Unconditionally-Chapter 6
Looking up at the sound of the front door slamming, Sam Bennett sent a concerned look in his fiancée's direction. The look on her face told him that there was going to be trouble. She looked fit to kill.
"What's wrong?" he questioned. "I thought that you were going to spend time with Ethan, Gwen and Jane before they left for India."
"Everything is wrong, Sam." Ivy responded angrily. "Our son has lost his mind. The guacamole Theresa poisoned him with must have caused more brain damage than we first thought. It's the only explanation."
"Explanation for what?"
"For the mistake he's making! He's being selfish, and it's all her influence."
"Ahhh. So this is about Theresa." Sam stated, sure of the answer before the response was formed.
"Yes! He's letting her back into his life." Ivy fumed, pacing through the living room. "It's bad enough that refuses to kick her out of his heart. But after all that she's done, all of her scheming…after everything she has cost him, he can't seem to get her out of his system. Says he wants to be with her. He's getting a divorce, Sam! She's somehow convinced him to leave Gwen! We have got to do something!" Pausing, she took a deep breath. "We can't let him ruin his life like this."
"Ethan's getting a divorce to get back together with Theresa?" Sam repeated, attempting
to process the information he'd just received.
"Unless we can find a way to stop him. He told me we can either accept that he's going to be with Theresa, or we are no longer a welcome part of his life. That we will no longer be part of his family. He will not see or speak to us again. It's all her doing! She's brainwashed him!"
Taking a deep breath, Sam considered his words carefully before speaking.
"Or maybe, just maybe, our son has decided once and for all what he wants. If he has, and it's Theresa, then so be it. He's a grown man, and is capable of making his own decisions."
"Don't tell me you approve of this! It's madness!"
"No, what's madness is the back and forth that's been going on these past few years. All that's come from it is pain. If Ethan is making moves to end it, good for him."
"Even if it means he destroys himself by reuniting with her?"
"Sweetheart, I know you and Theresa have a rocky history. Both of you have made mistakes. But I've known Theresa all of her life. She's a wonderful, loving young woman, in spite of the way she dives into things without thinking. And while you may not like it, even you have to admit that she truly does love him."
"Obsessed with him is more like it."
"Now Ivy, you know that's not true. The things she's done are not because of an obsession. She is in love with him, and has shown that in so many ways. She nearly gave her life for him twice. And we all know that he loves her. That he's in love with her."
"But the things she's done-"
"She's not perfect." Sam interrupted. "I'm not saying that. But neither are you. You did some pretty devious, far out things to try and break up my marriage, if I remember correctly." He
kissed her before continuing. "But in spite of and I think in some ways because of the things you've done, I love you. Just like Ethan is still in love with Theresa. The two of you are not as different as you think."
"Please do not compare me with her. It's insulting. I don't understand why he
wouldn't listen, Sam. I tried to reason with him, but he refused to hear it. I don't know how I can sit back and accept this. Allow this to happen. Maybe if you spoke with him, he would see that staying with Gwen is the right thing to do."
Sighing, Sam shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ivy. I love you, but if you're determined to fight Ethan on this, I won't stand behind you. Whatever he does, I will support him. You're going to have to allow what's going to happen to happen, or risk losing not only our son, but also the chance to know our grandchildren. He's not a little boy any more, sweetheart. You need to let go. And if you want him to listen to you, stop bashing the woman he loves. I'm not saying you have to become best friends with Theresa overnight, but give it a shot. You draw more flies with honey than with vinegar, as the saying goes."
I cannot believe he is going to support our son getting back together with that tramp. Although, he does have a point…the more I clash with Theresa, the more Ethan will dig his heels in.
A plan began to form in her mind.
"You're right." She declared, smiling at her fiancé. "Give me time to adjust and I'll go apologize. It's going to be hard, but if being with Theresa makes Ethan happy I guess I'll just have to deal with it."
"I'm happy to hear that. I know Ethan will be, too." Sam returned the smile, pulling Ivy into his arms. "You'll see. It won't be so bad."
"No. Not bad at all."
"Gwennie, it's mother." Rebecca Hotchkiss Crane stated, knocking on her daughter's bedroom door. "Please, sweetie. Let mommy in."
She had been at the Harmony Country Club, enjoying a fabulous time with a particularly "talented" tennis instructor, when the ringing of her cell phone had interrupted their "lesson". When she had answered to discover Ivy on the other line, Rebecca had been in the process of hanging up on her nemesis when Ivy had uttered the words Ethan, Gwen, and divorce. Furious did not even begin to describe the rage that had coursed through her veins as she'd learned the details of what had been going on in her home. She'd quickly gathered her things and rushed back to the Crane Mansion, plotting all the way home ways to get Theresa out of their lives, and Ethan back into Gwen's arms.
I do not understand how a daughter of mine could have so much trouble keeping a man. She thought. Especially when her competition is the housekeeper's daughter.
At the sound of footsteps approaching the door, Rebecca plastered a sympathetic look on her face. The sight that stood before her as the door opened caused her eyes to widen. Gwen's eyes were red and puffy, and there was a hint of madness lurking beneath their usually cool exterior. It was also fairly obvious that she hadn't bathed.
"What do you want?" Gwen demanded listlessly.
"Ivy called and said I needed to get home." Rebecca informed her, entering the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. "She told me about what happened."
"Great. That's just fabulous. So everyone knows now? All of Harmony knows my husband left me for that slut!"
"No, no sweetheart. I don' think everyone knows. Not yet at least. And even if they do, you can't worry about that. You've got to focus, sweetie."
"On what, Mother? I have nothing left. Even with all we've done to keep them apart, Ethan still left me for Theresa. I lost him, I've lost Jane. It's over, Mother."
"No, it's not. I know you're hurting, Gwennie-poo. And I hate that Latina tramp for causing you more pain. But you can't just give up! I won't let you. You and Ethan aren't divorced yet, and if I have anything to say about it, you never will be. I'm here now, and we'll work this out. There is no way we're going to let that Taco Queen tramp win. Over my dead body."
"I'm so glad you're here, mother." Gwen hugged her mother tightly. "I know you'll think of something. You always do."
"Of course I will, Gwennie. You know I love you. I want what's best for you, and what makes you happy."
And I could not abide the shame of having everyone know that you lost your husband to a piece of trash like Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald. I would simply die of embarrasment.
"I want to destroy her, mother." Gwen stated, pulling away from Rebecca's embrace. "That would make me happy. I want there to be nothing left of her but little bits and pieces, and I want to burn those bits and pieces and scatter the ashes in a million different places so that she can't come back to haunt me any more."
At the venom in her daughter's voice, Rebecca smiled proudly.
"Now that's my girl. If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do." Going to the closet and picking out an outfit, she returned to Gwen's side. "Go take a shower, and then we'll start thinking up a battle plan."
Nodding, Gwen took the clothes, grabbing a towel on her way to the bathroom.
As her daughter showered, Rebecca's eyes gleamed at the ideas that shaped in her mind.
"Tacosita will never know what hit her."