Ethan!!"
"WHAT?!"
"It's perfect, Ethan", said Rebecca. "You already know the boy and love him. This way he'll have a good home with wonderful parents. And best of all, he will be taken away from Theresa. It is the ultimate revenge on the little slut."
"All right, that's it. You two have finally gone off the deep end!"
"Ethan, what are you talking about...this is perfect! Little Ethan already knows us, and he certainly loves you. And the parents won't contest the adoption. Julian would be able to see his son whenever he wanted, because we will live here in the mansion. And Theresa has been deemed unfit, so she won't have any say at all!" Gwen could not understand why Ethan had such a problem with such a great idea!
"All right Gwen, that's enough. First of all, this is crazy. I would never take little Ethan away from his mother. And as far as Julian goes, you might be surprised on his take of all of this. He has actually recently seemed to have grown a conscience. "
"That's true, Gwennie. My little Pookie is actually on the path of the straight and narrow these days......much to my dismay."
"And as far as unfit mother's go. The only unfit mother's I see in this house are standing right in front of me as we speak."
"Ethan! How can you say such a horrible thing to me after what we just found out from Dr. Culver.??"
"Because I just found out some things about you, Gwen. Things you never wanted me to find out."
Suddenly, and uneasy look came upon both Gwen AND Rebecca's faces.
"Why Ethan, whatever are you talking about?" exclaimed Gwen.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about...my FAITHFUL wife, the mother of MY daughter."
"Ethan, I... I don't know what you're talking about." The look of guilt on Gwen's face, was that of a four year old caught with its hands in the cookie jar.
"I spoke to Hank today Gwen. I saw him at Sam's house when I went to tell he and mother about our unfortunate news."
"Oh Ethan, did your mother take it well?" Gwen asked, trying desperately to change the subject.
"That doesn't matter Gwen. What matters is what Hank said to me outside the house. He asked me why I was there, and when I told him that I was there to tell Sam and Mother about you and I, he was relieved that you had finally told me your little secret."
"What secret Ethan?'" Ethan realized how horrible Gwen was at lying right to his face.
"Gwen, cut the bullshit! I know that you had sex with Hank Bennett before we were married, while I was dating both you and Theresa, and that he is the one who got you pregnant with Sara. You just used that baby to get me to marry you! And then...I don't know what's worse, using a baby, that's not even mine, to get me to marry you, or paying off Hank to keep him quiet."
As the words came out of Ethan's mouth, he had a thought.
"Or was that your idea, Rebecca? Did you see Gwen getting pregnant with Hank's child the opportunity of a lifetime for Gwen, the one way she could steal me away from Theresa? And paying off Hank was the only way you knew you could keep it a secret?"
"Damn that man for having a good upbringing!" cursed Rebecca.
"Mother!" cried Gwen. "Please shut your mouth!"
"Too late, Gwen, I already know the truth. Your mother can say all she wants, the truth has already been revealed to me."
Gwen knew she had to do something and work fast.
"Ethan, please realize that everything I did, I did for us, I did for you, to save you from making a mistake in marrying that lowlife Theresa!"
"Gwen, Theresa is no lowlife, you are! Making up such a horrible and despicable lie, leading me to believe you were pregnant with my child, when all the while, it was really my estranged Uncle's?? I felt so horrible when Sara died, like part of me had died with her. And now I know, she was never part of me. She was just a lie."
"NO Ethan please, please don't think that way about our daughter!"
"SHE IS NOT MY DAUGHTER, GWEN!! SHE IS NOT MY DAUGHER!!" Ethan's voice boomed so loud, he was sure the entire mansion could hear him.
"What else have you lied about, huh Gwen? Did Theresa really start a fight with you in LA, or did you with her? I'd bet my life that if the truth be told, you brought all of these problems with Sara and with not being able to conceive again, on yourself. You just needed a scapegoat, and the closest person that you hate the most is Theresa. That's why you picked her."
"Ethan, I will not stand her and be talked to like this by my own husband."
"Your right, you won't. Because first thing in the morning, I am filing divorce papers. The longer I've stood here and listened to you try and defend the horrible things you've done in the name of "our love", the more I realized you don't know the first thing about it. Hank told me what you told him that night. That you knew in your heart that I would never pick you. That you knew that Theresa and I always had a stronger connection. Well you know what Gwen, your right. Face your fears and hear the truth. The only reason I married you is because you were pregnant, and Sam convinced me that it was the right thing to do. OH God, why didn't I just listen to my heart then, why didn't I just propose to Theresa anyway, just like I had planned on doing that night? Well, we'll never know will we? But there is one thing I do know Gwen, and that is, I never..., EVER...want to see you again, as long as I live. And as for you Rebecca, you can guarantee that when I see Julian tomorrow, I am going to convince him to give Little Ethan back to Theresa. And with any luck, ...and by the grace of God...maybe someday, myself, and Theresa and Little Ethan, can all be a family. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some packing to do. Gwen, I'll have the papers drawn up first thing in the morning. They should be to you by noon. And do me a favor, don't try and contest the divorce, just make things easy on both me and you. Sign them right away so that we can both get on with our lives."
Ethan turned and walked out of the room, and for the first time in their lives, Rebecca and Gwen, were both rendered speechless.
"Now", Ethan thought, "where can I find Theresa?"
"What could you two possibly be smiling about?" questioned Ethan.
"Oh darling, your home! Mother just came up with the most perfect idea. We are going to adopt Little Ethan!!"
"WHAT?!"
"It's perfect, Ethan", said Rebecca. "You already know the boy and love him. This way he'll have a good home with wonderful parents. And best of all, he will be taken away from Theresa. It is the ultimate revenge on the little slut."
"All right, that's it. You two have finally gone off the deep end!"
"Ethan, what are you talking about...this is perfect! Little Ethan already knows us, and he certainly loves you. And the parents won't contest the adoption. Julian would be able to see his son whenever he wanted, because we will live here in the mansion. And Theresa has been deemed unfit, so she won't have any say at all!" Gwen could not understand why Ethan had such a problem with such a great idea!
"All right Gwen, that's enough. First of all, this is crazy. I would never take little Ethan away from his mother. And as far as Julian goes, you might be surprised on his take of all of this. He has actually recently seemed to have grown a conscience. "
"That's true, Gwennie. My little Pookie is actually on the path of the straight and narrow these days......much to my dismay."
"And as far as unfit mother's go. The only unfit mother's I see in this house are standing right in front of me as we speak."
"Ethan! How can you say such a horrible thing to me after what we just found out from Dr. Culver.??"
"Because I just found out some things about you, Gwen. Things you never wanted me to find out."
Suddenly, and uneasy look came upon both Gwen AND Rebecca's faces.
"Why Ethan, whatever are you talking about?" exclaimed Gwen.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about...my FAITHFUL wife, the mother of MY daughter."
"Ethan, I... I don't know what you're talking about." The look of guilt on Gwen's face, was that of a four year old caught with its hands in the cookie jar.
"I spoke to Hank today Gwen. I saw him at Sam's house when I went to tell he and mother about our unfortunate news."
"Oh Ethan, did your mother take it well?" Gwen asked, trying desperately to change the subject.
"That doesn't matter Gwen. What matters is what Hank said to me outside the house. He asked me why I was there, and when I told him that I was there to tell Sam and Mother about you and I, he was relieved that you had finally told me your little secret."
"What secret Ethan?'" Ethan realized how horrible Gwen was at lying right to his face.
"Gwen, cut the bullshit! I know that you had sex with Hank Bennett before we were married, while I was dating both you and Theresa, and that he is the one who got you pregnant with Sara. You just used that baby to get me to marry you! And then...I don't know what's worse, using a baby, that's not even mine, to get me to marry you, or paying off Hank to keep him quiet."
As the words came out of Ethan's mouth, he had a thought.
"Or was that your idea, Rebecca? Did you see Gwen getting pregnant with Hank's child the opportunity of a lifetime for Gwen, the one way she could steal me away from Theresa? And paying off Hank was the only way you knew you could keep it a secret?"
"Damn that man for having a good upbringing!" cursed Rebecca.
"Mother!" cried Gwen. "Please shut your mouth!"
"Too late, Gwen, I already know the truth. Your mother can say all she wants, the truth has already been revealed to me."
Gwen knew she had to do something and work fast.
"Ethan, please realize that everything I did, I did for us, I did for you, to save you from making a mistake in marrying that lowlife Theresa!"
"Gwen, Theresa is no lowlife, you are! Making up such a horrible and despicable lie, leading me to believe you were pregnant with my child, when all the while, it was really my estranged Uncle's?? I felt so horrible when Sara died, like part of me had died with her. And now I know, she was never part of me. She was just a lie."
"NO Ethan please, please don't think that way about our daughter!"
"SHE IS NOT MY DAUGHTER, GWEN!! SHE IS NOT MY DAUGHER!!" Ethan's voice boomed so loud, he was sure the entire mansion could hear him.
"What else have you lied about, huh Gwen? Did Theresa really start a fight with you in LA, or did you with her? I'd bet my life that if the truth be told, you brought all of these problems with Sara and with not being able to conceive again, on yourself. You just needed a scapegoat, and the closest person that you hate the most is Theresa. That's why you picked her."
"Ethan, I will not stand her and be talked to like this by my own husband."
"Your right, you won't. Because first thing in the morning, I am filing divorce papers. The longer I've stood here and listened to you try and defend the horrible things you've done in the name of "our love", the more I realized you don't know the first thing about it. Hank told me what you told him that night. That you knew in your heart that I would never pick you. That you knew that Theresa and I always had a stronger connection. Well you know what Gwen, your right. Face your fears and hear the truth. The only reason I married you is because you were pregnant, and Sam convinced me that it was the right thing to do. OH God, why didn't I just listen to my heart then, why didn't I just propose to Theresa anyway, just like I had planned on doing that night? Well, we'll never know will we? But there is one thing I do know Gwen, and that is, I never..., EVER...want to see you again, as long as I live. And as for you Rebecca, you can guarantee that when I see Julian tomorrow, I am going to convince him to give Little Ethan back to Theresa. And with any luck, ...and by the grace of God...maybe someday, myself, and Theresa and Little Ethan, can all be a family. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some packing to do. Gwen, I'll have the papers drawn up first thing in the morning. They should be to you by noon. And do me a favor, don't try and contest the divorce, just make things easy on both me and you. Sign them right away so that we can both get on with our lives."
Ethan turned and walked out of the room, and for the first time in their lives, Rebecca and Gwen, were both rendered speechless.
"Now", Ethan thought, "where can I find Theresa?"