Chap 2

Eve stood in front of the door, staring at the doorknocker, engraved with the name Russell upon it. It saddened her to think that this was her home, the home she had purchased with her husband, and the home where they had spent years together as one happy family with her daughters. This was the life she knew, the only life she had known since Julian had left her and now she needed one more chance to see if this was still her life. She knocked on the door gently and when Liz opened it, she tried to slam it. But Eve came in anyway, staring at the living room, pictures of her family removed no thanks to Liz she was sure.

“Get out Eve, you are not welcome here!” Liz hissed.

“This is still my home and you’re intruding on it.”

“Not for long, I will be the next Mrs. Russell so you don’t have a say in this. Are you forgetting that you walked in on T.C. and I making love?”

“Don’t remind me of such a day, but I’m here to talk to T.C.”

“Why, he doesn’t want to talk to a liar and who can blame him.”

“Step aside.” She said, physically moving Liz.

Eve opened the kitchen door to see T.C. making a pot of coffee.

“T.C.?”

He turned around quite astonished.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I came to talk.” Eve said.

“About what, how much better of a lover Julian Crane is. How much of a liar you are, I could go on and on.” He said rudely.

“Look, I was thinking that maybe we could try this again.”

“Try what?”

“Us.”

T.C. burst out laughing and shook his head. Just then Liz came into the kitchen to find out what was so funny.

“Eve, you’re crazy, you know that?” he said.

“Look our anniversary is days away, don’t you think about it?” she said, curiously.

“Think about it, that death sentence? I don’t want to think about it, it just reminds me of the pain you have put the girls and I through.” He said, pouring a coffee.

“Death sentence, that’s an awful thing to say.”

“No Eve, what you did to us was awful, lying to the girls and I, we don’t even know you truly. To think I made love to you for years, I knew you intimately, but all along I never knew the real you Eve.”

“I made a mistake.”

“A mistake that cost you everything, lying will get you nowhere. So you want to talk about us do you?”

“Yes.” Eve said, taking his hand.

“Don’t touch me, you’re a stranger, there isn’t an us, now get out!” he shouted.

“You’re only saying that because Liz is here.”

“No, you had sex with my worst enemy, had a child with him and hurt your daughter, the pain that you’ve caused is unbearable for any of us. You’re not my wife, you’re no one but Julian Crane’s tramp!” he said with fury.

Eve stood there, her eyes filling with tears as Liz looked on, a smile upon her face, the idea that T.C. was finally hers for the keeping. She didn’t say another word, but showed herself out of the house, turning around to look at her home, her life, and the lies that cost her everything. She couldn’t stop the tears now as they flowed freely down her cheeks. She covered her eyes with her hands, unable to control her emotions, feeling the pain of losing the ones she loved.

“Eve?”

She turned around to see Julian standing there at the end of the driveway.

“Julian.” She said, weeping hysterically.

She ran to him, closing her eyes as she felt his strong arms around her, not wanting him to ever let go.

“What are you doing here?” she said, his dress shirt soaked from her tears.

“I was so worried about you, I couldn’t help but want to make sure you were okay.” He said, lifting her chin, to place a gentle soft kiss upon her salty wet lips.

“T.C. doesn’t want to reconcile.”

“I’m sorry love.” He said, brushing away her tresses from her beautiful face.

“Julian?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want to be alone, I’m so scared.” She said, hugging him tightly, her fingers running along the back of his gray hair.

“You’ll never have to be, I’ll always be here for you, and I love you too much to ever let anything happen to you, you’re the love of my life.”

“Oh Julian.” She said, her lips meeting his in a loving, yet sensual kiss that seemed to go on forever at the end of her driveway.

“Perhaps we should leave, I don’t want T.C. to come out here and find us together.”

“Well what does it matter now Julian, he doesn’t want to reconcile so I don’t care.” She said, suddenly angry.

“Eve, are you sure you want to be with me?”

“Oh Julian, I’m sorry, I don’t want to make it look like you’re second best, you’re not. It’s just…”

“Don’t explain, he’s your husband, I understand, but I will love you forever, I will take care of you, support you, I’ll be everything you want me to be in a man. But the bottom line is I want what you want my dear.” He said, kissing her cheek gently.

“You’ve been so good to me Julian, so loving and caring, you could have easily run off since I’ve been so indecisive.”

“I understand your need to make sure you want this, I understand now how much you do love T.C. and value your marriage. As I said previously I just hate how he has been treating you, I don’t like to see you hurting because of his words or actions. You’re a beautiful woman who deserves every aspect of happiness. God knows I am the one to blame for everything, I only want you to have the life you’ve always wanted, even if things have changed, even if I abandoned you once again and it took over two decades to find our way back to one another. I’ll do anything for you.”

“Julian, take me back to the mansion please.”

“Of course my love.”

Now that T.C. had said he didn’t want her back, it looked as if there would be a divorce to come and Julian would be there for Eve through the tough times. He truly did want her to make the best decision for herself, deep down still yearning to be the one, to be her soul mate. He was going to do this right this time and be there for her, helping her through the proceedings whenever they would start and try to mend their relationships with their children. The next thing on Julian’s to do list was to get rid of Rebecca for good, and divorce her as well. Eve pulled back the covers and climbed in, wrapping the comforter around her. Julian went downstairs to make her some tea and when he entered the room once again, he thought she was asleep until he heard her sobbing, under the covers. He put down the tea on the nightstand, turned off the bedroom light and climbed in the bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

“I’m here honey.” He whispered into her ear.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

“And you won’t be.”

“Thank you.”

“Darling, are you hungry at all? Can I get something sent up?”

“I don’t have an appetite Julian, I just want to be quiet.”

“Okay my love.” He said, holding her closer.

Eve had fallen asleep after a while and Julian loved just to be able to hold her, to know that he could be there for his love. He listened to her breathe quietly and hoped that this was the start to better things. He did feel badly that she had to go through such pain, but he hoped that he, if anything, could be her light at the end of the tunnel. When she moved in her sleep, Julian gazed at her.

“She’s so beautiful, I’m the luckiest man in the world to have another chance with her, one that I’ll cherish forever.” He said, able to see her delicate features from a bit of light shining through the window.

He couldn’t help but want to kiss her, her lips parting slightly as she breathed. He ran his hand along the back of her neck, his mouth then covering hers. She woke up suddenly and stared at him.

“I’m sorry Eve, I just couldn’t resist.”

“It’s okay Julian, what time is it?”

“Just after six my love.”

“Still early then.”

“Yes Eve, but if you want to stay in here all night, in bed, just cuddling, we can do that. I have no place to go, except to have you in my arms.” He said, smiling.

“Thank you.”

“I love you Eve, I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”