It's the final chapter of the Ex Factor! If anyone is actually reading this, I'd love to know if you've enjoyed my story. See notes at the end of the story for information on the soon to be uploaded sequel.
The Ex Factor
Harmony-The Lobster Shack
It was a merry atmosphere as the group took over the small restaurant, pushing tables together and gathering high chairs. It was almost a party. Whitney and Chad were there with Miles. Sheridan was there, with Chris and James, and Miguel had called Kay, who of course had brought Fox, much to his dismay. She'd also brought Tabitha and Endora, and Theresa was currently cooing over the blonde toddler, who she secretly thought was almost as adorable as her own Jane. Almost, but not quite. Paloma sat with Simone and Jessica, the three of them whispering confidences and giggling among themselves.
Gwen was holding a quiet Sarah. The little girl was not even close to being used to being out in the world and meeting new people after her sheltered existence in Moreau Manor. Now her green eyes watched the crowd warily, and she shrunk back if anyone besides Gwen, Kieran, or Theresa attempted to speak to her. Gwen decided to seat her near EJ and the other children, since she didn't seem to have the same fear around them.
As Pilar moved extra chairs back to an empty table, she nearly bumped into someone. Turning around, she saw Sam and Ivy, looking surprised as they looked over the crowd.
"Sam! Ivy! Are you here for dinner as well?" She asked, determined to be pleasant to even Ivy on this special occasion.
"We were." Sam's eyes twinkled at her. "But the waitress warned us the whole restaurant had been taken over by some noisy revelers. We weren't expecting it to be all of you, especially..." His eyes lingered on Gwen and Theresa. "Wasn't the custody hearing today? I was expecting to be called to the courthouse to physically separate those two, and possibly arrest at least one of them for attempted murder to be honest."
"It's a long story." Pilar beamed at them. "But one you should definitely hear. We'd love it if you could join us."
"Oh, I don't know..." Ivy said. She tugged gently at Sam's arm, obviously wanting to move on.
Pilar rolled her eyes at the false sweetness in Ivy's voice. The wrinkled nose gave the aging socialite away...she felt she was too good to join the rest of them.
'I wonder what that man sees in her, honestly.' Pilar thought to herself. 'She looks down on everything in his life. She will only make him unhappy.'
"Oh, I'm not going to miss this." Sam grinned. "Come on, Ivy, Gwen and Theresa are getting along. I want a front row seat for this one. I cant' wait to hear how it all happened."
Ivy sighed resignedly and allowed herself to be led to the table.
"What's wrong, Ivy?" Sam whispered as they sat. "I thought you'd be able to forgive at least Theresa, now that we know that Gwen is really the one who leaked Ethan's paternity to the press. Isn't that what you've been holding against her all these years?"
Ivy frowned. "I thought it was. Funny how it turns out that I just don't like her. As for Gwen, I could rip her hair out by the roots. That conniving bitch has no right to be sitting here smiling after she ruined our lives."
"Ruined our lives?" Sam frowned at her. "Ivy, I now have a son that I never knew I had, and Ethan has a whole new family, a brother and two sisters that love him. You and I have each other. It was horrible the way that it came out, but I'm grateful it did. Do you regret it? Do you miss your old life as Mrs. Crane, with all the money and power that much?" He looked hurt.
"No, of course not." Ivy gave Sam a smile and patted his hand. He smiled back and turned to join in the conversation that was going on around them, missing the flash of insincerity in her eyes.
'I don't miss being married to Julian.' Ivy whispered to herself. 'The money and power, however...well, that's another story. I wasn't meant to be running an inn. Next he'll be expecting me to serve up some of that God awful tomato soup cake. I love Sam, but this pedestrian, middle class lifestyle has got to go. Sam will be grateful once I bring him up in the world. I suppose I could be nice to Theresa long enough to convince her to give Sam an executive position at Crane. He'd look great in a suit. And that's just the beginning..." She smiled smugly to herself, wrapped in her mink lined daydream.
The food had arrived and the plates were being passed down the table. Theresa opened the jar of baby food that Gwen had handed her and began to feed Jane, who chuckled at her and promptly spat most of it on the high chair tray.
"Let me help." Jared grinned and took the spoon from Theresa. "Baby feeding is an art form I have yet to master, but this little girl is going to teach me all I need to know."
Across the table, Kieran and Gwen smiled, watching.
"How are you doing, Gwen?" Kieran whispered in her ear. "Are you OK with all of this?"
"More than OK." Gwen beamed at him. "This is the best I've felt in a long, long time."
"Gwen." Pilar caught her attention across the table. "It looks like Sarah is getting along well with EJ. It's nice to see her smile-she's truly a beautiful little girl."
"Thank you, Pilar." Gwen smiled at the older woman, wishing Rebecca shared some of Pilar's grandmotherly attitude. "It's taking her a while, but she's getting used to everything. I think I may actually be able to start her in school in a month or two, depending on what her therapist thinks. There's a great private school that I really want to get her into, and it's very near the preschool I want to put Jane in."
"Preschool?" Theresa, listening from her seat, frowned. "She's too young for that."
Gwen shrugged. "Well, this is a very exclusive preschool, Theresa. Some parents put their children's names down at birth practically. Jane will be sharing a classroom with the children of the elite. The connections she could make even at that young age will help her for years." She smiled at the thought.
Theresa nearly gagged, listening to her. "Oh, please. It sounds like a breeding ground for the snobs of tomorrow. I don't want Jane going to a school like that. In fact, I really don't like the idea of preschool that much. Maybe a part time one a few afternoons a week, but I think children should be home with their family for as long as possible. They grow up too fast already."
Gwen's eyes narrowed. "Are you implying that I am a snob, Theresa? Because my only concern is that Jane gets the best education possible, and since both of us can afford it, I don't see why it's a problem. Think about it...Jane could be speaking French before she even enters kindergarten."
Theresa snorted. "French? Who cares about speaking French? Mama and I can teach her Spanish at home..at least that will be something she could actually use."
Gwen's face reddened. "For all we know, she could be going to school in France eventually, Theresa, so it could be very useful."
"Over my dead body!"
The table quieted as the two women continued to bicker. Everyone looked at each other warily as Theresa and Gwen's voices rose.
"Well, that was the shortest truce I've ever seen." Kay whispered to Fox.
Whitney stared down at her plate as she listened, trying to cover her smile with her hand. Chad looked at her.
"Whitney, it's not funny." He murmured, trying to stop smiling himself.
"I know, I know..." Whitney couldn't suppress a snicker.
"Baby, don't. If you start, I'll start."
Whitney couldn't help it. She started to chuckle in earnest and Chad laughed into his napkin, his shoulders shaking. The laughter caught the attention of Pilar and she too started to giggle, trying to stop herself by staring at the floor, but it didn't help.
The mirth spread throughout the table like wildfire and before long, everyone was laughing uproariously, everyone, that is, except Theresa and Gwen, who sat there in stunned amazement, wondering what they'd missed.
"What is so funny?" Theresa demanded of Whitney, who was gasping for air and fanning her face.
"Nothing, nothing. We're just all happy that things are getting back to normal around here. You two were starting to worry us for a little while. I didn't want to say anything, but I was thinking you two had suffered some severe head injury myself." Whitney giggled at the outraged expression on Theresa's face.
"Not me." Miguel called from across the table. "It was a clear cut case of brainwashing. I mean, didn't anyone else see it?"
"Oh please!" Paloma cried. "Don't you all know a couple of clones when you see them? The real Theresa and Gwen probably killed each other back in Jesenik. That's what I think." She took a drink from her glass, eyes twinkling.
"Martian pod people. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it." Fox's voice was solemn, but his grin gave him away.
Gwen and Theresa exchanged looks and then both of them burst into laughter too.
As the laughter filled the room, Theresa's eye fell on the one empty chair at the table. The place where Ethan should be sitting, laughing with them, sharing this moment. The emptiness was in her heart too, and it was something she wondered if she'd ever be able to fill.
Only time would tell what fate had in store for him...what it held for them all.
The (real) End
I really hope you enjoyed The Ex Factor. Please let me know your thoughts. And coming soon...the sequel, Whisper.
A lot can change in a year and as summer comes to Harmony, the residents gather to celebrate the wedding between Kieran and Gwen. But someone else in Harmony wants the Irish charmer, and she's not above scheming to get him...
And on the eve of Jared and Theresa's engagement, Ethan returns, determined to win back her heart. It's not an easy task he's set himself, but he'll try anything...with some help from an unexpected ally...