Whitney was crying when she came into the hospital. She came to her sister’s room, and saw her father sitting by Simone’s bedside.

“ Sugarbear, please wake up. Please. I love you. Your mother loves you. Whitney, misguided though she may be right now, loves you. Simone, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I haven’t been the father that I should have been to you. I’m sorry I let you down. I’ve spent so much time with Whitney that I got lost in the tennis dream. Did you really try and commit suicide? Did you really think your life was worth nothing?”

The tears and sobs from TC are flowing now. “ Oh my God, what kind of a father, am I? I love you. I need for you to come back to us. We’ll do whatever it takes to rebuild our relationship. Don’t leave us.”

As TC prayed at Simone’s bedside, Whitney could only feel the tears falling down her cheeks. She quietly walked into the room and sat on Simone’s other side. TC looked up at Whitney, and there was anger in his eyes towards her. He stared at Whitney as she picked up and held Simone’s other hand.

“ Daddy, you can take a break, now. I’ll sit here with Simone.”

” I don’t think Simone would want your ‘comfort’ Whitney.”

With every word, Whitney’s heart broke. TC’s disapproval was evident.

“ Daddy, Chad and I are over. I understand that the relationship was the wrong thing.”

” And, it only took your sister almost DYING to realize it.”, TC said sarcastically.

Whitney braced herself and stayed put. Her legs wanted to run away, but she realized that she had to stay and fight. For her family and for her sister’s life.

“ Yes, unfortunately, it took that to get me to see the big picture. I’m a member of this family too, Daddy, and I’m not going anywhere. You were telling Simone that you were going to make it up to her. I feel the same way. I’ve made mistakes. I admit to them. But, you have to know that I NEVER wanted anything like this to happen to my sister. That I never wanted anything  like this to happen to my family. We ALL have to work together, Daddy, or it will all fall apart. “

TC said nothing, but quietly took Whitney’s hand with his free hand, and they both prayed for Simone.
 
 

Eve was sitting at the wharf, when Julian just happened to be on his nightly walk.

“ Eve, is something wrong?”, Julian asked, seeing that she had been crying.

“ No, Julian. I don’t know why I’m crying. My baby girl is only in a coma after more than likely attempted suicide. Why would I cry?”, Eve said bitterly.

Julian held her in his arms. “ Cry all you want.”

Eve did just as Julian commanded, and once she was finished, she just sat there, in Julian’s arms.

“ I’m so worried, Julian.”

“ Simone will be fine.”

” How can you be sure?”

” Because, she got a second chance, and because she has parents like you and TC.”

” I doubt we’re good parents. If we were, then we would have seen some signs.”

” Nonsense. Our children have their own minds. They have their own free will. Simone had choices, and she made them. Now, you and TC will work on her helping her to make better ones. Believe me, as a bad parent, I can spot good ones.”

“ Julian…”

“ You and TC will help your daughter. I’m sure of it.”

Eve smiled slightly. “ I can’t help but feel like a failure. Especially with the likes of Liz hovering around, ready to pounce at any moment.”

” Why don’t you get rid of her?”

” Believe me, I want to. But, she’s threatening me..”

“ Call her bluff.”

Eve looked at Julian and shook her head. “ Eve, listen to me. If there’s something I know about, it’s power plays. I’m a Crane. I think this is the PERFECT time for you to get Liz OUT of your house. TC won’t think twice about the request from you. He has other priorities. And, the more distance you put between your family and Liz, the better it will be.”

” But, what if..”

” She tells the truth? What is her point for telling – to destroy your life. If she told now, what good would it do? Your family has other priorities. No, she won’t say anything. Stop living in fear of her. She’s NO threat to you.”

” I…I wish I could be sure of that.”

” Trust me. You want Liz OUT of your house. THIS is the time to strike.”

Eve thought about it, and nodded her head. “ You’re right, Julian. I want her OUT of my house. And, it’s going to happen TODAY!”

Eve got up off the bench and kissed Julian. “ Thank you, Julian. Thanks for everything.”
Eve was already on her cellphone as she walked away.
 

Fox sat in his new office at Crane Industries.

Work.

He shook his head.  He didn’t want to work, but he had to. He had to get his life in order. He looked over at his computer screen. He had researched the Russells online. He thought he knew enough about them.

But, he couldn’t have known what he saw in the park earlier. Dr. Russell in his father’s arms. It shook him to the core. The look of concern on his father’s face was nothing like he’d ever seen. He didn’t understand what was going on.

Fox was interrupted by a knock at the door. Fox looked up to see his mother, in her wheelchair.

” Mother. What a surprise.”

” Why, Fox. Am I not allowed to visit you?”

” I thought you had been banned from all Crane Properties.”

Ivy laughed. “ You’re such a joker, Fox.”

” I doubt Father is.”

” I could care less about your father.”

” Mother, we both know that you care little for my welfare. Cut to the chase. Why are you here?”

” Well, I was wondering if you had heard anything between Julian and his lawyers.”

“ What? About your settlement?”

Ivy  moved uncomfortably in the wheelchair. “ Well, yes. I can’t believe he thinks he can NOT give me a settlement!”

” Well, fair is fair, Mother. I think it’s incredulous to him that you suckered him about your precious Ethan.”, Fox said sarcastically.

“ Your green is showing Fox. Aren’t you old to be jealous of your brother?”

” Why are you even talking to me, Mother? Is it because you realize that I’m the next generation of Cranes to control the purse strings, and you want to be on my good side?”

Ivy laughed. “ My dear Fox, you have long to go before Alistair’s going to let YOU be in charge of anything.”

Fox bristled at his mother’s dismissal. “ You know what Mother, whether you like it or not, ‘I’ am the Crane Heir. So, you better play nice.”

” Ah, there’s your father. Right there.”

“ Why don’t you wheel yourself back to your precious Ethan and the object of your obsession, Sam Bennett?”

“ I’ll be going, my darling Fox. But, a word of warning. You’ll only get the keys to the kingdom IF you do what Alistair and Julian want. And, what they’ll want is your soul.”

Ivy wheeled out of Fox’s office and he slammed the door after her. He didn’t care what his mother said; he would forge his own way, and be his own man. Period.
 

TC and Eve are in the waiting room on the floor of Simone’s room when they see Liz get off the elevator.

“ Liz, over here.”, TC called.

Liz went over to Eve and TC. “ TC. I was surprised to get your phonecall. Is Simone alright?”

“ She hasn’t changed. Eve and I wanted to talk to you.”

” Really?”

” Yes. Eve and I have to work on bringing our family back together. So, I have to ask you to leave.”

” Leave?”

” Yes, leave. We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we need to focus on ourselves. We simply don’t need outsiders around.”

“ Outsiders?!”, Liz said, with an undercurrent of fury in her voice. Her eyes dead on Eve.

” Yes. You understand, don’t you Liz? It was never meant for you to be there permantly, and Eve and I need the garage apartment. We’re going to move Whitney there. We want there to be space for between Whitney and Simone for when Simone comes home, but we don’t want Whitney to move out. Since we need to garage apartment for Whitney, you can’t be living there. You can move in 48 hours, can’t you?”

” Well, uh, yeah. Sure, TC.”

” Thank you, Liz. I knew you wouldn’t mind.” TC kisses Eve and walks back towards Simone’s room.

Liz turns her venom on Eve. “ You bitch! You think I’m moving?”

” Yes, I do.”

” I don’t think so. I want you to tell TC that you’ve changed your mind.”

” I’ll do no such thing. Your ass is out. And, if you give me attitude, I’ll tell TC that you need to leave immediately!”

” Who the fuck do you think you are?”

” I think it’s MY house, and I get to say who lives there!”

” Have you forgotten what I have on you? One word from me and..”

” Do it.”

” What?”

” I said, do it. It’s time for you to either tell or as they say, Shut the fuck up. You tell TC NOW what you know about my past. He’ll be mad.”

” Oh, he’ll be more than mad. He’ll leave your whore ass!”

”  Bitch, please. TC’s not going to leave me. He’s not going to leave our family. He will be mad, but WE will work through it.”

” I’ve seen TC’s temper.”

” And, I know MY husband. I know what kind of man he is, and there is NOTHING on this Earth that means more to him than our family. You tell him, and he won’t thank you. He’ll probably never talk to you again. Get out of MY house. You have 24 hours.”

Eve left Liz there- fuming and speechless.