Baby Doll(81)

I need some space.

He’d respected her wishes and hadn’t contacted her since. It wasn’t a lie. Eve simply didn’t have the emotional real estate to deal with Tommy and whatever this was. Another bomb had gone off and Eve had to pick up the pieces. There were lawyers to hire, psychologists and mental health evaluations to pay for, therapies to organize, children to look after. But Tommy, it seemed, had waited long enough. Eve knew him well enough to know that he wanted to talk. She made her way over to him. He knew her. He could tell how surprised she was to see him here.

“I didn’t mean to blindside you like this.”

“No, Tommy, it’s fine. It’s good to see you,” Eve said.

“Is it?” he asked, tension and judgment in his voice.

“Yes. I’ve been meaning to call you…”

“Why do I feel like that’s not entirely true?”

Eve forced a smile. “Been a lot going on around here.”

“I know. I saw the news in the paper. It’s great news, Evie. You’ll do a lot of good.”

“I hope so.”

Eve had just closed escrow on an office space in downtown Lancaster. It was going to be the new home of the Riser Foundation. Eve had no choice in reinventing herself if she wanted to stay in the medical profession. Her career at the hospital was over; her continued legal pursuits against Lancaster General made that clear. Lily had received donations from strangers, people from all over the country. People who connected with her story, with the story of the twins, and who wanted to ease the family’s financial burden. When all was said and done, they had topped out at two and a half million dollars. That wasn’t counting the repeated book offers and requests for TV interviews that Lily was considering. Or the potential settlement from the hospital. It was more money than they’d ever need. Having spent time with Bree and Shaina’s families as well as helping her own girls through this nightmare, Eve wanted to offer help to victims of sexual assault and their families. She wanted something good to come from all the bad. The foundation’s task was simple. Organize and fund rescue searches, cover medical expenses, mental health care, and any additional costs for the girls’ recovery.

“I don’t really know what the hell I’m doing, but I’ll figure it out.”

“You’ll do great, Evie. I have no doubts.”

There was an awkward pause before Tommy continued. “I saw Abby. Heard the hearing is next week.”

“We’re all just trying to stay positive.”

The conversation was so polite that Eve could barely stand it.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop Abby. If I had known…” Tommy said regretfully.

Stunned, Eve shook her head. “You can’t possibly think that this is your fault. Any of it.”

Tommy didn’t answer. Eve realized that’s exactly what he thought.

“You couldn’t have known. None of us could.”

“Then why did you pull away? What changed between us? I thought… I mean, I thought we were going to figure this out.”

There it was. The question that had lingered day in and day out as Eve attempted to put her family’s life back together. What were they? Were they anything? Could they be?

“Dave and I should have divorced years before Lily was taken. He wasn’t happy. He knew I wasn’t. By the time she was gone, we were strangers. Then you came into my life. The way you made me feel, our connection, I kept telling myself, ‘I can survive this.’”

“I know. And I should’ve stuck by you after Dave’s death. But I was scared. I’m not anymore.”

She realized what he was saying. She had to stop him.

“I owe you, and your wife and daughter, an apology.”

“Evie…”

“This was never real, Tommy.”

Tommy reached out and pulled Eve close to him.

“But it could be.” Tommy’s voice was low, thick with emotion. “Say the word, Evie, and I’m all yours.”

Before that day in the courtroom, before Rick Hanson’s death, Eve had spent countless hours imagining what her life with Tommy would be like. They’d travel everywhere. Europe. South America. Asia. They’d take cruises. Eve always wanted to take a cruise but Dave got seasick. She envisioned them as that hip older couple, the one that knew the best restaurants and had season theater tickets. They’d join a country club. They’d take up golf and tennis. They’d forget about all of the crap and build a new life together. Eight years ago, eight months ago, Eve would have said yes. Yes. Yes, I’m all yours.

But not now. Too much had changed since that day in the courtroom. Eve had changed. This was her chance to start fresh, to be that powerful businesswoman she’d once been, a woman her daughters and grandchildren could look up to. She’d spent years hating herself, hating who she was.

Eve freed herself from Tommy’s desperate embrace, worried that she might lose her nerve if she stayed in his arms.

“I can’t do that. And if it really came down to it, I don’t think you could either.”

Stricken, Tommy stepped back. Eve thought about what else she might say to ease his heartbreak, but that wasn’t her job. She headed back across the street and climbed into her SUV. Eve pulled away, head held high, refusing to cry. She’d always love him, but Eve had made her decision. She wasn’t going to be that woman. Not anymore.