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I hope you guys enjoy chapter two.  Have the best day ever!




Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


As she pulled into Tabitha's driveway and parked, she wondered why this patient was affecting her so much. It wasn't as if she had been friends with Tabitha. If anything, they had been acquaintances, neighbors, at best.

 

Eve, like the rest of the neighborhood, had always found Tabitha to be quite strange. An odd, eclectic, aging British woman who carried around and talked to a life-size doll. Although if she were truthful, on more than one occasion, she thought she had seen the doll move and talk back to Tabitha. And it hadn't escaped her notice that the doll disappeared when Timmy came on the scene and that there was a striking resemblance between the two. Or that the doll was never seen again after Timmy's tragic death.

 

Maybe she felt such compassion because Endora was motherless as she was once and still was childless. Forever Endora would ache to feel her mother's arms around her one last time. And forever she would ache to hold her precious baby boy again.

 

She got out the car and walked to the front porch of 1313 Mockingbird Lane, the secret name that the neighborhood had given the house. The house had always given off a weird, even creepy vibe, but the kids loved it especially during Halloween. Tabitha would go all out. Sadly, that wouldn't be the case this year, Eve thought as she rang the doorbell for the second time. Finally, a sleepy and disheveled Kay answered the door.

 

"Dr. Russell, what are you doing here?" Kay asked as she stepped aside to let Eve into the house.

 

Looking around the living room, Eve saw a comforter strewn across the sofa and baby paraphernalia in all the other remaining seating areas. Moving quickly, Kay moved the comforter.

 

"Sorry, Dr. Russell. I haven't had a chance to straighten up yet. I must have fallen asleep waiting for Tabitha to come home. She's usually never out this late," Kay commented.

 

Eve took a seat on the sofa and patted the space next to her. "Kay, come sit next to me."

 

"What is it? What's wrong?" Kay asked worried, reluctantly sitting next to Eve. "Is it Dad?"

 

"No, it isn't your dad or your mom or Jessica or Simone," Eve reassured her. She took the teen's hands and held them, aware that just over an hour ago she had done the same to Tabitha's hand. "Tonight there was a horrible pile up on the highway." Eve paused.

 

"And?"

 

"Tabitha was involved- -"

 

Kay stared into the brown eyes that had always been there for her and always told her the truth. And the truth was clear to see. Tabitha hadn't made it. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. "Auntie Evie," she cried as she crawled into Eve's lap.

 

Eve hadn't heard that name in ages. She held, rocked, and crooned to the young adult woman as she used to do all those years ago when Kay was a little girl. "Oh, Kathleen," Eve whispered.

 

Time had no meaning as she comforted the woman she considered a third daughter. She promised to be a better, more involved aunt to Kay. She couldn't believe she had let their relationship fall to the wayside. She would not allow that to happen again. Regardless of what was going on in her life, Kay needed to know she had always had time for her. Moving the hair out of Kay's face, Eve planted tiny, soft kisses on her forehead.

 

"Auntie, what am I going to do without her?" Kay cried.

 

Ah, Eve thought, there was her sometimes self-centered Kathleen rearing her head. "You'll be the strong young woman Tabitha knew you were. And you'll make her proud."

 

"What about Dora? Her mom is dead. What's going to happen to her?"

 

"I'm sure Tabitha had a will detailing where she wanted Endora to go just like your parents had for you, Noah, and Jessica and Mr. Russell and I had for Whit and Simone," Eve informed her.

 

Kay nodded.

 

"But let's not worry about that now. Do you know if Tabitha had a lawyer?"

 

Kay nodded. "He's an old guy in London. His number is in her phone book," she said walking over to Tabitha's desk and finding the book. Mr. William Giles." She handed the book to Eve.

 

Eve glanced at her watch. "It's morning over there now, I'll call him."

 

Kay busied herself while Eve made the call and talked to the lawyer. Ten minutes later, Eve lowered the phone back into its cradle.

 

"What did he say?" Kay inquired anxiously.

 

"Tabitha did indeed have a will and all of her funeral plans made. She wanted a simple service at the cemetery and to be buried next to Timmy. But Tabitha did say that if you wanted to add anything you could."

 

"Good, good," Kay said nodding absentmindedly.

 

"Mr. Giles is leaving on the next flight out of London and he'll contact us once he arrives. The services will be the day after tomorrow with the reading of the will following."

 

Again Kay nodded.

 

"Kathleen," Eve said in her best mother's voice.

 

Kay looked up.

 

"Go get in bed and I'll sleep down here if you need me."

 

"You don't have- -"

 

"Kathleen Elizabeth Bennett, march yourself up those stairs and get some sleep. You have some trying days ahead and you need all the strength you can get," Eve stated.

 

Slowly Kay made her way up the stairs. She paused mid-way. "If you need- -"

 

"I'll be fine, Kathleen," Eve reassured.

 

At the top of the stairs, Kay paused again. "Auntie Evie will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" she asked in a voice barely audible.

 

Eve knew that was code for will you sleep with me or can I sleep with you. As a child, Kay would never ask to sleep with her and TC after a nightmare or when she was scared. She would always ask if she could just lay with them until she fell asleep. Sometimes Kathleen Bennett had too much pride to ask for the simple things she needed. Some things never changed.

 

Eve ran up the stairs, embraced Kay, and walked to Kay's room. After settling Kay in the bed, Eve stripped down to her slip and climbed in. She closed her eyes and let the day wash over her. Suddenly she felt Kay shaking; she pulled the girl into her arms and rocked her. She sang to Kay the song she had sung to her baby on their first and last day together. As she sang and soothed Kay, she wished she had had someone to console her on that day so long ago.












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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.