Julian steadied himself. This wasn’t going to be easy. He knew he was about to catch hell, but it had to be done.

Julian entered into the Crane living room.  He went to pour himself a drink. He was in the middle of it, when he heard the voice..

” Well, I can’t believe you finally came back.”

Julian turned to face the speaker.

” Rebecca.”

“ Rebecca? That’s all you have to say after you’ve humiliated me in front of everyone?”

” I didn’t mean to, Rebecca. A friend needed my help.”

” Julian, puleeze. You don’t have any friends.”

” I had a life before you, Rebecca.”

” Don’t bullshit me, Julian. You ran out on me!”

” Yes, I did.”

“ Well, I’m mad, but, it’s not irreversible, Julian. We can get married in a small ceremony. “

” Rebecca, I’m not sure that I want to get married.”

Rebecca looked at Julian, and she threw the closest vase at Julian.

” YOU BASTARD!”

Julian began ducking things, here and there. He made his way over to Rebecca and wound up pinning her on the couch.

” Rebecca, you have to stop. No more throwing things. I said that I’m not sure I want to get married. I need time and space. If you don’t like this, you can get your clothes and leave. But, I need my space. You don’t need to move, but you need to move from my bedroom. Understand?”

Rebecca looked at Julian. She realized that the power has shifted between them. Something has seriously changed. Something happened, and she had to find out what it was. She wasn’t going to let Julian sense her fear. Very coldly, she spoke up.

” I’ll have my things out of your bedroom, Julian. But, understand this, we won’t be together until you make me your wife.”

Julian nodded. “ I’ll be in the library.” Julian left, and Rebecca went over to the bar. Gwen came into the living room.

” Mother, what happened here?”

Rebecca downed the drink. “ Oh, I decided to redecorate.”

” Mother….”

“ Julian returned.”

” Really. What did he have to say? What was his excuse?”

” Julian didn’t really offer an excuse. He said that he was helping a friend.”

” Mother, Julian doesn’t have any friends.”

” Exactly. I told him that I was willing to let bygones be bygone and get married in a small ceremony. He told me that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be married.”

” Oh.”

” Yes, Oh. He also asked me to move out of his bedroom. I can’t believe it. Who is SHE?”

” Mother… how do you know it’s a SHE?”

” Gwen, come on. Julian didn’t break a sweat. There’s someone else. But, who? Who could Julian be willing to cast me aside for? I’ve watched him like a hawk. I know who calls him. WHO is this woman.”

” Mother, what are you going to do?”

” Gwennie, I’m going to fight for what I want. I want to be Mrs. Julian Crane. I’ll find out who my enemy is, and I’ll destroy her. I didn’t get this far to lose to some unknown bitch. She’ll wish she was dead when I get through with her.”

Gwen looked at her mother. She automatically felt sorry for her mother’s foe, whoever she is.
 

“ Thank you, Uncle Hank, for taking us in.”, Kay said, as she checked on the tea she was making for Jessica.

“ Kay, you’re my niece. I love you and Jessica. I have to say, in all my life, I never thought your parents would ever fuck…er, mess up this bad.”

“ Fuck up is the right phrase, Uncle Hank. I don’t think Jessica and I need protecting anymore. It’s not your job. It was our parent’s job, and they fucked it up.”

” Grace and TC Russell. I never saw that coming.”

” Tell me about it. It’s like I went to bed and woke up with aliens for parents. Uncle Hank, I know I’m sarcastic, but I gotta tell you – I don’t know what to do. When I thought it was my Dad cheating, I would hate him. But, now…Mom’s cheated AND pregnant. What should I do? God, when the kids at school get ahold of this…life is going to be an even bigger hell.”

” Well, it’s not the kids at school’s business – your family. You tell them to fuck off, in no uncertain terms. As for the rest of it. Your parents messed up with one another, but one truth remains- they love you, Jessie, Noah and Charity. I can say that with certainty. Give it time, Kay. “

” I’m going to get this tea to Jess. She’s really messed up.”

Kay took the tea to Jessica, who was sitting on the bed crying.

“ Jess, have some tea.”

Jessica took the tea and had a sip. Kay drank hers, and sat on the bed next to Jessica. She put her tea down, and stroked Jessica’s hair.

” Kay…what are we going to do?”, Jessica asked in a small voice.

“ We’re going to make it. I promise. “

” Kay, we don’t have a family anymore. “

” That’s not true. We have each other, Noah, and even that drip Charity.”

” Kay…”

” Jess, please don’t defend Charity.”

” I won’t. I’m glad you and Simone were cold to her. She got on my nerves.”

Jessica noticed the sadness in Kay’s eyes. “ You’re thinking about Simone.”

“ Am I that obvious?”

” Only cause I know you.”

” On the one hand, I’m mad at her, and then I realize I have no reason to be mad at her, Jess. What was she doing? Just expressing her anger at what happened to her family. In her eyes, Mom is to blame for her family breaking up. I could feel her pain even though she sounded so angry. I can relate because I’m feeling the same thing, and even though I TOTALLY know what she’s feeling, I can’t help her. The one person who has helped me through everything since I was a little girl can’t help me, and I can’t help her. Just something else to be pissed about because of this situation. I at least have you, if Whitney is true to form, she’s not there for Simone.”

” Kay, maybe things have changed. I mean, things are horrible for everyone. “

” Maybe you’re right.”

” I hope so.”

“ Noah called me.”

” How is he?”

” He wanted to come home. I told him that he couldn’t do anything here. That being in school was the best thing for him. It’s crazy here, and he needs to be in a normal setting.”

” I guess that’s true. I miss Noah.”

” I know, Jess. Me too. But, it’s up to us to get through all of this.”

” Kay, I don’t wanna go to school. Once they know..”

“ It’s none of their business. And, I’ll kick anyone’s ass you want.”

” Kay!”

” Hey….if they’re dumb enough to open their mouths, they’ll get their asses kicked.”

Jessica hugged her sister. “ Thanks, Kay.”
 

“ Chief Bennett.”, Sam said, answering the phone.

” Sam, it’s  Hank.”

” Hank, what’s up? Something wrong with the girls?”

” Well, I just thought you should know. They know about TC being the father. Sam, is that true?”

” Yeah. My so-called ‘best friend’ fucked and impregnated my wife.”

” Yikes.”

” Yeah. So, how are the kids?”

” They’re torn up. “

“ I’m not surprised.”

” Sam, I’m your brother, and I’m there for you.”

“ Hank, I still don’t know what I’m going to do.”

” Well, make sure you take your time. What about you and Grace?”

” I think her having TC’s baby is the nail in the coffin of our marriage.”

” I’m sorry about that.”

“ So, am I.”

” How about you and I having lunch tomorrow. We could play a little ball.”

” Hank, thanks for being my brother. “

” You’ve been the strong one all the time, Sam. Let me take up the slack.”