Chapter Eight
Whitney, Simone, TC, and Eve were all gathered in the living room of the Crane mansion, as they had been asked to do by Julian and Fox. The sisters wondered why they had been told to come here, but both TC and Eve knew why. Julian had found out who his and Eve's son was and felt that TC needed to know.
Chad came into the room a moment later. He looked around and saw who else was there.
"Chad, what are you doing here?" Whitney asked her boyfriend.
"Fox called me and told me to come. He said he had something to tell me," Chad said, sitting down across from her.
Fox came into the room at that moment and saw that everyone was there. "Good, you all came. And thank you for not bringing Liz, TC. She doesn't need to be here."
"She whined a little as I left the house, but she listened and stayed away," TC said.
Julian came in at that moment. "Well, Liz is partially at fault for this not coming out earlier. A secret hidden for over twenty years."
"You know, Julian. You know who our child is, right?" Eve asked.
"Yes, I do. Father knew all along who our son was and so did Liz and yet she encouraged you to keep it a secret, Eve, that you and I were involved and had a child together. A child we believed was dead for most of that time," Julian said.
"Who is it, Julian? Who is our son?" Eve asked.
"Everyone needs to brace themselves because this is going to change everyone's lives," Fox said.
"Just tell us, Fox. Who is our half-brother?" Whitney asked.
"I'm so sorry about this, but it is the truth. Our son is Chad," Julian said.
Shocked looks spread throughout the room at Julian's words. "Chad is my brother. All along, he was my brother," Whitney whispered in shock. She covered her face in embarrassment,
Chad looked at the woman he loved, the woman he could no longer have. What they had done was wrong, he knew now. It was incest, he knew, having sex with your sister.
A small smile was on Simone's face at the news. Chad was her brother and that meant neither sister could have him. She was happy that her sister was embarrassed by this. This will teach her a lesson. No one steals my man,
Whitney rose and ran from the room devastated. She just couldn't believe that this was happening. Chad was her brother! She had slept with her brother! She quickly left the Crane mansion and quickly ran back to the Russell house and ran up to her room. She grabbed a suitcase and started to pack as many clothes as she could.
Her father came into the room a half-hour later and watched his daughter's frantic packing for a few minutes. "Whitney, what are you doing?" TC asked.
Whitney looked up at her father and sighted. "Daddy, I'm sorry, but I can't stay here! I'm leaving Harmony behind."
"Where are you going to go?" TC asked.
"I'm going to stay with Theresa for a while. I know where she is. I'll be okay," Whitney explained to him.
"And Lucky can watch out for you as well. Do You want me to take you to the airport or the bus station?" TC asked.
Before Whitney could answer, Eve herself broke in. "No, she won't. She can take the car so she can take most of her things with her," she said.
"What car do you mean, mom? I can't take a car away from you and daddy," Whitney said.
"Whitney, honey. I knew you would be devastated by the fallout about who your brother was, so I prepared for it. I got a new car for you to take with you a few days ago. One that will definitely get you to where Theresa is living now. I have the keys right here and the title is under your name. You just have to load everything in and take off," Eve told her daughter.
Whitney nodded her head at her mother before she walked forward and embraced her. "Thanks mom," she said.
"You're welcome, sweetheart. All I ask in return is that you call at least once a month to let us know that you're alive," Eve said.
"Your mother has a point. We will definitely worry about you if you don't call us every once in a while," TC said.
"I will call you at least once a month dad. I promise. And mom, I'll leave a voice mail at your office once a month," Whitney said, continuing to pack her suitcases and boxes.
Eve nodded at her, knowing why Whitney didn't want to call her. She was moving into the Crane Mansion starting today and with Fox there, he could answer the phone and find out where Theresa was. Whitney wasn't about to allow Fox to break her best friend's heart again.
After another hour, Whitney started to load up her new car with her suitcases and boxes until it could almost explode, but to where she could still see out the back window. She embraced both her parents and then climbed in her car and started off, her destination being the cottage in Port Charles.
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Chad pulls up later that day to the Russell house, wanting to talk to Whitney. He sighed as he looked out the car window and wondered what he should do. Whitney was his sister and it was something he wanted to repair. They could no longer be lovers, but he wanted to create a relationship as her brother. He was now working to establish a closer relationship with his brother Fox and with his father Julian. Alistair had instantly accepted him into the Crane family.
Chad got out of his car and walked up to the door and rang the bell, which was quickly answered by TC. He looked closely at his stepson, then greeted him. "Hello Chad. I know you must only have one reason to come here."
"Two, actually. I want to talk to Whitney," Chad said.
"She's not here, Chad. Whitney has left Harmony far behind her," TC informed the young man.
"Where did she go?" Chad asked quickly.
"All I can tell you is that she's going to where Theresa is. I can't tell you the exact location because you would tell Fox," TC said.
Chad sighed. He had a feeling that Whitney might have left Harmony. He had prepared himself for it, but it was still strange for him.
And he also understood TC's reason for not telling him exactly where Whitney was headed. TC was right. He would tell Fox. But now there was nothing to tell his brother.
"Is Eve ready to go?" he asked.
"Not quite. She has a few more boxes she says she wants to fill right now. But you can go back and help her if you want to," TC told him.
"I'd like that," Chad said.
TC lead him back to his and Eve's old bedroom, where Eve was actually sitting down, looking at old photo albums and remembering her younger days. Days when she had been happy and days when she had been miserable.
"Eve, Chad is here," TC said quietly.
Eve looked up from the photo albums and smiled at her firstborn son. "Hi. I'm almost ready to go. I was just thinking about when I first met you father and how I fell in love with him," she said.
"You have pictures from that time?" Chad asked.
"Yes. I've had them hidden away for years, but I wanted to have them with me now," Eve said as she placed the album in an open box on the bed. She quickly closed it and stood up, picking up the box.
Chad and TC followed suit and loaded box after box and suitcase after suitcase into Chad and Eve's cars. Finally everything she wanted to take right away had been loaded into the two cars.
"I'll be back for the rest in a few days," Eve told TC.
"I'll be here. Goodbye Eve," TC said, kissing her on her left cheek.
"Goodbye TC," Eve said before she got into her car.
The two drove away, leaving TC standing on the curb.
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Whitney continued her journey away from Harmony, headed for her new home. She knew that Theresa would be able to help her through this and help her start a new life. She turned the radio station as she drove into another area and a song came on that seemed to reflect how she felt right now..
She began to sing along as she continued to drive, enjoying the drive as best as she could.
The wheels of life are turning
I feel I'm rolling down this track
And I know down deep inside my heart
I can't look back
And though it's hard discerning
All of the fiction from the fact
You have led me to this truth
And we have made a pact
And as we go through highs and lows
And all that's in between
It's good to know we're not alone on this
big scream machine
This roller coaster ride of life
Lifts you up and lets you down
This roller coaster ride of life
Spins you round and round and round
Heaven knows wherever you go
I will be right by your side
On this roller coaster
Roller coaster ride of life
Roller coaster ride of life
So, when I hear you calling
'Cause you have hit your all time low
I will hold you to my side
And I won't let you go
And when it seems you're falling
'Cause life has got you on a roll
I will take the wheel and hit the brakes
We'll take it slow
And as you go through highs and lows
And all that's in between
The Lord alone is in control
Of this big scream machine
This roller coaster ride of life
Lifts you up and lets you down
This roller coaster ride of life
Spins you round and round and round
Heaven knows wherever you go
I will be right by your side
On this roller coaster
Roller coaster ride of life
Roller coaster ride of life
(Ride of Life by 4Him)
As the song ended, Whitney's cell phone rang and she picked it up and checked the number. She saw that it was Theresa's number. She quickly pulled over to the side of the road and hit the talk button.
"Hey girl!" came Theresa's greeting.
"Hi. What's going on, Theresa?" Whitney asked.
"More like what's going on with you? I called mama and she told me what happened. I'm sorry, Whit. You must be heartbroken," Theresa said.
"I guess you can say that. I couldn't stay in Harmony. I'm on my way to Port Charles right now. Is it ok of I stay with you?" Whitney asked.
"Of course it is. Do you want Lucky and I to find you a job here?" Theresa asked.
"Sure. Just make sure that you give me a few days to deal with this," Whitney said.
"Of course. I'll see you soon," Theresa said.
"See you soon. Kiss EM for me," Whitney said.
"Will do."
Whitney hit end on the phone and pulled back out onto the highway, continuing her journey to Port Charles.