~@~@ Fallen Ch.25

P.S. I messed up on the name its Jodyah (Ja-di-yah) Marie McKoy.

~~~

“Whoa.” Jody stopped just a few feet from the door, and stared at the large mansion in amazement. Sure she’d lived in L.A., and had even taken the tour of superstars homes, with her mother, but she still never seen a mansion that large in her life. She turned to look at he companions, and shrugged when she saw the smirk on Kay’s face.” Someone’s overcompensating.”

“Yeah, they do that.” Hanks said, as he laid a hand on her back and lead her forward, toward the door, nodding to Antonio to follow.

“So, you’ve been released?” Kay shook off his hand and walked ahead, ignoring the question, and hastening her steps to catch up with Jody and Hank. “Or you could ignore me.” He said to himself as he watched her walked up the stairs of house, and began cursing under his breathe. It seemed strange to think, but the thought stuck and held on for dear life, only Kay Bennet could leave the hospital after her ordeal, and look that good in a dress. But she did, and he was sure it was done purely to torment him, green, it brought out her eyes, and the color of her hair, he’d tell her that if she ever spoke to him again. Watching the last of her backside, as she walked through the door, longing gave way to frustration, and he quickens his stride to catch up. “Or I could tell her now.”

“Hey.” Stopping right by side, and gently pulled on her arm trying to lead to a quick place, but she just slapped his hand away, and pointed to the center of the room, where everyone’s gaze was focused, and with good reason.

Julian Crane stood in the center of the room, smiling at Eve and her daughters, completely ignoring the fuming husband at her side. “It’s lovely to see you Eve, and I’m so glad you could bring your delightful daughters.” Julian nodded to each one before turning this smile to the eldest of the two. “Whitney, I heard of your recent success against my Alma matter, congratulations, I’ve never been more pleased to lose.” He gave a similar smile to Simone who looked stunned at the entire scene. “Simone pleasure as always, school going well, I believe you’re majoring in business.” At her shocked nod, he continued. “Wonderful, you should check with Crane Industries, we’re always looking for brilliant interns. “

“CRANE WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?”

Julian gave an obvious eye roll, and turned briefly to T.C., looking at the raging man, with practiced patience. “T.C. please they are ladies present, and I thought it was quite obvious that I was greeting guest.”

“Julian, get the HELL away from my family.” Pushing the smaller man out of the way T.C. moved to block him from Eve’s field of vision.

“You know T.C. this kind of rage is really become quite common place. Perhaps you should seek some help from a professional get in touch with those inner demons.” The smile came back full force as he stepped close enough to feel the heat of rage radiating off his old enemy. “After all a wise man once said ‘the man clutching the butterfly never feels it flee’.” The tension in the room in the room only increased when Sam stepped closer, ready to intervene.

“Are you trying to tell me something Julian?”

“I’m afraid T.C. that if you can’t see what’s right in front of you, my telling you anything, would be a waste of both our time.” “Now if you’ll excuse I’ve other guest to greet.” Looking past her husband, he locked eyes with Eve.” Once again Eve, girls it was memorable.”

“Who was that?” Antonio jumped a little when he turned and saw Jody beside him, staring in awe at Julian.

“That’s your host Julian Crane.”

Jody shook her head. “ No the guy you described , should be like sixty with a pot belly, a come-over, holding a brandy glass staring at under age girls. She pointed to him, and gave a strange grin.” That guy was kind of cool.”

“She’s right.” Antonio gave Kay a look that clearly asked if she was crazy, and she merely shrugged her shoulders.” Hey, Coach Russell has won every time those two get together, it’s refreshing not to see Julian lay down and take it.”

“Julian is scum.”

“And I’m a maniac depressive sociopath; see how bad people come across, if you just focus on what you think you know.” Not waiting for his answer Kay, stormed off and walking toward the far corner of the ballroom.”

“Nice going Tony.”

“Not now Jode.”

“Yes, now.” She pulled him against the wall, and pointed an accusing finger at him.” I worked very hard to pull this little double date off, and you’re not to mess it up, by being the usual dense male, I’m going to need you to look past your stupidity, and focus on the one person besides your mother willing to love your dumba!@ warts and all.”
 

“Good evening Kay.”

Kay felt the world tilt; she hadn’t thought about her mother in days, Grace Bennett had become an illusion in her mind. For the past few weeks she had been surrounded by friends and family, that loved her, they didn’t judge her or question her, they just accepted her at face value. She couldn’t deal with her mother tonight, maybe not ever but definitely not now. “Go away Grace.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Grace stepped form the shadows of the room, and locked eyes with her daughter, her irises were swimming in pain. “I think I’ve walked away one too, many times, I think tonight I stay where I am.”

“Then I’ll leave.” Kay turned on her heel, and stopped when she felt her mother’s hand on her arm, the only thing that kept her from striking out was the thought that it would just put her back in the psyche ward.

“No, you’re staying too.” She felt the tension in her arm and quickly let go, she didn’t want Kay on the defensive, she was vicious when she was attacking. “How are you?”

“Alive.”

Grace nods locks eyes with her eldest daughter.” But not whole, right Kay?” “But then how can you be after you lose a child.”

“How did you….”

“Know I’d like to say I saw the signs, and in a way I did, I saw you sleeping more, and looking sick, but I put it down to a plot, but I didn’t put all that together until after that night.” She watched Kay sink into a near by chair, and began to shake her head, but she continued. “I had just had this horrible fight with your father, about you, and I was at a lost as of what to do, and I prayed for an answer, and then it happened….”

“What happened?”

“ I was standing in the kitchen, and I felt this sharp pinching at my left wrist, and I looked down, and saw an ‘X’ it was filling with blood, and I couldn’t…. stop it, I…. tried to clean it, but it just kept on filling with blood, and then it everything went black…..”

“What are you saying?” She felt herself being pulled into the moment; she remembered that feeling, the freedom… no not the freedom… the blackness of death.
 

“I was there but I wasn’t there you know… I wasn’t you anymore I just watching you lose consciousness, but then you started to lose the baby and I was you again, and I felt the sharp pain in the stomach, and then just a huge sense of loss.”

“Shut up.” Kay stood tried to stop the painful; memories. “Just stop it, you don’t know anything, about that night or my child, or, so just shut up.”

“ But I do know Kay, I felt that pain, on a night like this a couple years ago at this very house, and for the last few years I’ve felt a tiny bit of that pain every time you got further and further away from me.”

“STOP.” Her grey eyes filled with anger and pain. “You’ve never cared so don’t try to start now, and don’t’ try to use one of your little psychotic episodes to pull me in.” She brushed past her mother and headed back toward the party.

“Mother to mother.” The words stopped Kay in her tracks, and she looked back. “ Whether that child is taken by death, or moves away voluntarily, once your child stops running to you, the pain begins, the difference between us is that while you and I can’t do anything to bring back our babies, we can get each other back, just remember that we have a bond that not even death can break.” She clenched her jaw and nodding before walking back into the party, leaving her mother alone to regret her mistakes.

Kay walked like she was on autopilot, her mother’s words were running in her head, ‘a bond that not even death could break’, and she was feeling trapped again, like she couldn’t breath, she felt the urge to….” Stop it Kay.” She stopped where she was and leaned against the wall, she needed to focus, she needed…”

“Kay?” Antonio had followed her since she broke apart form her mother, and had kept a short distance away, frightened by the look in her eye. When she stopped he had to intervene, he wasn’t losing her now for anything in the world. “Kay come with me?” He held out his hand, and waited.

“Where?”

It was low, so low he almost didn’t hear her, and the way her voice trembled, caused the hairs on his neck to stand on end. “Away.” She placed his hand in his and he noted how it shook, before he placed it under his arm and led her away from the crowd.
 

East Garden, Crane Estates

He felt her, there was something about her that he could sense, and as soon as she stepped out into the garden he knew it was her.” Hello again Dr. Russell.”

“Sorry wrong doctor.” Jody said with very little apology, she was thinking Julian was okay til he went and mistook her for Eve, that was going to cost him.

He turned quickly and stared in shock and amazement, he had never gotten that wrong, he would bet his fortune that he could find Eve in the dense fog in the middle of the Bermuda triangle, so how was it that his mistook, the young protégé for her. “I’m sorry I was expecting someone else.” Shaking off the slight disappointment, he focused on the woman in front of him, she was attractive to say the least, but there was a quality about that keep him from his usual perusal, as if he doing so crossed a line, he didn’t understand eh feeling but he accepted it as what it was, besides the young doctor might be beautiful but she was no Eve Russell, and from the look on her face she was damn glad for it. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced, I’m Julian Crane.” Stepping forward he offered his hand and his best Crane smile.

Jody did the same, and unknowing gave the same smile.” Dr. Jody McKoy, it’s …. Interesting to finally put a face to the name in the stories.”

“Oh you’ve heard about me.” He grimaced a little, he past and reputation was not something he wanted to be reminded of tonight, tonight he had no past, no future, tonight he was just Julian. “Well let me assure you that the rumors of my deeds are greatly exaggerated.”

“Really that’s too bad, thought you would be pretty entertaining considering how dull your party managed to be so far.” She motioned toward the large glass doors, where the guest could be seen, the expressions on their faces far form joyous, and closest to boredom.

The champagne flute he was holding nearly slipped from his fingers as he tried to hold on to his laughter, he didn’t ever remember anyone being that bold with him, since the first he met Eve. “Dr. McKoy, tell me has in this stories did anyone mention the importance of the Crane name.”

“Oh you mean about you guys being more powerful then God yeah I heard.” She turned her back on him and began looking out into the dark night.

“And….”

“And Mr. Crane if you want to destroy me there is really nothing I could about it, and from what I hear you’re really not all picky all about people you go after, so what’s the point of sucking up, between you and my boss, I won’t be in Harmony too much longer anyway. “

At the mention of Eve, Julian steppes forward and give his companion a sideways glance.” You and Dr. Russell aren’t getting along?”

“I’ll be frank with you, as I’m guessing you’ve been frank with me, we don’t like each other, but then most people don’t like after a while, I have that that affect on people.” She turned and caught his eye.” You probably can’t stand me already.”

“No actually, I’m finding you quite enjoyable.”

“Sorry to interrupt.” Eve watched Jody and Julian closely, noting their close proximity, and the smile adorning her ex-lovers face. “I was hoping to have a word with Dr. McKoy.” Julian nodded and brushed pats her, she caught his elbow and leaned forward, lowering her voice.” I believe one of the directors needs your assistance.”

“Of course.” He stopped just inside the door, and gave both women a smile. “Just for the record Dr. McKoy, still quite enjoyable.”

“Thank you.” A deadly silence fell over the patio, as Julian, Jody moved away from the balcony, and gazed at her boss, Eve’s eyes were narrowed, and sparkling with what she guessed was jealousy. “Good evening Dr.Russell how are you tonight, as you can see I’m here as ordered.”

“Yes, I see nice dress.”

The tone was far from complementary, which she expected. “Thank you, yours is a… lovely shade, it brings out the gray highlights in your hair, and they did a good job too it looks very natural.”

“Thank you, I see you’ve meet our host.”

“Uh huh, Julian isn’t what I expected, he’s quite charming and handsome, and from the stories I excepted an ogre.”

“Yes, Julian is all those things; he also happens to be several years older then you and married.”

“Yeah, that’s the funny thing, but I can’t figure out to who.” “ Tony or Antonio told me that Julian married his little sister Theresa, but this red headed harpy saying that she’s actually married to him, and then the nurse at the hospital tells me that he can’t be married to either one of them, because he never divorced his first wife. “

“Yes, well while his wife is still being decided, that fact remains he is for all intensive purposes married…”

“Ah yes, as are you, but you’re not exactly acting the role.”

Eve moved further into the patio, and stood no more then a foot apart from the younger woman before straightening to her full height.” What exactly are you implying?”

Copying her movements Jody straightened, and gave a small smile recognizing her inch advantage, before allowing her face to go stone cold.” I’m tired of implying.” “ My point EVE, is you seem to be warning me off JULIAN, and let’s not even pretend that it’s about you being concerned for my virtue or reputation, cause from my viewpoint is just you being jealous, which is very strange considering that you’re married and know very well who your spouse is.”

Eve’s eye blazed with fury, as she closed the distance between herself, and her nemesis.” Who dare you…?”

“Oh I dare Eve, I dare.” Jody met the fury, and tried to count to ten, but stopped after two, not caring what happened next. This battle had been building since she found Kay, and nothing she did, not that she tried too hard, could have derailed this conclusion.

“Ladies.” Julian reappears at the door, sensing the tension, and quickly steps up and pulls Eve back a few steps, before stepping in the middle. “I think Dr. McKoy that you’re needed else where.” He turned sideways and offered the woman his arm; he looked toward Eve motioning for her to go before them. “Please allow me the pleasure.”

Eve walked ahead, and tried to regain her composure, she was suppose to give an introduction, that highlighted Jody’s good qualities and what made her the perfect recipient of the ‘Stansfield’, but all she could think was how she wanted to wipe the smug look right off her face with a left hook.
She reached the ballroom doors, and saw Carl Johansson, the director of the ‘Stansfield’ waiting just outside the door. “Dr.Russell are we ready to begin?” She turned back and saw that Julian was taking his time leading the guest of honor toward them, stopping and pointing out things of interest.

“Yes, I think so.” She took the hand he offered and made her way into the room. The room that hour held seemingly bored guest just standing around speculating, now had the same guest seated, as they waited anxiously for the real reason for the invitations. She stopped at the podium, and blinked as the light focused on her. “Good evening ladies, and gentleman, as some of you know I’m Dr.Eve Russell, chief of Staff at Harmony General, and we’re here tonight to present a special award to a very promising doctor, a doctor I believe is on her way in.” As if on cue the doors, open from the inside and the spotlight finds Julian in the center holding onto Jody as if she would bolt.

“You want me to see the ballroom, this was set up Crane.” Leaning toward his ear, Jody gave a dark chuckle.” “ You know Julian I really don’t like surprises, so you better hope I don’t get anymore tonight.”

“I’ll try my best to ensure, Dr. McKoy.”