Chapter One

“Don’t look for me Julian…I will only run away again…” Eve’s departing words echoed in Julian’s mind.

And he had kept that promise for two years…

As it was his usual routine, Julian shut himself away from the rest of the world with a pitcher of Martimmy,(Oh how he miss that dear boy!) a good Cuban cigar and several reels of Eve singing just for him…

Sometimes on a good night his power of suggestion were so strong he actually sees her…

Performing…

Before him…

“Eve!” he cries, in an alcoholic haze. “Please don’t leave me!”

He reaches out to touch her smooth brown skin…

Only to come into contact with…

Nothing…

“Tonight is going to be different.” He told himself as he poured himself a Martimmy. He sat down at his desk and pulled out his book of contacts and called up the best private eye he knew…

“Hello Sheridan, it’s Julian…can you please call me at your earliest convenience? I have a job for you.”

After leaving a message on his sister’s voice mail, Julian lit up a cigar, leaned back in his chair and turned on the tape of Eve singing and closed his eyes and imagined the day his sweet Eve will be back in his aching arms…
 

~*~*~*~
“Eve do you need anything before I go?” Amy, her assistant, asked her.

“No Amy I’m fine…Thank you.” Eve answered without looking up from her computer. “Have a nice evening.”

“You too.” Amy said, knowing the good doctor will spend another long night in her office going over her patients’ records.

After Amy left, Eve got up to stretch her tired body and to lock the door to her office. Her practice wasn’t in the best of neighborhoods and her patients mostly consist of the working poor and the forgotten.

But she had never felt more satisfied - professionally.

Two years ago when she first saw the classified ad for the office space, she couldn’t believe how cheap the owner was asking for it – that is until she saw the location, it was sandwiched between a mom and pop diner and small run down bookstore.

“What do you plan on using this space for? If you don’t mind my asking.” The owner asked.

“Well I had hopes of opening my own practice.” Eve replied hesitantly. “I’m a doctor.”

The woman looked at her as if she was crazy. “You’re not from around here are you?”

“I’ve been in town for about a week.”

“I thought so.” She said, looking Eve up and down. “You seem like a nice person so let me give you a word of advice…this is the last place you want to open a practice, this neighborhood is run by drug dealers and gang bangers, you’ll be lucky to get the police down here on a good day.”

Eve chuckled to herself; the woman would balk to find out that underneath all her expensive clothes was a black girl who came from the streets.

“I’ll take it.” Eve said before she changed her mind, the wheels in her brain were already turning. “Call me when you draw up the final papers.” She said, getting into her car, her next stop was the bank and calling in favors from a couple of old colleagues.

Six months later her practice was opened for business…

She walked into the small kitchenette and poured the last of that day’s coffee in her cup and nuked it in the microwave for twenty-five seconds. She grabbed the last two sugar packs and opened up the refrigerator to see if anything in there was eatable.

Unable to find anything she closed it and went back into her office and ordered a ham sandwich from next door.

“You should go home.” She told herself. “Sit back, put your feet up and relax.”

“Relax.” She scoffed. “Girl you haven’t relaxed since…”

Her heart missed a beat...

There she goes thinking about her girls again and the look of sheer disgust on their innocent faces when TC asked…no…DEMANDED a divorce from the Julian loving whore.

“Mom how could you choose Julian Crane over daddy?” Whitney asked her repeatedly.

Sometimes she had asked herself the same question…

But had gotten the same answer every time…

She had always loved Julian and she always will…
 

~*~*~*~
Ten minutes later she heard a loud rap on the front door. “Dr. Eve open up! It’s Mr. Shapiro from the diner. I have your sandwich.” He announced loudly through the door.

“Coming!” She quickly unlocked the door and let him in. Mr. Shapiro pushed his bifocals up on his nose and hands her the bag.

“Edna threw in a large order of clam chowder.” He said, looking around. “Why are you here by yourself?”

“I have some paperwork I need to catch up on.”

“Should I send my grandson Joel over to keep you company?”

“That won’t be necessary.” Eve grinned. “As long as I know you are next door, I feel completely safe.”

Mr. Shapiro nodded in agreement; he was a retired Marine and can still throw a punch.

“How much do I owe you?” she said, pulling out a five-dollar bill.

“Four fifty.” He said. “The clam chowder is free.”

Eve handed him the five-dollar bill. “Thanks Mr. Shapiro.”

“Uh-huh.” He answered. “You just hurry up and get home young lady.” He advised her as he turned to leave.

“I will, I promise.” She locked the door behind him and went back into her office.

She sat the food on the desk and glanced at her watch, it was nearly seven-thirty. She promised herself she would work for two more hours then call it a night. She was sure Miss. Charlotte had set up camp outside her apartment door by now.

She went into the waiting room to find something to read while she ate her dinner; some one had left a copy of the newspaper behind. Once she was settled, she took a bite of her sandwich and flipped through the paper, nothing of interest held her attention.

She was about to toss the paper in the trash when she came across an article in the business section…

“Ohmigod!” she gasped as she read the headline… “Crane heir to wed local tennis star…Foxworthy Crane announced his upcoming nuptials to Ms. Whitney Russell, Mr. Crane, heir to the Crane Empire…”

Eve let the paper slip to the floor…

Too stunned to move…