Time makes you bolder, children get older, I'm getting older too Who: Bradley and Eva Krasner Where: Bradley's cottage When: Morning, after Eva's phone call from her sister
Eva wasn't sure how long she stayed at the kitchen table. Granted, it wasn't like moving was exactly the easiest feat for her with the crutches and all, but she could have moved if she wanted to. She was still trying to process what had happened - Margo had called her. Her youngest sibling, younger than her twin brother by a whole 12 minutes, called to ask her when she was coming home. To tell her that Bridget was off being a bad mother, again.
She couldn't say she was surprised. It wasn't like Bridget had done much when Eva's siblings were really little to help take care of them, that burden was soon pushed off onto Eva. Kind of like having an instant babysitter living in the house, and while there was a little part of her that resented that, Eva hadn't minded in the moment. She'd much rather help with her siblings and ensure that they had nice, healthy, normal lives than what they were going through now. Derek was an irresponsible 12-year-old! How would Bridget ever think it was acceptable to just leave the three of them alone and expect to come home to find everything just the way she left it? Eva loved her siblings, but Derek didn't have a reasonable bone in his body yet. He'd learn with time, but this wasn't the way to do it.
And then came the realization that she was a better parent, in terms of actually being their for the kids, than her mother ever had been. Eva didn't know what felt worse, that, or telling Margo she wasn't going back to Florida. Bridget would probably throw her out again if she showed up on their doorstep and as far as Eva was concerned, there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of that happening. Bradley loved her and he'd made her a beautiful room and he genuinely wanted to be in her life. That was what a parent was supposed to do, be there. Bridget never got that memo.
Eva didn't hear the key turn in the door, but Olivia did, sitting up and going towards the door. It's your dad, he'll make you feel better! And with that the dog was gone, and Eva rubbed at her eyes a little, wondering if her father would listen to what she'd learned. After all, Margo wasn't his daughter, he didn't have to care about what happened to Bridget's other kids. They weren't his responsibility, and they were no longer Eva's, either.