Theresa sat across from Ethan, her face mirroring his, both with tears in
their eyes. Ethan's tears were because of Gwen's betrayal of him, and
Theresa's were in sympathy for all that Ethan had just told her.
"Ethan, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am that all of this happened. I knew that Gwen could be mean, but that is just down right disgusting! You thought Sara was your baby, you cried so hard when she died, and even at the funeral..."
"People had always told me there was another side to Gwen. The not so nice side, but I never saw it. I never believed them."
"I remember", Theresa said, looking down in to her lap.
Just then, memories came flooding back to Ethan. Theresa had tried to tell him time after time, when she was Ivy's assistant, about all of the horrible things Gwen would say to her, but he could never believe her then. He just assumed that Theresa was jealous of Gwen, and making up things to say about her.
"Oh my God, Theresa. You tried to tell me all along, didn't you? For months you tried to tell me about Gwen and how she was two faced, and I never believed you."
"Now you know why Mama and I suspected Gwen and Rebecca as the ones who revealed your paternity to the tabloid."
Just then, Ethan's blood began to boil. Of course! It was just another way for Gwen to keep Ethan away from Theresa! Who was Gwen Hotchkiss? How could the woman he loved for so many years be this cold and calculating? Did he really know her at all??
"Theresa, I know this is a long time coming, but I'm sorry, for all of it. If I would have listened to you then, I could have saved us both a lot of heartache."
"It's all right, Ethan. Besides, if you would have known, then you and I would be married right now, and that is not what you want, so it's better this way."
"How do you know that's not what I wanted?", Ethan questioned Theresa.
Theresa became very uneasy. She didn't want to bring this up right now, but Ethan was leaving her no choice.
"Well, Ethan, if you did want to be with me all of this time, and you truly cared for me, you wouldn't be helping Rebecca and Julian take my child away from me."
With all that had happened, Ethan forgot that he had been going on between him and Theresa. Well, no need to keep the truth from her anymore, Ethan decided.
"Theresa, I need to tell you something. I'm not trying to help Rebecca and Julian. I'm trying to help you."
"Excuse me? What did you just say??"
"You heard me Theresa. I was playing along with Rebecca hoping she would give me an opening I could use and pass along to Woody so that..."
"Pass along to Woody? Since when are you good friends with my lawyer?" What exactly was going on here, wondered Theresa.
"Okay, look Theresa. You know how Woody said he couldn't handle your case anymore because he knew you couldn't afford it? And then the next day, he decided he would do it pro bono? It's because I offered Woody what ever money it takes to get Little Ethan back for you. And I also told him I would be an inside connection he could use in order to get your son back to you sooner."
"You're the secret weapon that fell through", Theresa realized out loud.
"Unfortunately, yes. Rebecca heard me on the phone with Woody, and told me to stop then and there, or you would pay the price for my helping you. But Theresa, after I got done talking to Hank tonight, I realized a way I might be able to get you your son back, and there's nothing Julian OR Rebecca can do about it." Theresa realized Ethan's eyes were dancing with delight.
"What? What is it, Ethan?? Please tell me, I can't stand him being in that house for one more minute!!"
"Well, first, let me talk to someone who can help us, two people, actually. And I'll tell you for sure after that. Can you wait, Theresa? Just a little while longer?"
"What choice do I have, Ethan. But, don't you think you had better get back to Gwen soon? Won't she be wondering where you are?"
Ethan dropped his head. He was not one to take his marriage with a grain of salt, but after all that Gwen did to him, he knew he couldn't stay married to her any longer than he had to.
"Theresa, I told Gwen that I was leaving her, and I plan on handing her divorce papers by noon tomorrow. They are being drawn up as we speak."
"Oh Ethan, I'm so sorry. I know that you took your marriage vows so seriously. This must be breaking your heart. And here you are, worrying more about me and my son than your own life falling apart."
Ethan smiled. "It's all right, Theresa. Besides, if everything goes as well as I'd like, then I have a feeling my life might work out exactly as I've always wanted it. Now, I have to make a couple of phone calls. The best thing for you to do right now is go home, and wait for me to call you, okay? And don't go near the mansion, whatever you...well, I guess I can't tell you to do that, especially now that you and Fox are dating."
When Ethan said that, Theresa noticed the sparkle that was in his eyes when he talked of a plan to get little Ethan back to her, vanished.
"Well, don't worry about that, Ethan. Fox and I are just friends. Always have been, always will be."
"But, I saw you two kissing just a few days ago in Sheridan's cottage?" Ethan was very confused.
"Yeah, well. Fox made me realize I wasn't as ready for a new relationship as I thought I was."
Theresa looked in to Ethan's eyes again. There was the sparkle. The same sparkle from before, and the same sparkle that was there when he and Theresa first met. What did that mean? she wondered.
Ethan looked at her with a huge smile on his face. "Go home, wait for me to call. Don't leave the phone, okay?"
With that, Theresa immediately got up and left the Book Café for home.
Ethan dialed his cell phone.
"Hello? It's me, I need your help. And Dr. Russell's also. Can you call her, and have her meet us at your place? Just the three of us, the rest will find out in a matter of time. Thank you, I knew I could count on you this time."
"Ethan, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am that all of this happened. I knew that Gwen could be mean, but that is just down right disgusting! You thought Sara was your baby, you cried so hard when she died, and even at the funeral..."
"People had always told me there was another side to Gwen. The not so nice side, but I never saw it. I never believed them."
"I remember", Theresa said, looking down in to her lap.
Just then, memories came flooding back to Ethan. Theresa had tried to tell him time after time, when she was Ivy's assistant, about all of the horrible things Gwen would say to her, but he could never believe her then. He just assumed that Theresa was jealous of Gwen, and making up things to say about her.
"Oh my God, Theresa. You tried to tell me all along, didn't you? For months you tried to tell me about Gwen and how she was two faced, and I never believed you."
"Now you know why Mama and I suspected Gwen and Rebecca as the ones who revealed your paternity to the tabloid."
Just then, Ethan's blood began to boil. Of course! It was just another way for Gwen to keep Ethan away from Theresa! Who was Gwen Hotchkiss? How could the woman he loved for so many years be this cold and calculating? Did he really know her at all??
"Theresa, I know this is a long time coming, but I'm sorry, for all of it. If I would have listened to you then, I could have saved us both a lot of heartache."
"It's all right, Ethan. Besides, if you would have known, then you and I would be married right now, and that is not what you want, so it's better this way."
"How do you know that's not what I wanted?", Ethan questioned Theresa.
Theresa became very uneasy. She didn't want to bring this up right now, but Ethan was leaving her no choice.
"Well, Ethan, if you did want to be with me all of this time, and you truly cared for me, you wouldn't be helping Rebecca and Julian take my child away from me."
With all that had happened, Ethan forgot that he had been going on between him and Theresa. Well, no need to keep the truth from her anymore, Ethan decided.
"Theresa, I need to tell you something. I'm not trying to help Rebecca and Julian. I'm trying to help you."
"Excuse me? What did you just say??"
"You heard me Theresa. I was playing along with Rebecca hoping she would give me an opening I could use and pass along to Woody so that..."
"Pass along to Woody? Since when are you good friends with my lawyer?" What exactly was going on here, wondered Theresa.
"Okay, look Theresa. You know how Woody said he couldn't handle your case anymore because he knew you couldn't afford it? And then the next day, he decided he would do it pro bono? It's because I offered Woody what ever money it takes to get Little Ethan back for you. And I also told him I would be an inside connection he could use in order to get your son back to you sooner."
"You're the secret weapon that fell through", Theresa realized out loud.
"Unfortunately, yes. Rebecca heard me on the phone with Woody, and told me to stop then and there, or you would pay the price for my helping you. But Theresa, after I got done talking to Hank tonight, I realized a way I might be able to get you your son back, and there's nothing Julian OR Rebecca can do about it." Theresa realized Ethan's eyes were dancing with delight.
"What? What is it, Ethan?? Please tell me, I can't stand him being in that house for one more minute!!"
"Well, first, let me talk to someone who can help us, two people, actually. And I'll tell you for sure after that. Can you wait, Theresa? Just a little while longer?"
"What choice do I have, Ethan. But, don't you think you had better get back to Gwen soon? Won't she be wondering where you are?"
Ethan dropped his head. He was not one to take his marriage with a grain of salt, but after all that Gwen did to him, he knew he couldn't stay married to her any longer than he had to.
"Theresa, I told Gwen that I was leaving her, and I plan on handing her divorce papers by noon tomorrow. They are being drawn up as we speak."
"Oh Ethan, I'm so sorry. I know that you took your marriage vows so seriously. This must be breaking your heart. And here you are, worrying more about me and my son than your own life falling apart."
Ethan smiled. "It's all right, Theresa. Besides, if everything goes as well as I'd like, then I have a feeling my life might work out exactly as I've always wanted it. Now, I have to make a couple of phone calls. The best thing for you to do right now is go home, and wait for me to call you, okay? And don't go near the mansion, whatever you...well, I guess I can't tell you to do that, especially now that you and Fox are dating."
When Ethan said that, Theresa noticed the sparkle that was in his eyes when he talked of a plan to get little Ethan back to her, vanished.
"Well, don't worry about that, Ethan. Fox and I are just friends. Always have been, always will be."
"But, I saw you two kissing just a few days ago in Sheridan's cottage?" Ethan was very confused.
"Yeah, well. Fox made me realize I wasn't as ready for a new relationship as I thought I was."
Theresa looked in to Ethan's eyes again. There was the sparkle. The same sparkle from before, and the same sparkle that was there when he and Theresa first met. What did that mean? she wondered.
Ethan looked at her with a huge smile on his face. "Go home, wait for me to call. Don't leave the phone, okay?"
With that, Theresa immediately got up and left the Book Café for home.
Ethan dialed his cell phone.
"Hello? It's me, I need your help. And Dr. Russell's also. Can you call her, and have her meet us at your place? Just the three of us, the rest will find out in a matter of time. Thank you, I knew I could count on you this time."