What exactly is a home? Some would say it's merely a foundation, four walls, doorways and windows. A place for families to form, to grow and to eventually leave. As teenagers we feel like prisoners, counting down the days until we can finally call ourselves adults and go out into the world. For certain individuals though, their home is a safe house… somewhere they can hide from the demons that walk among us and hold tight to those they call their family.
Evelyn was in the shower when Lynette stopped by and dropped off some clean pajamas and a toothbrush. Mike didn't know what to say when she showed up on his doorstep with long tear marks down her face. A couple of years ago Mike would have thought that the Scavo's were the perfect family. Tom and Lynette always seemed happy enough and Evelyn was always smiling, he had never seen a family fall apart so quickly. He set the pajamas outside of the bathroom door and grabbed some sheets out of the hallway closet. He had the whole couch made up by the time Evelyn made her way down the stair case. The flannel plaid shorts clung tight to her small frame and were overshadowed by the oversized Northwestern University sweatshirt. She sat on the end of the stairs and wrapped her arms around her legs and looked over at Mike. "What are you thinking?" Mike asked as he walked over and sat next to Evelyn placing his arm around her. "I am thinking I totally fucked up…" Evelyn said as she laid her head on his chest and began to sob. Mike didn't know what to say so he let her cry. For a solid couple of minutes she sobbed uncontrollably and clung tight to his shoulders. In an effort to soothe her he pulled her off of him and put his hands on each side of her chin. "You have to stop Evelyn any normal person would have reacted the same way; you have been under a lot of stress lately and Nora never should have pushed you as far as she did, don't beat yourself up anymore".
"Wha…what am I going to tell Kayla" Evelyn said with swollen eyes and tear stained cheeks. "You're going to tell her you love her" Mike said pausing and running his thumbs under her eyes. "You're going to tell her that sometimes words cut us so deep, that we let our emotions get the best of us" he said as he let his hands rest on her cheeks. "And you're going to tell her that you are only human and that we all make mistakes sometimes". She reached up and put her hands on top of his and closed her eyes. The last few weeks flashed before her. She saw her sick mother and her angry father and opened her eyes to see the scared look in the eyes of the man that sat across from her. She didn't deserve someone that cared about her so much, especially after all of the horrible things she'd done. She really looked at him and there was something in his eyes she had never seen before. It took her by surprise when he leaned in and kissed the edges of her eyes, leaned down and nuzzled her nose and pressed his soft lips against hers. She stayed still for a moment and so did he, it wasn't the sort of kiss that swept someone off their feet but the sort of kiss that instantly made you feel comfortable and made you feel anything but alone. "I..I'm sorry" Mike said looking away from her and jumping up off the stairs. "It's okay" Evelyn said softly and Mike turned back to see her still staring at him. The last of the tears gently fell from the corners of her eyes and her face softened. She slightly smiled and stood up "I think I better get some sleep, thank you for making up the couch…." She started to walk off and was stopped when Mike grabbed a hold of her hand. "Come upstairs" Evelyn took in a deep breath, "Mike there is too much going on I can't do this now not tonight"
"I am not trying to seduce you Evelyn" he said seriously. She took a moment and looked at him, right at him. He was her friend, her best friend for four years, and this would change everything. It would forever change the dynamic of their relationship and could ruin things in the long run. She stood still for a moment before she realized this is what she really wanted. Her whole life she had done things for other people and for once she wanted to make a decision for herself. After so long going through it alone she needed him, so she didn't surprise herself when she stepped forward and Mike swept her off of the floor and carried her up the stairs. There was a simple beauty in the fact that neither of them said a word. Every couple of steps Mike would look down as he had when he carried her to her room. He walked into his bedroom and gently set her on the edge of the bed. He walked into the bathroom and smoothly closed the door behind him. Evelyn took yet another deep breath and pulled the sweatshirt over her head and threw it in a nearby chair. She straightened her t-shirt and pulled back the covers and crawled in the bed pulling she sheets tightly over her and closing her eyes. Mikes sheets smelled rustic, kind of like the trees in the middle of the fall, they smelled just like he did. She didn't think either her or Mike really knew what they were doing, but she couldn't think about it anymore what's done is done, all she knew was that she was extremely tired and sleep was overtaking her. She was nearly out when Mike walked out of the bathroom in a pair of pajama pants and no shirt. He walked around the bed and crawled in next to her. He wasn't even touching her and already her heart was racing. It would be a lie to say she had never thought about them being together. Why wouldn't she? There was no denying how good looking he was and age had never really mattered to her. His dark skin and deep eyes had caught her attention more than once; fear had just stopped her from admitting it to herself. She finally got up enough courage and turned over. Mike was laying on his back staring up at the ceiling. "Are you thinking this was a bad idea?" she asked holding her breath. "No" he said and looked over at her. "I'm thinking, Man I better not screw this up". Evelyn looked over at him and smiled. Mike put his arm around her and she curled up close to his chest and they both fell asleep, content not to say another word and content to just to be together.
* * *
Morning came quickly, or so it seemed. Evelyn opened her eyes, and sat for a moment as she tried to figure out where she was. Suddenly the events of the night before hit her like a tons of bricks, and then she froze. Mikes arm was casually draped around her waist and his face was mere inches away from her hair. She quietly and carefully slipped out from underneath his arm and walked out of the bedroom and into the hallway. From the top of stairs she could barely see that Tom's car wasn't in the drive way and that her mother was sitting out on the front porch. It was Saturday so she was sure the kids would be home, including Kayla. She felt Mike's warm arms slip around her waist and his head rest on her shoulder. Right there in that moment she had never felt safer. If she could have frozen time she would have. She would have slowly taken in every single sensation: The way his arms felt perfectly wrapped around the curves of her hips, the way his unshaven skin felt on the bare skin of her shoulders, and the way he always seemed to know what she was thinking before she even said it. "You should probably go talk to her before the kids get up" Mike said as he lovingly let go of her and ran his hands up and down her arms. "I'll go make some coffee" he said as he headed down the stairs. Evelyn just stood there in front of the window looking dumbfounded. She wondered how this all came so easy to him. Last night lying there she was confused to say the least about jumping into this relationship with Mike but he seemed absolutely fine with it, like things had always been that way. She slowly walked into his room and threw the sweatshirt she took off the night before back over her head and threw her hair up into quick bun.
She took a deep breath as she walked down the street. The early morning fog was still stuck to the ground, making the road look dark and sinister which was an enormous contrast to its usual sunny sidewalks. She reached the end of the driveway before Lynette noticed her coming. She was wearing an old gray sweater that seemed to never leave her body since she started chemo and a red scarf that was a constant reminder that the cancer was still there. She was wrapped in a big blue blanket with a cup of coffee in hand. Evelyn stood at the bottom of the porch and looked over at her tired mother. She could tell Lynette hadn't slept at all. She slightly smiled when Lynette held open one side of the blanket and she crawled in next to her and set her head on Lynette's shoulder. They both stayed still for a few moments until Lynette wrapped her arm around Evelyn's shoulder. "Listen Evelyn, you have to believe me when I tell you that I am not going anywhere" she said softly. Evelyn sat up and turned towards her mother.
" I am sorry I didn't tell you earlier it's just I was too afraid to face the fact that it could actually happen and with all of this mess going on I was just totally and completely lost" she said rubbing the tears forming in her eyes and wiping the hair out of her face. "I have you, that's all I need to get better" Lynette said smiling. "You Parker, Penny, Porter, Preston, Tom and even Kayla give me something to fight for every single day".
"Mom…" Evelyn said taking a deep breath. "It's true" Lynette said tapping Evelyn's nose with her finger. "I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have you here to cover my back when I was too sick to get out of the bed in the morning, or to yell at me when I put colored clothes in the wash with the whites" she added on causing Evelyn to chuckle. "Where is Kayla?" she asked scared to hear the answer. "She is upstairs asleep in your room; last night when Tom and Carlos peeled Nora off Bree's lawn they called her a cab". All Evelyn really wanted to do was crawl into her bed and sleep the day away but she knew she had to face Kayla sooner or later. She kissed her mother and hesitantly climbed the stairs up to the attic and opened her bedroom door. Kayla looked so tiny curled up in the center of the bed. Evelyn walked over and sat on the side gently touching Kayla's arm and causing her to jump. "I am sorry I didn't mean to scare you" Evelyn said apologetic. Kayla scooted back and sat up against the chestnut headboard. Evelyn looking right at her…she didn't see fear which was ironically, the thing she was most scared of, but rather Kayla looked apologetic as if the whole thing has been her fault. All Evelyn felt like she had done for the last 24 hours was apologize but if anyone deserved it, it was her. "I am so sorry for what you saw the other night Kayla, I should never EVER have hit your mother like I did. I am supposed to be an adult and I acted like a five year old…I…." before Evelyn could get another word out Kayla launched into her arms. "You're right…You shouldn't have hit her, but Mom should have never said those things about Lynette, especially while you were still hurting so much from what your dad did to you". Evelyn pulled her back and placed both hands on her cheeks. "Wait how did you know about that?"
"Mom told me" Kayla said. Evelyn was astonished. How did such a little girl process all of that information like she did?"
"You are wise beyond your years Kayla Huntington" she said as she kissed Kayla's cheek and hugged her again. "Just please do me a favor and don't tell the kids about my dad, I don't want them to worry".
"What about me?" Kayla asked, the childhood tone returning to her voice. "I don't want you to worry either. No more fights with my dad and definitely no more fights with your mother".
"Pinky promise?" Kayla asked. "Pinky Promise" Evelyn responded looping her finger through Kayla's.
Suddenly her smile faded. "What's wrong?'
"You know she is going to make me hate you don't you?" Evelyn's heart hit her stomach and came back up to her chest with a deafening blow. Evelyn knew exactly what Kayla's was talking about but for some reason opened her mouth". "What?" she asked looking puzzled.
"Mommy is going to make me hate you, and I have to pretend like I do so I won't get into trouble but I promise Evelyn I love you, don't believe anything she says". At that moment Evelyn really wanted to beat the shit out Nora, for playing her daughter like she was going too and for making her grow up way too fast. "I know you love me Kayla" she said quietly. "So don't you worry about that, and I love you too. Don't worry about all the technical crap or what anyone tells you. Were sisters, and I will always be here for you"
"Thanks Evie" Kayla said with a relieved grin on her face. "Now get dressed and come downstairs. There is no better remedy for a gloomy day outside than pancakes" Before Evelyn could make it to the door she heard Kayla's little voice. "One more question Evie" she said and Evelyn turned around. "One day when you get your own house, can I come live with you?"
"Of course you can sweetie" and Evelyn really meant it. She would do anything to get Kayla away from the woman who would eventually tear her little girl's whole world apart.
* * *
Evelyn could honestly say that she couldn't remember the last time that she had been as happy as she had been the last two days. It seemed like everything had returned to normal. That morning she had gone down stairs to cook breakfast and her mother helped her, hugging her or smiling every time she took a pancake from the stove. After Nora cooled down, Tom talked her into letting Kayla stay the weekend, insisting Evelyn wouldn't be home, so all the kids were together at least for a few days. The afternoons were spent working and playing football in the front yard and her nights were spent sneaking out the house to visit Mike. She was happy to discover that not a lot had changed, other than the physical aspect of their relationship. He still made her laugh and still teased her the way that he used to. She felt good with him and she felt that things would quickly progress between the two.
That afternoon Tom and Lynette headed into to help close the pizzeria and Evelyn was left to watch the kids. After watching the Lion King for what might have been the nine hundred and tenth time she let the kids finish playing the cards while she cleaned up the kitchen. She was methodically put the dishes away when she heard a shriek from the downstairs bathroom.
"Groooooossss!" She heard Parker say."Evie the toilet!" she heard Kayla scream. "There is water everywhere!" Evelyn quickly rushed into the bathroom to find Porter standing on the side of the bathtub and Kayla out in the hallway which was quickly becoming flooded. "What happened?"
"I don't know" Kayla said. "Porter what did you stick down there?" Evelyn quickly yelled. "Me? I didn't stick anything down there" he said defensively.
"Come on" Evelyn said grabbing Porter off the tub and setting him down in the hallway. "Get some towels and soak up all of this water". She quickly ran over to the phone and dialed the first number she could think to call.
Mike Delfino was across the street within minutes and was snaking the down stairs toilet. "I am really sorry to bother you" Evelyn said standing in the doorway of the bathroom with Penny in her arms. "Are you kidding me, I am a plumber this is what I live for" he said jokingly and flashed her one of those coy smiles. "Do you mind if I go put the kids to bed?"
"No go ahead, I'm not going anywhere" Mike said. Evelyn got all the kids settled down and in bed and headed back downstairs. She stopped as she passed by a mirror on the staircase. For the first time in a long time she didn't look so bad, her face had lost the sickening shade of grey it seemed to carry for so long and she finally looked like her old self. She took a deep breath, fluffed her hair and walked back down to the bathroom. "Are you sure you're helping to raise kids or heathens?" Mike asked as he pulled a small doll head out of the toilet. "Oh my god, someone decapitated Penny's doll" Evelyn remarked taking the small head. "She is going to freak if I don't find the rest of her" Evelyn said heading into the kitchen.
"Let me clean up and I will help you" Mike called from the bathroom. Mikes comment made Evelyn stop for a moment. She couldn't believe a grown man was going to help her find horseback riding Barbie's body.
After scouring the downstairs Mike and Evelyn moved upstairs, searching the boy's room, quietly searching Penny's room and then moving into the hallway. "Maybe it's in my bedroom" Evelyn said and started to head up the stairs. Mike stopped at the bottom as if he was trying to figure out if he should go or not. "Come on" Evelyn said with a smirk on her face. The minute she opened the door Mike's hand fell on her hip and he spun her around. "Mike, the boys are still awake" she said weakly as his lips fell on her neck. Then suddenly he stopped. "What's that?"
"What's what?" Evelyn asked. "That sound, it sounds like gas leaking or something". They remained quiet, and then Evelyn finally heard it. It was coming from the bedroom but she couldn't figure out where. She stopped in her tracks once she realized whatever it was, was coming from underneath the bed sheets. She slowly crept forward and threw back the sheets. Before she could scream she felt Mikes hand over her mouth. Her heart began to race and she felt like she was going to pass out as she looked down at the pile of rattlesnakes that lie in her bed. "Don't scream Evelyn, you're going to worry the kids. Just get out of here okay". Mike moved his hand and grabbed Evelyn's but she still didn't move. "Evelyn, go," he said and she listened. She went down the stairs and sat down once she got to the last one. There was no way all of those snakes just crawled into her bed, someone put them there and she had a good feeling as to who it was. It was one thing for Shelly to come after her when she was at his casino but this was her home…her house, it was a whole new ball game. Suddenly she realized she didn't know what or who else was in the house, for all she knew they could have gotten into any of the bedrooms. She turned around to catch Mike shoving one of the comforters from her bedroom into the crevice under the door. Without thinking Evelyn began grabbing sheets and blankets out of the closet. "Did you call the police?" Mike asked coming down the stairs. Evelyn just shook her head. "What are you doing?"
"I don't know what's in this house Mike, if they got into my room without me knowing there is no telling where they've been or where they are. I just want all of the kids out of their rooms and into the living room".
"Why don't we just call the police and check the bedrooms. We'll wake them up if we move them".
"I don't care" Evelyn screamed and then just stood still and took a breath. "I just want them safe" Evelyn said looking up at Mike. "Okay, I'll check the downstairs and set up the bed and you bring the kids down.
* * *
As soon as Evelyn laid Parker down and covered all of the kids up, the blue lights reflected into the living room window for the second time that week. She and Mike both talked to the police and she finally had face to match with the voice when she met Detective Sheppard. Bree who had seen the commotion from across the street had come inside but was stopped by Mike so he could fill her in and Evelyn could have time to breath. She walked out and sat on the front porch steps; it was seconds until she heard a car door slam and looked up to see her worried mother running up the walkway. Lynette knelt down and grabbed her face while Tom ran inside to check on the kids. "Baby, are you okay?" she asked in a panicked voice. "I'm fine mom." Evelyn said as she shook her head and ran her hand nervously across her forehead. "You didn't get bit did you?"
"No Mom I am okay". Lynette sat down beside her. "Oh sweetie" she said tightly hugging her. "I am so sorry" Lynette said once again comforting her daughter. "All I could think…"Evelyn said looking up at Lynette, "was that the kids are in and out of my room all of the time".
"Mom what would have happened if Penny jumped on my bed? There were so many of them and she's so tiny…"
Lynette wanted to break down and cry with her daughter but she knew she couldn't. So Lynette did what she did best and put on a strong front. "Well she didn't. So don't worry about what could have happened. The police got here on time, the kids are okay. You're okay" Lynette said smiling and running a hand down her cheek. "We will talk to the police and see what to do about this whole mess". Suddenly Tom walked out of the front door with the detective right behind him. "If there was a police officer sitting out front how the hell did they get into the house?" he asked. "I don't know Mr. Scavo, we're trying to figure that out now, Watch out" the detective said as animal control came through with the snakes. Evelyn jumped off the porch and out of the way with her mother's hand in hers. "We've got the police checking the rest of the house but it looks like your room was the only they targeted" gesturing towards Evelyn. "I think the best thing to do at this point is for you to go away for a while."
"Go away for a while?" Tom asked impatiently. "Yes maybe stay with family or friends? Just get away from here, give us time to figure things out".
"With all due respect Detective Shepherd I can go anywhere right now" Evelyn said stepping forward. "My mother is sick, I have a job, little brothers and sisters. I can't just pack up and move".
"It would only be for a couple of weeks, maybe or a month or so. You know in cases like this we would normally relocate the whole family, but the Fairview police department feels like they are able to handle the situation given time. Do you have any family you can stay with?"
"No, no I don't" Evelyn said quickly and all too defensively. "Actually…" Lynette chimed in. "She can probably stay with my mother."
Evelyn turned around and gave her mother the most astonishing look. "Stella?" Evelyn asked in disbelief. "You know I can't do that" she said giving Lynette and Tom a pleading look. "Why can't I stay at Jo's or Andrews?"
"You have to get out of Fairview" the detective added. "I am sorry to interrupt" Bree said with an uncomfortable look on her face. "I have a suggestion".
As teenagers we impatiently wait for the day that we can leave home and make our way into the world. What happens though, when we are forced to leave before we are truly ready? We are thrown out into the world to do what we can with ourselves and leave behind those we love the most.