The Fine Print - Chapter 2
by yhh
The library was busy and full of crying, whimpering, anger, betrayal, disbelief,
heartache, and pain. With one videotape, Alistair succeeded in creating
much more havoc and destruction in death than he had in life. Today lives
were irrevocably changed. Friendships and families torn apart and broken.
If Alistair’s last wish was to leave this town in disarray and suffering,
he achieved his wish beyond belief.
Julian watched his father's lawyer, Sean Raymond, eject the tape and put
it in his briefcase. He surveyed the room, but his eyes closed in on his
son. His son, Ethan, he sighed. He was glad to be able to say that again.
His father had been right; he had been half-drunk while he sat in the waiting
room. He had even had a flask on him. He had been at his wits end, his search
for Eve was continuously coming up empty. His mind couldn’t figure out how
a single, pregnant, black woman with no money and no family disappeared
off the face of the earth, untraceable. When the nurse came and got him
and Ethan opened his brown eyes and stared at him, Julian had instantly
sobered. He felt as if those were Eve’s eyes searching his heart and soul
and found him lacking. He had both loved and loathed the all-seeing eyes
of Ethan. It was good to know now that he hadn’t imagined those first few
moments in the hospital nursery. Those had been Eve’s eyes staring at him.
His eyes sought Eve who was crying silently in the corner.
Eve didn’t know if she was coming or going. Her mind and soul breathed
a huge sigh of relief and released the guilt that had been weighing heavily
on them now that she knew her children hadn’t committed incest. Chad wasn’t
her son. Although he was the baby she held and rocked in the hospital and
mourned for all these years, he wasn’t her and Julian’s son. He wasn’t the
little boy she should have been crying over, instead her son was a man whom
had had the best of everything. A father, a mother, siblings, wealth, privilege,
and he had never missed or noticed her absence from his life. How could
she be a part of her baby boy’s life when he didn’t need her in it other
than the casual way she already was in it?
Chad wanted to kill someone, preferably Alistair but the bastard was already
dead. He had had it all. Finally after years of searching, he had found
a mom in Dr. Russell and a dad, even if it was Julian Crane, but Alistair
had ruined all of that. Now once again, he had nothing, actually less than
nothing. Dead parents, no family, and the woman he loved was with his former
brother. Walking quickly to the doors, Chad opened them and headed out of
the library.
“Chad,” Eve called out.
Her voice stopped him and her open arms and tear stained face welcomed
him. He ran into her arms and let down his guard as he poured out the past
twenty-five years of pain, hurt, and disappointment.
“Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald, you are under arrest for rape, possession of an
illegal drug, and stalking to a name a few of the charges,” the Sheriff said,
walking into the room. “Ma’am,” he said addressing Pilar, “please step away
from Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald.”
Leaving the clutches of his family, Sam confronted the sheriff.
“My officer and I can bring her in,” Sam informed the sheriff.
“How did I know you were going to say that Sam?” asked the assistant district
attorney, James Street. “Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald is going to the county jail
so she won’t get any special privileges just because she has family and
friends on the Harmony Police Department,” he concluded looking from Luis
to Sam. “These are very serious charges and should be treated as such. Read
her her rights.”
The sheriff pulled a hysterical Theresa from Pilar and recited her rights
as he handcuffed her.
“Do you have to handcuff her? She’s eight months pregnant, where can she
go?” Martin asked, both the sheriff and the ADA.
The sheriff sympathized, but shook his head. “I’m sorry, but the law is
the law.”
As Theresa heard the handcuffs lock in place, her eyes pleaded with Ethan
as a continuous stream of tears soaked her face.
But Ethan looked though her, his mind was still reeling from everything
he learned today.
Getting no response from Ethan, she searched for and found Whitney.
Whitney stared back at her with a look of shock and disgust.
“Let’s go Miss,” the sheriff said calmly.
“Mama, Luis, Antonio, Paloma, Miguel, please someone help me,” Theresa
screamed, as she was led away. Why was this happening to her? She and Ethan
were destined to be together.
“Mama, Luis and I will follow the sheriff to make sure Theresa is ok,”
Antonio told his crying mother.
Pilar nodded.
“Sheridan, Miguel, Paloma, take Mama home and we’ll call you as soon as
we know something,” Luis added.
His wife and younger siblings nodded.
Luis gave Sheridan a quick kiss and left with Antonio.
The rest of the Lopez-Fitzgeralds followed.
Martin glanced at Katherine, she nodded, silently communicating with him
and they rushed out.
“Ethan,” Ivy cried, reaching out to touch her eldest son.
Ethan abruptly moved away from her, avoiding her touch. He strengthened
his grip on Gwen’s hand and led her out of the library, ignoring everyone.
Gwen shot a quick “I’m sorry” look to Ivy. She saw her
mother motion to her to call her later. She nodded, not really sure she
wanted to or would be able to. As she sank into the leather passenger seat
of the Benz, Gwen’s mind staggered at the recent events.
After Sarah died, she thought she would never open her heart to another
child, but Little Ethan captured her heart and the thought of the twins sent
her heart soaring. But once again, Theresa got involved. She had wanted Theresa
out of their lives, but not like this. Not by going to prison, she hadn’t
wished that. But hearing that Theresa had raped Ethan; Gwen stared at her
mute husband. Theresa deserved to be burned at the stake after she gave
birth to the twins, and even that was letting her off too lightly.
Simone was in shock. She watched her mother embrace Chad and her sister
stare into outer space with her hands intertwined with Fox’s. Simone’s heart
craved and cried for her to go to one of them, but her stubborn mind said,
“No.” Then her father stepped in and made the decision for her when he put
his arm around her shoulder and guided her out of the library.
Walking past the Bennetts, she swiftly squeezed Kay’s hand and Kay reciprocated.
“Mom, dad, let’s go home,” Jessica requested.
Kay nodded. “I’ll drive,” Kay informed her parents, taking the keys out
of Sam’s hands.
Reading Kay’s mind, Tabitha stated, “I’ll bring Maria over later.”
Kay nodded her thanks and with the help of her sister and cousin, she ushered
her grieving parents and former brother to the car.
John Hastings followed behind at a distance.
Feeling overly generous and bad for her, Becky walked over to Ivy and said,
“Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
Suspicious Ivy asked, “Why?”
“Because,” huffed Becky, “once a year I try to do something nice for someone
other than myself. Plus, it’s been a rough day for you. So come on.”
Taking in the sparsely populated library, Ivy nodded and rose from her
seat.
Julian’s gaze went from the love of his life comforting Chad to his middle
son and his girlfriend sitting, staring unseeing out the window. He didn’t
know whom to go to first. Suddenly out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed
Tabitha trying to sneak out. One too many MarTimmies and now he had a child
with Tabitha. He shivered at the thought. “Tabitha,” he said, stopping her
movement.
Damn, she had wanted to leave unnoticed before Julian had a chance to talk
to her. Tabitha wanted out of this house. She plotted and schemed, but she
was no where as evil as Alistair.
“Is she mine?” Julian asked with no pretense.
Tabitha longed to respond in a cutting and sharp manner, but she heard
Timmy’s voice echoing in her head.
“Tabby, be nice,” Timmy said over and over.
If being nice cut out Timmy’s whining, then nice and charming she would
be.
“Yes, Endora is yours.” She didn’t want to share the one thing she loved
most in the world. They belonged solely to each other in the same yet, different
way as she and Timmy had once belonged to each other. If it wasn’t for Endora,
she didn’t think she would have survived Timmy’s unexpected death.
Timmy’s voice grew louder.
“Fine,” she said to him. She would do the right thing.
“Excuse me?” Julian questioned wondering if Tabitha had
been talking to him or herself.
“Oh, nothing I just talk to myself sometimes,” she said with something
resembling a smile on her face.
Julian returned her equally strange looking smile. I can’t believe I slept
with this kooky woman, he thought.
“If you want a DNA test- -“
Julian gazed into her eyes and thought for a moment. Tabitha never asked
him for anything and probably would have never willing told him if it hadn’t
been for his father’s meddling. “No, that won’t be necessary.”
Tabitha was surprised; she hadn’t expected that response.
“See what happens, Tabby, when you’re nice.”
She ignored Timmy.
“Try it again. Try it again,” Timmy repeated.
“Will you shut-up if I do?” she inquired.
“Yes,” Timmy answered nicely.
“Fine,” she sighed. “You can see her three times a week at the house, then
once you two get to know each other you can keep her every other weekend,”
Tabitha finished and marched right out the door before Julian could say
one word.
Strange woman, Julian said as he heard Tabitha muttering as she left. He
was flabbergasted. He hadn’t expected such generosity on Tabitha’s part.
Today was full of the unexpected.
Walking over to Eve and Chad, he hugged them both. “Chad, you will always
have a place in this family and in our hearts,” he informed Chad quietly.
With tears in his eyes, Chad thanked Julian and Eve. “I better go,” Chad
said, stepping away from Julian and Eve.
“You don’t have to, you can stay,” Eve offered.
Chad cast a glance over to the still Fox and Whitney, then quickly looked
away. “No, I need time to think.”
They followed his gaze and nodded in understanding.
“If you need anything call,” Eve admonished him.
Chad nodded, hugged and kissed Eve and shook Julian’s hand and left.
Julian pulled Eve into his arms and held her, trying to communicate all
of his feelings and all the things he wanted to say but couldn’t. He stepped
back and motioned to the two remaining kids in the room.
They made their way to them. Julian sat next to Whitney and Eve next to
Fox. Each wrapped their arms around the other’s child.
“It’s going to be okay,” they said simultaneously.
Letting go of his male pride front and with his head in the crook of Eve’s
neck, Fox freed himself of all of the day’s emotions that had been consuming
him.
Rubbing his back, Eve simply held him.
Whitney laid her head on Julian’s chest.
“It’s okay to cry,” Julian told her.
She shook her head and laid there, strangely comforted by the sounds of
Fox’s cries, which he unknowingly was crying for the both of them.