Author's Note: This is my first, and probably ONLY Devious Maids fan fiction. I started it on July 18th as a way to keep myself busy over summer break. Somehow, it has turned into this incredibly huge *thing*. I wasn't going to post it, but why not? So, here is the first very tiny part of it. Let me know what you think. Thanks!
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!
Evelyn is light headed with giddiness. The night before was perfect. The look on Adrian's face upon her return to the mansion was entertaining, but the look he gave when she announced James would be spending the night at the mansion was priceless. As for James, sweet, kind James, he made her first night back home spectacular.
Sighing contentedly Evelyn rolls on to her side so she can look at this man that is making her so happy. James looks so peaceful as he sleeps, and even though she doesn't want to disturb him, she presses a gentle kiss to his cheek. Thankfully he doesn't stir. Evelyn carefully extracts herself from his arms then moves from the bed. She is a bit dizzy when she stands and there is a slight twinge of nausea as she steadies herself against the night table, a definite sign she should not have indulged in that third glass of champagne last night. She won't' complain though, a little dizziness and nausea isn't such a bad price to pay for such a magnificent evening.
Evelyn is still smiling when she enters the study a few minutes later. Of course there isn't coffee out yet, Carmen doesn't get up until almost noon. Putting thoughts of Carmen and coffee out of her mind, Evelyn turns to head to the kitchen where she will prepare her own coffee when she bumps into Adrian. He has obviously just woken up; his robe has been thrown on without much thought. He looks rumpled and groggy but he immediately brightens when his eyes land on Evelyn. From the disheveled hair and loosely cinched robe he suspects she is a bit hungover.
"Evelyn," Adrian says happily, his smile almost beaming. Evelyn groans at his chipperness. Even when she isn't hungover she cannot tolerate his, or anyone else's, morning cheerfulness.
"Adrian," Evelyn replies dryly. She takes a step back from him, momentarily losing her footing as another wave of dizziness washes over her.
"You must really be hungover," he chuckles as he grabs her arm to steady her.
"I will not dignify that with a response," she huffs, pulling her arm away from his grasp. He can't help but find her reaction amusing. Adrian is just about to say something when he notices Evelyn's gaze go past him and her face brightens. He doesn't have to turn to know that James has entered the room.
"There you are," James says warmly as he enters the room, smiling upon seeing Evelyn.
"Good morning, darling," Evelyn smiles brightly, enjoying not only seeing James but also the reaction Adrian has to her boyfriend's appearance.
Adrian watches as Evelyn practically skips over to James. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into a passionate kiss. Adrian can't pull his gaze as the kiss deepens, James' arms come to rest around Evelyn's waist. Fury jealousy and hurt wage war inside Adrian at the sickening display but he refuses to allow Evelyn to see just how much her actions are hurting him.
"I was just going to wake Carmen to make breakfast," Adrian says deciding to interrupt the two.
Evelyn is enjoying this good morning hello with James, especially since it is bothering Adrian, but hearing her husband's ludicrous notion she laughs. Everyone knows Carmen doesn't prepare breakfast.
"Why is that funny?" James asks looking between the two. Adrian narrows his eyes at Evelyn, shooting her a knowing look and she laughs again.
"I'm sorry, James," Evelyn apologizes once she's stopped laughing. "But our maid….getting up before noon to prepare us breakfast? That doesn't happen." Evelyn finds it difficult to refrain from further laughter. After all, the entire idea of Carmen doing anything a maid is supposed to do is laughable.
"I don't think he gets it, dear," Adrian offers upon the reverend's still confused expression.
"Don't call me that!" Evelyn snaps, any trace of laughter gone. Both men look at her in surprise. James has never seen her switch moods so quickly, and Adrian is more than a little taken aback at her reaction to a term he uses frequently with her. Picking up on the building tension between the two, James clears his throat.
"Let your maid sleep; I'll make us breakfast," James offers, his arm draping around Evelyn's shoulders.
"That would be lovely, thank you." Evelyn smiles at him, touched by the offer.
James lets his arm fall from around her should and starts walking to the door. As Evelyn joins him, he holds out his hand to her and she takes it. They leave Adrian sulking in the study as they make their way to the kitchen hand-in-hand.
There is something so attractive about a man who knows what he is doing in the kitchen. Watching James as he chops peppers to add to omelets, Evelyn finds herself becoming more enamored with this man. She tries to pay attention to the story he is telling her, of how his grandmother would make omelets for him and his siblings on Sunday mornings before church, but her focus is on his movements. He easily moves around the kitchen, gathering a bowl then eggs from the refrigerator, finally coming back to the cutting board. There is just something so mesmerizing about the simplicity and domesticity of it all.
"My grandmother always said a man's and woman's place should be in the kitchen because the kitchen is the heart of the home."
James smiles at the memory of his grandmother as he cracks an egg. Evelyn can't suppress a smile to hear him so happily talk about his childhood and his family. She is thoroughly enjoying this time with him until the raw egg slips from the cracked shell of the egg and lands in the clear bowl with a thick, wet pop. Her face pales and her stomach flips as she watches the last of the egg drip from the shell.
"Evelyn, are you all right?" James asks, noticing the sudden change in Evelyn. She nods and swallows.
"Fine," she croaks as she stands from her seat. "I'm fine," she reiterates as the back of her hand covers her mouth.
"Are you sure?" James takes a step closer to her knowing something is wrong. His arm hand knocks into the bowl causing the contents to sway and Evelyn's stomach to lurch.
"Excuse me," she manages to get out before making a mad dash to the bathroom.
James stands in the middle of the kitchen looking in the direction Evelyn has fled. He is concerned about her but just as he is about to go after her, Adrian rounds the corner. A smirk adheres to his face.
"Poor dear is a bit of a lush," Adrian offers pretending to lift a glass to his lips. James doesn't respond to Adrian, instead he heads off to check on Evelyn.
To say she is mortified would putting mildly. Her new boyfriend is making them breakfast after a splendid evening together and what does she do? She barely makes it to the bathroom before vomiting all over the floor. Carmen is really going to be thrilled with her first job of the day. Right now Evelyn is far too embarrassed to take pleasure in Carmen's misfortune of having clean this mess up.
"Evelyn?" James calls from the other side of the door, his voice filled with concern.
"I'll be right out," Evelyn says shakily making her way to the sink.
"Are you ok?" He asks again. Evelyn finds his concern endearing, but she doesn't want him to see her like this.
"I'm fine, I just need to freshen up." She wants to tell him to go back to the kitchen but she doesn't want him to think she's pushing him away. She is determined to do better, to be a better person in this relationship. Luckily, James senses her need for a few moments of privacy. He tells her he will be in the kitchen if she needs him then leaves. She appreciates this more than she can say.
Turning to look into the mirror, surprised by how pale her face is. She is naturally fair skinned, but she is much paler than usual. Her hands are shaking and her stomach is still doing flips. She knows she drank more than she should have the night before, but this is ridiculous. She has been much more inebriated than this and hasn't been this badly sick the following day. As much as she is loathed to admit it, she figures her age is to blame for her lack of ability to bounce back after a night of drinking. Deciding her age is most definitely to blame for this rather inconvenient hangover, Evelyn turns the water on and cups her hands under the faucet. Of course it is just a bad hangover, what else could it be? It isn't like she's been drugged.
"That bastard!" She growls, her head snapping up as she studies her reflection. There are dark circles under her puffy eyes, her head aches slightly and the slightest movement leaves her nauseated and dizzy. All of this sounds like a hangover, but it also sounds like how one might feel after being drugged. Anger flashes in her eyes as she replays the previous night's events. Adrian was the one that poured the drinks last night.
"Well, well, if it isn't boozilla," Adrian chuckles from his spot on the sofa when Evelyn enters the study. She looks pale and unsteady as she stands in the doorway, a deathly look adhering to her face. Adrian places down the book he has been reading sensing the fight that is about to be had. What he has done he isn't sure, but from the look on his wife's face she has determined he is to blame for something and will pay for it. "Too sick to enjoy breakfast with your boyfriend?" Adrian asks, deciding poking at her a little more won't hurt.
"You bastard," she hisses, closing the distance between them. Adrian's amused expression turns to one of confusion.
"What did I do?" He asks defensively.
"You know exactly what you did!" Evelyn's tone is low and lethal as she continues to near the sofa.
"I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost." Adrian arches his brow as he studies his wife. She is pissed and whatever has angered her, she has decided Adrian is the one to blame for it.
"You," she spits, stopping a few steps from Adrian, pointing her finger at him accusingly. "You drugged me last night, didn't you?" Evelyn's voice quavers with fury.
"What? No!" Adrian insists standing to his feet. Evelyn shakes her head at him not for one moment believing him.
"Yes, yes you did! I've been much drunker than last night and I've never been so hungover I vomit all over the bathroom." Evelyn is irate, refusing to allow Adrian to sway her firm belief that he has drugged her.
"How quickly you forget the Hart's Memorial Day Banquet," Adrian mumbles, remembering a very drunken Evelyn stumbling to the limo, practically ripping his clothes off, then spending the next two days in bed nursing, as she put it, 'the hangover from hell'. She complained non-stop that the whine of his electric wheelchair made her head throb, feeling as though it would split in two.
"You drugged me," she accuses again, her tone much more frightening this time. Adrian groans then moves closer to her. She instinctively backs up and Adrian stops in his tracks. He holds his hands up in surrender.
"Evelyn, I didn't drug you, I swear." Adrian hopes his look conveys the fact he is telling the truth. He didn't drug her.
Evelyn narrows her eyes as she studies Adrian. She has known this man for more than half of her life and has been married to him for almost as long. He has tried to lie to her, many, many times before, but even early into the marriage she could tell when he was being less than truthful. As easy as it is to believe that Adrian has done something so underhanded, Evelyn finds herself believing him. His reaction is the main indication he is telling the truth. When he is guilty of something, he will become angry and vehemently deny it. He isn't doing either of those things now. Adrian can tell she is trying to convince herself he is responsible for her hangover even though he isn't behaving as he normally does when he has been caught in a lie.
"I didn't drug you," Adrian says a bit more forcefully, taking yet another step closer to her. "Besides, you and James mixed up your drinks last night. If you'd been drugged, so would he."
Adrian isn't fond of the memory of the two talking and laughing so much they confused each other's drink for their own, then laughed and shared a kiss once they realized the mix up. It was upsetting then and it is disgusting now, but he has to do something to convince Evelyn that he did not drug her. As much as Evelyn hates to admit it, Adrian is right. James and she did confuse their drinks the night before. After they realized it, they had shared another glass of champagne before making their way to the bedroom. Evelyn purses her lips and narrows her eyes as she studies Adrian. From the way Adrian is acting, he is telling the truth.
"I apologize," Evelyn says then turns and exits the study. Adrian shakes his head. This new relationship has her acting very strangely.
Evelyn began to feel better as they day progressed. She enjoyed a leisurely morning with James before he had to attend to a matter at Hamilton House. She wasn't thrilled with the thought of being left alone with Adrian but Carmen has finally decided to join the living, so Adrian and she aren't completely alone. Evelyn sits in the study reading over a brochure James gave her detailing a mission trip Hamilton House participates in each year. The sharp clicking of heels interrupts the silence causing Evelyn to glance up from the brochure. She isn't in the least surprised to find Carmen standing in front of her, arms crossed and a sour expression on her face.
"Yes?" Evelyn asks, expecting this little confrontation sooner or later. Carmen has no problem voicing her displeasure with the mess she has been left to clean in the downstairs hall bathroom.
"What happened in there?" Carmen demands waving her hand dramatically in the direction of the bathroom.
"I vomited," Evelyn shrugs then resumes reading the brochure. Carmen doesn't move from her spot, narrow her eyes.
"Unfortunately I can see and smell that. I meant why didn't you puke in the toilet?"
Evelyn tosses the brochure onto the coffee table and glares at Carmen. While she is feeling much better, she most definitely isn't in the mood to take attitude from the help. She is just about to say exactly that to Carmen when Adrian enters the room.
"Now Carmen," he begins in an all too patronizing tone. "Don't interrogate Evelyn when she's not only hungover but also incredibly embarrassed about tossing her cookies in front of her new beau." Evelyn smiles brightly at Evelyn as he revels in her shame.
"I don't care if she's hungover and embarrassed, that was disgusting. I should get a raise!" Carmen crinkles her nose and shakes her head at the mere thought of the bathroom.
"Try cleaning instead of complaining then we'll discuss the possibility of a raise," Evelyn says dismissively then once again picks up the brochure.
Carmen mumbles in Spanish as she exits the room, sending both Powells a glare over her shoulder. Adrian ignores her and heads over to the sofa. With the boyfriend gone, at least for a while, maybe he finally has a chance to talk with Evelyn. He is confident that if she would just allow him to, he could prove to her that he is the only man for her.
"A mission trip? Evelyn, you can't be serious!" Adrian is stunned, and a bit amused, by the thought of Evelyn doing mission work. Then again, he also never though he would see the day of her in a poly-blend uniform working at a party as a caterer or dating a preacher. She is certainly full of surprises. Evelyn slowly lifters her gaze to meet his, accepting the fact she is never going to finish reading this brochure, at least not in this house.
"Not that it's any of your business, but no, I am not going on a mission trip." Evelyn scoffs, wrinkling her nose at the mere suggestion.
"Ah, then reading up on do-gooder things to impress reverend boyfriend?" Adrian drops onto the other end of the sofa. Evelyn straightens up deciding if Adrian really wants to know about James and she, she will gladly tell him.
"Actually, James gave me the brochure this morning. He goes on this trip every year and Hamilton House is a sponsor." She can't help but smile at the thought of James who already does so much good but still volunteers his time to help others in less than accommodating conditions in other countries. At first Adrian thinks she is just toying with him. Of course the Reverend participates in the mission trip, he isn't questioning that, but when that wistful smile crosses her lips, Adrian knows Evelyn isn't toying with him. She really does care for this man who is kind, religious and does things like mission trips. Adrian feels deflated as he realizes Evelyn is so busy thinking of her wonderful, kind, Christian, mission-trip-sponsoring new boyfriend that she doesn't even notice her husband is right there beside her. Adrian is just about to leave, not wanting to acknowledge how much Evelyn's obvious feelings for this man affect him, when a thought occurs to him.
"Wait a minute," he says, a devious glint in his eyes. Evelyn shoots him a questioning look. She thought he would become so upset by her mooning over James and leave. "If your new boyfriend is such a saint, then why is he shacking up with a married woman? Technically, he is committing two sins." Adrian smirks at this realization.
"Well, you are the expert on sin," Evelyn states as she stands from the sofa. She has had enough of this conversation. She walks past Adrian on the way to the door but he wraps his hand around her wrist, stopping her. She immediately pulls away from him.
"Do you really want to corrupt such a good man?" Adrian squints, curious as to how she will answer this question. From the look that crosses her face he knows he has caught her off guard with the question.
"Maybe he'll alter my personality instead," and with that Evelyn walks out of the room leaving Adrian speechless. Evelyn is actually falling for the reverend.