ch 4

Matt had called Faith everyday since they left and on occassion he called more than once or she called him, a few times Eve answered and she and Matt would talk for awhile mostly about Faith and she would ask all the medical questions and answer some. As far as recovery went Matt was doing well and was half way through his rehab by Thanksgiving and was looking foward to spending it for the first time with Faith. Eve was putting in extra hours at the hospital for her replacement while she was on vacation it was her last shift before she went on vacation and she was about to sign out when the phone rang.

" Bayview Hospital nurses station " she answered.

" Eve its Doris " she could tell by her voice the call wasn't a social call. " I'm so sorry but I'm not going to be able to cover from you, my mother fell and broke her hip, I'm all she has and she can't afford any nursing care, I really am sorry "

Eve sighed " No its alright, I wish your mom the best " she said and hung up the phone.

As Eve was driving home her phone rang and she answered it " Hello " she said.

" Eve " the caller asked.

" Matt " she questioned, he had never called her cell phone before.

" Yeah, is Faith with you " he said.

" No, she's at home "

" Oh I was wondering since you answered her phone " he said.

Eve quickly looked at the phone and saw she had picked up Faith's by accident " I honestly had no clue but I'm glad you called I have a bit of a problem my replacement can't fill in for me her mom fell and broke her hip and she was my last hope " she said.

" Aw man so you have to work Thanksgiving " he asked.

" Yeah, I'm sorry Matt I know how much you were looking foward to spending Thanksgiving with Faith but I know she won't fly alone " she told him.

Matt chuckled a bit " Yeah we talked about her flying out to meet me sometime and she was like noway "

Eve sighed " I'm really sorry Matt " she said again.

" Now hold on just because you guys can't come here doesn't mean I can't fly out there " he said.

" Yeah that's fine but I have to work so I won't be able to cook dinner " she said.

Matt grinned " Don't worry about a thing, me and Faith will handle dinner " he told her.

" You are going to cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner with Faith " she asked.

" Yup we'll even do the shopping " he said.

Eve chuckled at the thought " Alright when are you coming then " she asked.

" Tomorrow but don't tell Faith, just let her think you have to work " he said.

" Alright but you better be ready for an earfull " she told him.

" Okay " he laughed.

Eve laughed again at the thought of Matt in an apron " Oh by the way how is the recovery going " she asked.

" Real good, I'm slightly ahead of schedule so its going good " he said.

" Well just don't push yourself too hard, a nice steady pace " she told him.

" I know, well I better go so I can make flight arrangments I'll see ya soon " he said.

" Okay, bye Matt " she said and hung up Matt cooking, now I'd love to see that, and with Faith she laughed to herself.

Eve made it home as Faith was getting ready to leave for school she came in the front door as Faith was heading out and they about ran into each other.

" Hi " Eve said with a bit of shock.

" Hi mom, love ya I gotta go, oh I want to go shopping for a new sweater to take to Cameron for Thanksgiving " she said in a hurry.

Eve shighed " Honey about that, Doris can't fill in for me " she told her.

Faith walked back towards the house " But you said she would "

Eve shook her head " Her mom got hurt and she has to go help her out " she didn't want to lie. " I'm sorry I know you were looking forward to going " she said trying not to smile and give away the surprise.

Faith frowned " Oh, well I'm sorry her mom is hurt but isn't there anybody else " she pleaded.

Eve shook her head no " Doris was my last hope " she said.

Faith nodded sadly " Alright, let me tell dad though he's going to be upset "

Eve hugged her " Alright honey, you can tell your dad " she said.

Matt made his way through the crowded airport in hopes of getting to the rental counter before he was reconized he wanted to surprise Faith so he got an early flight out so he could be there when she got home from school. He got his bags that he had to check and thankfully nothing was lost or misplaced and turned around and saw a pair of big brown eyes that lit up.

" Matt Hardy " the little boy cried " Look mom its Matt Hardy " he said pulling on the woman's hand he was holding.

She turned around and her jaw dropped " Oh my God it is " she said and Matt just smiled " Oh we are such big fans, you have just got to take a picture with us, oh the people at home won't believe this, Katie, Tom, Brian look who's here " the woman's outburst got the attention of others and before Matt knew it he was posing for pictures and signing things until his hands ached.

" Well you all have a great Thanksgiving, be safe, God bless " he said and made a bee line for the counter before anyone else stopped him, he glanced at his watch as he waited in the short line, he still had plenty of time.

Matt looked at the address on the last letter Faith had sent him as he pulled up to the house " Surprise " he said as he got out and stretched his sore muscles.

Eve had just gotten out of the shower and was in her room, she looked out in the driveway and saw a car she didn't reconize and then herd the door bell ring, she threw on a pair of shots and wrapped her robe tight around her as she hurried across the room and down the hall, she opened the door.

" Matt " she gasped. " come in " she said. " You could have called me I would have picked you up "

Matt shook his head " Nah I know this area, the arena we go to all the time is about a mile down the road " he told her.

" Have a seat, Faith should be home soon " she said. " How was your flight " she asked.

" Good, for once it was on time " he said. Matt sat down and Eve saw a slight hint of pain on his face. " When does she get home " he asked.

" In about ten mins, you can see the bus pull up from here " she told him.

Matt nodded " When it does I'm going to go and hide, get her to call me on my cell " he said.

Eve giggled knowing how surprised Faith was going to be " Alright " she said and she herd the bus. " There it is " she said and Matt went into the first room he saw, Eve's.

Faith got off the bus with some friends " Hey since your mom is working why don't you come over to my house " her freind Shannon asked.

Faith shighed " Thanks but I think I'll stay home "

" You got to snap out of it, girl do you realize Bobby Simmons waved at you today and you ignored him " Sara asked.

" He did, no I didn't see him " she said as they stopped at her driveway.

" Call your dad and snap out of it " Shannon said.

" I will, call me later " Faith told them then went inside.

" How was your day " Eve questioned.

Faith sighed " Alright I guess " she said sitting down. " Do you think dad is home "

" We're you going to call him " she asked this being way to easy.

She nodded " I miss him " she said.

" Call his cell that way you'll be sure to get him " she advised.

Faith grabbed the phone off the cradle and dialed Matt's cell phone number it rang twice and he answered.

" Hey sweetie "

" Hey dad, I have some bad news " she began.

" Utho, what " he asked as if he didn't know.

Faith sighed " Mom has to work so we can't come there for Thanksgiving " she said.

" Oh wow, well I guess I'll have to come there " he said as he slowly walked down the hall, he could see her but she couldn't see him.

Faith perked up " Really " she gasped. " When can you get here " she asked.

Now Eve could see him and she had to stiffel a laugh " Is now good " he said and Faith turned around.

" DAD " she cried and sprang from her seat into his arms. " You knew " she looked at her mom.

" I talked to your mom last night and she told me, so I felw out this morning " he said.

" Oh this is awesome, I want you to meet some of my friends while you are here, how long can you stay " she bombarded him with one sentence after another.

Matt laughed " I have a doctor's appointment Monday so I can stay a few days, if its okay " he said looking Eve's way.

" Sure it is, I'll go make up the spare bedroom for you " she offered.

" That's alright I can stay at the hotel I don't want you to go through any trouble " he said and Faith frowned.

Eve was quick to protest " Matthew Hardy you will do no such thing, you can stay right here with your daughter and its no trouble, besides the guest bed is much more comfortable than some lumpy old hotel matress " she scolded.

" Stay here dad, please " Faith asked.

" How can I refuse that " he smiled and Faith hugged him again, he looked over her shoulder and mouthed the words thank you to Eve, she nodded and went to prepare his room.

Faith finally let go of him and lead him over to the couch " So tell me everything that's going on in Cameron " she said.

Matt laughed " I just talked to you last night and I haven't been there since three this morning " he said.

" Was grandpa upset that we couldn't come and then you left " she asked worried.

Matt shook his head " Nope he and his buddy went hunting, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Beth went to her folks house, they were torn so it all worked out, and I came here "

Eve came out of the room " Boy that place was dusty, we never seem to use it much, I wasn't expecting you so soon so I'll have to go to the store and get something for dinner " she said.

" How about I take you two out to dinner " Matt suggested.

" I worked a double so there is no way I'm turning down a dinner i don't have to cook " she said.

Matt laughed he knew the feeling " Cool, where do you want to go " he asked.

Eve shrugged and looked at Faith who shrugged too " It doesn't matter to us " Eve said.

Matt thought " I know this stake house down the road how's that " he asked.

" Sounds good " they said.

" It's still a couple hours before dinner do you want to rest a little " Eve asked knowing Matt was still recovering.

Matt nodded and rubbed his neck " Yeah I've been up all night " he told her.

" Go rest and I'll get you up around six " Eve told him.

" You wouldn't mind " he asked Faith.

She shook her head " No go ahead I have homework to do anyhow " she told him.

Matt stood up and stretched his legs, his knee was a little sore from all the driving and then the flight, his back was starting to tighten up a little and he didn't need that right now so resting sounded like a good choice.

" You do that " he said and leaned down to kiss the top of her head, then smiled at Eve as he went down the hall.

Matt slept well despite the fact that he was in a strange place lucky for him he could sleep just about anywhere when he woke up he was a little stiff in his lower back but that was normal, he stretched and yawned then looked at the clock in the room, it was almost six and he smiled when he herd the knock on the door, he knew who it was.

" Dad are you awa..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence because Matt opened the door quickly causing her to jump back and scream, he laughed and hugged her as she pouted.

" Not funny dad, not funny at all "

Matt was still laughing " You should have seen the look on your face "

Eve came down the hall and saw them hugging " What happened " she asked.

" Dad just scared me half to death thar's all " she said playfull slapping him on the arm.

" I did, but it was funny as hell, I thought she was going to climb the wall backwards " he laughed and Eve did to as she pictured it in her mind.

Matt let Faith go and Eve put her arm around her daughter " I forgot to tell you honey your dad has a strange sense of humor "

Matt smirked " Yes I admit I do " he confessed.

They walked out to the driveway and Eve stood infront of her car, Matt infornt of his " You're kidding right, I know my way around here better than you do " Eve claimed.

Matt laughed " I garentee I have driven these raods more than you " he boasted.

Faith stood looking at her parents and shook her head she thought they were acting childish " I have an idea why don't I drive I have my learner's permit " she said with a smile.

Matt looked at Eve and she shrugged then nodded " Alright but we'll take your mom's car " Matt said and Eve raised her brow at him. As they were getting in Matt shrugged " What mine is a rental " he laughed.

Matt told Faith where to go and when to turn while Eve sat in the backseat being a backseat driver " Faith you are following too close, slow down the speed limit is only thirty five here, did you use your signal " were several of the questions she bombarded her daughter with.

Matt took off his shirt that he had over his tank top and gave it to Eve, she took it with a strange look of confussion " What did you give me this for " she asked.

Matt groaned " Put the damn thing over your head and let her drive she's doing just fine " he said and for that he recieved a slap in the head.

" Asshole " Eve pouted from the backseat and tossed the shirt back to Matt.

Matt folded the shirt over his lap " I see you haven't changed any when it comes to a backseat driver "

" Well if people could drive right I wouldn't have to be a backseat driver " she stated. " And besides I was never that bad with you " she reminded.

Matt tossed his head back and laughed " Not that bad, damn woman you made me run into a tree " he recalled.

" Uh guys were here " Faith said shutting off the car.

They ignored her " You are not still blaming that on me " she said.

Matt gasped " not still blaming you " he shook his head and before he could speak she cut him off.

" If I hadn't reacted you would have ran right into that fence post " she said.

Matt smirked " Oh and the tree was a better choice " he asked. " Besides if you hadn't grabbed my arm I wouldn't have hit the tree "

Eve fired back with " No you would have hit the FENCE "

Faith was standing by the car covering her face as people walked by and stared at her parents arguing about an accident that happened God knows how many years ago.

Matt shook his head " The fence was at least two blocks away you would have known that if you...he stopped realizing their daughter was listening " Alright maybe we were both at fault, I wasn't paying attention and you over reacted " Matt said.

Eve laughed " Yeah I can live with that " she said recalling what they were doing at the time.

Faith looked up " So we can go in now or is there some other fight you two would like to relive " she asked.

" Nope I'm good " Matt said.

" Yeah me too " Eve agreed.

Faith went in first and Eve followed her as Matt held open the door Faith had never seen her mom so bold, Matt brought out a side in Eve that she had burried long ago and she had never felf so alive as she did right now.

The waitress came over to their table " What can I get you to drink " she asked.

" I'll have " she cut Matt off.

" I know what you want babe, I was asking the ladies " she winked at him.

Eve felt a pang of jealousy " And what is that " she asked.

" A long Island Ice tea and a bottle of Miclobe lite " she recalled.

Matt nodded " Pertty good " he said.

Eve eyed him and then smiled " Make that two " she said as if it were a challenge.

The waitress brought their drinks and Matt raised his glass to Eve, she smiled and did the same, Faith wondered if either of them would be considered valid drivers on the way home.