#evangeline evans

[historical-tales]

AUTUNM 1918

William had lost count of how many palms he had to grease to get that marriage certificate, but now Goldie was officially a war widow, and little Arthur was the first legitimate Evans of this generation. The baby boy was a welcome addition to the family, the Evans house didn’t feel like itself without its share of occupied rooms and the sound of babies laughing.

Evangeline and Teddy did everything they could to accommodate Goldie and Arthur. Evie found Goldie absolutely fascinating, she had the mind of a doctor, the spirit of a soldier, and the mouth of a sailor. The two women quickly got along, and it was nice to have a friend living in the next room. Teddy, on the other hand, was completely enchanted by little Arthur, the boy didn’t even have space to notice that his mother wasn’t particularly affectionate, because whenever he wasn’t in Amelia’s arms, he was in Teddy’s.

Evangeline felt lucky to have married such a caring man, but it was hard to watch him with that baby and not think about her own struggles to conceive. Having lost two children, even with so much time between one pregnancy and the other, made her fear for her fertility. Fears that she obviously didn’t share with her husband, Teddy didn’t even know about the first child.

That same autumn, shortly before winter arrived, all the Evans currently living in Brindleton Bay gathered to hear the latest news on the radio, and burst into collective cheers when they heard those blessed words. The world could finally breathe again because, on that cold autumn day in 1918, the Great War had officially come to an end!

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[scorpio-skies]

Popcorn Promises

“What do you see in me?” 

The question startled Nora from the movie and she cocked a brow, turning in Nate’s one armed embrace to meet his eyes. He was watching her, his expression unusually serious. The engagement ring glinted on his finger, the single diamond sparkling in the lights cast from the television. 

“Hm. What do I see in Nathaniel Hart?” she mused aloud, scooting into his lap while keeping the bowl of toffee popcorn in her lap. “Could it be the fact that he gives the best hugs? The fact he wins ninety-nine percent of karaoke nights he enters? The way he makes my heart beat like crazy when he smoulders?” 

She draped one arm across his broad shoulders and though his lips quirked in a small smile, she knew he wasn’t satisfied with the answer. She set the popcorn down on the floor and turned, straddling his lap to cup his face. 

“Okay handsome. You want to tell me what the real question is?” 

Nate’s brow puckered and he glanced away, putting his thoughts in order. Then his eyes met hers, autumnal brown to ocean blue. She felt his hands on the small of her back, warm and calloused as he trailed them down to her hips. 

“Am I really the man you want to marry?” he asked at length. “I mean... I know I’m devilishly handsome, but... is that all I have to offer to you? If I come back from Anchorage and my face isn’t the same, would you still want to be with me?” 

“Nate, you’re the only man I ever want to be with.” 

“But I don’t... I don’t have a career to offer you. Hell, I don’t even have a family to support us--” 

“We’ve got my family to support us,” Nora replied, combing her fingers through the soft locks of his hair. “You know they love you, right?” 

“They don’t know my history.” 

“But me and Angie do.” Nora leaned closer to him, her breath fanning his lips. “I don’t love you any less for it, and Angie doesn’t care so long as you don’t break any laws now.” 

“But-”

She silenced him with a kiss. “You’re loyal. Kind. Loving. Funny.” 

She kissed him between words before pulling back. “Nathaniel Hart, you make my world brighter and fill it with love. I love you. I want to be with you. You’re beautiful inside and out and you mean the world to me. I don’t care about wealth or status. I care about you. Got it?” 

Even in the flickering light of the television, she could see the colour flushing his cheeks and the way his eyes had dilated. He swallowed, one hand reaching up to caress her cheek and brush her hair behind her ear. 

“Thank you.” 

“You’re more than welcome.” She pecked his lips again, but before she could pull back his hand slipped into her hair and he kissed her hungrily, pulling her to him. 

As his hand slipped under her T-shirt, his calloused fingers leaving trails of goosebumps, Nora giggled. He allowed her enough breathing space to whisper “You bored of the movie?” 

“Yeah. There’s somebody I want to see in the bedroom,” he rumbled, lips brushing hers as he leaned in for another kiss. 

Nora squealed as he began to stand, wrapping her legs around his back as he held her close to him and nuzzled into her neck, his stubble scratching her skin as he peppered her with kisses. He sent the popcorn bowl flying as he began to walk and she heard the pieces crunch even as Nate rumbled dirty promises against her skin.    

[historical-tales]

SUMMER 1916

The Evans barely had time to feel relief over Freddy being rescued safely when they received the news that Maximiliano had been rushed from Newcrest to Brindleton Bay, heavily sedated. Penelope broke down upon seeing her son so badly injured, and although she tried to remain optimistic, it was clear from the doctors’ expressions that he did not have much time. When the boy woke up, Amelia tried to ask about the twins, who had been reported missing in action, but her nephew did not have the strength to respond. As if he felt he was finally with his family, Maximiliano Norback took his last breath before falling into an eternal sleep.

Evangeline was not good at saying comforting things; in fact, she felt she only made things worse whenever she tried to console someone, so she thought it would be best to walk around the hospital and try to clear her mind. As she passed through one of the corridors, she noticed a certain pair of glasses resting on top of a dresser. She knew that Teddy had also been injured, that information had been eating away at her, but she had not imagined that he had been brought to that same hospital.

Her limbs weakened when she saw him, and when Teddy looked at her with an expression of both pleading and surprise, all her defenses crumbled. She approached his bed, she needed to touch him. The Mulligan boy looked terribly pale, but he was nowhere near as badly injured as his cousin. In fact, Teddy explained that he had only survived thanks to Maximiliano, who had dragged his unconscious body and kept him from being hit by gunfire.

The two of them could not pull away from each other. So much had happened in those past years, they had gone through so many trials and changes, they themselves had changed so much, and yet the comfort they felt in each other’s arms remained the same. At some point during those years of friendship, each other’s presence had become a necessity, and now Evangeline needed Teddy the same way she needed oxygen, but she had been denying it and depriving herself of breathing. Now the denial was over, he was there before her and she would not let him slip away again. So, going against her own judgment, Evangeline made a proposal, and Teddy accepted it without needing even a second to think.

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[historical-tales]

AUTUNM 1917

Everyone needed something good to focus on, and planning Evangeline and Teddy’s wedding was filling that role perfectly. The news surprised everyone, I mean… it was Evie… and Teddy. But honestly, it made a lot of sense once you stopped to think about it.

Evangeline wasn’t exactly the kind of bride with grand, demanding visions, but Francine had no problem taking over that role. As long as she didn’t decide to cover everything in pink bows and glitter, Evangeline didn’t mind.

William was the least excited about the upcoming union, he had always expected Evangeline to follow a purely academic path. When he asked to speak with the couple, Evie and Teddy were already bracing themselves for a speech about his disapproval.

To their surprise, though, what William wanted was to reveal something to his daughter and make a request to Teddy. For some time now, he had been considering changing his will, and he had finally found the courage to abandon male primogeniture, making it explicitly clear that his estate and all his assets would go to his eldest living child, Evangeline (who was technically born almost half an hour before Francine) regardless of any male relatives. This right could not, under any circumstances, be revoked by a husband, son, brother, or any other potential heir, and it left no room for male preference, giving Evangeline full authority to choose the heir of the next generation.

As for the rather unconventional request he had for Teddy, it was that, despite the marriage, he would keep his surname, or rather… take on Evangeline’s surname, since as the heir, it would be her responsibility to carry the Evans name forward. So, in exchange for not only his blessing to marry someone of Evie’s standing without judgment, but also the right to be welcomed into the family home and enjoy the influence and wealth of the household, William wanted the Mulligan boy to accept that all his children would be Evans, and that he himself would adopt the name as well. Teddy hesitated at first, a bit surprised by the request, but soon agreed without much fuss.

And so, in the autumn of 1917, our Teddy became Edward Evans Mulligan, at twenty-seven years old.

And well… this generation finally got its definitive heiress without giving up the family name or estate, in a not-so-traditional way. But hey, this kind of thing really could happen back then. It’s no surprise to anyone that William considers Evangeline more capable than any of his sons, this girl inherited at least 90% of his DNA (I’m being generous to Amelia and assuming she contributed at least 10% to our Evie) She is technically the eldest living child. And without Thomas, none of the other sons would really work as heir. Freddy values his independence and doesn’t need his father’s approval or money, Albert might still die in the war and has already chosen a life of adventure, and Cisco’s neurodivergence closes many doors for him. We’re only three years away from the 1920s, when female heirs become an option, and honestly, we’ve already waited long enough to see these two together🤓

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[historical-tales]

AUTUNM 1915

Even though it took up almost all the hours of her day, work was not a great source of enthusiasm for Evangeline. She was always assisting in a surgery, or testing new painkillers with the chemists, or listening to patients ramble about their lives to keep them from thinking about the pain of their injuries and the chaos in which the world outside was burning.

The routine had become cold and automatic, and she was surprised to actually feel her curiosity sparked during a discussion with the chemists. Evangeline knew a little about radiation, but she had never imagined it could be used to treat injuries in the way they were suggesting. She might have thought it was just another one of those wild hypotheses born from the desperation of war in the minds of doctors, but Marie Curie herself was leading one of those projects!

When one of the heads of the hospital’s pharmacology lab noticed the girl’s enthusiasm and offered her a seat at the next lecture Mrs. Curie would give in Paris, Evangeline could swear she felt her feet lift off the ground for a moment.

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[historical-tales]

SPRING 1918

Evangeline was adapting to her father’s business. She was very excited to continue his legacy, but having to give up her dream of living in Paris was not easy at all. William was ecstatic to finally have a true heir, and he dedicated all the time he had to bringing his daughter up to speed on his investments, while also seeming determined to teach her how to do “real business” — as he called nights of games at the club and hunting trips. Maybe he was a little too excited... Sometimes Evie needed to escape from her father and from work just to enjoy married life a little.

Teddy had gone back to working for the farmers’ association, this time as vice representative, which meant he also didn’t spend much time at home. The couple made the most of every moment they could spend together, wishing they could stay in their new room for entire days, and they were fully committed to their goal of growing the family.

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[historical-tales]

SUMMER 1919

Francine’s social life had improved over the last few years, she was no longer seen as some rebellious runaway girl. Of course, she was treated like an old maid now, but the position didn’t make her nearly as invisible as she thought it would. In fact, as rude as men could be and as inconvenient as older women often were, many of her neighbors felt comfortable speaking freely with Francine, and in the absence of invitations to balls and other social events, she discovered the pleasure of being a hostess.

Obviously, this new side of her wasn’t reserved only for the neighbors, and she frequently invited her sisters over for tea. During one of those pleasant afternoons spent in the company of Evangeline, Mary Ane, and Goldie, Francine announced that she had big news. She and Philipa had been saving money for quite some time, and now they finally had enough to buy a house in Tartosa.

“— You don’t have to go!” Evangeline declared, hating the idea of having her twin so far away. Francine might have been the opposite of everything she liked, but Evie loved her and recognized the bond they shared as twins. “— I can take care of that now, you know? I mean, the finances concern me now, I could get you your own apartment, you don’t have to depend on Philipa.”

“— Evie…” Ane, who understood the nature of their relationship much better, after all she had noticed some of the girls’ little escapes back in their suffragette days, tried to stop her sister from continuing.

“— This isn’t about money or pride, dear sister.” Francine replied with a relaxed expression, almost amused by her sister’s ignorance. Francine had overcome her fear of judgment a long time ago, she had found the attention and approval she once desperately searched for not only in the arms of the woman she loved, but within herself, and all the old childish stubbornness and bitterness had transformed into an enviable confidence. “— I need to go, Evangeline, because my life is with Philipa, my home is wherever she is.”

Evangeline lost her voice for a moment, but it didn’t take long for her to process and accept the information. It actually made a lot of sense, and she felt happier and relieved knowing Francine had also found love, though she would miss having her nearby.

“— Don’t worry, I’m not leaving just yet, not before meeting my future nephew or niece and making sure my little sister is alright.” Francine declared, walking over to touch Evie’s belly.

“— Hey, you’re the little sister here! I’m almost half an hour older!”

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[historical-tales]

AUTUNM 1919

When Evangeline’s labor pains began, no one in the Evans mansion dared remain calm. Within minutes, the hallway looked more like a small infirmary. Evangeline tried to breathe steadily, but her family’s anxiety only made everything more chaotic.

Teddy stayed by her side the entire time, holding her hand. He wished there was something more useful he could do, but in Evie’s eyes, having her husband there was already an indispensable source of support.

Hours later, amid the commotion of nurses rushing around, the crying finally came.

A small, rosy baby boy, with his mother’s dark hair and his father’s blue eyes and freckles. Healthy and perfect. The baby Evangeline had feared she might never be able to have, now resting in her arms and gazing at her calmly.

She wasn’t the only one carrying those fears, and after the birth Teddy finally felt free to drop his calm façade a little, allowing a tear to run down his cheek as he saw that both his wife and son were safe and well.

When the doctors announced that the rest of the Evans family could enter the room, William, who had been anxiously peeking through the doorway alongside everyone else ever since they heard the baby cry, rushed over to the newly formed family, eager to hold his grandson.

“— Have you decided on a name yet?” he asked as soon as one of the nurses handed him the baby, taking him from Evangeline’s arms. She had no interest in letting go of the little one and felt her heart sink slightly when she noticed William walking away from her bed with the baby in his arms. She could barely see him.

“— Oliver William,” Evangeline declared, making her father’s face light up even more.

“— OLIVER WILLIAM!” William announced, carrying the baby out of the room... away from his parents. “— Allow me to introduce my next heir, little William!” he declared proudly, showing off his grandson to the rest of the household.

“— I think we should use his first name, sir. William is a bit strong for a baby.” Teddy explained after following his father-in-law with the intention of returning his son (whom he himself had not yet had the chance to hold) to Evangeline’s arms.

“— Nonsense! My little William is a strong boy.”

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