Theresa sighed as she and her traveling companion sped through Harmony. A date had finally been set for the trial and she was going to meet her lawyer.
"Excited?" her friend asked as he looked over at her.
"Oh yes. Jumping for joy." she said sarcastically. "What about you? For the first time you get to face these people."
"I have to admit I'm a little nervous. I have no clue what to expect because after all they either forgot about me or thought I was dead." he began.
"I still can't believe how they kept you a secret for so long." Theresa said shaking her head in disgrace.
"Look at me Theresa." he protested as he studied himself. "Why would they want me plastered all over gossip magazines."
"Well you're going to be anyway if you go through with spilling everything." she answered.
Ryan sighed. He knew it was true. For years he had never known who his parents were until he found out that his parents were Julian Crane and Eve Russell. That's when he met Theresa and she revealed to him how evil his family was. As he was searching for his parents he dug up so much dirt on the Crane Empire that could send their ancient regime sprawling to the ground.
"I hope I'll still be able to do this after I meet my father." he commented.
"Oh believe, you will." she laughed as she thought of Julian.
"Here we are." he said as they pulled into the parking lot of the lawyer's office.
They both straightened themselves out as they got out of the car and walked into the building.
"May I help you?" the secretary asked when they entered.
"Yes." Theresa answered. "I should have an appointment scheduled for me. My name is Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald."
"Oh, yes. Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald." the secretary said as she looked at her schedule. "Unfortunately due to schedule problems, Mr. Woody was not able to take your case but being a law firm with six prominent lawyers, one will be sure to cover your case. If you could just follow the hall and take a right into the first conference room, one will meet you there."
"Great." Theresa replied as she turned to look at Ryan.
"I'll wait in the car." he said reading her mind.
Theresa nodded and followed the secretary's instructions, soon entering the conference room. She quickly chose a seat at the long table. Looking at the clock, she began to fiddle her fingers in impatience.
Soon a man about her age entered the room. He had spiked blonde hair, deep brown eyes, all complimented by the blue buttoned down shirt he had on. Theresa immediately pulled herself up, interested in her new lawyer.
"Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald." he finally said as he extended his hand.
"Please, call me Theresa." she replied as she grinned.
"Theresa." he answered as he sat down. "I'm sure my secretary informed you why I'm taking over your case, although I have no idea what it's about so I guess I'll go over your papers with you."
Theresa watched him intently as he fumbled through her papers and began to read them.
"You're wanting custody of your son..." he began. "...from the Cranes." he finished, emphasizing Cranes.
"Yes, the Cranes." she said, surprised by his reaction. "Is there something wrong?"
"Yeah, there is." he shook is head. "I can't take this case for you." he answered as he began to close the folder.
"What?" Theresa protested. "I am paying you people money to back me up on this case!"
"Frankly, it's impossible. There is no way the judge will not rule in favor of the Cranes." he said standing up.
Theresa jumped up, enraged at his response. "How do you know? Has the judge already made his decision?"
He laughed, "Yes, if their money is already in his pocket."
"You people are such wimps." she spat as she picked up her purse. "I'll find someone who's not scared of the Cranes to take this case."
"Ha, good luck." he replied sarcastically.
Theresa glared at him angrily and stormed out of the building.
"Whoa, what are you doing back here so early?" Ryan asked as she got into the car.
"The lawyer won't take my case because he says the judge will rule in favor of the Cranes!"
Ryan laughed and got out of the car.
"Where are you going?" she asked through the cracked window. Seeing that Ryan wasn't going to respond she quickly scrambled out of the car and followed him.
They walked into the conference room where the lawyer was still standing.
"Ah, you're back. I guess you couldn't find anybody." he joked as he saw Theresa.
Ryan put up his hand to signal Theresa that he would handle it. "You know what would be really cool?" he began. "If you were the first lawyer in history to get a judge to rule against the Cranes."
"Yeah, that would be cool, but it's never going to happen." the lawyer responded.
"Ye of little faith." Ryan laughed. "Tell me, what's so hard about fighting the Cranes in court."
"You want to know the real reason?" he asked as he dug in his pocket and handed Ryan a card. "There you go. Now if you'll excuse." he brushed past Ryan and Theresa and walked out of the room.
Ryan then began to laugh. "No wonder." he said as he read the card.
"What? Let me see that." she said as she took the card from his hand. In bold print at the top of the card it said 'Fox Crane'. "Oh my god, he's a Crane?"
"He's a Crane. Possibly my half brother."
"Argh, Crane's are everywhere!" she groaned.
"Hey!" Ryan shouted in protest, pretending to be hurt.
"No offense." she added.
Ryan smiled and exited the room.
"Where are we going now, Ryan?" an impatient Theresa asked as she followed him out of the room.
"Just to have a little chat with Mr. Crane." he grinned.
Theresa sighed and continued to follow him.
"Come in." Fox called as he heard a knock on his door. "You're back again." he smiled as Ryan and Theresa entered the room.
"Let me ask you a question, Mr. Crane." Ryan began.
"Shoot." Fox answered.
"Personally, do you like Rebecca Crane or Gwen Winthrop?" he asked.
"What does that question have to do with anything?" Fox asked.
"Just answer the question."
"No." Fox answered.
"Then why turn down this case?" Ryan questioned. "Why turn it down when you have something that could send Rebecca out of the mansion and Gwen out of your life?"
"What do you think it would look like if I, a Crane, went to court against my own family?" Fox replied.
"I think your chances at winning would be better since you're a Crane." he answered honestly.
Fox sighed as he flipped through Theresa papers again. "You do have a good case." he commented.
"So will you take it?" Ryan asked.
"Fine." Fox replied. "We'll have a meeting tomorrow at 12 p.m. sharp to go over this case."
"Nice doing business with you." Ryan said as he roughly patted Fox on the back.
"Why didn't you thank him?" he asked Theresa when they got in the car.
"Because I was too upset." Theresa fumed.
"Why? He's taking your case."
"He's a Crane, Ryan. For all I know, he could turn this case against me so his family would look good." she argued.
"I doubt it." he replied. "There's something different about him."
"Aw, brotherly instincts?" Theresa joked.
Ryan rolled his eyes at Theresa's joke. "Hey bite my dust."
"The only one who'll be biting the dust around here is the Crane's." she winked.
"Yeah, so if you don't get with the program and jump on board with Fox here, you'll be left in the dust."
Theresa sighed. "I guess I can handle it." After all, he is kind of cute she added under her breath. The days were getting older, but the chance of getting her son back was greater.
"Excited?" her friend asked as he looked over at her.
"Oh yes. Jumping for joy." she said sarcastically. "What about you? For the first time you get to face these people."
"I have to admit I'm a little nervous. I have no clue what to expect because after all they either forgot about me or thought I was dead." he began.
"I still can't believe how they kept you a secret for so long." Theresa said shaking her head in disgrace.
"Look at me Theresa." he protested as he studied himself. "Why would they want me plastered all over gossip magazines."
"Well you're going to be anyway if you go through with spilling everything." she answered.
Ryan sighed. He knew it was true. For years he had never known who his parents were until he found out that his parents were Julian Crane and Eve Russell. That's when he met Theresa and she revealed to him how evil his family was. As he was searching for his parents he dug up so much dirt on the Crane Empire that could send their ancient regime sprawling to the ground.
"I hope I'll still be able to do this after I meet my father." he commented.
"Oh believe, you will." she laughed as she thought of Julian.
"Here we are." he said as they pulled into the parking lot of the lawyer's office.
They both straightened themselves out as they got out of the car and walked into the building.
"May I help you?" the secretary asked when they entered.
"Yes." Theresa answered. "I should have an appointment scheduled for me. My name is Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald."
"Oh, yes. Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald." the secretary said as she looked at her schedule. "Unfortunately due to schedule problems, Mr. Woody was not able to take your case but being a law firm with six prominent lawyers, one will be sure to cover your case. If you could just follow the hall and take a right into the first conference room, one will meet you there."
"Great." Theresa replied as she turned to look at Ryan.
"I'll wait in the car." he said reading her mind.
Theresa nodded and followed the secretary's instructions, soon entering the conference room. She quickly chose a seat at the long table. Looking at the clock, she began to fiddle her fingers in impatience.
Soon a man about her age entered the room. He had spiked blonde hair, deep brown eyes, all complimented by the blue buttoned down shirt he had on. Theresa immediately pulled herself up, interested in her new lawyer.
"Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald." he finally said as he extended his hand.
"Please, call me Theresa." she replied as she grinned.
"Theresa." he answered as he sat down. "I'm sure my secretary informed you why I'm taking over your case, although I have no idea what it's about so I guess I'll go over your papers with you."
Theresa watched him intently as he fumbled through her papers and began to read them.
"You're wanting custody of your son..." he began. "...from the Cranes." he finished, emphasizing Cranes.
"Yes, the Cranes." she said, surprised by his reaction. "Is there something wrong?"
"Yeah, there is." he shook is head. "I can't take this case for you." he answered as he began to close the folder.
"What?" Theresa protested. "I am paying you people money to back me up on this case!"
"Frankly, it's impossible. There is no way the judge will not rule in favor of the Cranes." he said standing up.
Theresa jumped up, enraged at his response. "How do you know? Has the judge already made his decision?"
He laughed, "Yes, if their money is already in his pocket."
"You people are such wimps." she spat as she picked up her purse. "I'll find someone who's not scared of the Cranes to take this case."
"Ha, good luck." he replied sarcastically.
Theresa glared at him angrily and stormed out of the building.
"Whoa, what are you doing back here so early?" Ryan asked as she got into the car.
"The lawyer won't take my case because he says the judge will rule in favor of the Cranes!"
Ryan laughed and got out of the car.
"Where are you going?" she asked through the cracked window. Seeing that Ryan wasn't going to respond she quickly scrambled out of the car and followed him.
They walked into the conference room where the lawyer was still standing.
"Ah, you're back. I guess you couldn't find anybody." he joked as he saw Theresa.
Ryan put up his hand to signal Theresa that he would handle it. "You know what would be really cool?" he began. "If you were the first lawyer in history to get a judge to rule against the Cranes."
"Yeah, that would be cool, but it's never going to happen." the lawyer responded.
"Ye of little faith." Ryan laughed. "Tell me, what's so hard about fighting the Cranes in court."
"You want to know the real reason?" he asked as he dug in his pocket and handed Ryan a card. "There you go. Now if you'll excuse." he brushed past Ryan and Theresa and walked out of the room.
Ryan then began to laugh. "No wonder." he said as he read the card.
"What? Let me see that." she said as she took the card from his hand. In bold print at the top of the card it said 'Fox Crane'. "Oh my god, he's a Crane?"
"He's a Crane. Possibly my half brother."
"Argh, Crane's are everywhere!" she groaned.
"Hey!" Ryan shouted in protest, pretending to be hurt.
"No offense." she added.
Ryan smiled and exited the room.
"Where are we going now, Ryan?" an impatient Theresa asked as she followed him out of the room.
"Just to have a little chat with Mr. Crane." he grinned.
Theresa sighed and continued to follow him.
"Come in." Fox called as he heard a knock on his door. "You're back again." he smiled as Ryan and Theresa entered the room.
"Let me ask you a question, Mr. Crane." Ryan began.
"Shoot." Fox answered.
"Personally, do you like Rebecca Crane or Gwen Winthrop?" he asked.
"What does that question have to do with anything?" Fox asked.
"Just answer the question."
"No." Fox answered.
"Then why turn down this case?" Ryan questioned. "Why turn it down when you have something that could send Rebecca out of the mansion and Gwen out of your life?"
"What do you think it would look like if I, a Crane, went to court against my own family?" Fox replied.
"I think your chances at winning would be better since you're a Crane." he answered honestly.
Fox sighed as he flipped through Theresa papers again. "You do have a good case." he commented.
"So will you take it?" Ryan asked.
"Fine." Fox replied. "We'll have a meeting tomorrow at 12 p.m. sharp to go over this case."
"Nice doing business with you." Ryan said as he roughly patted Fox on the back.
"Why didn't you thank him?" he asked Theresa when they got in the car.
"Because I was too upset." Theresa fumed.
"Why? He's taking your case."
"He's a Crane, Ryan. For all I know, he could turn this case against me so his family would look good." she argued.
"I doubt it." he replied. "There's something different about him."
"Aw, brotherly instincts?" Theresa joked.
Ryan rolled his eyes at Theresa's joke. "Hey bite my dust."
"The only one who'll be biting the dust around here is the Crane's." she winked.
"Yeah, so if you don't get with the program and jump on board with Fox here, you'll be left in the dust."
Theresa sighed. "I guess I can handle it." After all, he is kind of cute she added under her breath. The days were getting older, but the chance of getting her son back was greater.