Whitney walked away from him and Julian decided it was high time to head back to the mansion, even though he didn’t want to. Rebecca would be wondering where he was. He entered the mansion to see her sitting in a chair, skimming through a magazine.
“Where have you been Julian? You have been gone for hours!” she said annoyed.

“I was just out doing some things.”

“Yes, you seem to be doing many things lately, were you with Eve?”

“Would you stop asking me that, I am getting sick of the third degree every time I see you.” He said angrily.

“Well it’s just that Eve is all you think about. You fantasize so much about her, you will never have her and she will never have you Julian. The sooner you realize that, the better. Now, since you are here, I am in need of your services.” Rebecca said.

“What kind of services?”

“Oh I don’t know, I could use a helper, perhaps Santa’s little helper?” she said referring to little Julian.

“I have work to do.” Julian said firmly.

“The only work you will be doing is making me happy.” She said undoing his belt.

“Stop it now!” he yelled.

“What the hell is your problem? If you think that I am going to marry you, but not reap the benefits, you are dreaming in colour Julian.”

“Benefits, yeah sure, it isn’t enough that you are getting access to the Crane fortune, you want sex to?”

“Well of course, what is so bad about that Julian? We used to do it all the time, don’t tell me that you are satisfied without it. You are Julian Crane, the ultimate player.” She said.

“I don’t need it in my life, it’s not my first priority, there are far more important things than sex.”

“Oh give me a break, who do you think you are kidding? You used to live for the nights we spent together, the games we played, the outfits we dressed up in, and you have and will always be a pervert.” She said.

“I don’t want to talk about this, I have things to do.” He said frowning.

“Look, you can’t avoid the issue forever, we are going to be married very shortly. And if you think I am such a beast now, just wait until we are hitched. I want my demands met, besides I thought you liked a forward woman Julian.”

“Just leave me alone.”

He headed upstairs to his room and locked the door.

“Becky thinks I am going to put out, she has another thing coming. I don’t know how Eve and I will work it out, but we just have to. I can’t lose the woman I love.” He said to himself.

Eve had finished up her shift at the hospital for the evening and headed back to the house. T.C. was in the kitchen and when she came in, he looked at his watch.

“A little late aren’t you Eve?”

“A doctor doesn’t have set hours, you know that.”

“Well, you are still awfully late, I thought you would have been home earlier and had had dinner on the table.” T.C. said.

“T.C., I just walked in the door, your hand isn’t broken, if you were so hungry, you could have opened up a can of something.” She said annoyed.

“Why should I have to do the cooking?” he said insulted.

“Well let’s see, you get home before I do, for one, and part of compromising is sharing the duties of the house. You can’t expect me to run home to make you dinner when I have an emergency at the hospital, be realistic.”

“I’m sorry sweetheart, I am just hungry, and I don’t mean to snap at you. You are right, I should do my part.” He said kissing her on the cheek.

“Thank you, besides it is best if you can do a bit of cooking on your own. But with Whitney back, perhaps she can teach you a few things when I am not here. I know you can cook the basics.” Eve said.

“Yes I can do that, anyway, we need to have a talk with Whitney, I want to make sure that punk is never seen around here again. We are so lucky to have our daughter back in Harmony, finally maybe we can truly be a family again.” T.C. said.

Eve was trying as hard as she could not to rock the boat with their relationship for Whitney’s sake at this point, but she couldn’t help but think of Julian. They were both at a crossroads at this point, and this was going to be the most difficult point for them both. Eve knew that she had to somehow get her secret past out regardless, but she was going to take her time and do it right. In the meantime, she was going to see Julian as often as she could; he was the only one who could make her feel better about the whole situation. After dinner, T.C. and Eve sat down to watch some television; she jumped slightly when the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hi Eve.”

“Ju…ah, um, so you need me to go over some records then? Okay let me just get my books.” Eve said looking at T.C. who was wondering who it was.

She stepped into the other room.

“Julian, are you crazy? T.C. could have picked up the phone.” She whispered.

“If he had, I would have hung up, I wanted to see how you were doing? Is everything all right Eve?” he asked.

“Yes fine, why is something wrong on your end?”

“Oh everything is peachy keen, unless you count living with the sex crazed wench from hell.”

“Julian Crane!”

“Well it’s true, Rebecca won’t leave me alone, I am going to have to put a bell on her so I know when she is coming.” He said laughing.

“Well be patient Julian, we said this was going to be challenging.”

“You aren’t kidding, anyway, what are you doing tomorrow night Eve?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Are you on duty?” he asked.

“No I am off actually.”

“Oh really, well do you want to meet?” he said sounding hopeful.

“You want to see me already? We only saw each other earlier today.” Eve said.

“Oh that’s right, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to crowd you, it’s just that I miss you so much Eve, but I know that I need to give you some time with your family, especially since you are trying to patch things up with Whitney and Simone.”

“Actually it’s ok, maybe we could see each other, but I don’t know where we could go Julian.”

“Well, I believe that Rebecca is going to be spending an evening with Gwen, how would you like to come over to the mansion?” Julian asked.

“Are you insane, what if she comes back?” Eve asked.

“No worries darling, I will make sure she stays away.”

“But Julian, you are taking such huge risks to spend time together.”

“I don’t care sweetie, I love you and I will do whatever it takes to see you.”

“But how will you get away with not going to see Gwen with her?”

“Eve, let me worry about that, we will have dinner.”

“Are you taking me out or eating in?”

“Does it matter?”

“Well actually, don’t you think it would be kind of nice if we stayed in, perhaps you could cook for me.”

“You want me to cook for you? Darling, I think you have lost your mind.”

“What do you mean Julian?:

“Sweetheart, even I were to boil water, you would have to be on the phone to the fire department to save the mansion from burning down.” He said laughing.

“Julian, you can’t be that bad.”

“Why do you think I leave the cooking to my staff, now if you wanted me to break open a fine bottle of wine and pour the glasses, I’m all yours.”

“Well then, maybe it’s time you learned to cook.”

“Oh Eve, I don’t think so my dear, I don’t want to poison you.”

“You wouldn’t, I can teach you, it would be fun.” Eve said.

“My sweet and beautiful Eve in the kitchen with an apron on, oh even better, only an apron, oh dear, I think I need a Martimmy just thinking about it.”

“The old Julian is showing through again, good thing we are on the phone and not in person, well anyway, as long as Rebecca leaves, I will come over okay?”

“Yes, I think we would have a good time, until tomorrow then my dear.”