The Fine Print - Chapter 25 - THE FINALE
by yhh
Hello all, The Fine Print has come to an end. Thank you to
everyone who has read it and to those who left comments. I really appreciated
it. I enjoyed writing this story and I hope you enjoyed it too. Once again
thank you to everyone and when I figure out what story to write next I'll
post it here first.
"Julian! Come here, quick!" Eve screamed down the hallway.
Julian and Simone raced into the room.
"Look," she exclaimed as she watched Nicky slowly move his knees forward
and crawl to her and Endora.
"Nicky's crawling," Simone rejoiced, instantly following to the floor to
congratulate her nephew/brother.
"It's about time," Julian snorted.
"Julian," the two women retorted.
"It's the truth."
Both women rolled their eyes and turned their attention back to Nicky.
Although Eve had to admit he was right. Nicky should have been crawling
months ago, but his feet, knees, rarely touched the ground. He was constantly
being held. No one in his life wanted him to doubt for one second that he
was loved so thusly the baby was carried any and everywhere. Eve knew he was
being spoiled but she couldn't stop it or help it. Nicky's one saving grace
was Julian. His dad was making sure that their son didn't become a future
male version of Paris Hilton. "What were you two doing before I interrupted?"
"I was trying to explain that you can not go to Yale undergrad, then Harvard
Business School," her husband answered.
"But Harvard’s drama department isn’t as good Yale’s," Simone complained.
"What does it matter? There is no such thing as a business/acting major
anyway. Besides I went to Harvard, your brother went, and my grandfather went.
It’s tradition," Julian informed his step-daughter.
Eve’s heart warmed at Julian’s words. Did either he or
Simone understand the importance of this argument? He,
Julian Crane, was reprimanding Simone Russell for not keeping a family
tradition. While she had always known that her husband had the capacity
to love his arch-enemy's children because they were also her children. Her
heart rejoiced that he had learned to love both Whitney and Simone for who
they were and that he considered them his own. She was dying to tell him
that Chad had decided to get a degree to go with his real life experience
at Harvard. But their son had sworn her to secrecy. He wanted to surprise
his father. His first report card should be arriving any day.
Watching Julian, Simone, Endora, and Nicky, she marveled at how far they
had come in the past year. When she wasn't looking, Julian and Simone had
found some sort of middle ground and developed a relationship. He had even
taken Kay under his wing as she worked part-time at Crane Industry and CI
paid for her to attend Harmony University part-time. Her Kathleen, like
her Simone, was evolving into a beautiful, strong, confidant young woman.
She thought Miguel and Charity going to school in London helped keep her
niece focused on the important things in life. Kay had even begun emailing
Charity periodically to discuss family. And she sent Miguel pictures of
Maria, who seemed to have inherited the best of both parents.
"Nicky's crawling?" Regan asked rhetorically. "This is fantastic!"
"Isn't it?" Simone replied.
"Before you know it, he'll be walking," Quinn added.
The three young women sighed at the thought.
"Nicky, I'll take tons of pictures of you tomorrow," Regan announced. "Quinn,
let's go."
"Where are you two going?" Julian questioned in his most fatherly voice.
Kissing their father on the cheek, Ivy's daughters laughed.
"Father," Quinn whined.
"I need to know where you're going."
Ever since Fox's and Whitney's death, Julian demanded that every resident
in the mansion inform at least two other residents where they were going
and approximately when they would be home.
"We have a double date with Noah and John," Regan answered.
Eve watched her lover work hard at not grimacing. Since Regan and Quinn
moved officially and permanently into the mansion, they had been seeing more
and more of the Bennett boys, as Julian referred to them. He didn't think
either young man was good enough for his daughters.
"Have a good night," the two young women said, as they left the room.
"Wait up, Quinn, I have to talk to you about my art project," Simone declared,
jumping up off the floor and taking off after her step-sisters.
"That reminds me, I need to talk to Ethan before he and Gwen get caught
up in wedding plans," Julian remembered as he excused himself.
Her son had worked hard at healing himself, working on his marriage, and
convincing his wife that she was the only woman for him ever. She watched
Gwen’s walls crumble, but her daughter-in-law had a wary look in her eye
if she studied her closely. The former doctor suspected Gwen would always
be on the look out for another Theresa, but what could one expect?
Through therapy, Ethan had established a better relationship with Julian.
He even reached out to Ivy and was working to repair the damage to their
relationship. Her eldest had been afraid she would be jealous, but she wasn't.
Yes, she, Eve Crane, was envious that Ivy was the one who got to tuck Ethan
in bed at night, hear about all of his school friends, comfort him when he
was hurt or sick. But she was also so grateful that her son had had a mother
to do those things for him, unlike Chad. Ivy would always be mother to Ethan
and she had staked her claim in his life and in his heart as mom.
And speaking of Ivy, she got up from the sofa and started putting together
Nicky's diaper bag for his weekly visit with his Grandmere. Regan, Quinn,
and Ethan all took turns taking Nicky for his visits just in case the baby
threw up, wet his diaper, cried excessively, all things Ivy never had to
deal with when they were young because a nanny or maid was always close by
to help out. Ever since Fox's death, Ivy had been reaching out to her two
daughters. But both young women were leery, especially since try as she might
Ivy still catered to Ethan. A lifetime of putting Ethan first was a hard
habit to break.
Eve had been concerned Ivy might treat Nicky differently than she treated
Nate, Jack and Joey, but Regan, Quinn, Ethan, and Gwen all assured her they
were on high alert for that and so far had not noticed any preferential
treatment for any of the grandchildren. Gwen had confided to her, she wondered
if her refusing to have a DNA test to determine whether she or Theresa were
the twins' biological mother, had anything to do with Ivy treating the four
grandchildren the same. Eve thought it was an interesting theory because
with Ivy one never knew what was what.
Taking out clothes for Nicky's overnight visit with his Grandpa, she smiled
at how much progress she and TC had made. She could even call her ex a friend.
Whitney's death had helped TC understand her past better and the informal
custody arrangement of Nicky helped bring them closer. The brunette knew
TC regretted marrying her sister in haste, but he was committed to making
the marriage work. She knew their friendship made her sister insecure, but
she didn’t care. She valued his friendship. She even enjoyed the periodic
lunches or dinners with him, Grace, and Sam. They had so much fun laughing
and reminiscing. Their gatherings were less stuffy than the ones she attended
with Julian. Though she did have a lot of fun listening as Julian made fun
of every person in the room at CI functions.
She made a note to herself to remind Simone to pack some clothes for herself.
Simone and Nicky used to spend every other weekend at TC's, but as Simone
and Liz butted heads more and more and Liz's maternal clock started ticking
louder and louder, Simone and TC agreed to meet twice a week away from the
house so he could spend uninterrupted time with his daughter and grandson.
TC had even told her that he was using two condoms to make sure Liz didn't
"accidentally" become pregnant. Eve laughed as she remembered that conversation.
She had told TC TMI and since she didn't talk about her husband's incredible
lovemaking then he couldn’t mention his love life. TC never said another
word. All she had to do to end any conversation with TC or Sam was mention
Julian. Their relationships had come far, but not far enough to include Julian.
She was okay with that and Julian, she knew, was more than okay with it.
TC, Sam, and Julian were never going to do more than barely tolerate each
other.
Hearing some crying behind her, Eve turned to see the spitting image of
Fox looking very upset, then he flashed her a grin that was pure Whitney.
Her baby girl lived on in that smile. Fox and Whitney would always be with
them in their memories and in this little boy, whom she had once foolishly
not wanted to adopt, thank God Julian had convinced her differently. She truly
believed the single sheet of paper gave her peace of mind that Nicky was
theirs and no one could take him away from them. “Dorrie, can you please
go get Nicky his bottle?” she asked, as she gathered the whiny, tired infant
into her arms.
A second later the warmed bottle appeared in front of her.
“Endora Lenox Crane, how did this get warmed?”
The blonde toddler stood in front of her and batted her eyelashes and shrugged
her shoulders.
“That works on your dad and brother, but not on me. What have I told you
about doing things like this?”
“The same thing Mommy says. No. Stop.”
Eve sighed. She didn’t think anyone else in the household had noticed yet
and Dora was good about only using her powers when they were alone, but
still. How was she going to explain this?
“Mama, I sorry.”
“I know, baby. But no more. You have two perfectly good legs and arms,
okay?”
Endora nodded and climbed onto the sofa next to Eve.
“Love you, Mama.”
“Love you to, Miss Adorabell.”
“Ah, my favorite sight. Three of my most favorite people in the world,”
Julian exclaimed, watching the threesome from the doorway.
Dora smiled and lay against Eve, closing her eyes. Eve had been surprised
and worried when Tabitha had suggested shared custody with Dora spending
half the month with them. But everything had turned out great. Endora loved
being her father’s little girl and adored the attention her older siblings
and Nate gave her. And Julian had become equally as besotted.
Julian sat on the other side of Eve and wrapped his arms around her. “I
love you, darling.”
“I love you, too. Thank you.”
“No, thank you. You’ve made me become the man I always wanted to be for
you and for our children. And once our youngest children are in the bed, maybe
we could work on one that we don’t have to share with the dreaded TC or Ivy
or Tabitha,” he whispered, while planting soft kisses from her ear to her
neck.
“They aren’t dreaded.”
“Focus, darling.”
She turned her head and kissed him passionately. "Take Nicky, I've got
Dorrie. I’ll meet you in the room in five minutes.”
They both moved as quickly as they could without waking up their precious
children.
THE END