A Brand New Twist, Chapter 24
by Luvin_Evian

She scanned the room for her purse and spotted it in the corner chair. “No, I’m driving myself,” she replied, crossing the room to the chair and retrieving the purse.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said, sounding more like her parent than her lover. “Have you had breakfast?”

“Last question first, I’m going to have some breakfast when I get downstairs. The fact I can think about food and not get sick to my stomach is a feat in itself. As for the first question, I disagree. I can drive myself, Julian. I’m pregnant, not blind. Besides, if you’re so hesitant about me driving, why are you making such an issue about Matt giving you the green light on ‘excitement’. I mean, if you don’t want me to drive, something I have to stay still to do, I can’t imagine how you expect me to…”

“Point taken,” he interjected with grudging humor in his tone. “Perhaps you should have gone into law, my love.”

She laughed. “I figured that would get you to see things my way. Still, you don’t need to push yourself. You need to give your body time to heal. I know you’re feeling more soreness than you’re letting on.”

“Eve,” he grumbled.

“I’m not going to harp, Julian, but we’re going to follow whatever Dr. Harmon says to the letter. I’m going to try to get there before he begins his rounds, but if I miss him, I want complete details, okay?”

“I’ll be sure to tell you everything.”

“You’d better, and I don’t mean your own spin of things, either,” she warned only half teasing. Knowing he would probably say whatever it took to get her to see things the way he wanted, even if Matt said something totally different. “I’ll see you soon, Julian”

“I’ll be counting the minutes. I love you.”

Eve smiled. She would never tire of hearing that. “I love you, too.”

After checking her makeup and fussing with her hair much longer than she intended, Eve grabbed her keys and made her way to the door. As she reached for the knob, the phone rang. The shrill sound startled her. She turned, staring at the phone. Who could that be? Then a thought occurred. Had something happen to Julian? Her heart pounded like a jackhammer. She raced to the dresser and snatched up the phone. “Hello.”

“Eve, it’s me. Is everything okay? You sound upset.”

She sighed in relief. Grateful the call wasn’t about Julian’s health but intrigued by the caller. “T.C.”

“Yeah. Is—is something wrong? Did Julian…” his words trailed off.

“No, everything is fine. Julian is doing much better. Thank God.”

“Good. That’s good.”

Eve raised a curious eyebrow, not sure what to make of that remark or the point of this conversation. “T.C., why are you calling?”

“Well, I heard about Julian and everything that happened at the estate when Grace and Sam came over to get a few things for you yesterday, so I wanted to make sure you were okay. Plus, there are some things I want to say to you, and I knew you wouldn’t want to see me, so--”

“Now is not a good time. I was just on my way to the hospital,” she shared.

“It won’t take long. I just…I wanted to tell you that you were right. You were right about everything.”

Eve said nothing as she waited for him to elaborate. She pushed her purse off her shoulder and took a seat on the bed.

“After we talked the other night, I had a lot of time to think. I’m not happy with the way things are right now, and I doubt I’ll ever accept Crane’s part in your life or really understand why I never knew about your past with him or your past at all, but that doesn’t excuse my behavior toward you. I uh—I don’t know what happened to me that day I found you with Julian, but thinking about that and my reaction to you it just…”

“T.C.”

“Please, Eve, this is hard enough. Let me finish.”

“Okay,” she said.

“I won’t be able to apologize enough for how I treated you and made it so you’re now afraid to be alone with me, and with that in mind, I’m not going to contest the divorce. Have the papers drawn up and I’ll sign them. I’ll accept whatever you think is fair. I think it’s the least I can do for you.”

Those words were music to Eve’s ears. The fact T.C. only agreed to the divorce as a way to make amends didn’t bother her one bit, because it was the least he could do. Still, she wanted him to do something for himself.

“I appreciate the offer, T.C., and I accept it, but what about you, huh? What are you going to do about you? The issues here go a lot deeper than just our failed marriage. You know this.”

“Yes, Eve, I do know, and that’s what else I had to tell you. I’m going back to Milwaukee to the anger management facility. Believe it or not, my time there did help me, so I know more time will be just what I need. It would kill me to see the same fear in our girls’ eyes that I see in yours when you look at me. I don’t want them to be afraid of me. Maybe, hopefully, the day will come when you’ll be able to look at me and see the guy you once cared about, and not the monster my temper has made me.”

“I would like that, too, T.C., but I can’t make any promises. All the apologies and good intentions in the world won’t change what happened between us. Still, we do have two daughters, so I’ll be willing to make an effort, but in my own time and in my own way.”

“That’s fine, Eve. I won’t pressure you. Yes, you kept secrets from me, but if I didn’t explode at the drop of a dime, perhaps you would have been more inclined to tell me the truth. But hindsight is twenty-twenty, right?” he said with a wry chuckle. “What’s done is done. I’m just going to try and make things better for me and all of us.” He cleared his throat. “You know, Sugar Bear has been asking a lot of questions, and I didn’t know what to tell her. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her what happened between you and Crane and us. That I had uh -- that I tried to --”

“Don’t worry, T.C., I’ll talk to Simone and Whitney,” she offered, rescuing him from his misery. “You are making an effort to work on your temper, and that’s what I wanted for you. It was never my intention to have our daughters lose their respect for you, and as long as you do what you need to do, they never will. I can promise you that.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Eve.” An awkward moment of silence followed. “Well, uh, my flight is leaving in a couple of hours and I know you want to get to Julian, so I’m going to let you go,” T.C. said. “If you have paper and a pen handy, I can give you the address to send the divorce papers.”

After receiving the information, and placing it in her purse, Eve bid T.C. farewell. “How long are you going to be gone?” She didn’t particularly care, but felt compelled to ask nonetheless.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “I guess however long it takes.”

“Good luck, T.C.”

“You, too, Eve. If you’re contemplating a future with Julian Crane, you’re going to need it.”

“Your vitals are strong, Mr. Crane,” Matt said as he jotted notes onto Julian’s chart. “I have to say, for a man who was shot and flatlined yesterday, you are making remarkable progress. You are well on your way to recovery.”

Julian smiled. Those were the words he wanted to hear. Maybe now Dr. Harmon would give him more good news. Like he wouldn’t have to wait a lifetime before he could be with Eve again.

“So, Doctor, when do you think I’ll be released?”

Matt stopped writing and looked up from the chart. “Not for several more days. Why?”

“I feel fine,” Julian said.

“That wasn’t my question.”

“Well, I’m just wondering when I can get back to my normal routine.” Julian sat more erect on the bed. A flash of pain streaked the left side of his chest. He winced softly, not wanting to alert Matt of his discomfort. He hoped that sore rib didn’t impede the progress he hoped to make with Eve in the near future. He smiled. He’d just tell her to be gentle with him. “So, Doctor?”

“You won’t be getting back to your regular routine for a while, Mr. Crane.”

“What’s a while?” Julian asked, his happy feeling fading.

“That depends on what entails a regular routine for you.” Matt dropped the chart to his lap and clasped his hands atop it. He leaned slightly forward in his wheelchair. “Is there something specific you’re asking about?”

Julian regarded Matt through narrowed eyes. Harmon was a good doctor, but an infuriating man. How the hell didn’t he know what he meant? “Yes,” he clipped.

Mat chuckled. “Frustration,” said the doctor. “I gather you want to know how long it will be before you can engage in sexual relations again?”

“I was wondering, yes.”

“Mr. Crane…”

Julian held up his hand. The doctor mask Matt slipped on gave him bad vibes. It said the man was about to say something he didn’t particularly want to hear. “You snatched me from the jaws of death, I think it’s alright if you call me Julian,” he said, hoping the less formal address would work in his favor. A friend wouldn’t dash the spirits of another friend.

“Very well. Julian, you’re making an amazing recovery, but the fact remains you took a near fatal shot to the chest, and you just had major surgery. Not to mention the grimacing you did when you sat up in bed just now. Yes, I saw that,” Matt said.

Julian grunted. Damn it! This would not go well.

“With that in mind, it’s my recommendation you wait at least six weeks before--”

“Six weeks?” A nervous laugh rumbled in Julian’s throat. He ignored the painful twinge his show of amusement brought about. This had to be some sick joke. “You are kidding?”

Matt shook his head. “No, I’m not.”

Julian’s awkward laughter broke into nothingness. Silence enveloped the room. Dr. Harmon did not just say he’d have to wait six weeks before making love to Eve. He had to be hearing things. He just found Eve after six long weeks. After engaging in a slow count to ten, and uttering a silent prayer those horrible words would be retracted, Julian met Matt’s gaze.

“Look, Doctor, I didn’t have a baby, I just took a little shot to the chest.”

“It was more than a little shot. You had major surgery, Julian. You lost a massive amount of blood, and you’ve got tenderness in your ribs. I wouldn’t be doing my job effectively if I didn’t give you my honest opinion. I’m sorry it’s not what you wanted to hear.”

While Julian sulked, the beep beeping of Matt’s pager filled the room. Checking the device clipped to the V-cut of his mint green scrubs top, Matt said, “I’m due for a consultation. I’ll be back to check on you later.”

“Dr. Harmon, is it possible you could change your mind on this waiting period?” Julian asked. He hated to sound desperate, but damn it, he was. In six weeks, Eve’s body would look very different, and with her blossoming in pregnancy, her desire for intimacy could diminish. Just having Eve in his life again was a dream come true, but being with Eve…that was heaven on earth. “So?”

“Anything is possible, Julian. You keep getting better, and we’ll go from there.”

That wasn’t a direct ‘No’, so he took it to be hopeful. Julian nodded. “Okay.”

He watched the doctor leave. Moments later commotion could be heard out in the hallway.

“Excuse me, sir, you can’t smoke that in here,” Matt said, his tone firm and direct.

Julian didn’t have to guess who Matt encountered. He caught a faint whiff of the Cuban export. The unmistakable aroma reminded him of sweet cherries and cedar wood. His father’s favorite blend. He groaned. This morning had gone from bad to worse.

“Young man, I am Alistair Crane. I own this hospital and everyone in it.”

“Yeah, well, I’m Matt Harmon, and I don’t recall a bill of sale. I’ll go out on a limb and say my wife doesn’t, either, so I’ll be sure to tell her the news. Ellen’s not too crazy about surprises. Learning she was sold won’t sit too well with her.”

Julian snickered. His doctor didn’t seem too impressed with his dear old dad.

“Now, if you won’t to see my patient, you need to get rid of this,” Matt said.

Alistair gasped. “What the hell!”

Julian eased up further on the bed. His father was furious. He grinned. What did Matt do?

“Do you know how much that cigar costs?” Alistair railed.

“No, and I don’t care to know. What I do care about is my patient’s well being. Now, I have someplace to be. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Crane.”

Seconds later, Julian’s door opened with a hard swoosh. Alistair stepped into the room his cheeks flushed, his lips a tight, thin line. “This hospital has taken its affirmative action too far. If that doctor of yours wasn’t already in a wheelchair, I would make it my business to put him in one. That young man doesn’t know his place. He snatched my cigar right out of my hand and crushed it with that chair of his.”

Julian smiled. Matt’s stock just shot up several points. He didn’t like him putting the freeze on his sex life, but anyone who could rile up Alistair like this was okay in his book.

“Dr. Harmon’s new to Harmony, I guess he hasn’t figured out how things work around here.”

“Humph! Well, enough about Harmon. I’ll deal with him later.” The heels of Alistair’s wingtips clicked against the shiny tile floor as he made his way toward the bed. “You’re looking well, Julian.”

“What I’m looking is alive. You must be broken up, Father.”

“You make me sound like a monster,” he said taking a seat in the nearby chair.

“You are a monster. What do you want?”

“I came to check on my son. I was concerned.”

Julian grunted. It was all he could do not to laugh out loud. “Right.”

“You’re so suspicious, Julian.”

“With good reason.” The twinkle in Alistair’s eyes put him on edge. The old man was too smug, especially considering his run-in with Matt. Alistair tapped the tips of his stubby fingers together. A sadistic smile turned his lips. Whatever brought him over couldn’t be good. Not if it made him this happy. “Why are you really here?”

“Your near-death experience affected me profoundly, Julian,” he said, his voice shaky with fake emotion.

Alistair dabbed at invisible tears and sniffled. Julian rolled his eyes. What in the world was this old man up to?

“I could have lost my son. My firstborn.” Alistair closed his eyes for several moments and sighed, as if reviewing a mind’s eye video of happy father/son times they never shared. “It made me think of a lot of things. About you and Sheridan. Sheridan and you. The entire Crane family as a whole. That’s what brought me here.”

The little patience Julian had slipped away like water in a closed fist. “You want to spit it out, old man!” He fell back to the bed with a grunt. He had to stop yelling. He hurt like hell.

“Calm down, son. We wouldn’t want a setback.” He flashed a twisted smile before removing a fresh cigar from the breast pocket of his suit. “I’m here to tell you a story.”

“A story? I may be bedridden, but I’m not up for fairytales from you.”

“But this is not a fairytale, Julian. It’s all non-fiction, and deals in great part with your missing son with Eve Russell.”

“My son?”

“That’s right. I’m not telling you a fairytale, but when it’s all said and done, you might think it grim.”

Alistair laughed, clearly amused by his play on words. He stood from the chair and strolled over to the window. The room boasted a beautiful view of the vibrant oranges, blazing reds, and golden yellows of the leaves coloring the trees outside. However, Julian didn’t think his father peered out the window to appreciate the splendor of the autumn foliage or the brilliant blue painting the cloudless sky of the lovely fall day. The man was stalling. Milking this moment for all it was worth. Enjoying his position in the catbird seat. Why the big buildup? What was this about his son?

Finally, Alistair turned around. A smile brightened his face and evil intentions darkened his eyes. Julian’s blood ran cold. Death’s ominous words reverberated in his ears. There’s a devastating storm headed for this bright future you foresee. You’ve done some terrible things in your past, Julian, and they’re going to come back to haunt you and your beloved Eve.

Julian shuddered. He didn’t need to hear the clap of thunder or see the flash of lightening to know the storm forecasted for his life had made its way to land, and when it finally passed over, his world would never be the same.

“Once upon a time…” Alistair began.