The Matchmaker *Chapter Three* (Evian) Whitney, Gwen
by sadhappygirl
 

Chapter Three
 

Miss Charlotte gave Eve her undivided attention as Eve painfully told her about the broken friendships, heartaches and families she had left in her wake. Miss Charlotte didn’t speak for nearly half an hour afterwards; she knew Eve had a hidden past but…she wasn’t expecting it to be like something out of her Jive magazine.

“First of all is this Ivy person still alive?” Miss Charlotte finally asked.

“Excuse me?” Eve asked, reaching for a new tissue. “Who?”

“This Ivy person…the one that was blackmailing you…is she still alive?”

“Of course she is.” Eve replied. “Why you asked?”

“Because in my day…before I became respectable mind you, me and a couple of my girlfriends from Second Street would have cut her from ear to ear.”

“Miss Charlotte!” Eve gasped, “Murder doesn’t solve anything!” Eve couldn’t denied that she had thought of it once or twice herself…

“Who said anything about murder?” Miss Charlotte quipped. “I just said that we would have cut her from ear to ear…and let her live just to be polite.”

Eve tried to imagine this sweet elderly lady sitting next to her drinking corn liquor out of a Mason jar and walking around with an old fashion razor strapped to her thigh…

“Eve you have to go back.” Miss Charlotte stated firmly. “You have unfinished business in Harmony.”

“Huh what?” Eve said, bringing her back to the present. “Go back to Harmony?”

“Yes, your daughter is getting married… perfect excuse to go back don’t you think?”

“I can’t go back.” Eve cried, “I’m not sure Whitney wants me any where near her…not to mention I have face Grace and TC…” And Julian her heart pounded. “No! They are better off without me.”

“Eve dear you have been alone for too long.” Miss Charlotte said softly. “It’s time to go back and reclaim your family and the man you love.”

“What if they don’t want to have anything to do with me? What if seeing me will be too much for them? Then what?” Eve was sure she would die a thousand deaths than to hurt the people she cared about again.

“Well honey that is the chance you are going to have to take.” Miss Charlotte said, stroking Eve’s soft black tresses. “At least you would have tried.”

Eve glanced at the photo album it was opened to a picture of her and her daughters in happier times…

She always dreamed of Simone and Whitney’s weddings…how she would be the proud mother of the bride preparing her daughters for a life as a wife and mother…

Her and TC enjoying their grandchildren…

You and Julian…Her heart pounded…

“If you’re afraid of going alone, I will be more than happy to go with you.” Miss Charlotte suggested.

Eve reached over and squeezed her dear friend hand gently. “That is a sweet offer.” She said “But I don’t think that I will be needing it.” She said, closing the album and tucking it under her arm.

“Then you’re going by yourself?” Miss Charlotte asked, gleefully. “Eve I’m so proud…”

“No.” Eve interrupted. “I’m not accepting your offer because I am not going.” She explained more clearly while clearing the table of the empty plates and teacups.

“But Eve…” Miss Charlotte protested, feeling somewhat let down.

Eve held up a hand to silence her. “I appreciate your concern Miss Charlotte believe me I do but my mind is made up…Harmony is not on my road map.”

“That’s what you think.” Miss Charlotte muttered under her breath. She eyed Eve’s cell phone at on the other end of the couch. She waited until Eve went into the kitchen before making her move…

She quickly swiped the phone and placed it in her sweater pocket. “Dear I’m going to the powder room.” She announced loudly.

“Alright.” Eve yelled from the kitchen, above the running dishwater.

Once inside of the bathroom Miss Charlotte took out Eve’s cell phone and preceded to go thru her list of phone numbers until she came across the one she was looking for…

“Julian Crane…that was easy.” She said to herself, obviously pleased with herself.

She punched in the number…praying that it was still in use…
 

~*~*~*~
Julian felt his cell phone vibrating in his suit breast pocket and grimaced, for the past twenty minutes he had been on the phone with Rebecca, apparently she had hogtied some doddering old oil Barron in holy matrimony and was on her way to the Cayman Islands for her honeymoon.

He took out his cell phone…

“Hello?” he asked.

“Hello is this Mr. Julian Crane?” The elderly woman whispered into the receiver.

“Why yes it is…who is this?” He asked puzzled.

“Mr. Crane you don’t know me but I am a good friend of Eve Russell.”

The mentioned of Eve’s name almost cost him to dropped the phone… He took the phone from his ear to check the caller ID…

Person unknown…

“Mr. Crane are you still there?”

“Uh…who did you say your name was?” Julian asked he was not in the mood for a crank call.

“My name is Miss Charlotte and I’m calling on Dr. Russell’s cell phone.” She explained, ”If you don’t believe me you can call this number back and see for yourself.”

“Well uh…Miss Charlotte is it?” Julian stammered, his heart pounding loudly in his chest “Where exactly are you calling from?”

Was this really happening?

“I’m calling from…hold on…I’m fine Eve, I’ll be done in a minute…” He heard her yelling…and did he hear Eve’s voice in the background?

He felt giddy!

“Uh… hello Miss Charlotte? Where are you calling from dear?” He asked sweetly, trying not to sound too impatient.

“I’m sorry about that Mr. Crane.” She whispered. “But Eve…you know.”

“Of course I do dear.” He said, “Now tell me where are you calling from?”

“The powder room of course.”

“The powder room…of course…”He said through gritted teeth, trying to make light of it. “I’m talking to a flake.” He said to himself.

“Oh…oh you mean…sorry dear sometimes my old brains ain’t what it use to be.” Miss Charlotte said apolitically. “I’m calling from…”

The phone went dead…

“Hello? Hello?” he yelled, “Hello Miss Charlotte?”

He looked at his phone…

His batteries needed to be recharged…

“Freakin’ unbelievable!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. “Freakin’ unbelievable!”
 

~*~*~*~
“Hello Mr. Crane.” Miss Charlotte whispered in the phone…”Hello?”

No answer…

She disconnected the call and placed the phone back into her sweater pocket. She flushed the toilet and washed her hands…

Eve looked up at her friend as she walked into the living room and smiled.

“Sorry it took me so long.” She said. “Sometimes I just like sitting in there for the peace and quite.”

Eve chuckled.

“I see that you are feeling better?”

“A little bit…yeah.” Eve said.

“Eve I really wish you would change your mind…I do believe your daughter needs you.”

“Miss Charlotte please…lets talk about something else.” Eve said politely. “What about those pictures of eligible bachelors you have been teasing me with?”

Miss Charlotte stared at her – perplexed. “Eve I don’t think it’s fair for me to set you up on a date with these nice men.” She stated truthfully. “Especially when your heart belongs to someone else.”
 

~*~*~*~
Whitney was more than a little surprised to see Gwen talking to Mr. Alfie, when she arrived to have her meeting with the wedding planner. They were so engrossed in conversation they didn’t notice her standing in the room until she spoke up to announce her presence.

Gwen glanced up at her and greeted her with a genuine smile. “Whitney.” She said. “We have been waiting for you.”

“We?” Whitney asked, somewhat confuse.

“Ahh yes.” Gwen replied. “Fox called me up and asked me to assist you…that’s if you don’t mind.”

“Really? When did he do this?” She asked cautiously.

She wasn’t sure if she trusted Gwen…especially since she was the main reason Theresa was behind bars…

Gwen felt Whitney’s apprehension. “Um…Look Whitney I know we never saw eye to eye mainly because of Theresa.” She said. “I know you see me as the enemy but like it or not we are going to be family… sisters-in-laws… I’m willing to start over if you are.”

Whitney shrugged her shoulders…after all these years could her and Gwen possibly be friends?

It wouldn’t hurt to try…

“Did Fox really ask you to help me?” she asked shyly. “Because I’m going to need all the help I can get.”

Gwen nodded. “Call him up if you don’t believe me.” She said. “I won’t be offended.”

“No it’s okay.” she said, tucking her hair behind her ears.

“Okay then.” Gwen smiled. “I think we have kept Mr. Alfie waiting long enough, he is a bitch to work with when he’s pissed.” She joked.

Whitney grinned. “May be this won’t be so bad.” She said, following Gwen into Mr. Alfie’s office.
 
 
 

Chapter 4
Chapter 2
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