The Garden of Eve 3

...chapter 3...

Illusions

“Eve,” she heard him whisper. It couldn’t be him, this was a dream right? She opened her eyes and found out it wasn’t a dream, there he stood in her bedroom. The clock said it was 3am, what was he doing here? Maybe this really was a dream, how could he have gotten into her house anyway? Deciding that she was dreaming and too tired to care, she closed her eyes. But he sat down on the bed next to her and nudged her. You couldn’t feel dreams, so he had to be real and so she opened her eyes again.

“How did you get in here?” She asked him while yawning and sitting up.

“You left your keys in my car,” he said dangling her key chain in the air.

“What are you doing here?” She asked and he turned away from her and stared at the floor. “Neil, talk to me,” she said lifting his chin.

“Didn’t feel like being home and I wanted to see you,” he said shrugging. He lay back in her bed and pulled her into his arms. “My parents finally came home,” he told her. They had been together for well over a month now and in that time neither of his parents had been in town.

“You were drinking?” She could smell the liquor on his breath and it was making her dizzy.

“I might be a little drunk,” he confessed. “I love you Eve,” he whispered.

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” she replied.

“But I do, I’ve loved you since I met you,” he told her and she stared at him.

“Do you want to stay here?” There was no reason to get worked up about what he was saying when he was drunk, even if she wanted to believe him.

“Sure,” he said then he kissed her. Eve was trying to figure out how she was going to stay out of trouble and sneak him out.

“So I didn’t think you were a drinker,” she said and he laughed.

“On occasion, I’m not a good boy all the time,” he replied. “I hit up a party or two before I came here,” he said.

“Were you hanging with girls at these parties?” There was no way that she was jealous, that was an emotion she saw no use for. But she felt the need to keep him talking for a minute as a distraction so she could think.

Clearly this out of character behavior had to do with the anniversary of his sister’s death; it was coming up in a few days. She’d been warned about a million times that Neil’s behavior would get progressively weirder. The Neil she knew would for one thing never go out and get drunk and he didn’t hang out at parties very often. Plus there was the fact that he was drinking and driving. Neil would never do anything that could put others in danger. When she’d been told he acted strangely, she hadn’t imagined this. Then again she’d known a few people who’d liked to drink a lot and in fact once had foster parents who did. Grief made people do all kinds of things; she just hoped Neil wouldn’t end up doing something he would regret.

“You know you’re the only one for me,” he whispered in her ear. “Do you go tanning?” He asked and she stared at him where did that come from?

“Nope, why do you ask?” There was a good chance she knew why he’d asked her that, besides him being drunk, it wasn’t that uncommon of a question.

“You’re always tan,” he said. It was what she figured; people often asked that because of her honey golden skin. People also asked where she was from and what her ethnicity was, it all required some explaining.

“My family is a rainbow,” she replied. While it was true that she was born in Italy and that her mother was born in Russia, her genetics were a little more complex. She happened to be the darkest skinned member in her family. “My dad is a darker skinned Italian, not quite as dark as me though. My mother was born in Russia and grew up there, but she’s half black and half white, I’m still the darker one. Before you ask my grandparents moved there for business and they only came back here a few years ago. I haven’t seen them though, my dear mother had a falling out with her whole family,” she explained. More secrets, that’s what her family was about secrets, lies and drama.

“So we’ll have beautiful multi-cultural babies,” he said kissing her. “We can practice for them right now,” he said.

This was what she was afraid of; he would want to get frisky. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him; it was that he was mostly doing it because he was drunk. Ever since the night they had gone on their first official date their sexual encounters were tame or didn’t exist at all. They went out a lot and hung out with other people and weren’t alone too often like they were before the kitchen incident. While she loved that he was so respectful, it was driving her crazy because she wanted more. Her therapist said she’d be able to do whatever she wanted to in time; too much had happened in the past. She felt bad because of course he was frustrated too, it was a big mess that neither wanted to talk about.

Their kissing was quickly turning into something more that hadn’t happened since their first date. She was in her underwear and so was he, it was getting pretty hot. Wasn’t this where she was supposed to stop him? Why would she want to remember their first time together as a night where he stumbled into her house drunk? It brought back bad memories from her past life. When her panties were off and on the floor and he was undoing her bra, something happened. She sat up and pushed him away, this was a nightmare. The way he was staring at her didn’t help either, this was a mess.

“What’s wrong?” He asked trying to pull her closer to him, but she pulled away.

“Let’s just not do this ok?” Eve said getting up and slipping back into her pajama pants. What she was doing was trying to control the shaking in her whole body. It was the worse possible time to have a flashback to a not so good sexual encounter.

“Why?” His tone was what made her turn to stare at him when he spoke, he sounded cold. “I’m sick of this, you get me going then I get nothing,” he went on while getting dressed. “I keep asking myself why I bother with you, yeah you’re cute but I can do better. At least with another girl I can get some and I don’t have to care, I tell you I love you and that means nothing. I think I’ll go stay somewhere else,” he said getting up.

Eve stood frozen in the middle of her room; this had to be a dream or a nightmare. When she woke up none of this would have happened and Neil would still be perfect. She knew people acted out and she’d been warned he could become a complete stranger. But was it possible for someone so sweet and loving to be so hateful? What she wanted to do was tell him, but it would be one secret too many. And he was probably sick of her secrets and her past, which she didn’t blame him for. There was just no reason to further burden him with her issues and drama. Maybe he needed to be alone and not have to deal with her. He did have enough to deal with; Molly had called to tell her that there would be a party to celebrate Corrina’s charity.

“If that’s the way you feel then I understand,” she said trying to keep her voice steady. There was no use in arguing or explaining, she was tried of her own drama.

“Eve,” his voice was different no longer cold but sad. “I’m sorry,” he said coming back to where she was in the middle of the room.

“Don’t say anything ok? I just have issues and it’s not your fault, I just need to get over it,” she said turning away and going back to her bed.

“I really don’t drink, but I needed a distraction,” he told her when he sat down. “I just keep seeing her lifeless body floating there in the water,” he said.

“Neil,” she didn’t know what to say so she just put her arms around him.

They laid in her bed in silence, he was laying his head against her and she held him. She stared at the ceiling, wondering if he was asleep and if things would be different in the morning. Their whole relationship was nothing but drama she had all kinds of issues and so did he, was this even healthy? It was great being with him and she knew she’d fallen for him completely. But she had a few intimacy issues, which could be mostly blamed on Jay her ex. A lot of things wrong with her life could be blamed on Jay; he had done a lot of damage. The last time she’d seen him he had a gun pointed at her, he wanted to kill Claira but she stepped in between them. He had completely lost his mind and some how her mother had saved her. The whole thing was a mess and there were a lot of times when she closed her eyes and saw him with that crazed look in his eyes.

“Eve,” Neil whispered, she’d thought he was asleep. “I’m sorry for what I said,” he told her.

“It’s ok,” she replied, she didn’t want to have this conversation. Wouldn’t it have been easier if they just ignored the issue?

“No, Eve I love you and I’m just losing it,” he said. She stared straight in his eyes, he said it again. It was because he was drunk right?

“Just go to sleep, we can talk later,” she told him.

“Eve,” he said and he sat up. “I love you,” her heart stopped.

“You’re drunk and you’re upset, you don’t love me,” she said.

“Eve De Marco, I would say it no matter what. I love you,” he said. She sat up completely loss for words and before she could even try to say something, he kissed her. This just had to be some kind of dream.

 

 

When Eve woke up she sat straight up and looked around her room, she was alone. So maybe it was all a dream? The clock beside her bed said it was almost noon; she didn’t normally sleep in this late. Before she could even get out of bed there was a knock on her door and Danny’s head peeked in. She’d been half expecting it to be Neil or maybe Joan wondering why he’d spent the night. But it was a dream, right?

“Hey,” Danny said and as usual he went to lay on her day bed. “Since when do you sleep the day away? You and Morgana are usually out plotting to take over the world,” he said.

“I had the weirdest dream,” she replied. But when she was getting up out of her bed she realized it wasn’t a dream at all. When she’d gone to bed she’d definitely had pajamas on and now her panties weren’t even on.

“Evey,” Danny said jumping up while she tried to cover herself up. “Since when do you sleep naked?” He got up and came to sit on her bed; she just laid there with her eyes closed trying to figure out what happened.

“Neil was here last night,” she said. “He was drunk and he told me he loved me,” she told him.

“So what you had hot drunk guy sex?” Danny asked, he was clearly amused but she sure wasn’t.

“Hand me those pants please,” she said. She was surprised he actually handed them to her and didn’t torture her first. “I was hoping that the whole thing was just a dream,” she said when she got up with her pants on.

“I thought you were being a good girl and not having sex with him?” He asked, he laid in her bed while she got up and scrolled through her cell phone.

“We didn’t have sex,” she replied. There was a new text message from Neil, she wasn’t sure she wanted to read it.

“Then why are you all exposed?” It was a good question, she’d sworn she’d put her panties back on.

“I was so tired, he just showed up and he was drunk and he was all over me. Then he was like a different person, he was so mad at me because I didn’t want to have sex,” she said sitting back down on her bed. “I’ve never seen him so angry, it was horrible,” she went on.

“You don’t even know sports star guy,” Danny said dismissively. “I’ve been in school with him since we moved here ten years ago; he’s not what he seems. You think he’s all good and sweet but everybody has an evil side. There are even things you don’t know about Morgana,” he told her.

“Like what?” She asked he seemed to be even more amused than before. While she was still trying to sort out what happened after she’d fallen asleep. If people sleep walked and sleep ate could they do other things in their sleep?

“Like she was best friends with Corrina Jay and her friends, never noticed that those girls target her especially? She was just like them,” he said. But that wasn’t exactly news to her. It wasn’t hard to figure out that they’d been friends and Morgana had eventually confessed.

“You didn’t really know her before I came here and you don’t know Neil at all, stop being so judgmental. Do you forget how we met? When you say people aren’t always what they seem, that’s true. I learned that life is always surprising,” she told him.

“Whatever you say Miss De Marco,” he said shaking his head. “Anyway, I met this girl,” he said. There was a twinkle in his eyes when he said it so she knew that there would be trouble. In the short time she’d been friends with Danny she’d gotten to know him so well that she could read him like a book.

“Let me guess she’s not really a girl but a married woman and you’ve written a book of poetry about the things you would like to do to her?” She asked and they both laughed, Danny was a lover and a writer. He was all about passion and never much about logic, and that got him in trouble all the time.

“She’s our age but she’s got some college boyfriend who’s probably cheating on her. The only trouble is that she’s filthy rich and my mom started working as her maid. It’s beyond embarrassing but she did actually talk to me and we’ve been emailing back and fourth. I feel like she really gets me and I think I’m in love,” he told her with this starry eyed look.

“I thought I had problems,” she said laughing. “Danny you can’t just love every girl that says hi to you. It’s ridiculous, you are a total catch but you insist on being a puppy for girls you can’t have. She will break your heart Daniel Kane, I will warn you now because I know you won’t listen. Be careful,” she told him and he nodded.

When she was with Claira there were many times when guys would hire them for all types of sexual favors. Eve never wanted to do it, but Claira always insisted and she always found someway to get Eve to do it. Mostly Eve felt guilty because she knew her sister wanted to try to make a life for them. They had always planned on finding away to go back to Italy where they had once been happy. That was part of the many reasons for the scams and stealing and whatever else they did for money, they both wanted to go home. When they lived there everything was great, their father was a painter and though they weren’t exactly rich they were all happy. Back in Italy their parents were in love and weren’t criminals. Sanoe had big dreams and Antonio wanted to make them come true. Somewhere along the way everybody including Eve and Claira lost their dreams and everything else with them. But Claira was convinced that if they could make it home and track down their father’s family, everything would be ok.

It was the fall that Eve turned 14 and Claira turned 15 that she’d met Danny. He was visiting his cousin in the town were they lived with another set of foster parents. His cousin had been in love with Claira since he’d first seen her, but she didn’t acknowledge him. Claira believed that she would fall in love with an Italian man one day and refused to ever even consider any American boy. Because this guy was so in love with Claira he figured the only way to get close to her was with money. He purchased an evening with Claira and treated Danny to one with Eve. When Danny realized how much Eve wasn’t into the whole thing, they just hung out. Which had turned out to be a big mistake because that was when Eve’s ex had decided to start acting crazy and things just kept going down hill from there. Jay saw Eve and Danny at a carnival and got jealous and confronted them. He was convinced that she was cheating on him, even though she later found out that he was cheating on her with her closest and only friend.

There was something about Danny that made Eve smile every time she heard from him. They kept in contact despite her crazy boyfriend and became really close. After the chaos that landed Eve in her current home she really needed a good friend and that was where Danny came in. By some strange coincidence she ended up in his town and at his school. It seemed like fate brought her to this place, even though things started off a little rocky. Morgana the party girl got Eve, Danny and his brother Ben into a crazy party. It was the exact last time that Eve drank and one of the very few times she ever in her life got drunk. She’d been trying to numb her pain and wash away the past, but that got her in more trouble. Ben was drunk too and one thing led to another and she’d done something she regretted. That was the turning point for her and she changed everything in her life. Things with Ben were weird at first but he became a really good friend and at the time she needed the support of friends.

 

 

Mario leaned in the doorway to the kitchen and shook his head. His parents had been home for less than 24hrs and everything was already out of hand. Mimi, his mother was baking and it was pretty clear that she’d been doing so most of the night. He’d just gotten home and of course nobody would notice if he was out all night, even if he wasn’t 19 and in his second year of college. There were never strict rules in the Jay house, after losing their youngest daughter he’d thought that his parents would change. Clearly since they still travelled most of the year, nothing was ever going to change. To everyone else in the world they were perfect loving parents, but he knew the truth. When Corrina died they weren’t around and they seemed to be completely ignoring Neil’s very apparent issues.

Mimi’s response to anything that wasn’t perfect in her life was baking. When her kids were growing up she didn’t tuck them in at night or ever cook them a meal, unless she was upset or stressed or something was wrong. After Corrina died she baked for days and then checked herself into a ‘spa’ for 3 months. Most of her days were spent in Paris in an apartment she pretended she didn’t have. Mimi was always an affectionate person, especially in public, but she wasn’t a loving mother. In fact she wasn’t much of a mother at all, that was what nannies were for. Mario was shocked at the fact that his mother had had six children or any for that matter.

“Mom,” he said when he actually entered the kitchen. She looked startled to see him there, he wondered if it was because he called her ‘mom’.

“Mario,” she said with a big fake smile and her French accent. She stopped mixing whatever she was mixing in a big bowl and threw her arms around him. It would be an understatement to say that he harbored some resentment for his absentee mother. “I missed you sweet heart,” she said.

“Me too,” he said completely unenthusiastically, she of course was oblivious. “Have you seen Neil?” He asked, her smile seemed to dropped a little but she didn’t quite frown.

“No not this morning,” she said going back to her work. “I baked fresh bread and a few other goodies; I’m going to make a big meal tonight. We’re having a big dinner and I want all of you here,” she said matter of factly.

“How long are you here for?” He asked, dinner meant trouble and drama.

“Darling, I’m home for good,” she said with a very forced smile on her face.

“Bonjour la mere,” Molly greeted when she came in with a smile on her face. Poor disillusioned Molly; she believed that Mimi actually cared somewhere deep down in her unloving heart.

“Bonjour mon amour,” Mimi said pulling Molly into a hug. “How are your studies?” She asked and for a second it seemed almost like she actually cared.

Mario decided it was time to slip out the kitchen and get far away from his mother. Prolonged exposure to Mimi Jay was never good for your health. As he headed upstairs to his room he pulled out his phone and he considered calling Morgana. The only reason he decided not to was because he’d just dropped her off. They’d spent the night together and now she was over Eve’s house. His friend at school was away for a few days so Mario had use of his apartment. Never had he imagined that he would be this involved with Morgana Wrecker. She was younger and he typically didn’t go for younger girls, especially not high school girls. But she didn’t act like girls her age or really girls his age for that matter; she was mature beyond her years. Back when she was some little kid playing with Corrina he never would have imaged they would end up together. Then again back then he would have never thought Corrina would end up dead. Life was very surprising sometimes, lately it was a little weird. Since he wasn’t calling Morgana he decided to try to find his little brother.

“Hey,” Neil said when he answered; it was surprising that he actually answered.

“Your mother wants everybody home for dinner, she’s cooking,” Mario informed his brother.

“I think I’ll skip it,” Neil replied predictably.

“She says she moving home for good,” he said knowing that it would get a reaction.

“Meet me,” was Neil’s reply. “I’m outside the church right now, something happened,” he said.

“On my way,” Mario said before he hung up.

He could tell something was wrong with Neil from the sound of his voice before he’d even said a word. This gave him an excuse to get away from the house again, but he knew dinner was mandatory. If Mimi wanted it then Gordon Jay gave it to her, good old dad. He was home more often than she was but that wasn’t saying much. Gordon called to check in and he kept up with their lives, but he wasn’t one to be tied down. Though he was the reason that there were so many of them, he wanted a big family. Before Corrina died he pressured Mimi to have more kids, but he let it go because everybody was a wreck. Tonight dinner was promising to be nothing but drama; he was starting to wish he’d gone away to college.

 

 

When she heard the name she knew it had to be a mistake, it wasn’t possible. But this wasn’t a dream, it was real and here was her case worker. Cathy Newberry was way too friendly and clearly she didn’t have a hard life. She was always perky and it was kind of annoying, but she was nice. Sometimes Eve wondered if she owned anything that people her age wore. Cathy was in her mid-twenties but dressed like she was forty. Every time she came around she was wearing some type of suit and usually they were in shades of white, cream or beige. If she tried even a little Cathy would be something to look at, under her old lady clothes she was actually pretty. Of all the case workers that Eve had come across she actually liked Cathy the most, it seemed like these days she liked a lot of people more and they liked her without her sister. Previously every case worker dropped them because Claira made their jobs very difficult, just like with the foster parents. She’d even once slept with the foster father.

“Antonio De Marco, your father, he wants to see you,” Cathy said.

“I haven’t seen or heard from him in years,” Eve replied.

“I’m aware of that, but it’s possible that he will be released soon so he wants to see you. Currently you are the only member of your family that he can actually get in contact with. Your sister and mother are both missing, that was another thing we needed to discuss. They may try to contact you, neither knows where you are and you have been moved across a few states. But there’s always the possibility that they can some how track you down, your name is the same. Plus it’s not like you’re in that witness protection program thing,” Cathy said with a slight laugh.

It wasn’t funny to Eve; the witness protection people wouldn’t be able to help her. Nobody could keep her mother and sister away; she knew this day would come. But she hadn’t given much thought to what would happen when her father was a free man. She really didn’t think of him much at all, he’d been gone so long. There was never a time before when she was told that he wanted to see or hear from her. In fact he’d never made contact once he was gone almost 6 yrs ago. So what could he possibly want now? Was he going to try to help her mother and sister find her? She had so many questions and so many thoughts were running through her head, but Cathy wouldn’t be able to help her. Cathy was too nice and she couldn’t possibly understand the De Marco family dramas.

When her father got involved with some Tony Soprano wannabe type guy she knew it was trouble. Even at the age of nine she could read people pretty well. She was never clear on what exactly happened or how her father ended up in jail, but she knew who to blame. Her mother just said they were dangerous people and before there was even a court hearing for Antonio, she moved them. Once he had been Eve’s hero and she’d sit for hours and watch him paint and try to do everything he did. But he stopped painting and stopped being fun and was gone a lot. Her parents fought a lot about pretty much every little thing. There were nights when she and Claira would hide under the covers together and pray for things to get better.

After moving away from Antonio, Sanoe went a few months living on savings and then start doing all the same things that got her daughters in trouble. All of the lying, cheating, stealing, sleeping around and other sorted criminal actives that both Eve and Claira engaged in was all learned from their mother. Watching her do all those things should have made them do the opposite, but Claira believed if she did it better then they would have better results. Of course she was clearly very wrong and it just got them in all the trouble that their mother some how evaded. Sanoe was good at staying out of trouble by disappearing. And it was that very thing that got her daughters taken away. She was gone for months before anybody realized that they were living on their own. Somewhere between them skipping school, stealing and the rent at their apartment not getting paid, somebody reported them. All of their problems and the break up of her family really could all be blamed on that man. If she remembered his name then she would want to track him down and ask him why he destroyed her family. But that was years ago, she still remembered his face. Though she’d met many people in her life, she never forgot a face.

“You don’t have to speak with him,” Joan told her. “How does he even know where to get in touch with her? None of her family is supposed to know where she is,” she said to Cathy.

“Oh, he actually went to a lot of trouble. He called every last known address and every case worker and pretty much any and everybody that could lead him here. The judge from the last court hearing contacted my office and I spoke to him myself. Nobody has told him of Eve’s location, I just agreed to pass the message along. What he really wants is to see you, but a simple call will do,” Cathy said smiling brightly. Today for some reason her enthusiasm was getting on Eve’s nerves.

“So how is it that Claira is missing?” Eve asked trying to change the subject, she knew it would happen. Nobody could make Claira do anything she didn’t want to do.

“I’m not sure of all the details but I believe there was an incident with a guard and a few other kids. No one was hurt and no one knows where she or the others are. It’s believed that they had both inside and outside help in escaping,” Cathy said her smile dimed a little. But she had no idea what Claira was capable of, Cathy was beyond naïve.

“Maybe we need to move,” Joan said and Eve stared at her. “We have savings and we could go abroad somewhere, just till we know it’s safe for you. I know you love your family but you almost died because of them and I won’t let them hurt you again,” she said.

If it wasn’t for the fact that things were finally going good for her, Eve might have considered the whole thing. Joan was so amazing; she had to be the most loving person in the world. She wanted to give up her whole life just to protect a girl she’d only known almost six months. How was it possible that someone existed that was so selfless? It wasn’t fair that Joan and William were unable to have children of their own, if anybody deserved children they did. Eve didn’t understand how people who abused and neglected children got to have as many as they wanted, but not people like this. Why were good people punished sometimes and bad people weren’t? Her parents were given two daughters and they didn’t deserve them. The world was so unfair, she knew that but it was becoming clearer everyday. Life was a big mystery and she hoped there were reasons for everything, but she wasn’t sure. Neil told her that God has a plan for everybody and that there was a reason. But she knew he couldn’t find a reason why he lost his sister and why his parents were never around.

“No, Claira will find me no matter where I am and so will my mother. They will think that they are saving me, but I don’t need to be saved. I’m right where I’m meant to be and I’m not running away with them anywhere,” Eve said and Joan smiled.

“If she comes near you just give me a call or phone the local police and she’ll be picked up,” Cathy said dismissively. “So have you decided what to do about your father?” She was still smiling, it didn’t seem like she could actually frown.

“I’ll talk to him,” Eve said. There were a lot of things she wanted to know. While she couldn’t change the past at least understanding it might make it easier to move forward. Maybe he could heal some of the many wounds both she and Claira shared, maybe he could heal Claira. Eve knew her sister would be popping up soon and maybe there was something their father could say or do that would help Claira with her inner demons that were plaguing her all these years. It was a long shot but she had hope for her sister and her parents, if she could change so could they. Or at least she hoped that they could. And maybe one day they could all sit down together and become a family again. She knew it would take a long time, but it was possible, anything was possible.

 

 

“Did you get Chris’ text?” Neil asked Mario when he arrived at the park by the church. He’d been there for hours trying to clear his head even though it was cold out.

“Yeah, Mimi wants us to bring dates to dinner,” Mario replied shaking his head. Clearly he thought the idea was as crazy as Neil thought it was. “Are you going to bring Eve over?” He asked and Neil had to restrain himself from laughing.

“I messed up last night; I said some things to her that I shouldn’t have. And I did some things that I shouldn’t have,” Neil said. That was why he was here, he’d left Eve’s house just before the sun came up and drove around trying to find some clarity that he still hadn’t come across.

“What did you finally have sex with her? You have been rather tense little brother, I think you kinda need it,” Mario said.

“No we were closer than ever before, but she pulled back and I sort of got mad and said all this stuff. I was drunk, very very drunk, Rico was going to some party or another and I drank way too much. Then I was out driving around and I could’ve killed somebody,” he said staring down at the ground.

“Ok so you did stupid stuff, everybody makes mistakes, even you Mr. Perfect,” Mario said. But he didn’t get it; he was trying to make it better. Neil didn’t want to feel better about what he’d done; he needed to feel responsible because he was.

“Libby was at that party and something happened,” he said. Hearing it out loud made it worse, he didn’t want to tell his brother or even himself. But he knew he was going to have to tell Eve and he really didn’t want to do that.

“If you wanted a drunken hook up you could’ve done way better then that girl,” Mario replied. There was shock in his voice and Neil had expected that because this wasn’t something he would do. He wasn’t a cheater and he didn’t drink, but he’d done both last night. And he wasn’t sure why he’d done it.

“Some how I managed not to tell Eve, but I have to,” he said.

It was starting to snow and it was very cold, but he’d been sitting on top of a picnic table for hours. The plan had been to go in the church and find some guidance, but he couldn’t bear to go in. Not after what he’d done, it was too much. There was absolutely no excuse for cheating. There was no reason on earth that Eve should forgive him for what he said or what he’d done. But he loved her and he didn’t want to lose her. He didn’t have sex with Libby, but it was still wrong and cheating. And afterwards he went and crawled into Eve’s bed, what was wrong with him? How could he do something like that? The past few months he wasn’t sure who he was anymore and last night made it painfully clear that he wasn’t any closer to finding himself. When he was with Eve he was happy and he almost felt in touch with the world again.

After Corrina died he didn’t go back to school, he took some courses online so that he wouldn’t get behind. The thought of going back to school and looking at those sad faces and hearing people say things was too much for him. His parents insisted that the whole family go into therapy to help ease everyone back into some sort of routine. It seemed to have worked for everybody except him. For the summer he went away and avoided all contact with his friends. Then once the fall hit and he had to start 8^th grade, he went back and tried to live a somewhat normal life. In time over the past three years he’d found some way of living and making everybody think he was ok. But he wasn’t ok and it was during this past summer that he realized he needed to change.

He needed to get away from his friends first and when he did was when he’d started talking to Eve. It was then that he realized the longer he hung around Libby and the other girls the more annoyed he was getting. Rico and Ricky were still his best friends and he still hung out with them, he was just done with the girls. Libby was constantly trying to get him to go out with her and Cindy and Dawn would pester him too. Why was it so hard for her to realize that he would never love her and he wasn’t going to pretend? Once she’d been a good friend but she became such an ugly person on the inside that he needed to not deal with her. There were enough things for him to worry about. Even though he tried hard not to think of Corrina most of the time, she was still always on his mind. For over a year after her death he had horrible nightmares about her, it was him that found her body. That day played over in his head a million times and he still didn’t understand what happened.

“Bring her to dinner and talk to her after,” Mario suggested.

“Yeah, if she doesn’t break up with me for what I did then she definitely will after she meets Mimi,” he said and Mario nodded.

If it wasn’t for his sibling Neil knew he wouldn’t have made it after Corrina was gone. They were always supportive and always there for him, which he needed. Their parents weren’t around much and Mimi was too insensitive to understand how he felt. Neil had always been pretty sure his mother had to be from another planet. Sometimes she just said things without thinking and usually she was always offending somebody and not noticing. If she ever paid attention to other people then she might have had some kind of clue, but that was Mimi. With a self-centered mother and a workaholic father everybody wondered how Neil was the way he was. He volunteered, was involved with a bunch of assorted extra curricular activities in school and was very involved in church. Most of it was his grandparents doing; they raised him and his siblings along with the help of a few good nannies.

His strong beliefs and unwavering faith was what got him through life. That was why he knew that day when he first saw Eve alone that it was a sign that he should talk to her. Some how he knew the first time he’d seen her over the summer that she would be the one to change his life. She had and he was doing so much better and he was a lot less lost in the depression he pretended he didn’t have. After starting his anti-depressants he’d been on auto-pilot for three years. Some days he felt like a zombie and there were times when he didn’t take the pills and felt crazy. But when he was with Eve he felt alive again and he didn’t want to lose her or the feeling he had when he was with her. He hoped there was someway to fix this mess because he loved Eve and was almost certain she was his soul mate. Worse things than this happened in relationships, which of course still didn’t excuse his behavior.

“For once we all are with somebody,” Mario said. “Damien and Juliet, Chris and Aiden, Molly and Patrick, you and Eve and me and Morgana,” he listed everybody off.

“Which is weirder you and I dating best friends or Molly dating your girl’s brother?” Neil asked and Mario laughed, it was quite a situation.

“The question is what’s gonna make Mimi explode more Juliet being pregnant or Chris being engaged?” Mario asked and they both laughed.

Their parents had missed out on a lot in their lives and they would soon find out how much. Damien who happened to be the oldest just announced that his fiancée Juliet was pregnant at their usual sibling lunch after church a month ago. The same day Christianna announced her engagement to her boyfriend of two years. They told their grandparents of the news, but everybody agreed not to tell Mimi and Gordon. Since they were due in town it seemed better to tell them in person. That was one reason and the other was that they deserved to wait since they weren’t too involved in the lives of their children. Betty and Paul Jay didn’t understand how their son could have married such a flighty woman. They also didn’t understand how the son they raised could put work before his family. But they stepped in and instilled morals and values into their grandchildren and hoped that they would turn out much different.

Neil had always hated how his parents pretended that they had some hand in raising him and his brothers and sisters. They had a public image that they wanted to show, but he gave up on resenting them. If they were around they would probably do a crappy job of parenting. And he preferred his grandparents, they were the reason he knew right and wrong. Though he’d done wrong last night he was glad to actually be able to acknowledge it and understand that he had to fix this. It was time to let go of everything he had built up since Corrina’s death, because he was doing things he wasn’t proud of. And he knew Corrina wouldn’t want him acting this way. Of course it was easier said than done, but it was worth it so he could try to really start living again.

 

 

“Dinner was interesting,” Eve said when she and Neil were up in his room.

“Always is when Mimi is in town,” he replied flopping down on his bed. She knew something was on his mind; there were a lot of things on hers too.

“So yeah my dad wants me to visit him in jail,” she told him. It was an attempt to break up the silence that was dragging on. “My case worker told me earlier he’s bent over backwards just to get in touch with me. She also told me that my mom and sister are both missing, so if I get kidnapped soon you’ll know why,” she said matter of factly. The look on his face was of shock, but she’d half expected that. It wasn’t something she could worry about anymore, there were just things she had no control over.

“Would they really kidnap you?” He asked there was concern in his eyes and in his voice.

“They will try because they think I need to be rescued, but I don’t want to be. I like my life just fine,” she said lying back on the bed. “So are you gonna tell me what’s on your mind or do I have to talk about my family more? I do hate talking about them,” she said. If he wasn’t gonna say anything then she figured she’d have to say something.

“My family is just stressful, and something is up if Mimi is moving home. She stayed like a month after Corrina died and was gone for another six months. I just don’t wanna be bothered,” he said. But she had a feeling there was more.

At dinner she had the pleasure of meeting Mimi and Gordon Jay, his parents. It was quite an experience since she’d never had good run-ins with parents. They weren’t anything like the Jay grandparents, but they were interesting. Mimi was very theatrical and when she found out that Christianna was engaged and Damien was expecting a child with his fiancée she really performed. She was crying and throwing herself on her children. At first it was hard to tell if she was upset or excited, Neil had whispered that there really wasn’t a difference. Eventually she had to leave the table because it was too much for her. The fact that all of her children had love lives was too much for her too and hosting a thanksgiving dinner and moving home. Everything seemed to be too much for Mimi Jay, even though she wasn’t even cooking for thanksgiving. She hired a party planner and decorator and caterer to do all that for her. And in regards to her moving she was just going to go buy new stuff and leave her old stuff at her château in Paris. Pretty much Mimi’s life was very easy.

When Mimi brought up Corrina and the benefit dinner that was coming up after the holiday that was when it was too much for everyone else. Eve was the only one who hadn’t actually known Corrina, but even she felt annoyed. The things she said were completely insensitive and it wasn’t something you would expect a mother to say. This was her daughter and yet it seemed like she didn’t care at all that she was gone. Most of the time during dinner Eve held Neil’s hand because he really needed her. There was no way that Neil came for that woman; it was actually a scary thought. Gordon seemed like he was ready to tie his wife up and duct tape her mouth.

As if the last 24 hours hadn’t been bizarre enough, there was some awkwardness between Eve and Neil. She didn’t understand why, she was willing to forget last night and pretend it never happened. But she was afraid that he was still dwelling on it and there was something else going on too. When he called it sounded like he didn’t want her to come, like he was hoping she had other things to do. Morgana had insisted she come upon penalty of death. And when he came to pick her up, Mario was with him, so they didn’t get to talk. This was the first time they were alone since he left her house that morning. It seemed like he didn’t want to be near her at all and it actually hurt. This was one of the many reasons she hadn’t wanted to get attached in the being, it was too late now she was in pretty deep. She felt like because of what happened last nigh that she should be completely honest with him about what was haunting her. If her therapist told her again that she needed to tell him and that he’d understand she was going to lose her mind. But there was no easy way and there was a chance he would never look at her the same way again.

“Are you ok with the whole benefit thing?” She asked trying to break up the silence. It probably wasn’t the best subject to switch to but it was better than silence.

“I think it’s a good thing, Corrina always loved helping people. Raising money for programs for young girls and starting a scholarship fund is great. I think if they’d had told me about it before I might have been upset, but I’m in a good place now. Well as far as things go with Corrina anyway,” he said. He wasn’t looking at her, like it pained him to look into her eyes. Was last night that serious to him?

“Neil, are you mad at me?” She asked and he finally looked up into her eyes, he looked surprised.

“There was no excuse for last night,” he said taking her hands. “I never do that type of thing and I’m especially not supposed to drink with my anti-depressants,” he said. It seemed like he wanted to say more but he looked away from her again and she sat up.

“Don’t worry about it ok? I should have told you before, but I was scared of what you would think. But I have to tell you something and I just hope you’ll still want to be with me after I do,” she said.

“Eve,” he started but clearly he didn’t know what to ay. Because of course he still didn’t know what he’d gotten himself into with her.

“Jay, my ex, he held a gun to my head and forced me to have sex with him,” she said then paused a second. The look on his face made her feel sick, so she looked away and stared at his comforter. “He made me mom and sister watch, and every time I close my eyes I still see him,” she went on.

At this point she couldn’t bring herself to look at him and it was so silent she felt like she could hear his heart beat. What she really wanted was to curl up in a ball and die; it would make everything so much easier. What Jay had done to her traumatized her so much that for months after it happened she couldn’t be alone. The thing with him was only the beginning of the end for her, things got worse with her mom and sister. But that was the past and if she didn’t get it out now it was going to keep haunting her. If she told him what happened with her mom and sister it wouldn’t help her any. It was just important to share this to explain why she kept freaking out about sex. Even when she’d had to have sex with strangers, she’d at least been able to do it. Those times she just let it happen and numbed her insides. That had all been to get back home right? She wasn’t home in Italy and she wasn’t with her sister anymore, but she felt at home here. So maybe all of it was so she could end up here?

As the silence stretched on so did her regret, this was too much. Why hadn’t she stayed home? She should have been trying to figure out what to say to her father and how to stay away from her mother and sister. Instead she was further baring her soul and humiliating herself. He had to be thinking terrible things of her; she was surprised that he didn’t ask her to leave. Her hand was over her cell phone ready to text Joan for a rescue. Talking about this also made her think of other things that had happened to her that caused her sexual issues. There was the incident where a foster parent had touched her inappropriately. When she’d first been with Jay he’d made her feel safe and then turned around and almost killed her and her family. Neil made her feel safe and loved, that worried her. Pretty much everything worried her; she was waiting for the bottom to fall out of her new normal life. Something always happened; there was no way out of it. And she knew trouble was coming as soon as Cathy told her Claira escaped. Who else but their mother would have helped her?

When she thought about how Neil and his brothers and sisters reacted towards their mother, it interested her. Mimi neglected her children and so did Sanoe, but would Mimi ever break her kids out of a reform school? Of course the Jays were too perfect to get into trouble like she and Claira did. And they had family around to be there for them, they also had money. There was no comparing the two families, they were too different. Neglect and abandonment was a common issue, but for Eve and Claira everything went wrong. For the Jays the best thing for them seemed to be having their mother pretend they didn’t exist. The whole thing was so odd, but it made Eve wonder about a lot of things. Like what if her mother hadn’t pushed away all of their family? Would there have been someone to save them? But there was no point in dealing in ‘what ifs’, there was no going back. And she loved Joan, the only real mother she’d had since her real mother went off duty years ago.

“I’m sorry,” Neil whispered after what seemed an eternity. “I was never mad at you and I really wish I could take all of last night back,” he said. He pulled her across the bed and into his arms, where she felt safest.

“Are you disgusted with me?” She asked him, but only because she couldn’t stop the words before they came out. He looked surprised by her questioned.

“Why would I be? He hurt you, it’s not your fault,” he told her. That was something she’d heard a million times. But she still felt responsible, she’d let Jay into her life, despite Claira’s misgivings.

“I just keep thinking that because everything feels right with you, that something bad has to happen. It always does,” she said and he looked away.

“Remember I told you I love you last night?” He asked and she nodded, there was something going on. “Eve, I really do love you, so I have to be honest,” he went on.

It felt like time had stopped and she couldn’t breathe. The way he was staring at the wall avoiding looking at her made her really worry. Was this it, did he want to break up? That wouldn’t have surprised her, why would a great guy like him want her? She was trouble and she was troubled, any sane person would have ran a long time ago. But he stuck around because he was too nice for his own good and he probably loved her like a friend. That explained why he clearly didn’t want her meeting his obviously judgmental parents. She felt stupid, that last bit about Jay had to be the final nail in her coffin. If only she hadn’t dropped her cell phone when he pulled her into his arms, she’d have gotten someone to rescue her. How awkward would it be to get dumped right now after dinner with his parents? Then he’d have to drive her home because she never bothered to care about getting her license.

“I hate honesty,” she said, it was true. If it wasn’t for honesty she wouldn’t have felt the need to tell him the truth about her past. Why hadn’t she just lied and made her life sound a lot better than if had actually been? Wasn’t that the type of thing normal people did?

“Right now so do I,” he said with a hollow laugh. “Last night I did something that I regret so much and there is no excuse for it. Yeah I was drunk I was a little out of my mind and I’ve been taking those pills, but it happened,” he paused. “I hooked up with Libby at that party I went to,” he said.

Why hadn’t he broken up with her? That would have been way easier to process than him cheating. Libby Johnston was the mean girl at school; Regina George had nothing on Libby. And she’d been on a campaign against Eve since their run in at Mario’s frat party. The whole thing amused Eve, nobody had ever been this jealous of her. The girl was annoying and evil, but Eve didn’t acknowledge her much. It was Eve after all who had Neil and he didn’t want Libby, he wanted her. So why of all the people in the world did it have to be her number one hater? Why Libby, who was in some type of obsessive love with Neil? This was humiliating, the whole world would know about it too. There was just no way that girl was going to keep it quiet.

“It’s because I won’t have sex with you, right?” The question came out before she could stop herself, she wanted to know, but at the same time she didn’t.

“No, I was just being an idiot. I don’t blame you if you don’t want to be with me, I really messed up. Then after that I was so horrible to you, I honestly don’t know why you’re still talking to me,” he said. It was pretty clear that this whole thing was ripping his heart and soul apart.

The truth was that Neil wasn’t that type of person. He was too good and sweet to ever hurt anybody intentionally. She knew that for as betrayed as she felt right now, he had to be feeling a million times worse. In his churchy mind cheating was a terrible sin and she knew he couldn’t forgive himself. It was pretty clear that he expected her to break up with him. Which was actually funny since she’d thought that he’d wanted to break up with her. This was the trouble with giving someone your heart; there was a huge chance that they would break it. When she found out that Jay had been sleeping with her best friend it torn her up inside. At first she’d blamed herself, like maybe she wasn’t good enough. In this case she knew that she and Libby were completely different people, but there was no way he could prefer that prissy princess. People made mistakes and she herself had made a lot of them. Neil was sorry and she didn’t want to lose him over this. It was partly because she knew she loved him and also because Libby couldn’t win. Logically she knew that even if she broke up with him that Neil didn’t want Libby, but still she knew that was exactly what Libby was thinking.

“What exactly did you do with her?” Before she made a decision she wanted the details even if knowing made her mad and sick.

“From what I remember there was kissing and she um did a little something for me,” he said. He was clearly embarrassed, but she laughed and he stared at her.

“Well you didn’t have sex with her, so I guess I can forgive you,” she said. There was no way she could give him up, how often did a guy like him come around? She was only 16 but she knew that there was a chance that she’d never find a better guy than Neil and she didn’t want to.

“Really? Eve, I love you so much and I swear it will never happen again. I’m done acting out because of what happened to Corrina, she’d be so ashamed of me. Who have I become? Yes I lost a part of me with her, but that doesn’t mean I should drink or do stupid thing or hide out. Corrina always loved life and I know she’d want me to live it, even without her. It’s just taken me a long time to get to where I can be myself again and I know it’s because I met you,” he said. Neil was sure good at making her want to love him even more. How could she not love someone like him?

“You’re human and you made a mistake, it pisses me off that you did it and it was her. But I think I love you and I can’t imagine not being with you,” she told him and he kissed her. She knew she was in trouble because she did love him and something catastrophic had to happen now. That was the way her life worked, when things were good, the bad had to come.

“If your mom and sister show up to take you away, I will find you. No matter where you go, Eve De Marco you’re mine now,” he whispered in her ear.

“Is that what you meant by forever?” she asked and he smiled the first smile she’d seen from him all day.

“Forever is forever, you’re my girl and I’d do anything to protect you,” he said.

There he went saying things like that, things that made he love him more. Things that made her feel safe with him, she was never safe. While her sister eluded capture and her mother was free to roam, she wasn’t safe. And there was the fact that Jay had disappeared before he could be arrested. He was out there somewhere; she just hoped that he would stay away. One day she knew that everything would be fine and she could live her life without having to worry so much. For now she relied on her paranoia to keep her cautious and to keep herself from forgetting. If she let herself forget all those things that hurt her, then she wouldn’t be able to stay strong. It was all the bad that made inspired her to change her fate and take a different path in life. Forgetting would mean that she couldn’t truly know how good things were for her now. If she didn’t know how bad her life could be, then she couldn’t fully appreciate the blessings that had come her way now.

“I love you Cornelius Jay,” she said.

“I love you too Eve De Marco,” he replied then kissed her.

“Maybe I should have knocked,” Mimi’s accent voice rang over them. There she stood in the doorway smiling at them with a smile that didn’t show in her eyes.

“Maybe,” Neil hissed under his breathe. Clearly Mimi didn’t hear him because she came into the room. “Did you need something mother?” He asked, of course it would probably kill him to be disrespectful even to his mother. When she’d opened the door they had been kissing, it was déjà vu, Christianna and Molly had both done this before. Like mother like daughters in the case of privacy it seemed.

“No, not really,” she said, but it didn’t seem like she was going to leave. “I just missed my little boy, you’re so grown up,” she said. The way she spoke you would think that Neil was 6 not 16.

“Well, you’ll see me all the time now,” he replied. He didn’t even try to cover up the annoyance in his voice, nobody wanted her home. Mario had told Eve that on the way over, only Molly entertained fantasies of Mimi being a real mother. But even she didn’t have very high expectations.

“Eve, you and I must get to know each other. Cornelius really seems to love you and if my baby boy loves you I have to know you. Who is your mother? I want to meet your parents,” she said.

“Uh my foster mother’s name is Joan Ferris, she’s a psych professor at the university,” Eve told her and Mimi nodded with a smile.

“Wonderful darling, you seem so sweet,” Mimi said. Her smiled seemed to be strained; of course snobby mommy was thinking that Eve wasn’t good enough for her son. “I can’t believe that you’re bother is dating that girl,” Mimi said to Neil. “She’s not right for him,” she went on before saying things in French. While Eve didn’t understand French, she knew Morgana was being insulted.

“You do know Patrick is her brother right? Morgana and Eve are best friends and she was once Corrina’s friend,” Neil said to his mother. Her response was just to smile a big fake forced smile.

“Lovely,” she said as if none of it mattered to her. “You children are too much for me,” she said before heading back to the door. “Making love should only happen between a husband and wife, keep that in mind,” she said before disappearing.

“I know it’s wrong to hate and to harbor resentment towards my mother; I know that in my heart. But I find it hard to love her; I know she’s just different. I think with her home all the time now, I’m going to have to live with my grandparents. Mother isn’t good for my mental state,” Neil told Eve when they were alone.

“Maybe she’s changed?” Eve offered but he laughed, then got up and locked his door.

“Mimi is the same selfish self-centered Mimi she’s been all her spoiled French life. I don’t expect her to change, I’m just worried she’ll say something or do something that will hurt this family. We are a strong family without our parents and I just want it to stay that way,” he said.

“You tell me to have faith right? Just believe that her intentions are good and know that she loves you even if she doesn’t know how to show it,” she told him and he smiled. Neil had clearly brainwashed her by having her attend church with his family regularly and attend bible study and other church functions. Before him she’d never have believed that she’d be involved in church or anything to do with it. But everything was changing and she liked finding faith in the God she’d always thought was punishing her.

“I think you’ve been with me too long,” he replied.

“Yeah, pretty much,” she said then kissed him. This was the life that she wanted and he was who she wanted, but she knew trouble was ahead. Starting with this Libby thing, but she wasn’t a real threat just a pest. In her bones she could feel the storm that was going to blow in through her life and she was going to fight.

 

 

“I didn’t expect you home so soon,” Joan said when Eve came home. It was just before 11 o’clock when she’d walked in the door. Tomorrow was church so she had to get up early, Neil was teaching Sunday school and she was going to sit in.

“It happens sometimes,” Eve said shrugging. “Where’s Will?” She asked since Joan was sitting alone on the couch.

“He went out with some colleagues, I’ve just been watching Lifetime movies, they are so addictive,” Joan told her.

“I would have stayed if I knew you’d be alone,” Eve said and Joan smiled. She sat down next to Joan on the couch; she loved having a real mother.

“No, then you wouldn’t be able to tell me the juicy details. Tell me everything, including why your boyfriend spent the night here last night,” Joan said surprising her. At first she just stared at her, Joan didn’t even seem mad about it.

“Sorry, he was drunk and found my keys in his car. Neil doesn’t even drink but he was trying to numb his mind so he wouldn’t have to think about his sister,” she explained.

“It’s not that big of a deal, I trust you to make good decisions,” Joan said. “So tell me about meeting his parents, do they love you? We are pretty fond of him, so I know they have to love you,” she said smiling.

“His dad seems nice, but Mimi his mom, she’s insane. You’re just gonna have to meet her at the benefit, she’s such a character,” Eve said. Remembering the crazy thing Mimi said and did at dinner made her want to crack up. “There’s no way to just tell you, you have to see her in action,” she said. “I doubt she sees me as like marriage material for Neil though, she looked like her eyes were gonna pop out when I said I have a foster mother. She’s like unreal and its weird her children kind of look down on her like she’s the child.”

“Interesting,” Joan said laughing. “So are you really ok with talking to your father? I know it’s not my place, but I just don’t want you to get hurt,” clearly she’d been wanting to say that all day.

“He doesn’t even know the things we’ve done; he’s been gone so long. I want to find out why; if he hadn’t left us everything would be different. I know he didn’t want to leave, but if he really wanted to stay he wouldn’t have done whatever he did. If I go to see him, will you come? I want him to know that I’m safe and I’m happy with you,” Eve said. In response Joan hugged her; this was exactly what a mother would do. How had she lived before Joan? Sometimes she wasn’t sure; Joan was the best mother ever.

“I would do anything for you,” Joan told her and she knew it was true.

“I need your advice on an unrelated topic,” Eve said changing the subject. She knew if it went on then Joan would cry, she got so teary sometimes. And Eve didn’t want her to have to think about the fact that she didn’t have a child of her own.

“I’m always available for advice,” Joan replied.

“Last night Neil went to a party, got drunk and then hooked up with this girl that hates me. You know I told you about Libby, the girl who’s obsessed with him. I told him I forgive him, because I know he feels bad and I know that he will punish himself worse than I ever could. I just don’t know if I was right to forgive him, but at the same time I think I love him,” she said. The whole situation didn’t sound good aloud and she almost wanted to break up with him because it hurt.

“If you love each other then you can get past this, I know he’s a good boy and he worships you. That girl just took advantage of his weakness and at least he got the courage to be honest with you. But it’s all up to you, this is your life after all,” Joan said.

The reason she had to talk to Joan about this was probably because she knew she’d make her feel better. Joan could make her feel better about anything, that was just how kind hearted she was. Here she was loving and caring for a girl with troubled past that could come back to hurt both Joan and William. When she told William about considering moving away until Sanoe and Claira were found, he said he would. These people were unreal to Eve, how could they give up everything for a girl they barely knew? They were just so loving, that was why Eve kept wondering why they couldn’t have children. If Mimi could have and neglect six kids, why couldn’t Joan and William just have one to love? It just seemed like the world was backwards.

“Would it be weird if I just told people you were my mom? And if I called you mom?” Eve asked, she hadn’t wanted to say it but again the words just came out with no control.

“I would love that,” Joan said hugging her again. This time there was no way to keep the tears at bay. Everything about this just felt right and it was a step toward putting the past far behind her. Joan was a real mother to her so she deserved to have the title way more than Sanoe.

“This is where I’m meant to be and I wish that I’d been able to find you sooner. You’ve helped me become a person I can look in the mirror and love. For so long I hated myself and the world for all the things that happened to me. Now I know that even I can have a good life, because I’m with really good people,” she said.

Tears were streaming down both of their faces now. It was time to make this whole thing final. If the Ferris’ couldn’t adopt her that didn’t mean that they couldn’t be her parents. Safety, security and stability along with love, was what she needed. And it was what they gave her everyday. When Eve thought about everything that lead up to where she was now, it made her smile now. All the hurt and pain and everything else just made her strong. And since she could appreciate just how amazing these people were, she knew she would be ok. Even once her rescue party arrived, she was going to hold her ground. She wasn’t going anywhere with any member of the De Marco family. It was sad, but it was also necessary. One day though, she knew things would change, she had faith that it would.

 

Author's Note

...please forgive my bad grammar and many typos... but please do tell me what you think.. your opinion is greatly appreciated...

Reviews

[Walkingblind]

I'm liking this story and how you added the thing about her father got
me on edge I'll comment on the next chap. to okay