The Imposter II (an alternate version), Chapter 12 (Evian)
by ejcrane
“I DO NOT LOOK ‘PUDGY’!” she huffed and ran up the stairs.
Seconds later, Julian caught up with her and grabbed her arm and spun her
around.
“‘Pudgy’? When did I ever say you did? You HAVE gained some weight; it’s
to be expected, but I think it’s sexy…my wife, pregnant with my son or daughter…”
he sighed, “How are you? How’s Simone? Is she doing better; I had gotten
a message that she was ill…” he walked to the door to open it, but Eve stopped
him.
“Simone? She’s fine, in fact, she was never sick, Julien…what’s been going
on with you for the past week? I mean, when we got home last Saturday…”
“Saturday?!”
“Dad!” Chad yelled from the doorway, “Uh, I need to talk to you…if you
know what I mean…”
And Julian DID know what Chad meant, and quickly excused himself.
“What is your mother talking about…”
“THAT is what I have to tell you about…he was here.”
“He? He who?”
“He…your brother.”
“Julien? No? How?!” Julian stepped away from the boy and pounded his fists
at his thighs.
“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “But, I’m thinking…he tricked mom while the
two of you were in Mexico City; she probably thought it was you.”
“God,” Julian shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, “And…and
where is he now?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged once more, “He said he’d be back in a week…which
is today, but you’re here.”
“God, this is just getting out of hand. I…I have to tell your mother…I
have to tell her the truth, once and for all…”
Four days had gone by, and the “truth” was still a secret to Eve. Julian
had decided to wait, and decided to tell her this very same day. He was
going to take her out to eat, bring her home, and then, tell her everything…from
the very beginning.
BUT…
…by eleven o’clock that morning, Chad was in the kitchen watching some
Spanish soap opera with Pilar. He did not know a word they were saying,
but liked how fast they spoke and the reactions that they got out of Pilar.
He shook his head and laughed at her rants over some character, and just
as he was about to jump off the stool, there was some ‘breaking news’. Julien’s
picture popped up, and the two gasped!
Chad reached for the remote and switched it to an English news channel…and
watched as they reported that the current president of Crane Industries
was murdered the day before…
He switched the channel, and there it was again…IT WAS ON EVERY CHANNEL,
he thought!
“Honey, are you watching the news?” Eve asked in disbelief, “They must
be showing something interesting for you to be watc…” she paused as the
picture of her own husband came onto the screen, “Julien? In…in Monte Carlo?”
Her hand then covered her mouth as the reporter announced that Julien had
been beheaded…
A picture of him with her and the kids was shown as his survivors…along
with Julian’s picture.
“Mr. Crane is survived by his wife, Eve and their two kids…along with his
identical twin brother, Julian L. Crane, co-president of Crane Industries
in Paris, France,” the reporter declared, “Oh, just one second,” he held
his ear piece, “I’ve just gotten word that while his brother was away, that
Julian Crane was taking care of business in Harmony, Massachusetts…”
Eve’s eyes widened when her brain finally registered the information she
had just taken in; when she finally realized that the man who had been living
with her and her children for the past months, who she had shared herself
with, who she had made love to over and over with, who was the father of
her unborn baby…was her husband’s twin brother…
“MOM!” Chad rushed to her when he saw the blood in her hand.
“Ahhhh!” Eve cried out and bent over, holding her stomach, “The…baby…”
she moaned out before she fainted in her son’s arms.
Pilar called Julian at the office right away, and he dropped everything
he was doing and rushed to the hospital…the only thing was…
…Miss Lopez never warned Julian that Eve knew the truth.
“Eve! I got here as soon as I could, darling. How are you; how’s the baby?”
his voice shook.
“I’m FINE,” she gritted her teeth, “I’m quite fine, JULIAN!”
He stepped back and swallowed. She knew…she knew!
“Eve…please let me explain…”
“Save it! I don’t want to hear anything about you. I don’t want to hear
your voice!” she glared at him, “Just go! Get your things and get the HELL
OUT OF MY HOUSE!”
“No…” he shook his head as a tear trickled down his cheek, “You can shut
me out of your life if you want, but there’s no way in hell that you’re
keeping me from our…OUR child!”
“There is NO child…not anymore…” she turned on her side so that her back
was to him.
“Eve…no,” he gasped, “Eve,” he walked closer to the bed and placed a hand
on her back, “I’m so sorry…”
“Don’t touch me! You disgust me!” she pulled the covers over her.
“Well…I didn’t seem to disgust you when we were creating our child, damnit!”
“I thought you were Julien. I could never feel anything for a coward like
you!”
That was it! Julian swept everything off the table next to her bed.
“You knew it wasn’t him! You knew it, damnit, you knew it!” he grabbed
her arms and picked her up into a sitting position.
“Don’t! Stop! Go back to your SL*T! I bet she sure misses you…”
“FINE, I’ll leave! But just know one thing. You didn’t mind being MY sl*t
these past few months!” and he shoved her back onto the bed and stormed
out of her room.