The Turns Life Takes (Eve/Julian) - Chapter 20
by yhh
She couldn’t believe it. She, Eve Johnson Russell, now had four daughters.
Four beautiful, healthy, intelligent daughters. She was on cloud nine. She
had been since Stefan and Sonny had escorted her daughter into the living
room. The night before was one big blur. There were tears and tears of joy
and introductions all around as Brenda was introduced to her new family.
Reading the file that Stefan had prepared, she was sure it was all very overwhelming.
Coming from a family with only one sister with whom she wasn't very close
to, to this craziness where she had three brothers and two sisters from
her father's side of the family and three sisters from her side. Brenda
was now the oldest of nine almost overnight.
Due to the numerous family members, she hadn't been able to spend any real
time with Brenda. But they had made arrangements to meet at the mansion
this morning for breakfast, just the three of them. So here she was up three
hours before the breakfast, dressed with no place to go. Walking down the
stairs with Brenda's file, she figured she could reread every detail Stefan
discovered about her daughter over a cup of coffee. As she walked through
the living room, she noticed two figures sleeping on the couch. "Whitney?
Simone?" she whispered more to herself.
"It's okay, Mom. We're not really sleep," Whitney answered, stretching
and getting up.
"I'm going to the kitchen to make myself some coffee would you two like
some?"
"That would be great," Whitney replied.
Eve waited momentarily for Simone to say something, but she didn't. Eve
continued to the kitchen and wondered what did it mean that the girls were
here. Were they finally willing to talk? She wouldn't get her hopes up when
they wanted to be, her daughters could be just as hard-headed as their father,
she thought as she put on the coffee and the hot chocolate for Simone.
Whitney and Simone entered the kitchen as Eve sat the mugs on the table.
"Thanks," they both said hurriedly as they took their first sip of their
drinks.
"You're welcome." She wondered how she should start this conversation.
She was the adult, the parent, it was up to her to start it. "Thank you
for coming last night."
"Until Fancy announced that Brenda was a model I kept wondering where I
had seen her before," Whitney, ever the peacemaker, commented.
"Yes, she seemed familiar." With a deep breath, she decided to delve into
their real issues. "I apologize to you both for allowing my past to hurt
you. That was never my intention."
"But you're not sorry for keeping it a secret," Simone accused.
"No," she answered honestly, "I think everyone is entitled to a past. I'm
sure they are things that both you and your sister haven't told me. It's
natural."
"Don’t try to simplify this. Your secret wasn't 'oops, I took my parents'
car out without permission and wrecked it.' You had another family before
us. You were some alcoholic, druggie whore who slept with Julian Crane and
had his illegitimate child- -"
Eve stood up and slapped Simone across the face.
Simone gasped as she put her hands to her face in shock.
"Don't you dare speak to me that way! I don't care what I've done or do
or say, but I am still your mother and you will respect that fact even if
you can't stand me. I know you're confused and that's my fault. All your lives,
I took the easy way out by letting your father fill your heads up with the
Cranes are evil garbage and other than Alistair, the Cranes are just like
us. People who live, love, make mistakes, and try to learn from them. I apologize
for letting him warp your minds. Yes, I was ashamed of my drug and alcohol
usage and that's why I never allowed even a beer to enter our house and somehow
I connected that with my singing and that's why I never allowed you to sing.
But I think I more than made up for it, by supporting you in karate, gymnastics,
bowling, violin, guitar, piano lessons. Art classes, anything other than
singing that you asked for I made sure you could do. I made sure that your
summers were filled with adventures and we explored new places within the
US and abroad. I didn't want you to be like me. A sheltered young girl overly
protected with no clue how the real world operated and lacking self-confidence
that you would do anything to fit in with others, like I did. I wanted you
girls to feel loved, secure, beautiful and to have the family I had for twelve
wonderful too short years, before it was cruelly taken from me. With Julian,
I thought I had the family I was missing, but once again that family was
taken from me. When your father showed an interest in me, I vowed not to
do anything to ruin what I felt was my last shot at a family and love. Maybe
I made the wrong decision, but if I say that then that means I regret you
two or the wonderful years with your dad and I don't. I never imagined not
being married to your dad, but the marriage is over. He can never forgive
me. I pray that you can, because living a life where you can't forgive others
is a sad and lonely life," Eve concluded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have
a breakfast I can't miss." She turned and walked out of the kitchen.
Whitney and Simone looked at each other stunned. Who was that woman who
had shown such passion, such anger? She didn't resemble the mother they had
grown up with at all.
"She's right," Whitney admitted. "She and Dad have given us the world.
Mom was the only reason I didn't spend the entire summer in tennis camp."
"But what about what she did to Aunt Grace? Her troubled past doesn't excuse
her for that. It's not Aunt Grace fault that her aunt wasn't more loving
or that Alistair Crane was so evil," Simone countered.
Looking at her sister with new eyes, Whitney stared at her. "Do you hear
yourself? The accusatory tone of your voice. The way we've treated Mom.
And the way Dad is treating her. If I was her, I would have kept my past
to myself, too."
"Whitney that's not fair- -"
"What's not fair? Dad throwing her clothes out of the window, pictures
of us as a family, calling her all sorts of names in front of the people
we've known our whole lives. Was that fair? Yes, he deserved to be upset.
But- -" Whitney shook her head. "What would our lives have been like if something
happened to Mom and Dad? We would have been lucky and went to live with
Uncle Sam and Aunt Grace, but what if we went to live with some relative
who was crazy? Mom lived a life, I never want to experience. And the evilness
of Alistair. Fox, his own grandson, didn't even want to go to his memorial
service. That's how evil he was, his own grandson didn't want to go to his
service. And you heard how he hired people to watch Mom. A young girl no
older than you and hired the doctors and nurses she trusted to work against
her- -"
"But Daddy deserved the truth. Aunt Grace deserved the truth. What about
John? He thought he had found his mom finally, but instead he finds out
it’s a lie."
"Do you remember when I didn't want to go to tennis camp and I didn't sleep
for three days because I was scared to ask Dad? You and I both know he has
a temper. Don't you remember the reason we moved in with Kay because he
was hitting Endora for just going into the shed? What Mom did to Aunt Grace
was completely wrong, but- -" the curly brown haired woman shrugged her
shoulders.
"Are you making excuses for her? I can't believe this," Simone said, getting
up from the table and pacing the floor. "She's snowed you."
"No, she hasn't snowed me. She's just explained her side to me. And if
it comes between choosing to forgive my mom and allow her to continue to
be part of my life or spending the rest of my life hearing Dad go on and
on about the evil of the Cranes and Mom, when Mom hasn't said one derogatory
thing against him, then yes, I guess she has snowed me," the older of the
Russell girls said, as she walked out of the kitchen, leaving her younger
sister alone with her thoughts.
Yes, their dad's constant rantings and ravings were difficult to hear.
But Eve had lied to them their whole lives. Her imaginary junior high and
high school tales were just that imaginary. Nothing she told them about
her past was true. It was all lies. And she had always come down on them
hard for lying, so how did she expect them to suddenly accept her past and
forgive her? And now with her family in shambles, she was supposed to accept
this new girl into her family? She didn't think so. How could she when all
she wanted was her family back the way it was.
"It's never going to happen," Kay commented, dragging herself over to Whitney's
left over coffee.
"What isn't it?"
"Your family being the way it used to be. I always knew my mom didn't remember
her past and it was just a fact of life. But then when Charity showed up
everything became real. After seeing what Aunt Eve is going through, I realize
my mom kinda clung to Charity because she was part of a past, a life my mom
couldn't remember. But with Charity's arrival our family changed forever.
Then along comes John and his dad and more changes occurred. And you know
how bad I am with changes. But after seeing Uncle TC's reactions I realized
I was my mom's TC- -"
"Kay," Simone said shocked.
"What? I was. I wasn't supportive. Can you imagine how my mom felt to know
she had a husband and a kid she didn't even remember? But instead of being
understanding, I was selfish, self-absorbed Kay. I whined, complained, caused
trouble and picked fights with Charity. My unwillingness to forgive or understand
caused a breach between me and my mom which I'm only now starting to feel
we'll be able to repair. Don't let years go by without your mom in your
life, like I did- -"
"How can you defend her after what she did to your mom?"
Kay wondered how far she should take this conversation. Looking into her
best friend's confused, hurt, angry eyes, she decided to pull no punches.
"When we pulled up to the house when Uncle TC was throwing your mom's stuff
out the window, he asked her for a paternity test."
"For who? Who would need a pat- - Oh my- -" the younger girl shook her
head violently. "He couldn’t believe that. He knows we're his daughters.
He loves us. No, you misunderstood."
"Why do you think he didn't open the doors when Whitney knocked that night?
The only reason he let you back in the house was because you and Whit were
anti-Eve. Have you even seen the divorce papers? He's asking for a paternity
test before he decides on his custody stance, but your mom didn't want you
to know. But if you go upstairs, your toothbrush and Whitney's are gone
and have been placed with identical new ones. I love you, Simone. You are
my sister, my best friend, but you've got to open your eyes to both sides
of the story." Walking up to her friend, Kay kissed the speechless and crying
Simone on the cheek then left the younger woman to her tears and thoughts.