Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
*** Spanish phrases were translated using AltaVista Babel Fish Translation. Please excuse if it’s not translated correctly. Thank you.
Cristian’s Loft ~ A Week Later
Knock! Knock!
Knock! Knock!
“Cristian, it’s me Evangeline.” Evangeline stood outside of Cristian’s door and waited patiently for him to answer.
“Hey, Babe.” Cristian greeted as he opened the door. “Why didn’t you use your key?” He kissed her briefly on the lips then presented her with a sexy smile. “I have missed you.”
Evangeline glanced up and down her lover’s bare chest as he stood in front of her wearing only a pair of blue jeans. She has been home a week and have made several excuses to why she couldn’t see him. She realized earlier after talking to her best friend, Nora that she couldn’t postpone breaking up with him any longer.
She found herself staring at his well-defined and muscular abs. Her body heated from the sight. God help me. Evangeline focus! She chastised herself. The last thing she needed was to end up in bed with him. That was one reason she avoided seeing him. She couldn’t deny she loved him or was attracted to him. She just wasn’t in love with him, and she wanted that. She broke up with John because she thought he wasn’t in love with her. She realized what she wanted and didn’t settle for less. She could do this. She had to do this. She offered a weak smile as she walked away from him.
“Why you look so down?” Cristian questioned concern showing on his face as he closed the door. “Did something happen with one of your cases?”
“No, Cristian.” She studied him as she ran her hand through her hair. Her eyes started to water as she accepted the fact she had to end things with him. Her heart was breaking as she thought about destroying his, but she had to do what was right for them. Letting him think they had a future would hurt him more in the long run. “I need to talk to you.”
“You sound serious.” Cristian grabbed his shirt and glanced pass her. “I was actually working on a surprise for you?”
She glimpsed over her shoulder curious to what he was looking at. She turned around completely when she noticed a canvas on his easel mostly covered. She suddenly detected the smell of fresh paint.
“You’re painting something for me?” She inquired as he bypassed her and pressed the white sheet completely down.
“Yeah, I wanted to show you how much I missed you.” He supplied as he turned around and stood protectively in front of it with his arms crossed in front of his chest. “And show you how much you mean to me.”
“Cristian?” She whispered taken aback as she ran her hand through her hair again. She placed her hand on her chest as she wondered how she was going to do this. “I don’t deserve this…I don’t deserve you.”
Evangeline turned and slightly pinched her bottom lip together as she pondered how selfish she was being. She saw the love in his eyes. She wasn’t sure if she could crush him as Natalie did or as John did to her.
“Evangeline, you deserve more than a worthless painting.” He protested walking up behind her. “You deserve the best of everything. That is why I’m going to do everything in my power to be a success. I’m actually glad now that Vincent Jones is my manager. He is working on another title fight for me already.”
“Cristian, you are a wonderful artist. Your paintings will start selling again.” She turned towards him, and he wrapped his arms around her. She knew he felt her tense by the hurt that flashed in his eyes. She forced her body to relax. “I promise…I believe in you.”
“You want to see.” He quickly asked when she started to push out of his embrace.
Evangeline glanced over his shoulder and offered a child like smile as she nodded yes.
“I love you.” Cristian confessed then turned to unveil his new creation.
Evangeline felt another twig of guilt while she watched him remove the white sheet. His work left her breathless as usual as she admired the inspiration. His painting was very detailed except two young children playing in the yard. She glanced at Cristian who was watching her intently then focused back on the painting. The couple sitting on the porch was definitely them. Their characteristics were very distinguished. She allowed her eyes to shift to the two small images. He used a profile angle for the children; however, by observing the picture you could tell they were biracial and one of each sex. The little girl had long curly hair that was in a single ponytail while the boy had short curly hair.
“Well…” Cristian prompted scrutinizing her reaction. “You like it…say something.”
She couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks, as her words seemed to be trapped in her throat. She glanced between the canvas and him several times while she remained silent.
“This is the first time I remember you being speechless in our relationship.” He teased feeling anxious. “For once I need you to be lawyer like. I need to know what you are thinking.”
Evangeline stared at Cristian for a second as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. She didn’t know how she was going to do this. It was more than obvious in the picture he saw marriage and kids with her. Cristian wanted marriage and children with her, and even though she wanted them one day too, she didn’t see this reality with him.
“I’m sorry…” She finally stammered with her voice cracking. “I’m so sorry, Cristian.” With each word, her heart ached. “I never planned on hurting you. I don’t want to hurt you. When I realized, I thought if I gave it time…if I wanted it bad enough.”
“Evangeline, you’re not making any sense.” Cristian’s brown eyes revealed his fear and acknowledgement although he spoke those words. “What are you saying?”
“It’s not fair to you…or me.” Evangeline sighed as she wiped both of her cheeks and turned from him. He waited silently as she continued. “I’m not sure how to do this…I don’t…”
“Do what?” Cristian asked uneasy. He stared at the back of her head then glanced at the picture. “You don’t like the portrait?”
“Cristian, I love the picture.” She turned around, wiped her cheek again, and pointed to the canvas. “You are an amazing artist. Look at me in your painting.” She stared at the couple in the picture focusing more on her image. “I’m not the woman on that canvas…you made me look like a woman in…”
“In love.” He finished understanding her meaning and feeling his world ending. “You’re saying you’re not in love with me.”
“I’m sorry.” Fresh tears started to run down her cheeks. “I love you, and I never meant to hurt you…” She wiped her nose with her left hand and sniffed. “It wasn’t until recently…I realized I felt this way.”
“McBain?” Cristian shoved his hands into his jean pockets as he glared at her.
“No.” She answered knowing his full meaning. “John doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
“So, you want me to believe you are ending things with me just because you realized you don’t love me…Whatever!” He felt his anger rising. “You know. I though you of all people would tell me the truth and not give me a bunch of bull.”
“Cristian, I am telling you the truth.” Evangeline wiped her cheeks again as she started to get defensive. Why was he calling her a liar? She was trying to be honest and fair to him. She was hurting inside from the pain she was causing him, and now, she felt foolish. “Why would I lie, Cris?”
“Natalie came to see me before she left town.” He stood in front of her and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “She warned me about McBain…told me he broke up with her because he was still in love with you.”
“Cristian, I’m not going to dignify anything Natalie says with an answer.” Evangeline informed sternly. “I’m standing here in front of you telling you how I feel because I don’t want to hurt you.”
“And breaking up with me won’t hurt me?” Cristian stormed passed her and headed towards the stairs. She watched as he ran up the stairs taking them two at a time.
“God help me.” She prayed as she looked towards the ceiling and fresh tears formed in her eyes.
After thirty minutes of debating, Evangeline decided not to leave things like this with him. She walked upstairs and found him sitting on the top step that leads into his bedroom. He glanced back for a second and she saw the redness of his eyes. She froze when realized he had been crying. God help me. She asked again silently as she started crying again. She knew she didn’t owe him an explanation, but she was going to give him one. She walked over and sat down beside him on the step.
“I don’t want to be remembered as the woman who tore your life into tiny little pieces.” Evangeline whispered breaking the silence and studying his profile. “I love you Cristian, but I’m not in love with you.”
He focused on the floor and swallowed hard.
“You’re a fine man…inside and out…I want to give you everything…I wish I felt the same way you did…”
“But, you can’t forced your heart to do something it doesn’t want to?” Cristian supplied and finally met her glaze. “Do you still love McBain?”
“Cris, I will always love both of you for different reasons, but this isn’t about you or John…really.” She stood and walked into his bedroom more. “I need to figure out some things about myself. I spent the majority of my life pleasing and meeting other people’s expectations…I’ve kinda lost sight of my own wants.”
“You want McBain?” Cristian asked and continued when she gave him a “Have you been listening to me look?” “I knew McBain was still in love with you. I saw it everything I saw him looking at you. I felt sorry for Natalie, but I knew you weren’t going to leave me for him…I was wrong.”
“I’m not going back to John.” Evangeline informed believing she was telling the truth. John hasn’t told her how she felt, and she wasn’t getting back involved with John until he could verbalize his feelings to her. “I’m going to focus on me…And, I’m going to take my Mom and sister on a cruise for a week. Then, I think I will take a month off and travel with my Mom. She has always wanted to go to France and Italy.”
“You take a month off.” He snickered. “I would love to see you do that.”
“Well, you will soon.” She smiled, but it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. “I don’t want to lose you as a friend.”
“You won’t.” Cristian sighed and stood. She watched as he moved towards her. After he stepped into her personal space, he gently caressed her left cheek. “I will always be your friend, because we were friends before we were lovers.”
Evangeline eyes filled with fresh tears.
“I just fell in love…and you didn’t.” He stopped a tear with his thumb before it reached her cheek.
“Cristian Javier Vega, I do love you.” She sniffed as she watched him fight his emotions. “You have been wonderful to me, and you don’t deserve this.”
“Shhh…” He covered her mouth with right index finger. “Evangeline, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or anything in my life. So, if that means letting you go…for your happiness…I will.”
Tears ran down both of their cheeks as their eyes locked, and they said silent goodbyes. She knew he wouldn’t go back to Natalie, and he knew if John ever got himself together, she would give him a second chance. They had a connection were words weren’t needed.
“So, how about…” He glanced over at the bed. “You know…one last time…for the road.”
“Tan, no sucediendo.” She laughed as she told him, “So, not happening.” in Spanish. She wiped her cheeks dry then added, “But, I will give you a hug” in Spanish. “Pero, le daré un abrazo.”
“Tuve que intentar.” He answered, “I had to try.” in Spanish as he embraced her.
In each other’s arms, they felt a new beginning; even though, they were ending a love affair.
Two weeks later
“Cristian, I had a wonderful time on the cruise.” Evangeline informed talking on her Mother’s cordless phone. “Since Layla was there, I have plenty of pictures to send to you. I will upload them on my laptop later tonight and send them. Speaking of Layla, she tells me Vincent has started you training for another fight. Isn’t it too soon?”
She was lying on her bed and listening to his updates of Vincent’s new venture for his boxing career. She was happy to hear excitement and hope in his voice. She really thought he would take their break-up bad. A part of her is disappointed he could move on so easily and questioned if he really loved her. She didn’t allow those thoughts to linger long though. They were meant to be friends and nothing more. She knew that now.
“Cris, hold on. Someone is beeping in…. Hello…Hello Vincent…No, Layla hasn’t left yet…Why didn’t you call her on her cell phone…Okay, hold on. I have Cris on the other line.” Evangeline sat up on her bed as she pressed the flash button again to click back over to her first call. “Cristian, I’m going to let you go. Vincent is on the other line, and he wants to talk to Layla…According to him, she’s not answering her cell phone.” She stood and giggled as she thought back to her and Layla’s teenage years. They constantly fought over the phone and who was on it the longest. “Thank you for watching my place while we were on the cruise. Layla can take over when she gets back…Thank you…Mom is so excited about this trip…Okay…Okay…You too…Take care Cristian.”
Evangeline smiled when Cristian called her tiger before he hung up. He was a good man, and she prayed God sends someone wonderful into his life. She clicked back over and told Vincent to hold on again while she went to find Layla. She walked across the hall and peeked into her sister’s room and didn’t see her. She looked back into the hallway, and she realized she hadn’t heard her Mother or sibling since she got on the phone with Cristian. She glanced at her watch and noted that was almost an hour ago. Which for those two Williamson was very uncommon.
“Vincent, I will have Layla call you back.” She informed after placing the cordless back to her ear. Something in her gut was warning her that she wasn’t going to like what she saw when she found her little sister.
“Layla Anisa Williamson, I’m going to kill you!” Evangeline screamed at her sister when she found her in the den sitting on the couch reading John’s diary. She glanced at the coffee table and saw the square box John had given her. It was empty with another long suede jewelry box beside it. She gasped when she recognized his Mother’s pearls.
“Okay, Vange.” Layla started as she slowly placed the journal on the couch beside her and stood as her sister glared at her. “Don’t over react.”
Evangeline cocked her head as she watched the younger Williamson cautiously move from her spot. She stared angrily as Layla reached for a piece of paper beside the pearls.
“Sis, I know I was wrong for reading your letter from John, but…I’m glad I did.” Layla was safely standing behind the couch as she studied her sister. “I couldn’t believe how wrong I was about this guy.”
Evangeline started counting down from twenty as she controlled her temper at her sister’s nosiness. That was the one thing she hated most about her sibling. Every time Layla read her diaries or rummaged through her personal belongings, Evangeline turned into a person unrecognizable to her parents and herself. She focused on the words coming out of her sister’s mouth and couldn’t believe the audacity she had to be reading John’s letter out loud…to her.
Evangeline,
On the night of the Woman of the Year Award ceremony, you told me I should give these to someone I am in love with. I told you that night I gave them to you, but you wouldn’t believe I was in love with you. Now, I’m trying again. The pearls belong with you. Not just because you make them look beautiful, but because I’m in love with you. I have been since we attached those strings.
With all that I have inside,
John
“Vange, if John told you to keep the pearls, “ Layla held the paper to her side and gawked at the older Williamson as though she had two heads. “He was saying he was in love with you. What did you need girl! A sign?”
“Layla, how dare you!” Evangeline barked at her. “You had no right.”
“I had every right.” Layla snapped back. “I have been hating John McBain for you, and the man is hopeless in love with you…I thought he was the idiot. It turns out my sister is the idiot.”
Uncharacteristically and in rage, Evangeline flung the cordless phone in her sister’s direction. Layla ducked and popped back up with her mouth opened.
“You have lost…” Layla screamed but was interrupted by their Mother.
“Evangeline, Layla, what is going on in here?” Lisa asked walking into the room. She surveyed the room and quickly accessed what was occurring. “Oh, Layla, I told you to take Evangeline her gift. Why did you open it?” She chastised in a low disappointed tone.
“Because she is incapable of minding her own business.” Evangeline growled and moved towards her sister. She was startled when Layla hastily put the letter down and picked up the journal. “She has had that disease since she was six years old.”
“Mom, listen to this.” Layla flipped through pages in the journal searching for an entry; she apparently read earlier.
“Layla, stop invading your sister’s privacy this instant.” Lisa demanded trying to make her tone sound stern and not curious. She wanted to know just as bad as her youngest daughter.
“Mom, listen. October 06, 2004. Never have I felt like this before in my life. Evangeline is intoxicating and mesmerizing. I have never met anyone like her. Yesterday, she left a message on my answering machine saying she wanted more. I would make her mine in a heartbeat if I knew she would say yes. Instead, I went Kabbalah on her and tied a piece of string around her sexy slim wrist. When I asked her how it felt…” Layla jumped when she felt the journal snatched out of her hands. “Hey!”
“Layla, you had no right.” Evangeline pointed in her sister’s face as she held the journal and resisted slapping her. She didn’t understand why she was so furious with her sister. This was a typical Layla move. She inhaled, exhaled, and stared into her sister’s beautiful face. She wasn’t angry with her sister, but at the fact she now had to deal with her feelings for John. She felt as long as the gift box stayed closed, her feelings for John stayed where she was comfortable and in control.
“Vange, I had every right.” Layla stepped to her sister and prayed her gut was leading her right. She came to the same realization her big sister came to about her sibling’s feelings. “You’re not angry because I read your private letter or John’s diary. You’re angry because now you have to face your feelings for the man.”
“You are unbelievable,” Evangeline shook her head as she examined her sister and didn’t see a trace of remorse on her face. “Layla.”
“John loves you.” Layla confronted cutting her off. “He’s in love with you. Now, I understand all the weird stares and uneasiness around you. The man is in love with you and can’t have you.”
“Layla, I know this is going to be hard for you to do, BUT STAY OUT OF IT!” Evangeline spun around and stormed out of the room.
Lisa and Layla stared at each other then watched as Evangeline marched back into the room. She went to the coffee table and grabbed the pearls and empty gift boxes
“Vange?” Layla started, but Evangeline snapped her head up.
“Out of it Layla.” She ordered again to her little sister.
“I just wanted to give you the letter that went with the journal.” Layla smiled weakly as she pointed to a piece of paper on top of the piano.
Evangeline straightened her back and walked over to the piano to retreat the letter. Her mother and sister remained quiet until she left. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs when she heard her mother ask what all did she read in the journal. She sighed and smiled knowingly; those two had more in common than they were willing to admit.
Three hours later
Knock! Knock!
“Can your little nosy sister come in?” Layla peeked in the room and watched Evangeline lying on her bed. She noticed her sister was reading the journal. She stepped into the room when Evangeline didn’t reply. “I couldn’t leave with my big sister mad at me.”
Evangeline continued to ignore her sibling as she sat on the bed.
“Vange, I’m sorry.” Evangeline looked at her sister for the first time since she appeared in her room. This was a first. Layla has never apologized for invading her privacy. “Okay, I’m not really sorry about invading your privacy…I’m sorry that it upset you.”
The older Williamson rolled her eyes at her sibling then turned her attention back to the journal.
“What are you going to do about John?” Layla persisted.
Evangeline sighed then pushed herself up on the bed. She glared at her sister for a minute, ran her hand through her hair, and glanced at the opened door.
“Mom, you can come in now.” Evangeline watched as her Mom appeared into her room. She laughed inside knowing the only time these two had a united front is when they were involved in her personal affairs. She sighed again. “I knew about the journal.”
Neither Lisa nor Layla spoke as Evangeline explained how she stumbled across the journal. Both Williamson’s girls revealed entries they read about John McBain, his relationship with Natalie, and his undying feelings for the eldest Williamson child. Lisa was puzzled by the facts other than why John saved Natalie first in the Love Center. Her baby and Natalie were both tied to burning poles, and John saved Natalie first. Honestly, even though he saved her baby’s life, her dislike for him started then.
“Cookie, what are you going to do?” Lisa wondered studying her eldest child.
“Mom, I don’t have a clue.” Evangeline glanced at the pearls she placed on top of her dresser. “I don’t have a clue.”
“Vange, John left a number and address for you to contact him.” Layla searched her sister’s face. “Why don’t you call him?”
“Because I still need the words.” Evangeline carefully slid off her bed and moved between her sister and her Mom. They watched as she walked over to the window. “Damnit!…I still need John to say the words to me. I don’t want to read them on a piece of paper.”