Next morning, Eve’s cell was ringing, when she was busy at work, just finishing a moodboard for a special client. Mateo wasn’t around, just meeting a client on the spot.
She grabbed her phone and wondered about an unknown number.
„Yes?“ She answered the call.
„Eve, is this you? Monica speaking.“
„Oh! Monica! Hi!“ Eve replied friendly. „What can I do for you?“
„I just wanted you to let you know, that we have the results from Jake’s paternity test. Do you want to pick it up in the nurse’s office?“
„Ehm… you know what, I won’t be around in the next time…“ Eve stammered, not knowing how to explain.
There was silence for a short moment.
„Eve?“ Monica replied, turning very serious.
„Yes?“
„Is this because of that woman with the long dark hair?“
„Yes, Monica. She’s the reason why I’m not showing up anymore.“ Eve confessed.
„I saw them kissing in the garden. I’m so sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am…“
Eve turned pale and her heart just stopped beating.
„You did what…?“ She asked with shaky voice.
„They kissed, Eve. I witnessed it with my own eyes…“
After finishing the phone call, Eve’s head was spinning. It wasn’t like she didn’t expect those things to happen sooner or later. But still the reality hit her hard. She tried to process the information, without breaking down for another time. She promised herself not allowing Josh having that power over her any longer. When she was able thinking clearly again, she opened iMessage and started typing.
„It’s not like I am surprised, but don’t you think it would have been fair informing me, that you and your ex are back together? Am I expecting too much?“ [Cupcake]
Josh immediately read Eve’s message. His heart dropped. What the hell was she talking about?
„What makes you believe Jen and I are back together?“ [Josh]
„I’m pretty sure good old friends don’t kiss each other in public.“ [Cupcake]
Josh couldn’t believe that she knew. How was this even possible? Suddenly he turned upset.
„Are you spying on me???“ [Josh]
„At least you don’t deny.“ [Cupcake]
Josh’s frustration reached its peak. He was sick and tired from being judged and misunderstood from the day he opened his eyes again. No one truly tried to understand his situation. He felt trapped in a wrong reality, trying hard to figure things out. Eve, Justin, Mateo and the doctor weren’t aware of, under how much pressure he was standing. All of them expected from him being the person before the accident happened. But this just wasn’t the case. He was scared what would happen, if his memories wouldn’t come back at all. How should he be able dealing with his new life and that giant gab in his memory? The imagination moving on like this for an uncertain time was scaring him deeply. But absolutely no one seemed to care.
While Josh was lost in thoughts, his doctor entered his room.
„I have good news, Mr. Chasez.“
„Oh really?“ He replied cynically.
„Yes. I don’t see any reason keeping you in the hospital any longer. I know you can’t walk long distances by now, but your therapists explained you made great progress in the last few days. I am convinced that it will be very helpful for your mental recovery to return into your familiar environment. But of course I expect you continuing physiotherapy. You can do this here or in a practice closer to your home. The choice is yours.“ The doctor suggested.
Josh didn’t expect he could go back home so quickly. But he missed his house badly and couldn’t be more grateful for the doctor’s suggestion.
„This are really good news. I can’t wait sleeping in my own bed.“
„Great. You can leave after today’s physiotherapy. I’m gonna fill out your release papers.“
When the doctor left his room, Josh stomach suddenly dropped.
„Eve and the baby are living with you in that house!“ He realized.
He grabbed his face and sighed deeply.
„How on earth will you deal with that?“
When Mateo returned from his meeting, Eve informed him about the latest events. She was surprisingly calm and didn’t start to cry, although her heart broke into even smaller pieces after learning about what happened with Jen.
„I’m very proud of you, that you didn’t freak out. I see this as a great progress, Eve.“ Mateo said, trying hard to keep his own emotions under control.
He couldn’t understand why Josh was doing this to her. After talking to him about everything, he really believed Josh was aware of that he made a mistake. Justin also talked to him and tried to change his mind about Jen. Why did all of this still happen?
„I believe I found a way making peace with the circumstances. It really helped a lot moving back into Lucy’s apartment. Josh’s house was full of memories. Not just with Josh but also with Justin. The distance makes things easier, even when I still feel like all of this is just a bad dream.“ Eve replied.
„You are remarkable, Eve. You truly are. I’m terrified about what JC did to you. But I’m also impressed how strong you became.“
The same day in the late afternoon, Eric arrived at the hospital. Josh just finished packing his personal belongings, as the door got open.
„Hey man, good to see you.“ He said to Eric.
Eric came closer and hugged him tightly.
„I’m happy they’re letting you go home that quickly.“ Eric replied. „But I don’t understand why Eve didn’t come to pick you up.“
Josh deeply sighed. He was tired of talking about Eve.
„She’s pissed off because Jen showed up.“
„I know about Jen. She was at my place few days ago.“
Josh frowned.
„What did she want from you?“
„I have no idea, to be honest. But she told me that she came to L.A. because you missed her.“
Josh rolled his eyes.
„Listen, I didn’t ask her to show up.“
„But she was pretty convinced there was a chance for you and her coming back together. Why you get in touch with her, Jay?“
„I can’t believe, you’re giving me a hard time about all of this, as well.“ Josh complained.
„I’m sorry if I upset you, but it simply makes no sense, as you are married to Eve.“
„I’m aware of that, Ricky. That’s why I asked Jen to go back home and forget about all of this.“
Eric looked at him surprised.
„You did?“
„Yes I did.“
„Then why you’re still in trouble with Eve?“
„I’ll explain to you on our way home.“
After hearing the whole story, including Mateo’s and Justin’s lectures, Eric needed to process hard.
„I don’t know what to say… I really don’t know what to say…“
„Then say nothing.“
They just arrived at Josh’s house. Eric’s driver parked the car in front on the double garage. He noticed Eve’s car wasn’t there.
„Lucky you. Your wife isn’t home.“ Eric teased.
„She must be still at work.“ Josh said. „What is she doing with the baby, when she’s in the office?“
„She brings him to the office. There is a nursery and her staff helps her to take care for little JC.“
Josh felt uncomfortable hearing Eric calling his son that way.
„I still can’t believe I am a dad…“
Eric smirked.
„It was your choice, dude. Believe me when I say, you wanted this baby with Eve.“
Josh and Eric entered the house, using Eric’s spare key, as Josh didn’t have his own.
„What the hell happened here?!“ Josh said in disbelief.
„What do you mean?“ Eric asked irritated.
Josh didn’t reply and entered the living area first. Then he went through the dining room into the kitchen. Nothing looked like it used to be. Eric followed him, finally understanding what was going on with his friend.
„Eve redesigned that place.“ He said to Josh.
„Why?“
„Because you asked her to do so.“
„I wanted all of this?“
„Yes. When Jen moved out you decided to have a house makeover. That’s how you met Eve.“
Josh frowned.
„But Mateo told me we’ve met at Pablo’s.
Eric smirked.
„Yes you did. But after spending the night together, she dumped you.“
„She dumped me?“
„Ya, you’ve been pretty frustrated about that, as you liked her from the start. It was a coincidence that she became your interior designer, as she was working for the firm you ordered to do the makeover. Today she and Matty are partners, running the business on their own.
Josh looked again at the new interior.
„Don’t you like it?“ Eric asked.
„I do like it. But it doesn’t feel like home.“
When Eric was gone, Josh went upstairs, realizing that the bedrooms got redesigned as well. When he entered Jake’s nursery, he felt kind of touched with how much affection and love Eve arranged his room. Suddenly he regretted that he behaved so distant concerning Jake. He didn’t hold his son in his arms for a single time, yet.
Josh left the nursery and decided to grab something to eat. As he reached the stairs, his head suddenly started spinning, having an intensive flashback. Hastily he grabbed the hand rail to keep his balance. Fragments of his accident appeared in front of his eyes. He saw a bag falling down the stairs. It felt like the ground was quaking. After few seconds the flashback was over. Josh's heart was beating fast and he was completely sweaty. While gasping for air, he tried hard to process what just happened to him.
When Josh calmed down, he went into the kitchen. He sat down at the kitchen island, trying to bring back the fragments into his mind. It was scary how intense the flashback felt like. But he also believed it was the first step into the right direction. It felt truly relieving that his mind finally started working things out.
