Sacrifices of the Soul, Chapter Eleven
 
 

" Well, Eve, here we are again, for your afternoon session.", Kevin Collins began. There was no need to have them try and bring Eve inside. He can be ignored just as easily in the beautiful sun. So, he just pulled a chair upside Eve and her resting place for most of the day.

" Since we haven’t been getting anywhere with your childhood, would you like to share with me a special event in your life when you arrived in Harmony? There must have been many, since from my file, I know that you led a very active and fulfilling life before you rest here."

" REST HERE!", Eve thought. What a fucking moron. I can’t believe that this guy actually went to medical school, and had to go to extra school to become a psychiatrist. " I’m not RESTING! I’m DYING!", Eve thought. She had become accustomed to the silence. It was so quiet, at least during the day. Because, her nights were filled with Noise…..the noise of the day that her life exploded before her very eyes. The noise of all the confrontations that happened after: TC, her daughters, Sam, Grace, her colleagues at the hospital. She could recall all those conversations to the final detail…the words, what people were wearing, little details about the rooms that she missed the first time around. It was as if she were a film student, and that her assignment had been to study these ‘scenes’ for finals. She had analyzed it every way  she could. At first, the nightmares kept her up, but, even these had become comforting to her. Perverse how the darkness can creep up on you and lull you into a slumber. The darkness can wash over you, and surround you with a different kind of peace. He wanted for her to pick an incident? A ‘special moment?’, Eve cracked…well, I’ve got a doozy.

Flashback

" Well, Dr. Russell, I have to go now.", TC said, kissing Eve.

" Oh, TC, this morning was just so perfect. Us waking up in one another’s arms, the special breakfast at the Sea Scape…it was just divine."

" Well, nothing’s too good for my ‘perfect’ wife."

" TC, you’ll never know how much I love you. How much my life changed for the better when I met you. My life with you has been like a dream."

" I know. I feel the same. Some people go their whole lives and don’t find that ‘special’ person. We’re very lucky."

" Well, we should enjoy our last night together alone before the girls get back."

" I agree. I have a special night planned, and a reservation at the Harmony Hotel."

" TC!"

" Eve, we’re allowed to have fun. Well, I gotta get to work." TC kisses Eve. " Bye, Baby."

" See you later."

Eve watches TC turn the corner, and walks into her office. She meant every word that she told to TC. The last 20 years of her life had been a dream. She never thought that she could have a family like she has. She never thought she could have a home. But, she has it all: a career that fulfills her, a marriage to a man that adores her and respects her, and children that she can love and dote on and devote herself to. And, she has terrific friends in Sam and Grace. Her life is better than she ever imagined.

Eve gets a cup of coffee and settles down at her desk to check her messages and hospital email. Once she logs into her account, she goes through the list of emails, until she gets to one from an unfamiliar address entitled: SURPRISE!

Eve doesn’t think it’s junkmail, because the server is very protected, so she opens it to read the following message:

        Congratulations, Dr. Russell! You’re the star of your very own internet site! Click the link to see how the design went!

Eve didn’t understand what was happening. She had spoken to Reese about doing a Russell Family site, because he wanted to do Whitney’s ‘Official’ site now that her tennis career was beginning to take shape. He had come over to the house, and told  TC that he would give them a preview of his talent with the Russell family site. But, Eve thought that they hadn’t finalized anything, that they were still in talks.

Oh well, Eve rationalized. Reese has always been an eager beaver, maybe he just went ahead and did the demo.

Eve clicked on the link, and up came the site:

Eve Russell- Harmony Hospital’s Doctor of the Year.

The photo was an old one taken from a Hospital Function.

There was another link that said : The REAL Eve Russell.

Eve clicked on it.

One by one, pictures appeared on the screen.

Eve really couldn’t decipher the pictures, because they were so small on the screen, and the instructions said to click on a picture to enlarge it. So, she did. She nearly choked on her coffee. She looked on in horror, as she enlarged picture after picture.

Pictures of her in the nude.

Pictures of her and Julian in the nude.

Eve begins to shake. She began to shiver. Her worst nightmare was right in front of her, in living color. It was clear that the bum had sold the right statue, and that the person who had the statue knew very well who she was. The pounding and throbbing in Eve’s head got louder and louder, as she tried to think of what someone would want to do with these pictures. Her life was over. The life she had fought so hard for was close to slipping away. She found herself paralyzed, unable to move a muscle to even answer the phone.

The only thing that broke her trance was a knock on the door. She ignored the first knock, and only answered when the person knocked again.

" Come In. ", Eve said as she turned off her computer screen.

Who walks in but,

" Ivy."

" Hello, Eve. Good Morning."

" What do you want, Ivy?"

" What I’ve been wanting for awhile, Eve. For you to help me get Sam back."

" I’ve told you that it’s not going to happen, Ivy. I won’t help you destroy my best friend’s marriage."

" I don’t think that you’ve thought things through clearly, Eve."

" I think I have."

" Oh. I see. Well, I can see that I’m wasting my time."

" Yes, you are."

Ivy turns and walks towards the door, when she stops.

" Sorry, Eve. I only have one more question."

" What IS it, Ivy?", Eve asks, clearly annoyed.

" I was wondering how you liked your little website."

Eve looked in horror, as a grin began to expand on Ivy’s face.

" You know, when I saw it in the Country Club Newsletter – Beginning Web Design, I didn’t think that I would learn anything all that useful.", Ivy says, walking back towards Eve’s desk. " But, what do you know, it IS a handy little skill. And, SO easy to learn.", Ivy says, sitting down across the desk from Eve.

" You miserable bitch."

" Now, now, Eve. Wouldn’t want to get me upset, now would we? I mean, I could go home and push SEND on the emails that I have prepared to, who is it, now? Oh yes. The local newspaper reporter who did that gushing article on you and your devotion to the less fortunate. Now, what did that reporter call you again? ‘ A beacon of hope and an example to all’. Yeah, what an example. Now…..who else do I have an email prepared to send? I know! The Chairman of the Board of Harmony Hospital, who also happens to be the Dean of the Medical School..you DO lecture there, don’t you, Eve? And, finally, well, OF COURSE, T.C. Now, won’t THAT be a sight for his eyes. His ‘pure-as-the-driven-snow ‘ wife, down and dirty with Julian?"

" You are evil."

" And, you’re a hypocritical slut…so, let’s call it even, shall we?" Ivy gets up from her chair and walks to Eve’s desk, where she sits herself down, and clicks on Eve’s computer screen. " My my my…..look how photogenic you are, Eve. Which one is your favorite? I think this one, is mine.", Ivy says placing her finger on an image on the screen. " The one of you straddling Julian. It’s both lewd and erotic, because you can’t actually SEE the bodyparts, yet you know what’s going on. Which one will be TC’s favorite? Which one do you think will get him custody of your daughters?"

Eve just glared at Ivy.

" I’m glad that you finally see the light. Now, you WILL help me get Sam back, or I’ll blow your life to ‘Kingdom Come’.  You’re going to tell me where Sam is, and when he’s alone. You’ll help make it possible so that I can spend private time with Sam. You’ll do what I say Eve, or you can kiss your family goodbye." Ivy gets up off the desk, gets her purse, and begins to walk to the door. " I’ll expect your first report today, Eve."

Ivy leaves Eve’s office, and Eve sits and thinks about what happened.

" Oh, no, Ivy. I’m not going down like that. I know what to do to take care of you."

Eve picked up the phone and pressed the button for the message service.

" This is Dr. Eve Russell. I will be out of the hospital for awhile. Please don’t page me unless it’s an emergency."

Eve was already thinking of a plan, but, she had to be willing to follow through with the courage of her convictions. Ivy wanted to make it between Ivy and Eve, then Eve accepted those terms, and she voted that IVY was the one who needed to pay.

Eve got into her car and began driving. She stopped when she got to a secluded spot overlooking Harmony. Getting out of her car, she looked out over the city. She had to think. She had to make sure that the website was taken down, and that Ivy gave her back the pictures. No way could she give into Ivy’s blackmail….cause, it would never stop. But, in order to get what she wanted, she would have to revert to her old self. Running down her options, Eve came up with only one that would get Ivy to see things ‘her way’. But, it was risky and dangerous.

" What the Hell", Eve said to herself she walked back to her car. She knew what had to be done…the devil is in the details. She took a pen and paper out , and began to write out her plan, and what she would need.  After she outlined the plan, she shook her head.

" Damn Ivy for making me do this….but, I don’t have a choice."

The key now, was to keep Ivy strung along, until the plan could happen. It wouldn’t be easy, but, it was possible. Useless information, here and there, would stall Ivy and lull her into a false sense of security.

Eve went home, and fixed dinner for the family. They were doing the dishes when the phone rang. Simone picked it up, and gave it to Eve, " Mrs. Crane, Mom."

" Thanks honey, you can go upstairs, I’ll finish the dishes."

" Ok."

As soon as Simone leaves, " What the hell are you doing calling my house!"

" What a nasty tone for one under the threat of blackmail. I don’t think I like it."

" I don’t care what you like."

" Well, maybe I haven’t made it clear to you. I’ll email your husband if your tone doesn’t change…and fast."

" Then do it, Ivy."

Eve hangs up the phone. She waits for it to ring again. She lets it ring several times and picks it up.

" Hello?"

" DON’T YOU EVER HANG UP ON ME AGAIN! You know, your attitude needs a little adjustment, Eve. Do that again, and kiss your family goodbye."

" Why did you call, Ivy?"

" For you to know that you helping me will begin tomorrow. I expect to be kept informed of Sam’s whereabouts."

" I have my own life, Ivy. I’m not Sam’s babysitter."

" You are now."

" Whatever."

" Tomorrow, Eve. I better get a chance to see Sam tomorrow, or by tomorrow night, dinner at the Russells will be vastly different."

Before Eve had a chance to reply, Ivy had hung up on her.

Oh yeah, Eve thought, this bitch is going down. I’ll have NO problem doing what I have to do. I’ve dealt with vermin like her all my life; I remember how to handle it.

Eve went into the den, and pulled out the checklist. She already had most of what she needed, and spent the rest of the evening on the internet to get what’s left.

Eve found out from Grace that Sam was going to be at the Youth Center, doing the inventory of equipment, so that Luis would have an accurate count for what’s needed to buy with the funds from the upcoming fundraiser.

Eve heard her cellphone and answered it.

" Eve Russell."

" Well, Dr. Feelgood, do you have any news for me?"

Eve does a dramatic pause for effect.

" Well, Eve, I’m waiting."

" You are such a bitch."

" Yes, yes, we all know that. My information please. Where is Sam?"

Eve waited some more and then mumbled, " The Youth Center."

" Where?"

" The Youth Center. He’s doing inventory by himself."

" Good. For your first time, you did well Eve.", and Ivy hung up.

" That will keep her occupied for awhile…until I can get everything finalized.", Eve muses outloud, and continues to work on her ‘plan’.