Chapter 3: Murder In Harmony
Chapter 3:
“Please don’t cry Sheridan, tell me what’s wrong.” Luis lifted Sheridan’s chin and forced her to look into his eyes. “I just want to help you.”
“You’ll think it’s stupid,” Sheridan whispered and she tried to look away but Luis wouldn’t let her.
“I would never think that your feelings are stupid. Please tell me why you’re crying.”
“It’s just that most of my life I’ve lived alone. Even when I was in boarding school my father always insisted that I didn’t share a room with anyone. When you came to live with me it was the first time that I’ve lived with anyone since I was a child, before my father sent me away. I guess I never realized how lonely my life has been until you were here and I wasn’t lonely anymore. And now you are going and I’m really going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you too.”
“You are?”
“Of course I am. But we are still going to see each other. I mean Harmony is a small town so I’m sure we’re going to run into each other all the time. And actually I was thinking that it’s going to take me a lot longer to get my stuff together than I originally thought and I don’t want to get home too late and wake up Mama because she has to go to work early. So, if you don’t mind, I was hoping I could stay tonight and go home in the morning.”
“Of course you can stay,” Sheridan said wondering what the real reason he wanted to stay was since it was still pretty early and he really didn’t have all that much stuff to pack.
“Great. And since this is our last night together, I mean our last night living in the same house, and you are officially out of danger, I think we should do something to celebrate. I’ll take you out anywhere you want, you just name it.”
“We can do anything I want?”
“I know I’ll probably regret it, but I did say anything, so what do you want to do?”
“Please don’t get mad when I tell you what I want to do.”
“I won’t get mad.”
“I want to stay home,” Sheridan told a shocked Luis.
“You what? You’ve been bugging me to let you out of the house all this time and now that it’s finally safe to go somewhere you want to stay home!”
“You said you wouldn’t get mad.”
“I’m not mad Sheridan. I just don’t understand you. Why don’t you want to go out?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that anywhere we go all those reporters are going to follow us. You saw how they swarmed around the car when we drove through the gates. I really don’t feel like having people follow us and take our picture and ask a lot of questions.”
“I can try to keep them away from you,” Luis offered.
“Thank you, but there’s nothing you can do, believe me, I’ve tried. They have a legal right to follow me and take my picture. There isn’t anything you can do to make them go away except wait until the story dies sown and they get interested in someone else. Besides, they aren’t the only reason I don’t feel like going out,” Sheridan sighed.
“What else is bothering you.”
“I know that Roger is dead and Pierre is in jail, but it almost doesn’t seem real. I’ve been afraid for so long that someone was trying to kill me that I guess I’m still a little worried about going out where there’s a lot of people. I don’t know why I’m acting this way, you must think I’m just being silly. My father says that my fear is what makes me weak.”
“Your father is a fool. You are one of the strongest, bravest people I’ve ever met. Besides I thought that you never believed there were people trying to kill you and that you weren’t afraid of anything.”
“That was a lie Luis.”
“Why would you lie to me about that?” Luis asked.
“Because I didn’t want you to know how scared I was. Father says that Cranes are supposed to be strong and that we should never let anyone see our fear.”
Luis took Sheridan’s hands into his own. “You don’t have to hide anything from me. I would never think any less of you because you were afraid. You had good reason to be scared. Everyone gets scared sometimes, including me. Why do you think I was so determined to protect you, because I was so scared that something would happen and I wouldn’t be able to keep them from hurting you. Fear doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human, just like everyone else.”
“So you don’t mind if we stay home?”
“Sure, we can just have dinner in and watch a movie or something?”
“That sounds great. What do you want to have?” Sheridan asked.
“Sam told me about this new Chinese place over by the station that’s really good. Why don’t I pick up some take out.”
“Yum, I love Chinese.”
“I know, so what do you want me to get you?”
“Surprise me, you know what I like.”
“Ok, and while I’m gone I want you to try and push all those negative thoughts out of your mind.”
“You’re right. I’m going to go inside and get cleaned up and relax and when you get back I’ll be in a much better mood.” After Luis left to pick up dinner Sheridan slipped into a hot bath to soak away her fears and sadness.
Kay pulled her knees up to her chest as she began to tell Ivy her story. “Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember. And last year I was going to tell him that I wanted to be more than just his friend, but then my cousin Charity showed up and Miguel fell in love with her. Then after Charity’s mom died my mom had her move in with us. She even gave Charity the room that was supposed to be my new room. It was supposed to be the first time I ever had my own room but now Charity’s in it and I have to keep sharing a room with my sister.
Everybody seems to think she’s perfect. My mom acts like Charity is her favorite child and she can’t do anything wrong. She always tells Charity how pretty she is and how smart she is and how happy she is that Charity is living with us. She never says anything like that to me. Most of the time she doesn’t even notice I’m around unless she thinks I did something wrong or she wants me to do something for Charity. My friends and my sister all act like that, like ever since Charity showed up that I’m not good enough. And Miguel is the worst. Before Charity showed up Miguel and I were inseparable, we did everything together. But now it’s like I’m invisible and Charity’s the only person that exists. He barely even say hello to me anymore. I’ve tried everything to get him to notice me but nothing works.” Tears started to stream down her cheeks. “And then this morning I went down to the kitchen and heard everyone talking.
It was my mom and Jessica, Charity and Miguel, and Simone. Charity had another one of those weird vision-premonition things she gets and in it she saw Miguel picking me over her. Miguel told Charity that she was the only girl he would ever want and that he’d never pick me over her and everyone agreed, including Simone and she’s supposed to be my best friend. And then,” Kay sobbed, “I heard my mom tell Charity that there was no reason in the world that Miguel would ever want to be with me when he could be with Charity.” Kay began to sob uncontrollably and Ivy hugged her until she calmed down a little.
“They are all fools. You are a wonderful girl,” Ivy told Kay, “If Miguel can’t see what he’s missing then too bad for him. Frankly, I think your cousin Charity is quite odd. I mean the girl has visions and was even locked up in a mental ward for goodness sake. If that boy would pick her over you then he’s definitely not good enough for you anyway.”
Kay laughed slightly through her tears; “Charity is kind of weird isn’t she.”
“Yes she is and I’m glad to see you smile Kay. I know how hard it is to be in love with someone who doesn’t want to be with you. If you don’t feel comfortable living at home then you are welcome to stay here as long as you want.
“Thank you Ivy.”
“I want to ask you something though,” Ivy said sounding concerned. “You told me about how your friends and your sister and mother have been acting, but what about your father. Has he been acting the same way?”
“No, Daddy never ignores me, but he isn’t home all the time. He works really hard to take care of all of us, but he thinks Mom can do no wrong and whenever she does something he just agrees with her,” Kay said sadly.
“Have you told him how upset you are about everything that’s happened with Charity?”
“No, I don’t want to bother him, besides he thinks that everything my mother does is good. I’m sure that he’d never get upset with her.”
“Well I think we’re going to have to call your father and tell him something.”
“Why?”
“I’m sure he knows you’re gone by know and he must be worried about you. If I know your father he’s probably going to have the whole police department out looking for you not to mention police across the state. We at least need to let him know that you are safe and where you are.”
“But I don’t want to talk to him. He’ll want me to come back home. If he makes me go back home I’ll just run away again.”
“Why don’t I talk to him. I’ll make sure he knows that you’re safe and you don’t want to go back home,” Ivy offered.
“Ok, but please don’t tell him why I left. You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone,” Kay begged.
“I did promise and I’ll keep my promise.”
Luis walked through the front door of Sheridan’s cottage with his hands full. He sat the food on the table and when he heard a noise coming from Sheridan’s room he quickly hid a bag behind a chair just before she came out from her bedroom.
“Oh good, you’re finally back. I’m starving,” Sheridan said.
“Sorry I took so long but I had to stop and get this,” Luis said pulling a bottle out from behind his back.
“Champagne?”
“Yep, I told you this was going to be a celebration, so get us some glasses.” Luis started to open the bottle and Sheridan went into the kitchen. “Oh and get me a fork,” Luis called.
“No way,” Sheridan said, “you are eating with chopsticks Luis.”
“But Sheridan I don’t like chopsticks, I want a fork,” Luis complained.
We are supposed to be doing what I want remember and I want you to use chopsticks.”
“I knew I was going to regret that,” Luis muttered and he popped the cork off champagne and poured them each a glass. “So what shall we toast to?”
“How about to my hero,” Sheridan toasted.
“And to you living a long and happy life,” Luis added. They clinked their glasses and drank to each other.
“So what did you get me to eat?” Sheridan asked.
“I got you sesame chicken.”
“Mmm, my favorite. What did you get?”
“I got sweet and sour chicken.”
“I also happen to love sweet and sour chicken you know.”
“Well you may be the only one who gets to eat tonight if you make me eat with chopsticks because all the food is going to end up in my lap.”
Sheridan laughed and took out a pair of chopsticks. “I’ll teach you how to use chopsticks Luis. It’s really easy once you get used to it. Just put them in your hand like this and move them like this to pick up the food and then put it in your mouth,” she instructed and ate a bite. “Ok now it’s your turn.”
“Here goes nothing,” Luis said and he managed to pick up a piece of chicken but about halfway to his mouth he dropped it and it fell back into the carton. “This is never going to work,” he grumbled.
Sheridan tried to control her giggles. “You did fine, you just have to remember to hold your fingers still after you pick up the food. Here, I’ll show you again.” Sheridan picked up a piece of her sesame chicken with the chopsticks and fed it to Luis.
“Mmm, that’s good, it’s got a little spice to it.”
“That’s why I like it,” Sheridan said, “it’s really sweet but there’s some spice hidden inside.”
“Just like you,” Luis teased. “Ok, I’ll try again.” He picked up his chopsticks and clamped them onto a piece of sweet and sour chicken but instead of eating it himself Luis decided to share with Sheridan. While putting the morsel of food into Sheridan’s mouth, Luis dripped some sweet and sour sauce on her bottom lip. Luis watched intently as Sheridan ran her tongue across her lip to remove the sticky red sauce and his heart began to race.
As they finished eating their dinner Luis stole glances of Sheridan when she wasn’t looking and Sheridan did the same. After dinner Sheridan put the leftovers in the refrigerator and when she came back into the living room she noticed that Luis was looking behind the chair.
“What are you looking at?” she asked.
“Oh, um, nothing,” Luis covered, “so did you find a movie on the satellite that you want to watch? I hope it’s not a girly movie.”
“Well, I didn’t want to watch anything where people are shooting or murdering each other, for obvious reasons,” Sheridan said, “so I thought we could watch Erin Brockovich, but it doesn’t start for more than an hour.”
“I guess that sounds okay, but what are we going to do until the movie starts?”
Sheridan eyes sparkled and she grinned at Luis, “I know exactly what I want us to do while we wait.”
To Be Continued…