Julian Crane sat in his car, watching the rain come down. He checked the clock on his car. Night was approaching, and he had a decision to make. He didn’t know what to do, but he knew he had to have answers. A lightbulb goes off above his head, and he knows exactly where to go. He starts his car and is off on his journey.
 

Madelaine Russell picked up her knitting needles. She listened to the jazz CD on the stereo.

She had given the kids a treat, giving Simone and Whitney money for pajama parties at the Bennett and Lopez-Fitzgerald houses, and Ethan had called Chad over to enjoy all the amenities of the Crane Mansion. Chad was reluctant, but Madelaine had told him to accept the outreach from his brother, so he went.

Nobody had heard from Eve or TC, and for Madelaine, that was music to her ears. Everything was finally coming into place. Her family was back in order.
 

“ Eve?”

“ Yes, TC?”, Eve replied, her head on TC’s chest, enjoying the embrace of her husband.

“ Having Chad back in your life has….helped you, hasn’t it?”

Eve got up and turned to face TC. She thought about what he asked.

“ Yes, TC. Finding my son has helped a great deal. Without him, there was a permanent hole in my soul. I love you and the girls, and Lord knows how much you helped me heal, but there was always something missing. Always an ache there. You can’t imagine what it’s like for a mother to miss her child. NOTHING in the world is quite right. NOTHING is in the right orbit, if you’re missing your child. You learn how to function in the world, and you might even have a fulfilling life, but there’s always a ghost in the room with you. A mother should never have to lose her child. The pain is so unimaginable. There aren’t words for it.”

TC pulled Eve into a kiss. “ Well, you don’t have to worry. Chad’s here, and he’s ready for all the love you can give him. He’s a part of our family, and that’s how it will stay.”

Eve put her head on TC’s chest and hugged him close.  All is right in her world. It’s perfect.
 

“ Chad, I’m glad you took me up on my offer.”, Ethan said, as they entered the Crane Living Room.

“ I had doubts, but Grandmere said I should come.”

” No offense Chad, but that woman creeps me out.”

” She spooks me sometimes too. I know I NEVER want to be on her bad side.”

” I hear you.”

” So, where’s Gwen?”

“ She and Gwen are having a gal's night out. What do you want to see first?”

” I don’t know. You lead the tour.”

Ethan was leading the tour of the first floor when he opened the door to the Library.

” This is the Library. It’s Father’s private domain.”

” When I’m not here.”, said a booming voice from behind the chair at the desk.

” G..Grandfather?”, Ethan asked.

Alistair Crane spun around. “ Well, well, if it isn’t my newly found grandson.”

Chad didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t stay anything. He just stared at Alistair. Stared at the man who had turned his life upside down without a second thought. The man who had marked him for death. He could FEEL his body become overwhelmed by the rage that had been building since he was a little boy, when he would get beaten or abused, and look upwards to the sky and wonder how people could speak of a God, considering that he knew no peace. He wondered, when he was sleeping on the streets of Los Angeles, about how he got to that point. He wondered by nobody cared for him. Some kids had families, other kids only had one parent. He’d had no one. Now, he knows that was a lie. It was all a lie. He had a mother. And a father. And BOTH of them had wanted him. He knew he’d never forget the conversation where his mother explained to him about his parentage. The woman looked like one large vessel of pure pain.

And, here he was. Sitting in front of him. The man who was behind the scars on his soul.

“ So, cat have your tongue, BOY?”

Chad smiled. “ Naw, Grandpops. Cat don’t have my tongue. You wish it had my tongue.”

Chad walked to the desk, and slammed his hands down on the table.

“ Jess’ tryin’ to gets a good looks at you, Masa Alistair. Isn’t that how you’re used to yo’ Black folk? Bowin’, and scrapin’ and shufflin’ all so that theyz can shine yo’ shoes, Bossman?”

Chad’s grin turned to vision of pure ice. His voice went down to almost a whisper.

“ Well understand this, you miserable racist piece of garbage. You have any illusions that you’ll be rid of me, and they’ll be carting you off to the funny farm before I’ll be going anywhere. I’m going to be front and center. Chad Harris CRANE. You don’t scare me. You never will. Your M.O. is going after the people that others care for. I’ll tell you to your face – you bother my mother, sisters or stepfather, and I’ll kill you. And not in the metaphorical sense. I’m your worst nightmare, Grandpops – I Negro with a true AT-TI-TUDE. Give it your best shot. I’ll still be standing at the end. You want to know why? Well, let’s attach that to what they call, IRONY. The irony of you not getting your orders followed through all those years ago. Too bad for you that Orville couldn’t kill me. Because the life I lead brought me to this point. Make no mistake – I’m not afraid of you. Get in my way, and YOU’LL wish you’d never been born.”

Chad turned and left the Library. Ethan followed him. Alistair took out a cigar and began smoking it.
 

His room was pitchblack, so when the door opened, he turned to the door.

“ You.”

” Mr. Perkins, I think it’s time that we talked.”

“ What about, Mr.Crane?” Orville felt around for the button to alert the nurse. He almost grabbed it but Julian got it first.

“ You don’t need this, Mr. Perkins.”

” I don’t?”

” Not if you tell me the truth.”

” The truth?”

” Yes. The truth. I want to know why you said that Chad Harris was my AND Eve’s son.”

” But, that’s the truth.”

” I had doubts in my mind, but now, looking at you, I know that YOU KNOW that’s a lie. I am Chad’s father, but Eve is not his mother. Now, why did you tell me that lie?”

Orville was silent. Julian came over to Orville, and stood right over his bed.

“ You better tell me the truth, old man. Or it will be last thing you DON’T do.”

“ You want answers, Mr. Crane. For the truth you seek, there is only one person who can give it to you.”

“ And who is that?”

” Madelaine Russell.”