: : Summary : : Set just after TM, Rick�s past complicates his future.
Tuesday had arrived. At Jonathan�s urging, Rick had stayed away from Evelyn for three days. Tonight was the night. He was more certain than ever that he wanted to marry her. Three days of not being able to look into those huge hazel eyes, touch that silky dark hair and taste her luscious lips� tonight was the night. He checked his pocket for the ring for the eighth time. Still there. It was a quarter to seven. He didn�t want to be late, or early. Rick lurked at the foot of the stairs and watched the clock tick the minutes by.
�I don�t see why I should be here�� said Jonathan.
�Because I asked you to,� replied Evelyn. She was gazing into the mirror in her bedroom, trying to decide whether to leave her hair up or down. �Up or down?� she called to Jonathan.
�Up,� he said.
Definitely down, decided Evelyn. �The ebony earrings or the amber?�
�Ebony,� answered Jonathan.
Amber it is. Finished. She looked nice, she thought. Not nice--beautiful. Dare she think it? Yes. Why not? Beautiful. Evelyn looked at the clock. Not quite seven yet. Maybe he�d be early this time. She couldn�t wait.
�You look beautiful,� confirmed Jonathan from the doorway. �Now I�m leaving.� He knew what Rick had planned for tonight and it was not something for a party of three.
�No, please. I want you to stay,� protested Evelyn. �For the first few minutes, stay.� She was a little apprehensive about seeing Rick after how horribly she had treated him a few days ago. When he had called and asked her to go out with him tonight, she was so happy that she had nearly cried. It had been three whole days since she had seen him. She wanted Jonathan here for moral support, and his presence would prevent her from jumping on Rick and mauling him the moment he walked in the room. Probably.
�All right,� Jonathan said. �Anything for my baby sister. Did I mention that you look beautiful?�
She blushed and went to hug him. �Thank you,� she said.
�Careful, careful,� he warned. �Don�t muss your dress.�
�Don�t worry. This dress is unmussable,� she smiled.
�Oh, God. Please don�t tell my why you feel the need to wear an unmussable dress...�
Evelyn playfully slapped her brother. �I�m not that kind of girl.�
�And I�ve often wondered about that, it�s rather amazing with a brother like me��
A knock sounded at the door. Evelyn froze. �He�s here. What do I do?�
�Open the door and let him in?� suggested Jonathan.
�You do it,� she said.
Jonathan stepped toward the door.
�No!� cried Evelyn. �I�ll do it.�
Jonathan stopped.
�Get it!� said Evelyn. �No, wait. Sit down. Look busy� no! Stand� hide?�
Jonathan went to the door. �Snap out of it, girl. Try to look casual.� Evelyn posed next to the table with one hand at her neck and the other on the back of a chair. �That�ll do,� said Jonathan, and he opened the door.
Rick stood outside with his typical goofy grin and a bunch of flowers. His grin faded. �Jonathan�� he said.
�Come in,� Jonathan told him, then silently mouthed the words �I�m out in just a minute��
�Hello,� said Evelyn.
�Hello,� said Rick. He slipped past Jonathan and walked up to her. �These are for you,� he offered the flowers.
�Thank you. They�re lovely,� Evelyn said, then remembered to take them. She and Rick just stared at each other.
Jonathan broke the silence. �Yes, yes, lovely.� He walked to Evelyn and reached for the flowers. �I�ll just put them in water and be off, then.� Evelyn held on to the flowers. She wanted to have something between herself and Rick. �Let go,� said Jonathan. He wrestled them from her grip and disappeared into the bedroom.
�The flowers are lovely,� said Evelyn.
�Thank you. They are for you,� replied Rick.
�Thank you,� she said. She still had her hand on the back of the chair. �Would you like to sit down?� she offered.
�Thank you, I would,� said Rick. He sat in the chair. Evelyn stood behind it. She felt a jolt of electricity when his back touched her hand and she pulled it away.
�So�� they said simultaneously.
�You go�� said Rick.
�No, you,� said Evelyn.
�Would you like a seat?� he offered.
�Thank you, I would,� she replied. He stood up and offered the seat he had just been in. She took it. It was warm. She grew warm knowing the warmth came from him. �Would you like another seat?� Evelyn asked.
�Yes,� said Rick.
�There�s one there�� she gestured to the other side of the table.
�I see,� said Rick. �I�ll just take it�� he sat down. �Thank you.�
�You�re welcome,� she replied.
Oh, pleeese, thought Jonathan. He was lurking in the bedroom, listening. Maybe they�re like this because I�m here� I need to get out so they can talk and I don�t throw up. Putting on a cheery face, he strode purposely into the room with the flowers in a vase, put them down on the table and made for the door. Evy caught his hand in an iron grip, but said nothing. Jonathan stood behind her chair. Rick looked at him. Jonathan looked helplessly back and shrugged. �Nice weather we�ve been having lately�� he offered.
�Oh yes, lovely,� added Evelyn.
�It�s been nice,� said Rick.
�I�m sure it�s nicer out there under the stars�� Jonathan prompted.
�Oh, yes. Stars are lovely,� said Evelyn.
�Yes. I like stars�� said Rick.
�Well, then. Why don�t you two go out and walk amongst them?� Jonathan suggested. Evelyn squeezed his hand until it hurt.
�I am so very sorry�� she said.
�Then let go�� grimaced Jonathan.
Evelyn continued speaking to Rick. �I was very rude to you the other day.�
�I didn�t notice,� said Rick.
�You didn�t?�
�No. How could I notice you being rude when I can�t see anything besides how beautiful you are?� Rick told her.
�Oh, Rick�� Evelyn breathed.
�That�s quite enough.� Jonathan said. He shook his hand out of Evelyn�s grasp. �I�m leaving. Have a good night.�
Rick slid out of his chair and onto one knee. He took Evelyn�s hand in his. �There is something I want to ask you�� he began.
�NO!� blurted Jonathan. �I�m leaving! I�m leaving now. Just wait!�
There was a knock at the door.
�I�ll just get that and talk to them in the hall and then leave,� Jonathan said. He opened the door. Colonel Matthews, the man in charge of Fort Brydon stood there with two American officers. �Hello,� said Jonathan. Rick and Evelyn looked at them.
Colonel Matthews did not look happy. �I�m sorry to have to do this, Mr. Carnahan, but these men believe that there is a Benjamin Reese here.�
�Well, there isn�t,� said Jonathan.
�That�s him,� said one of the Americans. He pointed at Rick. The two American officers entered the room and approached Rick who was now staring at the floor.
�Just a minute! You can�t just barge in here like this!� protested Evelyn, standing up. �Jonathan��
�May I remind you, Miss Carnahan that this is a military installation and we have full jurisdiction over everything within the walls of the fort?� the Colonel told her.
�He�s right, Evy,� said Jonathan.
The Americans pulled Rick to his feet. He offered no resistance.
�What are you doing?� demanded Evelyn.
�This man is wanted for deserting the United States Army and killing an officer,� one of the men told her.
�No! That�s impossible!� cried Evelyn. The officer held out a folded piece of paper. She took it and crumpled it. �No!�
Jonathan took it from her, smoothed it out and began to read.
�Benjamin Reese, you are under arrest,� the other was saying to Rick.
Evelyn was horrified. �No, no. This is all a mistake. That�s not even his name. You have the wrong man. This is Rick O�Connell�� She tried to push the officer away from Rick and was blocked by the other officer. �Rick, why don�t you tell them they�ve got the wrong man?�
Jonathan stepped up and pulled her back. �Evy�� he said.
�Ma�am, I don�t know what this man has told you. I wouldn�t be surprised at anything he�s done. He�s a coward and a liar and a murderer and we�re taking him in.� Colonel Matthews held open the door and the officers ushered Rick out.
Evelyn tried to follow but Jonathan held her back. She elbowed him and broke free. She ran to Rick and threw her arms around him. �No! Rick�tell them they�ve got the wrong man,� she insisted. �Why don�t you tell them?�
Rick couldn�t bring himself to look at her. �Evelyn� I�m sorry,� he said. She was too stunned by his words to fight Jonathan as he pulled her away from him. The officers took Rick out the door, Colonel Matthews hesitated. �I�m sorry. I had no choice.� He shut the door behind him.
Jonathan tried to hold Evelyn up as she crumpled to the floor in a dead faint. All he could do was break her fall.