Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. When Eve falls back in love with Julian, how far will she go to have him back?

Author’s Notes: By the way, Dinah is played by Annette O’Toole and Gideon is played by Charles Divens. Evellyn is played by Mya or Rachel Bilson. Whichever fits her better.

--Oh, and you’re really about to start hating Eve.

Disclaimer: The show “Passions” belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

~~~~~

Eve waited a couple of weeks to put her plan into action. She made it a point to see Julian around town during that time. She also did a little digging on Dinah.

It was well known in Harmony that Dinah Crane had a little bit of a drinking problem which Julian denied vehemently. He protected her voraciously. However, it was even more well known that Dinah loved to teach.

Eve knew immediately that one of those things made the other quite unlikely. If anyone found out about her alcoholism, she wouldn’t be able to teach anymore. At least, not in Harmony. That would destroy her life. Her life was here.

Eve decided to play the Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc game. (After it, therefore, because of it.) Instead of manipulating her alcoholism first, she’d do something much more cruel. She’d take her livelihood.

~~~~~

Dinah Crane shook off laughter as she headed to the Principal’s office to see her boss. Her best friend Grace was terrible, but she always made her laugh. There was always something or someone to talk about in the first of Harmony’s two only high schools. She’d been the subject of more than one slam session in these hallways herself.

She didn’t have to wait long for the office assistant to wave her in. She had been friends with Camille Glenn for years and knew immediately that there was something wrong when she entered. Cami was sitting in her desk chair, staring out of the window with an unsettled expression on her face.

“You called, Principal Glenn?” Cami turned and nodded, gesturing for her to take a seat. She did.

“Dinah, I can’t believe I’m doing this and please know that I wouldn’t if I had a real choice, but…I have to let you go.” Dinah blinked and leaned back in disbelief.

“I don’t understand. Have I done something wrong?”

“No, but I’ve gotten some pressure from upstairs to get you out of here or our school could find itself very short on funds this year and for a while. Please, try to understand--”

“I’m trying, but it’s not happening. You’re firing me?”

“I don’t want to, Dinah, but I have no choice. Can you try to see the predicament I’m in here?”

“You’re in a predicament. I’ve been fired by my best friend.” Camille held her hands up in surrender.

“I know, babe, I know. I never thought that this would happen. Please try to understand. Please. I would never do this to you myself. You know what you mean to me. We’re family.”

“Do you know who ordered this?”

“No idea. You want me to see if I can find out?” Camille would do anything for her pseudo-sister and knew that once upon a time, the feeling was returned.

“No, I’ll find out. I don’t have anything else to do now.” Dinah grasped her purse with white knuckles.

“I really am sorry.”

“I know. Look, when are my classes going to be taken over?”

“Starting tomorrow.” Tears filled Dinah’s eyes at the thought of being replaced so soon.

“Great. I can’t believe this.”

“I’m--”

“Don’t. You’re so sorry, but you do what you have to for the school. I know that.” Dinah walked around and pulled Camille into a tight hug. “I don’t blame you. I’ve got to go though. I need to see my kids.” She squeezed Cami’s hand. “Bye. I guess I’ll see you later.”

“Definitely.” She backed away with a watery smile.

“Okay. Yeah.” She pulled the door closed behind, trying not to let the tears fall.

She was already thinking about that bottle of ‘88 Merlot that Julian kept for their twentieth wedding anniversary that wouldn’t be here for another seven years. Julian had always been the sentimental one in their marriage.

Alcohol was so much better to lament a loss than to celebrate a joy.

~~~~~

Two hours ago, Dinah arrived home to an empty house. Julian was teaching an extra class of Art History for his Dean’s List students. He enjoyed his job. She had too. At the very least, she was happy that he was happy. The children would be arriving home soon.

Evellyn and Gideon would probably return from work before the bus dropped off Mea and Liam. Evie and Deon and chose to work, though there was no need for it. Their parents had paid their way all their lives. They wanted to do this themselves. Especially Evie. She felt that she owed her father.

To Dinah’s surprise, there was a new bottle of wine waiting on the kitchen counter when she arrived. Attached to it by a ribbon was a note that read: “For someone special,” in unfamiliar handwriting. She guessed that Julian had had it delivered.

She supposed that her husband had gotten over his preoccupation with her drinking. He always told her that she drank too much. She disagreed. He’d gone so far as to lock up all of the liquor in the house while she’d been pregnant with each other their children. Not to mention the things he’d told their friends to make sure that she couldn’t get a drop of alcohol from them either.

But that was for another time and she popped the top of the bottle with grim merriment. It seemed that drinking would be the best part of her day for a while. She poured herself a mug of the stuff and threw back the first mouthful. She sat there and drank more than two-thirds of the bottle before the front door opened and a “Mommy!” drew her away from her distraction.

Her mind was sluggish, but she managed to rally a smile for her children who trooped in together. Mea and Liam jumped into her arms and she snuggled them dutifully. Her family was all she had now.

“Mommy, can you take me to my ballet class? I have to be ready for my recital.”

“And mom, I have to go to my soccer practice.” Dinah had to pause for a moment to clear her mind.

“Daddy can’t take you?” Mea rubbed her head of curly blond hair and pouted.

“No, he’s at work.” She perked up again. “But he said he’d practice with me when he got home. I gots to go to class so I can learn stuff. Please, mommy. Please.” Dinah nodded against the advice of her better angels and picked up her keys. She wasn’t drunk. Not really.

“Evie, De, are you coming? Or are you going to wait for your father to get home.” There was nothing for them to be doing at home and Julian would call if he needed them. They didn’t see why not.

“We’ll go.”

“Leave a note for your father and we can go pick up something to eat after we drop off the runts.” Both of the littler ones balked at being referred to as runts. “Oh, hush. When you grow, I’ll quite calling you runts. Until then, live with it. Let’s go.”

Evie left a note for her father next to the wine bottle. It read: “We all left to drop off Mea and Liam. Then, to go eat. See you later. Love you, Evie and Co.”

That was the note Julian found when he arrived home an hour and a half after they left. He was still reading it with a smile when his phone rang. It was Sam.

There’d been an accident.

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