The Turns Life Takes - Julian/Eve - Chapter 6
by yhh
Ringing the doorbell, Julian waited patiently. Patience was a new virtue
he was learning, especially with Ethan-Martin running around. A month had
past since he had seen his precious Eve or rather a month since he saw her
in public and talked to her. He had watched her and Endora at the park and
other little outings they had taken around town, sometimes with Eve's older
daughters and sometimes without. Endora. He tried to see if he saw any of
himself in the little girl, but he could never get close enough. But if Eve
thought and believed the girl was his, then he believed it too. Plus Endora's
presence in his life was allowing him to put another foot in Eve's life,
now if he could find their son, and get her to acknowledge the love she felt
for him, life would be perfect. Maybe he should buy Endora a pony. Didn't
every little girl want one? It's the least he could do for the person who
brought his love back to him.
"Julian, what are you doing here?" Eve demanded, closing the door behind
her.
"I've come to visit my daughter," he replied with a smile.
"A month later, you remember you have a daughter?" she questioned, praying
she hid the hurt she felt because he hadn't bothered to come and visit Endora
sooner.
"I thought she needed time to deal with her mother's death and to bond
with her new family. Eve, she is a young child. I didn't think all these
changes at once would be beneficial to her mental health or emotionally one,
for that matter."
Eve stared at the man in front of her. Was Julian giving her parenting
advice? Who was this man? Though she had to admit to herself only, his sensitivity
towards Endora touched her. For a moment it was like having back the Julian
she once loved.
Allowing Eve to process his sincerity, Julian decided to put his plan
into action. "I was wondering if we could meet at Kathleen's house so as
to keep down the ugliness between myself and that brute you married?"
"He is not a brute."
"A man who uses his fists to settle disagreements is a brute- - no, no,"
Julian stated when Eve was about to argue with his comment. "I came to see
my daughter. I will be waiting for you at Kathleen's." Looking at his watch,
as he stepped away from the door, he said, "I'll see you both in twenty minutes."
Before Eve could get a word in edgewise, Julian had taken off.
What in the world had just happened?
"Honey, who was at the door?" TC asked.
Walking back into the house, Eve closed the door. "A salesman."
"Oh. Okay. Well, I better get out of here," he said, walking up to her.
"Have I told you how much I enjoy you being home?"
"Yes, you have." On numerous occasions. How did he think they could keep
the lifestyle they had if she quit her job to be a stay-at-home wife and
mother? Did he forget he was a teacher and a coach? Did he even look at his
paychecks or did he just deposit them knowing she would took care of everything
else?
"I love you, honey." He kissed her cheek, grabbed his coat, and headed
out the door.
"TC?"
"Yes?"
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
TC did a mental checklist, but nothing came to mind.
"Endora?"
"Eve, she doesn't like me."
What was he two? "TC, she's a toddler who has just lost her mother and
now is living in a new house with a new family. You're the first father figure
in her life. Give her some time, she'll warm up to you."
"The girls weren't like this," TC reminded her.
"That's because you were there from day one. They remembered your voice
from the womb. Endora hasn't had that advantage- -"
"She likes Sam."
"Because she doesn't see him every day." Why did he have to act like such
a child? "I'm not asking you to hug and kiss her. I just want you to treat
her like a human being and say goodbye to her. That's it."
Noticing his wife's rising temper which she rarely displayed, he decided
to do as she asked. Though he had noticed her temper showing through more
and more since this kid had come to live with them. He knew this hadn't been
a good idea from the beginning. This kid was coming between them. "Goodbye,
Endora."
The toddler sat on the floor in the dining room, happily playing with
her doll.
"Endora?" Eve called out.
Turning towards Eve, Endora looked up at her new mother. "Yes?"
"Daddy TC said 'goodbye' to you. Didn't you hear him?" Eve asked, knowing
Endora had heard him.
Endora stared blankly at Eve.
Eve wanted to scream. Her angelpie had the stubbornness of Simone, TC,
and Julian in her pinky finger and it drove her batty sometimes. If Endora
was like this at two, God help them when she was fifteen. Giving up on the
“did you hear him” fight, Eve continued on. "What do you say back to him?"
"Bye," Endora said dismissively, then with a flip of her curly hair went
back to playing with her doll.
If that wasn't pure Julian Crane, she didn't know what was.
"See Eve," TC complained, walking outside. "She doesn't like me. And the
way she looks at me. Your angelpie should be called Damien- -"
"TC! Don’t you dare talk that way about that precious little girl. Remember
how you felt when your dad died now imagine being two when it happened and
then tell me how you'd feel and act," Eve reprimanded him angrily. "Is she
stubborn? Yes. Can she be difficult? Yes. But dammit, TC, you're the adult
in this relationship with Angelpie and you need to start acting like it."
Eve raced into the house and slammed the door behind her.
Damn that little girl, TC thought, climbing into his truck. Endora Lenox
was not going to break up his happy home. Maybe he should talk to Grace,
she loved children and with only Jessie-poo and Charity in the home, she would
be delighted to have another child to occupy her. Yeah, he would have to
call her and have lunch with her.
Julian came out from his hiding place at the side of the Russell home
and smiled brightly. His new little one was doing him proud. Her Crane genes
were kicking in and she sensed and knew that TC was no good for their Eve.
Now it was only a matter of time before Eve was his again.
Eve was astounded. Julian Crane once again surprised her. She had wanted
to introduce Julian to Endora, but he refused. He said he didn't want to
be introduced as her father just as a friend. She wanted to question his reasoning,
but she didn't and let it go. After playing dolls with Endora for a while,
Julian asked her to follow him into the kitchen, where he explained with
Daddy TC being so new into her life, the toddler didn't need a Daddy Julian
also. Her admiration for him shot up a million degrees when he explained his
reasoning. She was slightly concerned that he was pulling one over on her,
but she saw the sincerity in his eyes. Her Julian was staring right back
at her.
Returning with snacks, they happily ate the crackers,
cheese, and apple juice then played some more. She hadn't been on the
floor playing with dolls since Jess and Simone were little. She missed this
feeling. Though she was still shocked to look up and see Julian next to
her playing with a Barbie. She couldn't imagine he was like this with Ivy's
children. Her question must have been apparent because the next thing she
knew he was answering her.
"My first time in parenthood land, I failed. My son died."
Eve felt the tears roll down her cheek.
"I failed him and his mother, the woman I loved with all my heart and
soul, but I was too stupid, greedy and a creature of habit to know any better.
My second time around I closed myself off, I didn't deserve to be a father
again when I had failed so miserably the first time. Fox, Fancy, Cassie, they
were all much better off in boarding school. Ethan probably would have been
too, if I could have pried Ivy's hands off of him. And this third time, it's
being forced on me. All of my foolish mistakes, due to my drinking have come
home to roost. Out of me and Theresa, a judge found me, with no Crane strings
pulled, the better parent for Ethan-Martin. What an odd world we live in?
And now with this situation, once again I'm all she has left. But with Ethan-Martin
and Endora, I'm not afraid. I see this as a chance to do all the things for
them that I couldn't do for our son."
"Oh, Julian," Eve cried.
Opening his arms to comfort her, Endora jumped in his way and threw her
arms around Eve.
"No cry," the toddler begged.
He was going to have to work on her timing.
Wrapping her arms around her newest daughter, Eve sniffled and composed
herself. "Thank you so much, Angelpie."
Angelpie, Julian snorted quietly. He had seen his daughter in action this
afternoon and the last thing she was was an angel. But once again his lovely
Eve could look beyond the Crane temperament and see an angel. Eve Johnson
was a remarkable woman.
"I apologize, but I must leave in order to pick Ethan-Martin from school.
But I have a gift for Miss Endora."
Eve hoped Julian didn't think he could win Endora's affection and love
with gifts, regardless of the price tag.
Reaching behind the sofa, Julian pulled out a bag and took out three dolls.
"Julian," Eve cried, "they're beautiful. Simply beautiful."
"Mommy," Endora screamed and ran into Julian's arms, hugging Julian and
the dolls.
Eve cried openly at the thoughtfulness of Julian's gift, three replicas
of Endora's first family, Tabitha, Timmy, and Endora herself. It was just
what the little girl needed. Holding his daughter in his arms, Eve marveled
at the Julian Crane she had once loved sitting before her once again. The
walls she had built against him were slowly crumbling.