Chapter 34

“They’re finally asleep,” Luis sighed, closing the bedroom door behind him. “You said you had…” Luis paused, a slow smile taking over his face as he took in the flickering candlelight and the covers turned back on the bed. “…a surprise for me,” he grinned, his hands going to the bottom of his black sweater. “You always do that when you know I like to do it myself.” Luis couldn’t breathe, couldn’t formulate a sensible thought the moment he lay eyes on the owner of that voice. “I take back what I said earlier,” he finally said, his deep brown eyes never leaving her face as she crossed the bedroom, coming to a stop in front of him. “How can I say I hate shopping when you come home with…” he gulped as she loosened the sash of the red silk robe wrapped around her body and let it slide from her shoulders. “That,” he practically squeaked, making soft laughter spill forth from her lips. Sheridan threaded her fingers through his and brought their joined hands to her lips, brushing a gentle kiss against his palm before clasping his hand to her face. “I’m glad you like your surprise,” she smiled. Luis leaned forward, kissing the smile on her beautiful face. “I love my surprise,” he told her, his palm sliding around her neck to cup the base of her skull. Sheridan sighed happily as her husband placed sweet, lingering kisses on cheeks, her brow, the corners of her mouth.

“Well…there’s such a small window of opportunity…” she stopped short on what she was about to say at the feel of his lips traveling the column of her throat. A frustrated noise escaped the back of her throat when he pulled away to gaze into her eyes with brown eyes riddled with confusion. “Window? What window? Sheridan,” he laughed. “Baby, don’t take this the wrong way, but I want to make love to you. Not talk about things that make no sense.” Sheridan’s blue eyes flashed with indignation, and she crossed her arms over her chest, sitting down on their bed and giving him a baleful look just to make it clear that whatever he said next should be carefully mulled over. He was stepping on thin ice. Yeah. She DEFINITELY took it the wrong way. Luis groaned and knelt on the floor in front of her. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her when she jerked her hand away from his. Great, he thought. He didn’t think he’d be hit with the mood swings so soon. And if this wasn’t a mood swing…his ass was toast. God, the woman in front of him could be stubborn. “Sheridan…” “So what now, Luis? Something along the lines of children should be seen and not heard, only in the wife’s case…you basically told me to shut up,” she nearly growled.

“I didn’t mean it that…C’mon, Baby. What was it you were saying? Something about a window? I’m sorry. I’m all ears now. I love you,” he told her, ducking his head to kiss the smooth skin just above her knee. When his big, dark hands started sliding up and down her thighs and around the back of her knees, she squirmed and scowled at him. “Stop it…Luis,” her voice was lost in a shaky gasp, and her arms went around his neck automatically as he pulled her down into his lap. She turned her head as he ran his hands through her hair, and Luis groaned when he couldn’t get her to look at him. He sighed in resignation and pulled her closer, brushing his lips against her temple and smoothing his hands down her silk-covered back. Gradually, she relaxed in his arms, and when she pulled back to finally look into his eyes, her blue eyes were bright with angry tears. He tucked an errant strand of blond hair back behind her ear and smiled apologetically at her. “I’m sorry…I was…,” he searched for the words, though he still couldn’t figure out why something so silly was bothering her so much. “I was insensitive, and I hate it when you’re mad at me. Don’t be,” he whispered, brushing his lips over hers. He was horrified when she burst into tears before his eyes.

Gwen rolled with laughter as she watched her husband nudge the wriggling live wire called Gus out of their bedroom, lock the door, and come bounding back to join her on the bed like…well…like an excited puppy. “Now, where was I?” he asked, a wicked grin on his face and mischief in those brown eyes she knew so well. “Here?” he asked, sliding his fingers through hers and kissing her palm quickly. She laughed and shook her head ‘no’. “That’s not right? Hmm. Maybe I was here,” he said, dipping his disheveled dark head to nibble on her neck. “Not there,” she told him, a bright smile on her lips. “Damn,” he swore softly. “I’m just going to have to kiss you all over, huh? Tell me when I’m getting hot.” She rolled her brown eyes at him. “What?” he pretended to be oblivious. “If I didn’t love you, Bennett…I’d be throwing tomatoes at you.” “I’m that bad?” he semi-cringed. “That bad,” she nodded her head. “But you love me anyway.” She smiled. The goofy grin was back on his face already, and she had to admit it… “I love you anyway.” “Good,” he said, practically pouncing on her. “Where were we?” he asked her again. “Right about here,” she whispered, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. “I’m getting hot,” he grinned against her lips. “Ouch, Babe! Injure me while you’re at it,” he yelped. Half-pretending, half-serious. His wife could pack a wallop when she wanted to.

If her bedroom had carpet, Abby was sure she would have already worn a hole in it. One more look…one more look into those gray eyes, and she was going to burst. Blurt out all her stupid little fantasies and frighten the man to death. “And that would be great going, wouldn’t it, Abby? He already thinks you’re a borderline psycho. Grabbing him and kissing the shit out of him can only make things worse,” she muttered. For him. Hell, for her, too, ignoring the short-term blissful possibilities. “Get it through your thick skull,” she spoke to her reflection in the floor-length mirror in the corner of the room. “He’s in love with Sheridan. Madly, passionately, stupidly, Luis is so going to kick his ass if he so much as blinks at her in front of him, insanely in love with Sheridan. And you don’t stand a chance,” she muttered dejectedly. “You should give up while you’re ahead. Save your questionable sanity and heart before it’s too late.” Whoa! Heart?! So it was more than just hormones talking here? “No,” she told her reflection resolutely. “You hardly know the man. No. This isn’t about your heart. It’s all about…,” she turned away from her reflection as she felt her cheeks flush and her heart start pounding in her chest, “it’s all about SEX.” Argh! She was so sexually frustrated she had trouble thinking straight around the man. She saw something she wanted, she salivated over it for a while, then she went after it. Full speed ahead. In the past anyway. Before…chalk it up to being young and stupid. Well…some things HAD changed. Like the young part. But stupid…according to Shane, and she was sure countless others…the stupid trait was still shining through after all these years. She gave her appearance the once over one more time. “Yeah…you’re most definitely still stupid,” she grumbled, tying the flowing robe around her waist. But dammit…she didn’t care. Time to see if she was a blip on Gray Eyes’s radar or not, she thought, striding across the room and yanking the door open. And nearly having a heart attack when she saw someone she totally didn’t expect standing a few feet away with Nick…none other than Whitney Russell!

Sheridan sighed shakily as she felt Luis’s fingers absently stroking her stomach, and she leaned back further into his embrace. Her back was nestled against his now bare chest, and he had his arms wrapped around her from behind. Long minutes of silence had passed between them, only broken by the sounds of her soft crying. She was grateful to have him near, holding her so close to his heart in understanding that whatever was bothering her…she just needed him to hold her until she could say the words. She felt his lips at her pulse point, a whisper of a caress, and she attempted to smile through the tears, speaking from her heart. “I’m sorry, Luis. I over-reacted and made such a fool of myself. I don’t…it’s just…everything. The pressure. The guilt. Not knowing what tomorrow is going to bring. It’s been building all day, and when you…it all hit me at once. I’m so sorry,” she murmured, turning in his arms so she could see his face. “So this wasn’t about me being a bastard?” he asked softly, kissing the hand that cupped his jaw. “Bastard’s too strong a word,” she smiled slightly. “You being a jerk was the least of it.” “So I’m a jerk now?” Luis teased her. “I guess I can live with that. Tell me what’s bothering you. I can help. Or try to,” he said, holding his arms open to her. She accepted his embrace willingly, sighing tiredly as he lay them back against the pillows.

“I still can’t bear to let Ali out of my sight—not even for one second—in the mall.” Luis digested what she was saying, realizing the reasons why almost immediately. “I think I hurt Theresa’s feelings, Luis.” He rubbed her back soothingly as he spoke to her in low, calming tones. “Maybe,” he admitted reluctantly. “Maybe you did. But I know my little sister, and she understands. That may not make her feel any better about it, but trust me…” he paused to look into her glittering blue eyes. “She doesn’t blame you. Not one bit.” Sheridan tucked her blond head beneath his chin once more, just listening to his heart beat and his even breathing. “That’s not all,” she said softly, several minutes later. “Hmm?” he encouraged her with a gentle kiss to the crown of her head. “Today was…it was almost…normal.” His heart ached to hear the tears in her voice. “Shopping with the girls. Getting a gown for New Year’s. Buying…I bought clothes and toys for the baby. I…and then…” He waited for her to continue, for her voice to gain strength again. “I felt so guilty for getting excited about buying stuff for the new baby at the same time I was buying hats for Ali, and it hurt…it hurt to see her pretty blue eyes sparkling at me as she tried on the hats, Luis, ‘cause she doesn’t realize yet…” “Shh,” he clutched her even tighter as her body shook with her muffled sobs against him. He cupped her face in his hands as she sought comfort in his kiss. “I don’t know if I can do it, Luis…” she whispered raggedly as he lay her back against the pillows and brushed the damp hair from her forehead. “I don’t know if I can be strong,” she cried as his hands moved over her gently, removing the barriers between them. He gathered her close, kissing all her doubts away. “We’ll do it,” he told her, staring deep into her blue, blue eyes as he began to make love to her. “We’ll be strong together,” he vowed, kissing her sad mouth.

She was pretty good at ignoring things. After all, she’d given birth to three adorable, devilish, occasional pains in the ass. She was a mother. Ignorance was sometimes an art form. And ignorance was what she tried desperately to feign as Hank threw himself into making love to her, the damn puppy whining and scratching at their bedroom door the entire time. When Hank’s lips touched her stomach, her muscles didn’t jump because she was ticklish. She was simply erupting with long held in laughter. “Babe,” Hank whined. “I’m getting serious here. You’re not supposed to laugh.” “I can’t help it,” she snickered. “Just ignore him,” Hank glowered at her. “Damn dog’s going back to Becs first thing in the morning. He’s really killing my love life.” “What love life?” Gwen tried to ask with a straight face, but the corners of her mouth curled up traitorously. “I don’t mean it that way,” she rolled her brown eyes at him, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him to her. “The kids, Bennett. Our kids especially.” “You have a point,” Hank admitted grudgingly. “Babe…” She cut him off with a fierce kiss. “You know how I tell Jake whining doesn’t suit him all the time? Well…” “Who’s whining?” Hank grinned, attacking her with kisses. Tears rolled down Gwen’s cheeks as Gus started howling behind the closed door, and Hank huffed with exasperation. But whoever said Hank Bennett wasn’t a determined man… Kissing a hysterically laughing woman had to be hard, she mused, one brown eye popping open as she heard a strange noise. “Hank…Hank…Hank!” she grew frantic, finally slapping the side of his head to get his attention. “Getting a little violent there, Babe,” Hank smirked, brown eyes twinkling down at her. At her panicked face, he realized as he heard the creaking noise of…their bedroom door was opening! “Mommy?” “Emmy,” they heard Jake hiss. “Don’t go in there. The door was locked.” Then they heard Sara’s gleefully devious little voice. “Well…it’s not locked anymore. I unlocked it.” Hank’s brown eyes grew alarmingly wide as a certain dead puppy whizzed past the open door, straight for them, and he made the only decision his quick thinking mind would allow, rolling his wife’s body with his own toward the edge of the bed… Damn, the floor was harder than he remembered, was the last thought he had before slipping into unconsciousness.

Abby tiptoed back into her bedroom, closing the door behind her with a soft snick and leaning back against it with a sigh. She wasn’t going to seduce the man with another woman in the room. That was sure. So she resigned herself to that disappointing fact and slipped the robe from her shoulders and trudging to her empty bed. She threw herself face first onto the bed and yanked her comforter over her half-clad body with one arm. “Not going to happen tonight,” she grumbled. Those two looked awfully chummy out there. And to think she’d thought Whitney Russell didn’t smile much… “Face it, Abby,” she muttered into her pillow, hating herself for the nagging jealousy rising up within her. “You’re not a blip. You’re not even a speck,” she groaned, burying her tawny head beneath a mound of pillows and willing herself to calm down and forget all about ALMOST making a royal fool out of herself. The worst part of this whole thing…she DID care. And that pissed her off. She was in BIG trouble.

Chapter 35

“Dr. Nick’s taking Whitney to the party! WHITNEY?!” Abby’s hazel eyes were so wide Kay nearly burst into laughter. “What the hell happened here, Abby? I’m out of town for what? Not even a full week, and already…” Kay decided to tone it down a little bit at the look on her friend’s face. Was it dejection or rejection? “Well…he may be taking Whitney to the dance, but it’s you he’s going to be holding at midnight. My scheming skills are a tad rusty, but I think I can dust them off for something as important as this,” Kay winked at Abby, shepherding her toward her bedroom. “Where’s your dress?” “I can dress myself,” Abby muttered, rolling her eyes at Kay. “What about Miguel?” “He’s going to be here in an hour to pick us up,” Kay answered her, “so it’s a good thing I’m already dressed. But you…get out of those sweats. I hate to say this, but moping isn’t a good look on you. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.”

“Dammit!” Abby swore as she caught a glance of herself in her mirror—tangled tawny hair and all, “I’m not going looking like this.” “Of course, you’re not,” Kay placated calmly. “Get your ass in the shower.” Off Abby’s pointed glare, Kay snapped her fingers. “Wasting valuable time here. HURRY!” Kay grinned when she heard the shower start up seconds later. Visiting Chicago and Jess and Reese was nice…but she knew where she was NEEDED. She dug her cell phone out of her small, sequined handbag and punched in Miguel’s cell phone number. “Miguel…we have a tiny change in plans…Could you drop the boys off at your mother’s?…Thanks…I love you, too…Bye,” she smiled as she ended the phone call. “Abby!” Abby’s muffled, irritated voice made her giggle. “Yes, Drill Sergeant.”

“Aww, Mom,” Jake whined. “Do Sara and Emily have to go?” “Jake,” Gwen sighed. “It’s not that big of a deal. Emmy’s already asleep,” she said, nodding at one half of her tiresome twosome slumped against Hank’s shoulder. Drooling all over his tux jacket, no doubt. “And Sara…you’ll get along fine. Besides…they won’t be the only girls there. What about Ali? Did you forget about her?” Jake ducked his brown head in embarrassment as he muttered, “Ali’s different.” “What’s that Little Buddy?” Hank teased his blushing son. “Nothing, Dad,” Jake raised his head to glare at his dad. “All right. They can go,” he grumbled. “I’m glad you’re being the big guy and allowing us this small favor,” Gwen smirked, running a hand over her son’s unruly brown mop of hair.

“Yuck, Mom,” Jake scowled. “She did the spit thing again,” Sara told her brother, scrunching up her nose in disgust. “I did?” Gwen grimaced. “Yeah, Babe,” Hank grinned, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. “Knew I was rubbing off on you.” “Shut up,” Gwen said, rolling her brown eyes at her husband. No wonder Mother was always so irked. “We better go before Pilar’s temporary lapse of insanity is over, and she decides to turn us away at the door when we get there.” “Is MJ going to be there, too?” Sara asked, gazing up at her dad expectantly as he led her to their car. “Yep,” Hank answered her, shifting Emily to his other side so he could open the car door. “The whole gang,” he told her, grinning at his wife a few feet across from him. Insanity indeed, he agreed silently as he buckled his sleeping daughter in and made sure Jake and Sara were situated as well. He didn’t know if Pilar would retain her saintly patience after this little adventure.

“Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald,” Chad cleared his throat uncomfortably, giving his collar a nervous tug. “Yes, Son?” Martin gave the young man before him a friendly smile. He looked liked he needed it. An uncertain expression passed over Chad’s features momentarily before he grinned back at Theresa’s father. “You called me ‘Son’, Sir.” Martin chuckled. “Yes. Yes, I did. What can I do for you, Chad?” “Son…Son’s alright, Sir. Yeah. I think I like it.” Pilar smiled at the pair from the hallway leading to her Theresita’s childhood room. “Okay, Son,” Martin’s eyes danced with humor as he granted Chad’s request. “But you don’t have to call me Sir or even Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Martin’s fine. You seem to have an awful lot on your mind. You want to tell me about it?” After talking with her daughter as she helped her get dressed, Pilar knew what was coming, and she wasn’t so sure her husband was ready for Chad’s particular question no matter how much he liked the young man. “Mr. Lopez-Fitzger…Martin…it’s about your daughter…” Pilar heaved a huge sigh of relief when she heard a familiar voice behind her, and all eyes turned to the sound, admiring the pretty picture Theresa made in her shimmering pink gown. “Did I hear my name?” she asked, giggling at the expressions on her papa’s and Chad’s faces.

Martin stepped forward to enfold his daughter in his arms. “Look at you. All grown up and pretty as a picture. You’re a lucky young man, Son,” Martin said, relinquishing his daughter to Chad’s capable care. “I know,” Chad said, more to himself than to the man before him, and the room was silent for several seconds as Chad gazed at Theresa until she burst into another fit of laughter. This time slightly embarrassed laughter. “You look nice,” she whispered, fingering the lapels of Chad’s well-fitted tux. “Thanks,” Chad grinned. “Papa,” an amused voice rang out, making all four heads turn toward the front door. “I can’t believe you’re letting him ogle my little sister like that.” Theresa giggled and chastised her big brother, “Luis. Chad wasn’t ogling me. He was admiring me. Right, Chad?” Chad chanced a quick glance Martin and Pilar’s way then smirked at Luis. “Listen to your sister, Luis. She’s right. I wasn’t doing nothing but admiring her. Where’s Auntie Sher?”

Sheridan appeared at the front door, her sleepy children in front of her, and rolled her blue eyes at Chad. “I heard that.” “I thought you liked it when I called you that,” Chad grinned at her across the room. “Hey Squirt…Little Man,” he greeted Ali and Cristian. Theresa held her arms out for her little niece and nephew, and they trudged toward her. “Mija,” Pilar breathed, wrapping her arms around Sheridan’s shoulders in a motherly embrace. “You look beautiful.” The dress sparkled and glimmered under the dim lighting of the Lopez-Fitzgerald living room. The color…Pilar wasn’t sure it had a name, but it was almost the color of champagne, and the cut of the dress was very flattering. “Thanks, Pilar,” Sheridan smiled at her. “I wasn’t sure the color was right for me, but I loved the dress so much I couldn’t not choose it.” “The color looks fine,” Luis said, surprising Sheridan when he looped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her back against his length. “I’m still biased…” “Luis was disappointed the dress wasn’t red,” Sheridan laughed, slightly embarrassed when Luis lips lingered along her neck just a little too long in front of his parents. “Luis…” Sheridan could feel him smiling against her skin as he kissed her cheek and released her from his arms.

Ali tugged on her Grandpa Martin’s shirt sleeve. “Grandpa Martin…” “Yes, Sweetheart?” Martin said, scooping Ali’s slight little figure up into his arms and running an affectionate hand over her loose golden hair. “Mommy said Jake was going to come. He’s not here yet. Where is he?” “Right behind us,” Miguel answered Ali’s question, and Sheridan could swear she heard Pilar groan when she laid eyes on her wild little grandson tearing through the front door like a tornado. There wasn’t any doubt about it. She DID hear Pilar laugh when Cristian hid behind Theresa’s legs when MJ made a beeline for him. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay, Pilar?” Sheridan inquired of her softly. “I’ll be fine, Mija,” Pilar told her, giving her cheek a gentle pat. “It’s getting late. Shouldn’t you be leaving for the party soon?” Pilar wondered as she took Joshua from Miguel’s arms. “We thought we’d wait for Hank and Gwen,” Luis told his mother. “Hey Bro,” he grabbed Miguel’s shoulder, “where’s Kay?” “I’m supposed to pick her up at Abby’s in…ten minutes.” “Where’s Miguelito off to in such a hurry,” Hank grinned, pulling a surprised Pilar into a bear hug. Gwen and the children filtered in a moment later. “Well…looks like we’re all here,” Hank announced. “Where are the cameras? Don’t you want to record this moment for posterity. This is like Senior Prom times ten,” he joked. Badly, Gwen might add to herself. Fondly, of course. This night was going to be SO long.

Chapter 36

“I thought the morning sickness was getting better,” Gwen said as she dabbed the cool cloth in her hands against Sheridan’s pale skin. “It IS,” Sheridan told her unconvincingly, grabbing the bar in front of her to keep her balance. “It’s not as constant. It comes in waves.” Gwen gave her friend’s reflection in the bathroom mirror an apologetic look. “I guess I shouldn’t spend much time tonight on the dance floor, huh?” Sheridan said, taking a shaky breath. “I think that would be best,” Gwen agreed. The bathroom door opened, and Beth appeared behind them, wearing a concerned expression on her face. “Ethan and Luis were worried,” she explained. “Sheridan, are you sure you’re okay?” Sheridan turned around slowly and reached for one of Beth’s hands with a smile. “I’m fine, Beth. Really I am. Gwen and I were just about to go back outside, weren’t we, Gwen? You look wonderful tonight, Beth.”

A smile flickered across Beth’s face at the unexpected compliment, and she smoothed her hands over her midnight blue skirt. “Thank you,” she murmured. “You make Ethan happy, and it’s been a long time since Ethan’s been happy,” Gwen revealed quietly. “You have the wrong idea,” Beth spoke up. “Ethan and I…we’re just friends.” Gwen and Sheridan shared a knowing smile. “We are. There’s nothing going on between us. We were both just lonely, and…” “Beth,” Gwen laughed, “it’s okay. You don’t have to convince us of anything, but you might want to figure things out better for yourself.” Gwen and Sheridan exited the bathroom, leaving Beth behind in utter bewilderment.

Luis and Hank were still where they’d left them. Camped out at their table, grilling Kay about Abby’s whereabouts. Or rather…Hank was grilling Kay. Luis jumped out of his seat and hurried to offer his arm, making Sheridan smile and actually get a little teary-eyed. Gwen took her seat beside her husband, sighing loudly when he kept on and on. “I thought you were bringing Tink. What happened?” “Uncle Hank,” Kay laughed. “I think you’re making Gwen jealous.” Hank grinned in delight, turning to face her. “Am I?” Gwen lifted the flute of champagne in front of her to her lips. “Not jealous,” she told him boredly, taking a sip. “Annoyed,” she said, rolling her brown eyes at him. “But I’m just the wife. Don’t mind me.”

“You ARE jealous,” Hank deduced. “Admit it.” “Trust me, Hank,” Gwen leaned forward, in case she wasn’t making her sentiments perfectly clear. “I have NOTHING to be jealous about. Abby’s already got her sights on somebody else.” Hank spotted Abby’s ‘somebody’ across a sea of gently swaying bodies, Whitney Russell smiling and laughing in his arms, and frowned at his wife. “Unless…,” she began, seeing something strange spark within his brown eyes, “Bennett…are you…YOU’RE the one who’s jealous.” Hank shook his head, laughing at the ridiculousness of his wife’s statement. “I’m not jealous.” “Oh really?” Gwen challenged. “Then what is with the constant questions?” “Tink’s my friend, okay? Our friend. And I just know that a certain doctor’s going to do a number on her, and it isn’t going to be pretty. Come on, Babe,” he hissed in a low voice so Sheridan, and most importantly, Luis could not hear. “The man wants my best friend’s wife. Hell. He wants Luis’s life. If Abby gets messed up with him, he’s going to trample all over her heart, and when he does, I’m going to kick his ass.”

Gwen choked on the champagne she was sipping, nearly spitting it across the table into Miguel’s face. “You don’t think I can take him, do you?” Hank grumbled, and Gwen could swear she saw him puff his chest out in a failed attempt to look threatening and tough. “Bennett,” Gwen snapped. “Grow up. Abby’s a big girl, and believe what you will, but she’s got her eyes wide open. Besides…Sheridan’s never going to let anything come of it. The whole thing’s completely one-sided on HIS part. Look at her, Bennett. Look at her.” Hank glanced over at Sheridan and smiled to find her listening to something Luis was telling her with an attentive smile. “All she feels is gratitude for the man for taking care of Ali…”

“Yeah,” Hank interrupted her. “And don’t think he won’t take advantage of that. He’s going to use his position as Ali’s doctor to get closer to her. I’m telling you, Babe. I can see it coming from a mile away. I want to be wrong, and I usually am. But I don’t think I’m going to be wrong on this one,” he said, grabbing his own flute of champagne and downing it in one big gulp. “Put on your seat belts. This year’s going to be one helluva rocky ride,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“So you’re making predictions now, Uncle Hank?” Kay teased, trying to lighten the tension between the pair across from her. Well…that didn’t work, so she relied on the old fail-safe. Miguel nearly tripped over his own feet when she dragged him out onto the dance floor. “Put your arms around me,” Kay ordered with a wry grin. “Kind of boring so far, huh? Earth to Miguel. Where are you?” she asked, waving her hand in front of his face. “Huh?” Miguel asked, finally snapping out of his daze. Kay sighed and lay her head on his shoulder. “I hope MJ isn’t torturing your mother,” she mumbled against his neck as she pressed tiny kisses there. Miguel’s groan rumbled deep within his chest, and she had to laugh. It’d already been said, but it deserved to be repeated…POOR PILAR.

“Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald…” Emily paused to take a deep breath after saying the rather long name. “Yes, Mija,” Pilar smiled down at the little brown-haired moppet standing beside her. “I want to help. Can I help?” Emily asked in a rush of breath. Pilar dried off the last bowl and placed it in the cupboard. “Well, Mija,” she explained patiently, bending at the waist and tucking Emily’s sleep-tousled brown hair behind her ear. “I’m finished with the dishes, but there is something else you can do.” “There is?” Emily said excitedly. “I forgot to turn on the night light for Joshua in Luis’s old bedroom,” Pilar said, “will you do that for me?”

Emily nodded her head readily. “Cause Joshua’ll wake up and get scared in the dark.” “Exactly,” Pilar confirmed. “Take his bear to him, too.” Emmy grabbed the scruffy-looking old bear off the table and hugged it to her tiny chest, skipping out the kitchen door. Barely missing Martin, who sidestepped to let her by. “I think it’s time to get our grandson a new bear.” “Teddy survived MJ. I think he’ll last a few more years yet,” Pilar gave her husband a half-smile. “Dios Mio!” she exclaimed when they heard a crash in the living room a second later. She should have known from years of experience…NEVER leave Jake, MJ, or Sara alone in a room. Especially if Cristian and Ali were along for the ride.

Cristian hung his dark little head in shame, looking utterly contrite and downright shameful as she looked at him. Jake shuffled his feet nervously, his brown eyes peeking up at them from behind his mop of brown hair. Sara had her fingers crossed behind her back, and MJ stared at them defiantly. Fat crystal tears rolled down Ali’s reddened cheeks, and an alarm instantly sounded within Pilar as she hurried to kneel at her granddaughter’s feet. “Mija? Mija, what happened? Did they hurt you?” she asked, her voice rising almost frantically. Martin began to question the other children one by one, intent on finding out the source of Ali’s tears.

Cristian took one more look at his sister’s tears and started sobbing out the whole story. “We…we…were playing…tag,” he gasped for breath. “Ali…” “MJ cheated when Ali tried to tag base and pulled Ali’s hair,” Jake piped up when it appeared it was going to literally take Cristian several minutes to sob the whole story out. “They didn’t hurt me, Nana,” Ali sniffled. Pilar opened Ali’s small, balled-up fist and realization dawned on her as the long, golden strands fluttered to the floor. Ali was embarrassed more than she was hurt. For the first time, MJ actually looked apologetic. “I didn’t know it was going to come out like that,” he shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Papa,” he said, looking up to Martin. Jake scowled at his cousin, walking over to Ali and offering her a reassuring smile. “It’s all right, Ali,” he said, taking her hand in his. “You’ll always be the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen even if you’re bald.” Ali smiled at him, tears still glistening in her big blue eyes.

“Ethan, Darling,” Ivy sighed, swirling her champagne around in her glass as her son led her around the dance floor. “You don’t HAVE to dance with me…I’m perfectly fine at the table…” “I know I don’t HAVE to, Mother,” Ethan smiled at her. “I want to. Aunt Sheridan finally convinced Luis to leave her alone and have some fun, and he’s dancing with Beth.” “Jealous, Dear?” Ivy teased her son, smirking at the blush that crept over his cheeks. “No! I mean…No, Mother. I’m not jealous. Why would I be jealous? Beth and I are just friends,” Ethan practically stammered. “Mother…”

Ivy had to laugh at her son’s befuddled expression when she maneuvered them toward Luis and Beth. “What are you doing?” Ivy leaned forward and whispered helpfully in her son’s ear, “Cut in.” A kiss to his cheek and a few nervously spoken words on his AND Beth’s part, and Ivy soon found herself in Luis’s capable arms, both of them grinning at Ethan’s clumsy efforts to impress his ‘date’.

From their table, Sheridan and Gwen laughed at Hank and Miguel sulking nearby the terrace. About what, the women still hadn’t determined. Kay joked that part of the reason was the women’s hysterical laughter at the mere thought of Hank or Miguel being able to kick anyone’s ass. “Somebody take this stuff away from me,” she said, handing her glass of champagne to Gwen. “I’m never going to be able to make it through Luis’s…thing tomorrow,” Kay said, laughing at her inability to find the correct words. Gwen searched Luis’s dark figure out on the dance floor, smiling, as she spoke, “Police Chief. The Chief of Police’s wife, Sheridan. Congratulations.” “Thanks,” Sheridan said, laughing slightly. Chief of Police’s wife. For a former socialite…she knew Father was probably turning in his grave.

“Have you seen Abby at all tonight?” Gwen asked, catching another glance of the good doctor and Whitney Russell. They’d danced the night away. Kay snickered when the object of Gwen’s curiosity appeared behind her, nearly giving Gwen a heart attack when she turned around and saw her. “Give me that,” Abby said, snatching the champagne glass from Gwen’s hand. “Every time I get within two feet of the man, my legs turn to jello, and I nearly fall flat on my face,” Abby blabbered. “Every man in this damn establishment has stared at my ass except him.” Sheridan giggled girlishly. “I can’t tell if you’re offended because all those other men DID or Nick DIDN’T.” “Are you kidding?” Abby rolled her hazel eyes at Sheridan, taking the seat next to her. “Gray Eyes is blind. Am I invisible?” Abby wondered miserably.

Pilar smiled as she pressed a kiss to Cristian’s forehead and tucked the covers beneath Emmy’s arms. Cristian sighed in his sleep, snuggling closer to Emmy’s side, and Martin chuckled at the sight the pair made. “The quiet ones would have to fall asleep first,” he kidded her. Pilar shook her head tiredly as she pulled the bedroom door closed behind them. “It’s too quiet, Martin. Where are the others?” “Watching…” Martin trailed off when they found the living room empty, no sign of the youngsters that had begged him to let them stay up and watch the ball fall in New York.

Pilar went to search the kitchen while Martin looked in each of the bedrooms. When he tried the knob to the bathroom door, he found the door locked and heard the tell-tale giggles that could only mean one thing: TROUBLE. Pilar appeared at his side, demanding that the door be opened, and seconds later, she was wishing otherwise. “DIOS MIO! MJ, Jake, Sara! What have you done?” Ali chewed on her bottom lip, hiding her sheepish expression from her grandmother behind her veil of golden hair.

“Your hair,” Pilar fretted as she ran a hand through Sara’s chopped up brown hair, no longer skimming her shoulders in soft waves. Jake’s mop of brown hair wasn’t a mop anymore. It was short. Almost spiky. And MJ… “Dios Mio,” Pilar whispered as she eyed the track Martin’s electric razor had made through the middle of her grandson's scalp. “We didn’t want Ali to feel bad,” Jake mumbled, staring at his feet. “It was fun!” Sara exclaimed, raising the pair of scissors to her hair again and pouting when Pilar snatched them from her hands. Martin took his razor from MJ before he could do anymore damage. “Hey!” MJ protested, “I’m not bald yet!”

“Abby! Now’s your chance!” Kay cried, grabbing her by the arm and hauling her across the dance floor. Champagne sloshed over the side of Abby’s glass as she struggled to stay on her feet and reach the other side of the Seascape in one piece. “Kay…this isn’t a good idea,” Abby protested the closer they came to Nick. Abby couldn’t decide whether it was a miracle that he was finally alone or a curse. Curse, she decided, glaring at Kay when she gave her a ‘helpful’ shove. Right into the man’s arms.

Kay Bennett was a dead woman, Abby swore to herself as she stared up into his amused gray eyes. Dammit if she wasn’t going to burn alive BEFORE she could willfully murder her conniving cohort. The fingers of one of Nick’s hands blazed fire over the small of her exposed back while the fingers of his other hand plucked the empty champagne glass from her hand and gave it to a passing waiter. “Care to dance?”

“I didn’t know Abby had a tattoo,” Luis mused, his own arms tight around his lovely wife’s waist. Sheridan’s blue eyes sparkled up at him, and she could barely keep a straight face as she told him about Hank’s earlier shock at seeing Abby so…well, Sheridan had to give props to her favorite nut…sexy and un-Abby in her revealing purple dress and flirty, tawny up-do. The reaction to the tattoo had been nothing short of hilarious. Luis grinned, looking over his wife’s shoulder to get a better look at the brilliant sunburst design against Abby’s tanned lower back. He laughed out loud when Abby stumbled over her own feet, and Taylor had to wrap his arms more firmly around her to keep her upright. “Accidental or planned?” he wondered.

“I don’t know,” Sheridan said, losing herself in his deep brown eyes and running her hands through the black hair at the nape of his neck. “Could be a little of both,” she smiled, remembering the countless glasses of alcohol Abby tended to consume when she was nervous. “With Abby it’s hard to tell…” “If she’s wasted or sober,” Luis finished Sheridan’s thought for her. “How much longer ‘til midnight?” he asked suddenly, smiling at his little sister and Chad a few feet away and Gwen and Hank, all made up and enjoying the night out on the town immensely. “I see Kay, Miguel, and Simone are keeping Whitney occupied,” he chuckled. “What is going on between Taylor and Whitney?” “It can’t be too much longer,” Sheridan told him after giving Ivy a quick wave as Luis whirled them past her table. “Whitney accidentally grabbed the shopping bag with Abby’s dress in it and dropped by to switch it back. She met Nick, and apparently they hit it off. Luis? Why do you want to know what time it is?” Luis brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. “I’m excited about kissing such a beautiful woman. Why else?” he teased, making her laugh and roll her blue eyes at him. “There’s just something I’d really like to do,” he told her. Then he leaned forward and whispered it in her ear.

The lights and images from the New Year’s countdown on the muted television flickered across the sleep-relaxed faces of each child curled up asleep on the living room floor. Pilar had decided she wasn’t taking anymore chances. All the scissors and razors in the house were safely locked away, and Jake, MJ, and Sara never left her or Martin’s sight. She’d evened up Sara’s brown hair as much as best she could so her new look wouldn’t shock her mother into heart failure, but looking at Gwen and Hank’s young daughter sleeping beside her sister…no amount of Oscar-caliber acting from young Sara Bennett would fool anyone into believing she was the sweet twin anytime soon. Jake…there was hope for him yet so Pilar thought it best to leave it up to professionals. MJ was another story. Her young grandson wasn’t bald, but he was pretty close. She just thanked God Cristian, Joshua, and Emily had missed out on all the ‘fun’ as Sara had called it.

Pilar closed her eyes in exhaustion. Never again. Never ever again. She stirred when she felt Martin’s soft nudge of her arm, her brown eyes fluttering open and watching Jake’s silhouette in the dim living room as he watched Ali sleep peacefully. Midnight was still a few minutes away, and as the last holdout, Jake was fading fast. Pilar burrowed deeper into Martin’s side, pretending to be asleep when Jake glanced up at them to check if he was being watched, and held her breath as he turned back away from them. She smiled and felt tears sting her eyes at what happened next. A sweet gesture…what she hoped was a glimpse into the future. Her future. Jake’s future. And her dear little Ali’s future. Jake’s shadow loomed over Ali’s sweet little face as he brushed her long golden hair back from her forehead with his little boy hands. His voice a soft whisper in the silent room as he studied Ali’s pretty features. “Happy New Year, Ali,” he breathed, pressing a soft kiss against her skin and slowly laying himself back down. Pilar’s smile grew even wider as she realized…Ali was smiling in her sleep.

“Where are Aunt Sheridan and Luis?” Ethan wondered aloud, his blue eyes looking anywhere but at Beth’s face. “It’s almost time…” Beth blushed, smiling slightly at the panic on his boyish features as the countdown began, and he realized they were still dancing together. Still in each other’s arms. “Maybe they went out on the terrace to see the fireworks better.” Ethan’s eyes gravitated toward the terrace. He didn’t find his aunt there, but he did see Chad and Theresa getting a head start on everybody. A pang of regret rose inside his chest until he looked into Beth’s understanding brown eyes. The Seascape crowd grew louder as the countdown drew closer to an end, and Ethan started babbling nervous nonsense that made Beth giggle. His frantic search for distraction and silly worry for his mother almost had her rolling her dark eyes at him. Friends? More? Beth wasn’t sure, but she was ready to find out, and she refused to let him escape.

Kay grinned into Miguel’s dark eyes, giddy that she’d managed to carry out her part of the plan to have Abby in Dr. Nick’s arms as it neared midnight. Whitney nursed a flute of champagne beside her and Miguel while across the Seascape dance floor Abby was clutching her dream man for dear life. With all the bad that had plagued them, she still felt thankful. Happy even. She had her husband. She had the rest of her family. And most importantly…she had her boys. In a few short days’ time, Joshua would have the gift of hearing restored to him. She couldn’t wait for him to know the sound of her voice. She couldn’t wait to introduce him to a whole new world, and she’d do it with Miguel by her side. This year was going to be better than the last. She could feel it.

Her friends were all around her, but Abby was focused on only one person as the hour drew near, and she stood still, her hazel eyes gazing into gray, disbelieving the approaching moment was actually real. Celebratory cheers went up as the clock struck twelve, and the familiar song started playing. Abby’s pulse raced. She was having trouble breathing …just not freaking out in general, and she glanced around. Looking anywhere but at him, and those lips she wanted so much on hers. Gwen had her arms thrown around Hank’s neck, the evening’s earlier tiffs obviously forgotten. Theresa and Chad looked young and in love. Kay was making good on her promise to kiss Miguel silly, and Beth and Ethan…

“Go Beth,” Abby said. In total admiration. Younger man, rich, sometimes a square, but a sweet square… She looked back to Gray Eyes longingly, congratulating and damning herself in the same breath as soon as she blurted, “Are you going to kiss me or do I have to attack you myself?” She molded herself against his firm body, her hands clutching his upper arms for support as his lips brushed against hers in a kiss that was sweet, gentle, and… “Too damn short,” she muttered, yanking his mouth back to hers when he moved to pull back and threading her fingers through his dark hair. Let him think it was the champagne, she thought to herself as he grinned against her mouth. “That was better,” she breathed, sagging against him. Damn! If it wasn’t the return of the jello legs…

The beauty of the sparkling and exploding fireworks was reflected in Ali’s innocent , awestruck young face and Cristian’s wide, luminous dark eyes as they nestled close together in their parents’ embrace, wrapped in blankets upon blankets against the car hood. Sheridan sighed happily as Luis brought her closer, brushing his lips against her temple before grasping her chin in his hand and bringing her lips to his own in a tender kiss filled with love and optimism. “Happy New Year,” they whispered to each other and to their children. And they held on to each other ‘til the last firework died out in the midnight sky.

Chapter 37

Katie lay the newspaper she was reading down as soon as she heard Dr. Taylor’s voice. “Katie? Is Ali’s room ready for her?” “Ready,” Katie nodded, walking over to join him at the edge of the nurses’ desk. Nick took the offered paper from her hands, his gray eyes drawn to the photo spanning the front page. It was a photo of the new police chief with his family at the previous day’s induction ceremony. “They’re such a beautiful family, aren’t they?” Katie noted, watching Nick’s reaction carefully out of the corner of her eyes. Katie wasn’t stupid, and she wasn’t cruel. But she liked the man in front of her. Respected him. Wanted him to be happy. And clinging to the dream of his young patient’s mother belonging to him someday wasn’t going to bring him happiness anytime soon. Somebody HAD to make him see that.

A thousand emotions flitted across Nick’s handsome face, and when he raised serious gray eyes to her, Katie knew he knew what she was trying to do. “Yes, Katie. They are. What about the bed? Jen…Sheridan’s pregnant. She needs her rest, and sleeping in that uncomfortable chair beside Ali’s bed won’t do. There’s no way she’s going to leave Ali to go home and rest. Is the other bed set up in Ali’s room?” “Everything’s ready,” Katie smiled at him. “I love that little girl. Do you think I wouldn’t make sure she has everything she needs? Especially her mommy?” One look into Nick’s gray eyes told her he didn’t think that at all. “I’ve missed her. I just wish we were seeing her again under different circumstances,” Katie sighed. “At least she was well enough to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s at home. That reminds me,” Katie’s eyes twinkled at Nick, who ducked his dark head and wouldn’t meet her gaze. “There’s a rumor going around about you and one wacky physical therapist. Involving champagne, dancing, Auld Lang Syne, and a kiss. Any merit to it?” Katie teased.

“It was nothing,” Nick answered her, grabbing his charts and taking off down the hall. Katie sighed and followed after him. “Nothing?” Katie questioned. “C’mon. Was there really no attraction? No spark?” Nick glanced at her and shook his head in annoyance. “Or was there?” Katie wondered as they stopped in front of the hospital room Ali Lopez-Fitzgerald would soon reclaim. “Admit it. It wasn’t so bad kissing Abby. I think you even liked it a little. But a part of you…” “Part of me what?” Nick asked, narrowing his gray eyes at her. “You know Katie…before today you were my favorite nurse on staff…” Yeah, Katie thought, nearly rolling her eyes. And the least favorite nurse of her colleagues because of that. “What?” Nick prodded. “I think I know you well enough by now to know when something’s on your mind, and you’ve never been one to keep quiet before. Go ahead. Let me have it.”

“You really want me to let you have it?” Katie asked, crossing her arms and staring into his ever-changing eyes. She watched them as they changed under her steady gaze from gray to silver, and he hesitantly nodded his head at her. “Don’t do anything stupid. Leave them alone. Leave her alone,” she told him in a low voice. “This is…you don’t know what you’re talking about, Katie. I’m not DOING anything. My feelings for…” “Aren’t returned,” Katie interrupted gently. “There’s no rule that says you have to spend the rest of your life alone because the one you want can’t be yours. You’ll be miserable, and it’ll be all YOUR fault. You like Abby. I can tell,” Katie smiled at him. “See?” she wagged her finger under his nose. “You get that funny little half-smile on your lips when you hear her name.”

“The woman’s hazardous to my health,” Nick smirked in response, “I never said I didn’t like her, Katie. But I’m not looking for a relationship with her. With anyone,” he elaborated when Katie looked skeptical. “Things would be too awkward if we ever…and it didn’t work out. I’d have to move out, and there’s no way in hell I’m going back to…” “Mrs. Bennett,” Katie smiled brightly. Nick blinked. How did Katie know Grace? What the…he whirled around to face the petite redhead. “Grace,” Grace corrected Katie, smiling at Nick. “I haven’t seen too much of you since you moved out of the B & B. I hope things are going well with Abby. Kay tells me you two had a rough start, but things are great now.” Katie grinned at the memory of the pepper spray incident. “Things are good,” Nick answered her, ignoring Katie’s quiet laughter. “I hope there’s nothing wrong,” he said, rubbing a big hand over Joshua’s dark head. “Nothing’s wrong is there, Joshua?” Grace spoke to the toddler in her arms, “he’s getting some preliminaries done before the surgery. Kay’s outside parking the car. She’s supposed to…” Grace trailed off after glancing at the watch on her arm. “…meet us. We’re late. I hope you can excuse us…” “Nice lady,” Katie mused as they watched Grace hurry down the hall. “Real nice,” Nick agreed. “I hear she bakes a mean Tomato Soup Cake…” “Katie,” Nick could only laugh.

Abby’s hazel eyes twinkled when she saw Kay standing outside her office. “Hi Joshua,” she said, tugging the little boy’s sneakered foot. “How’d the prelims go?” she asked, fitting her key in the lock and twisting the knob to let her unexpected guests inside. “Not bad,” Kay answered her, settling her son down on the edge of Abby’s beaten, old desk and giving Abby the once over. “Damn, am I glad you’ve lost the shades,” she stated with a grin. Abby rolled her eyes and leaned against the closed door. “Hangovers weren’t that vicious in college,” she smirked, “I thought your mom was coming with you.” “She went to lunch with Eve. Aren’t you avoiding something?” Kay arched a dark brow teasingly at her friend, taking a seat behind her son. “I couldn’t get anything out of you yesterday…” “Yeah, well,” Abby sighed. “That’s because there was nothing to get. I don’t even know how I got home from the party. Was I conscious or unconscious the last time you saw me?” she wondered. Kay pondered the question for a moment then smiled apologetically at Abby. “You were kind of out of it. Is he a good kisser?” Abby hedged the question, but if the smile on her lips was any indication…

“How was Chicago?” Abby asked, walking toward them and slumping down in the only chair in the office. Besides her desk chair, of course. “Cold. Windy. Nice,” Kay said softly. “It’s funny. Jess and I were never that close, but the last week or so…it was different. I think we’ve both grown up. It just took me a little longer to reach the same wavelength. I miss her. I wish she and Reese would come back to Harmony…what? Abby,” Kay laughed in slight embarrassment. Abby tucked her legs beneath her, offering Kay an understanding smile. “It’s the holidays. Temporary insanity,” she declared. “I nearly begged Shane to fly in from New York.” Kay grinned, “Why don’t you? I’d REALLY like to meet him.” “Shane?” Abby scoffed. “My big brother? You’re kidding, right? He’s serious, sane, SO not like me at all. You’d hate him.” “So I only like lunatics like you now?” Kay joked. Abby just smiled at her, “Want to grab lunch? I have another patient in less than an hour so we’re limited to the cafeteria, but it’s not ALL bad.” “Only if you promise to take us out to a finer establishment next time. Right Joshua?” Kay said, tracing Joshua’s silky cheek with her thumb and making him smile before she lifted him up into her arms. “Who says there’s going to be a next time?” Abby arched a tawny brow at her when she walked out the door. “Where’s my favorite little bald guy?” she inquired with a smirk as she shut off the lights and locked the office door behind her.

Chad set the last box in his hands down in the floor, his dark eyes surveying the guest room Theresa was going to be calling home for the next few…well, he wasn’t certain how long she would be here. Probably as long as Sheridan and Luis needed her. He couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. He was supposed to be helping her move into his apartment. He laughed when Max bounded onto the bed, rolling over and presenting his golden tummy to be scratched. Chad bent at the waist to oblige the overgrown pup. “I’m leaving it up to you to take care of my girl while she’s taking care of Cristian. Understand?” Max barked in affirmation, causing Chad to grin and another someone to giggle. “I can take care of myself,” Theresa smiled at him as he straightened up and started walking toward her. “You’re not disappointed, are you? About me not moving in with you? With Ali’s treatments starting back up and Luis being chief of police, neither Sheridan nor my brother is going to be home much, and they want Cristian to be where he’s comfortable. Not passed from Mama to Ethan and Ivy to…”

Chad pressed his lips to her babbling mouth then pulled back. “I can live with the disappointment. It’s a good thing you’re doing.” “Cristian and I are going to have lots of fun, aren’t we?” Theresa smiled to the subdued little boy watching them from the doorway, one of Miss Priss’s squirming progeny in his arms. “Yeah,” Cristian said softly, and it didn’t escape Chad or Theresa that he wasn’t terribly enthused. Theresa knelt at Cristian’s feet and reached a hand up to stroke the mewling kitten’s smoky gray fur. “Ali has to go to the hospital so Dr. Nick can make her better, Cristian.” Cristian’s big brown eyes welled up, and he nodded his dark head, his voice trembling and filled with tears. “I know. But I still don’t like it when she goes. I get lonely,” he sniffled. “I miss Ali and Mommy already. I’m not brave like Daddy says. I don’t know how.” Theresa gathered him close, protesting kitten and all, and murmured against his damp cheek, “That’s not true. You’re one of the bravest little boys I know. Even the bravest person gets scared sometimes, Cristian. Don’t feel bad about it. I,” she pulled back to smile at him as she cupped his face between her palms, “I still think you’re brave, and Chad does too.” Tears clung to the fringes of Cristian’s dark lashes as he looked at Chad. “You’re the man,” Chad gave the little boy a nod of agreement. Cristian’s eyes sparkled, and a small smile appeared on his lips.

“Hand Smoky to me, and go wash your hands. Nana said she’d be here with lunch any minute,” Theresa held her hands out for tiny kitten, and Cristian carefully handed it over. “You’re good with him,” Chad grinned at her when Cristian disappeared through the door. “Thanks,” Theresa said, giving him a quick kiss and strolling after her nephew. “Theresa! Oh man,” Chad swore as Smoky’s tiny claws sank further into his sweater, and the kitten started climbing up his chest. Chad carefully pried the furball’s claws from his sweater and held it eye to eye with him. “Now what’d I tell you ‘bout respect? Me and you got to set a few things straight about my clothes,” he scolded in a menacing voice. Only to be met with the soft sound of the kitten’s content purring. Chad gathered the kitten close with a roll of his eyes and walked toward the open door. “I paid good money for these rags…”

Chapter 38

Sheridan’s hands trembled holding Ali’s long golden blond hair off her pale, tired face. Wave after wave of nausea had blindsided Ali since late afternoon. Sheridan had never seen her daughter so sick, and it worried her. “Mommy,” Ali cried weakly, “Mommy, make it stop. Please make it stop.” Sheridan’s hand frantically fumbled for the call button, and she kissed Ali’s sweat-dampened temple, murmuring nonsensical words meant to soothe. “Mommy’s doing all she can, Baby,” she whispered thickly, her lips brushing against Ali’s ear. “I know it’s rough, but we have to get you better…” Katie’s footsteps were soft, so soft Sheridan was surprised to look up and find her giving them a sympathetic look. “Hey, Sweetie,” Katie cooed, dabbing Ali’s brow with a cool cloth and staring into Ali’s blue, tear-filled eyes. “You’re doing fine. I’m so proud of you. I know you’re uncomfortable, and you feel really sick…”

Ali’s chin quivered, and her tiny fingers squeezed Sheridan’s hand tightly as she looked to Katie for help. “I have…to…” Katie helped support Ali as she leaned forward, unable to keep the contents of her stomach down any longer. “I’m…sor..sorry,” Ali cried, her tiny shoulders quaking as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. “Ali,” Sheridan choked, sweeping Ali’s golden hair off her neck and tying it back loosely with a ribbon, “You have nothing to feel sorry for.” “Your mommy’s right, Doll,” Katie murmured softly. “It’s the medicine. It’s really strong, and…” Ali’s entire body shuddered violently, and Sheridan had the strongest desire to scream at the irony that the medicine fighting Ali’s cancer was making her so ill. Ali’s sobs were heartwrenching, and Sheridan felt like her heart was permanently lodged in her throat when Ali started crying for Luis. “I want my daddy! Daddy!”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Hank yelled as MJ tore past him and Gwen, practically plowing them down in his efforts to escape punishment. Joshua’s sobs were muffled against Grace’s neck, but they were still loud. Even over the music. “Where do you think you’re going?” Hank questioned, grabbing MJ’s arm and pulling him up short. “You don’t push your little brother like that. If your mom were here…” “She’s not,” MJ said defiantly. “She’s not here. She went to the airport, and…why’s Joshua having a party? He’s just a stupid baby!” Miguel sighed heavily and grabbed his son on the way to the kitchen. “Something tells me Miguel’s not used to laying down the law,” Hank smirked as he watched the younger man disappear with his kicking and screaming son. “Bennett!” Gwen hissed. “What? Ouch,” Hank scowled back at his wife after she’d hit him in the arm. “MJ’s taking sibling rivalry to the extreme, Babe. He could have really hurt the kid shoving him into the coffee table like that…Kay better drop off Simone and Whitney quick and hurry back…the kid is a spoiled br…”

Gwen glared at him, daring him to continue, “I suppose you were a saint.” “That’s right,” Hank grinned. “Sam was the one always getting in trouble…” “Is that so?” Sam rolled his eyes. “Then why is it that…” Gwen pushed herself up from the sofa and went in search of her frighteningly, uncharacteristically quiet children as Sam and Hank continued their debate. “Eve,” Gwen paused to question Eve and Grace, “have you seen Jake or the girls?” “I think I saw them in the kitchen,” Grace said helpfully. Gwen walked into the kitchen to find MJ glaring to no one in particular with Emily happily coloring at the opposite side of the table, and two brown heads together near the garbage disposal. Miguel was nowhere to be found. “Jake! Sara! What on earth are you two doing?” she asked, blanching when she saw the mess they’d made. “We’re throwing away all Aunt Grace’s yucky stuff,” Sara said matter-of-factly. “Jake,” Gwen glowered. “You know better. Sara knows better too, but you’re the oldest…” Jake shrugged his shoulders, unfazed and simply said, “I was bored.” “Aunt Grace doesn’t have anything good in her house,” Sara complained. “Sara…in the living room…NOW!” Gwen pointed. “Not you,” she said, grabbing her son by the arm as he tried to sneak past. “Help me clean this up before your Aunt Grace comes in here and sees it.” Jake made a show of grumbling but soon made himself useful. Cleaning was just the distraction they needed. Their thoughts too wrapped up in Ali to feel like celebrating. Even something as wonderful as Joshua’s implant surgery.

Abby wiped the steam from the bathroom mirror with the edge of her lavendar towel, hazel eyes studying her own reflection critically. Shoulder-length tawny hair she could live with--though it could stand to be lightened some more. She was all for giving her natural color a little more pizzazz. Smooth, clear complexion. No wrinkles…okay, okay, she conceded with a wry grin. Laugh lines made faint impressions around her eyes, making her wish she’d been cursed with a more somber disposition. Until she thought about frown lines. How much fun was it to be constantly pissed off? Not much, she reasoned, deciding laugh lines were okay after all. The mole on the upper lip did wonders for Cindy Crawford, but Abby doubted it gave her added appeal. She was glad the bathroom mirror wasn’t floor-length. If she was less than pleased with her face… She turned around, slipping her arms through the robe that’d been hanging on a hook on the back of the bathroom door. She’d lied to Kay. To be more accurate, she’d been only half-truthful. She remembered enough about that night to know Gray Eyes was totally uninterested in her. Some of the details WERE a little fuzzy though, and she hoped to God her memory of a certain bumbled attempt to seduce the man in her drunken state was all a really bad nightmare.

She walked into the kitchen, grabbing a spoon from a drawer and opening up the freezer to withdraw the pint of Rocky Road. The ice cream was deliciously and achingly cold as it slid down her throat, and she pulled an old blanket over her lap, tucking her bare feet beneath her as she settled down on the couch and turned on the television. Reruns, nothing, more reruns. “Why the hell am I paying for this shit?” she wondered aloud, turning the television back off and plunging the room into darkness except for the dim kitchen lights. There was so much to think about, so much on her mind, and the cover of darkness made all the thoughts she’d pushed back during the day come rushing back full-force. Ali. Sweet, innocent Ali so sick it made her heart ache and emotion cloud her brain sometimes. Joshua. Kay’s excitement over her son’s surgery, and what it would mean. Gray Eyes. Her teen-aged crush on the man, and the futility of wanting someone that didn't want her back. Her brother. The loneliness of being separated from the only person in the world that knew ALL of her and loved her in spite of it, despite being one of the most annoying people on earth. Too many thoughts. Enough magnitude of feeling to make her numb or burst. “To hell with it,” she cursed, placing the half-empty pint of ice cream onto the coffee table and pulling the blanket up over her shoulders as she sank into the pillows. The exhaustion that had been creeping up on her all day finally caught up with her as she closed her heavy lids and let sleep overtake her.

Nick gripped the steering wheel firmly as he drove away from the hospital, images from the scene he’d just left flitting through his mind. Her daddy by her side was the salve to any hurt Ali might suffer, and the little girl had finally found a sort of peace with Luis’s arrival. And, he grudgingly admitted to himself, Luis brought with him the comfort Sheridan sought. He’d left them holding on to each other for dear life, overwhelmed and broken but determined to be Ali’s strength. Unbidden feelings of jealousy coursed through his veins. Feelings he concentrated on tamping down as he cut through town, remembering Katie’s well-intentioned lecture earlier. She was right, and he knew it. But that didn’t mean he could turn his feelings off. Just like that. He didn’t want to love another man’s wife. But the fact of the matter was…he DID. He DID love Sheridan. He’d loved her from the moment he’d first seen her, and he hadn’t been able to erase that feeling when fate had stepped in and reunited her with her family. He wanted to be the better guy and step away. Let her live her life with the ones she loved. But he was selfish, and he admitted it to himself. Ali’s cancer was devastating, but it had brought Sheridan back into his life. His feelings were a mess that could only mean trouble, and he had no right to pull anyone else down with him. Least of all Abby. And that was exactly why he was going to do his best to keep her at a friendly distance no matter how tempted he was to seek the distraction he knew she could provide. His thoughts and feelings were EVERYWHERE, jagged and bouncing from place to place as he maneuvered the car through the streets, and he paid no attention to the flashing red and blue lights and siren of the ambulance as it sped past him.

Two cars, twisted mockeries of crushed metal, were empty on a secluded, dangerous stretch of highway. Two occupants in body bags, and another in an ambulance racing along the icy streets to the hospital. Snow drifted gently from the night sky, mingling with the blood that stained the pavement. A policeman questioned a weeping witness whose shoulders hunched under his borrowed jacket. Cars slowed and stopped, curious onlookers wondering at the victims’ identities, as the flashing police lights illuminated the scene. And inside one car a cell phone rang insistently. The same name appearing repeatedly as the phone went unheard…

**Miguel**

Chapter 39

Snow swirled outside the icy window pane, blanketing the front yard in sheets of white. Theresa let the drapes fall back into place, wrapped her arms firmly around her waist to ward off the encroaching chill, and turned around slowly to look at Chad. “It’s getting pretty bad out there. You should have left when you had the chance, Chad. With Mama and Papa. I don’t want you driving in this. It could be dangerous.” “Who said I was going anywhere?” Chad grinned at her, lifting the edge of the blanket off his lap and inviting her closer.

Theresa smiled and crept forward with a shake of her head. “You never intended to leave. What if Luis hadn’t decided to spend the night at the hospital with Sheridan and Ali?” “You think I couldn’t handle Luis? He’s just your standard overprotective big brother,” Chad said, smirking as she cuddled against his side and let out a contented sigh. “You underestimate him,” Theresa giggled against his shoulder, snaking her arms around his neck and hiding her cold nose there. She giggled louder when Chad flinched at the unexpected cold contact. “Damn girl. You need some warming up….” Chad was just about to kiss her, when a tired little voice startled them both apart.

“Aunt Theresa…me and Max are cold.” The golden retriever’s body quivered from head to toe, but Chad had his doubts it was from the weather. “Come here, Little Man. There’s plenty of room,” he said, smiling as the little boy rubbed his eyes with his fists sleepily and trudged across the room to crawl in between him and Theresa. Max trotting alongside of him. Only Cristian’s socked feet peeked out from beneath the blanket, and Theresa made certain the covers were tucked all around him when she felt his little body shiver against her. “Better?” she asked with a kiss to Cristian’s cheek. Cristian nodded and curled into her, resting his dark head against her shoulder. “Aunt Theresa…I can’t sleep. Will you sing to me like Mommy does?” Cristian’s heavy lidded brown eyes drifted shut, Theresa’s soft voice lulling him to sleep, and Chad stared into the flickering flames of the fire, wondering just how much worse the storm outside was going to get.

Nick turned the key in the lock, pushing the door open slowly and stepping inside. His hand fumbled for the light switch as his gray eyes adjusted to the darkness, and a strange sensation swept over him. He was fairly certain he’d seen Abby’s car in the parking lot, but the apartment was too quiet, too dark. She wouldn’t go out in this weather. Would she? He shrugged his jacket off of his shoulders and walked toward the kitchen, deciding to leave the lights off. Quiet and dark fitted his mood at the moment. He pulled a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water, his gray eyes drawn to the white flurries of snow obliterating the outside world for the time being, and he shivered as he recalled the rising howl of the wind and cutting chill he’d encountered on the short trip from his car to the steps leading inside.

The roads outside were icy, he remembered. Dangerous, he added mentally, moving from the kitchen and unconsciously gravitating toward Abby’s bedroom. The door opened noiselessly, revealing her characteristically rumpled bed with God knows what strewn across it—clothes, books, even some boxes, and he smiled without meaning to. His smile started to fade with the realization that she wasn’t in her room. He was back in the kitchen, hand on the phone, glass on the countertop before he had time to rationalize and analyze his actions. He laughed in embarrassment when he spotted the pint of ice cream on the coffee table and lay the phone down.

She didn’t stir under his scrutiny, and he allowed himself the moment to study her, pushing down the annoying sense of relief that welled up within him. It wasn’t that unusual at all to be worried for ANYBODY outside in this kind of weather, he reasoned, crouching down beside the sofa and letting his gray eyes roam over her slight figure. Her tawny hair framed her face in gentle, damp waves. Her face was scrubbed of her usual light makeup, and her lashes rest against her cheeks giving her a look of innocence that he knew didn’t exist. He had to smile at that thought, and he felt a certain disappointment that her hazel eyes were not open and twinkling at him.

He held his breath as she shifted in her sleep, and the blanket slipped further off her shoulders, revealing smooth, lightly tanned skin in the vee where her loosely tied robe came together and one bare shoulder, her arm disappearing in the too-long sleeve. His hand reached to the edge of the blanket, intent on covering her back up, but he changed his mind mid-motion, throwing the blanket from her body and sliding his arms beneath her knees. Abby sighed softly in her sleep as he gathered her close, and Nick tensed when he thought she might wake up. But she didn’t, and he soon found himself standing outside her open bedroom door, looking again at the disaster area that was her bed. He held her a little tighter, his mind made up, as he shouldered his own bedroom door open.

She slumped against him, never waking as he slipped one of his faded gray sweatshirts over her head, his hands awkwardly moving over her beneath it, untying the sash of the robe and sliding his palms upward, skimming her sides on his way to her shoulders. Freezing when he grazed the warm flesh of her breast and praying she didn’t wake up and slap him silly. “Help me out a little here,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her jaw as she unconsciously wound her arms around his neck, and he half-pulled her boneless body into his lap as he struggled to tug the robe down and out from beneath the sweatshirt. Either she was sleeping the sleep of the dead or she’d taken one of those sleeping pills she kept in the medicine cabinet.

He held her close against his chest with one arm while the other pushed the comforter back. The sweatshirt pooled around her knees, and her small hands were swallowed up in the sleeves, and he thought he’d never seen a sight that gave such a funny tug to his heart as he tucked the covers around her. Friendly distance, his brain reminded as he swept a loose strand of tawny hair that had fallen forward and settled over her lips away and found his eyes drawn to her parted mouth. He’d keep his friendly distance he vowed, ignoring the voice inside his head and lowering his head. Abby’s breath was a whisper against his skin, and his nose barely touched her own as he gently tugged her soft upper lip into a hint of a kiss. Releasing her with a quick press of his lips to her forehead and affectionate hand through her hair. Friendly distance tomorrow, he promised with new resolve as he gave her sleeping figure one last glance at the doorway. When she didn’t look as damned vulnerable as she did tonight.

Jake watched the television with bleary brown eyes. The weather guy sounded like he had a cold. Man, it was really coming down now. Not that he needed the weather guy to tell him THAT. All he had to do was look outside the window and listen to his mom and dad. They kept telling him to go to sleep, but he didn’t want to get kicked in the head by Sara or Emily. Sleeping with those two was dangerous. More dangerous than sleeping with Cristian, and he kicked a lot. Aunt Grace looked really worried. She kept pacing back and forth, rubbing Joshua’s back. Uncle Sam and Coach Russell were talking to Miguel in the kitchen, and Jake couldn’t help but feel a little bit of their worry himself. Even MJ looked afraid, refusing to let Mom drag him away from the front window and staring outside, waiting for his mom’s headlights to cut through the darkness. Jake had never seen MJ afraid before. His mom STILL hadn’t gotten back from the airport, and it’d been too long. She wasn’t answering her cell phone, and the news people kept warning people to be careful on the icy roads, and geez! Jake just couldn’t sleep with all that on his mind.

“I’m sure she’s okay,” a soft voice said, and Jake looked up into the kind dark eyes of Dr. Russell. Her words were meant to have a calming effect on them all, but Jake wasn’t stupid. Somehow he knew none of them were buying it. Especially not her. He felt his mom’s hand on his shoulder as he asked a question Dr. Russell could not answer. “Why won’t she call us?” “Maybe her battery died or there’s no service or she doesn’t want to take her eyes off the road to answer a silly cell phone…” Jake thought all his dad’s reasons were good, but he couldn’t help but frown anyway. “Jake,” his mom said lowly, shooting a warning glance toward MJ.

The phone in the kitchen started ringing, and everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at it. Aunt Grace stopped pacing, MJ turned around from the window with a hopeful look on his tired face, and Mom and Dad leaned forward in expectation as Dr. Russell stood up straight, her eyes meeting Coach Russell’s across the room when Uncle Sam answered the phone.

Miguel grabbed the phone from Uncle Sam’s hands and started firing off questions. His voice sounded funny as he held the phone out to Coach Russell and stalked across the room, grabbing his jacket, and yanking the front door open. Uncle Sam not too far behind. “Where’s my dad going?” MJ looked to Grace for answers. Dr. Russell took the phone from her husband, and Jake watched his mom and dad expectantly as Coach Russell finally spoke. “That was Simone. Her and Whitney’s flights are canceled, and they’re spending the night in a motel. Kay dropped them off at the airport and left a couple of hours ago.” “Damn,” Hank swore softly, and Jake felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched his mom lay her head on Dad’s shoulder. This wasn’t good.

Luis watched the comforting rise and fall of Ali’s tiny chest as she snuggled deeper into his wife’s arms. Fatigue and exhaustion had finally worn both his girls down, and pale golden lashes framed both their faces in slumber, making them look like peaceful angels. A welcome respite from several hours ago. Not being able to do anything, ANYTHING, to help his baby was killing him, and he hated feeling so helpless. He hated not being able to erase that ever-present worry from Sheridan’s pained blue eyes. He hated that all he could do was hold them and nothing else. Holding didn’t take away the pain permanently, and he wanted to permanently rid Ali of the sickness that was making her young body betray her.

He leaned down to press a gentle kiss against each of their cheeks, straightening back up and smoothing a hand over Ali’s damp golden hair, letting his fingertips linger across the corners of Sheridan’s parted mouth for just a moment before he withdrew them. He needed some fresh air. Needed to stretch his cramped muscles. And he knew he would probably wake them both from much needed rest with his restlessness if he stayed in the room so he pushed the door open and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. It was empty, and his footsteps echoed loudly against the tiled floor as he strode past the nurses’ desk, neglecting to wave at them since they were immersed in gossip and didn’t look up at him.

Words and excerpts of their whispered conversation reached him as he waited for the elevator doors to open. “Nasty accident…two dead…drunk driving or the icy conditions?…survivor in critical condition…rumor had it…Chief Bennett’s daughter…” Luis whirled on his heels, a prickly sensation making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “Excuse me,” he demanded of one of the nurses. He vaguely recognized her as Ellie-something. “Ellie, right?” Ellie nodded, annoyed at the interruption of her latest tell-all session, but Luis ignored the not-so-hidden eye roll she gave the other nurse before she gave him her full attention. “Did you just say Chief Bennett’s daughter?”

“You were listening?” she grumbled in protest before Luis cut her off. “Was Chief Bennett’s daughter brought in tonight? Is she all right? Are you certain she’s seriously hurt…” “What’s with the twenty questions? I don’t know. Who’s she to…oh…oh, I’ve seen her around. Visiting the kid…Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be ru…” “How bad is she?” Luis asked, face pale and brown eyes filled with dread. The other nurse’s voice softened to a whisper as she delivered news Luis would have rather not heard, “She’s bad, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. She was really messed up. Call her family. She needs them here.”

Part Five