Chapter 3

Eve Russell was enjoying her peaceful afternoon alone. Whitney and Simone were off with friends and TC had graciously offered to run some errands. She lay on the sofa sipping some tea and had almost drifted off to sleep when the news came on. Eve was jolted awake by the mention of Harmony.

"And coming up next, the harmonious town of Harmony is becoming this summer's biggest tourist attraction. Along with Harmony's annual carnival, two prominent citizens are getting married- again." The news anchor cut to a picture from Ivy and Julian Crane's first wedding.

Eve didn't have time to process this mind boggling information because there was a knock on the door, followed by a key turning the lock.

"Hey honey!" TC called as he entered the living room.

"Home so soon?" Eve asked giving her husband a kiss on the cheek.

TC sat down, and pulled Eve next to him. "I couldn't get to the grocery store, there were cars and trucks and other vehicles setting up the carnival blocking off main street." TC smiled, "But that means I get to spend more time with my perfect wife."

Eve shifted uncomfortably and had almost forgotten about her earlier shock, when it came back on. "Did you hear about this?" Eve asked pointing to the television.

"Disgusting, isn't it." He replied clenching his fist, and pounding it on the sofa cushion. Some people will do anything for attention."

"But it's not like Ivy. You and I both know she's out to dig her claws in Sam. Why would she be marrying Julian?"

TC flicked off the television just as an interview with Alistair Crane started up. "They're all twisted, the whole lot of them. You know Ivy Crane asked Kay to be in the wedding?"

Eve sat up suddenly, as if she had made a great discovery. "My God! TC don't you see, Ivy's using this to get to Sam. Sam will have to be at the rehearsals, and even at the real wedding... I can not believe she has gone this far. That woman has to be stopped."

"Yeah, will it's going to be a failed attempt because Sam loves Grace more than anything in this world. If Ivy's trying to make him jealous, or get at him through Kay, then she's wasting Alistair's money, and her own time. Let the Cranes do what they want, it's not like Ivy has any allies helping her get Sam."

******************************************************************

Jessica had quickly forgotten about the tea towel, and was miserably trying to come up with some plan to stop the wedding. Sure, she had nothing against Ivy, she was actually quite a nice lady. And she had nothing against Julian either. Jessica only had it in for Kay. There was absolutely no way on this planet that Kay was going to upstage Jessica. So she decided, the wedding had to be stopped.

"I can't do this." She said to herself. "How does one go about stopping a wedding, especially a Crane wedding?" Jessica threw down the pad of paper she had been writing on in frustration. "It would be easier to make Miguel love Kay, than stop this thing!"

That's when Jessica spotted the tea towel. Figuring it's only polite to do what Tabitha asked she took it downstairs and into the kitchen. Unknown to her, the picture that Tabitha had so carefully hidden inside the cloth, fluttered to the floor.

Jessica went about washing the dirty thing, and hung it on the line outside to dry. She looked up at the perfectly clear sky, which made her even more depressed, so she went back inside. It wasn't until after Jessica had poured herself a glass of Coke, and made a peanut butter sandwich that she discovered the over turned picture lying alone on the floor.

Curiously she picked it up and flipped it to observe the photo. It was old and yellowed, but nevertheless, it was very clear to Jessica who the two young people lovingly holding hands were. Her father looked the same, like he had barely changed, and the woman was unquestionably a younger version of Ivy Crane.

Jessica's eyes widened in disbelief as she read the words scribbled at the bottom: Sam and Ivy forever.

"How can this be?" Jessica questioned out loud. "Ivy Crane and Dad were in love? How come nobody ever told me?"

The doorbell echoed threw the house, so Jessica quickly pocketed the picture, and ran to see who was at the door.

Ivy Crane was standing there, which caught Jessica totally off guard. "Mrs. Crane... uh, Dad's not home."

A shocked Ivy dropped her mouth as Jessica swiftly corrected her mistake, "Umm, I mean Kay."

Ivy nodded and composed herself. "Yes, well thank you Jessica, but I just wanted to hand deliver this invite for your parents. You said Sam wasn't home, but is Grace?"

"No, they both are working down on the carnival and probably won't be back until they're finished setting up which is usually late. Would you like me to tell them you stopped by?"

Ivy looked around at the quaint little house. "No, that's okay." She turned to leave but remembered something else. "I need to talk to your father- about Kay of course- so can you ask him to phone me on my private line?"

"Okay, can I have that number." Jessica said taking out a pen from a nearby drawer.

"He knows my number." Ivy smiled, and then left leaving a slightly confused and suspicious Jessica alone in the doorway.

"Dad knows Ivy's private number? I thought the Cranes kept those numbers secret. Unless Dad and her are still-" Jessica trailed off and pushed the thought away. "No, that's silly, it's probably just because he's police chief."

Jessica pulled out the old photo once more to study it. "I wonder what happened to them. They look so in love."

Jessica had moved from the doorway and had begun walking down to the Harmony Pier to help set up the carnival. But she couldn't dismiss the thought of her father and Ivy. And the thought that they still could be in love. It was like a puzzle waiting to be solved. If Sam didn't love her, why didn't he just tell the family he used to date her. Maybe Sam still loved her. Sure, it was a terrible thought but one that must be taken into consideration. It was a thought that could prove useful.

Finally, Jessica had a plan. She didn't have much to go on, but she would still go ahead with it.

She stood about 100 meters down from the Pier, where many people were busily putting stands together. She could just pick out her father in the distance helping Hank with the main stage. "I don't want to do this Dad, but it may be the only way to stop the wedding."

******************************************************************

Tabitha burst out into joyous laughter as she watched Jessica through her magic spell bowl.

A slightly annoyed Timmy got off the sofa and peered into the bowl. "Timmy's tired of watching Tabitha stare into the bowl all day long. Can't Timmy and Tabby go down to the Pier and join in the festivities of setting up the carnival. Timmy loves crowds of people!"

Now it was Tabitha's turn to be annoyed. "Would you stop complaining, don't you see Timmy, my plan worked! Jessica found the picture of Sam and Ivy and now she's got all these crazy ideas stirring in her head."

"But, Jessica doesn't know Ivy still wants Sam!"

Tabitha turned to the doll with a sly grin on her face. "Not yet. But when she does, I'm sure she'll use it as an aid in her little plan to stop the Crane wedding. Then, well you know what will happen."

"Timmy thinks Tabitha is forgetting something."

"What's that Tim-Tim?"

Like it was so obvious, Timmy burst out, "Sam is Jessica's father! Timmy doesn't think she'd want to break up her parents!"

Tabitha shook her head in disagreement. "I don't think it's really about Sam and Grace, in Jessica's mind. It's about her and Kay. They compete like cats and dogs, like NBC and ABC, like-"

"Okay, okay. Timmy gets the picture. But how will Jessica realize Ivy wants Sam?" The doll asked laying on the floor in boredom.

"Well I'll need your help." Tabitha said, as Timmy shot straight up.

He began to leave the room saying, "No way. Timmy will listen to you ruin peoples lives but Timmy doesn't want any direct part of it."

"Then maybe you'd like to be a part of Fluffy's next meal?"

Timmy bolted back into the room. "How can Timmy be of service to his Princess?" He said adjusting his little coat.

Tabitha scrawled something on a piece of paper and folded it up. "Timmy, I need you to sneak down to Pier, and slip this note to Grace. I'll be here keeping an eye on everything. Make sure Sam is no where around when you leave the note in a place where she will see it. After that give this," Tabitha scribbled something else on a small recipe card and handed it to Timmy, "to Jessica. Again Sam must be nowhere near her."

"This seems kind of complicated." Timmy said trying to digest all the information.

Tabitha thought for a moment. "It is, but it's for the best. Now, go Timmy. Stay near the bushes and come back after you've made sure they've gotten the notes."

Timmy sighed and left. Tabitha continued to watch the scenes at the Pier through her bowl.

******************************************************************

Ivy sprayed a little perfume on, and finished applying her lipstick. There was a knock on her bedroom door, so Ivy told them to come in.

Sheridan walked in and took a seat on the bed. "Ivy, I wanted to apologize for thinking Julian and you had some other motive for getting married. Sorry for doubting the two of you."

Guilt rushed through Ivy, but she managed to constrain it. "It's fine Sheridan. I know that you must think we're crazy. I mean, Julian and I have bickered non-stop since our wedding and it must seem illogical and foolish to renew our vows."

"I am a little confused." Sheridan admitted.

"I've just discovered that I love Julian, and that he loves me. And we never started off on the right foot so this seemed very appropriate. It was a very hurried first wedding, and I didn't even know Julian. The first time I really met him I was standing at the altar with him." Ivy finished with a half smile.

Sheridan was indeed very happy. She pulled Ivy into a hug. "I'm so glad you found happiness, and maybe Julian will finally stop being such a drag now that you two are together." Sheridan released her sister-in-law, and smiled. "You know who is even more thrilled- Ethan."

Ivy's heart stopped. "Ethan... I haven't spoken to him yet. He must be so confused!"

"Well, he was, especially since he heard about it on the news this morning. You were out, so I spoke with him. He and Gwen are coming home from their vacation tonight and they are very anxious to speak with you. Ethan sounded so happy." Sheridan finished.

Ivy breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad." Still, she hated lying to Sheridan, and she's going to hate it more lying to Ethan.

"Are you okay Ivy?" Sheridan asked, catching Ivy's sudden mood change.

Ivy nodded and smiled.

"Well, I saw a really happy man downstairs waiting for you. I won't keep you any longer." With that, Sheridan left the room in a hurry.

Ivy put on her red silk gown and made her way down the stairs, where Julian was waiting. Sheridan was right, Julian did look very happy, it almost made her wish she didn't have other intentions. Julian took Ivy's arm and looked at her amorously.

"You look breathtaking, my dear." He said still staring at her.

"So do you."

Julian and Ivy were lost in the moment, and they both leaned in and kissed. They were so involved in each other that they didn't see the door open and Ethan come in. He waited a moment, but then cleared his throat. Julian and Ivy broke away from their kiss, and Ethan looked embarrassed.

"Son! How was your trip with Gwen?" Julian said breaking the silence.

Ethan smiled and ignored the question. "Mother, Father, why didn't anyone tell me?" He walked over to his parents and gave them a loving embrace. "I can't believe this! I used to wish on every star that my parents would find love again. My wish came true. If you two aren't the happiest people in Harmony, then I sure am."

Ivy was saddened by this early confrontation with her son. "Oh, Ethan, I hope you aren't angry that we went ahead with wedding plans just as you proposed to Gwen."

"Mother, stop changing the subject. I am not angry at all. I am the complete opposite. Gwen and I are so excited for you two. She couldn't stop by tonight because she had some important business to take care of in Boston. she had to leave just as we arrived back in Harmony."

An anxious Julian began leading his wife to the door. "We're sorry to cut this short son, but your mother and I are dining out tonight at the Seascape."

"See you in the morning then." Ethan smiled and bounded upstairs.

It really made Ivy happy to see her son like this. But nothing was true. Ivy was lying and as she thought about this in the limo she found herself crying. Julian noticed.

"Ivy... what's wrong?" He asked compassionately.

Ivy tried to hide the tears but couldn't. "It's... well... it was Ethan. I guess these are tears of joy because we're all so happy." She lied.

Julian was a little annoyed, but nevertheless continued showing compassion. "Here, dry your eyes. We don't want anybody getting the wrong impression of us at the Seascape."

Ivy nodded and said she would put some more make up on at the restaurant.

******************************************************************