When Eve returned home, she immediately started feeling miserable. She knew she would miss her mother, but she didn’t expect this would happen that fast. 

As Jake fell asleep during the drive, she put him carefully out of his baby seat and brought him upstairs into his nursery. Then she went into the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. She sat down at the kitchen island and took a small sip. 

The silence in the house was unbearable. Out of the sudden she started crying. This wasn’t an unusual scenario. She still used to have mental breakdowns on a daily base. But this time, it was pretty bad. She asked herself how she should move on like this, not knowing, if Josh would ever come back to her. With every further day he was in coma she started worrying more, if there was truly a chance that he would wake up some day. 

„Can you come over?“ [M]

„On my way.“ [007]

Justin arrived ten minutes later, being worried. He rushed into the house and found Eve in the kitchen, still crying. He came close, pulled her from her stool and embraced her body tightly. 

„It’s okay.“ He whispered, while caressing her hair softly.

She cried like this for a while. He didn’t stop hugging her and gave her the time she needed to calm down somehow. Every time she was crying, he could hardly hold back his own tears. The fact that he couldn’t do anything but holding her, was deeply frustrating. 

When she finally stopped crying, they released each other slowly. Justin smiled calmly, still standing close. 

„I’ll make dinner for you.“ 

Eve cracked a smile. 

„But the fridge is empty.“ 

„That’s why you’ll come with me to my place. I’ll try a new recipe tonight.“ 

„Why?“

„Because I’m having the boys and they expect a warm meal.“

„Oh, Justin. I’m so sorry. I completely forgot you’re having the kids this weekend.“

„Don’t worry about it.“

„Did you just left them all alone?“ She wondered. 

„Josy is still there. She’s keeping an eye on them.“ 

Hours later Eve collapsed at Justin’s sofa. She was completely overeaten. This was the first time after Josh’s accident that she ate so much at once. Her mental stress made her feel sick mostly. She never expected being back in shape that quickly after giving birth.

Jake was sleeping in one of Justin’s guest rooms. Eve brought his baby monitor to watch him. Justin brought his boys into bed, before joining her at the sofa. He came with a bottle of red wine and two glasses. 

„As you’re not breastfeeding, this should be okay, right?“ He smiled.

Eve smiled back and nodded. He opened the bottle, filled the glasses and gave one to her. Then they looked into each others eyes and clinked. 

„This is good.“ Eve said, after taking a sip. „And your food was as well. I’m amazed about your progress.“

Justin frowned.

„What exactly do you mean with progress?“

„Remember when you almost burned down that place, trying to make pizza?“ She teased.

„I fell asleep.“ He defended himself. 

She chuckled. 

„All that drama afterwards with your burned hand…“

„Stop making fun of me. This was a very serious situation.“ He complained.

Eve laughed. 

„I know, it was. Poor Josy needed to clean up the mess.“ 

„I sincerely apologized to her for that.“ 

Eve took another sip, still being amused. 

„It’s nice to see you smile, M.“ Justin said, while gazing at her. 

„Thank to you and your clumsiness.“ She giggled.  

They looked at each other for a moment. 

„Hey ehm, what about a movie?“ He asked next.

Eve nodded. Justin switched on the telly.

„Any suggestions?“ 

„One of your movies, please.“ 

„No, M… you can watch that stuff without me.“ He contradicted. 

„Don’t be a grinch.“ 

„Don’t call me grinch just because I wanna keep myself from being teased for the rest of the night.“

„Why you believe I would do this? I like you movies!“

„But you like teasing me even more.“

Eve started pouting. 

„Don’t give me that look, M. It’s not gonna happen.“ 

One hour later Eve fell asleep, still holding her glass wine in her hand. Justin noticed, as she suddenly stopped making comments about his acting performance in The Social Network. 

„Thank god.“ He talked to himself and smirked. 

Carefully he took the glass out of her hand and put it onto the coffee table. Then he stood up and laid her down at the sofa, without waking her up. He took a blanket out of the sideboard and covered her body.

„Good night, M.“ He said and kissed her forehead gently. 

He switched off the lights and took the baby monitor to take care for Jake during the night.

When Eve woke up in the next morning, she needed a moment to remember were she was. Then she panicked. 

„JAKE!“

„Relax, Moneypenny! We’re all good!“ She heard Justin’s voice responding from the kitchen. 

Immediately she calmed down and took a deep breath. Then she stood up and joined Justin and the kids.

„I slept like a baby.“ She said.

Justin was having Jake on his arm and smiled at her. 

„Definitely you slept better than your baby. He was hungry every two hours.“ Justin replied. 

Eve came closer and took Jake on her arm. 

„You shouldn’t have done that, T. But, thank you.“ She replied and kissed Jake’s small head. 

„Anytime.“ Justin replied.

„Daddy, we need to hurry!“ Silas suddenly complained. 

He was sitting next to his brother at the dining table, just finishing his cereals.

„Do you have plans for today?“ Eve asked him.

„Yes! My friend is celebrating his birthday in the zoo!“ Silas explained. 

„This sounds amazing!“ 

„But daddy needs to bring me! And we are already late!“ 

„I understand. Daddy, you heard your son? You’re already late. I can stay and watch Phin, if it helps?“

„Really?“ Justin replied.

„Yes, sure. I owe you for the night.“ She smirked. 

When Justin brought Silas to the birthday party, he asked Eve to stay longer to hang out with Phin and him at the pool. As she didn’t have any other plans for the day, she agreed. 

Justin and Phin went upstairs to put on their swim trunks. Eve was already in the backyard and sitting at the edge of the pool with her feet inside. She was still wearing her airy yellow summer dress from the prior day. The boys showed up in the next moment. 

„You’re sure you can’t come in?“ Justin asked, before entering the pool. 

„Unfortunately yes. It’s too soon for me to join pool parties.“ She explained. 

„What a pity.“

Justin jumped inside and dived from one edge to the other. When he showed up again, Eve caught herself by gazing at his naked chest. He was in perfect shape. His wet muscles sparkled in the sunlight. He raised his hands and wiped away some water out of his face and his hair. 

„Jesus, Eve! Look away! What are you doing???“ She was blaming herself in her thoughts. 

Before Justin noticed, she lowered her head and gave her attention to Phin, who was just entering the pool with his swimming ring. 

„Are you okay, honey?“ She asked him.

„Yes. I can swim with my ring.“ Phin replied proudly.

Justin swam into Eve’s direction now and stopped in front of her feet.

„What about Jake?“ He asked. 

„You wanna swim with him?“

„Ya, why not? Maybe he likes it.“

„What if he pees into the water?“

„His number one is not what I’m afraid of.“ Justin joked. 

Eve stood up and brought Jake, who was lying on a blanket in the shadow. She dressed him off, before giving him to Justin. 

„If he poops, I’m not gonna recover from my laughter.“ She warned him. 

„Then I hope he poops.“ Justin replied. 

Hours later Justin needed to pick up Silas from the zoo. Eve stayed at home with Phin and Jake. Both kids were tired from being in the water. Phin finally fell asleep at one sun lounger and Jake closed his eyes short after, being on Eve’s arm. Carefully she put him back onto his blanket. Then she suddenly heard a female voice from distance.

„Anybody home?“ 

Eve turned around and saw Jessica entering the backyard. Her heart skipped a beat.