Sacrifices of the Soul, Chapter 15
 

Chad and Theresa are lying on Chad’s bed, facing one another, after Theresa had cleaned up Chad following his fight with Hakim.
 

" The first and last thing I hoped for in years was a future with Whitney.", Chad said sadly.

Theresa reached out and touched Chad’s cheek.

" I’m sorry, Chad. I know how much that hurt."

" It did. It does. But, I have to get over it. Getting through the days helps."

" What about your parents?"

" What about them?"

" Don’t you want some kind of a relationship with them?"

" Theresa, don’t you know what kind of people they are?"

" Chad, I can’t say anything about Julian Crane. I’m realizing now that I had such blinders on where Ethan was concerned, that I let everything people told me about him just fly over my head. But, I grew up with Whitney. I think I know Dr. Russell. At least I thought I did. And, I never saw anything but a loving, devoted mother."

" Yeah, so devoted that she lied like a dog to her family for years."

" I admit, the Dr. Russell that I knew, I couldn’t imagine her having a relationship with Julian Crane. It still boggles the mind."

" Yeah, well, I’m proof positive that they had a ‘thing’. I feel like their ‘dirty little secret’ that they wish was still buried."

Theresa shakes her head. " I don’t believe that, Chad. Dr. Russell loves Whitney and Simone so much, I know she loves you too."

" Love me? She doesn’t even know me."

" You can’t blame her, Chad. You remember what Orville told you…..she didn’t know."

Chad is agitated by now, and leaps off the bed and walks the floor.

" I KNOW that she didn’t know, Theresa. But, I can’t help thinking that she SHOULD have known about me. She SHOULD have sensed it. Felt it. What’s all that garbage that I read about parents having this ‘connection’ with their children. Hell, your mother lights a
candle every night for your father, and he was only her husband. I was her SON. Her CHILD. And, she gave up on me just like that." Chad snaps his fingers to emphasize his point.

" I’m sorry, Chad. I know how much this hurt you."

" Who said it hurt me."

" Chad, come on. It’s in every motion you make, the pain that this caused you. But, I can’t give you your answers, if there are any to give. You have to talk to Dr. Russell and Mr. Crane. They are the only ones who can help you."

" Dammit, Theresa. Don’t you think I know that? There’s a part of me that just wants to have it out with both of them and wash my hands of them and proceed on with my life. Then, there’s the other part. You know what I did?" Chad walks across the room to his nighttable, and opened up the drawer. He pulled out a notebook with clippings paperclipped to the front. He opened up the clippings and showed them to Theresa. Theresa saw that they were pictures of Eve and Julian.

" Sometimes, at night, when I can’t sleep, I look at those pictures. I can stare in the mirror, on end, looking to see if I see either one of them in my face. I thought finding my parents would answer all my questions. But, the fact is, I’m just as confused now as I ever was. The only blanks filled in are the spaces for mother and father on a birth certificate. HOW in the HELL are these people my parents?"

The tears in Theresa’s eyes matched those in Chad’s. Theresa got up and went to Chad and hugged him. " I’m sorry you’re hurting. I’m sorry you’re in pain. I’m here for you, but, I think you know what you have to do."

" Yeah. Get the answers. I just don’t know if I can. What kind of answers am I going to get?"

" You’ll never know until you try. So….who will you try first?"

" I guess it’ll have to be the Doc. I don’t think that I can sit in a room with Crane long enough for us to have anything resembling a conversation."

" Then, you’ll talk to your mother."

Chad shook his head. " My mother…I guess that’s what she is, isn’t it? I can’t do it alone. Will you go with me?"

" Chad…I don’t think…"

" Theresa, I need some backup. If nothing else, you can push my butt along if I get cold feet."

Theresa grinned. " Ok. I’ll go with you. When you do want to try?"

" Well, how about in a couple of days?"

" That’s cool. I’ll keep my schedule free."

Chad rubbed his chest. " You know what? All this fighting and ancestor talk has gotten me hungry. Think we can raid the fridge?"

Theresa laughed. " Sure. Mama always has plenty of leftovers. "
 

Hakim is limping across the floor in his dingy apartment, when he hears a knock on the door.

" Who the fuck is it?"

" Hakim, it’s me – Simone."

" SIMONE?" Hakim begins to curse and then it hits him. " Door’s open. Come on in, Baby."

Simone enters the apartment, and sees Hakim.

" Hakim! What happened to you?"

" I was…business got difficult. And, I had to defend myself."

" Can I help you? I know first aid. My mom’s a doctor, remember?"

" Sure. I can use all the good lovin’ that I can.", Hakim says, now overexaggerating his injuries.

Simone applies ointment to his face wounds, and to his knuckles.

" You must have given the other guy hell, defending yourself.", Simone says as she kisses his hand.

"  A man’s gotta defend what’s his, Simone.". As he says ‘his’, Hakim makes sure to grab ahold of Simone around the waist, and pull her over to him. " Baby could give me some more medicine to make me feel good."

Simone thought she knew what he meant, and hoped she did, cause the last thing she wanted Hakim to think about her was that she was some silly high school girl. So, she snuggled over to him, and began to kiss him. Before Simone knew it, his tongue was in her mouth, and she was breathless. As Simone was still in a haze, Hakim started giving her little baby kisses all over her face.

" Simone.." Kiss.. " I Need to know"….Kiss.." That you’re with me, Baby."…Kiss.

" I am, Hakim. I am."

" I trust you, Simone. Can I trust you?"

" Sure you can, Hakim."

" So many people against a Brotha trying to get ahead. Gotta pick my crew carefully." As Simone snuggled in closer, he made sure to open her blouse, and began slightly feeling her up through her bra. When he moved into kiss her again, Simone was lost. Nothing had ever made her feel like this.

" I need to know thatchu down wit’ me Baby. You and me? ‘Gainst the world?"

" You and me, Hakim.", Simone replied as she leaned in for another kiss.

Hakim smiled as he kissed her. Take that, mutherfucker. I got her wrapped around my finger, and soon, she’ll do whatever I want, PUNK!
 
 
 

Eve was in her bed. As part of her nightly routine, she pushed the sleep button on her radio, and listened to an obscure jazz radio station that she could pick up from Boston at night.

Julian was in his study, with the latest electronic short –wave radio. He, too, had found this station, and put it in the corner of his study where the reception was best.

" Ah…they don’t play music like this anymore.", Julian spoke to himself, as he drank his brandy, and looked over some of the reports for Crane Industries. When the song came on, Julian stopped to think.

" Why is this song so familiar?"

Eve stopped staring at the ceiling when she heard the song beginning. She couldn't help but smile at the memory from another lifetime.

Flashback

" Well, as you can see, it's cozy." , Eve said as she opened the door to her apartment and came in. Julian followed.

Julian had honestly never seen living quarters this small before. Eve had a little kitchenette where she had a small table for two. The next thing he saw was the bathroom, and then a little room that could be considered the living room. Then, there was a door, to a small bedroom. The entire place wasn't as large as Julian's bedroom suite at the Mansion.

And, it was hot. Stifing. Eve went around the apartment and opened the windows that she had and turned on her fans. She didn’t really know why she had invited Julian back. He had been so persistent, showing up for every set since the first time they had met a month ago. She had tried everyway to let him down easy, but, he simply didn’t take no for an answer. Though she thought he was a little strange at first, he had a charm that she couldn’t quite shake. He made her laugh, which was always a good thing.

Julian went to the small living room, which was littered with records and albums. They seemed to be organized. Eve came into the living room with two glasses of iced tea.

" You have a fantastic collection. Billie, Etta, Ella, Duke, Louis, even some vintage Bessie. How did you get this?"

" Someone I knew passed away, and knew that I appreciated music. No matter what, I take care of this collection. Did you pick something out?", Eve asked as she handed Julian his iced tea.

" Indeed, I did. " Julian put the album on, and..

" Nat.."

" Of course."

" Why Nat?"

" Nat is wonderful to relax by.", Julian says smoothly.

Eve smiles. " Relax? Is that why you came here tonight?"
 

My heart tells me this is just a fling
Yet you say our love means everything

Do you mean what you are saying
Or is this a little game you’re playing?
 
 

" Absolutely." Julian puts down his drink, and before Eve can say anything, Julian has swept her up in his arms, and kissed her.

" God, you’re beautiful.", Julian says as he strokes her hair. Eve, though taken off key at first with the kisses, began to respond in kind. When they came up for air, Eve looked into Julian’s eyes and saw nothing but pure desire in them. She was unsettled by it, and broke away from him and bolted into the kitchen.
 

My heart tells me I will cry again
Lips that kiss like yours could lie again
 

Julian rushes in behind her. " Eve, what’s wrong?"

" What’s wrong?", Eve thinks. She can’t possibly explain to Julian  that suddenly, this doesn’t seem like a good idea to her. " I think you should go."

" Go? Why?"

Julian backs Eve up against the sink, and nearly pins her there with his arms. Eve tries to move, but, can’t. She doesn’t look Julian in the eye when she asks, " Julian, you should go."

" Eve, why? Tell me what I’ve done. Tell me what wrong I’ve done so that I can correct it. What happened?"

Eve heard the pleading in his voice, and looked at him, and smiled softly.

" Nothing. Nothing happened. Just a case of nerves."
 

If I’m fool enough to see this through
Will I be sorry if I do?
 

" Nerves? Why should you have nerves? I’m not going to hurt you, Eve. You do believe me, don’t you?"

Eve heard a voice screaming in the back of her mind, " HELL NO", but, before she could do anything about it, Julian’s lips were once again on hers. As she closed her eyes and felt them, her entire body began to melt.

It was all slow motion, as if time were suspended. Eve felt Julian’s hands on her back, undoing her dress, which slipped right to the ground. His touch was absolutely electric. Eve wasted no time in removing his jacket, and undoing the buttons on his shirt. She played with him, by opening them slowly. Julian couldn’t wait any longer, and popped the buttons on his cuffs, and yanked his shirt off. In one twirl, they were on the bed.

Eve smiled as Julian kissed her behind the ear and went to her neck. Eve’s lips met his, and she drank him in. She had been with other men before Julian, but, none have had this passion. Eve pushed Julian onto his back, and straddled him. He lifted himself off the bed and kissed Eve on the stomach, marveling at how beautiful and toned it was. She lifted his head and lowered hers so that they met and began to kiss again. Julian began to squeeze her breasts through the bra, teasing Eve by rubbing the material quickly against her erect nipples, eliciting a moan from Eve.

" Oh. So, you like to tease? I can too.", Eve says putting her arms above her head, and as she runs her hands through her hair as she grinds on Julian, teasing his erection through his pants even more than it was already being taunted. Eve smiles down at Julian and unbuckles his belt, and pulls it out of his pants. She draws the leather across Julian’s chest in a zigzag pattern.

Julian pulls her down to kiss and she winds up wrapping the belt around his wrists.

" Are you a good or bad boy?", she asks.

" Being good never got me anywhere.", Julian cracks.

" I knew it. You’re as BAD as they come. Not so good for me…..I have a thing for bad boys." Eve pulls the belt and she and Julian begin to rock back and forth. She unties him and he pulls her down onto the bed, and she proceeds to turn over on her stomach, needing a break because of he heat. Eve feels Julian’s fingers walking up her back. Next thing she knows she hears her bra coming unfastened. Eve felt Julian’s kisses on her back. He kissed her all the way up her back to her neck, making it over to her ear.

" You are absolutely lucious.", he whispers into her ear. Eve rolls onto her back, freeing herself from the bra. Julian, who has somehow rid himself of his pants, is now letting his lips roam down the front of Eve’s body. He smiles when he gets to her panties. She lifts her hips to enable him with removing them. Julian began working his way back up. When he finds himself in between Eve’s legs, he cannot help himself. He can smell her lust for him and wants to taste it for himself, which he does, and elicits all sorts of delicious moans from Eve, who knew that Julian had many talents, and thought that he would know how to satisfy a woman orally.

The more he tasted, the hungrier he became, and Julian continued on with his torture, playing with Eve, bringing her to the brink and cooling things off, until she finally climaxed and he got what he wanted.
 
 

Should I believe my heart or you?

He stops when he gets to her breasts, kissing them gently, until he finally gets one of her nipples in his mouth. He suckles on one while playing with the other nipple using his thumb and forefinger. The constant erotic electricity was arousing Eve once again.

" Julian….now..", she moaned. He knew what she meant, and stopped playing with her breasts and was on top of her. She was waiting for him as he slid into her, hot and waiting for him. It took all the self-control that Julian doesn’t have to hurry this through. But, he didn’t. His strokes were long and slow, prolonging the pleasure for both of them. In between her moans, Eve decided to tease Julian with the raising of her head to slightly bite his nipples. It drove him wild with excitement, and began to grind even harder. Eve’s arms, which had wrapped themselves around his neck, were now burying themselves into his back, almost like claws. She moved  her hips to meet his thrusts perfectly, and they were becoming a in-sync machine.

Finally, the passion overcame both of them, and instantly, before their mutual climax, Eve opened her eyes only to see Julian’s staring right back. There was no place to run. Nowhere to hide. He had seen it….that which she tried so hard to hide and protect: her soul.

As he released himself inside of Eve, Julian could think or feel nothing else. What had he saw? Why did he feel that he had just given a part of himself away that he could never get back?

My heart tells me I will cry again
Lips that kiss like yours could lie again
 

As they both came back to their conscious senses, and laid back on the bed, Eve closed her eyes, but, lazily drew her hands back and forth across Julian’s chest. She was more content than she had been in ages. Even though the heat was still there, it wasn’t bothering her.

" Hmmmm….that was…...", Eve mumurred in a low voice.

While Eve had a slight smile on her face, Julian was stroking her hair, but, his eyes were wide open. He had a semi-confused look on his face. This was supposed to be a one-night stand. This was supposed to be the culmination of a month on the make for Julian Crane. This was supposed to be forgotten by tomorrow night. This was supposed to be forgotten by the morning, because Julian never stayed the night.

Eve had dozed off, but her arm was over his chest. He moved it, and Eve began to awaken.

" Are you going somewhere?"

Julian thought about it. " I was thirsty."

" I’ll get you something, Baby. "

Eve got out of the bed, and Julian watched her nude frame leave the room. Before he knew it Eve had returned in no time with a cool glass of iced tea for Julian. He gulped it down as she snuggled back in bed with him. " How did you learn to make iced tea this good?"

" Don’t you know? I’m a woman of many talents."

" So I’ve noticed. "

If I’m fool enough to see this through
Will I be sorry if I do?
 
 

Eve nestled in Julian’s arms, and looked at him as he dozed off and she knew. For good or bad, this would never be just a one-night stand.

Should I believe my heart or you?

---- My Heart Tells Me
      Nat King Cole
      (Mack Gordon & Harry Warren)
 

END OF FLASHBACK

" Goodnight, Julian.", Eve thinks as she looks out her window.

Julian, who has finally remembered the song, raises his brandy glass and toasts the air.
" Eve."