“Dr. Russell?”

She looked to the person that was calling out to her.

“Hello, Connie,” Eve smiled sadly and then turned back to her husband’s casket as they lowered it into the ground.

Everyone had gathered for Reverend Tc Russell’s funeral days after the accident, and now they were departing after the ceremony was over with.

Julian attended also, but he stayed in his car, and watched from afar. He knew Eve wouldn’t have wanted him there, and he also knew that his presence there would most likely make a spectacle.

Connie sat down next to Eve and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Eve? I just wanted to tell you that…I’m here for you; if there’s anything that you need…I’m here,” she smiled.

“Thanks,” Eve simply said.

“Eve, I know that this just happened a few days ago and I can only imagine what you are going through, but just remember that no one is perfect, okay? You fell into temptation, but you don’t have to stay down…”

Eve looked at her impolitely.

“Why are you telling me this now, hmm? Don’t you think I feel guilty enough? I hear them whispering behind my back…”

“Eve! I’m not trying to make you feel guiltier than you already do! I know what you’re going through, okay,” Connie looked away.

“What?” Eve looked confused.

“Look, long ago, my husband and I were going to church…I was more involved than he was, devoted all my time to church and Bible studies, and that’s when…”

“When?”

“When he looked elsewhere,” Connie looked down.

“I’m sorry…”

“Thank you, Eve, but that’s not the point. You see, I didn’t have to forgive Mark for what he did, but how can we call ourselves Christians if we can’t forgive. I mean, isn’t that what Christ does for us everyday?”

Eve nodded.

“And now Mark and I are moving on from what happened in the past, and we are happy as can be. And I know for a fact that if Tc was still here, he would’ve forgiven you, Eve. It was just the kind of man he was…” she smiled as she remembered the pastor of their church, “…one could clearly see God in him, and that’s what’s so amazing. God’s love for all of us; we could go out and commit the most horrific crime, but in the end…if we see what we’ve done, repent of it, and turn away from it, God cleans our slate clean.”

“I know,” Eve looked down and nodded, “It’s just that…” she began to cry again, “…I miss him; I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” she sobbed as her body trembled.

“I know, honey,” Connie pulled her into an embrace, “I know,” she whispered.
---

Later that week, Julian left back to Seattle on business, and Eve packed up her things from her home…her home with Tc. She sighed as she looked around, when one bag caught her eye. It was a blue bag that they had given Eve from the hospital with Tc’s belongings after his death. She never opened it, but now she was curious to see what was inside.

Eve pulled apart the seal and reached in and pulled out the handkerchief that belonged to Julian. She gasped.

“He knew…he knew, and he didn’t say anything about it?!” Eve started crying, “Ohh, Tc…I’m sorry,” she reached back in the bag when she heard something else rolling around in there.

What she found was his wedding band. Apparently when Tc had gotten up before he demanded the keys from Eve that fateful day, he grabbed the ring and left with it in his hand. But when he crashed, the paramedics found it in his opened hand on the seat.

Eve left Harmony, and fled to Los Angeles to start over again…until she found out that she was pregnant, and of course, it was Julian’s child.
---

Nine months later, Julian was on his way to Crane Industries when he opened the front door and tripped over a basket.

“What the hell?” he said as he picked himself off the floor and began to hear a baby wail.

He rolled his eyes and picked up the basket by the handle and walked inside.

“PILAR!” he screamed as he reached for the phone on the end table.

“Yes, Julian?” she came in seconds.

“Give this baby something to eat, while I call the police,” he said as he dialed the number, “I don’t see how people can just drop off babies at doors and abandon them,” he shook his head as he heard the phone ring, “If one doesn’t want a baby, then one should use protection…it’s not that hard,” he rambled on.

“Julian, I think you should see this,” Pilar said as she read a letter she found in the basket.

“What?” he looked to her.

“This,” she showed the letter to him, “This is YOUR baby…yours and Eve’s baby.”

Julian put the phone down fast and snatched the letter out of Pilar’s hands and began reading it.
~~~

Julian,

Say hello to your beautiful baby girl. This is the child we created behind Tc’s back, but I just couldn’t go on raising this baby, knowing that she was the cause of the death of my husband. And that’s why I’m giving her to you. The shame was just too much for me to bear. Goodbye, Julian.

Eve
~~~

“My daughter?” Julian looked to the light complected newborn, “Eve just gave her up?” he said stunned, “Like she was yesterday’s garbage? She blames this baby for Tc’s death?! B*TCH!”

He then bent down and picked up the baby.

“My little girl,” he smiled, “Don’t you worry…I’m not going to abandon you; not like your mother. Not ever,” he kissed the baby’s forehead.

THE END*~*FINAL