The Fine Print - Chapter 18
by yhh
Lying in Julian's arms, listening to Ella, sipping on some delicious champagne,
life couldn't get any better, Eve wanted to think, but she knew that wasn't
true. Ethan's marriage was decinagrating right before his eyes and he didn't
seem to notice. She prayed his ignorance was due to his rape and not an
indifference to Gwen and their marriage. From her eldest son, her thoughts
turned to her eldest daughter. Whitney, Fox, and Nicky were a happy threesome,
but she knew the baby's paternity issue was a dark cloud over their heads.
As much as Fox pretended not to notice, she knew he was too sharp to miss
the worry and doubt that still clung to Whitney. The only person she wasn’t
overly concerned with, much to her surprise was, Simone.
Her youngest daughter had made the transition from her father's house to
the Crane mansion almost seamlessly. She knew a large part of that was due
to Kathleen and Maria. It helped immensely they were adjusting to the same
things she was. She would be forever grateful to Kay. She thought both girls
were growing and maturing living in this unique, blended family.
"Darling, you're supposed to be concentrating on us," Julian gently reprimanded
her.
"I was, sort of. I just wish all of the children could be as happy as we
are."
"In a perfect world they would be, but we didn’t magically get here. We
both suffered emotionally, mentally, and sometimes physically. I think those
experiences have allowed us to appreciate our love and our current relationship
that much more."
The doctor sighed. After decades of hiding and burying a part of herself
and her history, she valued being herself with Julian. She felt like, for
the first time in forever she could finally let her hair down. She had hoped
her children's road to love wasn't full of strife and thorns, but it seemed
her two oldest ones had inherited her rocky road to love. Or rather keeping
love. Before the guilt could fully kick in, the soft kisses her man placed
on the side of her neck and on her shoulder distracted her.
"Mmm."
"Mmm is right. I'm going to ravish you, caress you, kiss, taste, and li-
-"
Eve sang in his ear.
I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby (Uh huh)
But you keep fronting (Uh)
Saying what you going to do to me (Uh huh)
But I ain't seen nothing (Uh)
You say you're a big boy
But I can't agree
'Cause the love you said you had
Ain't been put on me
I wonder
If I'm just too much for you
Wonder
If my kiss don't make you just
Wonder
What I got next for you
What you want to do? (Do)
Julian growled as he pushed her down on the extra large sofa he had placed
on his balcony. Crawling on top of her, he kissed her, making sure his tongue
didn't leave one crevice of her mouth untouched.
I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby (Uh huh)
But you keep fronting (Uh)
Saying what you going to do to me (Uh huh)
But I ain't seen nothing (Uh)
Running her fingers through his hair, she turned her neck to the side to
give him more access as his hands crept lower. Her grinding came to an abrupt
halt as she heard knocking on the door.
"Ignore it. They'll go away," he whispered in her ear as he nibbled on
her earlobe.
The knocking continued.
"Julian," she said in a firm voice.
"Damn it! I'm killing whomever this is," he grumbled, leaving his beloved's
warm, enticing body and stalking to the door. "What?!"
Taking in Julian's disheveled appearance and tone of voice, Simone knew
she had interrupted something. She couldn't help but feel a little thrill
about that. She was getting used to him, but the idea of her mother and him
kissing or making out was still repulsive. "Hello," she said, sweetly, as
Julian eyed her evilly. "Mom, are you in here?"
"I'm on the balcony, honey."
Closing the door with more force than was necessary, Julian resigned himself
to the fact that their playtime had come to a sudden and quick death.
Simone hurried over to the sofa and snuggled into her mother's open arms,
much to Julian's dismay.
Sighing, Julian knew his fate once again, in the form of Eve's youngest
daughter, had interrupted his quiet time with his beloved. It was like the
teen had a sixth sense about their alone time. He was secretly damning himself
for vowing to take things slow and easy and not becoming one with Eve until
she was finally legally his. He thought Eve moving into the mansion, after
endless pleading and some subtle emotional blackmail about the move helping
her relationship with Ethan, Gwen, and her grandson, would temper his ardor
by having her near him, but just the opposite had occurred. He didn't believe
it was possible to crave, want, desire, and love Eve Johnson more than he
already did, but once again he had been mistaken.
"Mr. Crane, earth to Mr. Crane," Simone repeated.
Julian looked at the source of his irritation. "Yes?"
"You said we could ask you anything. Is that true?"
Had this young upstart really interrupted his tortuous, yet delicious form
of lovemaking for a question and answer session? Staring into Simone's brown
eyes, he made it clear he knew that she knew he knew what she was up to.
With an innocent smile matching her own, Julian nodded. "Of course, my precious
dear," he replied, watching the teen grit her teeth at the term of affection.
"If you loved each other so much then how and why did you keep it a secret
for so long? And, Mom, why did you let dad talk badly about Mr. Crane?"
The younger woman may have entered the room to create mischief, but her
serious, thought-provoking questions couldn't be denied or go unanswered.
"My cowardice and fear lost me your mother and when we met again, I saw
the smile your father put on her face. The joy you and your sister brought
to her eyes- - Who was I to deny her that? Who was I to bring an end to the
happiness she had obviously found? Her new life was my greatest dream come
to fruition and the source of my greatest misery."
Simone saw the honesty and felt the depth of emotions in Julian's voice.
Once again, despite herself she was in awe of their love.
"What secret wouldn't you hold to protect the ones that you love?"
Instantly Simone's mind went to Whitney. She knew there was nothing she
wouldn't do for those she loved.
Making sure Julian saw her love gazing in her eyes, she began to answer
the second part of Simone's question. "With every word your father said against
Julian, the part of me that was buried deep, deep inside me raged against
them. But I too was a coward- -"
"Darling, you weren't- -" Julian started.
Eve shook her brown locks. "Yes, I was. I was too afraid to tell TC the
truth when I knew our relationship was becoming serious. I failed him."
"So was your time with Dad a lie- - were our lives a lie- -do you regret
your marriage to Daddy- -"
Turning her daughter's head towards her, she peppered Simone's face with
kisses. "No. No. Never think that. When I thought Ethan was dead and Julian
was lost to me forever, I gave up any hope for a future. My main goal was
to live through each second, nothing beyond that," Eve declared, wiping
tears off of her daughter's face. "Your dad came along and taught me without
even knowing it that seconds turned into minutes, minutes, into hours, hours
into days, days into months, months into years, and years into hope. Then
he gave me Grandma, Aunt Grace, Uncle Sam, this town I call home. The first
home I'd had since my parents died, but most importantly he gave me his love,
you, and your sister. I've been honored to treasure such gifts. Whatever
issues or problems your father and I may have, I will always thank God that
Thornton Chandler Russell came into my life and loved me."
"Oh, Mommy," Simone cried, turning around and burying herself into her
mother.
"I love you, baby girl," Eve said, hugging her daughter tighter even as
she felt her energy drain from the discussion and the emotions it brought
forth. Suddenly she felt herself being lifted forward and the arms of the
man she loved wrapping around her and her daughter.