A.N- I'm really glad that everyone is enjoying the story. Your reviews mean the world to me and they always put a big smile on my face. And as always feedback is appreciated.

Chapter 9

Crane Industries

An infuriated Ethan sat at his desk, a snifter of brandy in his hand as he contemplated the best way to deal with the situation at hand. Gwen's request that they get pregnant as soon as possible had completely floored him and he his reaction had been explosive. Needless to say his lovely bride was none too pleased with him and his mother-in-law's warning that he fix things or else still rang in his ears.

"Hey, Winthrop, you have the financial report Elise asked you to prepare. Walters is bitching and I---" Daniel asked as he entered Ethan's office but one look around the office had him snapping his mouth shut.

The carpeted floor was covered with broken glass, the plants Ethan meticulously watered were in shreds and Ethan's walnut desk was littered with papers.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked with concern. Ethan was a neat freak and the disorder in the room spoke volumes.

"My bitch of a wife wants to have a baby...can you imagine me as a father?" Ethan replied, slurring the words a little. "Damn it I don't need this," he yelled throwing the glass against the wall.

"Ethan, calm down. If Gwen wants to have a baby, why not let her get pregnant? A baby will secure your place at CI even if you divorce Gwen so why not go for it?" Daniel advised.

"Cause...cause...cause I don't want to have a child with Gwen...I want to have a child with Teresa..." Ethan replied getting down on his knees and searching under the desk until he found the framed photograph of Teresa he kept locked in a drawer. "Teresa, Teresa," he moaned.

Daniel stared at his friend with narrowed eyes. If Ethan didn't learn to control his feelings, they would both find themselves out on their asses. Rebecca Hotchkiss Crane could be very mean when she was crossed and confirming her suspicion that Ethan had married Gwen for her money would be enough to incite her temper.

Walking over to the phone he ordered Jayme to bring in a pot of coffee and called maintenance to have them send someone to clean everything up immediately.

"I'm not going to let you ruin things for me," he thought giving Ethan a disgusted glance.

Downtown Boston

"Oh my God, I am so sorry," the strawberry blond murmured her cheeks tinting with embarrassment when she realized she had spilled her iced coffee on the petite brunette.

"It's no big deal," Teresa replied, grabbing a handful of tissues off the table and wiping her shirt.

"Let me have your number, I'll pay to have it cleaned," Gwen replied searching her purse for a pen.

"Really, it's alright. A little club soda and some baby powder and the stain will come right out," Teresa explained calling a waiter over and asking him to bring her some club soda.

"Really? Thank God I thought I had ruined your suit. It's gorgeous, where did you buy it?" Gwen asked curiously.

"I made it," Teresa replied simply and Gwen's blue eyes widened with surprise.

"Now I feel even worse," she replied and Teresa laughed as she blotted the stain with the soda. "I'm Gwen, Gwen Hotchkiss," she added giving Teresa her maiden name.

"I'm Teresa Lopez-Fitzgerald but my friends call me Resa," Teresa replied.

"Resa, what a lovely nickname. It means laughter doesn't it?" Gwen asked and Teresa stared at her for not many people realized that her nickname was an euphamism for Risa which meant laughter in Spanish.

"Yes, it does," Teresa told the blond with another laugh. "There see, no harm done," she added and Gwen noticed with some surprise that the dark coffee stain had been completely removed. "Why don't you join me for lunch? My friend Samantha is running late as usual and I feel silly sitting here all alone," Teresa told the other woman.

"I wouldn't want to intrude," Gwen demurred but Teresa shook her head and motioned for her to sit.

"You'd be doing me a favor," she reiterated and Gwen finally accepted the invitation.

For some strange reason she felt as if she had known Teresa forever and when Teresa motioned a slim blond to the table she was surprised to see her step-sister Samantha.

"I didn't know you two were acquainted," Samantha told Teresa when she had sat down.

"Wait, you know Gwen?" Teresa asked with, a frown marring her features when both women laughed.

"We're step-sisters," Gwen explained. "My mother is married to her father," she added and Teresa laughed.

"It really is a small world," she marveled and Gwen and Samantha burst into raucous laugher.

"To weird coincidences," Samantha toasted when the waiter brought over her iced tea.

"To clumsiness," Gwen mocked lifting her refilled glass.

"To friendship," Teresa added.

Crane Industries

"I'm sorry," a contrite Ethan told Daniel when he had sobered up.

Daniel had poured four cups of coffee down his throat and forced him to take a cold shower in the tiny bathroom adjoining his office. When he had come out, the floor had been swept and everything was back in its normal place.

"Ethan, I know you love Teresa but you have got to get her out of your system. You're married to Gwen and if you screw things up with her, we will both be kicked out of the company. Rebecca isn't a forgiving woman and she will have both our hides if you break her daughter's heart. Do you want to lose everything we worked so hard for?" he asked and Ethan shook his head.

"Then go home, apologize to your wife and convince her that having a baby is your biggest dream," he instructed and Ethan nodded.

He wasn't going to lose what he had worked so hard for and if a baby would make Gwen happy, he would oblige her.