Eve, Come Home
Chapter One
The Loaded Question
Grace and Eve Sheffield were talking outside one afternoon after being yelled at by their father again for the third time that week, when it starts to snow. It was really light at first but the longer they stood out there, the heavier it got.
"I think we should really head in Eve." Grace tells her younger sister, who is as stubborn as the day is long.
"I will when he stops acting like he's Lord of all creation. We didn't do any of the crap we're being blamed for. Mom should have popped him upside his head like she was going to do, instead of just talking to him. I keep telling her it's not going to make a difference, but she keeps talking and not doing anything. I freaking give up." Eve says, sitting down in the snow. Grace pokes her head inside to see if the coast is clear or not. When she sees that no one is around, she reaches over and grabs Eve by the shoulder of her shirt and nearly drags her inside.
"What are you doing?" Eve asks.
"Shh. Just go upstairs. There's no one around right now. It's safe." Grace replies. She lets go of Eve and they both sneak upstairs to their rooms to hide until supper. Grace is 21 and Eve is only 9. Grace had came over to stay a week while her house was being fumigated for termites but ever since she's been there, Max is always finding some reason to yell at her and Eve. Eve sneaks into Grace's room and comes up with an idea before they are to be downstairs for supper.
"Can I come live with you?" Eve asks, sitting on her bed.
"What? Why? What about Jonah? Do you really think that Mom is going to let you do this?" Grace replies, with all kinds of questions, letting her younger sister have it.
"I'm tired of being yelled at all the time, Jonah is staying here to fend for himself, and I don't really care what Mom has to say about it. She never does anything to Dad when he yells at me, so I really don't care at all what she says or thinks about it." Eve tells her, not knowing that Fran was standing outside the door and she heard everything that was said. She just turns around and heads back downstairs to try and talk to Max again. When she discovers that he is nowhere to be found, she sees a note on his desk. She reads it and the first thing out of her mouth is, "Damn him. Damn that stubborn ass man." She slips her snow boots on and goes to get her coat on and heads out to get him from the theater, figuring the phone lines would be out due to the storm. She goes back in all of a sudden and hollers up for Grace to come downstairs for a minute.
"Hey, I need to go find your father. I heard everything that Eve said, and as much as it hurt me to hear it, I needed to hear it. Now, Niles has the flu and he is not to be up doing anything. There is some chili in the fridge. If it's no problem, will you heat it up for your brother and sister? You be sure and eat too and do you know when your house will be done?" Fran tells her.
"I have no idea. The bug man said he will call me when I can go back. And don't worry, cause neither Eve or Jonah, Brighton, or Maggie, will ever move in with me. I'm in a relationship and we need our space. Oh, before I forget. Do the kids still like their chili with cheese and crackers caked in it? Grace says. Fran smiles and tells her yes they do, then she is on her way to the theater to find Max. In her mind, she's telling him like it is and how it's going to be around the house from now on, and to start treating the kids better than what he has been.
Chapter Two
The Accident
Grace has just gotten Jonah and Eve to settle down at the kitchen table with their chili and she starts dipping Niles up a bowl. She tells the kids to stay put and she will be right back. While she's gone, Jonah hears something on the kitchen TV that Niles always watches when he's in there.
"Eve be quiet, listen to this." Jonah tells her, while turning up the volume. They hear a news report that the theater where their father works, has been through disaster. It seems a tree was blown over by the wind and it went through the top of the theater and landed right in the middle of the room.
"Oh my God. Was anybody hurt? Did they say yet?" Eve asks, standing near Jonah, who puts his arm around her waist and pulls her closer to keep her warm.
"No. All they said was that rescue efforts are being made by the fire department. They are doing a head count right now and I think they said, four people are missing. They don't know if they were hurt by the tree falling, or if they just weren't there today. I only hope it's because they weren't there today." Jonah replies.
"No doubt. This is awful. Where's Mom and Dad? Are they back yet?" Eve says, with her eyes still glued to the TV.
"There! They are standing outside helping to get people out of there." Jonah exclaims when he sees them outside of the building asking what they can do to help.
"Oh Thank God that they are okay. I'll go get Grace and Niles and tell them what's going on." Eve says, and Jonah grabs the back of her house coat really quick.
"Oh no you don't. Niles has the flu. You're not getting sick. I'm going. You just stay here and put my bowl in the microwave. I'll eat when I get back." Jonah tells her, jumping off of the stool he was sitting on and running upstairs. Within ten minutes, Eve has gone back to eating and Jonah, Niles, and Grace are all coming downstairs. Niles sits his bowl in the kitchen sink and goes to watch the news in the living room. Grace and the kids follow him and then the phone rings. Grace answers it and then she is heading out the door.
"I have to take Mom and Dad a few things. Do you two want to ride along? You have to be in your seat belts, and no back talking either. I can't leave you here with Niles. No offense on him, but if you two get sick, Mom and Dad are going to kill me for sure. Hurry up. Get your coats." Grace tells them. Once they get to the theater, they all go in and Grace gets the third degree from Maxwell for taking the kids out of the house.
"What was you thinking anyway? There is a blizzard outside girl. You could have left them home with Niles or called C.C. to watch them or something." Max scolds.
"Oh yeah Dad. Yeah right. That would have been real freaking cute. Niles is sick with the flu and they are only nine years old! I'm not leaving two nine year old kids with a man who is so sick that if you show him his favorite foods, he's even sicker. Not to mention, they don't like C.C. and right now, Niles doesn't need the responsibility of dealing with two kids while he's sick. Trust my judgement for once will ya!? And don't you yell at me or Eve ever again. You have done nothing but be on my case and hers ever since I came to the house a few days ago. Just stop it. I mean it." Grace says, so close to his face that they were nose to nose. Fran tries to get in between them, but then the theater people need her help with some kids and getting them calmed down. Max just looks at Grace, then at Eve, then goes back to his work on starting the clean up process.
"We'll talk about this more at the house." Max tells Grace.
"I'd like to know how you plan to do that when I won't be there. I'm going back and getting my stuff and renting a hotel room until my house is done. I only wish I could take Eve with me like she asked me to do earlier." Grace replies, taking off outside and getting in her car and leaving. Everyone goes about their cleaning and stuff and when Fran goes to check on Jonah and Eve, she only finds Jonah. She found him in between two rows of seats, asleep on the floor, and curled up in a ball like he always does when he's asleep.
"Jonah. Jonah wake up. Jonah Samuel! Wake up and tell me where your sister is. Have you seen her?" Fran asks him.
"Not for awhile. When we got here, she was sitting over in the corner. She said something about how she wants Dad to stop yelling at her all the time, then she said she was going outside to play in the snow. I told her not to because let's face it, she'll get lost or burried out there in it. That was about twenty minutes ago I would say." He says, coming up from his spot where he was laying at. Fran goes and gets Maxwell to tell him what's going on.
"Max. I think Eve is gone. Jonah just told me he seen her about twenty minutes ago and she went outside. I just checked out there and she's nowhere to be found. I swear Maxwell, if she ran off due to you yelling at her all the time, you better change your ways with her, and if you don't, we are done. I don't care if I have to go back to Ma and Daddy's and take the kids with me. You better hope she's not too far away and that she's okay. Now, find someone to watch Jonah, and come help me find her." Fran tells him. Fran announces that they have a missing child case, they find someone to watch Jonah, and off they go.
Chapter Three
Still Missing
Four months later, they still haven't found Eve. The roads are cleared up and the snow has melted. They all figured that someone found her out in the cold and took her in. Fran and Max never gave up hope and they never quit looking for her. Fran comes back in from her search and just sits on the couch and cries. Maggie has flown in from New Jersey, along with her husband. Brighton and his wife have even came and stayed the whole time that Eve's been gone, in hopes that they all can do something and find her.
"I bet she left because of the way I've been acting." Max says, sitting in the chair in the living room and about to cry.
"Yeah well, that's nothing new. You did the same damn crap with us when we were growing up. Ya know Dad, everytime you have a bad review or something goes wrong at work, you pull this stuff and you take it out on everyone else. That's when you seperate your work from your home life. I thought everyone knew that. Now, our baby sister is out there somewhere lost and scared, and wondering what's happened to her world. Pull it together and blame yourself later. We have to keep looking. Get your jacket." Brighton says, nailing him.
"My God. Brighton, you're right. I hope you all can forgive me for the way I've been acting. I'm so sorry. I never meant any of it." Max explains to them. It does bring tears but then, they let Fran get some rest before she goes out again, while they all go and search different areas of the city. Fran waits until everyone is gone and then, she goes outside on the front step and prays.
"Eve, come home. Please come home. That's all I want is for you to be back home where you belong. But, if you don't then in a way I can understand. Your Daddy hasn't been very nice here lately, but he has changed so much since you disappeared. If you are out there, I hope my words reach you somehow when I say, if you're not able to come home, then stay where you are cause we are coming to get you and bring you back. If there's darkness all around you and you can't see anything, know that we are there in the darkness with you, waving flashlights and calling your name. Don't give up hope baby. I promise, we are coming to get you and bring you home. Eve, come home!" Fran pleads to no one in particular. She goes back in to get a bath and fix something to eat for everyone cause she knows they will want to eat when they get back from searching. Once she's done with everything, she goes to lay down on the couch when there's a knock at the door. She answers and it's an officer standing there to talk to her.
"Can I help you officer?" Fran asks him. He tells her his name, shows his badge, and Fran lets him in to talk.
"Mrs. Sheffield, I came by tonight to let you know we do have a lead on where Eve is at. Don't get overly excited, because it may not be her. We found a little girl matching the description you and your husband gave us when she went missing. She's at the Mason's house on the other side of town. Now, we have to move fast on this because we have reason to believe that they are getting ready to move soon. They are a really nice family, non abusive, they're christians, and every time we drive by there on patrol, they are always outside in the yard together. The seem like they are happy. You stay here, call your family, and I'll go check it out. I'll come back as soon as I find out something." The officer tells her. Fran just stands there for the longest time after he leaves, with her hands up to her face and is about ready to cry in the hopes that they did find Eve finally.
Chapter Four
Coming Back Home
Fran has already called the whole family and their closest friends, and they are all waiting in the living room when the officer comes to the door again. Even though Fran is as small as she is, it takes everything Sylvia has to hold her back when that door bell rings.
"Stay. Niles, would you please? I need Max to help me with her." Sylvia tells him. Niles goes to answer the door, and he tells them the one thing they have been wanting to hear for four long months. He walks right up to Fran who tells him, "Tell me she's out there in that car."
"I need you to come out and see if it's her. The only thing different about her description is that, this girl has strawberry blonde hair. The rest of the description matches her though." The officer tells Fran. Both Fran and the officer go outside to his squad car, and when Fran sees the girl, she cries again.
"It's not her. Eve has a scar on her neck from when she was six and she tried to use my curling iron. What's your name honey?" Fran says, then asking the little girl what her name is.
"Melissa. I was hoping I was going home today. I've been missing for about the same amount of time they said your daughter went missing. Apparently, there's been a string of kidnappings around here for the past eight months. Then again, this is New York so, it's anybody's guess what is going to happen around here." Melissa tells her, making Fran smile and laugh for the first time since Eve went missing. Fran agrees with what was just said and the officer thanks her for her time, then he heads out to take Melissa to the station and call around. Fran goes back inside with the fear that she will never find her daughter.
Five years later, everyone in the family has pretty well given up hope of ever seeing Eve again, but Fran still lights a candle every year on the night she disappeared, in her memory and she watches up and down the sidewalk each and every day and night, waiting for her to show up. They all have moved from their mansion in New York to a downtown penthouse apartment, and while Jonah is at his friend's house and everyone else is at work, Fran is trying to clean up and organize when she hears the doorbell. She dries her hands off and goes to answer it.
"Hello. Can I help you with something?" Fran asks the young girl standing before her.
"My name is Elizabeth Richards. My family and I just moved here last week and I'm looking for cleaning work. Would you or anyone you may know around here, need anything done?" Elizabeth asks her.
"Well, I'm glad you came by because we just moved here three weeks ago and I have not had a chance to get much of anything done around here. My son decided he was going to run off to a friend's house and my husband is at work. Our butler and his wife and daughter had to move back to England due to a family emergency so, I'm left all alone to do it all." Fran replies, letting her in so they can talk.
"Have you ever had the feeling when you first met someone that you feel like you have known them forever?" Elizabeth asks.
"Yeah. I have felt like that from time to time. Why do you ask?" Fran says, going about her cleaning.
"Just a feeling I've got right now. Fran, if I tell you something, will you promise not to say anything to anyone and not freak out?" Elizabeth replies, getting serious.
"Sure, except you are scaring me right now." Fran tells her.
"I've only been with my family for five and a half years. I was adopted when I was nine. They claim they found me at a park near Madison Square Gardens. They don't even have a birth certificate for me, or know anything about where I came from. It's just that, I feel like I know you for some strange reason." Elizabeth says, leaving Fran white as a ghost.
"I'm gonna try something. I want you to look at some pictures. It may sound extremely stupid, but I have to see something." Fran tells her, going to get a bunch of pictures of the whole family. When she gets back to the living room, she shows them to Elizabeth. They are both looking at them together when Elizabeth says, "That's my brother Jonah." Fran hears that and breaks down and starts crying, while praising God all at the same time. She hugs Elizabeth and to her horror, Elizabeth just sits there, not returning her hug.
"What' the matter?" Fran asks her, pulling away from her.
"If you are my real mother, why did you not ever try to find me? Why was I always getting yelled at all the time." Elizabeth asks.
"We never stopped looking for you. We searched everywhere and there was not one night that went by, that I didn't sit out on the front step praying to God, that you would soon come home. As to your Dad always yelling at you, that's something I can't explain. I do know, that two weeks after you went missing, he started feeling bad about everything and he never stopped blaming himself for you leaving. I wish you was ready to come back home, but I don't think you are yet." Fran tells her. Elizabeth gets up from the couch, walks over to Fran, hugs her, and says, "Be looking for me to show up about three in the morning. I have to wait until they all go to bed. I got to go back over there before they suspect something." Elizabeth just walks out of the apartment, leaving Fran in a tailspin of unanswered questions.
Around 3:30, Fran is sitting in the living room waiting like she said she would be when she hears scratching at the door.
"That's odd. What could be scratching?" Fran says a little above a whisper as she goes to the door. When she opens the door, she sees Eve standing there with a black lab puppy.
"Please Ma. Please tell me I can keep her. She's three months old and I have had her since she was only four weeks old. Her and I are already attached to each other." Eve tells her.
"Of course. I will pay the deposit so you can have her. Come on in here before you are seen by anyone." Fran replies. They get inside and Eve sits her puppy down who doesn't move from her side even once. They sit and talk and when they hear a knock at the door, Eve looks through the peep hole and sees the lady who took her when she was nine.
"Ma, it's her. What do I do?" Eve says in a panic.
"She must have really done something to you for you to be looking for me. Go in the kitchen. You're small enough to fit under the sink. Hide in there and take the pup with you. Go." Fran tells her. Fran waits until Eve is out of site then answers the door. She doesn't let the woman in, but stands at the door.
"I hate to bother you, but I'm looking for my daughter. Her name is Elizabeth and I seen her come over once or twice before to talk to you and welcome you into the neighborhood. Have you seen her? We got into it last night, and this morning I heard her leave. I just thought she might be here." The woman says, and Fran is doing her best to keep it together.
"I haven't seen anyone this morning except you. But, I will go and get my husband and see if he seen anyone walking in town when he came home from work." Fran replies. She goes and wakes up Max and tells him the one thing he has been wanting to hear.
"Max. Wake up. Wake up and listen to me. Do not talk until I am done telling you this. Yesterday a young girl came by. She is fourteen years old. She told me her name is Elizabeth. I got to talking to her, showed her some pictures, and she called Jonah her brother. Eve has came back to us. She said she wanted to come back home, so of course I let her. She is in the kitchen under the sink hiding because the lady that took her, is at the door looking for her. Call the cops, then come in here. I'm telling you honey, this is for sure Eve." Fran explains to him. It doesn't take him but a second or two and he's up calling the cops and giving them all the information they need. He then goes into the living room where Fran is.
"Can I help you maam?" Max asks.
"I was just wondering if anyone has seen my daughter. We got into it last night and she was gone when I got up for work a few minutes ago. Ya see, I work over at the donut shop here in town. It's not a great job, but it pays the bills. Elizabeth is always complaining because she wants a new computer and I keep telling her that right now, I can't afford one and plus that, her puppy would chew up the wires. Kids huh? They never listen. I'm Jackie by the way." The woman tells them.
"I'm Maxwell Sheffield and this is my wife Fran. We have five kids in total. There's Maggie, Brighton, Grace, and the twins. There names are Jonah and Eve. Eve went missing five years ago when we lived across town. She was picked up outside the theater near Madison Square Gardens." Max tells her.
"Oh my God. Can I come in? I have something to tell you that you will for sure want to hear." Jackie replies as they let her in. Then they hear a whimper coming from the kitchen.
"Come on out Eve. It's safe." Fran hollers into the kitchen. Eve steps into the living room and Jackie doesn't even go to her.
"My husband brought home a little nine year old girl about five years back and said that she didn't have anywhere to go. I swear, I had no idea that he kidnapped her. Now, I understand that you are angry and I don't blame you one bit. If you send me to jail I will gladly go. Elizabeth, I mean Eve, why didn't you tell me that you found these people? It would have been fine with me for us to meet with them." Jackie tells her.
"Because Robert is such an ass hole. You know if I would have said anything, he would have only hit me again and then took off with the both of us to where I could have never seen my family again. I'm sorry to tell you this Jackie. I've never liked the idea of calling you guys mom and dad, I've never liked the idea of not being able to be home where I belong, and now, I'm staying here. My Dad here, he may have yelled at me a lot when I was little, but he never did hit me like Robert did. So, you tell him for me, I'm only greatful to you for all you have done for me, but him, as far as I'm concerned that son of a bitch can go to hell! Come on Ephiny. Let's find somewhere to lay down and get some sleep." Eve says, cutting loose on the whole situation, then talking to her puppy.
"I remember that name. You named her after Ephiny that Amazon warrior from Xena. I remember how she was our favorite Amazon on that show." Fran says, putting an arm around Eve.
"She's still my favorite. I uh, I love you Ma." Eve replies.
"I love you too baby." Fran tells her, while they hug for the longest time.
"I'm glad you have her back. I'm so sorry for what my husband did. There are no words I can say to make up for what he did." Jackie says as an officer shows up to take statements and talk to them all.
"Eve! Come back in here. Officer, there really is no reason to do anything to this lady. She didn't know that her husband stole our daughter. It's not her fault. We want nothing done to her, just to her husband." Max tells him, as Eve gets in there with Ephiny following behind her. When Ephiny sees the officer, Eve has to pick her up so she won't bite him.
"Sorry, she hates cops." Eve says, sitting down and trying to keep Ephiny quiet.
"No sorry needed. She's doing her job and protecting you. So your husband works on the pipeline here in town right?" The officer says, taking down some information.
"Yes sir. His name is Robert Richards. He should be getting off of work around 6: 30 in the morning, so if you go after him ya better do it now. I have to get to work soon. Am I even gonna be able to go to work today, or do you need me for anything?" Jackie replies, standing up and getting ready to head out.
"Maybe just for questioning is all. I can call your boss and let them know what's going on. I will leave out all of this, but just tell them that I need your help with something. You are not being charged with anything, but Robert, he's going to be picked up, questioned, and finally booked on kidnapping charges. Has he ever brought home any other kids besides Eve?" The officer tells them. Eve says there were five that he brought home and hid them from Jackie. After the officer gets all of the information he needs, he goes after Robert and puts Jackie in protective custody. Max and everyone else goes ahead back to bed for the rest of the morning.
Chapter Five
The Reunion
When Jonah gets back home around noon, he sees Ephiny and thinks he got a new puppy while he was gone.
"Ephiny! Hey, where are ya?" Eve hollers through the apartment.
"Don't tell me. Mom, that sounds like Eve. She can't be back. Is she?" Jonah says. About that time, Eve comes out of the bedroom and starts putting Ephiny's leash on her to take her outside and she sees Jonah.
"Jonah! Oh my God. I have missed you so much. How have you been?" Eve cries out, grabbing him to hug him. They sit down and talk while Fran volunteers to go ahead and take Ephiny out. Another officer comes by to talk to them about picking Robert up. He meets Fran out in the hallway.
"If I was you or your husband, I would let one of us stake out here for awhile. When officer Mathews went to pick Robert up, he was already gone. He's now on the run." The officer tells her.
"Okay. Who's gonna be here? You don't think that he will try anything do ya?" Fran asks.
"He might. That's why we want to play it safe and someone stay here with you guys. They sent me to stay here for a few days and watch the place. I'm gonna be under cover and we will play it out like I'm just a friend of the family staying for a visit." The officer says. Fran tells him she's only taking the puppy out and she will be right back and to go ahead in.
That night, everytime the officer tries to pet Ephiny, she tries to bite him and Eve has to finally just put her in the bedroom.
"No, that's not fair to her. Go get her out of there. She's just doing her job and protecting. She hasn't ever bitten anyone has she?" Officer Jacobs says, from his computer.
"Only once. She did bite Robert when he went to hit me one night. I had got a bad grade on a math test. Well to him it was a bad grade. He always said none of his kids would get anything below an A or they would get it. So, I came home with a B on one of the hardest algebra tests I had ever taken, and he hit me. Ephiny went crazy and bit him. He will be caught won't he Ma?" Eve tells everyone, and to Jonah's surprise Max walks over to Eve, holds his arms out to her, and when he hugs her, he picks her up. Eve is there in Max's arms like a little child that got hurt on the playground with her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.
"He won't ever hurt you again baby. I love you honey and I'm so glad you are back home." Max tells her.
"And I love you too Daddy. I'm sorry I ran out of the theater that night. I just thought that maybe you didn't love me anymore cause you was always yelling at me. It's my fault I got taken." Eve replies, making Max cry. They sit and talk for awhile and officer Jacobs sits up his gear for the three day stake out to get Robert and make some phone calls.
Three weeks later, things are finally back to normal, Robert is in jail where he belongs, and the whole Sheffield clan are rebuilding their lives the best they can. Eve is back in school with her given name of Eve Katherine Fine Sheffield, and her and Jonah are both into sports of some kind. Jonah is in football, and Eve being as tall as she is, she joined basketball. Niles and C.C. make every attempt to come and visit as often as they can. Fred and Val, and even Sylvia and Morty, are still spoiling Eve rotten with the things she was deprived of when she was in Robert's captivity. Brighton, Maggie, and Grace, are even trying to spoil Eve and do things with her. They always make sure to include Jonah though, that way he doesn't get the idea that they no longer care about him. Within the first two weeks that Eve was back, C.C. had gotten her a pony, which she keeps up the payment on the stables where the pony is for feed and shoes and such. Niles got her a brand new pair of roller blades, Brighton got her some computer games, Maggie got her over half a new wardrobe, Grace got her a new mountain bike, Sylvia and Morty got her a whole bunch of stuffed bunny rabbits and teddy bears that she likes, Fred and Val got her all of her favorite movies, and Fran and Max got her a whole new bedroom suit, including a comforter for her bed, new sheets, pillow cases, a bed skirt, throw blankets for her room, and matching curtains. Jonah got most of the same stuff she did, just to keep him in the loop so he didn't feel left out. He kept telling them though, to take care of Eve cause she needed more love and attention than what he did, seeing as what all she went through with Robert. During supper one night, with all of their family and friends there, Eve offers to say the prayer for the meal.
"Heavenly Father, I can't thank you enough for being back home where I belong. There were times in the past five years that I almost gave hope and quit talking to you and stopped praying, times that I just wanted to give up and crawl in a hole somewhere and die, also it got to the point where I didn't care anymore what happened to me, and I felt lost God, like I was in a dark cave or tunnel or something with little to no light at all. I know it was you that lead me home, and there's no place I would rather be on this earth than right here surrounded by my family and friends. So, I think I speak for all of us when I say, Thank You. Thank You God, for everything. Amen." Eve says.
"Amen." All of the others say as well. They all visit and talk and share each other's love and friendship all throughout the night. Fran is even thanking God in her thoughts and a smile comes to her face and a tear to her eye as she watches Eve and Jonah try to playfully shove each other out of their chairs. She realized then, that it doesn't get any better than this.
THE END