River of sin

48. Don't you ever doubt me

Yvonne waited nervously all day and well into the evening, Stanley brought the girls home and offered to stay with her, putting his boys to bed in Lenard's room.
"He'll be fine" Stanley reassured pouring tea. "Evie?" He asked timidly "Rachel...."
"I'm sorry I couldn't save her, I tried."
"Even after she threw the girls to the wolves to save her own skin. After all she did to you. I know we don't talk on it but know I did not take her side. I'm glad you found your way back to him, he was a miserable bloody sod without you." He knocked her chin lightly. "I hope, me and my boys.....we ain't Evans', we..."
"I'll stop you right there, Stanley. You are. When they talk on the next generation of Evans boys, yours are included. There is a reason why you are invited to every family event, Stanley. Why he happily and confidently lets you watch over his girls, who you know he is fiercely over protective of, he does not let just anyone watch them, especially Maggie. It has always been about Rachel, not you and your boys, I know you know it was him that put extra money in your pay packet, made sure the boys had the best of everything. He holds no ill will against you for what Rachel did. Nor do I."
"Thank you. Of course I knew it was him, so did she, who else is going to leave anonymous gifts on me doorstep. He used to walk past the house just to talk to me eldest through the gate. Pass him a bag of sweets and tell him not to tell his ma. I know Jake, I told her to leave him be and say nought, let him think we didn't know. Despite the trouble she caused, the pain, I loved her, things were rocky after you left. I had to pick a side and she was not happy that I picked Jacob's. That he was still on good terms with me while he completely cut her off. She was in the wrong, I know why she did it but it weren't no excuse and she didn't need to bring your ma and brother into it. I was disappointed in her when I found out she did that, went with boys to get your ma out."

"Evie, would you mind me asking.....was she in pain or was it swift? All Jake told me was she made a deal to sacrifice the girls to save her own skin and he double crossed her, that you tried to get her out. They wouldn't let me see the body."
"You do not need to know the details of how she died, that is why he has spared you them. Remember her as the woman you loved."
"I will. Thank you, I know you risked you life to warn him she and my kids were on that kill list, I don't blame you for them being on it, she did that on her own, if she'd left your brother out of it.......I owe you a debt I can never payback but I intend to try. My kids are alive because Jake and I could warn me eldest to be extra careful. He knew to run thanks to you, even before they set the dogs on um. You ever need anything, you know where I am. I'm an outsider that was married into this family the same as you. I know how hard that can be. We've been avoiding each other so we don't have to have this conversation, ain't we, we don't need to no more. Even if she were alive I'd have gone against her wishes and brought the kids to your nuptials. You're a very brave women, Yvonne Evans, I admire you. Not many that can handle Jake the way you do. He's got a colourful past but you little miss, leave them all in the dust, you remember that. Only one girl he ever contemplated sticking a ring on. Only one he's ever loved."

They looked up at the angry Evans brothers storming back into the house. Jacob immediately ascending the stairs, ignoring his wife and house guest.
"You find him fellas?" Stanley asked
"Yep" Barney quipped clearly unhappy
"What did he do?" Yvonne asked timidly
"Nothing. Well he made sure his new wife or whoever the hell she is knew who we were and that he had another family out there somewhere as well as us. Her name weren't bloody Pam! I presume Ainsley found out about his new family and lost it. Youngest girl must have around six I reckon. Jacob won't traumatise a little kid, especially one we're related to."

"What did your dad have to say for himself?" Stanley asked, offering his hand to Yvonne for reassurance.
"We marched him outside to confront him on what Evie said" Danny nodded "he denied it of course, said you...."
"You can say it, I'm a Barnes, you won't shock me."
"No you're bloody not!" Jacob griped from upstairs, crashing around. "You're a god damn fucking Evans, how many times I got to tell you woman!"
"Anyway" Danny rolled his eyes "he said you were a prick tease, that you said you were older than you were. He thought you were Richard's goddaughter. That you offered it up to him then cried Wolf when, Flynn is it? When he stumbled across you."
"And.....does Jacob believe him?"

Everyone was startled when Jacob came flying back down the stairs several at a time, grabbing hold of his wife with a steaming forceful anger.
"You listen to me!" He put his face close to hers aggressively "don't you ever doubt me! You hear me, Evie! Not ever!" He growled out through gritted teeth, pushing his forehead on hers "I beat that fucking bastard for you so don't you dare bloody doubt me! Bad enough you doubt me over those bitches! Now you wanna doubt me again! Don't you EVER..."
"Jacob!" Danny pulled him back, Stanley comforting a trembling Yvonne
"I.....Evie, I'm sorry...I.....shit"
"Cool your head brother!" Danny warned "look at me, Jake!" He held his neck to force his eyes on him "cool.your.head"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" Jacob broke free stepping closer to his wife "Evie? I'm sorry. I'd never hurt you! I swear! I'm sorry!" He held out his hand, happy when she took it without hesitation, crying into his chest.
"Here" Stanley held out his house keys "boys are asleep upstairs, Paul's not long had a feed and is settled, go to mine. I'll watch the girls with Lenard."
"Thank you, come on Evie. It's alright. I'm sorry. I'm wound up. I swear to you I'll make him pay beyond a kick to the gut and black eye!"