Eva couldn't help but hum "Happy Birthday" to herself as she looked in the bathroom mirror; after all, she was incredibly happy on her birthday. She was looking forward to a wonderful evening with her friends and family. Frank, Audrey, Stuart, Amanda, and, of course, Faye, were going out to dinner to celebrate. Eva's makeup was applied and her hair curled; she was in the process of pulling her hair up when she heard someone knocking at the door.
Still in her robe, she walked out into the living room. "Coming," she said, almost singing it. She looked through the peephole and almost did a cartoonish double take. John was standing on the other side of the door.
"Eva, I need to talk to you," he said through the door. "Please, it's very important."
Breathing a very reluctant sigh, she opened the door. "John, what on earth…"
"May I please come in," he interrupted.
"John, I'm sort of in a hurry," she lied.
"Eva, if this wasn't so important, I wouldn't press the issue."
"O.K., come in."
John looked at Eva; God, she became more beautiful every time he saw her. "You look incredible."
Suddenly very aware that she was in her robe, she pulled the collar closed and managed to utter a very quiet "Thank you."
"Eva, I think you should sit down…"
"Oh, not again," Eva said, sounding disgusted. "Look, don't come to me about what Sarah did. You wanted her, she's your problem, and I already know…"
"Eva, what are you talking about?"
"Sarah coming on to Frank, what are you talking about?"
Anger bubbled inside of John at the thought of yet another woman wanting Frank, but he pushed it down, eager to tell Eva what he knew. "Well, I'll certainly have something to say to her about that, but for right now, I'm here about you."
"Me?" Eva was beyond puzzled.
"Eva, I don't know how to break this to you gently, but Frank isn't who you think he is."
"Oh? And, um, what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
"I saw him in the park today with that Columbia chick."
Thinking that he was going to accuse Frank of cheating, Eva quickly chimed in. "Chick, huh? We are very good friends with her and I knew that Frank was planning on seeing her today…"
"I'm not implying that he's being unfaithful to you, but he is keeping something from you." This is it…I'm going to be her hero and things will go back to how they're supposed to be. "Eva, I, um, overheard Frank talking to her and, and I know you're not going to believe me, but please try…"
Eva began to panic, but didn't let it show. "John, what are you getting at?"
"Frank isn't from England. Actually, he's not even from, well, Earth."
Eva forced a laugh. "John, that has to be the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard. Where on earth would you get an idea like…"
"I heard it come from his own mouth, Eva. He's from another planet…he's even supposed to be royalty there."
"John, knock it off. You're not making any sense. Really, what has my sister done to you?"
"Eva, you're not safe with him! What if he's planning some kind of invasion and…"
"John, listen to yourself! You sound like you've lost it."
"I've already gone to his company, I mean, they hardly need someone like that working for them, he could be sending information…"
Eva was enraged. "You did what? John, why are you trying to ruin my life with Frank?"
"It's true! There's some scientist, um, Dr. Scotch, no Scott, and I'm going to go to him and…"
"John, no!" Eva's voice changed from one of anger to one of pleading. John looked at her, confusion washing over his face. "Please, don't do that."
"Why?"
"You're right, John. Everything that you said is correct."
"You know? You actually knew all of this and you're still married to him?"
Anger quickly replaced confusion. "Please, at least tell me you just found out and are in shock." Eva sat in silence. "You've always known, haven't you?"
"Well," she said softly, "not always, but a while. Please, don't say anything, John - it's bad enough that you may have ruined his career and…"
"I don't believe you," John said, his face growing hot. "You've known what he is and you're still with him?"
Eva got up from the couch. "I think you need to go now."
John got up as well. "He's a freak, Eva…you had a baby with a freak…"
"He's not a freak, John…Please go."
"I'm not good enough for you, but he is? That's just not right."
"He loves me, John, something I'm not sure you ever did."
"Sure, he loves you…when he's fucking you."
Those words stung terribly, but knowing that they were the furthest thing from the truth, she continued. "He loves me, John - all of me. Now, get out of my home."
"I saw you two, Eva." He walked towards her; she backed away. "I saw you in that back room a few weeks ago." They were now in the hallway that led to Eva's bedroom. "I haven't been able to get those thoughts from my mind."
"John, you've succeeded at scaring me, now stop." She still couldn't register what was going on.
"God, Eva," he said, touching her face, "you're too beautiful to spend your life in a sideshow." He took hold of her arms, backing her into her bedroom.
"John, take your hands off of me right now," Eva said, coldly.
"See, here's the thing, I can't stop thinking about my hands being on you. All I can think about is how he had you up against the wall, how willing you were to please him. You never wanted to please me like that." He pressed his lips to hers and that's when Eva became truly terrified. She pushed as hard as she could, but his determination added to his physical strength. He grabbed her and pushed her onto her bed. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "Oh, Eva, I'm sorry. I was pretty sure you liked it rough now." Eva's eyes widened. "You've been corrupted, tainted by him, Eva. You never used to be like that." He slid his hand into her robe and groped her breast.
"Stop! John, please, stop!"
"You're nothing but his whore, Eva."
"No!" Eva freed one of her hands from John's grasp and she clawed at his face. John became enraged and hit her, splitting her lip. Eva had never been so scared in her life. John couldn't help himself; he had so much power over her and he was so angry with her for choosing Frank, an alien, a freak, over him…he hit her again, this time in the stomach.
"You want it, Eva. You've become nothing more than a slut. Why couldn't you be like that with me? Maybe I wouldn't have gone to Sarah." He untied her robe, exposing black panties and nothing else. She cringed as she felt something hard press against her.
"Frank!" she cried.
"Forget it, Eva, he's not here." John attempted to pull her thighs apart; she resisted, which only made him pull harder. She winced at the pain his fingers were inflicting on her soft flesh. "You should be with a real man, Eva, at least a human one!"
Though she was panicked and in a terrible amount of pain, she was still doing her best to stop John from doing what he wanted to do to her. Eva wouldn't stop struggling; she wouldn't stop trying to call out. Possessed by anger, John grabbed a pillow and put it over Eva's face.