Waves

Part 30

48 hours. That's how long it took for Joe to finally reach out to Eve after his tantrum, or rather, come to his senses. He was standing by his locker after practice, checking his phone for the millionth time for a message from Eve when Sam strolled over with his stuff. "You headed for Amanda's?" Joe asked. "Nope. With Eve staying there I don't want to be the third wheel. Do you know when the maintenance is going to be done with her apartment?"

Joe tried to not show his surprise at Sam's update and shrugged. "Should be done soon. She's not really sure." Eve's been staying at Amanda's? Why didn't she call him? Was her apartment still not safe?

"That sucks. Well, I'll see you tomorrow." Sam nodded a short goodbye to Joe and left him sitting in the locker room alone with his thoughts while he slowly came out of the ireful fog he'd been stewing in for days. Initially, he'd been enraged at the information Eve had withheld; his indignation at her delayed communication leaving him seeing.

Now he was wondering if maybe he'd overreacted by not sitting down and listening to her explanation as to why she'd waited to tell him. That realization coupled with the news she still wasn't back at her place left him feeling like he'd not only left her out in the figurative cold–he'd jeopardized their whole relationship.

Unfortunately for Joe, when he worked up the nerve to call her for the first time later that evening, she was fast asleep. The second and third times he tried calling Eve, she was in the middle of rehearsing Connie's testimony with her and had left her phone in the top drawer of her desk.

It wasn't until she was in the middle of directing the florists setting up the centerpieces for Joe's surprise party that she noticed him calling, quickly quieting the group of people assembled so she could answer.

"Oh thank god. I was worried you weren't going to pick up and I was going to drive to your office but I didn't know if you'd be willing to see me," Joe rambled. "Hi Joe," Eve said cautiously, "I'm kind of in the middle of something right now."

"I'm so sorry Eve. For everything. I shouldn't have lost it like that on Tuesday. You didn't deserve that and my reaction was stupid. I was just...so scared and upset and I wasn't thinking clearly and I don't know. I figured you'd be there when I got home and we'd be able to talk and then you weren't and I—I don't know. I just...wasn't thinking clearly," Joe explained, his heart thumping in his chest. "I wasn't at your house because you told me not to be there when you got home. What did you expect me to do?" Eve asked.

"I know. I shouldn't have said that. I didn't even mean it. Of course you're welcome there. You know I want you to be there all the time. I was just pissed and frightened and I felt responsible in some way," Joe sniffed, "here I was the one that had the system installed and the fucking thing gets hacked." Emily waved her arms to get Eve's attention; holding up two different charger plates for her approval. Pointing to the more ornate of the two, Eve exhaled deeply before responding.

"Joe, you aren't responsible for what happened with the security system, nor did I in any way imply you were responsible. Whatever you felt, you got there on your own. What you are responsible for is the irrational accusation that I somehow put myself in harm's way intentionally," Eve replied.

"You're right. I'm sorry Eve. I'm so, so sorry," Joe croaked, "I lost my mind. I just love you so much and I can't stand the thought of any of this shit happening to you and not having some way of stopping it."

Eve plopped down in an empty chair and ran a hand over her face, trying to come up with a response. Was she still irritated? Sure. Joe's reaction wasn't acceptable and he made a bad situation worse. Should she have told him? Absolutely. But dragging out this conflict only hurt her in the short term and she needed to minimize any residual drama in her life.

"What have you been doing for two days? It shouldn't have taken you this long to apologize." She heard a gate opening in the background and she could tell Joe was leaving the practice facility. "I was pouting and waiting for you to reach out first. It wasn't until I found out from Sam that you were at Amanda's that I snapped out of it. I wanted to just go to her apartment to apologize but I was afraid you'd refuse to see me," Joe admitted bashfully.

Eve sighed and threw up her hands, at a loss for what else to say. "I accept your apology Joe. I love you and I don't want to fight with you. If I could go back in time, I would have told you earlier about the cameras and the text. But let me make one thing abundantly clear: the next time you tell me to leave, I will leave, and I will not be coming back or answering you again. Do you understand?"

Joe tossed his head back and felt his whole body relax from the relief of Eve's benevolence. "I understand and I promise you, it will never, ever happen again." Mashing her lips together, Eve felt her own sense of calm return; the upheaval of their fight having served as an albatross around her neck for the past few days.

"Where are you? Can I come see you? Are you back at the apartment? I can head over there right now and wait for you! " Eve's eyes widened at Joe's suggestion; panic setting in as she pictured the dozens of gift bags for his party littering her living room and the blow up mattress she'd set up for his soon-arriving parents who would be staying with her before the party.

"No! Um, we have some trial conference stuff going on today. I'm actually on my way to Cleveland to meet with Adam," Eve grimaced, guilt washing over her for lying to him. "What about tomorrow? When will you be back? I could drive up there after our walk-thru and meet you?" Jesus Burrow, you're making this the hardest surprise party in history, Eve thought to herself.

"I should be back tomorrow barring any kind of last minute issue. Maybe we could grab dinner?" An exasperated Emily approached Eve again and motioned towards the main room; several workers standing around obviously needing some direction from her. "That's perfect. I'll make reservations. Just tell me where you want to go and I'll plan something for us," Joe replied eagerly.

"Sounds good Joe. I hate to rush you, but I've got to go now. I'll call you later, okay? I love you." Eve listened to another round of apologies from Joe before hanging up and running back inside, a smile on her face as she spent the next few hours ensuring everything would be perfect for his party.