Millie and Eric were reunited in one of the hospital's rooms to talk about Ellie and Chris. Ellie had started doing therapy with Eric ever since confessing her use of Prozac. The two doctors were seated in front of one another with two files opened in font of Millie as Eric explained all his notes and conclusions over the course of therapy with the couple. They were not doing it together though. They chose to do it separately and Eric agreed with was better as a start. Though, during their conversations, now that Ellie had joined the sessions, he was thinking about bringing them together at some point. He also instigated them to discuss therapy between them at home, to talk about it, for it would be another way of open up, healing and reconnect. Nevertheless, being a doctor and having both parents of a baby in therapy, another problem was brought up. A huge problem was brought up and Eric decided to meet with Millie because of it.
"Chris is not on pills anymore." Millie raised her hand from his file as she was reading and looked at Eric who was running a hand over his gray hair. "How is he doing?"
"He is cooperative." Eric leaned over the table, resting his two elbows on it, facing Millie who was reading some more information. "He says he has the occasional drink though..." He let it linger in the air and Millie looked at him again.
"If he says it's the occasional drink... Chris wouldn't lie, especially to Ellie." She affirmed. "He has told her first."
"It's still a risk." Eric said. "Ellie... is fighting it a little bit, if you know what I mean." Millie shook her head.
"It's only been two weeks for her." Millie pointed out and Eric nodded.
"It's still a bit hard, but she is not going over my prescription. Even today's tests showed it." He explained.
"I don't understand how my daughter chose this path." Millie retorted with failing voice. "She knows so much better than this..."
"Ellie suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, just like Chris." Eric told her. "Sometimes we don't notice it, Millie." He reached for her colleague's hand who he knew was feeling guilty for not noticing how badly her daughter was doing. "They hide it well. You know this."
"Chris is with her every day..." Millie whispered.
"Chris is battling his own demons." Eric affirmed. "It is not his fault."
"No..." Millie gave him a shy smile, shaking her head at the same time. "I am not blaming this on Chris. I know how he suffered... but he knows her so well that I find it so strange that he didn't notice she was self-medicating." Eric nodded.
"Ellie said she'd take it when he wasn't home or after he fell asleep." He explained. "They have their own ways."
"I am a doctor and I didn't notice..." Millie threw her back against the chair hopelessly. "How did I not notice anything?" He eyes searched for Eric's. "I should have notice it."
"Millie..." He held her hand again. "You can't blame yourself either!" Eric exclaimed and squeezed her hand a little. "Now, there's something quite delicate that we need to address..." Eric left the subject lingering in the air and Millie curled an eyebrow.
"What?" She asked him. "Are they separating? Because that will not help them at all..." She said immediately.
"No..." Eric shook his head. "In fact, since they're both in therapy the way Chris talks about her changed and her way has too. I think they might have become more aware of the feelings they have for one another. I think they are reconnecting somehow. Chris loves your daughter more than life itself. The way he talks about her is scary sometimes. To love someone the way he loves her scares me..." Eric smiled. "Ellie is the same, but somehow, this unfortunate incident that happened disrupted them both emotionally and then Ellie being a new mom, worrying about Chris, dealing with her own illness and the fear of dying... emotionally they have been through a lot these past months." Millie just nodded hearing him. "But I think it's dangerous at this point to leave their daughter alone with them." Millie's eyes went wide opened and she sat straight.
"What do you mean? What are you implying?" She babbled. "They are great parents. They take care of Heaven perfectly. They adore their child..."
"Millie..." Eric tried to speak slowly. "You know that in normal circumstances we would call Social Services to take care of this baby until her parents were fine..."
"Eric!" Millie got up from her chair and tapped with both hands on the table. "They are not the type of parents that neglect their child! Are you insane?"
"Chris is away most of the time because he's recording and your daughter is the one staying at home with the baby. Your daughter has been taking Prozac while taking care of your granddaughter. Luckily, nothing happened. You know better."
"Eric... no..." Millie pointed her index finger at him. "You also know that if you take their daughter away things are going to escalate for them in the opposite way. They are good parents. I would never say this if they weren't. Chris is crazy about his baby girl and so is my daughter."
"That is why I want to suggest that you stay with your grandchild just for a while..." He told her. "... just until it's safe to leave her alone with Ellie again."
"It will destroy them." Millie whispered with tears in her eyes.
"Or it will make them fight to be better sooner." He argued.
"There has to be another way." Millie shook her head. "I don't want to take their baby away from them. It will be such a hard blow on them. You just said that they are both suffering from PTSD and now you want to take their daughter away? Eric... it will only make things worse. We're doctors... we know how it goes. We have seen it hundreds of times. It's protocol... ok... I know that... but protocols fail. This one in particular fails and you know this. How many times do we see parents fall into worse habits than they had after they are separated from their children?" She stopped talking completely out of breath.
"It's really late and you've been here for some hours and you still have the whole night to go..." Eric said. "... think about it and about what's best."
"The best is that Heaven stays with her parents." Millie affirmed.
"I can't allow that." Eric looked in her eyes. "You know that."
"Shit..." Millie muttered as her BEEP went off. She looked at it and raised her head. "I am needed at the ER... I have to go." She said. "Eric..."
"We need to have a solution." He told her obstinately. Millie turned her back at him and slammed the door shut on his face.
It was past midnight already and Ellie had made a bed in front of the fire place though it was summer and it was not with a burning fire as it should be, but she missed those days. Heaven was peacefully asleep after her 11.30 pm meal on her bouncing chair nearby. The TV was on for she was watching a movie, and only the light of the TV illuminated the place. The sound was really low, not that it disturbed Heaven's sleep but Ellie would rather have it that way. The curtains were opened for if she looked outside, she could contemplate a dark sky where zillions of brilliant dots twinkled above the lake. The lawn was glistening with the humidity in the air. It was always like that when you lived near trees and water. The trees were humming faintly as a gentle breeze caressed the leaves. The moon shining bright above the trees' crops silvering the waters of the lake. The perfect scenario. Suddenly, lights piercing the window of the living room caught her attention and she took her eyes of the TV and looked outside. She saw Chris's car stopping in the lane and then him getting out of it. Then, she turned to continue following the movie and soon she heard his keys turn the lock around and the door cracking open. A thud warned her he had closed it and then she heard the keys turning to lock it again. She also heard the keys falling on the phone table near the door and a deafer sound that it was probably his wallet. Then, his steps approaching.
"Hey, babe..." He said as he entered the living room.
Ellie looked back and smiled at him. Things had been softer since she opened up with him and her therapy started. She was still on Prozac but controlled by a doctor and taking a much smaller dose. Withdrawal was not as easy as she thought it would be and it just couldn't disappear of her life like it entered, in a rampant, It had to be done gradually so she wouldn't suffer from the reverse effect which was dangerous.
"It's so late." She told him. Chris approached her and kneeled on the blanket.
"That producer is driving me insane..." He said after kissing her lips. "Nothing is good enough..."
"You are not good. You are amazing." Ellie smiled. " You need to relax Chris. Things usually come to you naturally and I think you are forcing things a bit. Breathe, baby..."
"Easy to say..." He smiled crawling until near the bouncing chair where Heaven was sleeping on her back, legs apart, arms apart and her pacifier coming up and down franticly as she sucked on it. "She hasn't been sleeping for long..." He said as she usually would let go of the pacifier after a while.
"She ate about half an hour ago." Ellie smiled. "But she was tired because she fell asleep while I was changing her."
"She's has grown up so much already." He commented completely in awe of his daughter.
"Well, that's how it is supposed to go." Ellie said. "Are you hungry?" She asked him after. "There's a plate for you in the microwave. I made meat balls..." She knew he loved it. Chris came back to her and kissed her lips.
"I'm fine. We ordered a pizza. Is the movie any good?" He asked, noticing the TV.
"Now that you're here, I got a little distracted." Ellie giggled.
"I distract you?" A soft smile delineated on his lips.
"You know you do" She smiled too.
"Are you really alright?" His eyes examined her face attentively.
"I'm good." She assured him. "And you?" Ellie looked in his blue eyes and he nodded.
"I am good too." He responded.
"Hey... join me." She said pulling the blanket up. "I even have two pillows for you." She added to convince him.
"I will." He kissed her forehead and then got up. "I just need to take a shower first. I had such a long day inside that damn studio that I sweat like a pig."
"I can't smell it" Ellie laughed loud. Chris stopped walking and turned around.
"Funny..." He smiled. "Are you really alright?"
"Yes." Ellie turned her head to look at him. "I had a quiet day with the princess here and then Eric came for our meeting... I am fine, I swear."
"Ok..." Chris smiled. "I'll be right back." He said going away.
Ellie turned her attention to the movie as Chris left her alone in the living room. It must have taken thirty minutes for her to hear Chris's steps on the stairs.
"Still watching the movie?" He asked as he approached her.
"It's over." She replied.
"Give me some space." He said pulling the blanket and adjusting the pillows she had put there for him. Ellie pulled to the side, still looking at the TV. "Hey..." Chris snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. "I am here..." He told her, looking in her eyes.
Ellie smiled, and she snuggled against his chest. He wrapped an arm around her, kissing the crown of her head, and squeezing her against his body right after.
"It's so good to be like this." Ellie told him and Chris kissed the top of her head once more. "I was missing you..."
"I know it's so late, babe. I am sorry." Chris responded. "I know I should be home sooner, but that stupid fuck doesn't understand that!" Ellie raised her head to look in his face.
"Chris, don't stress!" She asked him. "We've had our share of stressful moments and we are trying to come back to our normal beings. It's ok. I understand."
"El..." He sighed her name looking in her eyes. "Do you really understand? I am afraid we're just disregarding things again without noticing it..." Ellie caressed his face and nodded.
"I do. I swear." She assured him. "I talked a lot about us, our relationship, my feelings for you... it is helping..."
"You wouldn't lie to me, right?" He asked grabbing her hand in his. "You wouldn't hide anything else?" He insisted. "Because you don't have to, Ellie. I am here for anything you need."
"I know. I have always known... unfortunately I forgot it for a while but I am getting back there." Ellie smiled. "It's been only two weeks and so many things changed already..."
"Yeah..." Chris nodded. "We have been making love every day." He said quietly, playing with a strand of her hair. "I missed that... I missed us being the way we were..."
"I did too." Ellie whispered playing with the beard on his chin. "With all that happened and with our baby girl changing our routine so much... I think we didn't know how to deal with this new reality."
"It helps that she is beginning to have more regular schedules..." He snickered. "That you do these things..." He pointed at the improvised bed. "...so, we can bond again and talk."
"I never stopped loving you." Ellie said. "But I felt so lost... I still do it's not over, but it's easier with you."
"There's nothing I wouldn't do to keep you happy." He kissed her lips after his sentence.
"Even having another baby..." Ellie smiled at him and caressed his face.
"When the time comes... we talk about it..." He said. "Heaven is so little. We are still struggling... there's a lot of things to be done still..."
"I am still afraid of falling asleep... that hasn't gone away" Ellie confessed.
"That too shall pass." Chis raised his head and kissed the tip of her nose. "But when you are really having trouble falling asleep, you can wake me up and we can talk so you won't be alone."
"Do you know what I am going to do tomorrow?" She smiled broadly and he smiled back, happy to see her eyes so shinny.
"No... but you are going to tell me."
"I am going to a spa with Brenda." She told him sounding so enthusiastic. "A massage with these oils..." She rolled her eyes.
"With Heaven?" He curled an eyebrow.
"I hope she's in a good mood tomorrow." Ellie shrugged.
"So..." Chris moaned really low and buried his nose in her hair. "... when I get home tomorrow your skin is going to be so soft and smelling extremely good..." Ellie started giggling.
"Yes." She affirmed. Then, she brought her weight upon him. "And then you can run your hands over my body..." She bent down to kiss his lips. "Just to check if they made a good job..." She kissed him again and Chris smiled. "Why are you smiling?" She stopped with her nose touching his.
"I can see where this is going." He told her, but he didn't move. He didn't want to move, not even an inch.
"Where is this going?" She kissed his lips again. Again, he smiled. His hands crossed behind his head. "Uh?" Ellie insisted rubbing her nose on his after wetting his lips with hers one more time. "Can you tell me, Christopher?"
"You are looking for something." He played.
"That is extremely vague..." She traced the line of his jaw with the tip of her nose, leaving him guessing if she was going to kiss him or not. She did not.
"You are not being that clear..." He whispered.
"I have to work on that then." She whispered, spreading kisses along his neck.
Chris pulled his head back to let her roam her lips over his skin, feeling goose bumps erupting all over.
"Ellie..." He whispered with his eyes closed to enhance the sensation of her cuddles.
His hands travelled from behind his head to rest on her lower back, taking the opportunity to ran them up and down her back over the fabric of her silky nightgown. Ellie then started to kiss her way down, spreading kisses over his chest, stopping to suck on his left nipple. Then, she continued her way down, stopping on his navel, playing with the tip of her tongue on his belly button. Chris contracted and giggled.
"You're tickling me." He chuckled quietly.
Ellie didn't say anything, and continued kissing her way down a little more, hearing his breathing change its tempo. It became a little deeper and quicker and raspy, as he anticipated what she was going to do. She kissed his skin until her lips met the waist of his shorts, her hand slid down and grabbed his bulge giving it a light squeeze. Under the covers, Ellie got up on her knees and pulled his shorts off his legs, setting him completely free and half ready for her. Then, she grabbed him around the base, and bent her head over, locking her lips around the head. Immediately, his hips bucked forward reacting to her sudden pleasant gesture. Ellie pulled her hand up and down slowly, sucking and twirling her tongue around the tip, felling him grow fully hard.
"Oh shit, babe..." He finally moaned.
Ellie then pulled the cover away from them to let him see her while she was going down on him for she knew Chris would be even more aroused. Immediately, he took a hand to her hair and held it on a ponytail in his hand, so he could see her. She wasn't wrong at all. She knew him that well. While locking her lips around him one more time, her gray eyes locked on his for mere seconds, for she saw him close his eyes and parting his lips breathing heavily right after. Then, she ran her tongue from the base, all the way up until she reached the head again and she closed her lips around it once more and sucked it harder.
"Oh fuck... that's it babe..." Chris gasped, opening his eyes, and looking down at her. "That's it babe, suck it hard." He asked her.
Ellie was all up to pleased him. So, she left her hand working on the base and her lips sucking and tongue twirling as he had asked her. She was hearing his breathing completely uneven by then. His hard member pounded in her hand and mouth ecstatic with sexual pleasure.
"Oh my God..." Chris groaned after a few seconds of more intense satisfaction.
Chris was far gone into deep pleasure. He was no longer looking at her. His eyes were closed and his lips parted. His chest came up and down as he breathed quite fast, and the muscles on his belly gave signs of contracting here and there. She didn't stop though.
"El..." He moaned, letting his head fall on the pillow, and letting go of her hair. He pushed his hips forward and she swallowed him gently, touching the tip her nose on his base. "Oh fuck..." Chris contorted. She pulled up and then down again, gently not to gag. "Yes... yes..." He allowed himself to thrust into her mouth.
Ellie pulled up and worked on him with her hand for a while. Her hand gliding perfectly up and down smoothly. Chris contorted again. The inner muscles of his thighs wobbling.
"Oh..." He hissed with his jaw clenched, his face reddening. His fist closed around the blanket.
Ellie knew she should stop or he would be done, but he aroused her in so many ways. Seeing him so far gone and hearing his moans were enough to leave her hankering for him. She wanted him badly at that point, but she decided to give him a bit more of satisfaction, by suctioning the head again more insistently, and her hand still sliding easily up and down.
"I'm gonna come, El..." He warned her, feeling everything inside him. "Oh... fuck.." He moaned as she still played him. "Stop... Stop" He breathed and pulled her head up. "You need to stop, babe..." Chris was gasping.
Ellie got up on her knees and smiled at him. Chris's hand was resting on his chest and his eyes closed, trying to calm down a little.
"Hey..." She called him sweetly, so he should see her getting rid of her panties.
"You kill me." He breathed with a fainted smile while his eyes glittered in need.
"That's my goal all the time." Ellie smiled too.
"Come ride me." He asked her as she threw her G string on the floor. He grabbed the end of her nightgown and pulled her to him. "Ride me." Chris asked again, desperate for her.
"Is that what you want?" Ellie asked as she kneeled in front of him and pecked his lips.
"Yeah..." He breathed against her lips.
Standing on her fours over his body, she searched for his lips once more. His hand tugged on the back of her neck and their tongues met for a sweet slow lustful dance, for she was giving him time to calm down a little, otherwise Chris would be done rather fast. She had brought him to culmination, and he needed a rest. During the kiss, which went incredibly slow and teasing and exciting, he started pulling her nightgown off her body, and when it reached her head, Ellie broke the kiss so he could pass it over her head. Unlike her panties, which ended up somewhere on the living room's floor, her nightgown landed right on top of their daughter.
"Shit!" Chris whispered and covered his mouth, expecting Heaven to wake up.
"Chris..." Ellie giggled really low.
After a few seconds waiting, Heaven wasn't disturbed. Ellie stretched an arm and pulled her night wear away from her.
"Come here..." Chris pulled her to him again.
Naked, she bent over him for another kiss, that he welcomed eagerly. When she broke it, she looked into his eyes, and straddled him. With her arms on either side of his head, she swayed her breasts on his face, rubbing her nipples softly on his lips. Chris took the opportunity to catch one and suckled it the manner she loved, by detaining it into his teeth and then suck it hard.
"Hum...." Ellie moaned low.
Chris smiled as he heard her and used the tip of his tongue to swirl around her nipple and she closed her eyes. With her eyes closed, she felt his manhood with her intimate parts and pushed down on him in one single and entire push.
"Oh fuck!" Chris moaned. "Oh babe... fuck..." He did not contain himself when he felt her so hot, and so wet.
Ellie looked steadily in his eyes and didn't respond. She simply smiled and started moving. Her hips swayed on top of him perfectly. She started slow, but little by little she started to ride him faster, alternating between rhythms, movements up and down and twirling her hips.
"Oh, fuck yeah..." Chris moaned. "That's so good babe..." He told her, watching her twirl and twirl.
"You wanted this." She smiled at him.
"Yeah..." He smiled back at her.
Chris could see how aroused she was. Her face so flushed and her lips rather swollen. Her nipples so hard pointing straight at him. Ellie started to grind against him more intensely.
"Yeah..." He told her. "Go all the way up, babe." He asked her.
Ellie complied with his request. She loved it when he'd tell her what he wanted. She pulled her hips up until just the tip, and then she felt his hands grasping firm on her hips pushing her fully down on him. They continued like that for a while, Ellie pulled fully up and he pushed her down.
"OH..." They moaned at the same time.
"Oh yes, babe..." Ellie moaned right after with her eyes closed.
She started rocking him at a fast tempo that was driving him insane. His hands squeezed her hips strongly, as if he needed support to survive the pleasure she was inflicting on him. His fingers digging deep into her flesh.
"Oh Chris..." She cried with her eyes closed, feeling extreme satisfaction. "My God..." Ellie cried again.
"Go on, babe... like that..." He said. "Come on, El... babe... don't stop..."
He didn't want her to stop nor to slow down. Inside of her everything was fevering, cramping lightly, involving him in a delicious dance. Her hips moving instinctively once she had picked up the rhythm they both hankered for.
"Oh my God..." She wailed again. Her voice so shaky. Her muscles quivering like jelly.
At that point, Ellie began to feel a numbness invade her body. The pleasure was not just between her legs but had spread along her entire body. A very watery noise began to be heard as she grinded on him. Her brain had shut down.
"Fuck..." Chris groaned.
He too was getting too high on pleasure. His brain was off too, completely clouded. Still, he began to pound her from beneath, helping her.
"Oh... oh..." Ellie began to moan incessantly. "Oh... Chris..." She couldn't stop moaning.
"Don't stop." Chris told her. The watery noise even more watery. "Don't stop, babe."
"Oh Chris... I can't take it anymore..." She said and he even smiled. She was moaning so loud and completely unaware of it, and that was pure music to his hears.
"It's good, babe. Don't stop..." He assured her and groaned right after.
Their bodies moved as one trying to reach culmination. Her inner walls couldn't be tighter than that. He was relishing so much on that moment, that he also only wanted to moan. He couldn't even avoid it if he wanted. The more they moved, the more they moaned and soon Ellie's body came to a halt. Her whole body trembled and tensed at the same time and she wet Chris all over while riding her orgasm.
"Oh ... my fucking God..." She moaned as she rode her orgasm, feeling a warm liquid running down her thighs. "Oh God..."
"That's it..." Chris gasped, smiling. "Oh fuck, babe..." He then rolled his eyes on the back of his head.
"God..." She whispered as the intense energy started to calm down.
Ellie looked down on him and began to ride him strongly again. She began to do it the way he liked it more. Fully up and down dry strokes. Going up and tilting the end, repeatedly.
"Oh yeah..." Chris groaned and contorted. "Oh ..." He could barely utter a sentence and his body tensed.
Ellie boosted her rhythm to a more rapid one and she felt him jerk. His hands squeezed her hips almost painfully. He threw his head back with his eyes closed and his lips parted in an extremely sexy O. She felt jolts of his orgasm being released inside her and she continued riding him, to stimulate him to release everything.
"Oh fuck..." He finally blurted as if coming back to life. His muscles trembling as she pulled more and more off of him. "Slower, babe..." He then asked her and Ellie obeyed, by rocking her hips slowly up and down. His body suffering from aftershocks, trembling every other second. "Like that." He told her and moaned again right after.
Finally, she stopped and looked down at him. Chris opened his eyes and they smiled at each other.
"Thankfully, she didn't wake up." He giggled. At the same time, Ellie bent over him and kissed his lips. "We need to move..." He laughed. "Someone wet the cover... my ass is resting on a puddle."
"I'm sorry." She told him. "Chris... I am so sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about." He kissed her forehead.
Then, he held onto her back and pushed their bodies to her former side of the improvised bed, and Ellie rested between his legs, on top of him with her head on his chest.
"You can't get pregnant now, right" He asked her after, pampering her hair. "Because we have been doing it like mad people..." He giggled after.
"No." Ellie giggled too. "Don't worry. I wouldn't be that reckless." She rested her chin on his chest to look in his eyes. Chris ran a hand over her still flushed cheek.
"Did you talk about it with Eric?" He inquired her again about therapy, but they had both been encouraged to do so even if they weren't doing it together.
His tone was quiet and calm, no recrimination could be felt, and eyes looking in hers waiting for an answer.
"Yes." Ellie confirmed it. "I have talked about it because it's something that I want and something that you don't want and that created some divergent points in our marriage." She explained.
"I have too." He told her. "I have also talked about it in one of my meetings. It's good. We are talking about the same things."
"What did you say?" She got up to her knees to see him better.
"I said that I was afraid because of what happened this time." He was honest. "That the idea of having another child with you is not repelling at all, it's just my fear..."
"I am afraid too." Ellie caressed his face.
"How about if we leave that question in the open?" Chris suggested. "We both know how we feel about it now, so in two or three years, who knows?"
"That's what I have always said." She smiled. "I am glad we are doing this. Chris we were parting ways..." He nodded.
"We were, but we have something that unites us that is a lot stronger." Chris said and leaned on his elbows to encounter her lips. "Our love." He said after.
"I do love you." Ellie smiled.
"I love you too." Chris kissed her lips one more time and then pulled away. "Let's go to bed?"
"I need a shower first. I am all sticking." She told him. "Can you take Heaven upstairs while I put all this in order?"
"Ok." He told her.
They both got up and she stopped seeing him picking up their baby so tenderly in his arms and kissing her gently after. Ellie smiled and started folding the dry blanked and put it on the couch, together with the cushions. The other, she grabbed it to put in the laundry. Chris waited near the stairs for her to come back from the laundry space. When she got near him, they started their way upstairs with a complete passed out Heaven in her father's arms.
"She didn't even move." Ellie commented.
"She's getting calmer." Chris pointed out. "She has been giving us more time to sleep at night. Have you noticed it?" Ellie nodded.
"She has been sleeping around five, six hours straight."
Once in the bedroom, Chris put Heaven in her crib carefully and pulled her cover over her tiny body. Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Ellie opened the water of the shower, to let it warm. She was tying her hair up on a huge knot in front of the mirror when Chris came behind her and held her close against his body, kissing the back of her shoulder, and then rested his chin on it, looking at her through the mirror. Ellie finished her hair and then looked at him through it too.
"Ready to sleep?" He asked.
"I am exhausted. I think I will fall asleep quickly today." She offered him a smile. Then, she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You wore me out..."
"Well..." He cocked up an eyebrow and a huge vain grin appeared on his lips.
"Stop!" Ellie giggled and kissed his lips. "Don't be that vain..."
"I am also really tired." Chris kissed her lips and pulled away, holding her hand as he walked to the shower.
"Are you going to the studio tomorrow morning?" Ellie asked as she let him get wet first.
"Only after lunch." She smiled; happy he was staying with them during the morning.
"I'm glad." Ellie kissed him.
Ellie slept well through the night, only waking up and five am for Heaven's meal. After, her baby girl fell asleep again and she snuggled with Chris in bed, managing to go back to sleep too. They were both awaken by Heaven around 9.30 am and their new day started there. They showered and got dressed alternated for one had to fed Heaven first. Then, the other would entertain the baby. Though Heaven was still awake, she was quiet and they had a peaceful breakfast in the kitchen. It was a perfect morning until their peace was disturbed by the bell ringing.
"It's your mother." Chris turned to Ellie, after opening the gate outside.
"My mother?" Ellie curled an eyebrow surprised Millie was showing up unannounced. "She usually calls..."
"I'm going to open the door." Chris said and Ellie followed him, but to put Heaven on her bouncing chair in the living room for she had fallen asleep in her mother's arms after all the baby playing with her parents.
"Hi!" She heard Millie greeting Chris. "I am sorry I have shown up like this. I thought you were in the studio." She sounded nervous.
"No..." Chris studied her face and then closed the door. "... I am only going there after lunch."
"Mom!" Ellie called for she also noticed Millie's nervous tone.
"Living room..." Chris pointed and they both started walking there.
"Is everything alright?" Ellie asked as her mother kissed her cheek.
"Yes." Millie smiled, but they both noticed it hadn't been a natural smile.
"What's the matter?" Chris asked, sitting by Ellie's side.
Millie pulled a chair and sat in front of them, rubbing her hands on her jeans while searching for a manner to tell them the news. Finally, she concluded there wasn't a good way to tell them Eric was about to activate the protocol for parents under the influence of substances.
"I talked to Eric last night..." Millie started.
"To Eric?" Ellie asked confused. "About us?" Millie nodded. "But he shouldn't!" She exclaimed right after. "You are my mother, but what Chris and I talk with him it should remain between us. He shouldn't share."
"Ellie calm down..." Millie raised a hand to stop her and her nostrils opened as she took a great intake of air. "... he had a reason to do so."
"And what reason is that?" Chris sounded mad. "Ellie is right..."
"When both parents are doing therapy for substance abuse..." Millie choked.
"Substance abuse?" Ellie frowned.
"It is what you both did!" Millie accused. "You both need to face the truth as it is. It is substance abuse and the protocol in these situations demands that a child is..."
"WHAT!" Ellie yelled and got up, knowing exactly what her mother was going to say. "You can't be serious, mom..." Her voice shook and tears ran down her face in mere seconds. "We are fine... we take good care of her... you can't do this..." Then, she turned to Chris. "Chris..." Ellie said in panic.
"What are you saying exactly?" Chris asked feeling his head about to explode.
"Eric wants Heaven away from both of you until it's safe." Millie told them. "I am so sorry..."
"NO WAY!" Chris yelled. "You have to be out of your mind. Hey..." He frowned. "We are good parents. You know that. She is well taken care of. Millie?" Then, he looked at Ellie who was sobbing. "Look at what you're doing..." He recriminated her action while crouching in front of Ellie.
"Don't let them take our baby way." Ellie asked Chris.
"Usually, Social services are the ones in charge..." Millie continued though she had to clean her eyes over and over.
"Social Services?" Chris frowned again and looked at her. "Can you even hear yourself talking? You are willing to yank your grandchild from us to deliver her to fucking Social Services?"
"Chris, you entered the hospital with a cocktail of alcohol and benzodiazepines and Ellie with a clinical report of self-medicating with Prozac. Until you are both cleared from therapy, you are considered incapable."
"Incapable?" Chris cleaned his eyes. "Who better than me and Ellie to take care of her. Look at her!" He pointed at the baby behind his mother-in-law. "Does she look like she is not taken care of? Does she? You know how much we love her. You above all people know what we have been through to have her and now you want to take her away. I will never allow that. No one is taking her away from her." He pointed at Ellie "We are her parents. We know what's best for her and no one takes care of her better than us."
"You need to calm down and listen to me." Millie continued though she knew they were both too nervous as she expected they would be. They had all the right to be nervous and scared.
"I don't want to listen!" Ellie got up and grabbed Heaven in her arms. "Chris... don't let them take her away..."
"Babe..." Chris said in a tone to calm her down. Then, he looked down at Millie who got up too. "How can you?" He hissed.
"Listen..." Millie rested her hands on his shoulders but he shook her away violently.
"Take your hands off me." He yelled. "Don't touch me."
"Ellie..." Millie turned to her daughter but Ellie gave too steps away holding onto Heaven. "She can stay with me..." Ellie shook her head.
"No!" Ellie retorted.
"Get out!" Chris pointed at the door. "Get out of our house." Millie looked at him not surprised he was expelling her.
"Chris... you need to listen." Millie still tried.
"Go away." Ellie said too.
"Get out of my house now." He ran and opened the front door. "I am waiting, Millie." He yelled from the hallway.
"Ellie..." Millie tried to speak with her daughter but she shook her head and refused to even look at her.
"Go away." Ellie simply said.
Millie left. She knew it was the best thing to do for the moment. She also knew they haven't retained anything she said. They got too nervous, like she predicted they would. She heard Chris slamming the door as she stepped out but she did not take offense. They needed their own time.
"Chris..." Ellie whispered as he came back to her. Her eyes full of tears and his too. "Don't let anyone take our baby girl from us."
"Hey..." He cupped her face between his hands and looked deeply in her eyes. "I swear no one is going to take her away from us. No one."
"Ok." Ellie nodded.
"She's ours."