Chapter 6
"Hey guys, how's it going?"
Evangeline gave a deep sigh and tried to keep her calm, but with all that was going on tonight she wasn't sure she could handle a fight with Natalie so she let John do all the talking.
"Look Natalie we really could use some time alone so if you have any questions about Chris then they can wait until another time." He moved his injured hand through his hair and winced a little from the movement.
Natalie noticed this little development and went into to comfort mode.
"Your hand John what happened to your hand?" She shot Evangeline a look like it was her fault that his hand was injured; in a way she did feel guilty.
"Look it's nothing big I just hurt it on something hard. We were just about to go have Michael check it out."
"Why don't I go with you to make sure everything is alright?"
"Natalie that won't be necessary and Evangeline is with me so I'm in good hands."
John stood up and with his good hand took Evangeline's hand and walked to the door. Natalie wanted to go after them and ask what happened but they walked out the door before she could muster up the courage.
She could only go to the counter and pick up her food and go home.
On the walk to the hospital John and Evangeline hardly spoke to each other. Only because she was mad at him for defending her and him because he wasn't going to apologize for defending her. This only made the situation even more irritating and uncomfortable.
When they reached the hospital Evangeline left John in the waiting room while she went to ask the receptionist to locate Dr. Mcbain. She went to lean on the side of the desk to wait for Michael.
Michael rounded the corner in time to see John sitting by himself and Evangeline leaning against the receptionist desk with her back facing John. He put two and two together and figured that things were absolutely not going good for these two.
"Hey what happened to your hand, get into a bar fight or something?" Michael took a seat next to his brother.
By the look on John's face he could tell that's exactly what happened.
"So what did you do this time John, I hope you didn't screw things up even more with Evangeline."
"Hey don't start with me Mikey I'm really not in the mood. So if you could just look at my hand I can get home in time to enjoy a cold beer."
He looked over at Evangeline and caught her staring at him and she quickly glanced away.
She walked over toward them and greeted Michael with a hug which was a little to friendly for John's taste.
"How are you Michael?"
"I'm good, just about to take a look at John's hand and I'm guessing he did something stupid to be in this position anyway."
"Yeah he did." She looked over Michael's shoulder at John smirking. "He just has a big head is all, so if you could make sure he gets home alright I've got to get home and rest for tomorrow."
John automatically stood up to object this idea.
"Sure E, I'll make sure he gets home okay and I'll call you with the results." He gave her a hug and turned to his brother.
John stepped around his brother and faced Evangeline taking her arm and leading her away from his brother.
"Look don't leave yet, stay here with me until Mikey gets done, and then we can go to your place and talk things out."
"Not tonight John, I'm really tired and I've got a lot of things to think about."
"Come on let's just talk."
Evangeline just shook her head and walked away from John; he didn't know what to do or what to think. He knew that he would have to work even harder to keep her in his life and he was ready for that challenge.
He looked back at his brother who was standing there waiting for him. John walked over to him and just looked at him with a long face.
"Let's get you checked out so I can take you home." Michael led John to a curtained area and pulled the stool from under the table toward the bed and sat down. He began to look at John's hand to see what damage had been done.
John didn't seem to be concentrating on the little pain caused by his hand. His mind was in a different place right now.
"Well it doesn't look broken, but you did fracture it and I'll go get a nurse to put a bandage around it."
Michael pushed back the curtain and walked over to the nurse's station and asked the nurse to wrap John's hand and let him know when she was finished.
Michael went around the desk to use the phone and call Marcie to check in on her.
"Hello?" Marcie answered the phone.
"Hey honey it's me. How you doing?"
"Oh! Michael, I'm good just sitting her talking to Jen about the Love Center. What are you doing?"
"I'm finishing up my shift and then I have to take John home, but after that I can come by there and spend some time with you."
"Yeah that sounds nice, just call before you come over all right."
"Okay, I love you."
"Love you too, bye."
Michael hung up the phone and walked back over to the curtained area where he left John. He pulled back the curtain and took a look at John's hand.
"You ready to go home and get some rest?"
"Yeah, I'm beat and need some rest." John was already pulling her black leather jacket back on.
"My shift is over now so I can give you a lift home if you want."
"Mikey I know you mean well, nut I need to be alone right now."
John walked around Michael and toward the exit with Michael fast on his heels.
"John wait up!" Michael yelled.
John stopped and turned around.
"It's cool Mikey; go spend some time with Marcie."
Ten minutes later at Evangeline's house
Why do I let him do this to me? Evangeline thought to herself lying on her bed crying.
She just didn't understand why she kept putting herself through pain when John obviously didn't feel the same way she did. She didn't mind that he hit that other guy for her it was actually sexy, but she would never tell him that.
At the same time she was moping and not looking her best; the doorbell rang and she had a pretty good idea of who was at the front door. She continued to lie on the bed and ignored the doorbell.
"Evangeline open the door please."
Evangeline sat up but didn't move off the bed; she sat there listening to John call out to her from behind the front door.
"Please come and open the door I need to see you Evangeline I'm out her begging."
She moved off the bed and walked into the living room, but still didn't open the door.
I'll stay out here all night if that's what it takes, but know that I really care about you and will do anything for you."
Evangeline couldn't take anymore and went to open the door.
"Come in."
John was just happy to see her face, but could tell she had been crying because her eyes were red and her cheeks were puffy.
"John I thought I told you I wasn't in the mood to talk tonight." He stepped inside her apartment and closed the door behind him.
"I really wanted to see you and make sure you were all right."
"I bet Michael told you to go home and get some rest."
Evangeline walked over to the loveseat and sat down; she wrapped a blanket around her.
"Don't worry I'll get some rest and I might not go into the station tomorrow."
"No, what would you do all day if you didn't go into work?"
He sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her and snuggled his nose in her hair.
"Well I can think of a few things to do while I take some time off. "John grinned and started kissing the side of her neck and shoulder.
Evangeline started giggling. She was actually feeling better and was ready to call it a night.
"Stop John, I can't take anymore. I have to get up early and go over some cases so you have to leave."
She tried to stand up and but John was still wrapped around her. She got his arm untangled and walked towards the kitchen.
"Why don't I just stay here and keep you company?"
John walked into the kitchen and stood in the doorway watching Evangeline drink a glass of water. He wondered how anyone could drink water on a regular basis, but Evangeline drank like eight glasses a day and looked more beautiful each day.
"You always get your way don't you?" She asked him as she sat the glass down, turned the light off and walked out of the kitchen.
"Yeah, but when it comes to you I have to work a little harder. In the end I do get my way."
"So you would like to think." She sauntered into her room with John following close behind."
John took off his jacket and laid it on the back of the chaise in her room and sat on her bed. He then off his shoes and leaned back against the pillows shutting his eyes briefly.
While he was resting his eyes John heard a ringing and thought it was just his imagination, but he heard the ringing more clearly and realized that he was at Evangeline's apartment.
"Hello?" Evangeline answered the phone.
"Hi cookie, what's up?"
Evangeline sighed, her big brother Shawn was still caller her by her nickname that she was given as a child. Shawn was two years older than her and he was a surgeon in Atlanta, Georgia. They were really close and shared everything.
"Shawn I told you not to call me that anymore or have you forgotten?" Evangeline was sitting with her back towards John and didn't know that he was listening to her conversation.
"Well I'm you older brother and get that privilege. So what are you up too?"
"I was getting ready to call it a night; I have some cases to take care of in the morning. Why do you ask?"
Evangeline knew something had to be wrong because it was too late for a brother-sister chat.
"I was thinking of taking a vacation and coming to see my little sister."
Evangeline stood up from the bed and started pacing back and forth. John rubbed a hand over his face and looked down at his clothes, he was still fully dressed. He sat up and took off his shirt wearing only a black wifebeater underneath; he walked over to the chaise and draped his shirt on top of his jacket.
"So when are you planning on coming to see me Shawn?"
John caught the name and didn't know whether to leave it alone or butt into the conversation.
"Actually, cookie my flight leaves in the morning and I should be in PA, around noon. I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner to let you know."
"You know what Shawn I'm not even going to get into this with you right now, because first off it's too late and secondly I guess I'll see you tomorrow. See you later and I love you."
Evangeline walked back over to the nightstand and hung up the phone. She noticed that John wasn't in the bed and looked over at the chair and saw him sitting down.
"My day just keeps getting better and better; my brother is coming to Landview tomorrow and he just decided to let me know."
"Big or little brother?" John knew he had to meet the family, but didn't know it was going to be this soon, but he thought as long as it was a brother or sister, and not mom he was in the clear.
"Big brother Shawn; two years older than me and I'm the youngest of four; two boys and two girls. So I didn't have to worry about anyone giving me any trouble."
"So that's why you're so independent and strong, I guess it's time for me to meet the family."
John came behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her waist and hugged her tight. He always felt at peace when he was with her and felt like he could tell her anything.
"I'll just have to worry about this when he gets here; I'm too tired to anything right now."
Evangeline moved John's arms from around her waist, grabbed her night gown off the bed and headed for her closet taking her jacket off on the way. She began undressing in her closet and popped her head out.
"About Shawn, you don't have to meet him tomorrow if you don't want too. There's no pressure in meeting the big brother." She stepped out of the closet dressed in her dark purple thigh –length silk night gown.
John was speechless for about a minute before he found his voice to answer her.
"No I want to meet your big brother and see if I pass the test. So if you're trying to offer me a way out; then no thank you."
He walked over to the bed and pulled back the sheets and slid into the bed waiting for Evangeline to join him.
"Alright if you say so, but don't say I didn't warn you." She pulled back the sheets on her side and slid into the bed next to John, she reached up and turned the lamp off on her nightstand and settled down for a much needed sleep.
As Evangeline closed her eyes she felt John move closer and wrap his arms around her waist; she smiled. She always wondered why he wrapped his arms around her before they would go to sleep.
The next morning around 8:30.
"Hey, wake up sleepy head." John heard Evangeline whisper in his ear.
"Do I have too?" He rolled over on his side and reached for her arm.
"You have to go to work and I don't want to be late so get up John."
Evangeline walked around the bed and over to her closet; she didn't understand how John could sleep so late, but yet he stays in the office until midnight. She slipped on a pair of peach colored three inch pumps and went to stand in front of the full length mirror on her wall; she examined the peach jacket with its three – quarter length sleeves and the matching skirt that stopped at her knees with off white ribbon along the edge of the skirt.
"You look beautiful in anything you wear." John came up behind her and put his arms around her waist.
"Thanks, now we have to go to work; so get dressed and I'll come by the station later to bring you some lunch. Make sure you lock up before you leave."
Evangeline and John had swapped keys with each other and now had access to each other's apartments and were comfortable with sharing their personal space with one another.
"Hey wait a minute, you leaving already?"
"Yeah John I told you I'm not going to be late to work again or miss another appointment today, because of you."
She walked out of her room leaving John behind; she walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bagel and spread some cream cheese on it. As she was taking a bite she heard the telephone ring.
"Hello?" She picked up the cordless in the kitchen.
"You're a tough woman to find." The voice on the other end of the phone replied.
"Sonny, how did you get this number?" Evangeline knew that voice anywhere; it was the voice of her ex-boyfriend.
Sonny Corinthos, lived in Port Charles, New York and was well known in certain circles and rumored had it he was a mob boss as well. Evangeline met him while she was on a business trip in New York and they were together for about four years before she moved to Landview and met John.
"Like I said you're a hard woman to find, but I have my ways. So how have you been?"
"Now is really not a good time to talk Sonny." Evangeline laid her bagel down on a paper towel and walked out of the kitchen pacing back and forth.
"Well when is a good time to talk to you? We have some unfinished business to take care of Angie."
"I thought I said everything I needed to say to you four years ago, so as far as I'm concerned we have no unfinished business to talk about. So if you don't mind I have to leave for work now. Bye Sonny."
"Just so you know this conversation isn't over Angie and one way or the other we'll be seeing each other real soon."
Evangeline went into the kitchen and hung up the cordless; she wrapped the paper towel with her bagel on it, and walked out of her apartment.
As he was coming out of her bedroom John thought he heard Evangeline talking on the phone, and she didn't sound too good either. He thought a little later he would stop by her office to check on her or maybe call her when he got to the station.
He grabbed his leather jacket and locked the door behind him.
Later that night at the station.
John couldn't take anymore paper work; his hand was still hurting from the bar fight.
"Did you get any information on the Santi case?" John asked Antonio as he walked into his office.
Antonio took a seat in front of John's desk. "I talked to Jessica and I think she may be up to talking about Tico's murder."
"What happened to you hand man?" Antonio stood up preparing to leave.
"I got into a fight at Rodi's, but Michael looked it over and got it bandaged.
"Well take care of yourself and try not to get into anymore fights." Antonio walked out of John's office closing the door behind him.
John couldn't deal with the tension and stress he felt in the office; so he went out to the coffee shop to get a cup of coffee and then maybe he could focus. He slipped out the side door without anyone noticing him.
Natalie just happened to be walking into the squad room when Antonio was coming out of John's office. He had a very concerned look on his face which didn't please her at all, so she decided to go and investigate what was going with John.
"Natalie don't go snooping around John's not in any kind of mood today to deal with your problems."
"Antonio look I'm not going to snoop around; I'm his friend and if he needs someone to talk too then I'm going to be there for him." Natalie walked toward John's office and walked in.
"John?" "She called, walking into his office without waiting for an answer.
John's chair was turned with its back to the door; his desk was pilled high with files and open cases, and his office was just in total disarray.
"John what happened?" Natalie asked herself as she walked a little closer to his desk.
Just then the door opened and a little less kempt Evangeline walked in with her hair up in a ponytail and jeans and a green baby doll tee. She looked like she had been to hell and back which was exactly how she felt.
"Nothing that you should be worried about."
"So, what did you do to him this time?" Natalie asked leaned on the desk.
"Why are you even here Natalie; trying to stir up some trouble?" Evangeline didn't move from the door.
"I'm here to comfort John because from what I hear you've already eavesdropped on one of his conversations then told your client about it, next he offered you a key to his place and you turned him down, and your always taking on the suspects that he brings in as your clients and that can't be doing your relationship any good."
"Where the hell do you get off, your always around him in his face twenty-four-seven, parading yourself around here in short skirts and tight shirts, but does he notice; no I don't think so, and obviously you can't keep your big nose out of other people's business. Now if you want to stay here and make a fool of yourself be my guest."
Evangeline left Natalie standing in the middle of John's office with her lip poked out to the floor. She was still standing there when John walked in the side door.
"Natalie look right now is not a good time to talk about Christian. So if it's really important then talk if not shut the door on your way out." He sat down in his chair facing his window.
Natalie could only nod her head and walk toward the door as she prepared to go home and lick her wounds. On the way out she thought the least she could do was tell John Evangeline stopped by.
"By the way Evangeline was just here." She couldn't move out of the way fast enough because John was up and around his desk in seconds rushing out the door.
He looked around for a few minutes and thought she had already left when he spotted her sitting on a bench talking to Antonio. John made his made toward them Evangeline was facing Antonio so didn't see him walk up to them, but she could feel him there and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
"Vangie call me if you need anything I've gotta go check on Keri and Jamie." Antonio got up and walked toward the front desk.
"Hey you don't look too good." Evangeline stood up and faced him.
"Well I could say the same for you, but I don't think that's possible. You always look beautiful."
"I just came by to tell…" She was interrupted by John.
"Let's go in my office and talk about this." He grabbed her hand and led the way to his office, when they reached his office he locked the door behind them.