The Imposter II (an alternate version); Chapter 16 (Evian)
by ejcrane
“I was just talking to Julian…what’s the matter with that?” he shrugged
and climbed into bed, “He’s not a stranger,” he raised a brow.
“Don’t get smart with me, Chad…and I don’t like this ‘talking to Julian
behind my back’ sort of stuff?”
“And why is that, mom? You think I’ll tell him about you? That you’re still
pregnant with HIS baby…that you lied to him?”
“I think you need to go to bed NOW, Chad!” she walked to the door, “And
I don’t want to hear about this anymore…got it?!”
She slammed the door behind her and fell back against it, looking up and
exhaling deeply.
Why did Chad have to be so right? Why couldn’t he be like any other kid
that wouldn’t have a care in the world? And if that were so, she’d complain
that he wasn’t more mature…
Eve shook her head and went back to her room.
Opening the door, she walked in and looked to the bed as she made her way
to the desk.
She had decided something…long before she had caught Chad talking to Julian.
Eve was going to go to Paris, find Julian and tell him about their child.
She was going to find him and tell him how she never stopped loving him
and that she…they needed him.
Logging into AOL, Eve moved the cursor to the address bar and typed ‘Expedia.com’
then pressed “enter”…
Chad crossed his ankles while he lied back and surfed through the channels.
He stopped on one channel and watched how this short blonde haired girl
named Tina was leaped onto by her mother, Joan.
“Sh*t!” Chad said aloud and wrinkled his brows as he continued to watch
‘Mommie Dearest’.
Staying home from work, Julian decided to work at home. He looked to his
computer when he heard a door creak open. Eve had just signed on. He looked
down to the keyboard and then looked up again and reached for the mouse.
Moving the cursor over her screen name on the buddy list, Julian double-clicked
on it and watched as a separate window opened.
JLCindustries [1:16 AM]: Eve, how are you?
There was no response.
JLCindustries [1:17 AM]: Eve, I know you’re there. Please answer me.
Eve stopped what she was doing and debated with herself whether she should
answer him and tell him just how she felt about him or if she should just
ignore his instant messages.
She chose to block him instead, for she knew if he kept at it, she’d tell
him everything and she didn’t want to confess everything over the net…she
wanted to tell him in person.
Eve went to bed that night after booking herself a commercial flight to
Paris.
“Pretty soon you’ll know your daddy,” Eve smiled and rubbed her tummy.
DrEve signed off at 1:17 AM
Julian sighed and went on with his morning as if he never messaged Eve.
“Dang, this family is crazy…” Chad said as he finished watching the end
of the movie and turned off the Tv.
Two days later, Eve was in her room packing her bags when Pilar walked
in.
“Going somewhere, Dr. Crane?”
“Yes, I am,” Eve said cheerfully, “I’m going to go to Paris and get my
husband back,” she smiled.
“I see…” Pilar nodded.
“Pilar? What’s that look for?” Eve laughed, “Aren’t you happy for me?”
“I am,” she continued to nod, “But…you do know what today is, verdad?”
“Know? No, what?” Eve shrugged as she tossed in some lingerie to surprise
Julian with.
“His wedding…”
Eve stopped what she was doing and looked up.
“What?”
“Today is his wedding to her…”
“No! He can’t!” Eve shook her head and grabbed Pilar’s arms, “When?! When,
damnit?!”
“At four…”
Eve looked to her watch and almost fainted. It was seven in the morning;
one in the afternoon in Paris. She only had three hours to get there, but
her flight was going to take over SIX hours, plus more time with having
to connect in different cities!
There was NO time for that; Eve was going to hop on the Crane jet and get
to Paris in time to stop his wedding!
Five minutes later, she said her “goodbye’s” to Simone and Chad and left
for the airport to board the jet.
She finally arrived in Paris, met the driver, and instructed him to take
her to the specific church that Pilar told her Julian would be at.
Arriving at the church fifteen minutes after the ceremony started, Eve
jumped out of the car before it even stopped and ran up the steps and into
the church.
“STOP! EVERYONE STOP WHAT THEY’RE…” Eve’s words trailed off as she stood
still and found herself in an empty room.
“May I help you?” the man asked with a French accent.
“The wedding…where is everyone?”
“Gone…it’s over,” he laughed, “I had never seen a wedding like this before,”
he smiled, “It was…it was…”
“It’s over?!” tears brimmed in her eyes.
“Yes…over. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she whispered, “Thank you,” she said and turned, “I’m
too late?” she said to herself, “Julian…no,” Eve hiccupped a cry as she
walked out of the church, “The airport, please,” she told the driver.
On the plane, Eve rubbed her belly and spoke…
“I’m sorry, honey…I’ve failed you…I’m so sorry,” she said as tears streamed
down her face…
---*~*16