Haunted Nights, Chapter 38
“ Eve, why are you here alone? Why didn’t you bring my granddaughter with
you?”, Warren asked.
“ Because Eve is a lying tramp, and once Whitney found that out, she didn’t
want to go anywhere with her!”
Eve winced. “ Hello, Sweetheart.”
Simone rolled her eyes. “ Still trying to shove your lies, Eve?”
“ Simone, I explained to you………...”
“ YOU explained nothing. Only when you realized that you couldn’t lie to
my face anymore, that’s when you copped to it. When I think about what a lying
piece of “
“ THAT IS ENOUGH!”, Tanya exclaimed. They all looked at her. “ Young lady,
as long as you stay under MY roof, you are NEVER, and I mean NEVER, to call
your mother out of her name. You aren’t and never will be grown enough to
call your mother out of her name. Am I understood?”
“ But, she..”
“ I SAID, Do you understand?”
Simone lowered her face to the ground and replied quietly. “ Yes, M’am.”
“ That’s more like it. Whatever problems you have with your mother, they
can be handled with respect. Jonah, I’m sure that Warren has things that he
wants you do too. I suggest that you leave and make those phone calls. We
have things to discuss with our daughter and granddaughter.”
“ Yes, Dr. Johnston.”, Jonah replied and left the room.
Tanya motioned for Simone to sit down, and she did just that.
“ Eve, you didn’t answer your father about why you came alone. Tell us.”
Eve sighed. “ I came alone, because I wanted to know if I would be welcome
here.”
“ Princess, of course you’re welcome.”
“ I don’t plan on telling them until I bring them here.”
“ So, you’re going to ambush Daddy?”, Simone asked harshly.
“ I don’t like your tone, young lady.”, Tanya warned.
“ Grandmother, I’m sorry. But, you don’t know my father. What my mother
is proposing is to lure him here, with ME as the bait. Then, once he’s here,
she’s going to shatter everything he EVER thought he knew about her. What’s
fair about that?”
“ You’re right, young lady. There’s absolutely nothing fair about what your
mother is proposing. But, she seems to believe this is how it has to be done.
So, I’m going to support her.”, Warren replied.
“ As will I.”, Tanya said.
“ What’s to stop me from calling Daddy and telling him the truth?”, Simone
asked.
“ Because you love your family. And, as angry as you are with your mother
at this time, you know that any other way will probably mean the end of it.”,
Tanya replied.
Simone looked down at the floor. She knew her grandmother was right and
she hated it.
“ Well, I have to go. Mother, Daddy, thank you.” Eve hugged her mother
slightly, and then gave her father a deep hug and left.
Tanya went over to Simone. “ Why don’t you come with me back to my library.”
Simone said nothing and followed her grandmother. Once they got back in
the library, they sat down next to one another.
“ Simone, I meant what I said. I won’t have you disrespecting your mother
in this house.”
“ I know. But, it’s not like the two of you are close.”
“ One, that’s none of your concern. My relationship with your mother is
MY business and nobody else’s. Two, respect to your elders is one of the
foundations of a civil society. One of the reasons why we, as a community,
are in such trouble, is that your generation has forgotten that.”
“ I….I love my Daddy so much.”
“ I know. And, I also know that you love your mother. You’re angry with
her, but you love her. She happens to adore you. I’ve made my own mistakes
as a mother, Simone. Do you want to know what the worst thing possible that
can happen?”
“ What?”
“ You don’t get a chance to make up for your mistakes.”
For the first time, Simone looked at her grandmother, and saw vulnerability.
Stoic, cold, unemotional Tanya Lincoln Johnston, looked so, vulnerable sitting
there. She looked like a woman who HAD been haunted by that decision all those
years ago. Simone impulsively hugged her mother.
“ It’s ok, Grandmother. I’m here now. Soon the whole family will be.”
Tanya returned her granddaughter’s hug. It was uncomfortable for her, but
felt so good.
“ How was it?”, Julian asked, after the Crane Jet got up into the air.
“ It was hard. “
“ Your parents?”
“ The same, only older. They’ve both aged well.”
“ And Simone?”
“ Still hostile. Extremely hostile.”
“ So, what’s your next plan of action?”
“ Within the next few days, I’m going to bring Whitney and TC down here.”
“ Without telling them why?”
“ Yes.”
“ Eve, are you ready for that?”
“ I don’t know. But, it’s time. No more running. No more hiding. The truth
needs to be revealed.”
“ Why do it at your parent’s house?”
“ Reinforcements. If I do it in Harmony, TC will walk out and never come
back.”
“ He might feel more betrayed in another city.”
“ Julian, TC will feel so betrayed anyway. But, if I have support, then
maybe….maybe, he’ll listen to me. Understand how much I want our marriage
to stand.”
Julian went over to Eve and let her put her head on his shoulder. “ Go ahead.
Cry.”