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Chapter Fifteen
Theresa looked around her room and sighed.
Her suitcases sat in a row beside her bed. Luckily, her family had been so busy in the past few days that no one
noticed that Theresa had packed up nearly her entire bedroom. Pilar had naturally been working overtime at the
Cranes in preparation of the wedding. Luis had been with Sheridan, also doing wedding work. And Miguel had been
busy with Kay; she was going psycho or something.
Theresa slowly slid onto her bed and began to weep. This room held so many memories…her Ethan shrine; Ethan nearly
discovering it, so many dreams of the way things should be…
In just a couple of hours, all hopes of having her dreams come true would be gone. Ethan would be Gwen’s. And Theresa
would be in Miami, lonelier than ever.
Theresa had decided against letting her family know of her summer plans until after she was in Miami. That was
the best thing to do. Luis would undoubtedly freak, and her mama had enough stress with the wedding as it was.
The phone ringing jarred Theresa from her thoughts. She was in no mood to talk to anyone. Instead, she grabbed
her bags, her plane ticket, and a photo of Ethan and headed downstairs. The phone kept ringing, screaming "PICK
ME UP! PICK ME UP!"
But Theresa ignored and walked outside to meet her cab. As soon as she had the door closed, the answering machine
picked up.
She taped the note she had written to the door and took one last glimpse at her house.
"Good bye, Harmony. Good bye Ethan."
She sat on the front porch and waited.
"Hello, you have reached the Lopez- Fitzgeralds. We are unable to take your call right now, but if you’ll
leave your name and number, one of us will call ya back. Bye!" Theresa’s chipper voice sounded like music
to Ethan. But where was she?
"Damnit!" he muttered. Then he heard the beep.
"Theresa, I know you are home. PLEASE pick up the phone. Please! Theresa….I’m so sorry. You have to believe
me. Please, if you’re there…pick up. I…I love you. I’m in love with you. Please…"
"Oh. My. God."
Ethan’s heart dropped. Gwen.
He closed his cell phone and turned to face his fiancée’.
"Gwen."
"What in hell is going on here?"
She marched up to him, her face a jumble of confusion. Ethan stared into her eyes. They glowered with pure hatred.
"You son of a bitch!"
Her fury was unleashed. She started pummeling him with her fists.
"You no good, lying bastard! Tell me that you were lying. TELL ME!"
Ethan tried to fend her off, but it was no good. One fist hit him squarely across the jaw. Ethan flew back, and
Gwen erupted into sobs. She collapsed to the floor into a heap.
Ethan sat down next to her and took her in his arms. For being what he thought was a nice guy, he sure was making
a lot of women miserable lately.
"Gwen, I am so, so, sorry."
"I know you are. I just didn’t want to face the facts that we really are over, Ethan, that we were never really
in love."
"Gwen, you know I love you."
"I know, but you’re not IN love with me. You’re in love with Theresa. I’ve known that for a while now. I just
didn’t want it to be true."
Ethan nodded.
Suddenly, the door to his room flew open. A shocked Ivy stood, gaping down at them.
"What is going on here? Gwen, why aren’t you ready?"
Through her tears, Gwen smiled at Ethan. She truly didn’t resent Ethan- or Theresa. She hugged him tightly.
"Ethan, you go after her. I’ll explain to your mother."
Ethan squeezed her back, and ran out the door.
"Gwen? There IS going to be a wedding, isn’t thee?"
"Actually…"
Suddenly, Gwen’s heart took a nosedive. Theresa was going to Miami!
What have I done?
Sheridan kissed Luis lightly as they walked
through the back entrance to the Lopez- Fitzgerald house. She was all set for the wedding in her bridesmaid gown,
and Luis had never seen her look so beautiful.
"Look, Luis, you have a message."
"Huh. I thought Theresa was here. I guess she went with Whitney somewhere."
Luis pressed play on the answering machine.
"Theresa, I know you are home. PLEASE pick up the phone. Please! Theresa….I’m so sorry. You have to believe
me. Please, if you’re there…pick up. I…I love you. I’m in love with you. Please…"
Sheridan let out a squeal of laughter.
"FINALLY!" she exclaimed, then stopped. Luis was staring at her like she was crazy.
"Sher…was that Ethan? How does he know my sister? And I thought he was getting married to Gwen!"
Sheridan sighed. This was going to take a lot of explaining…
As the cab drove through Castleton, Theresa felt a jolt go through her. What was she doing? She wasn’t a quitter.
Until Ethan had said his "I do", she still had a chance.
"Wait! Turn around! Take me to the Church in Harmony!"
Ethan approached the Lopez- Fitzgerald house and walked up the front porch. In his hurry, he didn’t notice Sheridan’s
car in the driveway.
A note was stuck to the door. Ethan noticed Theresa’s handwriting. It was addressed to her family, but Ethan couldn’t
help himself. He had to know every little thing about Theresa. He read over it three times before the full force
of the letter hit him.
Theresa was on her way to Miami. It was too late. He had missed his chance.
Fate has unusual ways of working though. Ethan, as we know, is not the brightest of men. So Fate had to have been
on his side when his fantastic idea popped into his head.
He dialed the number to the Portland Airport.
"Hi, I need to know…how many flights do you have scheduled from Portland to Miami today? Just one. That is
great. Well, tell me…does this flight have a lay over? In Charleston. Thank you."
He clicked the cell phone over to another line.
"James, get the plane fueled up. I’ll be there in an hour."
Ethan was headed to Miami.
All he needed now was Whitney’s help.
Theresa got dropped of at the back part of the church. She ran inside, praying for fate to be on her side this
afternoon. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the chapel door.
No one was inside.
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