�Did you find anything on Eva?� Jacqueline asked into the phone as she talked to Alexander. Jacqueline was out of the hospital and back home with Nickolas. She laid on the sofa, as Nickolas went around the room cleaning things up. �There was pretty much coverage on what happened.�
�Yeah; I found a lot of stuff,� Alexander said. �The librarian is being really helpful.�
�I only told ya to go to Michigan to learn the truth so you and Eva can work this out. I think if you know the whole story she�ll feel a lot better about it.�
�I hope so.�
�It�s just harder for her to trust a guy after what happened.�
�Who�s Michael Adams? Is that the guy that was at the hotel the other week?�
�Uh�yeah.�
�It was his father that hurt Eva?�
�Yeah.�
�Son of a bitch.�
�He took his father�s side in the case and it really hurt Eva that he didn�t believe her.�
�But his dad was convicted.�
�Yep; he was sentenced to ten years in prison. Mikey was pretty pissed about it too. He hates Eva for sending his father away.�
�Well at least he can�t hurt her now.�
�Well he still is actually in a way.�
�Right.�
�Until she opens up to you about her being molested this guy is just going to torment her and ruin her life. For the past three years I�ve been telling her to open up to you and she just won�t.�
�Maybe when I tell her I know everything she�ll change her mind.�
�It�s worth a shot.�
�Is she around anywhere?�
�No; she�s coming down later this afternoon.�
�Oh.�
�Why don�t you call her?�
�I called her yesterday and she hung up on me.�
�Eva can be real stubborn about things and if she doesn�t want to talk to someone then she won�t. There were a couple times she wouldn�t talk to me for, like, a week and it was over the stupidest thing, ya know.�
�Yeah.�
�She�ll come around and start talking to you again. If ya have to just leave a message on her voice mail. It�s not like she�ll be able to hang up on ya.� She chuckled and so did Alexander. �Ya just have to give her some time to come around. Maybe by the time ya get back she�ll start talking to ya again.�
�Maybe.�
�She really cares about you, Alex, and I know she�s not trying to hurt you deliberately. She�s just going through a lot and needs time to get her life back on the right track. I know you want to help her, but you should just wait and see if she wants your help.�
�I know.�
�She�s not going to ignore you forever so don�t worry about that. It�s just a phase she�s been going through the past few years and it�ll be over before ya know it.�
�I just don�t see how someone can get their kicks out of hurting innocent girls. It makes me sick. If they�re that horny they can pop in a porn and whack off. Or they could go find a pros and pay for it, ya know.�
�Yeah.�
�How did you handle it when you found it?�
�Um, not that well. I actually went after the guy and hit him in the back with a baseball bat. I got a couple weeks probation for that and some community service.� They laughed. �I didn�t care though. And then when Mike started calling her a lying tramp and stuff I got angrier and beat him up. I got some more probation and community service time.�
�You were just a little bad ass.�
�Something like that. I was just pissed about the whole thing. Eva waited, like, two years to tell me what was going on and I hated myself for not seeing it. She was my best friend and I didn�t see that something was wrong.�
�It wasn�t your fault.�
�I know that. I just wish I was a better friend to her during that time.�
�The only person to blame is Michael�s dad.�
�And Michael.�
�Yeah; he�s just lucky I didn�t know the truth when we saw him at the hotel. I would�ve left him have it.�
�He�s a jerk so don�t worry about him. I don�t even give him a thought.�
�Medicine time, Jacqueline,� Nickolas said and Jacqueline looked at him, as he grinned and held up the medicine bottle.
�I don�t need any medicine, Nick,� Jacqueline said.
�And you just said Eva is stubborn,� Alexander said. �I see where she gets it from. At least Eva takes her medicine.�
�No one�s talking to you, McLean,� Jacqueline said.
�It�s doctor�s orders,� Nickolas began, �so don�t argue with me.�
�Ya know what�s funny?� Jacqueline said. �Nickolas never knows when its time to take his medicine, but when it�s someone else he is right there and ready to shove it down their throat.� Alexander laughed.
�He just wants you better,� Alexander said.
�I feel perfectly fine,� Jacqueline said.
�And you�re still taking your medicine,� Nickolas said. �So hang up that phone and take it.�
�He thinks he�s the boss just because he owns this place,� Jacqueline said.
�I�m going to let ya go anyway,� Alexander said. �I want to go back to the library and continue searching.�
�Ok,� Jacqueline said. �I guess I�ll see ya when ya get back.�
�Yeah,� Alexander said. �Bye.�
�Bye.� Jacqueline turned off the phone and looked at Nickolas.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Did you talk to Alex lately?� Jacqueline asked Eva and she looked at her.
�No,� Eva said. �But he did leave a message on my voice mail saying he was in Michigan.� Eva looked at her friend closer. �Do you mind telling me what that�s all about?�
�I don�t have a clue.� Eva raised an eyebrow. �He probably went to found out all that happened since you won�t tell him anything.�
�Because he doesn�t need to know.�
�As your boyfriend he has that right to know.�
�Just because you say he does.�
�I told you before that if you want to be happy with Alex he has to know the truth about what happened. I�ve been trying my best here to help you out with this whole thing. I�ve been doing it for the past three or so years and you know it can only be done for so long. Alex wants you to trust him and if ya can�t trust him with you being molested by Michael�s dad then you can�t trust him ever.�
�I want to trust him and you know that.�
�Of course I do, but you don�t have to prove anything to me. It�s Alex that ya have to prove it to.� Eva got up and walked over to the window. She looked out and Jacqueline looked at her. �Nick talked to Alex earlier and he said that he�s coming home tomorrow. I suggest you pick him up at the airport and have a talk with him. Let him know that you can trust him the way he wants you to.�
�I guess so.�
�I want you and Alex to be as happy as me and Nick.�
�Are you guys happy?�
�Of course we are. Why wouldn�t we be?� Eva shrugged. �Just because we�re going to have a baby?�
�I guess so. Is that why Nick proposed?�
�No.�
�Are ya sure?�
�Yes.� Eva nodded. �Besides this doesn�t have anything to do with Nick and I. This is about you and Alex.� Eva sighed. �I don�t know what more you want me to do to help you. I�m going to have a baby and I can�t be bothered with this stress.�
�I know that. I just don�t want Alex to know.�
�Well he does know and there is nothing you can do about it. You can deny it ever happened, but Alex knows the truth.�
�I thank you for your support. Really I do, but I have to go.� Eva started walking out and Jacqueline got up and followed her.
�You just got here.� Eva didn�t bother stopping and went out the front door. �Eva!� Jacqueline followed her to her car, but wasn�t able to stop her and Eva got in and drove off. Jacqueline gave a disgusted sigh and went back inside. She walked back to the parlor and saw Nickolas standing there.
�Things not go so well?� Nickolas asked.
�You can say that,� Jacqueline replied. �She�s just being stubborn about something she should tell Alex about it.�
�About what happened to her in Michigan?�
�How do you know about that?�
�I was walking by and I heard ya�s mention it.�
�Oh.� She walked over to him.
�Why won�t she tell him?�
�I have no clue. She wants to trust him, but she won�t tell him about it.�
�Is that why he�s in Michigan?�
�Yeah; I suggested he go since Eva wasn�t telling him anything and I promised Eva I wouldn�t tell him anything so not to break that trust she has in me.�
�I understand.�
�I wish she would�ve told him herself though instead of him going to the Detroit Library and finding out on his own.� Nickolas nodded. �I want to help her through this, but if she doesn�t talk to Alex then it�s just going to stress me out and I don�t need that now. It�s not good for me or the baby.�
�Of course not.� He sighed and they sat on the sofa.
�Why�d you propose?�
�What?� She looked at him and he looked at her.
�Why�d you propose?� He looked at her a moment not saying anything.
�Because I love you.� She just looked at him and didn�t say anything. �I wouldn�t have proposed if I didn�t.�
�Right.
�Why�d you ask anyway?�
�No reason. I was just curious.� She grinned and kissed him, as he smiled.
CHAPTER 15
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