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Chapter 13
"Pilar, I never would have believed it if I hadn’t
seen it with my own eyes" Sheridan said, her eyes sparkling.
"What wouldn’t you have believed?" Pilar questioned
as she sipped her glass of iced tea while sitting at one of the Book Cafe’s small outside tables.
"I got a flat tire on my way over here" she told
Pilar and a local policeman actually stopped to change it for me."
"That surprises you?" Pilar asked curiously.
"Why yes" Sheridan said looking at Pilar innocently.
"In Paris if you get a flat most of the time the other drivers are cursing you for slowing down their commute.
If the gendarmes help at all it’s to call a tow truck for you to get the car out of the way."
Pilar laughed. "Sheridan you will find things are
quite different in Harmony. Small town people tend to help each other out rather than cause them more problems."
"I guess Pezz was right" Sheridan said with a
quiet wistful smile.
Pilar stared at Sheridan strangely. "What was that
you just said?" She asked.
Sheridan blushed slightly. "Oh, nothing really"
Sheridan remarked. "Just this man I talked to on the computer while I was in Paris told me how different small
town life was. He said I’d love it. If what happened to me this afternoon is any indication I think he was right."
Pilar couldn’t get over how familiar the name sounded Sheridan
had just mentioned, but she shrugged it off. She didn’t know anyone in Paris other than Sheridan. She smiled at
her computer reference though. "Are you another one of those internet junkies Sheridan?" Pilar asked
in amusement. "My son recently got a computer and I can’t seem to tear him away from it. Honestly I think
he’s spent the entire last week on the computer for the entire evening, chatting or whatever they call it."
Sheridan grinned. "I can’t fault him. I’ve been known
to do the same thing myself."
Pilar laughed out loud. "Young people today, honestly!
So Sheridan, just out of curiosity, which member of Harmony’s finest came to your rescue this afternoon?"
A huge grin spread across her face. "Probably the
most handsome man on the force" she remarked without thinking. "He had the most incredible brown eyes
I’ve ever seen. I know this will sound crazy, but I couldn’t help thinking I knew him, that I’d seen those eyes
somewhere before."
"Did this officer have a name?" Pilar asked nonchalantly.
Sheridan frowned slightly. "Yes, but I’m afraid I
didn’t get his last name. His first name was Luis..."
Luis walked into the station when he was summoned by Cal
and Marty. "Come on Luis, spill it, who was she?" Cal asked. Cal was another one of the few members of
the Harmony PD that was unattached and always looking.
"Yes Luis, please tell Cal. He’s talked about nothing
but this for the last half hour" Marty Quinlan encouraged. Marty too was unattached, but not nearly as eager
to meet every available woman in Harmony as Cal was.
Luis grinned as he walked over towards his friends on his
way to his locker. "I can only tell you she’s new in town, very beautiful and her first name is Sheridan."
"That’s it"? Cal asked in surprise. "You
didn’t get her last name?"
"No I didn’t Cal" Luis said, silently chastising
himself for not.
"You know Luis, you could have run her tag and gotten
the full scoop" Cal suggested.
"Come on Cal" Marty protested. "You know
Luis would never do something like that."
"Marty’s right Cal" Luis frowned.
"Oops, sorry Luis. I almost forgot who I was talking
to" Cal grinned.
Luis gave Cal the evil eye. "I’d love to discuss this
some more, but I have to meet my mother at the book cafe. She’s found someone who she thinks will be able to help
us out at the Youth Center."
"That’s great Luis!" Marty said enthusiastically.
"I‘m sure that‘ll be a big help with the end of summer bash coming up soon."
"Yeah, no kidding. I’ll probably be spending most
of my spare time working on it" Luis admitted. "So, if you don’t mind, I need to clean up so I can go
meet my new volunteer. I don’t want to scare off my mother’s friend by looking like this" he remarked holding
up his hands that were still black from changing Sheridan’s tire earlier.
Luis bid his friends good bye, cleaned up and headed for
the book cafe.
Luis walked down the block towards the Book Cafe wondering
who it was his mother had talked into helping out at the Youth Center. He knew all of her friends and knew they
were all too busy with their own lives to donate that much time. As he came closer he spotted his mother laughing.
He smiled when he caught her gaze. He saw a woman sitting with her, but his view was obstructed by customers sitting
at the table next to them. He quickened his stride, curiosity getting the better of him. When he was only a few
feet from the table he finally saw who it was. Luis froze in place, feeling as if time was standing still. Sitting
there laughing with his mother was the most beautiful golden haired woman he’d ever seen. Her head turned slowly
when she heard Pilar announce the director was here only to find herself gazing into those eyes that had haunted
her since earlier that afternoon. Those incredibly gorgeous brown eyes that seemed to penetrate to the depths of
her soul.
"Well now" Luis said, his smile more brilliant
than usual. "We meet again." He raised a brow suggestively which sent Sheridan’s heart into flutters.
"Yes, I see that" she grinned back, her blue
eyes dancing.
"You too have already met?" Pilar asked in wonderment
as she watched the intense interaction between them.
"Yes Pilar" Sheridan smiled. "Luis is the
man I was telling you about. The very friendly Officer who changed my tire for me."
"That was very kind of you to do hijo" Pilar
remarked, still watching the pair closely. They’d hardly taken their eyes off one another. Pilar was pleasantly
surprised that Luis and Sheridan had hit it off so well. She knew what a wonderful person Sheridan was, but didn’t
think her son would be this taken with a Crane without at least a little reassurance that she was nothing like
her father or brother.
"It was nothing Mama" Luis said. "Just rescuing
a damsel in distress."
"Pilar, he’s your son?" Sheridan asked in shock.
She looked at Pilar, then Luis again and then back to Pilar. "I should have known."
"Dios
Mio" Pilar thought. "He doesn't know she's a Crane yet."
She tried to keep her face from giving away the sinking feeling that had developed.
"Well Sheridan" Luis said as he pulled a chair
up to join them. "Mama here tells me you’d like to help out at the Youth Center?" As thrilled as he was
at the prospect of having a full time volunteer, the idea that this gorgeous woman would be it excited him even
more.
Luis and Sheridan chatted endlessly about ideas for the
kids. The more they talked, the more excited Sheridan got about the prospect of working at the Youth Center. They
discussed the big party that the Center would be throwing for the end of the summer and Sheridan thought it would
be nice to have a Spanish theme. As attracted as she was to Luis, she still couldn’t get thoughts of Pezz out of
her head and the wonderful talks they’d had about Spain. She was thrilled when both Pilar and Luis agreed to the
Spanish theme.
"So when can you start Sheridan?" Luis asked
with a Cheshire cat grin.
"You mean you’d like me to work there?" Sheridan
asked eagerly.
"You bet" Luis answered.
"How about I start first thing in the morning?"
Sheridan asked hopefully.
"First thing in the morning it is then" Luis
smiled.
Pilar accompanied Luis and Sheridan to the Youth Center
for a tour. Sheridan wanted to see everything and her mind was a whirlwind of possibilities as she watched the
kids partaking in the different activities. Luis spotted his sister Theresa talking with her best friend Whitney
from across the gym and waved. Theresa suddenly became very animated, tugging on her friend’s shirt, begging her
to follow. Whitney had no choice but to go with Theresa lest she lose her favorite blouse.
"Hi Luis, Hi Mama!" Theresa said practically
bouncing with excitement.
"Hi Theresa, Whitney" Luis greeted.
"Luis, aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend?"
Theresa asked, still unable to keep the excitement out of her voice.
"Sure thing sis" Luis grinned. "Sheridan,
this is my sister Theresa. Theresa, this is Sheridan."
"I’m very pleased to meet you Theresa" Sheridan
smiled.
"Oh my God! I knew it! You’re Sheridan Crane! You’re
Ethan Crane’s Aunt!"
Luis felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach. Hard. His
mouth fell to the floor and he just stared at the woman only seconds ago he thought he could be falling for.
"Yes, that’s right" Sheridan answered, completely
oblivious to the change in Luis’ face.
"Tell me I didn’t hear what I thought I just heard?"
Luis asked, anger creeping into his voice. Sheridan turned towards him in confusion.
"Is something wrong?" Sheridan asked innocently.
Theresa saw the look in Luis’ eyes and grabbed Whitney’s arm and the two girls backed away.
"I don’t believe this! You’re a damned Crane! What
is this, some kind of sick joke? Did Julian send you here to see if you could make a fool out of me?" Luis
was angry, very angry. He was angry at himself for allowing himself to be sucked in like this. He always knew the
Cranes were evil, but with the exception of his father’s disappearing all those years ago, they'd so far stayed
out of his life. He’d always expected someday they’d try something. This must be it.
Sheridan couldn’t believe what she was hearing nor could
she believe the transformation that she saw take place right before her eyes. She wanted to say something, but
for the moment the words escaped her. His words stung, his anger hurt her to the core.
"Hijo, please" Pilar said, embarrassed that her
son would treat a woman like this.
"Mama, how could you?" Luis asked. He too was
hurt. Hurt that his mother would suggest a Crane work at the Youth Center. "How could you ask a Crane to work
here? You know better than anyone else what they’re like. She’s probably here as Julian’s spy. It’s one of the
few pieces of property in Harmony the Cranes don’t own. Julian probably wants it so he can close the only place
in Harmony that tries to help the kids of low income families. What does a Crane care if one of these kids has
to stay home alone every afternoon while their mother works her second job just to put food on the table?"
Sheridan stood there still in shock at this mans outrageous
behavior. She was still hurt, but she herself was becoming angry. Angry that he was bashing her family, angry that
she was being accused of conspiracy, but most of all, she was angry that he was judging her based on some past
deeds he held her family responsible for. After all, she had nothing to do with Crane Industries, nor did she have
much to do with the family for most of her life. Until yesterday she’d only been back to Harmony once since she
was a small child.
Luis was on a roll and had no intention of stopping. "Look
Miss High and Mighty Crane" Luis seethed, "We don’t need your help around here. The Youth Center is a
place for people to bring their kids, go to work and know they don’t have to worry about their children being influenced
by the wrong sort of people. It’s a place where the youth of Harmony can get together and have a good time as well
as hopefully learn something about themselves and how they can one day become self confident, self sufficient,
productive members of society and I will NOT allow YOU or any other member of your family to take that away from
them, do you hear me? What’s the matter, isn’t it enough that you people already own 90% of Harmony?" Luis
stared at Sheridan with utter contempt. "No, I guess not. Well Miss Sheridan Crane, you can tell your brother
for me that he’s not getting his hands on the Youth Center. so why don’t you go back to that hole you crawled out
of."
"Luis!" Pilar yelled, totally humiliated and
shocked her son would act in this manner. She knew he wouldn’t like the idea Sheridan was a Crane, but she thought
since he seemed to like her so much he might have some tolerance.
Sheridan held her hand up signaling Pilar to stop. She
then held Luis’ stare, her eyes flashing anger. She hoped the anger was hiding the hurt, because right now she
was more hurt than she’d been in a very long time. "Just who do you think you are?" Sheridan asked Luis
in a low voice. "Who died and gave you the right to judge every person you come into contact with?" Sheridan’s
voice was becoming louder by the second. "You don’t know me, you know nothing about me and I resent the fact
that you’re accusing me of trying to sabotage this Center for the Cranes. Look, not that it’s any of your business,
but all I wanted to do was spend some time with the kids. I wanted to help make a difference in some child’s life.
I don’t know what beef you have with my brother Julian, but don’t you dare ever take it out on me again. Do I make
myself clear?"
"Oh, don’t you worry sister" Luis said in a calm
condescending voice. "All you have to do is stay on your side of the tracks and I’ll never accuse you of anything
again, because I’ll never have to lay eyes on you again." Luis smiled evilly, "Just don’t get caught
doing anything illegal, because if you do, I’m gonna catch ya. And don’t forget to tell your brother that for me
too. Hell, you can tell your whole family that."
"Go to hell" Sheridan yelled, unable at the moment
to say anything else. Fearing tears would be coming soon she turned on her heel and began walking out of the Youth
Center, her head held high in the air.
Sheridan walked almost out of the Youth Center when she
felt the first tear fall down her face. Try as she might, she couldn’t stop them from coming. In all her 26 years,
no one had ever spoken like that to her. Usually people were in awe of the Crane name. Most resented their money
and power but no one ever showed it in this manner. All she wanted to do at this moment was pack her things and
head right back to Paris. Once outside, Sheridan stopped on the steps and inhaled a welcomed breath of fresh air.
"Oh Pezz, you were wrong, so wrong. Why couldn’t I have lived in the same town as you? Why couldn’t it have
been you who changed my tire today?" She said wistfully.
Sheridan was so caught up in her own sorrow, she almost
didn’t see the little girl standing at the corner of the building crying softly. Her heart going out to the child,
she decided to see if she could help.
Pilar stared at her son in complete disbelief. The kids
had scattered long ago leaving Pilar and Luis alone in the gym. There was one person who was brave enough to approach
Luis at this point, yet so far she’d gone unnoticed. as she stood in the doorway listening.
"Luis Lopez Fitzgerald! No te puedo creer! Yo nunca
críe a mi hijo comportarse de mañera tan atroz. Tu comportamiento no tiene escusa!" Pilar only
reverted to her native tongue when she was extremely upset. Somehow though, this time it didn’t phase Luis in the
least.
"She’s a damned Crane Mama" Luis spat bitterly.
"That’s all the excuse I need."
"Luis!" Pilar shouted again. "Don’t you
dare speak about Sheridan like that! You don’t know her any more than you know Ethan."
"Yes, but I know Julian and Alistair. I know what
those two bastards are capable of and you do too. Mama, I hate it that you work for those bastards."
"Luis, I grant you that Julian and Alistair are very
secretive men, but Ethan and Sheridan are nothing like them, I assure you. I practically raised both of them as
small children."
"Their last name is Crane isn’t it?" Luis asked
sarcastically.
"Luis, Sheridan has even less in common with her family
than I do. She’s spent almost her entire life in Europe at boarding schools away from the influence of her family.
She takes after her mother, God rest her soul who had one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever known."
"Her mother is dead?" Luis asked.
"Yes Luis" Pilar answered. "That’s one of
the reasons Sheridan was sent off to school. She never got over her mothers death. They were too close, too much
alike. After her mother died hijo, I treated Sheridan as one of my own. She is a very special young woman."
"That’s just my point Mama" Luis remarked, a
little less venom in his voice. "Her mother married into the Crane family and look where it got her, dead.
Let’s not forget she was Julian’s mother too."
The young woman had moved from the doorway and quietly
walked up behind Luis. "Luis, if you’d quit yelling long enough to listen to your mother, you’d see that all
she is saying is that you should cut her some slack" she said with an amused grin on her face.
Luis turned his body towards the voice and a slight grin
appeared on his face. His tense body seemed to relax. "Jay!" He exclaimed pulling his friend into a huge
bear hug. It’s great to see you."
Jay told him when she finally pulled back from their embrace,
"I have to tell you Luis, I agree with Pilar on this one."
"Oh hell, not you too!" Luis groaned. Why did
he have the feeling he was being ganged up on?
"Yeah, me too" Jay replied dryly. "What
did that poor woman ever do to you? I’ve seen you treat criminals, the scum of the earth, better than you just
treated Sheridan Crane."
"Thank you Jay" Pilar said, pleased she had some
help. "I’ve been trying to tell Luis what a wonderful person Sheridan is. He knows it in his heart as well.
He and Sheridan were getting along very well until he heard her last name was Crane."
"You’re welcome Pilar" Jay smiled. "Now,
back to you Luis, What did she ever do to you?"
"She’s a Crane" Luis repeated again. "That’s
all I needed to hear."
"Haven’t you been listening to anything your mother
has been saying? According to Pilar she is nothing like Alistair or Julian Crane."
"That’s not the point" Luis said, but he knew
he was about to lose this argument and it was killing him.
"That’s exactly the point hijo" Pilar pointed
out. "Sheridan is one of the most kind and considerate women I know. She has a good heart Luis."
"Luis, I know why you hate the Cranes. I know all
the reasons. And they are good reasons, but what is it about Sheridan Crane that makes you hate her like you hate
the rest of them?"
"Luis laughed. "Jay, how long are you going to
be here? It might take me awhile to compile the list."
Jay stared at her friend. She wasn’t letting him out of
this one, no way. "Get off it pal" Jay scolded. You are making a snap judgment about a woman you know
nothing about, based solely on who her family is instead of judging her as her own person."
"Damn it Jay!" Luis shouted. "You know as
well as I do that the damned Cranes had something to do with my father‘s disappearance!"
"Ahh, the truth comes out. Luis calm down. Stop shouting
and use that fabulous brain of yours for a minute. Do you honestly believe that Sheridan Crane had anything to
do with your father’s disappearance? She was what, ten or twelve when your father disappeared? We won’t even mention
the fact that she’s been out of the country for at least that many years. What is it you think she did..."
"Enough already, I get the point" Luis said in
defeat.
"Do you Luis?" Pilar questioned.
"Yes Mama" Luis answered. "She’s nothing
like Julian and Alistair and had nothing to do with Papa’s disappearance."
"So tell me, what started this whole thing anyway?"
Jay asked.
Luis jammed his hands in his pockets and rolled his eyes
as his mother explained to Jay the fact that Sheridan wanted to volunteer at the Center.
"That’s it? This is all because she wanted to volunteer
her
time and help YOU
out with the kids here? Smart Luis, very smart."
"Look, how was I supposed to know she wasn’t a spy
for her brother" Luis asked defensively. "I put nothing past those lowlifes."
"Tell me Luis, how many people do you have banging
down your door wanting to help you out here, for free? Huh? How many volunteers do you have here with unlimited
time to put in here, huh?"
Luis just stared at Jay, not knowing what to say. "That’s
what I figured" Jay remarked. "Now since I love you so much and since I’m already looking for a good
excuse to get out of the house, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, just for you, querido" Jay said with a
slight twinkle in her eye, "I’ll help out here in the mornings and keep an eye on Ms. Crane for you. That
way you can give that suspicious little brain of yours a rest while you’re at the station. Besides, if she’s here
during the day and you come after work, you won’t have to spend much time together."
"That sounds like a wonderful offer Jay" Pilar
smiled. "Hijo?"
The look on Luis’ face right now was anything but happy.
He knew they were right which made him feel almost as bad as the thought of a Crane working at the Youth Center.
"Well, I suppose if Jay’s willing to watch her..."
"Good choice buddy" Jay said as she grabbed Luis
by the arm and started walking him to the door.
"Where are we going?" He asked.
"We are going to find Ms. Crane so YOU my friend can
apologize and offer her a job."
Luis, Jay and Pilar opened the door to the Youth Center,
hoping to still see Sheridan’s car. What they saw instead almost caused Luis to blow a gasket, but Pilar and Jay
restrained him. Sheridan was sitting Indian style on the ground with Tammy, a six year old girl who hadn’t spoken
to anyone in a year. He mother had died at that time and Tammy hadn’t uttered a word since.
Sheridan was playing jacks with her and though Tammy wasn’t
talking with her, she was smiling and interacting with Sheridan more than she had anyone in a long time. Sheridan
saw the group watching her and decided it was time to finish her game with Tammy.
"Now Tammy, do you remember what I showed you?"
Sheridan asked in a sweet voice.
Tammy smiled and nodded.
"Good. Now, I want you to go back to those other girls
and show them what you learned, ok?"
Tammy nodded as she gathered up her toys. She turned to
walk away, but changed her mind and threw her arms around Sheridan giving her a great big hug. Sheridan felt a
huge tug at her heart as she watched the little girl run off to find her friends.
"Sheridan, that was truly amazing" Pilar said
completely stunned. "Tammy has shut out nearly everyone since her mother died a year ago."
"Is that why she won’t speak?" Sheridan asked
sadly. "No wonder I felt so drawn to her."
Jay walked up to Sheridan and introduced herself. "I’m
Jay, Sheridan" she said smiling" and Luis here has something he’d like to say to you."
"I’m pleased to meet you Jay" Sheridan said courteously,
"but I am afraid I’ve heard as much from Officer Lopez Fitzgerald as I care to hear, thank you."
"Sheridan" Pilar said "Luis wants to apologize
for his behavior inside earlier."
"Oh?" Sheridan asked suspiciously.
"Go ahead Luis" Jay said, the look in her eyes
told him she wasn‘t backing down, not for an instant. Luis shot her an angry stare.
"Look Sheridan" Luis said fighting with himself
to get every word out. "I’m sorry for attacking you earlier. You’re right, I don’t know you. If you’d still
like to work here the job is yours and if you don’t I completely understand."
"It sounds to me like you want me to turn it down"
Sheridan challenged. Luis was about to say something, but he could feel the ice cold stares he was receiving from
both his mother and Jay and decided it was in the best interest of his health not to.
"It’s up to you Sheridan" Luis said in defeat.
"If you’d come out here before I met Tammy, I would
have told you to stick a sock in it, but I’d really like to see if I can get through to her."
"Best of luck to you" Luis said. "I gotta
go. I’m meeting someone tonight. Jay, I’ll talk to you later. Mama? Are you coming?"
"I’ll show Sheridan the ropes Luis" Jay called
after him. "No trouble really!" Luis waved his hand, not even looking at Sheridan or Jay. He and his
mother left the Youth Center parking lot while Sheridan and Jay looked on.
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