Disclaimer: The Mummy movies do not belong to me I am merely borrowing the characters for my own evil purposes so there you go.

 

Author: Eviefan

 

Summary: I wanted to do a more in depth story about Rick and Evelyn after Hamunaptra, and their not being so sure about one another as far as getting married so this one might be a little long, just bare in mind that I like happy endings so have faith

 

 

 

 

 

After Hamunaptra

 

 

Chapter 1: Everything is Different

 

 

Being at the museum was Evelyn’s escape. Life had gotten so complicated within the last few weeks, and she was having a difficult time figuring out what she wanted to do with it.  In the beginning, after the fall of Hamunaptra, she had thought being with O'Connell was what she wanted.  He was strong, handsome, and something about him drew her to him like a magnet.  For a few days after their return, things had gotten pretty intense, enough for her to push him away, which was one of the resaons why she spent so much time at the museum.  Now she was sitting at her desk sorting through some artifacts, though her mind was on the last night she had been with O’Connell.  They had dinner at a small Restaurant she liked. After dinner, they had walked out along the edge of the city hand in hand talking about mundane things, when he had stopped them, pulling her in front of him so they could see eye to eye.  She had been surprised, and even more so when he took a velvet case out of his pocket asking her to marry him.  It was feeling a tear slip down her cheek that brought her out of thought and she wiped it away. 

 

“Stop this,”  she said to herself angered that she had let those thoughts in,  knowing that she wasn’t going to get anymore work done this day.  She decided to head back to her house on the edge of town.  Her father had left two houses, the one she and Jonathan lived in now, in Cairo, and the one in England which had not been lived in for almost six years, though it was still tended to by hired help, something her father had left previsions for.  When she arrived at the two story home, the lights were off, and she knew it would be another night alone.  After letting herself in, and locking the door, she traveled through the ornate parlor, which was decorated with several shelves of books, and different pieces of treasure from all the different digs her father had been on from various parts of the world.  When she walked in the kitchen, she turned on the light and went to the stove.  There she picked up the copper kettle taking it to the small, porcelain, kitchen sink where she filled it with water for tea.  Once she had that going, she sat at the table, and despite her best efforts, her thoughts returned to the night O'Connell had proposed to her.

 

 

 

 

 

They had been walking after dinner, his hand holding hers gently, and she felt so safe with him.  They had become such good friends in the past weeks since Hamunaptra, talking, and joking, and she felt like she was getting to know him fairly well despite Jonathan’s worry that O’Connell was talking to her for one reason.  She had let her thoughts drift, when suddenly they stopped and he walked in front of her.  She looked at him and saw something in his eyes, a sparkle, then all at once he had dropped on one knee and held out a velvet box. 

 

“Evelyn I know this must seem crazy, but I have never felt this close to a woman before, and I can’t think of anyone I would rather spend my life with, will you marry me.”  At his words her heart began to thud painfully in her chest, and her breath caught in her throat.  Her palms went sweaty, and she began to tremble.

 

“Evelyn?”  he had asked.

 

“I can’t Rick. I like you I just I can’t.”  She had run from him that night, back to the house, and had half hoped he would go after her but he had not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sudden whistle of the Kettle brought her back to the present, and she quickly went to the stove taking a pot holder, and lifting the kettle away from the hot burner.  She set it on another burner, then got a mug out from the cabinet, just beside the stove, and poured in the water.  Once she had done that, she got out a little silver bulb, and twisted it open, then put some lose tea in it.  Once she had put it back together she let the bulb soak in the hot water, bobbing it up and down, and yawning.  When her tea was ready, she took the mug, and went into the parlor plopping down on the couch.  About that time Jonathan came from his room ready to go out for the night.  He frowned when he saw her.

 

“You know what you need?”  he asked as he settled beside her.  She looked at him, and tried to smile but it didn’t quite work out that way.  He took the mug from her hands and placed it on the oak coffee table, then stood pulling her to her feet.  Without any words, he led her up to her room and went to her closet.  It took him a few minutes, but he finally found an outfit that was fitting for night on the town.  When Evelyn saw what he was up too she shook her head.

 

“Jonathan you know I don’t like going out with you, that’s just not my idea of a good time,”  she said. Despite her words, Jonathan felt an obligation to get her out of the house, and though it took almost an hour and a half of persuasion, he finally talked her into going with him.  Now he waited in the parlor about to yell up at her when she came in looking stunning.  She had on a dark dress, not all that different from the one she had worn when they had been at Hamunaptra.  Her long hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, and she wore some gold jewelry that her mother had left her.

 

“Well now I say we should be on our way,”  he said and she gave a small nod taking his arm as they made their way out into the cool Egyptian night.

 

 

 

 

 

Life for Rick had gone down hill since the night he had proposed to Evelyn.  When they had returned from Hamunaptra, he had made a real effort to clean up his act, to try and be the man Evelyn deserved to have.  Now he didn’t care about any of that.  He had not had a good shave in days, and his hair was unruly as ever.  Now he sat in the small tavern having his usual, Brandy Chasers, scoping out for a woman to keep him company.  Very quickly he found a young woman with straight blond hair, and soft blue eyes.  He got up and staggered toward her.  Siena was a Belly dancer, and she saw the rugged handsome man making his way toward her, giving him a smile as he sat beside her. 

 

“Can I get you a drink?”  Rick asked the woman.  She nodded her head, and let Rick order her a light drink of tonic and water, then moved to his table with him.

 

“What can I do for you tonight?”  she asked all business.  She was a belly dancer, but also a woman of the night, and pleasuring lonely men such as the one she was now in the company of was her means of making money for room and food.  Rick downed a chaser then set the glass aside.

 

“I have a room at the fort,”  he said wanting to just feel something even if it was with a woman he didn’t care for.  She went with him, and as they exited the building they nearly ran into a man and another woman.  Rick’s eyes locked on Evelyn’s

 

“I was...I,”  he said feeling suddenly ashamed.  Evelyn’s look of shock was replaced by anger.

 

“Am I that easy to forget then?”  she asked standing tall, and strong.  Jonathan noticed the blond girl start back into the Kazba, and decided to follow her leaving Rick and Evelyn to fight it out alone.  Her words brought anger to him.

 

“Hey I’m not the one who ran off when being proposed to.  You didn’t even give me a no,”  he said just as angry.

 

“Well I’m glad I didn’t say anything now that I know how important I am to you.”  she snapped.

 

“Wait just a goddamn minute,”  he said as she started to turn and walk away.  At his words she spun to face him waiting.

 

“What would you have me do?  Do you want me to chase after you and beg you to reconsider what I proposed that night, because if thats what you want then you can just forget that.  Part of being in love is trust, and yeah what I was about to do wasn’t very trust worthy but what choice did I have?  You flat out left me in the dark that night without so much as a word, and you haven’t been around, so am I supposed to just sit on my duff while you decide to make up your mind?  I’m sorry but I have a life to live,”  he said.  Evelyn took all of that in.

 

“Well then Mr. O’Connell, you go right ahead and live your life, do what you want to do, because I’m leaving.”  she said and left him standing alone, speechless.

 

 

 

When she got back to the house, her heart felt like it was being ripped from her chest.  Evelyn wanted to cry, but she had shed enough tears for Mr. O’Connell. Once she cleared her mind, she made a few phone calls one to England to the Manor where Marie answered, and had her start to prepare things for her arrival, and the other to the steamer ship company and the airlines to book her trip home.  She loved Egypt, and someday she would return, but right now she needed to be as far from it and O’Connell as she could get.  As she made the last phone call, Jonathan walked into her room.

 

“Evelyn Rick is here down in the parlor,”  he said.  She stayed where she was.

 

“I have nothing more to say to him.  He said all he needed to say, and I need to get some sleep.  I’ll be leaving tomorrow on the noon steamer ship to Alexandria, from there I will take a flight to London, and try to get a job at the British museum,” she informed him then went in to her bathroom locking the door, and decided to have a bath.  Jonathan shook his head and went back down to the parlor.  Rick sat on the couch looking miserable, and Jonathan didn’t like being the one to relay the news to him.

 

“She is leaving in the morning.  My father kept this house and another large home in England.  She said she is going there,”  he said. 

 

“Stay if you want but I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”  After that he took his leave, and went back to the kazba, leaving Rick by himself.  After pacing for a bit Rick found a desk and sat down.  He found a fountain pen and some nice paper and began his letter.

 

 

Evelyn,

      I guess this is really goodbye.  I am sorry about what I said at the kazba, I should have thought things through but instead I felt sorry for myself.  I’m not sure what else to put on this letter other than I wish we could have worked things out.  I hope you find what you want in England. 

 

Rick.

 

After he finished the letter he put it in an Envelope and sealed it then went to the kitchen and left it on the table.  He walked to the stairs, tempted to go up and try to get her to talk to him, but decided that it was better to leave it as it was.

 

 

 

 

It was not till the next morning as she hurried to get ready for her long trip that she saw the envelope with her name on it. 

 

“Rick,”  she whispered as she took the envelope in her hands.  Her hand trembled as she opened it and then she read it.  As she finished Jonathan walked in having packed the last of her things in his car.

 

“Are you ready?”  he asked noticing the lone tear slipping down her cheek.  She looked up and got out her kerchief dabbing her eyes.

 

“As ready as I will ever be,”  she said then they left.  As the car drove away toward the docks, Rick stepped out from the side of the house and let his head fall to his chest.  He had blown it, and now all that was left for him was to try and find something in his life that brought meaning.  That thought brought him more sorrow because the one person who had brought meaning to his life had just taken off for England.

 

More Soon

 

Chapter 2: A Fresh Start

 

 

It was another rainy day, and Evelyn sat in the large parlor of her fathers house, her house as it now was, reading some of her old journal entries from  after the death of her parents.  Marie had the day off, so she was in the vast manor home by herself. 

 

 

3/13/1918

 

The funeral was today, and Jonathan was so strong for me.  So many of the people who attended the service for my Mummy and Father were strangers to us. They offered kind words, but how do you take all of that when your life seems to be shattering.  I am afraid.  Jonathan keeps telling me I have listened to too many of fathers stories on Curses, but I believe it was the curse of Osiris that killed my parents.  They were found in their hotel room laying together in sleep, a sleep of death, and the doctors say it was natural causes, but I don’t know.  He wants us to go back to Cairo, says he knows people who he can sell some of the treasures to.  I think he wants to go back and start gambling again.  Maybe I can get a job at the museum. Mummy taught me to Catalog books.

 

 

 

 

After reading that, her last entry in her journal, Evelyn closed the book and let the tears fall.  Now that she was older, 22 to be exact, she knew that the curse of Osiris had killed her parents. They had gotten into something almost as powerful as the curse of Hamunaptra and Imhotep, and had died for it.  Often times, as she sat in the quiet of her home, she wondered what would have happened if Jonathan and Rick would not have reached her in time.  She shivered and shook her head.

 

“Best not open that can of worms,”  she muttered, and as she started up the stairs to go take a nap, the phone wrang.  Quickly she went to the table where it sat and picked it up. 

 

“This is Evelyn Carnahan,”  she said.

 

“Miss. Carnahan.  My name is Mr. Havez, and I am the Curator at the British Museum.  I was just looking over your resume, and we do have need of a librarian here, would you be interested in filling that position?”  he asked.  Her heart pounded fast and she suddenly felt alive.

 

“Yes I would like that very much,”  she said trying to sound professional.

 

“You can start in the morning,”  he said. Then after telling her when to get there and where his office was he hung up the phone.  On her end Evelyn hung up as well and spun around, then went upstairs to see if she needed to add to her wardrobe, and decided to do that at any rate. She needed to get out, and rainy day or not she was going to do just that.

 

 

 

 

 

Once in town, Evelyn went to her favorite shop and found some dresses to try on, ones that would be right for her work at the museum.  She selected five new dresses, and a few hats to go with them, and as she was about to leave the store a young man stepped to the door and opened it for her.  She looked at him and smiled.  He was a bit taller than her with dark brown hair, and soft gray eyes.

 

“Thank you,”  she said as she stepped through the door. 

 

“You are most welcome,”  he said, then looked like he was thinking about something.

 

“My name is William,”  he said.

 

“And my name is Evelyn,”  she replied.

 

“I don’t mean to sound forward, but I was actually on my way to a cafe for lunch, and wondered if you might like to join me,”  he said.  For a moment Evelyn thought about O’Connell, then when she realized she was feeling guilty for talking too this man, she made her decision.

 

“I would like that,”  she said, and walked with him down the few blocks to a small Deli style restaurant.

 

 

 

 

 

Since Evelyn had left, Rick had spent the vast majority of his time at the Fort trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.  He had finally come to the conclusion that he wanted to go back to the United States and find his parents.  He had left home after a fight with his father nearly 7 years before, and had not thought of them much until now.  He also had a little sister who would be fourteen now, and he wanted to see Elizabeth again.  His ship would leave in the morning, and Jonathan had agreed to take him to port.  The one good thing was Jonathan.  Despite how things had gone with Evelyn, Rick had found a good friend in her brother. If anything Rick liked to get him completely drunk, because Jonathan did really stupid things then, and was always there for a good laugh.  It was his  last night at the fort, and he was alone in his room.

 

“One hell of a way to spend your last night in Egypt,”  Rick muttered to himself.  He was about to fall asleep, when someone knocked at his door.  Sluggishly he got off his bed and when he opened it, a beautiful dark haired woman waited for him.

 

“You are Mr. O’Connell?”  she asked.  Rick’s mouth fell open.  She was defiantly well endowed, and a sight to see.

 

“Yeah that’s me,” he said.

 

“Mr. Carnahan said this was your last night in Egypt, and I am here to give you something to remember our country by,”  she said.  Rick stepped aside and shut the door, and would have to find a way to repay Jonathan at a later time.  When he turned around, the woman was seated on his bed, and she had taken off her tunic.  Rick’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he moved over to the bed.

 

“Your very beautiful,”  he said.  She reached out and took his hand pulling it to her breast, placing it there.  His body started to tingle, and he closed his eyes trying to remember how to breath.  About the time he was ready to enjoy this, Evelyn’s image popped into his head, and then the thoughts of their last meeting, and how he had messed things up with her.  He pulled his hand away and shook his head.

 

“Look I’m sorry about this but there is a...”  The woman stood up and began to unbutton his shirt.

 

“Mr. Carnahan says I not take no for answer,”  she replied, and once his shirt was off of him she rubbed her cheek against his well defined chest.  Rick moaned and pulled her closer.  He was having an inner battled.  Most of him wanted this woman to give him pleasure, but there was that small piece of him that belonged to Evelyn, and also a nagging voice in his head that sounded a lot like his mother, telling him to think before he acted, and he didn’t know why that was happening.  He had given himself to several woman, not fully just for pleasure sake, and yet now for some inexplicable reason he could not let this woman take him.  He put his hand on her shoulders and eased her away.

 

“I’ll double what he is paying you just get out please,”  he begged.  It wasn’t going to take much more for him to succumb to her touch, and he needed her out.  Thankfully she accepted his offer, and once she was paid and dressed she left.  Rick fell to the bed gasping, and somehow managed to get some sleep before his trip to the United States began.

 

 

 

 

The next morning Jonathan had to pound on his door to get him up, but once he had done that, Rick was ready to go in ten minutes.  Now they drove back to Cairo, and Giza Port.

 

“Have you heard from Evelyn?”  Rick asked.  Jonathan tapped the wheel.

 

“Yeah she phoned last night.  She has a job at the British Museum as their librarian, and she is really happy there,”  he said leaving out the part that she had been seeing a man for the past two weeks.  Rick nodded.

 

“I’m glad,”  he said.  The rest of the trip was silent, and once his bags were loaded on the dock, Rick turned and shook Jonathan’s hand.

 

“Thanks for the lift,”  he said.  Jonathan nodded then gave him an envelope.

 

“This is our address in London.  If by some chance you ever decide you want to talk to her, then you will find her there,”  he said.  Once he had done his duty, Jonathan left for home, never liking good-byes.

 

 

 

 

 

Four weeks had passed since William had stepped into her life, and it really wasn’t dating, as in love, just a friendship.  They took walks in the park on days that were sunny, and had been out to see a few plays.  William liked Theater as much as she did, and she didn’t feel pressured to do more than just talk to him.   Now she was in the Museum’s vast library putting away books, and working on a better filing system.  It had been a long day, and she was looking forward to seeing William again this evening.  They were going to the Opera, and she hoped her dress she had sent to be cleaned would be ready.  As she filed the last of the books away she hummed a tune that she had heard at the concert last night, Mozart’s Moonlight Sonata, though she knew she wasn’t giving it the justice it deserved, still it was her favorite piece. She was so in to her work that she didn’t notice another man enter her library, not until she felt a hand on her shoulder.  She turned around expecting it to be William, and her face pailed when she found Rick standing there.  He had on a suit, and looked like he was getting ready to go on a trip of some sort.

 

“Mr. O’Connell,”  she said trying to keep her cool.  Her heart thudded in her chest, and seeing him brought back those strong feelings she had worked so hard to push aside.

 

“That’s me.  I took a side trip, to come see you before I headed to the United States, to Montana where my family lives,”  he said.  The surprised her greatly.  He had not spoken of his family, and with his words she realized that this would be the last time she saw him.  Her lip started to tremble then, and she turned away.

 

“Well you are wasting good travel time then,”  she said coldly.

 

“Evelyn look I don’t want the last thoughts you have of me to be bitter or sad.  I came here so we could make amends, so we could be friends, even if we chose to go our separate ways,”  he pleaded.  He was not much for going after a girl, but when Jonathan had given him the address he couldn’t stop thinking about her.  His words, his voice broke down the walls she had put up and when she turned tears streamed down her face.

 

“Rick I’m confused, and afraid.  I just I don’t want to hate you, but I can’t see you now.  I...”  Her words were cut off when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.  Never in her life had she been kissed like that, not even the two kisses he had given her before compared with this kiss, and his soft warm lips against hers, as well as his arms around her waste pulling her against his strong body made her feel more alive than she ever had in her life.  When he pulled away she was shaking.

 

“Evelyn I’m not sure about where my life is headed either, if thats what you were getting at a moment ago, but I think that as long as we love one another then we can figure things out together.

 

“Rick I don’t love you,”  she lied.  She loved him more with every passing minute but the fact remained that she had been hurt by him before, and she wasn’t sure she could handle that again.  Her words stung worse than any lash of a whip he had ever felt, and he took a deep breath.

 

“You really don’t?”  he asked.  She wasn’t sure how she did it, but she looked him straight in the eye and with conviction she told him again.

 

“No Rick I don’t love you.  I want you to leave, and I don’t want you to come back,”  she said.  He turned and left, and as he walked a piece of paper fell out of his pants pocket.  She hurried to where it had dropped and picked it up opening it.  There was an address to a hotel she knew well, and for some reason she put that in her pocket, then to stop the ache in her heart she went back to her books.

 

 

 

 

 

The opera was beautiful, and Evelyn let herself feel what the perfomers were conveying.  She had on a long black velvet dress, and they had balcony seats a private booth at William’s insistence.  When it ended, she clapped along with the rest of the audience, and dabbed at her eyes.  William took notice and led her out of the Opera house to his car where his driver waited.  Once inside he offered her Champaign but she declined.

 

“Evelyn you have been very quite this night,”  he said.  That much was for sure.  Her mind had been on Rick the entire time, and she felt bad for that. 

 

“I am sorry William I was just thinking about,”  she said then she sighed.  He reached out and took her hand in his. 

 

“You can talk to me,”  he said.  She gave a weak smile.

 

“I was thinking about the first man I loved,”  she said and waited to see if he would disapproved.

 

“The man you met while you were in Egypt?”  he asked.  She nodded.

 

“You miss him don’t you?”  he asked gently.  She knew he wasn’t angry, and didn’t understand how he could be so calm about all of this.

 

“I try not to but yes I do miss him.”

 

“Evelyn maybe you need to see him again.  Until you resolve what ever it is that went wrong in that relationship, anything that we might become will never happen.  You have to either decide he is what you want, or be willing to let him go for another man who might want to share his love with you,”  he said.  His words stunned her, and she realized now that he loved her.  When she got back to her house she let herself in and called for a cab.  As soon as it arrived she had it take her back into town to the Hotel where Rick was staying.

 

 

 

 

In the small hotel room, Rick lay in his bed looking at the ceiling.  He had been such a fool to believe that he could change her mind.  Evelyn was a woman who knew what she wanted when she wanted it, and she was just so different from what he was used to.  Maybe thats what attracted him to her. 

 

“Come on O’Connell get a life,”  he said and as he sat up, someone knocked at his door.  When he opened it Evelyn stood there upset.  She fell into his arms sobbing and he easily picked her up turning, and pushing the door shut with his foot.  He carried her over to his bed and sat down just holding her as she cried.  After a few minutes her sobs subsided, and he leaned down kissing the top of her head.

 

“I’m sorry I don’t know why I came here,”  she said and was suddenly out of his arms.  He watched her move to the window to look out, surprised that she had not chosen to leave, when she had just told him that she didn’t know why she had come to see him.  He felt his desire for her welling up, and he had to fight to stay calm.

 

“Evelyn maybe you came here because you weren’t exactly honest with me at the museum,”  he stated.  She remained at his window.

 

“I’m seeing another man Rick.  His name is William, and he is a good friend.  We talk about everything, but...”  she stopped and turned facing him.  A feeling of desire had washed over her as well.  She wanted another of his kisses, and as if he knew what she wanted Rick got up and walked to her.  His arms went around her and he pulled her against him.  His kiss was slow and searching, and she felt her body pulled closer to him feeling his desire pressed against her belly.  When his tongue slipped into her mouth she moaned and then pulled away going for the door.

 

“I can’t do this I just can’t,”  she said and she was shaking so bad that she couldn’t get the door to open.  Rick went to her and turned her to face him. 

 

“Evelyn why can’t you do this?”  he asked reaching up and placing his hand against her cheek.  She closed her eyes.

 

“I have to love you Rick, and we should be married to kiss to feel this desire we have,”  she said.

 

“If you don’t love me then why are you still here?”  he asked.  She wanted to run away from him, but something kept her there, and she found she could not turn away.  Again they kissed, this time a more passionate kiss, heated.  She reached her hand up and began to rub it over his chest experimentally.  Her touch against him was like fire, and he moaned into her mouth.  He eased away from her and removed his shirt exposing to her gaze his muscular chest, then eased her against him to let her feel what it was like to touch him without his shirt.  Her cheek was pressed against his chest, and she found she liked the feeling.  She had been taught by her parents and by society that what she was doing now was wrong, but right now she didn’t care.  She wanted to follow what she was feeling, wanted to experience a love with this man.  She felt his hands move against the back of her dress, feeling the zipper being pulled down, then his hands were against her back, and she shuttered a sigh against his chest.  Her own hands replaced her cheek against his chest, and she rubbed them up and down feeling each ripple of his muscles against her hand.  He had several scars, she guessed from Hamunaptra, and without thought she began to kiss each one of them.  Rick closed his eyes totally in love with what she was doing to him.  He wanted to ask her if this is what she really wanted, but decided to just let her do what she needed, hoping that this would help her realize that she did love him.  After long moments of her kisses, he moved his hands back to her dress, and pulled it over her shoulders exposing her skin to him.  The dress fell to the floor leaving her in just a bra and her panties.  Her kisses had stopped and she looked up at him seeing desire in his eyes.  It was a desire that matched her own, and she took his hand placing it at her breast.  Rick squeezed her there, and Evelyn let out a gasp.  He moved his other hand to her other breast and squeezed them together. 

 

“Ohh,”  she called out.  Encouraged by her pleasured cry he reached behind her and though it took a moment he released the fasten on her bra, and let it fall to the floor.  Evelyn felt afraid, but pushed it aside.  She wanted this with him.  He massaged her breasts with his hands again, then pulled her back against him.  Her heart was racing, and she felt her belly right below her belly button start to tighten.  She gasped out, and Rick decided to take the next step.  Still holding her against him he reached down to his pants and unbuttoned them letting them fall to the floor.  He stepped out of them, and brought her hand against his arousal.  Evelyn shook with both fear and desire at feeling his manhood pressed against her hand, and she squeezed there.

 

“Oh yes,”  he said.  She rubbed her hand over his soft flesh then moved her hand away.  She took his hand, and placed it over her panties in silent invitation.  Rick rubbed his hand over her center, and Evelyn felt the tightening in her stomach increase.  She gasped out again, and moved her hand against his underpants.  Rick pulled away and removed his underpants then hers.  She could barily stand, and knowing this, Rick lifted her in his arms lowering his head to hers.  He kissed her again hard delving his tongue in and out of her sweet mouth, getting soft cries of pleasure and giving ones of his own.  When she felt her back pressed against his bed, her mind screamed for her to stop, but she was swept away in this sensation of heavy desire, and she couldn’t stop what was about to happen, nor did she want to stop it.  Rick moved his hand back to her soft thatch of curls rubbing his hand over her, then moved a finger to her lips, parting her there.  She moaned into his mouth a loud moan of desire, and he rubbed against the slick wet walls.

 

“Rick,”  she breathed out.  He pushed his finger into her Vagina feeling her tighten around him.  She cried out as her orgasm came, and he quickly moved his penis into her.  He kissed her as she let out a scream of pain at his entry and pressed in to her breaking her as he did.  Her walls tightened and released around him and he felt his own orgasm powerful.

 

“Rick I can’t I can’t,”  she said though it was to late.  He eased out of her and just held her as she cried.  Somewhere in his mind he knew he should not have done this but he had wanted to show her the physical form of his love, and as the both drifted to sleep he felt that all would be better in the morning.

 

 

 

 

It was the sun shining in the window that stirred him, and instinctively he reached out for Evelyn.  Instead of feeling her soft body against his hand, he felt only the mattress.  That brought him fully awake and he sat up looking around the room.  It was empty, and on the table he saw a piece of paper.  He hurried up and got up moving to it.  It was a letter and he opened it.

 

 

Dear Rick,

      I’m sorry for what we did last night.  I should not have come to your hotel room, knowing that what we would do was going to be wrong.  I’ve come to terms with my feelings, and I don’t want to love you.  We are two different people, my life belongs here with a man who loves the theater and business.  The man I have met makes me feel real, and I love him.  I don’t want you to come after me, because I am taking a leave of absence from the museum to pull my thoughts together.  I hope you find your family in the United States.  Good luck to you.

 

Evelyn. 

 

 

Anger rose fast and he crumbled the paper.  He got a quick shower and packed his bags, and after getting dressed he left for port to go back to the United States to his family.

 

 

More later

 

 

 

Chapter 3: Home Coming

 

 

 

The trip to New York by ship had taken Rick a week and half due to bad weather  at sea.  When he arrived, he caught a train out of the big city, and was now on the long trip to Montana.  He had his reservations about seeing his parents again, especially his father after their fight, but then again they were the only ones he felt he had left.  The first day on the train he spent sleeping recovering from the sea sickness, and now on his second day he had made his way to the dining car.  As he sat eating his breakfast he watched out the window looking as the landscape went by.  It was fall, and all the trees were magnificent colors of oranges reds yellows.  He had forgotten how pretty this time of year was, and was glad in a way that he had come back.  As he finished his breakfast a woman walked in.  She had blond hair and brown eyes, and caught his gaze.

 

“I’m sorry,”  he said feeling guilty for having starred at her.  She just smiled at him.

 

“No harm done, do you mind if I have a seat?”  she asked.

 

“No go right ahead,”  he said.  She sat down and looked over the menu.

 

“My name is Rick,” he said.

 

“Oh I’m Clarise,”  she responded and shook his hand, then ordered bacon and eggs.

 

“So where are you going Rick?”  she asked once she had placed her order.

 

“Montana.  I have family out there.  What about you?”  he asked. 

 

“Iowa,”  she said taking a sip of water.  They talked for a while even after she had finished breakfast, and he found he really liked her.  For once in his life he didn’t feel the need to take a woman to bed, and guessed a lot of that had to do with the fact that he was going home.  Once they had finished their breakfast they walked back to the passenger car and he took a seat with her.

 

“So what kind of job do you have?”  she asked him.

 

“Well right now I’m in between jobs.”  That was true enough.  He had been in the Legion, been and explorer, and now had enough money to do pretty much anything he wanted.

 

“I was in the French Foreign legion for a short time, then I was in Egypt, and now I’m ready to go see my family.”  Clarise was impressed by him.

 

“I’ve never been any further than New York.  What is Egypt like?”

 

“Well it’s hotter than...It’s pretty hot,”  he said deciding to rephrase that so he wouldn’t offend her.  She just laughed.

 

“Hotter than hell?”  she asked, and he laughed with her.

 

“Oh yeah you could say that.  I don’t know it’s quiet, I was in Cairo for a while, then I went on a dig, and that was a mess,”  he said.

 

“That’s very impressive,”  she said. 

 

“Yeah it was quite and adventure.”  Talking about Egypt made him think about Evelyn, and he wished he would have tried to find her after that night in his hotel room.

 

“So what about you?”  he asked after a moment wanting to get his mind off of her.

 

“Well I am in College, in New York, going to medical school, and right now I’m going home to see my parents,”  she said.

 

“What kind of Doctor?”  he asked.  It was not uncommon for girls to be Doctors but not very common either.

 

“Just a General practitioner.  Once I graduate I want to move back to my hometown and start up my own practice.  After they talked for quite some time Rick decided to take some down time and went back to his private car. 

 

 

 

 

 

It was almost a week later when he arrived in Montana, in a city called Missoula.  His parents farm was just 30 miles outside of there, and after he got his bags unloaded from the train, he went into the small station and called a cab to take him to the address.  While on the road he thought about Clarise.  They had gotten to know each other in the three days they had spent together fairly well, and she had given him her parents address, as well as her address in New York, and he figured once he got settled down he would give her a call.  He came back to the present when the cab stopped.

 

“Why are we stopping?”  he asked not recognizing where they were at first.

 

“This is the address,”  he told Rick.  When he got out of the car Rick found that the house had burned down, and his heart began to beat fast.

 

“Take me to Dillon,”  he said.  That was a small town where his father had a business, a small hotel, and he hoped they had perhaps moved there.  The cab driver did as Rick said and left him there.  After paying the driver Rick went inside seeing Jake, his fathers good friend

 

“May I help...Rick is that you?”  Jake asked stunned.

 

“Afraid so,”  Rick said grinning.  Jake came out from behind the desk and gave him a hug.

 

“God we all thought you had been killed in the legion on a suicide mission.”  That was about the truth of it, but right now Rick wanted to see his family.

 

“I went out to the farm, the house was burned down, did they move here?”  Rick asked of his family.  Jake sighed.

 

“Come on back into my office,”  he said.  Rick did as the man asked and when the got in his office.  Rick sat down.

 

“I’m not sure how to tell you this, I guess just say it,”  he said, and Rick’s blood ran cold.

 

“The fire happened two months ago, it was at night and everyone died,” he said.  Rick closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands.

 

“I’m sorry,”  he said

 

“I should have kept in contact, oh god I should have,”  Rick said wanting to scream.

 

“If you will wait your father left you a few things,”  he said.  Rick nodded and Jake left for a few minutes.  When he returned he had a box. 

 

“I have a room for you, my best. Why don’t you get some rest, and when you are ready I can take you out to the Cemetery.”  Rick only nodded and followed him out.  He felt numb, and once Jake had left he sat on the bed starring at the box.  It took him time, but he finally made himself open it.  The first thing he took out was a letter.  He sat on the bed and opened it finding his mother’s hand writing.

 

 

Richard,

      Your father and I put this box together in the event we should pass away.  It has been two years since you left, and neither of us have been able to speak to one another.  Your father spends his time at the hotel, and Elizabeth and I have been staying with my mother.  He was wrong to come down on you so hard, and I know the only reason you were acting like that was because you wanted his attention.  I wish sometimes he never would have started in at the hotel, but I can’t turn back the clock.  Don’t ever think that we hated you, not even your father.  He loved you Rick more so than you will ever know.  If I had to give you advise on life, it would be to find someone you love and don’t ever let her go.  Everyone in a relationship old or new has doubts, but you must remember to love and to trust.  Maybe your father and I will work that out.  I do love you

 

Mom.

 

He put the letter down and wiped angerly at his tears.  The next letter was another one from his father and he shuttered as he opened it.

 

 

My son,

      I am sorry for what I did to you that night.  I let my anger show through when you came home drunk, an I should never have punched you like that nor should I have yelled.  Your mother and I have made our amends, and Elizabeth is doing well.  I have been thinking about sending this to the Legion but I worry that they will read my private words to you, so it will sit in waiting until maybe one day I will have a chance to tell you this myself.

 

 

The letter ended there, and Rick lay on his bed and let the tears flow freely.  He had been such a fool, and now they were gone.  Once his tears had subsided, he found a third letter, from Elizabeth dated four months ago

 

 

Ricky,

      I found this box in dads office and their letters to you, so I decided to sneak mine in.  I wish you wouldn’t have left us, it’s never been the same without you around.  The boys still pick on me and I liked it when you were here because you would beat them up for me.  Well I sort of learned how to defend myself, Dad hasn’t been happy that I can beat up the guys but He will learn to live with it.  It think one day when I can find a way I will come to Paris and find you.  I put Paddy in the box so you can have him.  Dad said its a box for if we ever died and so I want you to have him.  Well I’m going to go out with Katy now.  Love you

 

Elizabeth

 

The rest of the night Rick spent looking throught the box.  He found a picture of Elizabeth and him when she was five and he was sixteen, dressed up for a Christmas party.  Another picture was of Elizabeth, a more recent one and she was so pretty, just like their mother.  He fell asleep holding that picture and thought of Evelyn.

 

 

 

The next morning he woke up to Jake’s knocking and opened the door finding room service.

 

“I want to go to the Cemetery,”  Rick said.

 

“Sure why don’t you eat first.”  He nodded.

 

“Were they back together I mean when the fire happened?”  Rick asked.  Jake sat down.

 

“Yeah they had planned to go to France to see if they could find you.  Your father sold me his part of the Hotel, and they left that money for you in the event of, well this,”  he said.

 

“Jake you keep it.  I have more money than I need,”  he said as he wolfed  down his breakfast.  Once he was ready Jake drove him the short distance to the towns Cemetery.

 

“I’ll wait here for you,”  he said.  Rick nodded and took a deep breath, then went into the graveyard.  He knew where the family plots were and arrived finding three headstones with the dates of their lives.  He knelt down in front of his parents grave and took from his pocket his favorite piece of treasure from Hamunaptra, a small ring.  He dug a hole fairly deep with his hand and put it there.

 

“Mom dad, I’m sorry I never kept in touch.  I will live with this pain in my heart for ther rest of my life, and you two did what you thought was right.  I should have realized that you loved me.”  He moved to the smaller grave stone and put his hand on it.  It read Elizabeth Alexandria O’Connell 1911-1925.

 

“I’m taking Paddy with me buttons,”  he said, calling her by her nickname.  He took a small bracelet out of his pocket one he had bought for her and burried that next to her stone, then leaned down and kissed it.  Once he was ready he left, and Jake took him back to the hotel.  Rick sat in his room trying to think about where he wanted to go, and his heart called for him to go back to Evelyn, but he didn’t want to do that, not yet at any rate.  He finally decided that he would at least go back to Egypt, and see if he could hire himself out as a tour guide.  He knew the resorts in Cairo liked to give their customers guides, and it would give him something to do.  Once his mind was made up he decided to get some sleep, and would leave when he was ready.

 

 

 

MORE LATER

 

 

Chapter 4: Shocking News

 

 

Almost three months had passed since that night in Rick’s hotel room, and Evelyn had thrown herself in her work at the museum.  She had stopped seeing William despite the fact that he had been nothing but nice to her, and he had finally stopped calling her and trying to make contact with her.  It hurt not to have a confidant, but then again she had reacquainted herself with her best friend from School, Constance, and the two of them had been having a wonderful time just being alone, with no men.  Today she had an appointment to see her Doctor.  She had been feeling poorly for a few weeks, and decided that a visit to Doc Brigman couldn’t hurt.  When she arrived at his office, she was called in right away and that suited her fine.  Now she sat in the small examining room waiting, when a nurse walked in.  Emma was also a good friend, and Evelyn greeted her with a hug.

 

“Well now lets get a blood sample, and then I’ll get your temperature and a few other things. 

 

“Evie held out her finger and winced as the needle was poked into her, but it was over fast, and that was good.  Once that was done, she held a thermometer under her tongue while Emma checked her pulse.

 

“Well you seem fine.  Dr. Brigman will be in shortly,”  She said, then after another hug she left.  A few minutes later Dr. Brigman walked in.  He was an older man in his middle forties with light gray hair and a gray beard and mustache.

 

“Hello Evelyn,”  he said as he sat down on his stool. 

 

“Hello Tim,”  she said smiling at him.

 

“It’s been a long time since I saw you,”  he said as he wrote a few things on her chart.

 

“I know.  Jonathan and I have been living in our parents house in Egypt, and I just recently arrived back in England,”  she said.

 

“Well now lets see. You say you have been having periods of sickness mornings and nights, and dizzy spells,”  he said as he walked over to her.  He reached out and felt her neck checking for swollen glands then went back to his stool.

 

“I’ll have to run some tests on that blood to be sure, and ask a few questions, personal, but I need to know if you have been intimate,”  he said.  His question was a shock, and she wanted to tell him know but she nodded her head.

 

“Only once about three months ago, I mean I loved him...I I’m,”  he reached out and took her hand.

 

“I’m not here to place judgment on you, your a grown woman Evelyn.  I want you to get some rest and come see me in a week.  I’ll have your blood test back from the lab and will know with more certainty of your condition,”  he said. 

 

“What do you think it is?”  she asked worried.

 

“I don’t want to say at this time, I could be wrong, and there is no need to put you at concern,”  he said.  Evelyn trusted his judgment, and after she was finished at his office she headed home.  Upon her arrival at the house, she found a cab parked out in front of the house, then Jonathan walked out.  Immediately she lightened up.  She got out of the car and ran to him.

 

“Oh Jonathan I have missed you so much,”  she said.

 

“Woe there I’m glad at least someone is glad to see me.  I made a bit of a mess of things at the Fort and in Cairo, so I thought perhaps the house was big enough for me to hide out?”  he asked.  Evelyn sighed, despite his reason for being there, she was still glad to see him and helped him with his bags.

 

 

 

Much later that evening, they sat in the parlor, Jonathan having a glass of Tonic and water, and Evelyn a cup of tea.

 

“So how is William?”  he asked getting them off of his antics. 

 

“I’m not sure, I haven’t seen him in a good two months now,”  she said setting her cup down.

 

“I thought you two were made for one another,”  he said, puzzled and a little shocked that she wasn’t seeing him.   Evelyn sighed.

 

“I thought so too, but I just want to be alone, not worry about men, and how I may please them or may not, if they are going to leave me one day,”  she said trailing off on that last sentence.

 

“It’s because of O’Connell isn’t it?”  Jonathan asked.  His name snapped her to attention.

 

“No not at all.  I have pushed him from my mind, ridded my thoughts of him.  Now lets have a bite to eat.”  She said and started to stand.  Jonathan grasped at her hand.

 

“He is back in Egypt you know,”  He said.  Evelyn huffed.

 

“And I’m sure he has a whole selection of women at his disposal,”  she snapped turning to face him.  Jonathan’s look was of sadness and she took notice.

 

“Evie he went home to find out that his family was killed in a fire.  The only reason  I know is because the night he came back he got very drunk, and sick because of it, and was spouting off about it,”  Jonathan said.  She turned away from him.

 

“I’m fixing dinner,”  she said not wanting to have feelings for Rick O’Connell.

 

 

 

 

 

A week later she sat in the Doctors office in another small room, and doctor Brigman entered after a long wait.

 

“I’m sorry Evelyn I had a young patient put up a fight about getting a smallpox vaccination,”  He said as he took a seat.

 

“I ran the tests, and they confirmed what I thought originally.  Evelyn honey your going to have a baby,”  he said.  His words stunned her and for long moments she found it hard to breath, then everything went black.  She wasn’t sure how long it was when she came to, but it was long enough for her to be in her own bed with a worried Jonathan looking at her.

 

“Evie are you all right?”  he asked her.

 

“I think so.  Where am I?”  she asked

 

“Your room,”  he answered getting her to sip some water.

 

“He said I’m, Oh Jonathan I made a terrible mistake,”  she said sobbing and he sat on the bed and held her in his arms. 

 

“Hush now.  The way I see it Rick had as much to do with it as you,”  he said knowing of the Pregnancy from the Doctor, and putting two and two together.  Soon her tears subsided and she pulled away from him.

 

“What am I going to do?”  she asked looking at her brother.  He reached out and wiped a tear from her face.

 

“I think you need to tell Rick,”  he said and she turned her head away.

 

“How can I tell him that.  I want him to love me for me, not because of this baby,”  she said, and realized how much she wanted Rick to love her. 

 

“I’ve made a mess of things,”  she said and sobbed into her pillow, until she went to sleep.  Once she was out, Jonathan went downstairs and dialed the Operator, and had her connect him to their home in Egypt where he was letting Rick live.  The phone wrang five times then Rick picked up. 

 

“Hello?”  he asked.  He had been asleep, and then realized he wasn’t at the Fort

 

“Rick it’s Jonathan.  Listen you need to come to London.”  Rick heard the panic in his voice.

 

“What’s wrong?  Is it Evelyn?”  he asked suddenly concerned.

 

“You could say that and I can’t say anymore.  Do you still have the address to our house?” he asked.  Rick checked and confirmed that once he got off the phone with Jonathan he made reservations on the next Steamer ship out of Cairo, then headed to his room to pack for England.

 

 

 

More soon

 

Chapter 5:  Confrontations and Consequences

 

 

 

It took a week to get to England by ship, and when Rick arrived it was cold and rainy.  As he got of the ship, he found Jonathan waiting for him.

 

“I think I like Egypt better,”  Rick said, as the got his luggage and took it to Jonathan’s car. Once they were in, there was dead silence save for the rain pouring down on the car.

 

“Evie is at work today.  I well she doesn’t know you are here,”  Jonathan informed ready for Rick to kill him for not telling her.  He was silent for a long while.

 

“Jonathan why did you send for me?”  he asked.  Jonathan gulped.

 

“I can’t tell you, but she needs you Rick, even if she is pig headed, and tries to push you away she really needs you,”  he said, and then they pulled up to the house.  Rick got his bags and followed Jonathan inside whistling. 

 

“So this is why your house in Egypt is so tiny,”  he said as the walked down a hall into a grand parlor.

 

“So how many rooms do you have in this place?”  he asked as Jonathan led him out of the parlor and down another longer hall.

 

“Thirty.  The parlor which we were just in, A dining room, a kitchen, Two bathrooms down here.  My fathers old Study, a Day room with mostly dead plants because our mother was the only one who could keep them alive.  Lets see we have a wine Cellar, and Attic, and the rest are rooms with bathrooms attached to them,”  he said as they arrived to his part of the house.

 

“You can stay here, trust me its like having your own place, and if she blows a fuse you can run here,”  he said lightly.

 

“Jonathan why will she be mad to see me, and why does she need me here?”  he asked cornering him.  Jonathan gulped.

 

“I its really her decision to tell you,”  he said trying to get away but Rick grabbed him.  It wasn’t a rough hold but a hold none the less.

 

“Tell me what?”  He asked, holding Jonathan in place.  He closed his eyes.

 

“Hit me I can’t tell you,”  he finally said.  In his eyes it was her place to tell Rick about the baby.

 

“Jonathan I’m not going to hit you, but I’m going to hold you here until you tell me why she will be mad about me being here, and why you didn’t tell her I was coming, as well as why I should be here at all,”  he said.  Then he had an idea.  He let Jonathan go.

 

“You know what I don’t need to be here.  If Evelyn doesn’t want me here then why should I be,”  he said and picked up his bags.  Jonathan looked like a rabbit caught in a trap, and moved in front of Rick.

 

“No you really can’t go, if you go she will never tell you,”  he said.  Rick dropped his bags and grabbed him holding him up.

 

“Jonathan no more games what doesn’t she want...”  he would have finished, but they both heard Evelyn calling for Jonathan making a fast approach to his room.  Rick dropped him and went out in the hall coming face to face with her. She had on a dark blue dress, long, and flowing, and as she always did, she took his breath away. 

 

“You.”  She said and her lips pursed.  She pushed past him to her brother.

 

“You told him didn’t you?”  she asked coldly.

 

“Evie I told him you needed him, and he is here,”  Jonathan said standing up and backing away from her.  She was angry, more so than he had ever seen her.

 

“I don’t need him, and I don’t need you,”  she said.  She turned and she bumped right into Rick.  He steadied her.

 

“Evelyn what is Jonathan not telling me?”  he asked.  Instead of telling him she pulled away from him.

 

“I’m not going to say a word, and if Jonathan wants his sister to remain his sister he won’t say a word,”  she said and stormed out of the room.

 

 

 

 

 

Later that night Evelyn sat in her room, a room that had once been her parents, brushing out her long dark hair.  She had on a soft peach silk gown and she could see her stomach sticking out with the new life she carried.  Once she had finished brushing her hair, she went over to the bed and pulled the covers back then she lay against the mattress.  As she was resting there she felt a fluttering in her stomach, and realized that it was movement.  She rubbed her hand over her belly, then she closed her eyes and began to cry.  This was supposed to be something she could share with Rick, let him be a part of it, but she didn’t want that.  Truth be told, she wasn’t sure what she wanted.  This baby was something she feared, because it was brought about by love, and a love she didn’t grasp or couldn’t comprehend.  Sleep finally found her and it was a deep sleep with no memorable dreams for her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When morning came Evelyn arose early, earlier than she normally did, but she wanted to get out of the house before Rick got up.  After she had a bath, she dressed in one of the new skirts she had bought, and a soft creme colored blouse.  She wore her hair up in a bun and wore a gold bracelet that had been her mothers, like the rest of her jewelry, it was all from her mother’s collection.  Once she was ready, she headed downstairs, and when she arrived in the kitchen she found Rick there having coffee and toast.  Evelyn thought about running out, but she had to eat for the baby she had inside of her.  Ignoring him completely, she went to the stove and got out a skillet, and made bacon and eggs, as well as toast for herself.  Once that was done, she put it all on a tray, and left the kitchen going to the parlor to have breakfast on her own.  Rick watched her wondering what he had done to deserve the silent treatment.  When she left he knew he should have just stayed put but he couldn’t, and went after her.

 

“Okay I’ll leave you if you tell me what this big secret is that you can’t stand to tell me, I’ll get out of your hair and go back to Egypt and find someone who will talk to me.  I’d rather it be you, but you have made up your mind that I am the enemy,”  he said.  His words brought her to tears and she started to cry uncontrollably then she ran out of the room.  He followed her feeling bad for making her cry.

 

“Evie look I’m sorry okay I just don’t know what you want me to do here.  If you asked me what I wanted I’d tell you a second...”  She had finished getting ready, and she ran out the door slamming it in his face and when he got over his shock and opened the door her car sped down the drive.  Rick closed the door and hit his head against it.

 

 

 

 

 

It was movement in his room that woke Jonathan.  He had slept on the couch letting Rick have his bed, and as he sat up he found his friend packed.

 

“Wait you can’t go,”  he said standing up and nearly falling over his own feet.

 

“I can, and I will,”  Rick said as he hefted his bags over his shoulders.

 

“Just give her a chance,”  Jonathan pleaded.

 

“A chance for what?  She doesn’t want me here Jonathan, and I keep saying all the wrong things.  What she needs is for me to get out of her life, so that she can get on with hers,”  he said and started out.  Jonathan had no other choice none that he could see.

 

“She is carrying your baby,”  Jonathan said, and heard all the bags thud to the floor before Rick came back in.

 

“I...Did you say what I think you said?”  he asked.  Jonathan nodded.

 

“So when the hell was she going to tell me this news?”  Rick said angry.

 

“She is afraid to tell you.  I think she is afraid that you will leave her,”  he said.  Rick took some deep breaths then went to the bed and sat down.

 

“No I’m not leaving her not anymore,”  he said trying to figure things out.  The first thing he had to do was get her to see that he loved her, or at least get her to talk to him to tell him how she felt about all of this.  He let Jonathan go back to sleep assuring him that he would stay around.  Most of his day was spent in thought.  It was hard to grasp that he was going to be someone’s father, and thoughts of that brought back thoughts of Elizabeth, and thoughts of his own father.  This was his big chance to put right what went wrong with his own family, to be the best dad he could be, if Evelyn would let him, then again she really didn’t have a choice, he would be there no matter what.

 

 

 

 

Evelyn’s day at the museum was slow, and she worked hard, skipping her lunch, and not stopping till after dark.  By then she was feeling dizzy and sick, but she didn’t care.  Finally she headed home half hoping Rick would be gone, but then again she knew she could always go up to her room and get away from him that way.  When she arrived Jonathan’s car was gone, and the house was dark.  She felt relief and sadness both, that he had left her meant he really didn’t care, and that the welfare of this baby fell on her own shoulders.  Inside she put her bags down and started to go into the parlor, when she saw light coming from within. 

 

“Jonathan is that you?”  she asked.  When she entered the room she found Rick sitting on the couch and pursed her lips again.  She walked past him and started up the stairs.

 

“Evelyn I know about the baby,”  he said.  She stopped and turned around.

 

“Good, now that you know why don’t you just get out,”  she said bitterly.  He stood up.

 

“Because this baby is part mine.  It might be inside you, but its part mine,”  he said gently.

 

“We don’t need you Rick.  I am perfectly capable of taking care of my baby on my own.  This baby needs a daddy who will want to stay through everything, good or bad, and I don’t want to take the chance that one day you will leave us.  Further more I don’t love you, and it would be wrong to try to love you just because I’m having your baby,”  she said.  Saying that hurt worse than anything else, but she wanted him to hurt.

 

“What right do you have to try to tell me I can’t be a part of it’s life,”  he said staying put.

 

“The right as a mother who loves this child.”  She turned and ran up to her room slamming the door behind her, then went to the bed and cried again.

 

 

 

 

A week passed at the end of which Rick was having his doubts.  Evelyn avoided him at all costs, and spent all of her time at the museum.  She barily came home, and he was worried sick.  Now he sat in the parlor, another night arriving fast.  He was about to go pack his bags when the phone rang.  Jonathan had said he would go talk to her, and Rick debated on picking it up, but decided he should.

 

 

“Hello?”  he said.

 

“Rick Evelyn is in the hospital.  She fell, and her doctor said he needs to see you.”  After getting directions to the hospital, Rick got dressed in more appropriate cloths, and hit the road.  It took him fifteen minutes to get there and when he arrived Jonathan was waiting, and led him to the Maternity ward.  Dr. Brigman was waiting and led him down a long corridor.

 

“Evelyn is under a tremendous amount of stress, and because of that and not eating right, she is at high risk of having a miscarriage.  There was some bleeding, but we managed to stop it.  Right now she needs you there, even if she can’t see that,”  The doctor said.  Once he had been told, Dr. Brigman let him go in her room.  She was in a bed, and a nurse sat at her side.  When he walked in she left, and Rick took her place.

 

“I’m here, I know you hate me but I’m not leaving you,”  he said.  She stirred and then looked away.

 

“Evie I need to talk, and I well, your not going anywhere so here goes.  I had a fight with my father when I was 18.  I got drunk, and came home one night to find him waiting on me.  He and my mother had been fighting over a Hotel he had bought in to, and it was stressful without me adding to it.  We got into a big yelling match and I called him a few choice names.  He pulled back and punched me, first in the mouth then in the stomach and kicked me out.  He said I was no longer his son.  So I left and eventually made my way to France.  I regret a lot of things, and most of all not going back until it was too late.  All three of them left me letters.  My mother told me that if I met a woman I loved, I should hold on to her with all that I have, even if it got tough at times.  My father put one in too, and said he shouldn’t have gotten so mad, and had intended to tell me that.  Elizabeth, my sister was fourteen when she died, never getting a chance to live her life at all.  She left me her favorite bear, and had plans of her own to come and find me.  I want to try to be a good father to this baby, be the father that I felt I never had.  I also want to love you Evelyn, and I’ll try as long as there is breath in me,”  he said.  When he finished she was crying, and he reached out and took her hand, and for once she didn’ pull away.

 

“I’m afraid Rick,”  she finally said.

 

“What about, talk to me Evelyn please,”  he said.

 

“I’m afraid that you will leave us, that if this baby is naughty or gets sick that you will decide to go.”  she said her voice trembling badly.

 

“Never,”  he said.

 

“I’m afraid of how I feel about you,”  she said.  He stood up and walked around the bed to face her.

 

“Tell me how you feel?”  he said.

 

“Confused, afraid, alone,”  she said softly   He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss.

 

“Your not alone,”  he said, and she reached up needing to be in his arms.  Rick sat on the bedside and held her as best he could.

 

“I do love you Rick I’m just afraid of this feeling.  It’s so big, and It makes me do things that I wouldn’t normally do.”  She said.  He kissed her again.

 

“Love does that,”  he said and she sighed tired.

 

“Rest now, I won’t leave you,”  he said.  She nodded her head and he eased her back against the pillow.  Sleep came fast for her, and Rick sat by her side, and reached his hand out placing it against the swell in her tummy.  It was still difficult to believe that his child was growing inside of her, but he was also very happy, and knew that time and his love would help heal her heart, and teach her to trust, or so he hoped.

 

 

 

More Soon

 

Chapter 6: Breaking through

 

 

 

It was nearly three weeks later that Dr. Brigman released Evelyn from the hospital, on strict orders to get plenty of rest, and to eat well for the baby.  She had been quiet during her stay at the hospital, and had slept a great deal of the time, still not talking that much to Rick save for the one night she had opened up to him.  Now on the drive home, she sat in the back of the car with Rick, peering out the Window.  The leaves had started to brown and fall of the trees, which meant winter was quickly approaching.  Their baby was due the spring, April or May, and Evelyn felt a whole mix of emotions.  When they got home she let Rick carry her up to her room, and help her get settled in bed.

 

“Is there anything I can bring for you?”  he asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

 

“I just want to sleep,”  she said, and turned away from him.  Despite being ignored, Rick sat beside her until she had gone to sleep, then went downstairs to the parlor and sat down on the couch burying his head in his hands.

 

“Still not talking?”  Jonathan asked as he brought Rick his drink.  Since Evelyn’s fall, he had sobered up, even looked into opening up a resort casino

 

“Notta,”  Rick said as he took a sip of his Bourbon, then set the glass on the Red wood coffee table.

 

“The doctor told me that it’s depression, and he said if she doesn’t pull out of it, it puts the baby even more at risk,”  Rick said.  Jonathan  sighed.

 

“All I know about Evelyn is that she is strong, and that she will snap out of this,”  Jonathan replied, though he too was worried for her.  They sat in silence for a while, then Rick left to go check on her.  When he arrived he found her still asleep, and after kicking off his boots he eased in beside her.  He lay on his side just watching her sleep, then despite his best efforts, the exhaustion he had been throug these past weeks caught up to him and he too fell asleep.

 

 

 

 

It was a little later when Evelyn woke up, and found Rick laying beside her, asleep.  It was strange to have him there beside her, and yet comforting, and also terrifying.  She had built up a wall to protect her feelings, not wanting to let him in, so that she wouldn’t be hurt, though she was hurting now, despite that wall.  Her thoughts turned to the baby she carried, and they were not pleasant ones.  All of her life she had strived to be like her father, to make it in a man’s world, and she had been so close to doing that, until now.  The baby would change everything about her life, about Rick’s life, and she sometimes found herself resenting it, because it was taking away from her lifes dream.  That thought made her fell worthless, because this baby was a gift.  It didn’t matter how it came about it was a gift, and here she was shunning it, almost wanting to deny it the chance to live.  Carefully she slipped out of bed and walked over to her desk.  She wasn’t supposed to be on her feet, but she needed to get what she felt out on paper, and so in a moment with pen in hand she began.

 

 

11-24-1926

 

      Where do I start.  I have such strong feelings, I dare not tell Rick or Jonathan for fear of loosing both of them.  I’ve always wanted to be a famous explorer like my father.  My reasons are mostly for myself, and also for him.  His life was cut short by a curse, and in some small way I feel that persuing a career as an Explorer keeps him alive.  My other reason is Egypt.  There is so much history that is unknown, and I wish to uncover that history, to show it to the world.  Now I cannot do any of that.  This baby that is growing in me didn’t deserve to have me as it’s mother.  A part of me wants this, a chance to have a child of my own to teach the love of Egypt to, to share its life with Rick, but there is also the part of me that resents this child.  What right did it have to take away my dreams.  I know that it sounds terrible, and I want to run from it, but there is no way to do that.  No one will ever know how I feel, not even Rick. 

 

 

 

 

As she was putting her Journal away, she felt Rick’s hand on her shoulder and sighed.

 

“Why don’t we sit outside on the swing?”  he asked.

 

“I’m too tired,”  she said and let him help her to the bed.  Once she was lying there, she turned on her side again away from him.

 

“Evie tell me what you want?  I don’t know what to do here, and I feel like I’m just making things worse for you,”  Rick said as he sat down on the edge of the bed.  She turned back over.

 

“So your going to leave me?”  she asked as a tear slipped down her cheek.  He had been thinking about doing that for a while, not sure that he was what she needed despite the fact she was pregnant by him.

 

“I don’t want to leave you Evelyn, but I need to know what you are feeling, I want to know what I can do to help you,”  he said.  The look of pain in his eyes was enough to crumble the walls she had put up and she started to cry soul wrenching cries.  Rick lay beside her and just held her letting her cry hoping this was a start.  When the tears subsided she looked up at him.

 

“I want to tell you what I have been thinking, but I’m so afraid it will drive you away,”  she said.  He leaned his head in and kissed her gently.

 

“Evelyn tell me what you are thinking, please,”  he said.

 

“I’ve been thinking bad thoughts about the baby,”  she said.  He reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek.

 

“What kind of thoughts?”  he asked pulling her closer to him.  She rested her head on his chest and was soon asleep.  Rick reached out and rubbed her stomach.

 

“Evie please talk to me,”  He whispered, then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

 

 

 

 

A few days passed and Evelyn was eating like she needed too, but she still wasn’t talking not even to Jonathan.  Right now she sat in bed reading a children’s story just to herself trying to get used to this child growing in her.  She remembered her childhood here in England, the happy times with her parents, and her brother, and also the times her parents left to go on digs, and she and Jonathan were left under the care of a Nanny.  If she was going to be a parent she wanted to do it the right way, and to her that meant a full commitment, which was something that right now she didn’t feel she could give.  Her eyes grew tired, and she set the book aside, then heard footsteps approaching and slid down on the mattress pretending to be asleep.  The door opened, and she heard his sigh, then he left and she felt tears fall.  Maybe he would give up on her and leave her alone, though she really didn’t want that.

 

“Maybe what you need is a walk,”  she said to herself, and sat up in bed.  Evelyn stretched and then got up going to her dresser.  There she got out a soft blouse, and her bra, and took those over to the bed. Then went to her closet and got out a skirt which would fit over her belly.  She wasn’t big enough to really be able to tell when someone looked, but her normal cloths no longer fit, and she had gotten new clothing to compensate that.  As she was going to the bed she became aware of moisture in her panties and went into the bathroom not thinking too much of that.  It was when she sat on the toilet and looked down at her panties that she saw  blood, and gasped out.  She got off of the toilet and ran for the door now terrified.

 

“RICK,”  she shouted as she knelt to the floor feeling a minor cramp in her stomach.  In a moment she heard his fast approach.

 

“I’m bleeding,”  she said.  His calmness helped her to be calm, and after he got her calm, he helped her dress, and then had Jonathan take them to the hospital.

 

 

 

It was agonizing waiting for word on Evelyn’s condition, and Rick paced the small waiting area while Jonathan tried to play a game of poker by himself.  It had been two hours since they had arrived, and no one seemed to know what was going on with Evelyn.  Finally Rick couldn’t take it anymore and walked over to the nurses desk where a younger woman looked up.

 

“I need to know what is happening with Evelyn Carnahan,”  he said.  She got up. 

 

“I’ll go check...”  she was about to when Dr. Brigman walked out from the Maternity area.

 

“Mr. O’Connell, I’m afraid there is nothing good I can say for the child she carried. We did all we could but there was no way to save it.  Evelyn will recover physically, emotionally perhaps you might seek some counseling for her.  She knows she lost the child, so be aware of that when you go in,”  he said then told him what room she was in.  Rick felt numb at the moment, and went into the waiting area where Jonathan was sipping coffee.

 

“She lost the baby,”  he said.  Jonathan looked at him unsure of what to say, and Rick left him needing to be with Evelyn.  He went in the large doors and down the hall passing by a nurse pushing a new baby in a bassinet.  His heart felt like it was breaking, but then he sucked that up.   Right now he needed to be the strong one, and there would be time for his tears later.  He walked into room 321, and found Evelyn asleep facing him.  She looked pail, and as fragile as a porcelain doll.  Quietly Rick took the seat beside her and took her hand in his which woke her.

 

“There you are,”  he said kissing her hand.

 

“You don’t have to stay anymore,”  she said softly.

 

“Well to bad your stuck with me like it or not,”  came his firm reply.

 

“I killed our baby,”  she said as her lip began to tremble.  Rick lowered the bar on her bed and settled beside her

 

“Now you listen to me.  You did not kill our baby, it simply wasn’t meant to be, not at this point in our lives.  Our first job is to get you back on your feet, and I’m not going to let you sleep your life away.  You can fight me all you want on this, but I’m staying put.  I’ve found the woman I love, and I’m not about to walk out on her,”  he said.

 

“But I don’t love you,”  she said weakly.

 

“Okay then I’ll get you better and find you a guy who will treat you right,”  he said unwilling to let her push him away yet again.  Her eyes shut and Rick leaned in kissing her lips gently, then he sat down in the chair and let his own tears fall for the loss of their child.

 

 

 

A few days later she was permitted to go home, and when they arrived it was early afternoon and beautiful, despite the November chill.  Rick carried Evelyn not into the house, but out back to the garden where Marie had set up a blanket and some food for a picnic.

 

“I need to rest,”  Evie said still in his arms.

 

“You can rest out here just as well as you can in your bed,”  Rick said then settled her on the blanket. 

 

“Why do you love me?”  she asked suddenly looking straight into his eyes.

 

“Because you make me feel alive, more alive than I ever have in all my life,”  he said honestly.  She nodded and took a small bite of a sandwich, then put it aside.  She looked beyond them in the field watching Echidna and Amunet running.

 

“My father got us both of those horses, two years before he died,”  Evelyn said.  Rick looked over in the field.

 

“Maybe sometime we can go out for a ride,”  he replied.  Evelyn didn’t respond still watching them.

 

“My sister Elizabeth always wanted a horse, and she got her first pony when she was 3.  Out of both of us I think my parents liked her better than me, but she got that horse, and everyday when I got home from school I would take her out and lead her around the arena,”  he said watching her.

 

“I want to go inside now,”  Evie said, and he agreed to that.  Once he got her into her room and in the bed she fell asleep, and he decided a walk would do him some good.  Back downstairs he found Jonanthan asleep on the couch.

 

“Jonathan,”  Rick said, and he sat up instantly.

 

“Evelyn is asleep, and I’m going out for a walk.”

 

“I’ll watch her for you,”  he said.

 

 

 

 

Outside Rick walked the length of the drive trying to think about how he could best help her, and came to the conclusion that the best way to help her was just be there when she needed him, and not give up on her, which he didn’t intend on doing.  As he walked back toward the house Jonathan came running out.

 

“She’s crying for you,”  he said.  Rick left at a dead run taking the stairs three at a time, and when he got to her room she was curled up in her bed sobbing.  He sat beside her and she pulled away.

 

“Don’t touch me I don’t need you,”  she shrieked out.  He took her in his arms despite her protest and held her.

 

“Let go of me I hate you I hate you,”  she screamed out.  Still he held her and in a moment she was clinging to him.

 

“I..I can’t stop this feeling,”  she said through her sobs.

 

“Then don’t stop it Evelyn feel. You have been hiding from everything, and you can’t keep doing that,”  he said softly.  He knew that well, after his parents and sister had died, or after he had found out, he tried to hide behind booze and anger, until one night he had exploded, emotionally, nearly killing a man.  Jonathan and Izzy had both held him back, then Izzy knocked him over the head with a bottle of bourbon which knocked him out.  After that he had let himself mourn, and was still mourning when Jonathan had sent for him.  For a long time she cried, periods of crying and screaming at him, until there was nothing left but hiccups.  She still held to him as they now lay reclined in her bed, her head against his chest.

 

“It hurts Rick, my heart aches for the baby, and for you,”  she said softly.  he rubbed her back.

 

“I know how that feels Evelyn, but you can’t hide from either of those feelings. You need to deal with them, and this, what just happened is a beginning,’  he said.

 

“I don’t hate you,”  she said, and lifted her head to look at him.  He reached his hand down and wiped her tears away.

 

“I’m glad,”  he said simply, and she sighed, and then started to cry again.  All he could do was hold her and help her weather through this storm, and by the time night fell she was asleep safe in his arms.  When he was sure she was asleep, he eased away from her and went downstairs to talk to Jonathan, who had come up at one point while she was screaming.  Rick found him about to go out for the night, though he stopped when he saw him coming down the steps.

 

“How is Evie?”  he asked.

 

“Asleep for now.  She is finally letting me in.  I know this may seem insane but for her and for me I want to hold a small memorial for the baby, to let it go.”  Jonathan nodded.

 

“We have a priest. He baptized both Evelyn and me, and buried our parents, so I’ll call him tomorrow and set that up.  Do you want it to be just us? “  He asked.  Rick nodded his head

 

 

After their talk,  Rick went back upstairs and removed his cloths down to his boxers, then slid in to bed next to her.  Almost instantly she came into his arms, her head resting on his chest and they went to sleep.

 

 

 

It was the smell of good food which woke Evelyn and she opened her eyes just as Rick brought in a tray of breakfast.  He smiled at her and she tried to smile back and then started to cry again.  After setting the tray down he came to her side and sat beside her lifting her into his arms.

 

“Why does it hurt so much?”  she asked.

 

“Maybe because deep down inside you loved the baby, more than what you were willing to admit,”  he said grasping for straws.  She nodded.

 

“I thought about how much it would take away from my lifes works, and I wasn’t fair to it, thats why it died Rick because it felt my sadness,”  she said sobbing.

 

“Evelyn listen to me.  I’m not sure what happened, or why, but trying to place the blame on yourself isn’t the answer.  It would be like placing the blame on yourself for what happened to your parents,”  he said.  She knew he was right but it was difficult not to do that.  As she was about to say something more both of them heard a rumbling and Rick eased her away.

 

“Was that your stomach?” he asked.  She smiled, her first one in weeks.

 

“I guess all that food is making me hungry,”  she said softly.

 

“Well then lets have some,”  he said.  As he was about to stand she held to him hugging him.

 

“Thank you Rick, for staying with me,”  she said.

 

“Don’t thank me, just don’t shut me out anymore,”  he said.  she nodded, and the two of them sat back in bed and had a wonderful breakfast.

 

 

 

A few days later the memorial for their baby was at hand.  When Rick had told her, Evelyn had not been happy, not because he had done it without telling her, but because she wasn’t ready to face it.  Dr. Brigman had said that she was five months along, and the baby was a girl.  Now they got ready for the service, and Rick was putting on his suit when he heard Evelyn cry out in frustration.  He ran to the bathroom and found her trying to zip the back of her dress.  Quickly he took her hands in his.

 

“Take a deep breath and let it out,”  he said.  She did what he wanted, and had learned that his method of taking deep breaths helped her calm down.  Once she had done that he turned her around and in a moment he got the zipper up and all was well.

 

“We never thought of a name for the baby,”  she said.  He had turned to leave, and turned back to her.

 

“Do you have any in mind?”  he asked.

 

“My mothers name was Mariah, I want maybe the middle name to be that,”  she said in a shaky voice.  Rick eased her into his arms swaying.

 

“My mothers name was Katelyn, what about Mariah Katelyn,”  he asked.  She nodded taking comfort from being held by him.

 

“I think thats a good name for her.  Mariah Katelyn O’Connell,”  Evelyn replied.   They met with the Priest, Father Joseph, who talked to all of them, and said a prayer for the child that had been lost, and also a blessing for Rick and Evelyn, to let the experience of losing their child, and what they had learned from that bring them closer together. 

 

 

 

A few days later, Jonathan asked them to go with him to the cemetery.  Both had questioned why but he just told them to go with him and not to ask questions.  When they arrived he led them to their parents graves, and not far from their headstone was a small white marble marker.  On either side were two carved Angels child like in form, and between them was the name Mariah Katelyn O’Connell. 

 

“I know maybe this wasn’t my place but I felt there should be a visible reminder of your daughter,”  he said.  Evelyn hugged him and started to cry and Jonathan held her close feeling bad.  Once her tears had subsided she knelt down and touched the headstone.  Rick went over to him and for the first time ever gave him a hug as well.

 

“Jonathan thank you,”  he said.  Jonathan nodded and then went back to the car to give them time alone.  Once he was gone Rick knelt beside her.

 

“I want us to get to know one another better,”  Evelyn said as she turned to face him.

 

“I would like that,”  he said and then she let him hold her as they both cried for their child.

 

 

 

 

More later

 

 

 

Chapter 7: A Time to Heal and a Time to Love

 

 

 

December came with all its glory of the Holidays.  For Rick and Evelyn, it marked a month since the loss of their child, and a month since they had started more or less dating.  So far Rick was keeping it simple, letting Evelyn be their guide on how far to take things.  They had been intimate that one time, but right now she wasn’t ready for that.  Now the two walked in the fresh fallen snow, their boots crunching as they took each step.  Rick held Evelyn’s hand in his as she showed him how beautiful the land was in the winter.

 

“I bet you and your father shared alot of these walks,”  Rick said as they came to the top of a fairly large rise.  Ahead of them he could see into the woods, and heard the sound of running water.

 

“I think my father chose this land because it’s so secluded.  He and my mother, well all of us loved taking walks anytime of year, and from him I learned the names of all the trees and wildlife.  If you want we can go to the stream, it’s quite beautiful this time of year,”  she said looking up at him.  He reached out and moved a strand of hair that had fallen in her face.

 

“Sure, I’ve never been much for the cold, but I actually like this,”  he said, and he did.  He wasn’t sure whether it was the landscape or the company, but he really enjoyed their walks.

 

“What was it like, I mean before you left the United States,”  she asked, as they moved down the slope toward the woods.

 

“My life, hmm.  Well for the first Eleven years of my life I was an only child.  My father raised horses, thats the sort of thing you do when you live in Montana, or did, and then Elizabeth came along.  I thought it was odd to have a sister that much younger than me, but she grew on me, and we were really close.  Then when she was about four, dad bought into this hotel with his good friend Jake, and thats around when my parents started fighting.  He sold all the horses, without telling my mother, and it just got worse by the day.  Elizabeth started sleeping with me, and her welfare fell on me too, and for a while I was fine by that.  Then I started to hang out with a tough crowd, drinking, smoking, and skipping school, as well as sneaking out at night.  When my father found out what I was doing, one night he waited for me.  I got home and he yanked me in the house, and pushed me into a chair.  He called me a good for nothing self centered bastard, and told me I was no son of his.  I fought back, which was really stupid, because he beat the every living crap out of me, and in the end I left home, and hitched my way to New York. Then I snuck aboard a vessel headed for France, and there I was ready to be a Legionnaire.”  By the time he had finished his narrative of his life, they had reached the stream, and Evelyn moved away from him then turned to face him.

 

“I’m sorry that you had to go through that,”  she said.

 

“Yeah I am to.  If I had it to do over I would have stuck to being the good guy I started out to be.”  She moved into his arms and he hugged her closing his eyes to the pain.  It still hurt, all of it, the loss of his parents and sister, and the loss of their child, and at times like these he wanted to hide, but what Evie had been through and was still going through had taught him that hiding only made things worse.  After a moment, the two parted and she led him over to the stream.

 

“Do you ever feel anger toward the way I reacted during my pregnancy?”  she asked not looking at him.  He stood behind her and eased her against him.

 

“Anger at myself for not trying to understand you better, not at you,”  he said.

 

“I still don’t sleep at night. I feel an emptiness, a void left when the baby died, and a sadness that goes deeper than anything I’ve ever felt.  I kept saying to myself that I didn’t want to be a mother, that the baby was going to take away from what I wanted, and I think it would have added to both of our lives,”  she said.

 

“Evie, I know your not ready to think about this, or maybe you are but I’m not leaving you.  I love getting to know you, I love our walks and our talks,”  he said leaning down to kiss the top of her head.  She sighed and wrapped her arms around his.

 

“I know I love you, and it terrifies me,”  she said softly.

 

“Can you tell me what about it is scary?”  He asked.  That was not easy to answer.

 

“Because its so strong that it blinds me, I’m afraid to feel the full extent of it because when I did that night..that night in your hotel room I didn’t want to stop what we were doing despite the fact that my mind was screaming for me to do so,”  she said.  Her words made him feel guilty, and he eased her away and turned her to face him.

 

“Evelyn I’ve thought of that night, and I should have helped both of us by being the strong one,” he said.

 

“Your not supposed to be strong for both of us.  What I’ve learned is that we have to be strong together, equally,”  she said.  That declaration gave her strength and again she came into his arms hugging him, then shuttered not realizing how cold it was until now.

 

“Why don’t we head back to the house,”  Rick said.

 

“I think thats a very good idea,”  she said and the two started back toward home.

 

 

 

Later that evening Evelyn sat by the fire in the parlor on a bunch of soft pillows, reading a book, Jane Eyre.  From time to time she liked to read old books, and to her it was like visiting an old friend each time she read them.  She had taken a hot bath after their walk, and now wore a soft flannel nightgown, comfortable as she read.  Rick had gone out with Jonathan to drink, and she misssed him, but she wanted him to do his own thing.  The silence was broken by his voice, and she was surprised that he was home so soon, but also glad.  She stood up as he walked in and found him covered with snow.

 

“Go put your cloths on,”  he said, and his excitement fed her. She hurried upstairs to do that.  When she came back downstairs, she had on dark slacks and a warm sweater.  Rick had her coat, and helped her put it on then they went outside finding it was snowing so hard they could hardly see five feet in front of them.

 

“I’m glad we got food today,”  Evelyn said as the walked out in the snow, which came up to her ankles.

 

“I am to,”  he said then lifted her into his arms and spun her around causing her to laugh.  They fell in the snow with him on his back and Evie on top of him.  Before he could think, she got some snow and threw it in his face then got up and ran as he ran to catch her.  Jonathan came from putting the car in the garage and they bombard him.

 

“Hey no fair,”  he wined then retaliated.  They played like that for nearly an hour then headed inside.  Once out of the cold, Evelyn made sure they got their boots off and dusted the snow off of one another, then they all headed upstairs to their rooms to get into warmer cloths.

 

 

 

 

Some nights Evelyn still had nightmares, and this night was no acceptation.  She found herself tied down to the alter, and what was different about this dream was that she was pregnant.  Imhotep, and Anck-su-nahmun stood over her and she screamed but nothing came out.  She felt the knife cutting into her womb, removing her baby, then when the baby was out, Imhotep put scarabs in her.  This time she did scream, sitting up in her bed coughing and sweaty, which brought Rick instantly. 

 

“Hey shh,”  he said and pulled her into his arms.

 

“Oh Rick I had a dream that I was back in Egypt, and he took our baby,”  she said and started to cry against his chest.  He held her against him, stroking her back as she cried, and looked up as Jonathan came in.  When he saw that Rick had her, he left them.

 

“It was so terrible, he put scarabs in me,”  she said and cried harder.  Rick didn’t try to stop her tears, and sat with her rocking her gently, rubbing his hand over her back, until the tears subsided.  She eased away from him and he reached over on her nightstand and got her kerchief handing it to her so she could wipe her face.

 

“I’m sorry I woke you up,”  she said.

 

“Don’t be Evelyn, don’t ever be sorry, I’m glad I could be here for you,”  he reassured, and that comforted her.  She was still tired but wasn’t all that keen on being alone, and Rick seemed to sense that.

 

“If you would like for me to, I’ll sit in here until you go back to sleep,”  he offered.

 

“You don’t mind?”  she asked.  He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.

 

“I don’t mind,”  he said.  Once she was reassured of that, she lay back against the mattress and Rick pulled up a chair.  She tried to fall asleep, but the haunting images of her dream kept creeping up, and she felt alone, even with him sitting so close.  Rick watched her, and after a few minutes he got up and went to the other side of the bed.  He climbed in and Evelyn willingly moved into his embrace. Once he was holding her, Evelyn slept and her dreams were ones she wasn’t afraid to see.

 

 

 

A week before Christmas, Evelyn got a call from her good friend Wendy Copeland who invited she, Jonathan and Rick to her anual Christmas party, and now Jonathan pulled the car up to the large house.  It was no where near as big as the house Evie’s parents had owned, but it wasn’t small either.

 

“So her name is Wendy?”  Rick asked trying to get everyone’s name right.  He knew how important this was to Evelyn, and wanted to make a good impression on the people she grew up with.

 

“Right, and her husband is Douglass,”  Evie said as they approached the door.  Before they knocked Wendy herself answered the door and the two friends hugged.

 

“I’m so glad to see you,”  Wendy said as they parted.

 

“I’m glad to see you as well.  Wendy this is Rick,”  she said.  Rick smiled and was surprised when she gave him a hug.

 

“I’m happy to meet you, well come in and join the rest of the crowd,”  she said then took their coats.  Evelyn smiled and took Rick’s hand in hers and they headed into the Parlor.  For a while they spent time meeting and greeting old friends, and new friends, then Jonathan pulled Rick off to play some poker with Douglass and some of the other gentlemen there.

 

“Well how did you meet him?”  Wendy asked as she and Evelyn sat on the Sofa.  Out of all the people Evelyn had  grown up with in England, she was closest to Wendy.

 

“In Egypt, in a prison actually,”  Evelyn said and spun the tail.  In the middle of that a little boy came running over to them.

 

“Mum Toby said I can’t play with him,”  the little boy said.

 

“Why don’t you go see if Nanny Helen will read to you,”  Wendy replied.

 

“Whose she?”  he asked of Evelyn. 

 

“This is mummy’s very good Friend Evelyn, Miss Carnahan,”  Wendy said.

 

“I’m Garret, and I’m four,”  he said then ran off to find his Nanny.  When Wendy turned to her friend, she found tears streaming down her face.

 

“Evelyn?”  she asked.

 

“I’m sorry Wendy,”  she responded, then got up and ran for the bathroom.  Very concerned for her friend, Wendy went to the small room the men were playing poker in, and found her date, whispering in his ear.

 

“Jonathan take over my hand,”  Rick said and left with Wendy.

 

“My son came out, and she started to cry,”  Wendy said concerned.

 

“She lost a child,”  came Rick’s response, then he went to the door and knocked.

 

“Evie sweetheart let me in,”  Rick said.  He heard the door click and when she opened it he pulled her into his arms.

 

“Let me show you to one of the rooms,”  Wendy said.  They followed her and when she left Evelyn cried for a long time, and as he always did Rick just held her in his arms until the storm passed.

 

“I am tired of this feeling,”  she said still clinging to him.

 

“I know you are, but at least your letting yourself feel it,”  he said, and she sighed.

 

“Don’t you tire of this, of my tears and emotions?”  she asked.

 

“No Evelyn I don’t.  You need to feel these emotions, and you need to stop worrying about me leaving you.  I’m here to stay because I choice to, because I think your worth waiting for.  The one thing my mom said about finding someone special was sticking by their side no matter what, and I’m going to do that for you,”  he said.  His words reassured her, and after a little more time they rejoined the party, though Evelyn was quiet and stayed by his side.  When they finally headed home she fell asleep in the comfort of his arms, and upon their arrived Rick carried her to her room and gently laid her in bed, slipping off her shoes as he did, then pulled the covers over her and kissed her good night.

 

 

 

 

The next morning was Christmas, and after a hardy breakfast, which Rick cooked, they all sat around the tree and opening presents.  Jonathan got a lounge Jacket from Rick, and a few new ties from Evelyn.  From Jonathan, Evelyn got a gold necklace with a diamond on it, and some new books published on Egypt.  He got Rick a bottle of Glen Levitz dated back earlier than what the Curator had in Egypt as a joke, though Rick was pleased with that.  Evie got him a set of books about King Arthur and the Knights of the round Table, and as she was cleaning up he pulled her over to the couch and had her sit down.

 

“Now I got you something, and I don’t want you to panic,”  he said.  Jonathan looked up from trying on his lounge Jacket and saw O’Connell pull from his pants pocket a velvet box and silently prayed Evelyn wouldn’t freak out.  She saw the box and started to talk but he pressed his finger to her lips.

 

“Listen to me okay,”  he said.  She nodded.

 

“I want us to get married, it doesn’t have to happen today or tomorrow or even this year.  I think its rare when two people meet, and find a love like what we have shared, or have gone through as much as we have.  This ring just means that I’m going to wait for you,”  he said, then took her left finger and slipped it on.  She was shaking like a leaf and he eased her against him.

 

“I want to marry you,”  she said.

 

“I’m glad,”  he replied and the stayed in one anothers arms for quite some time before they parted.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing, and Jonathan stayed in his part of the house planning a party for Rick.

 

 

 

More later

 

Chapter 8: Together at Last

 

 

The new Year had come, and Evelyn’s life was changing fast.  She had come to accept the love that Rick was offering her, and though she was still afraid of how she felt about him, she was learning not to run from it.  They had decided on a February Wedding, a small wedding with her closest friends, and his. Rick had sent an invitation to Jake, and his wife to attend, to be there as his family.  January brought bitter cold weather and with that a bunch of snow.  With Evelyn working at the museum days, Rick had worked to find something he wanted to do, and wasn’t having much luck with that.  Currently he was out in the bitter cold chopping wood for the fire places.  He had found the tool shed, and had asked Evelyn who supplied the wood.  She had told him generally the Gardner chopped it for them.  Rick had chopped down a fairly good sized tree, and after two hours of chopping, he had enough wood to last them for a good month, or so he hoped.  Once he had finished that task he went inside and got a bath. Then he would go into town and get the list of things Evelyn had left for him.

 

 

 

 

It seemed everyone was out, and on this type of day, Rick wasn’t sure why.  As he made his way to the market, someone walking toward him stopped.

 

“Rick O’Connell is that you?”  the man asked.  For a moment Rick didn’t notice him, then all of the sudden he knew who he was talking to.

 

“If it isn’t Sam Jennnings,”  Rick said and the two men embraced.  Sam had grown up with Rick, and they hadn’t seen one another in a very long time.

 

“I heard about your parents,”  Sam said.

 

“Yeah I have a lot of regrets about that,”  Rick admitted.

 

“Look I’m meeting my wife at Nicola’s Cafe, why don’t you join us,”  Sam said.  Rick nodded and the two of them headed off in that direction.

 

“So how did you end up in England?”  Sam asked.

 

“That’s a bit of a long story.  Actually I’m going to be married next month,”  Rick said, and Sam laughed.

 

“Ahh I understand now, you found someone,”  Sam said.  Rick grinned, and then they entered the Cafe, and Rick met Sam’s wife Amy.

 

“Rick and I grew up together in Montana,”  Sam explained as they sat down at their table.

 

“It’s very lucky that you two met up again,”  Amy said as she sipped her tea.  They spent most of lunch catching up, and Rick told Sam of his luck of finding a job, or lack there of.

 

“Well if your interested I’m thinking about starting up a ship building business, Sam said.  That is something Rick had not thought of, and though he would have to discuss it with Evie, he thought that he might like that.

 

“I could go for that.  I need to make sure Evelyn is okay with it,”  Rick said, not about to make the same mistake his own father had made with selling the horses to go into a business with Jake at the Hotel.  Once they had finished lunch, they parted, and after getting his errunds, run, Rick decided to go by the museum and surprise Evie.

 

 

 

Being at the museum was still a comfort to Evelyn, though now she missed being with Rick.  As she sat at her desk, working on a proposal for the Bembridge Scholars, she thought about what it would be like to be his wife.  Despite his reassurances, she was still afraid that he would decide he didn’t want that, and that thought made her shutter.

 

“Hey,”  Rick said, noticing that as he walked in.  He walked over, and stood her up then hugged her.

 

“Stop thinking negative things,”  Rick said, knowing of her fears of not being able to satisfy him.  That made her laugh a little.

 

“Your getting to know me rather well,”  she said as they parted and she looked up at him.

 

“Then I’m doing my job,”  he said as he leaned down and gave her a light kiss.

 

“What brings you by?” she asked as they sat down on her couch.

 

“Actually I ran into an old friend.  I grew up with a chap named Sam Jennings, one of my very good friends, and we just had lunch.  He wants to go into ship building, and I know to start it its going to take a lot of money, but I really want to do something like this,”  he said.  She smiled at him.

 

“Then you should.  I trust you to do what you need,”  she said, and trust for her was a big step.

 

“Why don’t we have them over for dinner in a few nights,”  Evelyn said. Introducing Evelyn to Sam was something Rick wanted to do, so he was glad she had suggested that. 

 

“I think that would be fun,”  he said.  She smiled, then stood when she heard the Grandfather Clock chime once.

 

“I would love to talk to you all day, but I have to get this proposal finished,”  she said.  Rick stood up, and took her hand, pulling her to her feet, then leaned in and gave her another light kiss against her lips.

 

“Will you be home for dinner?”  he asked as they parted.  She nodded sort of in daze.  Rick’s kisses seemed to have that effect upon her.  When he left, she had to force herself to keep her mind on her work, wanting more to go home and spend time with him.

 

 

 

 

A few nights later Evelyn and Rick had a nice meal prepared, a rack of lamb with a white cream sauce, some green beans, and fresh bread to go with that, as well as a bottle of Reserve Merlot.  Now the two of them sat in the parlor waiting for their company to arrive, and Rick was telling Evie about his childhood and growing up with Sam.

 

“We went to the same school together, a little one roomed school house, and hit it off big, because neither of us were fond of the little girls.”  Rick said grinning.

 

“Dare I ask what you did to the poor young ladies in your class?”  Evelyn asked as she sipped some hot tea.  Rick shook his head.

 

“Oh I think one time before class Sam and I found a garter snake, and once Miss Mcgregor started to teach class we let it go.  All the girls stood on their desks screaming, and all the boys laughed.  It was fun until I got home,”  he said and sighed.  Evie noticed the frown creasing his face, and put a hand on his.

 

“You and Jonathan share the same sense of humor, though it was always me who was the victim,”  Evelyn said.  They would have said more, when both heard knocking at the door.  Rick stood up and took Evelyn’s small hand in his then led her out of the parlor to the front entry.  When he opened the door his friends were there and were invited inside.

 

“Sam this is my Fiancée Evelyn.  Evie this is my very good friend Sam and his wife Amy,”  Rick said as he took their coats.  Evelyn greeted both of them then they all went back into the parlor.

 

“This is a beautiful house,”  Amy said as they sat down on the couches closest to the fire place.

 

“Thank you.  My father purchased this before I was born, and has kept it up since then,”  Evelyn said as she sat down across from Sam and Amy, and beside Rick.

 

“Your father was Howard Carnahan, the famous explorer wasn’t he?”  Sam asked.  Evelyn nodded, and for a while they talked about his explorations, and some of what she, Rick, and Jonathan had been through when they were in Egypt.  It was then that Marie came out, and told them dinner was served, and they all followed her past the stairs, and down the hall to a large room on the right.  The dining room was very elegant.  There was a large Redwood table with ornate chairs around it, all with velvet cushion backs and seats.  Over the table was a Crystal Chandelier, which sparkled with the soft light it let out.  Over on the far wall was a redwood China cabinet with several china dishes of various sorts, and other knick knacks.  There was another cabinet with a Marble top, and on that a few vases with blue flowers on them, and a porcelain wash basin with a pitcher sitting inside of it.  The floor was wooden, with an dark blue oriental carpet, and the walls were deep burgundy.

 

“This house is so lovely,”  Amy said not able to get over the simple elegance of it all.

 

“Thank you,”  Evelyn replied.  Once they were seated Marie served them with the lamb and Merlot, then left them alone to enjoy their meal.

 

“So, did you talk to the man about purchasing the warehouses down by the docks?”  Rick asked his friend.

 

“Yeah I was going to get to that.  He want’s several thousand pounds for the land,”  he replied, not sure how much money they had to work with.  He and Amy were scraping to make ends meet, and he knew that they couldn’t afford much for their half of the deal.

 

“I don’t see a problem with it,”  Rick said as he took a bite of lamb, and looked over at Evelyn who nodded.  The rest of the night, the guys talked about what they wanted to accomplish with their business, and the ladies spent time getting to know one another.

 

“How did you and Sam decide on England?”  Evelyn asked as they had started to talk about themselves more.  Amy smiled as she took a sip of tea. 

 

“Sam’s father owns a shipping Business in New York, I think he bought it after Rick left home but we met there, and Sam always had an interest in England, so we took our chances and came out here,”  she said simply.  By the end of the evening, Sam and Rick had everything worked out to go meet with the man who wanted to sell the property by the port, and Amy and Evelyn had made fast friends.  When they left, Evelyn turned to face Rick and accepted his hug, and the comfort of his arms around her.

 

“I like them,”  Evelyn said as she snuggled her cheek against Rick’s chest.  Rick smiled as he rubbed his hand up and down her back.

 

“I’m glad you do, I think we might have to do this more often,”  he said.  After a little more hugging, they retired to their rooms.  In her room, Evelyn removed her evening dress and hung it up, putting it in the walk-in closet with the rest of her cloths, then walked over to the dresser against the outer wall next to the doors leading out to the balcony, and opened the top drawer.  She took out a soft warm flannel night gown and pulled that on, then went to the fire and opened the iron curtains putting another log on the flame.  Being Evelyn, she wasn’t watching what she was doing, and caught the sleeve of her gown on fire.

 

 

 

 

In his room, which was two doors down from Evelyn’s, Rick had just gotten in bed when he heard her high pitched screams, and was out of bed, and in her room in five seconds.  She was patting at her arm which was smoking, and she was also coughing, and crying.  

 

“Shhh,”  he said, as he eased her against him for a moment.  He knew that she had burned herself, and likely bad with how dark the gown was around her arm.  Gently he led her over to the bed, and once he had her calmed down a little pulled the sleeve up to find her arm blistered. 

 

“Do you have any burn ointment?”  she nodded, and led him to her bathroom, and got all he asked for and in a few minutes he had her arm bandaged up.

 

“I feel like such an dolt.  I should have pushed my sleeves up,”  she said as she looked up at him.

 

“Evie we all do things at times and don’t think about the consequences,”  he said.  She nodded.

 

“Will you...you stay with me tonight?”  she asked.  Rick didn’t hesitate.  He had on only his boxers, but she didn’t seem too worried, so he helped her stand then lifted her into his arms.  Evelyn nestled her head against his chest, then felt him place her on her mattress, sitting up.  He left her for a moment going over to her chest of drawers, and got out another night gown.  While she changed he moved over to her balcony and watched outside as the snow fell.  It was her hand taking his which made him turn around, and her beauty took his breath away.  The night gown that she had on was another flannel one, but it brought out her hazel green eyes, and he leaned in, taking her mouth in a passionate kiss, then pulled away when he realized he shouldn’t be doing that.  Evelyn reached up, and pulled his head back down to hers, and initiated a second kiss.  Rick kept a slow pace, and let her lead, and once the kiss ended they went back to her bed and slipped beneath the covers.

 

“I love you,”  she whispered as he eased her against his strong form.

 

“I love you too,”  he said.

 

 

 

 

The next few weeks were busy for Rick, and for Evelyn both, with setting up Rick and Sam’s shipping business, and getting ready for the wedding.  With Evelyn’s skills in organization, Sam and Rick were able to purchase the land they wanted, and actually get things set up with workers, and supplies.  The week before the Wedding everything was running smoothly, and Sam assured Rick that he could manage while Evelyn, and he were on their honeymoon.  Today Jake and Angela were arriving at the port to be a part of the wedding, and now both Rick and Evelyn waited for their arrival.  Snow still covered the ground but the crews at the docks had cleared away the foot paths and loading areas to make it passable for the passenger, and the crewman of the ships.

 

“So he was your fathers best friend?”  Evelyn asked as she held Rick’s hand.  He nodded.

 

“Yeah he and Angela came over to my parents house a lot, dinners, and such, and my mom really liked them even after Dad and he bought the hotel,”  Rick said, then looked up as he heard the ship whistle, which meant that the steamer from New York had finally arrived.  They watched as it docked, and the ramps lower, then people started to come off, and finally Rick put his hand up waving.  Jake was a tall man, even more so than Rick, with brown hair and a mustache.  His wife Angela was a small woman smaller than Evelyn, and had blond hair, and blue eyes.

 

“There you are,”  Rick said and let go of Evelyn’s hand giving his friend a hug.

 

“Good to see you.  Angie and I were worried about you, and who might this be?”  he asked speaking about Evelyn.

 

“Jake this is Evelyn,”  he said.  Jake didn’t hesitate to give her a hug, and when he parted he smiled.

 

“I’m glad you are making him settle down,”  Jake said, and Angie slapped his arm.

 

“Don’t let my husband frighten you,”  she said noticing how surprised Evelyn looked.

 

“I won’t,”  she said, then smiled and gave Angie a hug.  Once their luggage had been tended to, and loaded in Rick’s new Buford, they left for the Manor.  On the way both Jake and Angie marveled at the landscape, and how beautiful everything looked covered in a white blanket of snow. Then when they pulled up to the manor Jake asked if they were going to take a train some place.

 

“No sir this is our home,”  Rick said as he got out of the car,  and opened the door for Evelyn, then for Angie.

 

“My father bought this house and another one we have in Cairo,”  Evelyn explained.  When they went inside, Evie gave the grand tour while Rick got the suitcases put up in the guestroom they had cleaned for them.  When he finished,  with that, he went back to the parlor, and Marie brought out the tea and some wine.  As Rick was getting everything ready, Evelyn returned with their guests.

 

“Well you two have a beautiful place,”  Jake said.

 

“Thank you, but I can’t take credit for that,”  Rick replied, then they all sat down and talked.

 

“The first time I met Rick here, he was two, and had wondered off.  See our farm was the next one over, and I’m not sure how he managed to find his way, but we heard the chickens squaking something terrible, and when we walked out there he was,”  Jake said.  Rick in the mean time, had turned a bright shade of red.

 

“Thanks Jake,”  Rick said.  Evelyn laughed in spite of her best efforts not too, and leaned against him.

 

“Then there was the time we were all in church and Rick was four.  He decided to bring in his pet frog, only none of us knew he had it,”  Jake said.  Angie sighed.

 

“Jacob your embarrassing him,”  she said.

 

“I know I’m sorry but I just have to let Evelyn know what kind of kid he was,  I think Al would have wanted that,”  he said speaking of Rick’s father.

 

“Hey I remember him, I think I named him Todd,”  Rick said, referring to his toad, and they all laughed, then Jake finished.

 

“Well the next think you know the lady in front of us is screaming something terrible and Rick had crawled under the bench to get his frog.  I think Al did a search on him ever Sunday after to make sure he didn’t do that again,”  Jake said.

 

“Well then Rick and I are meant for one another, because I had my fair share of hair raising experiences,”  Evie said, and Rick started to say something but she put her hand over his mouth and he decided to be nice and not say anything about Evelyn and a certain book.  As Jake finished with his stories, Marie came out and told them dinner was served, and it was then that Jonathan made his appearance.

 

“Jonathan this is my friend Jake, and his wife Angie,”  Rick said and introduced Evelyn’s brother.  After introductions they all went to the dining room, and sat down to a meal of roast duck, and mashed potatoes with green beans to go on the side.

 

“Well now Rick, what have you gotten into since I last talked to you?”  Jake asked. 

 

“You remember Sam Jennings don’t you?’  Rick asked.

 

“Yeah I do,”  he replied as he put butter on his roll.

 

“Well he and I happened to run into one another, and we now have our own ship building business.”  Rick filled him in on that, and Jonathan perked up not realizing that Rick had started to do something aside from staying at the house.  While they talked, Evelyn and Angie got to know one another and she told Evie about the fire, but was quiet so she would not upset Rick.

 

“I can’t imagine what that would be like,”  Evie said, then again she knew what loosing parent’s was like, but to loose all of her family, would have been too much.  Once dinner had ended, Jonathan bid everyone good evening and went out to his night on the town.  Rick and Evelyn led Angie and Jake to their room, then settled down in their own room.  Since the night she had burned her arm, Evelyn and Rick had shared her bed, though they had not been intimate.  At her Vanity, Evelyn sat brushing the tangles out of her hair and smiled when Rick came up behind her, and took the brush setting it aside.

 

“I can’t believe that in five days we will be husband and wife.  How are you feeling?”  he asked, wanting to make sure she wasn’t feeling overwhelmed or wasn’t having second thoughts.

 

“I will admit to be terrified but I want this for both of us.”  Rick stood her up and led her over to their bed.  When she was sitting down, he settled next to her.

 

“Listen to me.  I love you, and with every day that passes that love grows, and I want us to be together as husband and wife.  I want us to share our lives, the good and the bad, and I’m not going to leave you,”  he said with all sensarity.  Evelyn took a deep breath, and let it calm her, let his words sink in.

 

“Then I will trust you, and stop worrying so much,”  she said.  He smiled.

 

“You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t worry,”  he teased then leaned down and kissed her.  They settled in to bed, and sleep took them leaving them to dream of their future together.

 

 

 

 

The morning of the wedding, Amy arrived early with Constance, and Angie, who helped Evelyn get ready for her day.  The men had stayed out to party the night away, and it had not been easy for Evelyn to be away from her husband to be, but she had wanted him to celebrate with his friends, and she trusted him fully.  Now she sat in her room letting Constance file her nails, and Amy fix flowers in her hair.  She already had on the wedding gown which her mother had worn. It was ivory in color, long flowing, with silk sleeves that went down her arms and v’d off at her hands.  The train was long and elegant with Lace around the end, and all the woman told her she looked like something out of one of the Faery tale books.  When they were ready, Amy drove them to the small village, to the church Evelyn and Jonathan had gone to as children.  There were a few other people there, but only the closest of friends.  As Amy parked the car Jonathan walked out in his tuxedo, and helped Evelyn out of the car, pulling her into his arms for a hug.

 

“You look beautiful,”  he said, and for Jonathan to compliment her, she knew it must be true.  Once inside the church, Angie found Jake, and they went in to sit down, and in a few minutes the music started.  Amy and Constance were both there as Brides Maids and after fluffing out her train, Amy opened the door and they walked in first.  Jonathan held Evelyn’s arm, and when it was time they walked down the Isle.  Rick stood in his place with Sam as his best man, and Evelyn kept her eyes on his so she wouldn’t get too nervous.  They stopped at the last bench, and Jonathan gave her a kiss, then she walked the rest of the way to Rick alone.  When he took her hand in his, all of her worries disappeared.  They faced the priest and knelt down as he made the sign of the cross over them, and then they stood and faced one another.  Rick took her hand in his, and placed a beautiful gold band around her left ring finger. 

 

“Evelyn Before I found you, or before you found me, I was ready to die for the cause of the Legion.  I cared only for myself.  Now I care about you, and making a life with you as your husband and you as my wife,”  he said.  She smiled and took his hand in hers.  Constance handed her the Ring and she put it on his finger.

 

“I marvel at how strong you have been for us.  Sometimes I think this is all just a dream, but now seeing you here, makes me realize that all I have ever needed, and wanted stands before me.  I will do my best to make you happy, and I want to be a supportive wife for you,”  she said as a tear slipped down her cheek.  Rick reached out and wiped it away then they  turned back to the priest who took their hands and put them together holding them with his hand he said a prayer for them.  When he finished he smiled.

 

“Now Richard O’Connell, you may kiss your wife,”  he said.  He moved back as the two in front of him came together.  Rick kissed her with a passion born of love, one love that would bind them together, and pull them threw all that life had to offer.

 

 

THE END...

 

 

NOTE:  I’m leaving it like this, The rest of the story is written, and Alex’s story is up in many forms the latest of which is my Life with Alex Series so go read.

 

Love Shell