Eve was the first to awaken as the sunlight crept through the slots in the blinds. She looked down to see TC’s arm covering her in a protective grab. She sighed, realizing that last night hadn’t been some sort of dream for her. She didn’t want to lose the moment, so she let sleep lull her back into its grip. She pulled TC’s arm so that it would grab her even more. This is what she liked, being in his protective grasp. It’s where she felt safest, and she had missed it a great deal. She had her husband back, and she was thrilled.

Madelaine was preparing breakfast when Simone came into the kitchen.

“ Morning, Grandmere.”

” Simone.”

” Where are Mom and Daddy? I knocked on their door, but their bed doesn’t look like it’s been slept in.”

“ I think your parents decided that they needed some private time for themselves.”

Simone realized what Madelaine meant and burst into a huge smile. “ I hope you’re right. It’s about time that this family got back to normal.”

” Normal? Simone, this isn’t a normal family. Now, you make sure you take a raincoat and an umbrella. Weatherman says it’s going to rain all day for the next few days.”

” I will, Grandmere.” Simone gave Madelaine a kiss on the cheek before she left the kitchen.

“ Oh Theodore. I hope you and Eve have made up. I don’t want my family to break apart over this. This is too important. You HAVE to stay together.”, Madelaine commented outloud to herself.
 

Eve felt TC rustle.

“ So, are you finally up?”, Eve asked, still holding TC’s arm around her protectively.

” Maybe.”, TC replied, kissing the back of Eve’s neck. “ So, I guess last night wasn’t a dream.”

” Nope. It was wonderful.”, Eve said, just happy to be with her husband.

“ Eve, we need to talk.”

Eve rolled over to face TC and put her fingers to his lips to quiet him.

“ TC, I don’t think there’s anything to say. Didn’t we say it last night?”

“ Eve, that was about..”

” Our bodies expressing what our souls already know – that we belong together. That we shouldn’t be apart.”

” Eve, it’s not that simple.”

” Yes, it is. We have a very simple life, TC. I love you. You love me. We have a family together, and now it includes my son.”

” But,….”

” Julian? I don’t love Julian. I will never hate him like you do, because we have a son together, and because I know Julian would never have taken Chad away from me. And, because I can’t let my son think that I hate his father. I’m sorry if that hurts you, but it’s my past. Julian is my past romantically. We share a child, and that bond will always be there. I know it’s a source of pain for you, but the extent of your pain isn’t my fault- it’s yours. I want to wake up in your bed. Go to sleep in your bed. Have meals in our house. My present and future is with you, TC. The only way it wouldn’t be is if YOU don’t want it to be. “

“ I finally get that.” TC reached out and touched Eve’s face. “ I didn’t realize how much I missed you until last night. I love you. I will always love you. My present and future are with you. I get it.”

“ You do?”, Eve said, tears forming in her eyes.

TC put his hand to her face to wipe away the tears. “ No more of those. A man shouldn’t make his wife cry. You’re far too beautiful to cry. “

“ So…what are we going to do?”, Eve said, kissing her husband.

” You’re not on duty, I’m calling in sick, and then we’ll have some food delivered. I don’t quite want to leave this room. It has charm.”

Eve laughed. “ It has a vibrating bed!”

“ Yeah, that too. I want to spend this entire day just enjoying you. Tasting you. Kissing you. Making love..just the two of us.”

Eve smiled. “ Me too.”

Julian was at his desk when his secretary said that the person on the other end had information about Chad.

“ This is Julian Crane.”

” Mr. Crane, this is Josh Lawrence, the lab tech you employed for the DNA Tests.”

” Yes, Josh.”

” Sir, I believe you should come down to the lab.”

” Josh, they were simple tests. You can mail me the results.”

” Sir, I think you should come see me in person.”

” I understand. I’ll be there in a half hour.”

Before long, Julian was in the man’s office.

” Josh, I don’t understand. What is it that has you thinking I should be here.”

” I ran the DNA test between Chad Harris and Dr. Eve Russell, just as you instructed.”

“ So, it was a simple test.”

” The results were not what were expected.”

” What do you mean?”

” Simply put, Mr. Crane, there is no way that Dr. Eve Russell is Chad Harris’ biological mother.”