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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.

 

 

 

The JOVAN Saga – A Collection of One-Shots

 

  

 

(This is an alternate telling of what happens after John misses the dinner with Evangeline and her former college instructor, Professor Nolan, OLTL March 23, 2005 episode)

 

 

 

 

Chapter 18 I didn’t know

 

 

 

How do I help my friend?  That look of devastation on her face I will never forget.  I feel so bad for her.  And, I have no idea how my brother will react to this.  Darn I don’t even know how to react myself.  Should I call someone and if so whom?  She shouldn’t be alone but that’s all that she wants right now, to be alone.  Oh gosh, I can’t believe this.  I’ve lost too but I can’t dwell on that now because she needs me.  They both need me.  Even though I’m pretty sure that John will try to hide his feelings I can’t see how he will with this news.  Where is he anyway?  She said that he was supposed to meet her for dinner but he didn’t show.  That’s not good.  How in the world did it work out that I was in the Palace at that exact moment?  Thank goodness that I was or she would have been alone.  That would have made things even worse.  I feel like I’m in a pit and can’t climb out.  My friend is in her room crying her eyes out and I’m sitting out here in her living room because she locked her bedroom door and won’t let me enter. Some crazy idea about she doesn’t want me to see her crying and how awful she looks.  She couldn’t look awful if she tried.  She’s a beautiful woman and she has every right to cry now.

 

To have something so unexpected to happen and for it to be something you weren’t even aware that it was there in the first place and then it’s gone and you come face to face with that loss and realize the tremendous value of what once was but is now gone.  My tears fall feeling the pain that my friend now feels and wondering how can I help her through this and knowing that my brother will have a very hard time processing and dealing with his own emotions.  I have to be strong for both of them.  I need someone to help me through this but she doesn’t want anyone else to know.

 

Initially she thought that what happened was her fault but the emergency room doctor assured her that she did nothing wrong and that it was something that just happened.

 

Her house phone rings and I answer it.

 

“Hello.”

 

“Michael?  Why are you answering Evangeline’s phone?”

 

“John you need to get here now.  Evangeline needs you.”

 

“Michael what’s wrong with Evangeline?  Is she sick?”

 

“John, just come now.  I will tell you everything when you get here.”

 

As I wait for John to arrive I go to check on Evangeline and to let her know that John is on his way.  I knock on her door but get no answer so I try the doorknob and thankfully it’s no longer locked.  I peek in and see that Evangeline’s asleep on the bed.  Poor dear cried herself to sleep.  Quietly I back out of the room and go back to the living room to wait for John.

 

Although it seem like hours to me but I’m sure it wasn’t, John finally arrives.  Of course he’s worried and anxious to know what’s going on and why I’m here since Evangeline’s not sitting here with me when he arrives.

 

“Michael where’s Evangeline?  Is she sick?”

 

“John calm down.  Right now Evangeline’s asleep.  She’s had a very difficult evening.  Where were you John?  She said that you were supposed to meet her for dinner but you never showed.”

 

John bows his head knowing that he will need to explain to Evangeline just why he didn’t make it to dinner.  He was locked in an evidence room at the station and he wasn’t alone.  But John is not ready to explain that to Michael so instead he says, 

 

“I was held up at the station.  What happened to Evangeline and why are you here?”

 

“Sit down John.  This will take some time,” Michael says.

 

John notices that Michael looks away when he tells him to sit down and that causes John to get nervous that something awful has happened.  He wants to see Evangeline but he doesn’t want to wake her and he knows that this is serious by the way that Michael is acting.  John has so many questions running around in his head but he will wait.  He will listen to Michael, for now.

 

Michael tells John what happened tonight with Evangeline.

 

“I was at the Palace soon after Evangeline finished dinner.  She said that you were expected and she tried to call you but couldn’t reach you.  As I walked her to the exit I bent to kiss her cheek and say goodnight when I noticed that she felt like she had a fever.  She told me that her stomach had started cramping and she was nauseous.  I convinced her to let me take her to the emergency room since I thought that she might have food poisoning.  We made it to the emergency room and the staff got her settled in the cubicle.  By the time that the ER doctor arrived they already had sent specimens for testing.  During the doctor’s examination the cramping increased and then she started bleeding.”

 

At the mention of bleeding John’s face loses all of its coloring.  He looks pale.  My goodness, he thinks.  What is happening?

 

Michael continues speaking all the while keeping a close eye on his brother for any additional signs of distress.

 

“The bleeding signified pelvic cramping and not abdominal so food poisoning was ruled out.  There was also clotting and after examining that and receiving the test results it was determined that Evangeline had a miscarriage.”

 

When Michael says the word ‘miscarriage’ his own voice is now shaky and he has to find the strength to not cry.

 

Meanwhile, at those words, ‘Evangeline had a miscarriage’, John can’t believe what he’s hearing.  Caught up in his own world he thinks, ‘Evangeline was pregnant’.  John starts breathing fast and Michael fears that he will hyperventilate and pass out.

 

“John! John take a deep breath,” Michael says as he grabs John’s shoulders to get his attention.  John’s breathing slows and Michael continues speaking.

 

“Apparently almost two months ago Evangeline had some kind of infection and her physician prescribed antibiotics.  That medication counteracted with her birth control pill and the result was the pregnancy.  It was not a viable pregnancy and thus the miscarriage.

 

John I need you to hear this and understand this.  Evangeline was not at fault even though at first she blamed herself.  It was only recently discovered that the particular drug had any effect on birth control pills.  The manufacturer now has warning labels on the medicine and physicians and pharmacists are now aware of this. John do you hear me?”

 

Michael looks at his brother who at this time sits slumped with head in his hands and his shoulders shaking.  Michael reaches over and pulls his brother into his arms.  John’s not making a sound but his shoulders continue to shake and Michael feels wetness on his own shoulder.  John is crying.  Michael has only seen his brother cry two times, once when their father died and the other when John’s fiancé, Caitlin, died.  The two brothers sit there for several minutes until they are both spent because John’s tears brought out Michael’s tears.  Michael hurts for his brother.  He knows that John cares deeply for Evangeline.  No.  Michael knows that John loves Evangeline but something holds him back from allowing himself to fully do so.  Michael releases John and watches John gather himself.

 

“I need to see her Michael.  Thank you so much for being there for her.  I owe you,” John says as he squeezes his brother’s shoulder to stress his gratitude.

 

“You don’t owe me anything John.  You would have done the same thing if it was Marcie, and anyway, Evangeline is my friend,” Michael responds.

 

“Well thanks anyway,” John says as he rises to go see Evangeline.  

 

Michael stops him though before John leaves and tells him, “John, on the way from the hospital Evangeline was very subdued and she kept saying the same thing over and over again.”

 

John asks, “What was it that she said Michael?”

 

 

Michael responds, “She kept saying, ‘I didn’t know.’












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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.