Episode 4.13

Williams Home—Cassie’s Room

“Daddy, stop.” Cassie pleaded as she watched her father pacing the hallway.

“Not now Cassie.” Larry continued to pace.

She rolled her eyes, “Fine, keep pacing. If your still doing this when you get to Pinõn Hallow, then I’ll worry. It’s not like Maggie’s never been married before.”

Larry’s eyes narrowed and Cassie sucked in her lips to keep from laughing. “Daddy, I need to go now. I have to go to the pageant. I’ll see you in a few days.”

Larry stopped and hugged his daughter, just as Ariel came out from the bedroom, “Larry, get my bag.”

“Ariel, your too far along to go with Cassie.”

Ariel rolled her eyes, “I need to go to Mercy, I’m in labor.”

Larry nodded and started down the stairs before jumping back up, “You’re what?”

“I’m in labor.”

“Go, I’ll stay and look after Gary. Just go.” Cassie stated as she watched her father and stepmother hurry down the stairs.

After a moment of letting it all sink in, she knew she would have to miss this pageant.

Davis Cabin

Chad knocked on the bathroom door; Abby wrapped the white towel around her damp body. “Yes?”

Chad put his hand on the door, “I left some clothes for you on the bed.”

Abby placed her hand on the door and took a deep breath, “Thank you Chad.”

Chad took a few steps away from the door and then left the room, he couldn’t believe she was here.

He walked into the living room and checked on the fire he had built. As he pushed a log away with the poker he got distracted by the flames and didn’t hear Abby come in.

When he looked up, and saw her in the glow of the flame his heart beat faster. All of these stolen moments were worth more then almost anything. His children were the only people worth more to him. “You never did tell me, what are you doing here?”

Abby pushed her damp hair behind her ear, “I had to see you.”

“What about Ethan?”

“He’s out of town.”

Chad leaned against the mantle, looking away from her but still able to see her in the mirror. “Abby, you should know that I love you with everything I have in me.”’

She stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders, “I do know that Chad. I saw it in your eyes the night we made love, I saw it when I ran to Ethan instead of you, I saw it when I married him.” She pulled back, “I saw it when I was testifying in court.”

Chad couldn’t turn around, “If you saw it all those times, then why are you married to Ethan and not me?”

“I got scared when Brighton kidnapped me Chad.” she put one hand on his shoulder, “If that could happen as just your nanny. What could happen as your wife?”

He covered her hand with one of his, “Abby, who do you love? Me or Ethan?” his voice shook, his eyes watered, his heart didn’t seem to beat as he waited for an answer.

“You Chad, I love you.” She tried to hold back her tears, “Sometimes it feels like I’ve loved you before I met you. Like nothing was going to keep us apart. Only I screwed up when I married Ethan.”

“You’re not going to leave him, right?”

Abby didn’t answer; she just wiped the tears that were running down her cheeks away.

Chad turned and looked at her, his eyes just as red and wet as hers. “What are we suppose to do Abby? Live on these moments where we pour our hearts out to each other, only to have it get ripped away from us at any moment? Can you really deny yourself love? Or did you come here for one last night with me, so that we could say goodbye, and then you can try and push me in the arms of another woman?”

“I don’t want to say goodbye to you Chad. I just know I can’t leave Ethan.”

“You can’t, or you won’t?” Chad stepped away from her and walked into the kitchen, “Because Abby, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t want to live with out you.”

She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, “I don’t want to live without you either, but I took vows in front of God.” She followed him and leaned against the edge of the counter, her head tilted to the side, “So we do have to say goodbye, because we can’t be that to each other.”

Chad’s frustration built up in his body and for a moment Abby was sure he was going to throw something, just before he pulled her towards him, they’re bodies pressed against each other as they kissed.

Caspian Vineyard—Gate House

Siobhan took a deep breath as she walked up to the old building. She had spent so many hours day dreaming about finding love here. Part of her always figured this was where she would get married. She could see it with the white fairy lights, and cleaned up a bit of course, with candles and everything. The perfect wedding, to the perfect man. Too bad he was nowhere near Pinõn Hallow.

Before opening the door her mind flashed back for a moment on kissing the mysterious Elijah on the beach in Bermuda. Just as she stepped into the old gatehouse, she knew immediately that something was different. She took a few more steps before realizing the sheets that had covered the furniture were gone, and it looked like someone had started to clean it. Someone was living here.

Immediately she went to the door, and began to run towards her car. It would look really bad if a local detective was accused of breaking and entering.

As she got in her car, it decided to stall. As it sputtered Siobhan began to panic, more then she already was. All romantic notions about the Vineyard began to disappear, especially when someone began to knock on the driver side window.

She looked up and saw Becker looking at her through the glass. “Siobhan, what are you doing here?”

She rolled down her window a bit more and looked up at her former flame, “Saying goodbye to a dream.”

“Dreams just change Siobhan, you don’t have to say goodbye to them.”

She looked over to the gatehouse and sighed, “This one I do.”

Hallow Hills—Library

Doug poured another brandy as Christian looked over the papers, “So what are the chances this is even true?”

Christian shrugged, “Only a DNA test will tell us for sure. But if he is Isabella’s real father then you’re going to have a hell of a time in court. This is going to be a dirty custody battle. You’re oldest son just got off on a murder charge, you’re other son is known for being a ladies man and suddenly after a bad relationship left the state. You’ve admitted to having cheated on Adel numerous times over the years, this isn’t going to look good to a Judge.”

“Are you saying we’re going to loose her?” Adel stood in the doorway, her robe tight around her body.

Christian sighed, “I’m not a family lawyer, I know some I’ll give you their numbers. They’ll know better then me.”

Adel shook her head and stormed over to Doug, “First you bring her into our lives and now you’re going to let her get ripped away from us. No Goddamn way Douglas.” She took the brandy snifter from his hand and put it back on the wet bar, “We will not loose this child. If we do, you loose me.”

Moonlight Bar

Preston Layden took a sip of his dark lager as he watched the people around the room mingling, dancing; a group of college students were playing pool in the corner. Clay Sapp sat on the stool next to him, “So how did it go?”

Preston smiled as he leaned against the bar, “Wonderful. Doug and Adel Davis never saw it coming.”

Clay shook his head, “So how soon will the custody hearing take place?”

Preston shrugged, “Not sure, but I need to get ready for that.”

Clay picked up a peanut and broke the shell, “Like getting a job, a house, maybe someone else in your life besides me.”

Preston looked at his beer, “Job and house, yes. Someone else in my life, not yet, I can’t do that to Kathryn.”

“Until you see a woman that turns your head.” Clay popped another shelled peanut into his mouth just as a woman walked in the front door.

Preston noticed his friends expression and followed his gaze, where his eyes landed on the woman, not much older then him. Her dark hair, resting softly on her shoulders, she was dressed casually, but not too much so. She wasn’t a tourist, that was obvious, she couldn’t be she was way too relaxed.

“Dr. Montgomery, what are you doing here?” One of the college boys playing pool in the corner yelled over to her.

Preston could tell that Dr. Montgomery wasn’t very amused, “Eric Savoren, you’re still attending PHC?” Her question seemed to rise over the incredibly bad hip-hop that was pumping through the sound system.

“Smitten already?” Clay watched as Preston balanced the beer in his hands.

“Intrigued.” Preston put his drink down and adjusted his tie as he went over to speak to the mysterious Dr. Montgomery.

“So will I be seeing you in any of my classes this semester Mr. Savoren?” She pulled her hair back as if to put it in a pony tail only to drop it back onto her neck.

Eric shrugged and took a sip from his beer, “Oh I don’t know, I don’t remember what I registered for.” Then he noticed Preston looking at her, “I think this gentlemen would like your attention Doc.”

She turned and saw Preston and smiled, “Do I know you?”

“Not yet, I’m Preston.” He reached out his hand.

“Kendall.” She nodded and then walked away.

Preston followed, “Do you usually walk away from people you just meet?”

“I’m sorry, but I have to meet someone.” She waved to Carsyn Raleigh. “Bye.”

Preston returned to his seat and Clay tried not to laugh.

“You’ve got to admit that was kind of funny.”

Preston rolled his eyes, “But now I’m even more intrigued by Dr. Kendall Montgomery. From what I could over hear, she’s a professor at the college.”

“Perhaps you just stumbled upon a new person for your life.”

“I doubt it, she went over to that guy in the corner.” He pointed to Carsyn before taking the final sip of his beer.

210 Shavano Court

“Wait, Ariel’s in labor?” Maggie put down the flower arrangement she was working on, “Why didn’t you call me sooner Cassie?”

“Because I had to cancel my entry in this weekends pageant alright. Besides we’ll have a new baby brother or sister soon, just in time for you to get married. Do you REALIZE how weird that is?” Her sister’s voice proved to Maggie that the younger Williams girl was not handling this well.

Maggie sighed, “Yeah, I realize very well how weird it is. You forgot to add that Ariel is my age. Anyways, new topic since I have you on the phone when does school start for you?”

“My orientation is scheduled for the day after your get together. A few days after that I’ll start school.”

Maggie went back to arranging the flowers, “It’s going to be great to have you here in town. Are you sure you want to live in the dorms?”

“Yes Mags, I’m sure. All the books I’ve read about starting college says it’s the best way to make friends. What am I suppose to do otherwise, hang out with Eric all the time?”

“God no, I mean he’s a great kid but no.”