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Sorry I've neglected posting, here's the first makeup chapter.  Thanks for reading and commenting.




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.


Giving her hair a final stroke, Eve stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn't delay this any longer. She had to tell TC the truth. Kay had given her a reprieve for the night, along with Endora's tiredness from the draining day, but tomorrow she would be ready to start her new life. It was only fair. "TC, honey," she said, in her sweetest voice as she made her way to the bed.

 

"Yeah, hon?" he said, engrossed in Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

 

"You remember how you were wondering why I was being asked to go back to Tabitha's for the reading of the will?"

 

"Uh-huh," he replied, never taking his eyes off the TV.

 

"Well, it was because she gave me custody of Endora." Maybe she should have said us.

 

"Oh, that's nice of her."

 

Climbing into the bed, she stayed on her side, knowing he would react when what she said processed in his brain. "It shocked me. We weren't close."

 

"Yeah, well, people do strange things all the time- - Babe, look at that backhand. If Whit had that backhand- -" TC shook his head and whistled.

 

"That they do. So I'll bring her home tomorrow. The more I think about it, the better I feel. I always wanted fo- - three kids, but it never happened. Maybe this is why, this is the way God wanted it," Eve said, more to herself than to her husband.

 

"Yeah, maybe so."

 

They had tried for two years after Simone was born to have another child. Boy or girl, it didn't matter. It didn't happen possibly because Endora was meant to be her fourth child. And a Crane to boot. She felt a slight pain at saying that. Part of her was overjoyed at the idea of finally raising a child that was part Julian. This was her opportunity to right the wrongs she had done to her, their baby. The drugs, the drinking before she found out she was pregnant. But the other part of her was upset that Julian had a healthy, living child with someone who was not her. Another woman he slept with. How could she have ever fallen in love with such a whoremonger? As much as she wanted to hate him, she knew the truth in his words, when he said he slept around and drank to ease the pain of losing her and their son. She wanted to tell him that but she feared it would make him more determined to harass her and she didn't need that. "I'll go into the office and take a leave of absence- - can I take some sort of adoption or maternity leave? I'll find out tomorrow. Then I'll pick Endora up from Tabi- - Kay's before lunch."

 

"Sounds good."

 

Lying down and pulling the covers to her chin, Eve drifted off to sleep to prepare for the battle that would come tomorrow when TC realized what he had just agreed to.

 


 

"Pancakes, grits, bacon, eggs, freshly squeezed OJ, apple juice, and milk.  Did someon die?"  Simone asked, taking a seat at the table.

 

"Simone," Whitney reprimanded.

 

"Oops, I'm sorry," Simone replied, remembering Tabitha's death.

 

"No, no one else has died," Eve assured her youngest- - her used to be youngest daughter. It would take some time to wrap her mind around that one.

 

"Well, is it my birthday and I forgot?" TC inquired, walking to the head of the table after kissing and greeting each of his girls.

 

"No, dear, it's not. I had to go into the hospital early and take care of some business and I decided to wake my family with a smile."

 

"Well, baby you did a great job."

 

They said grace and dug into Eve's delicious breakfast.

 

"So there's no special occasion?" Whitney asked. Her mom only cooked like this if there was a reason.

 

Sending up a silent prayer, Eve decided to jump in with both feet. "Well, your dad and I do have something to tell you."

 

Whitney and Simone looked at each other, then at their parents, waiting impatiently for their mother to continue.

 

"TC, do you want to tell them?"

 

Drinking his oj, TC shook his head. He quickly stuffed his mouth so as to not verbally answer Eve's question. Damn, she had been talking about something important last night. He thought she had just been blabbing about some woman or household related issue. If he admitted that he didn't remember one iota of their conversation, she would start bringing up marriage counseling again, as if they needed it. His parents had been married over thirtty years before his father died and they had never needed it and they were happy as clams. If his parents could make it work without counseling, then so could he and Eve.

 

She had been right, he hadn't heard a word she said. Well he admitted he had by allowing her to tell the girls so maybe his pride would keep him from getting too angry. "Endora is coming to live with us. You two are going to be big sisters."

 

"What?! Really?!" the girls exclaimed, excited yet bewildered. The Russell sisters silently communicated. This was weird. Mom and Tabitha weren't even friends, but when it came to Tabitha they had learned to expect the unexpected.

 

TC let Eve's words sink in. She had told him this last night. No way. He would have heard that. "What?" he roared. "We barely even knew that kooky woman- -"

 

"Daddy, she's dead. Be nice," Whitney admonished.

 

"How could she leave us her kid? No," he said, shaking his head, "I'm not- - we're not starting over again. If God had meant for us to have more kids it would have happened when Sugar Bear was still in diapers. We're not taking her- -"

 

"Daddy, we have to. Who else is there? According to Kay, Timmy was Tabitha's last living relative. And can you imagine Kay raising two kids by herself?" Simone said, interrupting her father's tirade.

 

TC paused. No, he couldn't imagine his Katie-Bug with two kids. She had amazed him with how well she took care of Maria, but two kids. That would be way too much for her. She was trying to get her life back together after that punk left her high and dry to be with her cousin. Every time he saw that kid he wanted to punch him. He didn't know how Sam kept himself from murdering Miguel.

 

"TC?" Eve called to him.

 

Moving away from his murderous thoughts, he turned his attention back to his family. "Eve, why us?"

 

His wife shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know- -" She had to do it. She didn't want to, but she had to appeal to his prideful side. A side of her husband she wasn't particularly fond of. "She lived down the street from us for years, maybe she admired what a great father you are to Whit and Sim. The girls' relationship with each other. The way their carry themselves. How much our family loves each other. In a world, where it seems more and more families are falling apart, we're still together." She prayed she hadn't laid it on too thick.

 

Simone and Whitney had to bury their smirks. Their mom had hit the right note. There was nothing their dad liked better than hearing what a great job he was doing as a father and husband.

 

TC didn't know what to say. A thrill shot through his body at the idea that Tabitha had been watching and observing their family, wanting her little girl to grow up in such a family. But the idea of rearing a child that wasn't his own flesh and blood. He remembered how quickly he shot down Eve's suggestion of adopting when she hadn't gotten pregnant after Simone was born. He knew he was being contradictory being that he and Eve were listed as Noah's, Katie-Bug's, and Jessie's guardians, but that was different. Sam was his brother, in every way but blood. Those kids were his kids. But this. He didn't know.

 

"Dad, she has no one else," Whitney added. "If we don't take her in, then she'll be part of the system- -"

 

"And didn't you say, one of your players was a foster kid and how you felt so bad for him that he was constantly bounced around. Well that would be Endora's fate," Simone continued. "I personally think Endora would be very lucky to have you as a daddy."

 

TC looked at his youngest daughter and his heart melted. To have another little girl look at him like this, maybe just maybe he could overlook where she came from. Maybe he could make sure she wasn't as wacky as that mother of hers had been. First off, he was banning her having any human looking dolls.

 

Eve watched as TC's mind change. Next she would tell him about Julian, but that was for another day. If Julian gave her that much time and she prayed he did. Today she would savor this victory. This wonderful, wonderful victory. She was a mom again.












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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.