A Brand New Twist, Chapter 26
by Luvin_Evian

How he managed to keep the burning rage he felt out of his voice as he uttered those words, Julian would never know. Alistair had him going there for a while. He actually believed the old man had some news on his son. But this! This damnable lie. He never saw it coming.

“That’s right, Julian. Eve had twins.” The old man stuck up the middle and forefinger of his right hand in what Julian felt was more a warped show of victory than an enumeration. “Two babies as different as, well, night and day.” Alistair chuckled. “Had I not seen it for myself, I would have never believed it.”

“You know what, just stop! I’ve heard enough.” Julian pointed to the door. “Get the hell out!”

Alistair unloosened the button of his suit and sat. “I’m not done yet,” he said, extending his legs and getting comfortable in the chair.

“Oh, yes, you are done.”

A wide grin brightened Alistair’s face. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“What astute powers of observation.”

“I don’t blame you for being skeptical. It’s a pretty incredible story.”

“Try impossible. Eve’s a doctor. Had she given birth to twins, I think she’d know, and I’m certain she would have mentioned it to me. Didn’t think of that when you dreamt up your little story, did you, old man?”

“I think of everything, Julian. However, in this case, there’s nothing to make up. Not even I, the great Alistair Crane, could make up a story this good. It’s all true. Every bit of it.”

Julian shook his head, refusing to listen to another syllable of his father’s lie. It was the medication; the medication, his encounter with Death, and that smug ‘I know something you don’t know’ expression on Alistair’s face that prompted him to give this situation more attention than it warranted. But no more.

“I want you out,” he reiterated, once more pointing at the door.

“Not yet. There’s a little something I want you to see first.” Alistair reached into the breast pocket of his suit coat and pulled out a picture. “Mother and babes,” he said, extending the picture. “Have you ever seen a more touching sight?”

Julian snatched the Polaroid from Alistair’s hand. His heart leapt to his throat when he saw Eve, who appeared to be sleeping, cradling two small bundles. He could see no more than the forehead and cheeks of the babies with the blankets covering half their faces, but as he took a closer look, he noticed a discernable difference between the two. “What is this?” he demanded.

“What do you think, Julian? It’s your bitch and her litter.” Alistair wrestled away the picture and returned it to his pocket. “You’ve seen the proof. Are you now ready to hear the rest of the story?”

The sound of the dial tone and the memory of her bitter words was all that remained of Whitney’s presence in the room. Eve’s chair swiveled beneath her as she lifted the telephone handset and lowered it back to the base, ending the infernal hum. Sharing this information with her eldest daughter via speakerphone wasn’t her first choice, but she felt her children needed to hear the truth together, and going through the explanation twice wasn’t something she felt she could do. One look at the expressions around her confirmed her suspicions. She definitely couldn’t do this twice.

Simone sat alone on the couch, her lovely face stricken with hurt, anger, sadness, and confusion. And across the way, in the chair before her desk, sat Sheridan in a quiet state of shock. Two vastly different reactions to one undeniable truth. Eve braced herself, fully cognizant, at least in regard to Simone, the worst was yet to come.

“You had a baby with Julian Crane, and now you’re saying you’re pregnant by him again?” Simone shook her head. “I must be hearing things. This makes absolutely no sense.”

Eve left the desk and moved to the empty spot next to Simone. She reached for her daughter’s hand, but Simone jerked away and slid to the far side of the couch. Eve swallowed the hurt of the painful act. Her daughters’ collective upset didn’t surprise her, but it didn’t lessen the sting any. “I know I should have said something sooner, Simone, but I thought I was protecting you. Protecting my family,” she explained.
     
“Protecting us? Liz is your sister and you never said a word. She hates you, Mom. You had a whole other life before us, and we never knew.”

“Yes, I did, but it was before you, Simone, and long before I met your father. But that’s not the point,” Eve said. “Things are different now, and that’s why I’m telling you about this.”

“Yeah, things are different alright. Your believed dead son is still alive and out there somewhere, and you’re in love with…you’re in love Mr. Crane and having his baby.” Tears rolled down Simone’s cheeks. “How could you do this to Daddy?”

Daddy.

Eve closed her eyes. Now it begins.

“I never intended to hurt T.C. When I married him, I thought it was forever, but I can’t control what my heart feels. I could ignore it, as I did for so very long, but I couldn’t control it.”

“Is that why Daddy left town when you did, and why he’s gone now? To deal with you falling in love with and leaving him for his worst enemy?”

Eve took a moment to weigh her words before responding. She needed to tell the truth, but she wouldn’t go back on what she promised T.C. She wouldn’t tell the girls what happened between them so long as he got the help he needed. Simone was already angry enough with her, she didn’t want her to be angry with her father, too.

“Sweetheart, T.C. has issues that go a lot deeper and are a lot more involved than just my feelings for Julian. From what I understand from him, that’s why he left town. To deal with his issues.”

“And you? Why did you leave?”

“Yes, I’m curious about that, too, Eve,” Sheridan said, speaking for the first time since her hushed murmurings of ‘Oh, no’ during the details directly involving Alistair. “Why did you leave Harmony?”

Eve held Sheridan’s gaze as she considered her interest in that question before turning her attention back to Simone. “Why?” she said. Because T.C. threatened her life and Julian’s. Because she didn’t know what he was capable of. Because she was afraid. No, she couldn’t say that. She lowered her head, unable to look at her daughter as she shared the abridged version of the truth. “I uh—I needed time alone to deal with everything. Think things out.”

“Why can’t you look at me when you answer that?” Simone questioned. “Huh? Are you ashamed of yourself?”

Her head shot up. “Ashamed?” Eve repeated.

“Yes!” Simone barked. “Our family is ruined, because you couldn’t stay away from Julian Crane. You are pregnant with his child, and you’re still married to my father. You should be ashamed! I know why Daddy left Harmony. He couldn’t deal with being the laughing stock of the town.”

Fire burned in her daughter’s brown eyes. Eve’s heart constricted, as if squeezed by a mighty hand. She was afraid of this very reaction, but nothing could prepare her for the reality of it. The disgust in Simone’s eyes. The anger in her voice and Whitney’s. A strangled cry lodged in Eve’s throat. “Simone,” she cried, reaching for her hand.

Simone flinched. “Don’t you touch me!”

“Hey. Don’t talk to your mother like that,” Sheridan advised, her voice low, but firm. “I understand you’re upset, but had it not been for my father, Eve and Julian would have always been together. This is his fault. Blame him, not Eve.”

“Please! Alistair is merely a symptom. Julian is the reason he and my mother broke up. Just like he’s the reason my parents are getting a divorce. Were you not listening to the story, Sheridan?” Simone bounced her hand off her forehead. “Oh, but, that’s right, you’re a Crane,” she said, uttering the name like it was a four letter word. “You see things the Crane way, while I see things the right way. Julian left her! He could have stayed with my mother, but he chose not to.”

“He didn’t have a choice,” Eve and Sheridan replied in unison.

“You always have choices. Julian just made the wrong one, and now I’m suffering because of it.”

“Simone, you have no idea what my father is capable of,” Sheridan said. “Julian didn’t stay with Eve, but I shudder to think what my father would have done if he did.”

“I guess we’ll never know, will we?” Simone leapt from the couch as if pricked by a pin. She grabbed her purse. “I’m getting out of here.”

Eve stood. “Whitney hates me. I guess you hate me now, too,” she said.

“Hate?” Simone shook her head. “No, Mom, I don’t hate you, I feel sorry for you. Because, like the foolish girl you were when you met Julian all those years ago, you’re falling for his lines again.”

“They’re not lines, Simone,” Sheridan offered, joining the group in the middle of the floor. “Julian has changed. He loves Eve.”

“Who asked you, Sheridan?” Simone expelled a short, quick breath. “Why are you even here? Huh? I am talking to my mother. Would you please stay out of this!”

“Simone!” Eve shouted, noting the bright red color Sheridan’s cheeks had taken after her daughter’s harsh words. Being angry with her was one thing, but snapping at Sheridan was uncalled for.

Sheridan touched her shoulder. “It’s okay, Eve.”

“No, it is not,” she replied, staring at Simone. “I asked Sheridan to be here, Simone, so don’t talk to her like that.”

“I don’t want to talk to her at all, Mom. It was you I was talking to, because it was youwho ruined our family to relive a past you never got over, and it was you who cheated on Daddy with a man he hates. I don’t care about what you did a bazillion years ago, or even that you kept it from us. It’s that you think having it now is more important than what you already have,” Simone said, her voice breaking with emotion. “Where do I fit into that?”

“Where do you fit?” Eve ached to caress Simone’s cheek. To offer comfort she knew her daughter needed but would refuse. Simone always came off as willful and headstrong, but deep inside she was a scared little girl, searching for love and acceptance that was always right in front of her, but she just couldn’t see. “Simone, sweetheart, I love you. You, Whitney, your brother, and this child I’m carrying are all my children and I love each and every one of you. You fit here,” Eve said rubbing her chest, “in my heart.”

“Just like Daddy used to, right?”

Eve’s shoulder’s slumped. She had no reply to her daughter’s biting retort. Anything she said, Simone would refute. She could only give her youngest time, and pray she’d come around.

“Just as I thought.” Simone sighed. “You know, Mom, I wish you had kept this to yourself, because that old saying is true; ignorance is bliss.” Simone stomped out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Warm tears slid down Eve’s cheeks. She covered her face and fell to the couch. “My daughters hate me.”

“No, Eve.” Sheridan sat beside her and stroked her hair. “They’re upset, but they don’t hate you. Just give them time. They’ll come around.”

Eve dropped her hands to her lap. “I’m sorry for what Simone said to you.”

“It’s okay.” Sheridan covered Eve’s hands and gave them a little jiggle. “I know she’s angry, but I’m more concerned about you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I think telling your daughters the part you’re leaving out might help then come around sooner.”

“Leaving out?” No way could Sheridan be alluding to that hellacious encounter with T.C. “I--I don’t follow,” Eve stammered.

“You told Simone you left town to think things over. But, if you made the decision to tell T.C. about Julian, it would stand to reason you’d already thought things out.”

Oh, God! She was talking about that. Eve cleared her throat. “Sheridan, I—”

“Simone’s too emotionally involved to think clearly, but I’m on the outside looking in, so I see things differently. I’ve been in a similar situation as you, Eve, and once I told Antonio the truth, the last thing I wanted was to be away from Luis. Yet, you left town abruptly after talking with T.C. You left Julian. Why?”

“You know, I really don’t want to get into this,” she said, standing.

Sheridan clasped her hand, urging her back to the couch. “I think you need to get into it, Eve. I watched you struggling with something, and then… Look, you took the brunt of your daughters’ unhappiness and in your condition the last thing you need is stress from either of them. T.C. left town for what? If you were gone, why did he leave, too? I have a hard time buying he couldn’t face the public humiliation of you leaving him for Julian, because no one knew about you and Julian. What aren’t you saying, Eve? What don’t you want to tell your daughters?”

“That T.C—” Eve blurted under Sheridan’s tenacity before stopping abruptly. Tears burned her eyes. She couldn’t do this. “Nothing,” she said.

“T.C. what?” Sheridan prodded. “He got angry? He…” Sheridan’s voice trailed. Her pale features blanched. Tears filled her blue eyes. “Eve?”

Nearly blinded by her own tears, Eve held Sheridan’s watery gaze. “What I can’t tell my daughters… What I don’t want them to know is their father tried to rape me,” she said in breath. “T.C. tried to rape me.”

Teardrops spilled from Sheridan’s eyes. “Come,” she said with open arms.

Neither uttered another word, as they held each other and wept.

Julian’s eyes stayed fixed on Alistair’s suit. Burning holes through the location of the pocketed picture. Trying with all his might to make sense of what he saw. Could Alistair be telling the truth? Did Eve give birth to twins? He shrugged off the idea. No! It was impossible. Why was he wavering? This was Alistair. The man lived to hurt people. This was just another lie. That’s all.

“Save your breath, old man,” he said before Alistair could speak. “I’ve heard enough, okay? That picture you showed me is a fake. There is no way Eve could have given birth to twins. No way!”

“Why do you insist on believing that? Because she didn’t tell you?”

“That’s part of it. But the other more crucial part is Eve only had one baby. A son. A son you stole and to this day is keeping from us.”

“Stole. Stole,” Alistair mimicked, waving his hand around. “Why do insist on saying that?”

“Because that’s what you did!” Julian closed his eyes, taking a moment to allow the sudden ache in his chest to subside. He had to try to stay calm. His sore ribs could only endure so much yelling. After a while, he met his father’s gaze. “Eve had one child. That is all.”

“Uh-uh-uh.” Alistair wagged his finger. His face lit up like a good little boy’s on Christmas morning. “That’s all she remembers. There’s a difference.”

All she could remember? What the hell was he talking about? What did his father do?

“You should have seen the pandemonium in that room, Julian. It was like a circus. Or perhaps a freak show.” Alistair’s belly laugh filled the room. He was enjoying the hell out of himself. “Nobody there had every seen anything like it. The doctor was in complete shock. He kept insisting he only heard one heartbeat, that the measurements were consistent with one baby. And then he went on about fused placentas and all kinds of medical mumbo jumbo that I didn’t want to hear about. All I knew was I had a problem that needed immediate attention.”

“You had a problem?”

“Yes. This baby was a surprise, but not necessarily a bad surprise. Still, there was one small glitch. Suffice it to say, I handled it,” Alistiar said, brushing his hands one against the other.

A chill shot down Julian’s back. The more the old man spoke, the more his uneasiness increased. Did Eve really have twins and his father… How did he ‘handle’ this glitch? “Oh, my God. Did you kill that poor baby? Did you kill our baby and make Eve forget?”

Alistair covered his mouth in feigned outrage. “Julian, what kind of monster do you take me for?” Derisive laughter followed. “Oh, no. No, no, no, don’t answer that. I think I know. Rest assured, son, I didn’t kill the baby. There’s a bit of a funny story behind that question, but I’ll have to share it with you some other time. The glitch was in getting Eve to forget she gave birth to twins. As you can see, that detail was indeed handled.”

“Okay, let’s say everything you said is true.”

“Oh, it’s true, Julian. It’s all true.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

Alistair shrugged as he examined his manicured nails. “Like I said before. Your brush with death compelled me to share.”

“Try again, old man. You don’t give a damn about me. My death or near death would be cause for celebration for you, not confession. Now, you talk. What is this about?”

“Very well. There is another reason behind my need to share,” Alistair admitted, finally meeting Julian’s gaze. “I heard congratulations are in order. You and Eve are expecting another bundle of joy.”

Julian tried to hide his surprise but the upward turn of his father’s lips confirmed he failed.

“Yes, I know, Julian. But then, I know everything. It’s ironic. Your mother was just a few years younger than Eve when she gave birth to your sister. Those late in life pregnancies can be…” Alistair hissed like a rattlesnake primed for attack. “They can be quite dangerous,” he said. “I’m speaking from firsthand knowledge. The least little upset can cause a tragic outcome.”

“Eve won’t have any upset in her pregnancy. Besides, you’re not speaking from any firsthand knowledge of tragedy, just near tragic. Regardless of what you always told Sheridan, Mother dying of kidney disease had nothing to do with her pregnancy. And, of course, Sheridan is very much alive.”

“You’re right, Sheridan is very much alive. But your Mother’s baby… Sadly, the poor thing was stillborn.”

The hairs at the back of Julian’s neck stood on end. His blood ran cold. “What did you say?” he said so softly he wasn’t sure he spoke the words.

“Your mother lost her baby, Julian, but lucky for me I found a replacement.” Alistair reached into his pocket, removing the telltale picture and a cigar. “Sheridan was quite a striking child, wasn’t she?” he said, dropping the photo on Julian’s chest.

His eyes burned with the threat of tears. Alistair’s implication. It couldn’t be. “No,” Julian said as warm trickles moistened his cheeks.

“Yes.” Alistair nodded. “Congratulations, Julian!” He placed the cigar on top of the picture and smiled. “Your sister is your daughter.”