Whitney brought a sandwich to her father. He was looking over a information left by Sam and other law enforcement agencies.

” Daddy, you have to eat. You have to keep up your strength.”

” Princess, I’m fine.”

“ No, you’re not. You’re not sleeping, barely eating. Daddy, you have to do both in order to be ready if they call about Simone.”

” They WILL call about her.”

Whitney patted her father’s arm. “ Of course, they will.With good news. Just eat something.” Whitney kissed her father and left to the kitchen. She barley made it to the table because sobs overtook her body.

“ Simone, where are you? Why don’t you call? It’s all that bitch Eve’s fault!”, Whitney said, as she slammed the back door.

Eve paced back and forth. She heard a knock on the door and went to open it.

” Grace?”

There stood Grace Bennett, holding several plastic containers.

” Eve, I thought you would want something to eat.”

” Come in.”

Eve took the containers from Grace. “ You didn’t have to do this.”

” I know I didn’t, but I assumed fixing anything would be the last thing on your mind. I took some over to TC earlier.”

” I see.”

” Eve, I can’t imagine the pain you’re going through. If Kay, Jessica or Charity were missing, I’d be lost.”

” Thank you, Grace.”

“ Eve..”

“ I wanted to thank you, Grace. Alexis told me that you had dropped your complaint before the Medical Review Board.”

” You’re a good doctor, Eve. Denying the community the services of a good and caring doctor didn’t seem right. I can see how much you’ve lost.”

“ Well, in case you’re wondering, I was able to retain my license, but I’m on probation for two years. Because of Julian’s bullying, I was reinstated at Harmony Hospital, but I’ll be working the Free Clinic for the next year at least. “

” You always said you enjoyed the Clinic.”

” I do, which is why I don’t look at it as punishment. It will be a good fit for me. Grace, I wanted to tell you something.”

” What?”

” I wanted to apologize. I know I wronged you, and I’m sorry. I hope one day you won’t hate me.”

” I don’t hate you, Eve. I miss our friendship, but..”

“ You don’t see how we could be friends again.”

Grace nodded. “ I’m sorry too. I say a prayer for Simone at Mass everyday.”

“ Thank you.”

” Well, I should be going. I hope Simone is fine.”

” Thanks.”

Grace left, and Eve opened up her goodies. She was hungry.
 

Julian was in the Crane Library when he heard laughter in the hallway.

” That was truly the worst music I’ve ever heard.”, Chad said.

“ Im..improvisational my foot! He was a con artist.”, Sheridan replied. They both laughed until they heard Julian.

” CHAD! SHERIDAN! GET THE HELL IN HERE!”

Chad and Sheridan rushed into the Library.

” WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?”

” Yo, Pops..will you chill? Sheridan and I took a work-related trip.”

” To Montreal, Julian.”

” And you didn’t take your CELLPHONES?”

Chad shrugged. “ We didn’t think the world would end if we were incommunicado for a few days.”

” Well, IT DID!”

“ Julian, please calm down and tell us why you’re so upset.”, Sheridan asked.

” And, you! I didn’t think you could go thirty minutes without talking to Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald”, Julian said sarcastically.

” Julian, tell us!”, Sheridan demanded.

” Your SISTER has disappeared!”

” Whitney?”

” Simone.”

” What the fuck do you mean ‘disappeared’?”

” She’s runaway with that THUG.”

” Hakim? HAKIM?” Chad slammed a book down on the table. “ How the fuck did that happen? Last time I saw Simone, I was sure we’d gotten her out of his clutches. At the very least, I knew we had a fighting chance.”

” Well, she’s run away.”

” Do you have any clues?”, Sheridan asked.

” No.None of the usual avenues are producing results.”

” How’s the Doc?”

” How do you think?”

” I’m going to see her.” Chad ran out of the Library. Sheridan walked over to Julian.

” How are you?”

” How am I? Scared, Sheridan. Scared for that confused and angry little girl. Scared for her mother. Eve is just recently out of..”

” I know.”

” I’ve been watching her. Looking for any signs that she might retreat again. Sheridan, if she goes away this time..”, Julian’s voice dragged off.

Sheridan took Julian’s hand. “ Julian. She’s not alone. We’ll just have to make sure that Eve realizes that.”

” I hope so.”
 
 

Eve was reading when she heard a knock on the door.

” Whitney?”

“ You know, this is all YOUR FAULT! If you hadn’t of been such a WHORE, then our family would still be together, and Simone would be where she’s supposed to be.”

” Whitney..”

” Look at you. Look at this.”, Whitney motioned with her arms. “ Bought and paid for by Julian Crane. Daddy was so right about you. You’re nothing but a pathetic slut of a WHORE!”

” SHUT UP, WHITNEY!”

Whitney and Eve turn to see Chad standing there.

“ Who the fuck are you to tell me to shut up?”

” I’m your brother. And, I will NOT let you talk to our mother like that.”

Whitney laughed. “ OUR mother. Mother. Hmmm….Let’s see…how much of a mother is she? Oh yeah, the kind of mother that will run out on her children for MONTHS at a time. The kind of mother that would LIE to her family FOR YEARS, presenting herself as something that she’s not. Oh yeah, what a Mother.”

” She’s loved you since the day YOU were born. Grow the fuck up, Whitney. Shit happens sometimes. BAD shit to GOOD people. It happens.”

” How does this happen? How does she rip apart your life, and you’re standing up here defending her.”

” Because I know that she would kill herself rather than cause us any pain. Don’t you know that?”

“ Whatever. You are a CHUMP. A FOOL to believe her. She’ll only betray you. She betrays EVERYONE.”

Whitney storms out of the apartment.

Chad goes over to his mother, who collapsed in his arms. Chad had to support over to the couch. Eve sobbed in Chad’s arms. Chad held his mother.

“ Mama, it’s going to be alright. I promise.”