Generation 2, Chapter 18

Evelyn and Patricia scoured the local second hand shops and garage sales for furniture to replace the items they threw out from the house they purchased. The older couple who had lived there before had awful taste, even the guys agreed it had to go. They did the best they could with the little money they had left over from buying the house.  After all their hard work it was beginning to feel like home.

While they were sorting through the items they found at the new consignment store that just opened in town Patricia asked "Evie Shon's been really withdrawn lately, is he regretting not taking the job in Bridgeport?"

 Evelyn stopped to stare at Patricia wondering out loud "What job offer?"

"You know, the one he applied for a few months back," at the look of shock Evelyn was giving her Patricia stopped confused. "You don't know do you?"

"Know what?" Evelyn asked as she set aside the box she was sorting. Looking up at Patricia she said "I know Shon applied to several Police departments but I didn't know he had been accepted to any of them other than Barnacle Bay. I thought that's why he agreed to move here." Evelyn got up, moving to the window, looking outside trying to calm her racing thoughts.

Later that evening Patricia and Robert were enjoying a rare moment of privacy, sitting together on the couch. The conversation with Evelyn from earlier that day replayed itself in Patricia's mind.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Robert asked turning towards her.

Sighing Patricia said "I messed up Rob. Now Evelyn's upset and it's my fault."

Looking at her in concern he asked "What happened?"

Looking down at her hands clasped together in her lap she said "I asked Evelyn if Shon regretted not taking the job offer in Bridgeport since he'd been so withdrawn lately. She didn't know anything about it."

"Patty Shon asked us not to tell her."

"I know I forgot. I was concerned about Shon and wanted to help."

Putting his arm around her Robert said "It'll be ok. Shon should have told her himself like he said he would. I don't understand why it was such a secret anyway."

Patricia smiled at him, snuggling into him "I don't understand it either. What does it matter that he turned down the job?"

Looking down at her Robert asked "Honey, how would you feel if you found out I turned down a job I've wanted, dreamed about having only to turn it down because I thought it would make you happy?"

"I'd feel awful," Patricia blurted without thinking. "Is that what happened? Shon turned it down because he thought moving here would make Evelyn happy."

"Yes. The job offer was Shon's ticket to accomplishing his goal to becoming a criminal behaviorist. In a small town like this he's never going to have that opportunity."

"No wonder Evelyn looked so upset. She knew what that offer meant to Shon." She looked at Robert and asked "Why did he turn it down, if it meant so much to him."

Shrugging Robert answered "Evelyn. She wanted to come back here to be close to family. She didn't want me to have all the responsibility of helping Dad with the little ones."

"You know we could have handled things without her, right?"

Squeezing her shoulders Robert replied "I know but Evelyn didn't think we should have too. She didn't know anything about Shon's job offer. If Shon had told her, I'm sure things might have been different but she thought they were on the same page."

"Do you think Shon's going to be upset with me for telling her?"

Robert leaned over and kissed her "Yes but he'll get over it."

Patricia hoped to avoid a confrontation with Shon but from the look on his face she knew it was coming.

"Why did you have to go and tell Evelyn. She was up crying all night."

"I'm sorry Shon it just slipped out."

"Great, just great. I didn't want her finding out, not like this. She's so upset thinking she messed up my chances to realizing my dreams. She knew how much I wanted that position in Bridgeport," Shon's voice rose as he spoke.

"I said I was sorry. What more do you want?" Patty shouted back. "You said you were going to tell her."

"I was going to but how could I when she was so excited about being home and decorating the house," Shon sighed running his hands through his hair. "It's not your fault. I should have told her."

Reaching out Patricia touched his arm "Shon? I really am sorry. Give her time, she'll get over it. You know she loves you, right?"

"Yeah I know," he mumbled, looking up "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I wish I knew how to make this right with her."

Smirking a little Patricia said "I could think of a few things."

"Really, like what?" Shon said brightening with the hope she could help. He hated knowing he had hurt Evelyn when all he wanted to do was protect her and make her happy. Not for the first time he wondered if he was cut out for this. Relationships were foreign territory to him. He could count how many girlfriends he's had on one hand, three.

Wendi had used him as a weapon against her parents. They hated him, knowing who his father was and judging him to be the same. They didn't want him anywhere near their daughter. Wendi thought it a game to see how tight she could wind her parents up. He hadn't seen her in years. She ran away from home, leaving him with the knowledge that she hadn't loved him. She had used him to cover up her relationship with Hugh Randall, the star football player. Hugh had money and looks and Shon had nothing but a bad reputation that wasn't even his and no money. He was left with only questions and a broken heart. It was shortly after that, his Gramma decided to move to Aurora Skies.

He met Sydney Bennett at a party. He hadn't known anyone there, being new but desperate to make friends he went anyway. His Gramma kept telling him to be himself but being himself never got him very far. So he played the part of the class clown, the trouble maker. He got plenty of attention but no real friends until that party. He didn't know what Sydney saw in him. She was the most spoiled girl he had ever met but she liked him. Despite his reputation at school the Bennett's became his best friends, the squeaky clean kids and the trouble maker. He had finally met a family that looked beyond his exterior and accepted him. He was in love with the entire family. But once again he was left broken hearted when Sydney died.

He fully expected for the family to forget about him, like he had been forgotten by his parents most of his life. But despite their grief they included him, he was family. Even when they moved William kept in contact with him encouraging him to reach for his goals. In every sense William was the father he never had. When Evelyn walked back into his life, he knew he was done for.

He had convinced himself that he wasn't good enough for a relationship, marriage, a family. None of these things had ever been good experiences for him and he was so full of fear of turning into his father he didn't trust himself. He tried to keep distance between him and Evelyn but he was drawn to her. She had acquired this tough exterior but inside she was still the vulnerable girl who wanted everyone to like her. He remembered holding her as she cried over Evan when he told her about how Evan was only dating her because he wanted to bang her. Shon realized now his feelings for her started then, the same as they did for her. He didn't want to lose her and he was willing to give up anything if it meant she was happy.

The situation with Evelyn plagued his thoughts at work.  Coming home, he hoped that Patricia's suggestions would work. 

"Evelyn honey, I love you," Shon said handing her the bouquet of flowers.

Smiling a little Evelyn reached for the flowers asking "Shon are you happy here?"

Taken aback he simply said "Yes."

Noting the conviction in his voice she smiled at him as she put the flowers in water. "So you don't regret moving here?"

Reaching out, Shon gently stroked her cheek "No Evie I don't regret moving here. Bridgeport was just a job."

"But moving there would have helped you achieve your goal," Evelyn said looking away. "It wasn't just a job. I know better. You were so excited that they were interested in you. I'm afraid that one day you'll resent moving here."

"Honey, I love you. Why would you think any job opportunity could ever be more important to me than you?" he asked pulling her close.

Leaning her head into his shoulder she shrugged "I don't want to hold you back. I love you too and I want you to be happy."

Smiling Shon hugged her tighter, laughing. Evelyn looked up asking "What? What's so funny?"

"We are," at her look of confusion he continued "We need to work on our communication skills."

"Or lack there of," she countered. She tilted her head up as Shon leaned down to kiss her.