Chapter 9
The true reason Simon is in Harmony, is revealed. Eve confides in Tony.
'Get out, Father!' Julian yelled again.
But Eve made her way over to Julian, putting a hand on his arm.
'It's alright, Julian.' she said, glaring at Alistair. 'I want to hear what your father has to say.
Alistair emitted an annoyed sounding sigh.
'I'll have nothing to say about your son, if you two don't drop those attempted murder charges against me.'
'Then we have nothing to talk about.' Julian answered in a calm voice.
'Julian, maybe we should...' Eve began.
But Julian cut her off, addressing his father again.
'Leave. And don't come around here again, Father, or I will call the police.'
Alistair said nothing, but stood up from the desk and walked out of the side door he had walked in from. He didn't look back at them, because he didn't have to. That Russell woman wanted to know where her son was. Julian would relent to make her happy. He was just a little angry now. But he firmly believed that by tomorrow, he would be a free man again.
Eve stared after her 'father-in-law' for a bit, before looking at her sightless husband. He now wore a pair of dark sunglasses.
'Julian...'
'Eve, I don't want to hear it. I won't allow him to get away with trying to kill our children.' he said, his voice sounding more tired than angry.
Eve just looked at him for a moment, then spoke.
'I don't want that man to get away with trying to kill our children either, okay? But we have to face the facts here: you're private investigator has been on this hunt for our son for years! And the truth is, it wouldn't matter how many of them you hire, Alistair has covered his tracks...and hidden our son from us so well that only he himself, knows who or where he is. It's either never know our baby, or take the only chance we may ever get!'
Julian could tell she was nearby, but was not sure of the direction. He did not move.
'Eve, I've been dealing with that man a lot longer than you have. He's lying! Once we dropped the charges, he wouldn't tell us a damned thing!'
'Okay then, we make him tell us...or even better still... we make Alistair produce him. Then we drop the charges! We will never let him near Evan and Erin again!'
'So, it's okay with you that my father tried to murder our babies?' Julian asked blithely.
'You know it's not!' Eve snapped. She looked him up and down.
'You stop trying to shift this all on me! You don't want to find our son, this is what this is really all about, isn't it?!'
'Eve, that is an appalling accusation, and a very untrue one! Of course I want to find our son!'
Eve then walked up to him, taking her hands in his.
'Then let's do this, Julian. Let's take this chance. The only chance we may ever have.'
Eve squeezed his hands tightly. But soon, she felt his hands disengaging from hers.
'Eve, this is a chance to get my father out of our lives for good. If we let him go, he could think of more ingenious and clever ways to kill Evan and Erin. We have to think of the children we have with us right now, and be grateful for...'
Eve began to back away, shaking her head.
'You don't want to find him because you don't want him to see you blind...that's it, isn't it?'
Julian did not answer, but secretly, Eve had hit a nerve. He wanted to be able to see his son and he did not want whoever this young man turned out to be, to be disappointed that he had a blind father.
When Julian did not answer right away, Eve knew she had figured out the truth.
'Oh, Julian! You can't think like that!'
'The answer to Alistair's 'proposal' is no, Eve! And I don't want you going behind my back either. We will find our son, but not with that man's help.'
'Even though you know what it would mean to me?' Eve whispered, horrified.
'Darling, he's lying! He knows nothing!' Julian began to cry out, hearing the shock in her voice at his words. While he did not want his son to see him blind, he was also highly suspicious of any deals made with his father! The man simply did not know how to keep his word!
Eve turned and walked out of the room. She opened the study door, hard, so that it slammed against a wall! She then walked towards the front door.
Teresa, who had just put the twins and little Ethan down for a nap, was walking down the stairs.
'Dr. Crane?'
Eve didn't look up. Tears were forming in her eyes. She sniffed.
'I'll be out for a bit. No more than an hour.' she said, then opened the front door and left. Teresa stared at the closed door, then leaned over the railing, into the study. She could see Julian sitting on the couch, his sunglasses off. His head was in his hands. Teresa's eyes then widened. Because from where she stood, it looked as if he were weeping!
Teresa turned and then walked back upstairs. Whatever was going on, she didn't want to be in it!
Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. A maid appeared and answered it. She gasped in surprise. It was Rebecca.
'Hello, Lainie. I suppose you thought you'd never see me again.'
But Lainie was more shocked at the horrible bruising, around the former Mrs. Crane's neck. Rebecca sensed this, and at that moment, felt a little awkward, as if she really, truly had been a rape victim.
But, she shoved her discomfort to the back of her mind. There was nothing to be nervous about now. Tony and Stefano were going down, and soon, John would be hers.
'Is Mr. Crane in?'
'Becky?' Julian called out from the study.
Lainie moved aside so that Rebecca could step in. She walked straight to the study and closed the door behind her. Julian was sniffing and wiping his face. He then hurriedly put on his black sunglasses. Rebecca's heart went out to him. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to him, touching his hand.
'How are you holding up, Pookie?'
Julian sniffed again.
'I should be asking you that. Losing my sight seems like such a little thing, compared to what you have been through. I was on my way to see you, when this thing happened, you know.'
Rebecca rubbed his hand.
'I know. Is Eve here?'
'No. I managed to drive her away, yet again. Rebecca, could you help me over to the bar for a drink?'
'I'll do you one better, I'll get it myself.' Rebecca said, standing up and walking over to the bar. She then began to mix him one of his favorite concoctions, while keeping an eye on him over by the couch.
When she was finished, she walked back over to him, touched his hand, then carefully put the glass in it. He swilled it down right away. Rebecca took the glass from him and set it on the table in front of him.
'Tell me what's going on, Julian?' she asked.
Julian sniffed again.
'I can't seem to put a brave or happy face on my new handicap. I know I scared my son the other day.'
'Who? Evan? Fox?'
'Little Ethan.'
Rebecca rolled her eyes.
'Little Ethan scares easily anyway! Really, Julian! I told you long ago that you needed to spend more time with that boy and shape him up. Teresa has turned him into a mama's boy!'
Julian did not answer that charge directly.
'Well, all I know is that I couldn't keep my temper with him, and it upset Teresa.'
'Who cares? Has she been hanging around here?'
'Eve hired her to be Evan and Erin's nanny.'
'Oh God! What was she thinking? No wonder you are so upset!'
'Rebecca! Forget Teresa! This isn't about her! I can't deal with this blind business here! I may not ever see again and if that is the way things are to be, then I will be a burden, and an embarrassment, to my wife and children!'
Rebecca stared at him for a long moment, before speaking.
'You know, I'm not a big fan of Eve's. I never have been. But I've seen what you two have together. It is very real...the way you two look at one another. It's the way I'd like for John to look at me some day. I have a feeling that your blindness isn't what's burdensome to Eve, so much as the way you're acting now.'
'I can't help it!' he snapped. 'I feel like I'm on the outside looking in! Look, I'm glad you stopped by. I've come to a decision and I need your help.'
Rebecca didn't like the sound of this. And she was worried about his demeanor. She had never seen him so down or out of control before.
'Okay, Julian. Tell me what you need and I'll do it.'
'I want you to help me compose a letter to Eve. I need to get away. I need to be alone.'
'Julian, I don't think that's a good idea...'
'Will you help me or not?'
'Pookie, you don't even know if this blindness is permanent! You have to give yourself some time.'
'Rebecca, I plan on staying away until my sight returns. I will see some specialists on my own. But if it does not, or if I am told it won't, I have every intention of setting Eve free.'
Rebecca gasped, then stood up.
'Julian! You can't just make these decisions without talking to Eve first!'
Julian reached out to touch her. He then stood up.
'Will you help me?' he asked quietly.
Rebecca nodded.
'Yes, Pookie, I'll help you. But just know, that if you do this, and your sight does return, Eve might not be willing to take you back with open arms.'
'It's a chance I have to take.' Julian answered.
****
A half an hour later, Eve sat in a booth at the Book Cafe. She had a cappuccino in front of her, but she hadn't taken one sip of it. She stared out the window, not really seeing anything. Which was unfortunate. Because Tony DiMera saw her, and walked in.
As soon as he stepped foot in the shop, people began to stare. Tony wasn't so much embarrassed, as he was annoyed. That damned Rebecca! This was all her fault! He planned to find that tape she made of the two of them, and make her pay!
But, he could see by the look on Eve's face, that something was desperately wrong. Why was he not surprised? Julian Crane was incapable of making any woman truly happy.
Tony slid into the booth, sitting across from her. Eve, coming out of her trance and seeing him, began to get up.
Tony reached out and touched her hand.
'Please, Eve, don't leave.'
Eve looked around, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.
'I'm sorry, Tony. But for reasons you are well aware of, I can't be seen sitting in a booth with you.'
Eve got up, leaving the cappuccino and walked out of the building. She began walking towards the park, idly thinking that the last time her and Julian had this bad of a disagreement, she had come to the park and gotten herself kidnapped!
As Eve entered the park, she suddenly stopped and turned around. Tony was behind her!
'Damnit, Tony! I am not in the mood to deal with you today!'
'What? I'm just taking a leisurely stroll. I can't help it if I planned on coming to the park today too!'
Eve rolled her eyes and sat down on the nearest bench. Of course, Tony soon joined her. She decided to just put up with whatever crap he had to say, then pray that he would go away!
Tony handed her her cappuccino.
'I couldn't just let you leave this. You did pay for it.'
Eve silently took it from him, then set it down on the ground in front of her.
'Why are you here?' she asked.
'I was concerned. I saw you through the window. You looked so forlorn...'
'Of course I'm 'forlorn', Tony. My daughter is married to a criminal and my husband is blind! So yes, I'm forlorn, I'm more than just forlorn, I'm at my wits end! Now go!'
But Tony stayed put. Somehow, Eve didn't think her words would make him leave anyway.
'Eve?'
'What?' she asked, picking up the cappuccino.
'Do you really think, in your heart of hearts, that I raped Rebecca? I mean, do you really think that I'm capable of doing something like that?'
Eve tried to ignore the sadness she heard in his voice. But, she could not.
'Tony,' she began carefully picking her words, 'you've kidnapped me twice...'
'That was Stefano's doing on the island.'
'You were on it too, but let's not go there. Instead, let me ask you something: if your plan to force me to marry you in the Himalayas, had come to pass, would you have forced me to be a real wife to you?'
Tony's eyes widened.
'First of all, I wouldn't have really forced you to marry me.'
'Oh, right!'
'No, I'm serious! I would've waited you out, Eve, I swear it. I would've waited until you eventually forgot Julian, and accepted me.'
'That would've never happened.'
'In time, it might have.'
'No.' Eve said firmly, shaking her head.
'Then eventually, you might have made do...maybe even pretended I was him?' Tony suggested.
Eve almost choked on her cappuccino! She set the cup down again.
'Look, since we'll never really know, I guess there's no point in quibbling about it. I don't know what to tell you, Tony. My first instinct is to say, no, I can't see you doing something like that. But Rebecca looks like she's been through the ringer. And I don't see why she'd just lie on you and Stefano.'
Tony said nothing for a moment. Then he decided to take a chance and confess all.
'Eve, Rebecca and I were having an affair. That was why I was at her apartment.'
Eve gaped at him, then jumped up off of the bench! Tony stood up quickly as well. He sensed a slap coming, and needed to be on his toes!
'You were cheating on my daughter?! Tony, for God's sakes what is the matter with you?!'
'I love you, Eve, that's what is the matter with me!'
Eve sighed and sat back down, not wanting to deal with this right now. But Tony sat back down as well.
'I cared for Simone, I still do. But you were right. I did marry her to get back at you. I did marry her so that I could stay in your life in anyway I could. And there were times when I was making love to your daughter, that I would pretend she was you.'
Eve jumped up again!
'That it! I don't want to hear anymore from you! Good luck with this rape thing, but if you really love me, Tony, you'll divorce my daughter! She doesn't deserve to be dragged down with you!'
Tony calmly stood up.
'I am innocent, Eve. Yes, I did choke Rebecca...she threatened to show Simone video of our trysts together. Whatever you think of me, I don't want to see Simone hurt. I am quite fond of her.'
Eve eyed him.
'Rebecca has a tape of the two of you? On that particular day?'
Tony nodded.
'Yes, though she must've hidden it really well, because the police have not been able to find it. Of course, she claims to not know what I'm talking about. There wasn't even a sign of a camera in the room.'
Eve looked away. Rebecca had been taping her and Tony? And the only reason she would've threatened to expose Tony, is if she wanted him for herself.
'Rebecca wanted me to divorce Simone and marry her.'
'I thought Rebecca was still in love with John Black?' Eve asked.
Tony nodded.
'She was and is. The point was to make John jealous. I wouldn't agree to it, and that's when she threatened to take the tape to Simone. I just lost control.'
Eve looked at him. That still didn't excuse Tony's choking of Rebecca, but oddly enough, his story did make some sense. She sat back down on the bench.
'Go on.' she said.
Tony eased back down as well.
'Anyway, Stefano, who for some reason, had disguised himself as a chauffeur that I employed, just walked into the apartment and into the bedroom. We were talking, when Rebecca shot us both with some gun she kept under the bed. Stefano and I both got back home, but Simone wanted to call the police. Stefano accidentally shoved her...that's how she got hurt.'
'Accidentally, hey?' Eve said with disbelief, shaking her head.
'If I had not been shot, I would've never let my father put his hands on Simone, you must believe that.'
Eve shook her head.
'I'm sorry for you, Tony. Really, I am. But I'm even sorrier for my daughter. None of this has anything to do with her. End this farce of a marriage!'
Tony did not answer her. Instead, he changed the subject.
'Tell me why you were so upset back at the Book Cafe?'
Eve was thrown by the change in topic. A deep sadness suddenly overwhelmed her. She couldn't confide in Tony about her marital problems. There used to be Grace, but she had messed that up. And Pilar...well, Eve could tell that while she was somewhat sympathetic, her overall view was that Julian was just no damned good in the first place!
So, against her better judgment, Eve told Tony about what a hard time Julian was having with his blindness, Alistair's offer, and Julian's refusal to take his father up on it. She then looked away, willing herself not to cry. Tony reached out and touched some of her hair, but she flinched. He took his hand away, then cleared his throat.
'Eve, I don't want to defend Julian, believe me. But he's a proud man. You know, I once had a bout with blindness.'
Eve looked him up and down.
'You did?'
'Yes. My then wife was understanding...and also sleeping with John Black at the time, behind my back.'
Eve's mouth dropped open!
'That's terrible!'
'Yes, it was. It was a completely frustrating time and experience. Luckily, all turned out well in the end. I got my eyesight back. Julian's a powerful man...his blindness makes him feel powerless.'
'He acts as if I might begin to love him less because he's blind! He won't let me in, and he won't talk to me or even spend time with Evan and Erin! And he's so angry all of the time... I'm beginning to wonder if he somehow blames me for his condition.' Eve said sadly.
'Oh no, Eve! I'm sure it's not that!'
Eve shook her head.
'Maybe I should've been more understanding about his refusal to take Alistair up on his offer, to tell us who our son is. The man is a monster, I suppose he probably is lying...although...he did say that he was someone famous.'
Tony raised a brow, but did not comment, as a plan began to form. What if HE found Eve's son for her? He would look like quite the hero, to the cad Julian is acting like now!
'Eve, I think you need to support Julian on this. You will find your son, but right now, going against his wishes on this, might just make the problems you're having with him, worse.'
Eve nodded.
'Yes, you're probably right.'
She stood up. Tony did as well.
'I'm going by to see Simone. She probably won't see me, but I still have to try. It would be nice if you would think about what I said...about letting her go?'
Tony smiled at her. He was indeed actually thinking about it, if his plan came to pass!
'I will, Eve. Really. The last thing I want is any harm to come to Simone.'
Eve didn't know whether to believe that or not, but decided that was the best she was going to get out of him. She said goodbye to him and walked out of the park. Tony watched her leave, then got on his cell phone. He was going to call a private eye that he had used many times before. This man could find a person under a rock!
****
Ivy brushed her hair, unable to believe how matted it still looked. Then again, she had been in a three month coma.
Simon Cowell came back in the room, then closed the door. He had went to get some coffee, but she eyed him with unease. She had been as shocked as anyone, to wake up and find him standing over her. What could he possibly want?
Ivy threw down the hairbrush and looked at him.
'Alright, Simon. It's just us now. No Ethan or Fox to hover nearby and overhear your sweet, yet phony endearments. Why are you here?'
'What? You were in a coma...I was concerned.'
'The last time you were 'concerned' was when you couldn't get in to get your weekly Botox treatment! Why are you here? Fox and Ethan are already suspicious, and it gives me the creeps that Whitney knows about us.'
'How was your meeting with the shrink?' Simon asked, sipping his coffee.
'What do you care? Okay, if you really must know, she's worried that I can't get over my 'obsession' with Sam Bennett. I told her that I love Sam and that he's not an obsession.'
'So, nothing has really changed then, has it?' he asked, setting down his coffee on a nearby table.
'No, and it never will. Between the shrink and my physical therapy...why are you here, Simon?'
Simon walked over to her and sat down. He lowered his voice, even though they were the only two people in the room.
'Amanda is getting married.' he said.
Ivy stared blankly at him, before turning away and picking up her hairbrush again. But Simon snatched it from her and threw it against a wall!
'Hey!' Ivy cried out.
'No, Ivy, I have not been sitting by your dismal bedside, waiting for you to pull yourself out of a drug induced coma, just because I find you 'special'! I have things to do, you know!'
Ivy smiled.
'Finally! The real Simon Cowell emerges! You were giving me the creeps! What do you want?!'
'Amanda, our DAUGHTER, is getting married, to someone on the lower rungs of the Royal family. Needless to say, her background was looked in to thoroughly. And while her fiancee's family, just thinks that she is my brother's daughter, a certain reporter with a British tabloid, has figured out enough to know that we are her parents!'
Ivy sat up!
'What the hell are you talking about? How was one stupid reporter able to figure that out, when no one else ever suspected a thing?!'
Simon sighed.
'Amanda was sick about a year ago.'
Ivy said nothing. Simon smiled sardonically.
'Nice that you care.'
'Oh don't give me that 'mommie dearest' %$##$%! You could've raised her if you wanted to! You wanted to run around and chase skirts...and jock straps, and I had a position here! I had already pawned off one child on Julian that was not his, I couldn't take another chance like that! And I wasn't willing to sleep with him again to make it look as if he could be the father! We did what we had to do. I went off to Europe when I started to show, making people think I was a bad mother for leaving my already existing children behind for so long! Your brother and his wife gave our daughter a good life, and now she's going to be royalty. How can anyone know, Simon?'
'Amanda was deathly ill, Ivy. She needed blood. My brother's didn't match. Mine did. Amanda never knew that I have it to her...'Uncle Simon'...but this reporter got into her medical records!'
'What?! Okay, what's done is done, but I still don't know how this reporter had connected me to this thing?'
'I don't know either, Ivy, but he has. I had to beg the man to hold off, at least for a couple of weeks...at least you woke up in time to know what you're about to face.'
'God no!' Ivy cried, shaking her head. 'You have to do something, Simon!'
Simon grabbed her shoulders and began shaking her!
'There is nothing to do. Ivy! The story comes out next week! I've spoken to my brother and we're both going to sit down with Amanda and tell her the truth. Our time has run out, and just be glad that this is all that reporter knows!'
Ivy said nothing, and he let go of her. For they both knew what he was speaking of. Amanda was two years younger than Fox. Conceived, strangely enough, here in Harmony, one night, during a Crane party. Ivy still remembered her and Simon sneaking off to their special 'place'...her old basement in the Winthrop estate. She still had the key to her former home, and her parents, coincidentally, were at the Crane party that evening.
She and Simon had been alone, in the basement, having wild and raw sex, when they were discovered by none other than Martin Fitzgerald....
The true reason Simon is in Harmony, is revealed. Eve confides in Tony.
'Get out, Father!' Julian yelled again.
But Eve made her way over to Julian, putting a hand on his arm.
'It's alright, Julian.' she said, glaring at Alistair. 'I want to hear what your father has to say.
Alistair emitted an annoyed sounding sigh.
'I'll have nothing to say about your son, if you two don't drop those attempted murder charges against me.'
'Then we have nothing to talk about.' Julian answered in a calm voice.
'Julian, maybe we should...' Eve began.
But Julian cut her off, addressing his father again.
'Leave. And don't come around here again, Father, or I will call the police.'
Alistair said nothing, but stood up from the desk and walked out of the side door he had walked in from. He didn't look back at them, because he didn't have to. That Russell woman wanted to know where her son was. Julian would relent to make her happy. He was just a little angry now. But he firmly believed that by tomorrow, he would be a free man again.
Eve stared after her 'father-in-law' for a bit, before looking at her sightless husband. He now wore a pair of dark sunglasses.
'Julian...'
'Eve, I don't want to hear it. I won't allow him to get away with trying to kill our children.' he said, his voice sounding more tired than angry.
Eve just looked at him for a moment, then spoke.
'I don't want that man to get away with trying to kill our children either, okay? But we have to face the facts here: you're private investigator has been on this hunt for our son for years! And the truth is, it wouldn't matter how many of them you hire, Alistair has covered his tracks...and hidden our son from us so well that only he himself, knows who or where he is. It's either never know our baby, or take the only chance we may ever get!'
Julian could tell she was nearby, but was not sure of the direction. He did not move.
'Eve, I've been dealing with that man a lot longer than you have. He's lying! Once we dropped the charges, he wouldn't tell us a damned thing!'
'Okay then, we make him tell us...or even better still... we make Alistair produce him. Then we drop the charges! We will never let him near Evan and Erin again!'
'So, it's okay with you that my father tried to murder our babies?' Julian asked blithely.
'You know it's not!' Eve snapped. She looked him up and down.
'You stop trying to shift this all on me! You don't want to find our son, this is what this is really all about, isn't it?!'
'Eve, that is an appalling accusation, and a very untrue one! Of course I want to find our son!'
Eve then walked up to him, taking her hands in his.
'Then let's do this, Julian. Let's take this chance. The only chance we may ever have.'
Eve squeezed his hands tightly. But soon, she felt his hands disengaging from hers.
'Eve, this is a chance to get my father out of our lives for good. If we let him go, he could think of more ingenious and clever ways to kill Evan and Erin. We have to think of the children we have with us right now, and be grateful for...'
Eve began to back away, shaking her head.
'You don't want to find him because you don't want him to see you blind...that's it, isn't it?'
Julian did not answer, but secretly, Eve had hit a nerve. He wanted to be able to see his son and he did not want whoever this young man turned out to be, to be disappointed that he had a blind father.
When Julian did not answer right away, Eve knew she had figured out the truth.
'Oh, Julian! You can't think like that!'
'The answer to Alistair's 'proposal' is no, Eve! And I don't want you going behind my back either. We will find our son, but not with that man's help.'
'Even though you know what it would mean to me?' Eve whispered, horrified.
'Darling, he's lying! He knows nothing!' Julian began to cry out, hearing the shock in her voice at his words. While he did not want his son to see him blind, he was also highly suspicious of any deals made with his father! The man simply did not know how to keep his word!
Eve turned and walked out of the room. She opened the study door, hard, so that it slammed against a wall! She then walked towards the front door.
Teresa, who had just put the twins and little Ethan down for a nap, was walking down the stairs.
'Dr. Crane?'
Eve didn't look up. Tears were forming in her eyes. She sniffed.
'I'll be out for a bit. No more than an hour.' she said, then opened the front door and left. Teresa stared at the closed door, then leaned over the railing, into the study. She could see Julian sitting on the couch, his sunglasses off. His head was in his hands. Teresa's eyes then widened. Because from where she stood, it looked as if he were weeping!
Teresa turned and then walked back upstairs. Whatever was going on, she didn't want to be in it!
Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. A maid appeared and answered it. She gasped in surprise. It was Rebecca.
'Hello, Lainie. I suppose you thought you'd never see me again.'
But Lainie was more shocked at the horrible bruising, around the former Mrs. Crane's neck. Rebecca sensed this, and at that moment, felt a little awkward, as if she really, truly had been a rape victim.
But, she shoved her discomfort to the back of her mind. There was nothing to be nervous about now. Tony and Stefano were going down, and soon, John would be hers.
'Is Mr. Crane in?'
'Becky?' Julian called out from the study.
Lainie moved aside so that Rebecca could step in. She walked straight to the study and closed the door behind her. Julian was sniffing and wiping his face. He then hurriedly put on his black sunglasses. Rebecca's heart went out to him. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to him, touching his hand.
'How are you holding up, Pookie?'
Julian sniffed again.
'I should be asking you that. Losing my sight seems like such a little thing, compared to what you have been through. I was on my way to see you, when this thing happened, you know.'
Rebecca rubbed his hand.
'I know. Is Eve here?'
'No. I managed to drive her away, yet again. Rebecca, could you help me over to the bar for a drink?'
'I'll do you one better, I'll get it myself.' Rebecca said, standing up and walking over to the bar. She then began to mix him one of his favorite concoctions, while keeping an eye on him over by the couch.
When she was finished, she walked back over to him, touched his hand, then carefully put the glass in it. He swilled it down right away. Rebecca took the glass from him and set it on the table in front of him.
'Tell me what's going on, Julian?' she asked.
Julian sniffed again.
'I can't seem to put a brave or happy face on my new handicap. I know I scared my son the other day.'
'Who? Evan? Fox?'
'Little Ethan.'
Rebecca rolled her eyes.
'Little Ethan scares easily anyway! Really, Julian! I told you long ago that you needed to spend more time with that boy and shape him up. Teresa has turned him into a mama's boy!'
Julian did not answer that charge directly.
'Well, all I know is that I couldn't keep my temper with him, and it upset Teresa.'
'Who cares? Has she been hanging around here?'
'Eve hired her to be Evan and Erin's nanny.'
'Oh God! What was she thinking? No wonder you are so upset!'
'Rebecca! Forget Teresa! This isn't about her! I can't deal with this blind business here! I may not ever see again and if that is the way things are to be, then I will be a burden, and an embarrassment, to my wife and children!'
Rebecca stared at him for a long moment, before speaking.
'You know, I'm not a big fan of Eve's. I never have been. But I've seen what you two have together. It is very real...the way you two look at one another. It's the way I'd like for John to look at me some day. I have a feeling that your blindness isn't what's burdensome to Eve, so much as the way you're acting now.'
'I can't help it!' he snapped. 'I feel like I'm on the outside looking in! Look, I'm glad you stopped by. I've come to a decision and I need your help.'
Rebecca didn't like the sound of this. And she was worried about his demeanor. She had never seen him so down or out of control before.
'Okay, Julian. Tell me what you need and I'll do it.'
'I want you to help me compose a letter to Eve. I need to get away. I need to be alone.'
'Julian, I don't think that's a good idea...'
'Will you help me or not?'
'Pookie, you don't even know if this blindness is permanent! You have to give yourself some time.'
'Rebecca, I plan on staying away until my sight returns. I will see some specialists on my own. But if it does not, or if I am told it won't, I have every intention of setting Eve free.'
Rebecca gasped, then stood up.
'Julian! You can't just make these decisions without talking to Eve first!'
Julian reached out to touch her. He then stood up.
'Will you help me?' he asked quietly.
Rebecca nodded.
'Yes, Pookie, I'll help you. But just know, that if you do this, and your sight does return, Eve might not be willing to take you back with open arms.'
'It's a chance I have to take.' Julian answered.
****
A half an hour later, Eve sat in a booth at the Book Cafe. She had a cappuccino in front of her, but she hadn't taken one sip of it. She stared out the window, not really seeing anything. Which was unfortunate. Because Tony DiMera saw her, and walked in.
As soon as he stepped foot in the shop, people began to stare. Tony wasn't so much embarrassed, as he was annoyed. That damned Rebecca! This was all her fault! He planned to find that tape she made of the two of them, and make her pay!
But, he could see by the look on Eve's face, that something was desperately wrong. Why was he not surprised? Julian Crane was incapable of making any woman truly happy.
Tony slid into the booth, sitting across from her. Eve, coming out of her trance and seeing him, began to get up.
Tony reached out and touched her hand.
'Please, Eve, don't leave.'
Eve looked around, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.
'I'm sorry, Tony. But for reasons you are well aware of, I can't be seen sitting in a booth with you.'
Eve got up, leaving the cappuccino and walked out of the building. She began walking towards the park, idly thinking that the last time her and Julian had this bad of a disagreement, she had come to the park and gotten herself kidnapped!
As Eve entered the park, she suddenly stopped and turned around. Tony was behind her!
'Damnit, Tony! I am not in the mood to deal with you today!'
'What? I'm just taking a leisurely stroll. I can't help it if I planned on coming to the park today too!'
Eve rolled her eyes and sat down on the nearest bench. Of course, Tony soon joined her. She decided to just put up with whatever crap he had to say, then pray that he would go away!
Tony handed her her cappuccino.
'I couldn't just let you leave this. You did pay for it.'
Eve silently took it from him, then set it down on the ground in front of her.
'Why are you here?' she asked.
'I was concerned. I saw you through the window. You looked so forlorn...'
'Of course I'm 'forlorn', Tony. My daughter is married to a criminal and my husband is blind! So yes, I'm forlorn, I'm more than just forlorn, I'm at my wits end! Now go!'
But Tony stayed put. Somehow, Eve didn't think her words would make him leave anyway.
'Eve?'
'What?' she asked, picking up the cappuccino.
'Do you really think, in your heart of hearts, that I raped Rebecca? I mean, do you really think that I'm capable of doing something like that?'
Eve tried to ignore the sadness she heard in his voice. But, she could not.
'Tony,' she began carefully picking her words, 'you've kidnapped me twice...'
'That was Stefano's doing on the island.'
'You were on it too, but let's not go there. Instead, let me ask you something: if your plan to force me to marry you in the Himalayas, had come to pass, would you have forced me to be a real wife to you?'
Tony's eyes widened.
'First of all, I wouldn't have really forced you to marry me.'
'Oh, right!'
'No, I'm serious! I would've waited you out, Eve, I swear it. I would've waited until you eventually forgot Julian, and accepted me.'
'That would've never happened.'
'In time, it might have.'
'No.' Eve said firmly, shaking her head.
'Then eventually, you might have made do...maybe even pretended I was him?' Tony suggested.
Eve almost choked on her cappuccino! She set the cup down again.
'Look, since we'll never really know, I guess there's no point in quibbling about it. I don't know what to tell you, Tony. My first instinct is to say, no, I can't see you doing something like that. But Rebecca looks like she's been through the ringer. And I don't see why she'd just lie on you and Stefano.'
Tony said nothing for a moment. Then he decided to take a chance and confess all.
'Eve, Rebecca and I were having an affair. That was why I was at her apartment.'
Eve gaped at him, then jumped up off of the bench! Tony stood up quickly as well. He sensed a slap coming, and needed to be on his toes!
'You were cheating on my daughter?! Tony, for God's sakes what is the matter with you?!'
'I love you, Eve, that's what is the matter with me!'
Eve sighed and sat back down, not wanting to deal with this right now. But Tony sat back down as well.
'I cared for Simone, I still do. But you were right. I did marry her to get back at you. I did marry her so that I could stay in your life in anyway I could. And there were times when I was making love to your daughter, that I would pretend she was you.'
Eve jumped up again!
'That it! I don't want to hear anymore from you! Good luck with this rape thing, but if you really love me, Tony, you'll divorce my daughter! She doesn't deserve to be dragged down with you!'
Tony calmly stood up.
'I am innocent, Eve. Yes, I did choke Rebecca...she threatened to show Simone video of our trysts together. Whatever you think of me, I don't want to see Simone hurt. I am quite fond of her.'
Eve eyed him.
'Rebecca has a tape of the two of you? On that particular day?'
Tony nodded.
'Yes, though she must've hidden it really well, because the police have not been able to find it. Of course, she claims to not know what I'm talking about. There wasn't even a sign of a camera in the room.'
Eve looked away. Rebecca had been taping her and Tony? And the only reason she would've threatened to expose Tony, is if she wanted him for herself.
'Rebecca wanted me to divorce Simone and marry her.'
'I thought Rebecca was still in love with John Black?' Eve asked.
Tony nodded.
'She was and is. The point was to make John jealous. I wouldn't agree to it, and that's when she threatened to take the tape to Simone. I just lost control.'
Eve looked at him. That still didn't excuse Tony's choking of Rebecca, but oddly enough, his story did make some sense. She sat back down on the bench.
'Go on.' she said.
Tony eased back down as well.
'Anyway, Stefano, who for some reason, had disguised himself as a chauffeur that I employed, just walked into the apartment and into the bedroom. We were talking, when Rebecca shot us both with some gun she kept under the bed. Stefano and I both got back home, but Simone wanted to call the police. Stefano accidentally shoved her...that's how she got hurt.'
'Accidentally, hey?' Eve said with disbelief, shaking her head.
'If I had not been shot, I would've never let my father put his hands on Simone, you must believe that.'
Eve shook her head.
'I'm sorry for you, Tony. Really, I am. But I'm even sorrier for my daughter. None of this has anything to do with her. End this farce of a marriage!'
Tony did not answer her. Instead, he changed the subject.
'Tell me why you were so upset back at the Book Cafe?'
Eve was thrown by the change in topic. A deep sadness suddenly overwhelmed her. She couldn't confide in Tony about her marital problems. There used to be Grace, but she had messed that up. And Pilar...well, Eve could tell that while she was somewhat sympathetic, her overall view was that Julian was just no damned good in the first place!
So, against her better judgment, Eve told Tony about what a hard time Julian was having with his blindness, Alistair's offer, and Julian's refusal to take his father up on it. She then looked away, willing herself not to cry. Tony reached out and touched some of her hair, but she flinched. He took his hand away, then cleared his throat.
'Eve, I don't want to defend Julian, believe me. But he's a proud man. You know, I once had a bout with blindness.'
Eve looked him up and down.
'You did?'
'Yes. My then wife was understanding...and also sleeping with John Black at the time, behind my back.'
Eve's mouth dropped open!
'That's terrible!'
'Yes, it was. It was a completely frustrating time and experience. Luckily, all turned out well in the end. I got my eyesight back. Julian's a powerful man...his blindness makes him feel powerless.'
'He acts as if I might begin to love him less because he's blind! He won't let me in, and he won't talk to me or even spend time with Evan and Erin! And he's so angry all of the time... I'm beginning to wonder if he somehow blames me for his condition.' Eve said sadly.
'Oh no, Eve! I'm sure it's not that!'
Eve shook her head.
'Maybe I should've been more understanding about his refusal to take Alistair up on his offer, to tell us who our son is. The man is a monster, I suppose he probably is lying...although...he did say that he was someone famous.'
Tony raised a brow, but did not comment, as a plan began to form. What if HE found Eve's son for her? He would look like quite the hero, to the cad Julian is acting like now!
'Eve, I think you need to support Julian on this. You will find your son, but right now, going against his wishes on this, might just make the problems you're having with him, worse.'
Eve nodded.
'Yes, you're probably right.'
She stood up. Tony did as well.
'I'm going by to see Simone. She probably won't see me, but I still have to try. It would be nice if you would think about what I said...about letting her go?'
Tony smiled at her. He was indeed actually thinking about it, if his plan came to pass!
'I will, Eve. Really. The last thing I want is any harm to come to Simone.'
Eve didn't know whether to believe that or not, but decided that was the best she was going to get out of him. She said goodbye to him and walked out of the park. Tony watched her leave, then got on his cell phone. He was going to call a private eye that he had used many times before. This man could find a person under a rock!
****
Ivy brushed her hair, unable to believe how matted it still looked. Then again, she had been in a three month coma.
Simon Cowell came back in the room, then closed the door. He had went to get some coffee, but she eyed him with unease. She had been as shocked as anyone, to wake up and find him standing over her. What could he possibly want?
Ivy threw down the hairbrush and looked at him.
'Alright, Simon. It's just us now. No Ethan or Fox to hover nearby and overhear your sweet, yet phony endearments. Why are you here?'
'What? You were in a coma...I was concerned.'
'The last time you were 'concerned' was when you couldn't get in to get your weekly Botox treatment! Why are you here? Fox and Ethan are already suspicious, and it gives me the creeps that Whitney knows about us.'
'How was your meeting with the shrink?' Simon asked, sipping his coffee.
'What do you care? Okay, if you really must know, she's worried that I can't get over my 'obsession' with Sam Bennett. I told her that I love Sam and that he's not an obsession.'
'So, nothing has really changed then, has it?' he asked, setting down his coffee on a nearby table.
'No, and it never will. Between the shrink and my physical therapy...why are you here, Simon?'
Simon walked over to her and sat down. He lowered his voice, even though they were the only two people in the room.
'Amanda is getting married.' he said.
Ivy stared blankly at him, before turning away and picking up her hairbrush again. But Simon snatched it from her and threw it against a wall!
'Hey!' Ivy cried out.
'No, Ivy, I have not been sitting by your dismal bedside, waiting for you to pull yourself out of a drug induced coma, just because I find you 'special'! I have things to do, you know!'
Ivy smiled.
'Finally! The real Simon Cowell emerges! You were giving me the creeps! What do you want?!'
'Amanda, our DAUGHTER, is getting married, to someone on the lower rungs of the Royal family. Needless to say, her background was looked in to thoroughly. And while her fiancee's family, just thinks that she is my brother's daughter, a certain reporter with a British tabloid, has figured out enough to know that we are her parents!'
Ivy sat up!
'What the hell are you talking about? How was one stupid reporter able to figure that out, when no one else ever suspected a thing?!'
Simon sighed.
'Amanda was sick about a year ago.'
Ivy said nothing. Simon smiled sardonically.
'Nice that you care.'
'Oh don't give me that 'mommie dearest' %$##$%! You could've raised her if you wanted to! You wanted to run around and chase skirts...and jock straps, and I had a position here! I had already pawned off one child on Julian that was not his, I couldn't take another chance like that! And I wasn't willing to sleep with him again to make it look as if he could be the father! We did what we had to do. I went off to Europe when I started to show, making people think I was a bad mother for leaving my already existing children behind for so long! Your brother and his wife gave our daughter a good life, and now she's going to be royalty. How can anyone know, Simon?'
'Amanda was deathly ill, Ivy. She needed blood. My brother's didn't match. Mine did. Amanda never knew that I have it to her...'Uncle Simon'...but this reporter got into her medical records!'
'What?! Okay, what's done is done, but I still don't know how this reporter had connected me to this thing?'
'I don't know either, Ivy, but he has. I had to beg the man to hold off, at least for a couple of weeks...at least you woke up in time to know what you're about to face.'
'God no!' Ivy cried, shaking her head. 'You have to do something, Simon!'
Simon grabbed her shoulders and began shaking her!
'There is nothing to do. Ivy! The story comes out next week! I've spoken to my brother and we're both going to sit down with Amanda and tell her the truth. Our time has run out, and just be glad that this is all that reporter knows!'
Ivy said nothing, and he let go of her. For they both knew what he was speaking of. Amanda was two years younger than Fox. Conceived, strangely enough, here in Harmony, one night, during a Crane party. Ivy still remembered her and Simon sneaking off to their special 'place'...her old basement in the Winthrop estate. She still had the key to her former home, and her parents, coincidentally, were at the Crane party that evening.
She and Simon had been alone, in the basement, having wild and raw sex, when they were discovered by none other than Martin Fitzgerald....