"Hey, Soda, need a ride home?" Steve asked his friend.

They both happened to be getting off work at the same time that day, and Steve was in no hurry to go home.

"Yeah, but I thought you'd be staying over again tonight. Are you going home?" Soda asked.

They punched out and headed toward Steve's car in the parking lot.

"At least for a little while. I need to grab some stuff anyway, if I do decide to crash on your couch again." Steve said, opening the driver's side door.

"Well, you're always welcome, but you know that." Soda hopped into the passenger seat and shut the door.

"I know. Thanks, buddy." Steve paused to look straight at Soda. "And not just for that. But for being there for me last night. And before this too when I just couldn't tell you." Steve started the car and shifted it into gear.

"That's what I'm here for, man. You'd do the same for me in a heartbeat. Heck, you have done the same for me."

"Yeah," Steve agreed. "But this...this is different, you dig?" he asked, driving in the direction of the Curtis' house.

"Yeah, I dig," Soda confirmed, thought he honestly couldn't imagine. "Hey, when are you going to talk to Evie?"

"I don't know. " Steve sighed. "I mean, what do I say? It's no wonder she thought I was seeing someone else. Man, I didn't mean to pull away from her! It just happened!"

"Steve, she'll understand. Just tell her the truth."

"I guess you're right. I just wish I could be better for her."

"What are you talking about? You've been doing the best you could with a hell of a lot of pain stored up inside, man. And you've been great to Evie. That's why she loves you."

"I don't know. I hope she still will. I love her." Steve smiled sadly, as he pulled into the Curtis' driveway.

"Go talk to her, Stevie. Then, maybe even your dad too. He seemed to really want to," Soda said, as he opened his door.

"Yeah, but he has to give me some time now. See you later!" Steve waved.

"Fair enough. See you!" Soda returned, as he walked to his front door and Steve peeled away.


Steve was just changing out of his DX uniform when he heard the front door creak open.

"Steve?" came Evie's voice.

"In here!" Steve yelled, pulling on a t-shirt.

Evie came inside and into his bedroom. "Hey," she greeted, standing in the doorway.

"Hi, baby. I'm sorry," Steve said.

"Me too. I just reacted, you know? I felt hurt."

Steve understood what she meant better than she could see right now. He had reacted too. He'd done a lot of that lately. "I understand. Look, Evie, I have to tell you something," he started. "And it's not easy for me." He reached for her hand and clutched it tightly.

"Okay. Come on. Let's sit down," Evie said, leading Steve to the sofa in the living room.

Steve held onto Evie's hand with both of his own, and she squeezed back. "What is it, Steve?" she asked, touching his face gently.

"What I was a kid, my dad had this girlfriend, who lived with us for a while." Steve glanced down at their intertwined hands, then back at Evie.

"Okay. I'm listening."

"Her name was Clara, and she..." Steve trailed off, letting a tear fall. "She came into my room at night, and she touched me..." He stammered, looking away from Evie. "In a way she never should have."

"Oh my God!" Evie cried, feeling her own tears.

"I-I was just eleven. I hadn't talked about it really at all before last night. No one knew, except my dad." Steve let go of Evie's hand and rubbed his face.

"You always could've told me, honey," Evie reassured him.

"I just couldn't tell anyone. I didn't want to think about it anymore, and my dad..." Steve shook his head. "He just wanted to move on, like nothing happened."

"I'm sorry, Steve. I'm sorry that happened to you. I think I understand now." Evie wiped one of his tears away and cupped his cheek.

Steve leaned in and closed his eyes, soaking in Evie's touch, desperate for comfort. "I love you, Evie," he said.

"I love you too."

Steve leaned forward and kissed Evie on the cheek. "Sorry I didn't tell you before. It's hard to talk about. I tried to put it all in the past and pretend it didn't matter," he said, his voice breaking. "But sometimes, it's like I can still feel her hands on me, feel her kissing me like that when I was just a little boy. I never really wanted anyone to know at all."

"How did your dad find out?" Evie wondered.

"He caught her in my bed one night." Steve frowned at the memory and glanced away for a moment.

Steve didn't see the expression on Evie's face change, as she got a sick feeling in her stomach.

"Steve, I have to go. I told my mom I'd be home, and I'm already late," Evie said quickly, getting to her feet. "I'll talk to you later, okay? Maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

"All right," Steve said, though he was afraid he'd just scared Evie away for good. "I love you. Don't forget that."

Evie hurried away and out of the house. What she was feeling now terrified her because she really did love Steve. She couldn't tell him what she was thinking though. He was already dealing with enough pain.


"How come you can talk about Mom like that, but I can't talk about anything that's bothering me?" Steve asked his dad.

Nicholas rested the bottle of whiskey he was drinking in his lap and stared at his son. "What do you mean? You loved your mom. And I miss her so much," he said, seeming confused.

"I mean you go on about how you miss Mom, and I do too, but why can't I talk about things that bother me?" Steve questioned, seeing Nicholas take a swig of the drink.

"You can, Son. What do you want to talk about? And I know you miss your mom." Nicholas' speech slurred slightly.

"I keep telling you that what Clara did-"

"Oh. That. Come on, Stevie. I don't want to think about it now." Nicholas dismissed his son's concern.

"You never do. Mr. Curtis invited me to go fishing with him and Soda tomorrow morning, so I'm sleeping over," Steve explained, not really asking permission.

"You've been over there a lot more lately."

"Well, yeah, Soda's my best friend. Actually, I was over there a lot before now cause they're always nice to me and I didn't want to be here with Clara all the time."

"Son..." Nicholas started, seeming to soften.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Dad." Steve walked to his room to gather the clothes he'd need.

Nicholas leaned his head back and closed his eyes, thinking about how Rose would handle this so much better.

Then again, if she were here, Clara never would have been, and there would be nothing to handle at all.


Nicholas knocked on Steve's closed door. He was about to open it to check on his son when he heard what sounded like a crying, whimpering voice.

"Please stop, Clara. Go away."

Nicholas realized, frightened, that is was Steve's voice. He quickly opened the door, thinking his son had fallen asleep and was having a nightmare. Then, he was mystified at the sight before him. Steve was still crying out, clearly scared, but he was wide awake. What in the world is going on here? Nicholas thought. He wasn't even sure what he should do.