Starting Over: Mending Fences

by tarskeewee08

(Evangeline's POV)

Standing outside of Phil's office I suck in my breath and knock.
"Come in…"
Walking into his office I see him going over his file. He looks up at me and smiles sweetly. "Hey…"

He sits there in his white doctor coat behind a oak wood desk covered in papers and files with several degrees framed and hanging on the walls showing how masterful he is at his profession. It's his commitment to his profession that I hold onto for what I am about to ask.

I smile at him and walk in "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"Of course not Van, this is a welcomed break." he said closing the folder.

Sighing I took my purse from my shoulder and sat down on the couch in his office. I watched him get up and come over to the couch and sit next to me. He leaned over and gave me a sweet kiss. I touched his freshly shaven face and accepted the kiss enjoying the closeness and comfort his love gives me.

"So why are you here during the middle of the day?" he asked breathing hard. I see his desire for me in his eyes and smile. He puts his hand on my knee and slide it slowly up my skirt then leans in and starts to kiss me on the inside of my neck.

I close my eyes and moan under his touch"Phil if you are going to do this you need to lock your door."

He stops his advancements and kiss me on the cheek. "Sorry baby just missed you so much. How about we call it a day earlier and start that makeup session early today."

Fixing my skirt I laugh "I would love to but I have an appointment this afternoon."
"Oh" he says smiling. "So what brings you by?"

I swallow hard and try to figure out a way to respond. "Well I have something I need to discuss with you."

"Okay..."

Looking across his office to the files piled on his desk I rise and walk to them. Pointing at them I turn around and look at him "Did you get John's folder on his therapy?"
Phil frowns at me and sits up. "Yeah I did, he needed a referral and review to get back with the LPD. I sent him to St. Anne's for both for obvious reasons"

Folding my arms I smile "Did you read about his last stage of therapy and what it would encompasses."

Phil narrows his eyes on me. "Van what are you leading too? You know I can't discuss a patient and his treatment."

"Phil...John has asked me to be his safety in his therapy sessions" I say bracing myself against his reaction.

He stares at me and says nothing.
"Well say something…" I say nervously.
He shakes his head. "I got to hand it to him. He's smooth."
"I beg your pardon?" I say insulted at what I think he's implying.
"He wants you to join him in therapy to cope with his relationship issues. Come on Van you are smarter than this."

"Phil, you are being ugly about this and I find it insulting. John's issues are real and he needs a friend."

"And you are just ready and able to be that friend aren't you!" he snaps rising from the couch.
"Are you saying that after reading his file that there is no need for me to be included in his therapy?"

Phil sighs "Medically speaking he is at the point where he would benefit in including you but its not a requirement. He can proceed without you Van."

"But why should he Phil if I can help."
"Why? Did you ask why?" He says in anger. "You do remember the emotional breakdown you had when he left town."

"Wait a minute I didn't have a breakdown!" I snap back at him.
"Close enough, you cried all the time. You shut yourself off from intimacy and through yourself into your work. Van you almost disappeared."

"That's an exaggeration.." I say walking across his office to look toward the window. He comes behind me and puts his hands on my shoulders. "Have you given some thought as to what hearing his pain and problems would do to you? It pulls you back into his orbit. It's what he wants Van."

"He wants me to help him Phil and I can't say no to that. That's not who I am."
"Then why come to me if I don't have a say in this? Why even ask me about it?"

I turn around and look him in his eyes "Because I love you. Everything I do I will include you. I need your support on this."

He shakes his head and looks at me sadly. "Van, I don't want him in our lives. I don't want you pulled into his."

"He's my friend Phil that's all. I'm not in love with him." I say kissing him on the lips and touching his face.

"So your mind is made up?"
"I think so. Will we be okay?"
"I believe in us Van, and I believe that you are committed to me. I will support you in this." He said smiling weakly.
"Thank you…"

Phil nodded and pulled me into a hug. Resting my head on his shoulder I think about what he said. Can I really handle hearing John discuss his feelings for me and the reasons why he pushed me away. Sighing I tell myself I can, but inside I know the truth. This would be hard. Really hard.

(John's POV)

Walking into Capricorn I see Antonio at the bar talking to a waitress. The place is a buzz with the evening yuppie crowd and I smile at the familiar faces that walk pass me. Looking back at Antonio I see he hasn't changed much. While I was away I thought of my betrayal of our friendship and it hurt me that I lost his respect. He looks up at me approaching and the shock on his face is priceless.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." I say smiling climbing on the bar stool.
"My god is it you?"
"In the flesh…." I say chuckling
"John, where the hell have you been bro. It's been almost two years."
"I've been around…how's Jamie?"
Antonio comes out of his shock and smiles "Beautiful as always."
"Cool…how about Jessica?"

Antonio laughs. It has been a long time. "Jessica is married to Nash, I'm with Layla."
Now it's my turn to be surprised. "Wow…I had no idea."

Antonio nods reaching behind the bar and getting my favorite beer. I thank him and we settle into an uncomfortable silence. "Look, I wanted to come by and see you. I wanted to apologize for putting you and your family through the entire DNA ordeal"

Antonio chews on his bottom lip and stares at me. I can see he's deciding on my apology and whether or not the betrayal between them is too vast to be closed with my apology.

"You know John I was really angry at you for a long time. And not for the obvious reasons, you allowed me to believe a lie to serve your own selfish needs. To do that meant you weren't the person I believed you to be. I never knew you at all and that hurt me badly."

I take a swig of the beer and look down. "Antonio, you're right. I was selfish. I didn't do it to protect Christian. I didn't do it to protect Natalie. I did it to destroy me. To keep me in this perpetual state of self loathing. I know that now and brother if I could do it all over again trust me it would be different. All I can say today is that I understand what my betrayal had done to you and your family and I will be forever sorry over it."

Antonio looked at me and stuck out his hand. I lowered my bottle and shook his hand. "Thanks bro"
"No problem man. Besides I've made so many mistakes over the years who am I not to allow you this one?"
I smile grateful for the reprieve. "How are Christian and Natalie? Michael told me they were together."
Antonio nodded. "They're happy and living in New York. Chris paintings are the rage in Manhattan and Natalie is his manager."
"That sounds great…" I say genuinely happy for their happy ending.
"So you know I'm dying to know.." Antonio said accepting the drink order from a waitress and fixing the drinks.

"What?" I ask smiling.
"Evangeline? Does she know you're back? I know Layla doesn't because I would have heard an ear full on that."
"I've seen her…and her new beau" I say chuckling.

Antonio studies my face "Jamison? They make a cute couple hunh" he says laughing
I laugh too "Extremely….makes me all warm and fuzzy to think about it."

We both laugh at that. I look down the bar and see a woman staring at me. I wink at her and keep drinking my beer. Antonio looked at me and smirked. "What's up with you man? You seem different."

Before I can respond the woman at the end of the bar is already at my side.
"Hi, I'm Marsha"
Holding my beer I look to my left and see the buxom beauty with fire red hair and laugh. She looks at me embarrassed and I try to settle my laughter and not be rude. "Nice to meet you Marsha"

"I was wondering if I could buy you a drink…" she said batting her eyes at me.
"Sorry sweetie, but I'm not interested." I say looking her dead in the eye. Marsha frowns and then tries to cover graciously. "Well enjoy your beer" she says walking away.

"Damn man that was cold…thought you were in to redheads" Antonio laughed watching the woman walk away.

I laugh "I wouldn't touch a redhead if your life depended on it!"
Antonio laughs and we talk about all the things that happened over the past year. He tells me of his love affair with Layla and how she keeps him on his toes. He also gives me some insight into Evangeline.

"How did it start?" I ask lowering my now empty beer bottle to the bar.

"I think he took notice of her man after you hooked up with Natalie. According to Layla he was constantly in her space."

"Really?" I say feeling a knife in my heart at the reference of my choosing Natalie.

"Well anyways after you left Van took it hard. I mean I know you two were barely speaking but it was a shock to us all. She felt abandoned….again this is Layla speaking."

I laugh "I understand Layla does have a tendency to exaggerate."

"I saw her man and I can say she was definitely different and closed off. But soon I saw her and Jamison here and around town and she was smiling again. They really seemed to be connecting. Now I've had dinner with them and even went to Jamaica with them"

"Jamaica?" I say frowning.

"Yeah, just a vacation. But I got a glimpse at them as a couple…"
"And?" I ask impatiently

"My honest opinion is that she's happy and comfortable. But it's not what you two shared."

"Thanks man…" I say pushing from the bar. Antonio looks at me confused. "For what?'

"For being a friend again. I'm glad you are happy. Hold onto Layla. The Williamson sisters are one of a kind."

He smiles at me as I walk away. Mending fences and righting old wrongs is one of the ways I will heal. But getting Evangeline to love and trust me again is the only way I can live again.