Preface:

Ethan was raised as a Bennett. Ivy told Julian the baby wasn't his not long after Ethan was born, and Julian made Ivy send Ethan to live with Sam and Grace. He is still a lawyer. Ethan grew up being good friends with the L-P's. Ethan and Theresa were friends, and he took Theresa a lot of places because he felt sorry for her, always tagging along after the big kids. By the time Ethan got out of law school, Theresa was gone to college, so they haven't really seen each other in about six years. I put Chad with Whitney, just because it's easier. That way I don't have to get in to the whole, Chad is Julian's son thing. You also won't be hearing a lot about Fox. As far as I'm concerned, in the story anyway, if he's not with Whitney, there's not much for him to do!

As Theresa drove down the road, she finally saw what she had been waiting hours to see.

"Welcome to Harmony", read the sign at the side of the road.

"I'm finally home!" Theresa said to herself out loud.

As she rounded the corner on to the road that led to her mother's house, she was bouncing out of her seat. She hadn't been home since last summer, and she was excited to see everyone again. She had finally graduated college with a BA in Fashion Design, and had found a job at a local boutique as their designer. She was so excited the night she found out that she got the job, she sat down and designed the entire fall line, all in one night!!

As Theresa pulled in to the driveway, and placed the car in park, she noticed the front door open. Pilar stood on the front porch, waiting for Theresa to emerge!

"Theresita!" Pilar called to her.

"Hola, Mama!" Theresa cried back, and ran to her for a hug.

"I'm so excited you are home, mija, I've missed you so much! And you've already gotten yourself a job in here in Harmony"!

"Yes, and I was so excited, that I designed the entire fall line in one night! When I sent it to the owner of the boutique, she loved it! She sent me an advance, and told me I didn't have to be in to the store for a whole month after I got home!"

"Oh Theresa, I'm so proud of you!! You followed your dream, and now it has come true! I just wish you could have gone to college here instead of New York City."

"Well, Mama, no need to worry, I am home now, and there is no need for me to ever go back there! Now, where are my brothers? I know I just saw you all at the graduation ceremony, but I'm excited to finally be home!"

"OH, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THEY ARE, MIJA..." Pilar practically screamed what she was saying.

"Mama, what's going on...?" Theresa said, as she opened the front door of her house.

When she looked in, she saw no one, until......

"SURPRISE!"

From behind the couches and chairs and doors came, Miguel and Kay, Luis and Sheridan, Sam and Grace Bennett, Jessica and Reese, Whitney and Chad, TC and Eve, and there was another young man she didn't recognize.

"Oh my gosh! You all scared me to death!! Mama, did you do all this?"

"Actually, it was your brother's and their wives idea!"

"Oh, you guys, thank you all so much." She ran to try and hug all four of them at the same time, but she had to settle for just two, first Sheridan and Luis, then Miguel and Kay.

"We're just so proud of you sis, and we wanted the whole town to know!" Luis said, beaming with pride as he looked at his "Little sister".

"Yeah, sis, you really made your dream come true, and we wanted you to know how much we all love and support you.", Miguel replied.

"This is so wonderful!"

Theresa danced around the room, hugging everyone as she came to them.

"Oh Whit, I'm so excited to be home! Now I can help you and Chad plan the wedding!"

"Good, 'because I am going to need your help! And your design sense. I was actually hoping, maybe, you could design my dress?"

"Really Whit, you'd let me do that for you??"

"Of course! It's not everyday a girl's best friend is an up and coming fashion designer!"

"And money is no object," TC chimed in. "My little Sugar Bear getting married is a once in a lifetime event!"

"All right!" cried Theresa. "If I'm as excited about this as I am my new job, I should have it designed tonight, no problem!"

"Theresa, we have six months! Tonight just have fun and then get some rest....you can do it tomorrow night!" Whitney laughed with her best friend.

As Theresa made her way around the room, she finally came to Sam and Grace Bennett. She kept eyeing the young man with them. She knew he looked familiar, but she just couldn't place him.

"Theresa, I can't believe how grown up you are!" cried Grace.

"Wasn't it just yesterday she was over at our house begging Luis and Ethan to take them with her wherever they were going?" asked Sam.

That's who he was!

"Ethan! I didn't recognize you, it's been so long since I've seen you!"

Theresa ran up to Ethan and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I knew you didn't recognize me when you came in, but I also knew you'd figure it out eventually!"

Sam and Grace excused themselves to go talk to Sheridan and Luis.

"Oh my gosh, how have you been?" Theresa asked Ethan. She couldn't help but notice how much Ethan had changed since she last saw him before he went off to law school.

He had even more handsome, and she had a hard time trying not to give him the once over.

"I'm great! I got a job in a law firm when I got out of school, right here in Harmony!"

Ethan couldn't take his eyes off of Theresa for one minute. God, she looked amazing! Even more beautiful now then she was when she was younger. Back then, Ethan didn't think it was possible, but now, she was glowing.

"That's wonderful! I'm glad for you! I can't wait to start my job at the boutique. I'm so glad I got a job here at home. I don't think I could have lived away for one more week!"

"I know what you mean. I liked living away during law school, but coming home was always the best for me!"

"Do you get to see Ivy much?" Theresa knew that the relationship that Ethan and his mother had was somewhat strained, but she also knew Ethan, and even though he didn't like the way she handled things regarding his birth, she knew he still loved her. Sam made sure that Ethan saw her as much as Julian would allow as he was growing up, and never let him call Grace "Mom", it was reserved for Ivy.

"Yes, I get up to the mansion at least once a week. She is always quite busy with social engagements, but we always seem to find time for one another. She actually is trying to set me up with one of her friend's daughters."

"Anyone I would know?"

"Her name is Gwen Hotchkiss."

"OH! I remember her, tall, blond hair, very hoity toity?!"

"That's her", Ethan replied as he rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Oh, sounds like you're just dying to go out with her."

"I actually already have once."

Theresa felt a twinge of jealousy race through her body. Why would I be jealous of Gwen Hotchkiss? She thought to herself.

"It didn't go well?"

"She's just way too stuck up for me. I keep trying to tell my mother that, but she keeps insisting that I take her out at least one more time. We'll see."

"Well then, that's all settled!" Sam said as he came back over to where Ethan and Theresa were sitting.

"What's up, Dad?"

"I just spoke to Pilar and the rest of her family, and we are having everyone over tomorrow night for dinner!"

"Great!" replied Theresa. "Mrs. Bennett, I woke up the other night, at about two in the morning, and I swear, all I could smell was your tomato soup cake! Promise me you'll make one for tomorrow night?"

"Theresa, I'm so glad that your home to stay in Harmony. I might make two. One for all the other guests and one for just you!"