An Affair To Remember: Sisters

by tarskeewee08

Evangeline sat on the veranda of the Palace eating her salad. It was 2pm and she had spent the day pretty uneventfully. Waking up and ordering room service she ate French toast and watched Good Morning America. Taking a shower she washed her hair and took extra time to blow dry and flat iron it. Calling down stairs she booked time in the spa and got a full massage, facial, aroma therapy, pedicure and manicure. When they soaked her in a mud bath she slipped into a light sleep dreaming of John and their last night together. She missed him so.

Pushing the garden salad around her plate she thought about the breakfast she fixed for him and how he devoured it before they went riding that day. She wasn't a good cook and was sure those eggs were scrambled too hard but you could never tell by the way he grinned at her with a mouth full. He loved her imperfections and that was extremely comforting.

"Vangie…"
Evangeline looked up to see Layla smiling and standing with her hands on her hips. Rising from her chair she went into her sister's arms. "I am so glad you are here!"

Layla hugged her and felt her sadness. Pulling her from her arms she looked in her face "What is it sweetie?"

Evangeline sat down and Layla followed her. She told her about Cambridge in 1991 and the special John McBain that swept her off her feet, taking the story to the present and his reappearance in her life. Layla listened to her and said nothing sipping her mojhito. Evangeline finished with choosing to come home with Kevin and Lisa leaving John behind.

"Vangie, why did you protect daddy all those years ago?"
Evangeline frowned. "What?"

"When I used to ask questions about what Daddy was doing and why he had to go to the garden and wait for hours in the dusk of the day you used to tell me all kinds of great stories. Once I got bigger Vangie I knew what he was doing and yet you still protected him. Why?"

"I guess I wanted you to remain untouched by the ugliness. By the time you were 7 mom stopped teaching at night and those things that Daddy did stopped as well."

Layla looked across the veranda "The strange thing is you protected us all, me, mommy and daddy. You did this by pretending we were a family despite the ugliness"

Evangeline picked up her ice tea and drank it. Layla was right. After telling momma the truth and hearing her take on it she swallowed her pain and held her family together by pretending. Funny she never knew that's what she was doing, but now thinking she realized that pretending was what she'd done all these years with her husband.

Layla lowered her drink "Here's the thing sweetie. I watched you with Kevin and this is pre any infidelity. You know what I saw?"

Evangeline shook her head "No…what do you see"

"I saw you pretending again. You put on the happy face and went through the motions but I saw it in your eyes each time you spoke of your marriage and love for your husband."

Evangeline looked down "I don't think I was pretending the entire time"
"I never knew why Vangie, but this John McBain's betrayal explains it. You buried your pain like you did with Daddy and you played the pretend game moving on. Now John is back in your life and you have to choose between pretending and living again"

Layla reached across the table and touched her hand. "I wish I could say that love isn't pain Evangeline, I wish I could say that you could choose love and never experience disappointment or angst in your life again. But when you love someone you take the good and the bad sweetie. It's the good that pulls you through the bad."

"Its been 14 years Lay, I mean do you really believe that we can let go all that's happen and just move on?"

Layla laughed "Hell yeah! That's the good thing about life. You can move on into the future of your own choosing. Its all what you make it. God gave man free will. It was the greatest gift of all. You don't belong to Kevin or John, you belong to you. Choosing your life and happiness is strictly up to your needs."

Evangeline squeezed her sister's hand back. It was always so simple for Layla. She saw things in black and white, whenever she hit the gray patches she smiled and carried them with her like accessories. Nothing about life prevented her from living it. She wanted that freedom.

"I say you go after your happiness. Tell Kevin the truth and then go after your happiness before it's too late"

"The truth?" Evangeline asked confused
Layla looked her in the eyes "What is the truth about your marriage?"
"I don't know"
"Yes you do"
"Layla it's complicated"
"That may be but that doesn't change the truth"
"I don't…"
"Stop it Vangie and tell me the truth. Stop pretending with me sweetie I see through it."

Evangeline looked up and exhaled she saw her sister dark almond eyes sparkling with love. "The truth is my marriage is over. It was over long before Kelly appeared."

Layla smiled. "Don't you think your husband needs to know that?"
"Yeah he does"
"Good now, once that's done what, will be your next step"
"Living life again…."
"Does that include this John McBain?"

Evangeline turned her glass around several times in her hand staring into the sweet liquid. "I want to have the conversation again on who and what we are with each other. I want to get to know him and see where it takes us. But no starting my life over isn't about John McBain Lay its about me."

"Brava! You learn quickly!" Layla said grinning
Evangeline smiled

Running away from what she wanted came easily to Evangeline but spending the rest of the day with her sister focusing on the truth and who she really was gave her more freedom than she'd felt since she was eight. They talked of their mother and what type of woman she was. Both agreed they loved her immensely but her love in return was not one that met their needs. Evangeline decided to put distance between them until she had a secure footing on her life.

Later that day they went to the dollar movie and watched "Monster In-Law" with Jennifer Lopez and laughed at Jane Fonda. Layla swore she should have gotten the part instead of J-Lo and Vangie had to agree. Her sister was exactly what she needed.

That night Layla stayed in her room and they got up in the bed eating potato chips and watching reruns of "That 70s Show" laughing and remembering the antics they got into as young girls. Every now and then Evangeline looked at the phone and wondered what John was doing. She resisted the urge to call him, because first she had to deal with the truth and her husband. Then she had to deal with her. But how she missed him.

She got up and went to her bag to retrieve the Faberge egg. Before coming the Palace she had the driver take her to the Towers to get it from the safe.

Layla held the egg amazed and Evangeline told her the story of the Czar of Russia and his Easter Anniversary eggs for his Czarina. Layla pressed the pear button an retrieved the dainty golden carvings of the Imperial family. She had never known or seen anything so elegant. She asked a million questions about this Irish Prince. What did he look like? Smell like? Taste like? Evangeline laughed and told her the secrets of their love and they both giggled at how remarkably wonderful he was.

Layla eventually fell asleep in her sister's lap and Evangeline lie awake staring at the ceiling. She was so glad she came home to deal with her life first before pursuing one with John. She wanted to be free of entanglements when she went to him again. Layla helped her see that pretending can never be enough. Her mom pretended all her marriage and now she lived off her daughter's dreams not sure how to go out and just live life for herself. Evangeline didn't want to be her mother, she wanted so much more.

Tomorrow she would see Kevin and move forward as painful as that would be. It was time. Falling asleep she dreamed of castles and princes. Her future was so plain to her, she couldn't wait to live it.

The Next Day

Layla told Evangeline she had to fly back to Miami for the role she was playing. Evangeline hated to see her go but understood why Layla continued to chase her dreams. She was so proud of her. Saying goodbye in the lobby Evangeline watched her bounce out full of life and hope. As she went through the spinning doors she turned and blew her a kiss and was gone. Evangeline sucked in her breath and went to the phone in the lobby calling Kevin.

"Hello"
"Kevin its Evangeline"
"Hey….I'm so glad you called. I thought I wouldn't hear from you until tomorrow"
Evangeline smiled. "Can you come to the Palace and meet me in my suite?"
Kevin got quiet for several minutes "Of course…"
"Good room 1223"
"Can't wait to see you Van"
"Bye" she hung up the phone and walked out of the lobby her hair swaying and face glowing. She was taking her life back period.

Knock Knock

Evangeline got up from her bed and went out into the suite. Walking to the door she prepared herself for what was to come. Opening it she saw her husband standing there smiling at her. She held the door for him to enter.

He walked in and tried to kiss her and Evangeline gave him her cheek instead. Kevin frowned and went further into the suite. Closing the door she looked at her husband and saw how handsome he was. Standing in front of her in his navy suit jacket and khaki slacks, he fixed her with that sexy smile and she thought about the times between them where pretending was easy, because they both met each other needs.

"Okay baby what's going on?" he asked.
"Do you remember the first time we acknowledged something was going on between us?" she asked looking in his eyes.

"You mean the first time we fell in love?"
Evangeline saw the hope in his eyes and realized that this would be harder than she thought "Yes, when we fell in love."
"I guess it would be when I took you on our fourth date on the yacht down the Lantana River"

Evangeline nodded walking toward him. "We were on the deck looking at the stars and you told me that my future was bright, that you wanted to share it with me."
Kevin smiled "Yes, I guess I wasn't' as smooth as I'd liked."
Evangeline touched his face "It was sweet Kevin and you saw something in me that night. Think hard, think back to that night. What did you see in me?"

Kevin frowned "That you were pretty?"
"No Kevin think, when you stared at me that night and told me that you wanted me to give you a chance, that you could make me happy. Your words were so selective, why?"

"Evangeline you were different, closed off from most. I was trying to get you to loosen up and let me in."

"What did you see in me Kevin?"
Kevin looked into her eyes that were pooling with tears and felt his heart beat quicken. "I saw pain…I saw fear"
Evangeline smiled "You saw it then Kevin and you chose to ignore it instead of address it. You offered yourself as protection and I so desperately wanted to be protected. I needed the comfort of a protector because I was terrified of my own pain and facing it."

"We fell in love that night!" Kevin snapped
"No we fell in like and we both decided that the other was what we needed to have the life we wanted."
"That's not true…."
"Why did you never ask me to have kids?"
"Kids?" Kevin said shocked. He walked away and put his hands in his pockets. "Well I…"
"Do you want kids?"
"Of course I do" he said looking at her
Evangeline smiled "But you knew I didn't"
He shrugged
"So you gave up on that piece of your need for me?" she said sadly
"I wanted you Evangeline…."
"I know but what did you get out of it Kevin? What were you missing in our marriage?"

"I have what I want?"
"Do you?"
"Yes dammit!"
Evangeline looked at him. She was trying to get him to see the truth. She was trying to force him not to pretend anymore that their love was what he needed. "Are you in love with her?"

Kevin turned around and looked at Evangeline shocked "What! Of course not!"
Evangeline went to him and took his hand "When I spoke to Kelly after the affair she talked of her feelings for you in a way I never did. She loves you Kevin and it hurt to hear another woman speak of loving my husband in way that I didn't"

"Are you saying you aren't in love with me!" he snapped
"Yes, I'm saying that and the fact that I know you aren't in love with me. You want me and I believe you love me. But you aren't in love with me. That's the truth"

"That's not true! You're my wife dammit"
Evangeline smiled "How many times have you said that in the past week?"
Kevin shook his head smiling "I guess I have worn that out a bit"
"Yes you have…."
"Are you asking me for a divorce Van?" Kevin asked looking up at her hurt
"Yes, I am"

Kevin began to pace "We have been married for 10 years….you want to throw it all away over him?" he asked hurt

Evangeline sat down in the chair near her and watched him pace. "Its not about him it's about me. I'm not pretending anymore that I can give you what you need. I'm not pretending that you can do the same."

"So that's what my marriage was for you a game of make believe?"
"Our marriage was a life lesson that I had to undertake to discover myself. To understand myself and needs. You helped me to be the woman that I am today."

Kevin stared at her. "So I loose in the end?"
Evangeline smiled and rose from the chair. She went to him and put her arms around him. "We both win"

Kevin held her and she listened to him cry and give reason why they should try. She let him continue until he discovered that indeed staying married to her was not something he wanted to do. They spent the day in her suite talking about old times and new ones. Discussing their future and how they would end things amicably. He wanted her to remain CFO at BE and she told him that she was thinking of moving to New York and starting a new.

He asked if she would go to him right away and she said no. Her next step was to start a life of her own. She wouldn't initiate anything with John until she was her own woman again. Kevin asked her if things could have ever been different. She let him hold her and told him that in another life time maybe. He stayed the night holding her and she found the closure with the man that she gave 10 years of her life too fulfilling. When he left the next morning his need for vengeance against McBain had subsided. All he wanted was for her to remain in his orbit no matter where she went. She promised to always remain friends.

Closing the door on her marriage she smiled at how she was able to pull that off. She did it by being real and revealing the truth. Neither of them could deny the truth. Now it was over and she was given a fresh start. Smiling she went to the phone and called Nora telling her friend the latest developments in her life. She retained her as her attorney and proceeded with dissolving her marriage. Life would be different from here on out.