Eric sat down next to Kristin. Then he looked at Jake and caressed his dirty blond hair.“ 

„He doesn’t look like any of them.“ Eric smirked. 

„That tiny creature just made his way through a very narrow birth canal. His little face is still crumpled.“ Kristin replied and gave Jake a loving smile. 

„I see…“

„I have a question.“ Kristin said next. 

„Okay, spill.“

„Who is Justin? He looks for familiar.“ 

Eric knew that Eve and Kristin just made peace few months ago. That’s why he wasn’t surprised that Kristin didn’t know about Justin. 

„He’s Jay’s best friend. They know each other since they’ve been teenagers.“

„So, they went together to school?“ 

„No, things were pretty different. They’ve been together in a band, touring all over the world, you know.“ 

„A music band?“ 

„Yes, did you ever heard from *NSYNC?“ 

Kristin shook her head. 

„That their band’s name. But at some point they split up and Justin continued doing music on his own.“

Kristin opened her eyes wide.

„That’s why he’s so familiar! He’s Justin Bieber, right?“ 

Eric chuckled. 

„Not exactly… its Justin Timberlake.“ 

„Timberlake it was… I always mix them up.“

Eric was still smiling. 

„My daughter loves him. Does he know that?“ 

Eric frowned. 

„You mean, she’s a fan, right?“

„A big fan.“

„Yes, Justin knows she is.“ 

„Life is crazy sometimes. Eve never expected meeting him in person. And now he just witnessed the birth of her child.“ 

„This is really crazy…“ 

„So… who are you, Eric? Are you a celebrity, as well?“ 

Eric smiled again.

„My job is managing celebrities. I’m Jay’s agent.“

„Why Joshua needs an agent?“

„Well, even if he stopped singing many years ago, he’s still famous. All members of *NSYNC are.“

„Are there more than just Joshua and Justin?“

„Yes, actually there’re five. All of them are still good friends, you know.“ 

Kristin and Eric got interrupted by Justin and Eve coming back from the garden.

„Any news?“ Justin asked. 

„Yes. I just learned who you are.“ Kristin replied. 

„Oh.“ Eve and Justin said at the same time. 

„Mom… please don’t embarrass me.“ Eve warned her. 

„Why should she?“ Justin asked. 

Eve took Jake back on her arm and kissed his head. 

„No fangirl stories, you hear me?“ She said to her mother.

Kristin smirked and gave Justin a wink. He smiled back sheepishly. 

In the next moment Mateo suddenly showed up in the hallway. 

„EVE!“ He yelled from distance, hurrying into her direction. 

He stopped standing in front of her and gazed at the baby.

„God lord…“ He almost whispered. „He’s so tiny. And beautiful.“ 

Then they hugged each other carefully, while Eve was still holding Jake.

„I’m so sorry, dear. I was so engrossed into conversation with our new client that I didn’t check my phone earlier. And then I got stuck in that damn traffic.“  

„It’s okay, Matty.“ 

„I can’t believe all of this… I’m in such a deep shock, Eve…“

She started sobbing again. 

„We all are…“

Mateo gave his attention to the others. 

„What a nightmare.“ He said and hugged Justin next.

Then he hugged Eric and finally turned to Kristin, not knowing who she was. 

„That’s my mom.“ Eve explained. „She just came from Germany to surprise me.“

„Hi, Mrs. Harper. I’m Mateo. You daughter and I work together.“ 

Kristin stood up and gave him a warm hug, as well. 

„It’s nice to meet you, Mateo. Please call me Kristin.“ 

In the next second the door to the OR area opened up and Josh’s surgeon appeared. 

Eve stopped breathing. Her whole body begun shaking again. Justin noticed and grabbed his arm around her. Everybody waited impatiently for the doctor to talk. 

„So far, he’s stabile.“

All of them sighed in deep relief. Justin pulled Eve closer and kissed her temple. 

„I told you.“ He whispered in her ear. 

The doctor continued talking. 

„While fixing the fracture, we found out that his spinal cord got bruised, as well as his wind-pipe. We did our best to fix the damage, but right now I can’t give you any prognosis, if there will be long-term effects.“

„What exactly does it mean, doctor?“ Kristin asked. 

„It means it will take time to see if his body will fully recover or not. You must understand, this surgery was very complex. Furthermore his body was undersupplied with oxygen after his fall. We can’t tell, if this caused any brain damage. That’s why needed to put him into artificial coma to give his body and brain time to recover.“ 

Eve was crying again. 

„For how long you’ll keep him in coma?“ Justin wanted to know.

„We don’t know, yet. What we need to do now are baby steps. As I said, he’s stabile. But the first 24 hours after surgery are always critical. Let’s focus on this first, before thinking about waking him up.“ 

„Can I see him?“ Eve sobbed. 

„Of course. But you can’t bring the baby into the intensive care unit.“ 

„Can I go with her?“ Justin asked.

„Sure, if Mrs. Chasez is okay with that.“

Eve immediately nodded. She put her baby into her mother’s arms again. Then the doctor brought her and Justin into the ICU. 

Being attached to mechanical ventilation, Josh’s upper body was moving up and down in a constant rhythm. His vital signs were monitored on a screen next to his bed. He was on a drip, which supplied his motionless body with anesthetic. There was a big patch at his throat, covering his surgical scar. His neck was stabilized by a fixture. 

When Eve entered the room and her eyes met him, she was very close having a physical breakdown. Justin immediately grabbed her waist, as she couldn’t hold herself on her legs anymore. Her face turned completely pale. She wanted to cry but her deep shock didn’t let her. 

Justin was shocked as well, but Eve’s condition distracted him from the terrifying view at his best friend. 

„Sweety, you need to sit.“ He said and helped Eve reaching a chair which was standing next to Josh’s bed. 

As she sat down he knelt down in front of her.

„Do you need a glass of water?“

Eve shook her head. Then she bent towards Josh and grabbed his hand carefully. 

„I can’t believe all of this…“ She said with shaky voice. 

Justin stood up slowly, while his eyes were filling with tears again. 

„I know that he’ll make it. I have no single doubt.“ He said, still trying to be supportive. 

„Justin… I completely forgot about our housekeeper… I need to thank her for saving him…“

„Of course. We can call her later.“ 

Eric informed Josh’s family and the other guys about Josh’s tragical accident, as soon as they brought him into surgery. While Eve and Justin were in the ICU, he called everybody once again to inform them about his current condition. Josh’s parents and siblings booked a flight to Los Angeles and were already waiting for departure. Lance and Michael weren’t in town but they canceled their plans to return home as soon as possible. Lucy, Joey, Karly and Chris were also on their way to California. 

Eve wished she could stay with Josh the whole time, but the nurse kindly asked her and Justin to leave for the night. Kristin, Mateo and Eric were still in the waiting room, when they left the ICU. A pediatric nurse took care for Jake in between. 

„Mom, can you please stay with me tonight?“ Eve asked. 

„Of course, kid.“ Kristin replied and hugged her. „You boys need to go home and have some rest. There’s nothing else you can do right now.“ 

Eric and Mateo nodded, but Justin hesitated. 

„I can’t go home. I just can’t.“ He said. 

„Justin, you need to have a shower and some sleep. Give yourself a chance to process all of this. You can come back in the morning.“ Kristin replied. 

„She’s right, dude.“ Eric said and padded Justin’s back. 

„Eve?“ He asked, waiting for her permission to go.

She nodded and smiled calmly. Then she came closer and hugged him.

„It’s okay, T. Thank you for everything. You’re my hero.“ She whispered. 

He was holding her close for a moment and kissed her head, before they released each other. 

„If you need anything, call me. Promise me that.“ He said. 

„Okay.“