Rick walked slowly toward the steps because he was still extremely sensitive to the affects of the Black Vodka. His head was pounding and his jaw and nose were beginning to hurt. The Black Vodka and Jonathan had landed a few really good ones.
"Rick" Evelyn said as she watched him drag his feet as he walked up to the steps. "I'm so..."
"Ev... lyn" he interrupted her as he stumbled toward the first step. "A dee vorce..." he said in a drunken voice as he shook his head 'no' and put one foot up on the first step. "Is ab... so... loot.. lee out da quest.. ion" he slurred. "I..."
"I don't want a divorce" she interrupted him as a tear slid down her cheek.
"I'm drunk E.. v.. e.. l.. y.. n" Rick continued, saying her name slowly, her statement not registering in his inebriated mind. "I'm drunk. Vvveee...rreee drunk" he proclaimed. "Damn drunk!" he said as he held onto the stair rail and tried to lift his other foot up on the step. "BUT!..." he held up one finger after his other foot landed on the step. "I'm NOT lettin' you go. No way! No way in hell... I'm lettin you go. Damn!" he said when he attempted to advance up to the next step. "It's hard climbin' these steps when you're drunk."
"Rick..." Evelyn said as she watched him struggled up the steps.
"Answer's no Evy!" he interrupted her again. "You can NOT" he shook his head again. "Have a dee... vorce. Don't care what you say." Rick had made it to the second to the last step and grabbed hold of the porch banister to steady himself. "I love you Evy" he said as he leaned on the banister for support and looked at her with bloodshot eyes that were glassy with emotion. "'Fore you... 'fore you came along... my life was pretty damn empty. Nothin'. It was nothin'."
Evelyn looked on with tears in her eyes as Rick began to pour out his heart to her.
"Then you..." he pointed at her from the second to the last step. "You came along. And you know what you did Evy?!" he asked.
Evelyn shook her head.
"I'll tell ya! You made me fall in love" he said. "See... I told myself I said 'Self! We don't need nobody. Let's juss live life. Have fun. Live life on da edge. Get whatcha can. But nev...va! Nev...va! Get ya self 'tached to nobody. It a bad thing... gettin' 'tached to somebody and they turn round and leave ya'" Rick said and Evelyn saw the tears well up in his eyes. "But anyhow..." Rick said, feeling the tears coming. "I thought I was havin plenty fun livin' this life with no cares, no strings, no body else... nobody but me. Then you..." he pointed at her again. "You saved my neck. Sister Abby...gail prob...blee would say you were my savin' angel. You saved my neck" he declared once more. "Then you made me fall in love with you and made me realize I wasn't havin' much fun living life alone. You made me see that I did need somebody and that it wasn't so bad bein' 'tached. 'Tached to you. You..." Rick waggled his finger at Evelyn. "You did a number on me."
"I think it hap...pened when I first saw you" Rick smiled. "I thought I was crazy, thinkin I had fall...en in love juss like that" he tried, unsuccessfully, to snap his fingers. "Juss one look at you and I was a goner but I didn't fess up to it, 'specially after I heard you say you didn't like me 'one bit'" he tried to imitate Evelyn's accent. "And what was that you called me?" Rick grinned again.
"Filthy..." Evelyn whispered as she cried. "Rude. A complete scoundrel."
"Yeah!" he said pointing at her. "That's it! That's what you called me!" Rick tried to sound offended. "Didn't think I heard that part huh?" he teased her. "Then you insulted my kiss. I thought it was a damn good kiss myself! Didn't think I did too bad considerin' I was behind bars and gettin' the hell beat outta me."
"It was lovely" Evelyn said as she wiped tears away.
"You were lovely" he said and he sounded � sober.
A big teardrop fell over Evelyn's lashes.
"See what you've done to me" Rick said as he held his arms out wide. "You got me talking like a pansy. Geez Evelyn! If some of the fellas from the Legion saw me now... all turned inside out for a woman. I wouldn't live it down. You made me soft Evy" Rick said as he looked at her with soft eyes. "Turned me into a lovesick hounddog."
Evelyn could do nothing but stand there and smile at him as the tears continued to slide down her face.
"And after all that... you think I'm gonna let you get away from me? I... don't think so" he said as he took a step up on the porch. "I fell hard for ya Evy... and I can't let you go, let you walk away... walk away like my Pa did."
Evelyn was surprised to hear Rick mention his father. She knew he had grown up in a Cairo orphanage. She knew about a Sister Abigail who looked out for him. She knew his mother had died giving birth to him. But his father. When Evelyn had asked Rick about him, Rick simply shrugged his shoulders and said 'Nothing to tell'. Evelyn instinctively knew that Rick did not want to discuss his father so she did not press the matter. But now, it seemed as if he was ready to tell her all about his father.
"I was only 4..." Rick choked as he remembered that day. "He left me Evy, and never came back" Rick said, the sadness in his voice overwhelmingly obvious.
Evelyn was now crying for the man she loved. His grief was most evident in his eyes, in his words, in his voice. His father had abandoned him. It was unthinkable to Evelyn because she had a father who treasured her dearly. She knew parents who cherished and protected her and Jonathan. She knew a home that was warm and full of love.
But Rick, her husband, the man she loved with all her heart did not know those things. He had never known his mother. He had never known a home that was filled with a mother and father's love. He had been alone for most of his life, not knowing the love and security of a family. All he knew was a father who had abandoned him. And now he thought that she would abandon him too. Then suddenly he looked like that abandoned, lonely 4-year-old and Evelyn's heart broke yet again.
"Rick" Evelyn said softly. "I'm so sorry."
"You don't hafta be sorry. If I hadn't grown up in Cairo, I might not of joined the Legion. Then I wouldn't of gone to Hamunaptra. No Hamunaptra, no 'puzzle box', no puzzle box... no you" he gazed lovingly at her.
Evelyn was the reason he did not feel alone anymore. She was the reason he was not alone anymore. She was the reason he knew what living a happy life really meant. She was the reason he felt a sense of joy. She was the reason he felt loved. She was the reason he was loved.
Evelyn's weeping increased as she took a step toward her husband. On unsteady feet, Rick met her � way and wrapped his arms around her waist while she laid her hands and forehead on his chest.
"Rick" she sobbed into his chest. "I'm so sorry about tonight and what I said. I don't want a divorce."
Rick held Evelyn tighter, happy, extremely happy that she did not want to leave him. But why, he wondered in his fuddled mind, did she even say she wanted to divorce him?
"Why'd ya say it Evy?" he asked in a voice that was full of sorrow.
"God! Rick!" Evelyn cried even more hearing the dejection in his voice. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I thought I was doing the right thing..."
"The right thing?" Rick said. How could divorcing him be the right thing?
"Well..." Evelyn said as she pulled back just enough to look up at him. "When I told you about the baby... I didn't think you wanted... you didn't seem happy..." It was Evelyn's turn to ramble. "I thought I had made a mess of everything. Marrying you so soon... I didn't know what else to do... I thought I had to choose between you and the baby... I didn't think you really loved me..."
"Why did you think that?" Rick asked, hating the fact that she could ever think he did not love her.
"You don't want the baby..." Evelyn said, still crying. "How could you love me and not want our baby?"
"It's not that Evy. I swear it's not" he said, trying to assure her. "I... I..." he said, finding it hard to tell Evelyn that he was afraid of being a father. "I'm scared Evy" Rick finally said.
"Scared?" she said as she tried wiping her tears again. "Of what?"
"I'm scared... I don't wanna mess things up. I don't wanna mess up with this kid."
"What do you mean?"
"I need to sit down" Rick said as he turned back towards the steps. "I'm feeling dizzy" he said as he stepped down one step and sat down on the porch. The Black Vodka's potency seemed to be on the upswing.
Evelyn followed and sat down next to Rick and hooked her arm around his and laid her head on his shoulder. Rick turned and kissed her on the forehead.
"When I was 4" Rick started. "Me and my Pa came over here from America. He took me to the convent but I didn't wanna stay. I wanted to go with him. He told me I couldn't. Said it was too dange... rous. Too dange... rous for a kid. He said" Rick said as emotion began to choke him. "He said he was comin' back for me... but he never did" Rick said as grief over his father took over and Rick lowered his head and put his index finger and thumb up to his eyes to keep from crying.
"Oh Rick" Evelyn said in a sympathetic voice as she unhook her arm from his and laid her hand on his back and began to rub up and down his spine. "I'm so sorry honey."
"I don't understand why he never came back" he said, his fingers still holding back his tears.
Evelyn could hear the anguish in his voice. She did not know what to say because she could not understand either why a father would leave his child. So instead of trying to find something to say, she simply continued to rub his back. They sat there for many moments, not saying anything, but finding peace and contentment just being together.
"I don't wanna do to my kid what my Pa did to me" Rick finally spoke.
"Why would you even think you would?" Evelyn asked, having more confidence in him than he had in himself.
"I dunno. Guess it was somethin' I heard Sister Abby... gail say when I was at the convent. Somethin' 'bout what the father did, the kid will do."
"Rick, I know you would never do that" she said with full assurance.
"Well..." he said. "Why did my Pa do it to me?" he wanted desperately to know.
"I don't know" Evelyn said. "But what I do know" she said as she took his chin and turned his face toward her. "Is that you are a wonderful man. And I love you very much. And I need you more than ever now. I'm afraid too" she said as she looked into his eyes. "I can't change the past. You can't change the past. But we can do something about now. And I know without a doubt that you will make a wonderful father."
Rick looked at Evelyn and wondered why she loved him the way she did. Why she had so much confidence in him. Maybe she was right. Hell, maybe even Jonathan was right. He might do a pretty decent job at this father thing.
"You think so?" Rick smiled as he looked at the woman who loved him for reasons he did not know.
Evelyn shook her head. "I know so."
"I'm drunk Evy" he said suddenly because he was beginning to see two of her.
"So I've heard" Evelyn laughed lightly.
"I think I need to lay down" he informed her.
"You think so?"
"Yeah. My head's 'bout to spin right off my neck."
"We'd better get you to bed then. Think you can stand up?" she asked, having quite a bit of experience helping a drunk man to bed.
"Think so" Rick said as he made an effort to stand.
Evelyn was on her feet before Rick and helped him with the task. She held his arm until he had steadied himself on his feet. Evelyn then stepped up on the porch, still holding his arm, and lead him up to the porch then began walking toward the door.
"Damn" Rick said as he tripped over his own feet. "Haven't been this drunk in awhile" he said as Evelyn took his arm and put it around her shoulders as put her arm around his waist. "Sorry Evy."
"For what?" she asked as she opened the screen door.
"For drinkin' and gettin' drunk as Jon... than."
Evelyn laughed as she guided Rick inside the house and closed the door.
"Don't think I'ma make it up the stairs" Rick said.
"Alright. You can lie on the couch" Evelyn said as she turned toward the sitting room.
Once there, Evelyn led him to the couch and helped him lie down. She then went over and turned the lantern on low so that she could see a little better. When she walked back over to the couch and sat on the edge of the couch next to Rick, she noticed his battered face.
"What happened to you?" she asked as she touched the bruise on his jaw.
Rick, who had his eyes closed in an attempt to keep the room from spinning, winced at her touch. "Jon... than punched me."
"What? Why?"
"In my nose too" Rick said.
"Why did he do that?" Evelyn said, looking worriedly at her drunk, beaten husband.
"Cause I made you cry."
Evelyn was instantly touched. Jonathan, her shiftless, wayward, unreformed drunk of a brother had punched Rick because he had made her cry. She smiled. She loved her brother. Always had. Always would. And she would not trade him for all of Egypt.
"Oh Rick" Evelyn said, feeling extremely loved at that particular moment. "I'm sorry."
"I deserved it" he said, thinking he deserved it for causing the argument between them and for the redhead. If he were not so drunk he would punch himself.
Yes, she agreed silently, thinking he deserved it for breaking his promise to her that he would not drink again.
"Let me get some ice. It looks like your lip might be swelling" she said then got up and left the room.
Rick lay on the couch feeling relief that things had been worked out between him and Evelyn. And he realized that, though he was still grieved about his father, just talking to Evelyn helped him feel just a little bit better. Maybe she would be the salve that could heal the deep wounds his father had left him with. He smiled as he heard the click of her shoes against the hardwood floor.
Rick remembered how she pampered him and tended his scraps and scratches that he received from their little adventure with Imhotep and his minions. Her hands were so soft on him and he quickly got use to being taken care of. And now, he was about to get more of her tender, loving care.
Evelyn sat back down next to Rick and he enjoyed the feel of her body next to his. Then the warm rag touched his aching face and soothed it. Rick began to drift off when...
"Who's lipstick is this?"
Chapter 7: Truth
"Lips...tick?" Rick said groggily, his eyes still closed. "What lips...tick?" he said as laid his arm over her thighs and around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
As she wiped his face, Evelyn noticed the red imprint and frowned slightly. After rubbing the rag over the imprint, a smudge was left on the rag. What woman had been kissing him?
"This lipstick!" Evelyn said as she held the rag up as she frowned down at her drunken husband.
Rick slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus on Evelyn's face. She was a bit blurry and there was two of her. And both of them did not look too happy. In fact, the two faces of Evy looked quite ticked off. They were gorgeous though, when they were ticked off. At the moment, Evelyn was twice as beautiful and Rick could not help but grinned. In the next instance, the wet rag slapped him hard in his face.
"ouch!" Rick said as the cold rag stung his face.
"Let me go!!" Evelyn snapped as she slapped Rick in the face with the rag again.
She had tried to rise from the sofa but could not because he had her securely anchored in place.
"What's da matter Evy?" Rick whined. "Why'd ya hit me for?"
"Whose lipstick" she slapped his face. "Is" slap. "THIS!!" slap. "I don't wear" slap. "RED" slap, slap.
"Lipstick!!" she held the rag directly in front of his face.
Red lipstick... Red... ... ooooooh hell...
"h o n e y..." Rick said as he tried to come up with an explanation, or more accurately, a lie to tell her.
"Don't 'honey' me" she slapped him again. "YOU... YOU philanderer!"
"Evy... you hurt my feelin's when you call names" he said, trying to stall. "That's not very nice you know."
Evelyn got even more angry at him for trying to correct her when it was him who was drunk and him who had foreign lipstick smeared all over his face.
"OUCH!" Rick yelled.
Evelyn had slapped him yet again with the wet rag. Who was he to tell her she was not being nice when it was him who had obviously been running around with some hussy Jezebel? Had he really been with another, the way he had been with her? Had he touched, caressed, invaded the most intimate places of another woman as he had done to her. Evelyn's face began to heat up as she thought about their most intimate moments. Had he shared that with another?
"Have you been..." Evelyn wavered and her voice shook. "Have you been unfaithful to me?" she said as tears began to well up in her eyes at the thought that Rick had wandered from her.
"No!" he said immediately. "Hell NO! I swear Evy. I ain't TOUCHED another woman since I laid eyes you. I swear! I swear it" he said with such conviction that deep down inside, Evelyn believed him but...
"How do you explain that lipstick on you then!" Evelyn said, her voice steady this time.
Just because she was a woman. Just because she was na�ve, did not mean she was not stupid.
"I..." Rick said but could not think of a plausible lie to tell her.
"I KNEW IT!" Evelyn cried, her belief in him wavering.
"evy..." Rick said as he reached up to touch her cheek and assure her that he had been faithful.
With a strength that surprised Rick, Evelyn slapped his arm down and pushed his other arm away from her.
"I NEVER should have married you!" she yelled as she stood up.
"Evy..." Rick reached for and grabbed her skirt as the wet rag was thrown in his face.
Evelyn had to yank twice before she was able to free her skirt from his grip. Then she turned quickly and walked out of the room. As she walked away from him, she heard Rick calling her name then she heard a thump.
"Evy..." he called as lunged forward to grab the back of her skirt.
He could not quite reach the skirt and only succeeded in rolling himself from the sofa to the floor.
"Evy I been fate... ful. I swear it" he bemoaned. "Come back Evy" he pleaded from his prostrate, face down position on the floor. "Let me splain."
R
ick heard the angry clicks of her heels on the stairs and knew she was not coming back. Then he heard the bedroom door slam shut and wondered if it was still on its hinges. Rick rolled himself over onto his back and blew out a sigh. He was in big trouble. How in the hell could he explain having lipstick on him? Lipstick that was on hers...
'Evelyn'
'Yes'
'honey'
'Yes'
'I went looking for Jonathan'
'Jonathan was here'
'Yeah, but I didn't know that. I went looking for him in town'
'You took his car. How could he get to town?'
'I don't know but I went into the bar and this woman, TOTAL stranger mind you, came up to me and for no reason kissed me'
'Lair'
That one would not fly.
'Evelyn'
'Yes'
'sweetheart'
'Yes'
'You know I love you'
Silence.
'I ran into an old acquaintance tonight. We hadn't seen each other in years. I knew her WAY before you. Way before you. She kissed me 'hello'. I told her I was happily married to the most beautiful, the sexiest woman on earth. We said good bye. She went her way. I went mine'
'How were you 'acquainted with her?''
'oohhh. Just acquainted. It meant nothing really. I love you, you know. Only you. Since I met you, all other women pale in comparison'
"What's her name?'
'aahhh...'
'Liar'
That would not fly either.
'
Evy, honey'
'Yes'
'You aren't gonna believe who I saw tonight'
'Who'
'Sister Abigail'
'
Oh really'
'Yeah. I stopped by the convent to see if she was back from America. She was there. She can't wait to meet you. Before I left, she gave me a kiss...'
'And that's where the lipstick came from'
'Exactly'
'I didn't know nuns wore makeup'
Yeah me either. I was surprised myself to see Sister Abigail wearing lipstick.'
'Red lipstick'
'Yeah... isn't that something. What's the world coming too? A nun wearing red lipstick'
'Liar'
Another lie that would not fly.
'Evelyn'
'
Yes'
'You want to know the truth?'
'That would be nice'
'Truth is I love you. Truth is you're the only woman for me. Truth is you're the best thing to ever happen in my life'
'Where did the lipstick come from?'
'Um... I was... um... I was getting to that...'
'Well get to it'
What was he going to do? Tell her the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Hell no! How could he tell Evelyn he had been to a whorehouse looking for a whore? Evelyn may be prim and proper but he had a feeling that she would do what Jonathan failed to do - take his gun, aim and shoot him right in the...
Rick laughed out loud at that mental picture. Geez, he loved that woman. She was more feminine that any other woman he had ever known. But she had a courage that escaped even some men. And he had not doubt that he would lose his manhood if he told Evelyn the entire truth.
But then Rick sobered as much as he could because he knew he had to explain to Evelyn about the lipstick. He was not sure what he would say to her but he had to make her listen and make her understand.
Rick sat up slowly and the room started spinning. He moaned and held his head but he was determined to get up and go to Evelyn. It took him several moments before he got to his feet and when he did the room started spinning faster. Rick bent over and leaned on the arm of the sofa hoping his head would stop its orbiting. After another several moments, he took a deep breath and slowly lifted himself to an erect position. The room and his head were still spinning but it was tolerable. Rick looked down at his four feet and took tiny steps. After what seem to him to be an hour, he made it to the bottom of the stairs.
Rick slowly lifted his head and looked up to the top of the stairs. He groaned as the stairs stretched out a mile before him. Rick knew he would not be able to climb a mile up those stairs. But he had to because Evelyn was up there. Then suddenly the stairs started moving and his head started spinning again. Rick leaned on the banister and went down on one knee. His head settled down a bit and Rick looked up again at the stairs that stretched a mile long.
Maybe he could crawl up the stairs. He could keep is balance better on hands and knees. With his decision made, Rick began, on hands and knees, up the stairs. This journey seemed to take two hours but he did finally make it to the top. And now it was time to make it to their bedroom. Rick stayed on hands and knees and crawled to the bedroom door. He reached up and turned the knob only to find it locked.
"Evy?" he called out.
No answer.
"Evy, open da door" he pleaded as he stood up on his knees. "pleeze. I luv you..."
Still no answer.
"evy..." he pleaded again as he leaned his forehead against the door. "Open da door" he said and waited for the door to open.
When it did not, he continued.
"The lips...tick didn't mean anything. Not one damn thing! I was stew... pid!" he declared. "And mad" he said in a softer voice. "I was mad Evy. And hurt" he said with deep feeling. "Hurt cause I thought you wanted to leave me. I didn't know what else to do so I went to get drunk. I know I promised I wouldn't drink anymore but I didn't know where else to go. You were gonna leave me Evy and it hurt bad, real bad. I wanted to hurt you for that" he said honestly. "I wanted to hurt you as bad as you hurt me."
After several moments, Rick continued.
"I called her over to my table" he paused again, finding confession more difficult as he continued. "I called her over" he said as his heart spoke of its own accord, not wanting to lie to the woman he loved. "And... and she sat down. I knew what she was offering... and I took her up on it" he said in a pained voice. "I followed her up to her room" he heard himself say and wondered if he had lost his mind.
"But all I could do..." he said with a heart full of love. "Was think about you. I wanted to hurt you Evy, hurt you bad cause I was hurtin'. You don't know how it felt to hear you say you wanted a divorce. It felt like my guts were being ripped out. I hurt so bad and I wanted you to hurt. But when I looked at her, all I could see was you. I didn't want her. I wanted you. I wanted to hurt you so bad Evy... but I couldn't cause I luv you so much. Nothing happened cause I walked out on her. I went and got some more Vodka and left. I went by the convent but I think everybody was sleep. After I left there I drove home, parked in back and finished gettin' drunk."
Rick paused, hoping Evelyn would say something, anything. When she did not, he spoke again.
"evy? Will you talk to me?" he begged. "pleeze. Talk to me. Say something. Anything. Yell at me if you want. Just talk to me."
Still Rick was met with absolute silence.
"I luv you Evy. More than anything. And I'm sorry " he said. "Pleeze say you forgive me."
Rick waited for minutes upon minutes for Evelyn to say something. But she never did. He eventually turned from the door and sat on the floor with his back leaning against the door. As he sat there, he wondered if he had lost Evelyn. Would she forgive him for what he did?
"I do luv you Evy" he said quietly. "I swear it."
R
ick did not know how long it was before he slipped into a drunken sleep. He only hoped that tomorrow would be better. That Evelyn would forgive him and tell him that she loved him.
Tomorrow had to be a better day.
Chapter 8: The Other Side of the Door
As Evelyn stomped up the stairs, she imagined Rick's head nicely perched in the center of each step. She found a small bit of satisfaction as she visualized crushing his head with each step she took. He was sloshed worse than Jonathan and on top of that he had the audacity to come home to her with lipstick on him. Red lipstick!
Not only was Evelyn irate with Rick but she was furious, absolutely furious with the hussy Jezebel that had the temerity to touch what belonged to her! Evelyn's fingers itched to see the floozy so that she could scratch her eyes out.
After slamming the bedroom door and locking it, Evelyn began to pace angrily back and forth from the door to the foot of the bed and back again. For a moment she wondered why she was not sprawled across the bed crying her eyes out. After all, her husband had come home drunk and covered in lipstick. Red lipstick.
'Because he said he had not be unfaithful. And you believe him' a small voice spoke.
At the present though, Evelyn did not want to think about the fact that she believed him. If she did, she would throw down her pride, high tail it down the stairs, tell him how much she loved him, forgive him for having lipstick, red lipstick on him and beg him to forgive her.
She was not, however, in a forgiving mood and she certainly was not about to throw away her pride and beg for HIS forgiveness. Not when he was drunk and covered in red lipstick.
Evelyn's mood was not pretty. In fact it was quite ugly. It was mad, incensed, enraged. She wanted to give him the knee right between his legs, clock him a few good ones and then scratch his eyes out so he would never look at another woman.
Why had he even let that loose woman's lips come within in 5 feet of him? Why? The woman certainly did not overpower him and force him to accept her kiss. Surely he was strong enough to divert her advances. So why didn't the imbecile do just that? Why? That was a simple task that even a man could handle. So why didn't he handle it?
"oooohhh!!!" Evelyn stomped her foot, again wishing that Rick's head was beneath her foot.
Evelyn then reached down and took off one shoe and threw it at Mr. Huggy, who was sitting in the chair, and who, all of a sudden, looked exactly like Rick. Evelyn reached down and took off the other shoe and before she could think about how ridiculous she was being, she threw that one, hitting poor Mr. Huggy square in the face.
"Blasted man!!" Evelyn spit out.
Mr. Huggy was the first gift Rick had given to Evelyn. When they fled Hamanaptra after she woke the mummy and made it safely back to the Fort, Evelyn immediately went to her room. After she bathed and put on fresh clothes, she began pulling out books in hopes of finding an answer to their mummy problem. If only she had not read from the book, everything would be fine. But she did and now the entire world was in danger. And then she thought about poor Mr. Burns and guilt washed over her. She was the reason he was now eyeless. She decided to go and see how he was doing under the circumstances. After returning from her visit with Mr. Burns, her guilt was increased and she absentmindedly picked up one of the books she had gotten out and walked over to the window. What if they were not able to stop the mummy? The whole earth would be destroyed because of her. As her mind thought of the end of the world, she heard a knock and turned. It was him.
Rick had awkwardly presented her with the bear and she gladly took it. Soon after giving it to her, they had their very first fight. He, in his 'I'm in charge. I'm the boss. I'm the BIG man' attitude, informed her that they would be leaving and she informed him that they would be staying. It became obvious that he had disregarded her words when he went searching through the closet and emerged with her suitcase.
Evelyn became incensed at his high-handedness and felt as if she were being treated like a child. She tossed the bear down on the table and told him he could take his old silly bear back. Again he disregarded her words and went back inside the closet and came out with his arms full of her clothes. She tried to reason with him but he would not listen and their disagreement escalated. When he finally realized she was not going anywhere until they found a way to kill the mummy, he reluctantly spit out a 'Fine!' before taking the bear and storming out of the room. Evelyn thought he was a cad for actually taking the bear. After all, she did not mean it when she told him he took take the bear back.
R
ick did, however, to her immense pleasure, give the bear back. The night she said 'yes' to his marriage proposal, Rick had come back and knocked on her door after they said goodnight. He teasingly told her that he wanted to be sure she had said 'yes' then presented her with the bear. Evelyn's smile was brighter than when he had given it to her the first time and she fell in love with the stuffed animal then and there. So why was she now abusing him so?
"Stop looking at me like that!" Evelyn snapped.
Mr. Huggy was looking up at Evelyn with his beady little eyes. Not only did Evelyn feel silly for attacking a stuffed animal but now she began to feel a tremendous amount guilt. Mr. Huggy was, after all, the innocent in this entire mess.
"It's not you Mr. Huggy. It's that... that blasted husband of mine!" she said as she walked over to the chair and picked Mr. Huggy up. "He let some trollop kiss him!" she said as she lovingly squeezed Mr. Huggy.
"Can you believe that?!"
She explained her ire to Mr. Huggy, who listened intently, as she continued her pacing. When she ran out of words to say, she simply paced and held Mr. Huggy close. Evelyn was pacing toward the door and stopped when she heard the doorknob turn.
"Evy?"
Evy? The audacity of that man! Did he really think that trying to woo her with that pitiful sounding voice would make her heart melt?
"Evy, open da door pleeze."
Surely he did not think he was getting into THIS bedroom! Into THIS bed! With her!
"I luv you..."
Instantly, her eyes began to water. Damn her melting heart!
"evy... Open da door."
A tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away, angry with herself for wanting to open the door simply because he said 'I luv you'. Against her better judgment, she took one step, then another until she reached the door. Evelyn reached up and laid her hand on the door, her heart wanting to open it but her head deciding against it.
"The lips... tick..." Evelyn heard him say and slowly fell down to her knees.
Evelyn knew he was about to tell her where the lipstick had come from and she did not think she was really ready to hear the truth. He said he had been faithful. But what if he lied? Could she handle hearing him say he had been untrue to her?
"Didn't mean anything. Not one damn thing! I was stew... pid! And mad. I was mad Evy. And hurt."
Evelyn's tears began to silently cascade down her face as she heard the pain and regret in his voice. Her heart began to sink as she prepared herself for the cataclysm his words were about to bring.
"Hurt cause I thought you wanted to leave me. I didn't know what else to do so I went to get drunk. I know I promised I wouldn't drink anymore but I didn't know where else to go. You were gonna leave me Evy and it hurt bad, real bad. I wanted to hurt you for that. I wanted to hurt you as bad as you hurt me."
Evelyn laid her forehead against the door and a sick feeling washed over her as she waited for the stone pillar to fall and crush her heart. If only she had stopped him from leaving after she said she wanted a divorce. If only she had not been so hasty in thinking a divorce could solve their problem. If only they had discussed children before they got married. If only they had not fallen in love. If only they had never met. Then her world would not be one confession away from shattering. Evelyn's heart pounded loudly in her ears and she waited with baited breath for Rick to continue.
"I called her over to my table... ... ... ..."
Evelyn's breath caught in her throat and she bit her bottom lip to hold back the anguished cry that threatened to escape.
"I called her over and... and she sat down. I knew what she was offering... and I took her up on it."
Evelyn's breathing became labored and she held her churning stomach as her world began to crumble piece by agonizing piece.
"I followed her up to her room..."
Her heart pounded even louder and Evelyn felt as if she were suffocating. Her ears began to burn. 'I followed her up to her room'. Evelyn closed her eyes tight as she tried to shut his words. 'I followed her up to her room'. She did not want to hear this. 'I followed her up to her room'. This was far worse than her worse nightmare. 'I followed her up to her room'.
Evelyn shook her head in denial. This could not be happening. She could not be sitting there listening to her husband admit that he had been unfaithful to her. She couldn't, she just couldn't listen to any more.
But she had too. Evelyn had to know what happened between Rick and this other woman. She had to know the truth regardless of the cost. The cost was great, more that she could ever bear but nevertheless, Evelyn had to know. She had to know the truth.
"But all I could do... was think about you."
Evelyn could not hear those words because 'I followed her up to her room' loudly replayed over and over in her mind as a flood of tears pushed pass her closed eyelids.
"I wanted to hurt you Evy, hurt you bad cause I was hurtin'. You don't know how it felt to hear you say you wanted a divorce. It felt like my guts were being ripped out."
Evelyn felt like her heart was being ripped out.
"I hurt so bad."
Evelyn hurt so bad too.
"And I wanted you to hurt."
Rick had accomplished his goal. More than he would ever know.
"But when I looked at her, all I could see was you. I didn't want her. I wanted you. I wanted to hurt you so bad Evy... but I couldn't cause I luv you so much. Nothing happened cause I walked out on her. I went and got some more Vodka and left. I went by the convent but I think everybody was sleep. After I left there I drove home, parked in back and finished gettin' drunk."
Evelyn's breathing came a little easier because 'I wanted you... I luv you' had broken through 'I followed her up to her room' and had found its way to her ears and then to her heart. The chokehold she felt around her neck began to loosen. Her world was not as dim as it was a moment ago.
Rick had not been untrue. Evelyn's heart believed it with all its being.
He had gone looking for another woman. Her head reasoned with all its logic.
He only did it because he was hurting. And she was the cause of his hurt.
But she would never hurt him simply because he had hurt her. She loved him too much.
And that was why she would forgive him.
But how could she forgive him when he set out to hurt her?
But he remained faithful, he remained true to his vows. Because he loved her.
But he WANTED to hurt her.
But he didn't. He couldn't. Because he loved her.
But that could not excuse his intent. His intent to hurt her.
"evy? Will you talk to me? Pleeze. Talk to me. Say something. Anything. Yell at me if you want. Just talk to me."
Evelyn could not talk to Rick. Not now. She could not or would not let go of the nagging fact that he had gone to another woman for the expressed purpose of hurting her. How could he do such a horrible thing if he loved her?
"I luv you Evy. More than anything. And I'm sorry" he said. "Pleeze say you forgive me."
Evelyn sat on the floor and leaned against the door. She did not know if she could forgive him. What would he do the next time they had a fight? Would he go seeking another woman just to get back at her? How could she trust him with her heart, knowing he was capable of intentionally hurting her? What would she do now? Where would they go from here? Would there be a future with Rick?
Evelyn did not know the answer to any of the questions that now plagued her.
"I do luv you Evy" she heard him say. "I swear it."
And she loved him too. She loved him with all her heart. But would that be enough to mend the sore rift between them?
Yet another question Evelyn did not know the answer too.
Chapter 9: Cold Shoulder
When Evelyn woke the next morning, her pillow was a bit hard and her bottom felt a bit sore. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was sitting on the floor with her head leaning against the door. She had fallen asleep and never got up to go to bed. Her stomach began it usual routine of morning nausea and Evelyn moaned as she slowly made her way to her feet.
When she opened the bedroom door, she found her husband stretched out on the floor in front of the door. He was on his back with his arms spread wide. And he was snoring. Evelyn thought about emptying the contents of her stomach on his head but the mess she would have to clean up quickly changed her mind. So instead, she stepped over him and hurried to the bathroom.
When Evelyn was done with her new morning ritual and had walked back to the bedroom, Rick was still sprawled out in front of door, still snoring. He had not budged one inch. Evelyn wondered if, and actually hoped, Rick would suffer a hangover. It would serve him right, she thought as she stepped back over him and went inside the bedroom. After grabbing her bathrobe, Evelyn turned back and walked outside the bedroom, stepped over her still sleeping, still snoring husband and went to take a nice, long hot bath.
After preparing her bath, Evelyn stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the heated water with a sigh. After easing down into the steaming, jasmine scented water, Evelyn rested her head against the back of the tub and closed her eyes. The water felt good to her sore muscles and she reveled in the soothing it brought her. Then her mind settled on the reason for her sore muscles - Rick.
The dawning of day brought about a new attitude in Evelyn. Last night she had gone from being angry with Rick to crying her eyes out because he had sought out another woman. She had cried until there were no more tears to shed. And then she cried some more until she fell into a fitful sleep. But now, now she was back to being angry, being furious because that was the only way she would keep from crying. It was the only way she knew to protect her fragile, hurting heart. Rick would rue the day he decided to go running after some Jezebel.
Evelyn felt the tears well up and she squeezed her eyes tighter. She would not cry over that blasted man today. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow she would cry but not today. So in order to escape being on the verge of tears, Evelyn settled her mind on other things and pushed Rick as far out of her mind as she could.
After thinking about her new job as head curator of the Cairo Museum and all the new and exciting responsibilities she now had, Evelyn's mind drifted to the baby she was carrying and a smile spread across her face. A baby. She was having a baby. It was still a bit hard for her to believe but the incessant morning nausea was a friendly reminder of the undeniable truth. She was going to have a baby. A baby. A teeny, tiny human being was growing inside of her. Evelyn wondered if it was a boy or girl.
If it were a boy, would he have brown hair touched with streaks of gold? Would he have a pair of blue eyes that would make the fairer sex swoon? Would he have a love for Egypt and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge or a love for guns and a sure-fire aim? Or would he inherit Jonathan's love for gold? He certainly would not inherit Jonathan's love for loose women and strong drink. She would make certain of that.
If it were a girl, would she have long black curly hair or would it be straight and golden brown like her father's? Would she inherit the eyes of her mother or the eyes of her father? Would she be a bookworm or would she be a little tomboy with Jonathan as her playmate? Would she love Egypt and all its rich history? Would she be as clumsy as her mother? Evelyn hoped not. Would she fall head over heals in love with a rogue of a man? Evelyn prayed not.
Thoughts of her baby were very soothing and before she knew it, Evelyn had fallen asleep. She woke an hour later and after quickly washing her hair and body in the now cold water, she got out of the tub, dried off, wrapped a towel around her head and put on her bathrobe. When she walked back to the bedroom, Rick was still sleeping. Evelyn stepped over him for the fourth time and slammed the door.
Rick jumped at the loud sound and slowly opened his eyes. The bright daylight that fluttered in the hallway was too strong for his sleepy, bloodshot eyes and he put his hand over them. As he lay there, the events of the last few days slowly filtered back into his memory.
Evelyn was expecting a kid.
He was not exactly thrilled about the news.
Evelyn got mad at him.
He got mad at her, downed a few drinks, remembered his father's abandonment and faced the fact that he was scared. Scared of having a kid.
Evelyn said she wanted a divorce and she hurt him bad.
He went looking for female company to pay Evelyn back for hurting him. But in the end, he could not do it.
He walked up to the house drunk and determined not to let Evelyn go.
Evelyn got made at him because of the red lipstick.
He confessed to what he had done, which, in his opinion, was really nothing at all.
And now he was lying in front of his bedroom door with the worse hangover he had ever had, wondering if his wife would talk to him today. Wondering if she would ever forgive him.
R
ick did not know how many minutes had passed when he heard the doorknob turn and bedroom door open. He lifted his hand from his eyes and turned his head toward the door.
"Evy?" he said in a groggy voice.
Evelyn did not even look down at him but again stepped over him without a word.
"Evy?" Rick called after her and grabbed the hem of her skirt.
Evelyn snatched her skirt from his grip and kept walking.
"Evy?" Rick moaned in a pitiful voice as he heard the angry clicks of her heels walk away from him.
Rick guessed that Evelyn had not yet forgiven him. But, damn it all, he could be stubborn too. She would talk him come hell or high water. And she would forgive him, even if it killed her.
"Evelyn!" he yelled, trying to use force to intimidate her.
The second he yelled he regretted it. First, he knew it was a waste of time because Evelyn was not easily intimidated. And that was one of the reasons he loved her so much. And second, the only thing he
succeeded in doing was causing his already pounding head to pound even harder.
"Damn it!" he hissed through gritted teeth as he put his fingertips up to his temples and massaged his head.
Rick lay there until the pounding subsided a bit and then he tried to sit up. His head began to spin worse than it had last night and his stomach began to heave. Rick rolled over on his stomach and pushed himself up on his hands and knees. It seemed like forever before he was able to stand but when he did he began to stagger his way to the bathroom. He eventually made it and found the commode just before his stomach began emptying itself.
After Rick was sure there was nothing left for him to puke up, he pushed himself away from the toilet and sat as he caught his breath. A terrible hangover and testy helpmate. What a way to start the day.
When Rick was able, he stood up on shaky legs and bent over the sink. After washing his mouth out and splashing his face, he stood up straight and despite his pounding head and still queasy stomach, he turned and walked out of the bathroom and headed downstairs.
Rick found Evelyn in the kitchen making herself a cup of cocoa and a slice of toast. He stood in the doorway watching her move around the kitchen. She was dressed for the day and her hair was down. It was still wet from washing. Rick loved it when she wore her hair loose and he loved to see it wet. Something about her wet hair got his juices flowing.
Evelyn knew he was there watching her. She could feel his eyes on her and for a moment she wanted to run to him. But then she remembered the red lipstick. She remembered all the tears she cried. She remembered that he would rue the day he went traipsing after some trollop. So instead of running into his arms, she ignored him.
"Evelyn" he said in a soft voice, hoping to she would speak to him.
'Blast him and that voice of his' Evelyn thought. Hearing that voice saying her name so sweetly, so lovingly, tempted her to relent. But her resolve proved a bit stronger than the temptation and Evelyn went about her business as if she had not heard him.
Rick watched as she poured hot water into her mug and then watched as she retrieved her toast from the toaster oven. Then she went to the table, sat down, picked up the book that was sitting on the table and began to eat. Rick took that opportunity to sit himself because not only was his head still pounding but it was beginning to spin again.
After pulling out his chair and sitting down, Rick watched Evelyn as she read the book. He thought she was exceptionally adorable at that moment. Wet hair hanging down her shoulders and spectacles perched on the tip of her nose. Rick wanted to snatch the book out of her hands, lay her across the table, toss the spectacles aside and have her for lunch. But that fantasy would have to wait under later he thought with a grin. Right now, he had to get her to talk to him.
"Evelyn..." Rick said. "will you say something?"
In response, Evelyn picked up her toast and bit into it, not even looking up from her reading. Rick sighed and as the cinnamon flavor of Evelyn's toast began to drift into his nostrils, he held his stomach, hoping he would not start heaving again.
"Look Evelyn..." Rick raised his voice slightly and immediately regretted it when his head rebelled against the loud noise. "I said..." he continued in an almost whisper. "I said I was sorry for what I did" he said and waited for a response from her.
This time Evelyn picked up her mug, took a sip of her cocoa, set the mug down and continued reading her book, continued ignoring her husband.
"Come on Evy" Rick pleaded. "Say something. Anything."
"Top of the morning all!" Jonathan said cheerfully as he entered the kitchen.
"Good morning Jonathan" Evelyn said as she looked up from her book at her brother.
"Could you keep it down Jonathan" Rick said in a curt voice as he winced at the loud greeting.
"Sorry old chap" Jonathan said as he looked at Rick and saw his bloodshot eyes, tousled hair and wrinkled clothes. "Didn't realize a hard-liner like you couldn't hold his liqueur. Suffering the dreaded hangover huh?" he asked as he walked to the icebox and took out 2 eggs. "Why not have Evy whip you up an old family remedy? She's done it for me a million times" he said as he stood at the counter next to the icebox and took out a bowl to crack his eggs into.
At that moment, Evelyn stood up, took her mug, toast and book and walked out of the kitchen. Rick's pitiful eyes followed her as she disappeared out of his sight.
"I tell ya O'Connell" Jonathan said as he cracked one egg. "It's a nasty bugger of a drink but it'll do the trick and you'll feel like your old self in no time" he said as he turned to face Rick and Evelyn. "Where'd Evy go?" he asked as he followed Rick's gaze toward the kitchen door.
Rick wanted to go after her but he was feeling too sick to move. He laid his forehead on the table wondering in his pounding mind if Evelyn would ever forgive him for the minor infraction he committed.
"Where'd Evy go?" Jonathan asked again as he looked at the top of his brother-in-law's head.
"How the hell do I know?" Rick mumbled.
"Ah. I see" Jonathan laughed. "That O'Connell charm didn't work on old mum?"
"Shut up Jonathan" Rick said in a weary voice.
"Don't worry my good son" Jonathan said cheerfully. "I'm sure old mum will come around. She can't stay mad at you forever."
R
ick was not so sure that she couldn't but he knew he was in no condition to do battle with her. He would have to recover from his hangover first. Then and only then would he have a chance of winning this fight.
"Jonathan" he mumbled. "Can you whip up that remedy?"
"You know, I'm not quite sure what Evy puts in that god awful drink. Let me go ask" he said.
After a few minutes, Rick heard Jonathan come back into the kitchen.
"What in bloody hell did you do to her? She won't tell me what she puts in the drink."
"You've had it a million times. Don't you know what she puts in it?!"
"Well... let me think" he said as he tried to recall the taste of the drink. "I know she uses raw egg. Yeah, she uses 2 raw eggs. And then there's tabasco sauce, I think."
"Damn it Jonathan don't you know?!" Rick said, his head still down on the table, still pounding, still spinning.
"Tabasco sauce, I'm sure. And there's one more thing" he paused. "Vinegar! That's it vinegar. Two eggs, raw, tabasco sauce and vinegar."
Rick's stomach churned and he gagged as he imagined the taste. But if it would cure him of his hangover, he would take his medicine like a man. Rick lifted his head and sat up to see Jonathan staring at him with a proud grin on his face.
"Do you mind getting the drink?"
"Oh yeah. Sure" Jonathan said as he quickly went to prepared the drink.
After the concoction was made, Jonathan handed Rick the drink and he turned the glass up until it was emptied. Rick's face contorted at the awful taste of the drink and he felt as if he was going to puke it back up.
"You may want to hurry up to the commode" Jonathan informed him. "It cleans you out pretty good."
R
ick got up from the table holding his stomach. In a bent over posture, Rick rushed out of the kitchen and up to the bathroom. After he was done getting cleaned out, Rick stripped naked and wearily stepped into the tub and bathed. When he finished, he walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Once inside the bedroom, he dried off, put on a pair of boxers and fell across the bed. He was asleep almost immediately.
Two hours later, Rick woke and he did feel like his old self again. He would have to thank Jonathan for that old family remedy. After getting up from the bed and dressing, Rick went downstairs and found Jonathan waiting for him.
"Finally up old chap?" Jonathan looked up from the paper he was reading when Rick walked into the sitting room.
"Yeah" Rick said as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Ready to go into town?" Jonathan asked.
Rick has asked Jonathan to take him into town today because Rick's new car was being shipped in.
"Yeah" Rick said.
Jonathan noticed Rick's sullen mood and tried to cheer him up.
"Don't worry O'Connell" he said as he stood up. "Evy doesn't hold a grudge that long. Just promise her you'll never drink again and she'll forgive you just like that" he said and snapped his fingers.
"She's not mad because I was drunk" Rick informed him as they turned to walk out of the front door.
"You did explained to her about being scared..." he said and Rick looked at him with a frown. "Look O"Connell" he continued. "I don't blame ya. Good God, if I got that kind of news I'd be scared witless."
"I'm not scared" Rick emphasized. "Just unsure."
"OK" Jonathan said, knowing the truth. "Well you explained to her why you're 'unsure'?"
"Yeah, we talked about it."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Why's she still mad?"
Rick paused a moment and debated about telling Jonathan everything. Jonathan could be a buffoon most of the time. Jonathan was a buffoon most of the time. But... he had proven his love for and loyalty to his sister. And considering that, Rick could hardly hold his buffoonery against him. And besides that, Rick knew that the loyalty he had for his sister now extended to him and Jonathan was indeed his friend. His good friend. And most of all, they were family. And that was something Rick had not had since he was 4 years old.
"She found lipstick on me last night" Rick said when they were both in Jonathan's car.
"O'Connell..." Jonathan said in a warning voice.
"Let me explain" Rick interrupted.
Rick left out no detail. He told Jonathan about going to the whorehouse, looking for a whore. He described the redhead in detail and explained that, before Evelyn, the redhead was perfectly suited to his taste. Rick admitted that he wanted to make the redhead earn every pound she would get from him. And then he told
Jonathan how he walked away from the tempting minx.
"You left her standing there?" Jonathan asked in disbelief.
"Yeah."
Jonathan whistled and shook his head. He was glad O'Connell walked away. After all the man was married to his sister. But, good golly, Jonathan was a man. A man who thought himself to be a connoisseur of beautiful women. And the redhead sounded beautiful. He certainly would not have walked away. That was one reason he was still single. He loved women and if he married he would have to give them up.
Jonathan gained a new respect for Rick. Jonathan knew he was an oddity because most men, and even the ones he hell raised with, thought nothing of dilly dally around on wives with ladies of the night. But Jonathan, for reasons he did not know, found the idea of cheating on your wife very unappealing.
"Well, did she say she still wanted a divorce?" Jonathan asked, trying to think of a way to help his sister and O'Connell get back to their disgusting shows of affection.
"She hasn't said anything to me."
"Oh" Jonathan said.
"I'm gonna go by the museum after I pick up the car" Rick said.
"That might not be a good idea" Jonathan offered. "When Evy's mad she can be a hellcat, an absolute shrew. As I'm sure you're about to find out considering what you did."
"Thanks a lot Jonathan" Rick said sarcastically.
"Sorry old chap. But look on the bright side. She loves you and she can't stay mad forever."
"I hope you're right" Rick said.
"Of course I'm right!" Jonathan said. "I know my sister. Know her quite well. And you'd better stay away from her for a while. Give her some space and she'll come around. You'll see."
"For how long?" Rick asked.
"A day or two. After that, I'm sure that charm of yours will be able to wear her down."
A
fter Jonathan dropped Rick off and he had his new car, he sat in front of the Cairo Museum. 'A day or two' Jonathan had said. Rick did not want to wait a day or two. He wanted his wife back. And he wanted her back now. Then he remembered what his wife said once. 'Patience is a virtue'. Right now, maybe it was. He finally relented, followed Jonathan's advice and pulled off in his brand new car.
*********************
A hellcat and absolute shrew did not begin to describe Evelyn. That evening Jonathan had gone to pick her up from the Museum. When she got home, Evelyn walked past a waiting, remorseful Rick as if he were not even there. He spoke to her and she ignored him. Instead she had asked Jonathan if he had eaten. 'Give her time old chap' Jonathan whispered to Rick before telling Evelyn that he would be picking up something in town. Evelyn went into the kitchen and prepared herself a light meal, ate and went upstairs.
When they had gotten married, Evelyn had purchased cookbooks and was determined to learn how to cook for her new husband. And when she was determined, Evelyn was a quick study and within no time, she was making meals that were not exactly gourmet but did satisfy the hunger without offending the taste buds or the stomach.
Even though he was still more soldier than civilian and could rustle up something edible, Rick enjoyed having those less than gourmet meals cooked by his wife. She made him feel loved when she did that. But this night, there was no love in sight and he was left to his own devices.
When Rick went up to bed that night, he found the bedroom door locked and he decided not to even try to get Evelyn to open it. Instead he went back downstairs and settled on the couch.
For the next week, Rick got the silent treatment from Evelyn. She did not look at him, talk to him or acknowledge him in any way even though he did everything he knew to do to tell her he loved her.
He would go to her when he heard her retching in the bathroom and rub her back until she finished. Afterward, he would try and help her wipe her face but she would grab another washcloth, wipe her own face and leave him standing there. He would go downstairs and boil water and put cinnamon bread in the toaster oven. By the time Evelyn got the kitchen, her breakfast would be waiting for her. Evelyn, however, would act as if it were not there and go about preparing her own cocoa and cinnamon toast and leave what Rick prepared on the table.
He would offer to drive her to the museum. She would ask Jonathan if he could do it and if he were still sleeping, she would call a taxi. He, instead of Jonathan, would come to pick her up from the museum. She would walk back inside and call Jonathan. If Jonathan refused to come and pick her up, she would call a taxi, wait for it and when it came, walk past Rick's brand new car to the taxi. He brought her flowers. She would throw them in the wastebasket.
He would tell her he was sorry and that he loved her. She would turn her back on him and walk out of the room.
"I didn't know she could hold a grudge this long" Jonathan commented when, at the end of the week, he witnessed Evelyn walking out on Rick's profession of love.
Both Rick and Evelyn were miserable. Rick was at his wits ends about what to do to get Evelyn to talk to him. Evelyn, though she put on a good front during the day, was going to bed each night with tears in her eyes.
Chapter 10: Lonely
It had been a week and two days and Evelyn still had not spoken a word to Rick. And for the last two days, he had not spoken a word to her. In the wee hours of the night, when Evelyn was completely honest with herself, she admitted that she was hurt that Rick had stopped trying to talk to her, trying to get her attention, trying to get her forgiveness. She cried even harder as she wondered if she was being too stubborn, too unforgiving. She wondered if she had pushed him too far away, pushed him to the point of no return. Would he ever come back? Would he ever come back to her? Would they ever return to the love they shared? Would things ever be the same between them? Or would they continue as silent strangers living under the same roof? Had they, had she ruined it all?
The brooding silence was deafening and even impish Jonathan was affected by frosty chill that permeated throughout the house. Even a healthy sip, or in his case a healthy gulp, could not warm things up. Jonathan tried talking to his sister but the moment he mentioned Rick, she froze him from head to toe with her icy stare and that was all it took for Jonathan to shut him mouth on that particular matter. He then tried encouraging Rick not to give up on his sister. But to his dismay, Rick threw up his hands in frustration and defeat.
"What the hell else can I do Jonathan?" Rick said as he looked under the hood of his new car. "I told her I love her. I tried to explain to her about what happened, which was absolutely NOTHING I might add! She won't listen and I can't make her."
"Sure you can" Jonathan said, trying to sound confident in his statement.
"The hell I can" he bit out and Jonathan could hear the frustration oozing from his lips. "I'm fed up with her!" he yelled, the tension of the last week exploding in a frustrated protest. "Fed up with it all!"
"I know Evy can be a handful sometimes" Jonathan offered, hoping Rick really did not mean what he had just said. "Sometimes you just have to be firm with her and put your foot down" he said, knowing how ridiculous he sounded. "And make her listen" he finished.
Rick raised up from under the hood of the car and gave Jonathan an incredulous look.
"Have YOU ever MADE your sister listen?"
"Well..."
"I thought so" he said before ducking his head back under the hood.
"Yes... well... I've never had the need to do it. But if I did, you can bet I'd do it."
"Yeah. Right" Rick said from under the hood.
"Listen O'Connell" Jonathan asserted himself. "I know you love my sister. And I know she loves you. I can't understand why you two are being so stubborn."
"I'm not the one being stubborn!" Rick snapped as he came from under the hood with a menacing frown, causing Jonathan to take a step back. "In case you haven't noticed. SHE's" he said and pointed toward the house. "The one who's locking ME" he pointed to himself. "Out of the bedroom. SHE's the one not talking to ME..."
"Well now..." Jonathan interrupted tentatively. "You haven't said anything to her for what... the last 2 days."
"Why should I?! I've been talking to her for the last week. Begging her to talk to me so we can work things out. But I'm wasting my breath and to hell with it! If that's the way she wants it, then that's the way she's gonna get it" he said before going back under the hood.
"O'Connell" Jonathan said in a worried voice. "You don't mean that."
"The hell I don't" Rick spit out, his anger increasing moment by moment.
The frustration and the fear were growing with each passing day and Rick was beginning to feel helpless. A feeling that he hated and was not accustomed to dealing with. He was also beginning to think that what he had done, or almost done, had damaged his marriage beyond repair. And that was a prospect he did not want to face.
Jonathan understood Rick's feeling of being at the end of his rope. And he really did not blame Rick, not totally. Evelyn, he admitted, did have her part in all of this and he could only hope that his sister would come to her senses before it was too late.
*************************
Evelyn had been standing by the window watching Rick. As she observed him inspecting the different parts under the hood of his new car, Evelyn thought of how much she loved him. Yes, she admitted to herself, she did still love him. She would love him past her dying day, perhaps for eternity. But she did not know how to forgive him for what he had done. She was not ready to hear him out as he had begged her to do. She was just not ready. Then Evelyn heard his angry shout.
'I'm fed up with her!'
His words cut and they pierced her vulnerable heart. It did not matter to Evelyn that she had been a virtual harridan for the past week. It did not matter that she had spurned his every attempt to apologize and make things right between them. Nothing mattered but the piercing of her torn heart.
Evelyn turned away from the window and ran upstairs. When she got to her room, she locked the door, threw herself on the bed and cried uncontrollably. He was fed up with her. Did he not love her anymore? Maybe she had pushed him too far. Too far for him to come back. Maybe everything was ruined, maybe they would never be reconciled. Maybe now it was him who wanted the divorce. Evelyn's tears soaked her pillow as thoughts of despair and hopelessness tormented her heart and soul.
"Evy?" Jonathan's knock on the door invaded Evelyn's world of gloom. "Evy are you alright?" Jonathan asked. "Evy?" he called when she did not answer him right away.
"Yes?" she answered in a weak voice only after attempting to pull herself together.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes"
"You don't sound alright" Jonathan said. "I hear you crying."
"I'm fine Jonathan. Really" she said in a none too convincing voice as tears streamed down her face.
"Evy..."
"Jonathan please..." Evelyn cried. "I... I just need to be alone right now."
"Evy if you're this upset..."
"Jonathan please" she begged. "Please, I just need to be left alone."
Jonathan stood at the door for several moments not knowing if he should leave her alone or insist that she let him in. He loved his sister dearly and wanted badly to help her but did now know how.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his worry evident in his voice.
"Yes" she was barely audible.
"Well..." he said hesitantly after several moment. "I'll be here when you need me. OK?"
"Thank you Jonathan" Evelyn said with a sniff.
If her husband no longer loved her at least her brother did.
*********************
Evelyn was forced to get up from the bed when her stomach began growling. She knew she had to eat, if not for herself, then for the baby.
"Eat and get plenty of rest" the doctor told her.
So, with a heavy heart, Evelyn pulled herself up in the bed and swung her legs over the side. She sat on the bed looking at her tear stained face. She had cried more in the last 3 months than she had in her entire life. It took the intense hunger pains of her stomach for Evelyn to stop staring at her crying self in the mirror and get up and go and wash her face.
When she entered the kitchen, Evelyn had a fresh face in spite of her puffy eyes and heavy heart. As she walked toward the icebox, she heard shots in the back yard and knew Rick was out there having target practice. Not too long ago, two weeks and 4 days ago to be exact, she was out there with him and he was teaching her how to aim and shoot.
"Keep it tight against your shoulder. Squeeze the trigger. Don't pull it" he instructed her as she held the shotgun.
Tears began to well up in her eyes and Evelyn wished with all her heart that she were out there with him now. It was lonely in the house. She was lonely. Lonely without him...
When Rick stopped his shooting to reload his gun, he saw that the kitchen light was on and he knew she was in there. A week and 4 days ago, she was out there with him, learning how to aim and shoot.
"Tight against the shoulder. Squeeze. Don't pull" she said as she carried out his instructions.
He wished she were out there with him now. It was lonely out there. He was lonely. Lonely without her...
*********************
It was nearly nine o'clock when Rick stopped his target practice and went inside the house. He stopped in the kitchen and made himself a sandwich. After eating it, Rick headed upstairs to bathe. As he walked by the closed bedroom door, Rick wanted to kick it in and make Evelyn listen, as Jonathan had suggested. He thought seriously about it for a moment. He decided that if she did not come around soon, he would do just that because, though he was fed up with the way she was acting, he still loved her more than anything. That would never change, no matter what she did. But he was still fed up. Fed up with sleeping on the couch. Fed up with the rift between them. Fed up with not hearing her say 'I love you'. Fed up with being in the same house with her but being miles away from her.
His love for her would never change but the way things were going between them had to change. And they would change, he determined as he reached the bathroom door. Upon opening it, Rick was met with a very pleasant surprise.