Jake speaks up with an amused tone in his voice: "People eat here you know. Behave yourselves." Dart and Jo laugh and Jo gets up from Dart's lap, turning around to face Jake. Jake smiles and says: "Come on, we have something to show you guys." 

They walk over to the bar together, where Ivette is sitting on a stool and Jake points at the big screen above it. It shows Jo in her mint green dress, with the text: Welcome to The Sidewalk Cafe. Jake hands her a menu and she sees her silhouette in the logo on a new mint green colored menu. She reads the menu and discovers some new menu items.

Not Sharing Combo: cheesecake and coffee
Wings of Love: chicken wings a la Jo
Dutch Delights: Grolsch beer, Dutch cheese and bitterballen
Cheesy Jo: pizza witch cheese on cheese
Sharing the Love Combo: banana and strawberry crepes
Long and Hard: baguette with ham and butter

Jo laughs as she reads the last one and looks up at Jake. "Yeah, the last one is all Maria. She predicted your reaction perfectly though. I thought it was a bit too much." 

Dart hugs Jo from behind and chuckles. "Hey if I can laugh about it, so should you Jake. It all looks really good though, so when can we taste it?" 

Jake smiles and says: "Today! We're introducing the new menu today. Besides the wings of love. They will only be available when Jo is here to fry them. Makes them a bit more exclusive." Jake opens the kitchen door to let Maria and Ronnell in, who are carrying trays of food. 

Jo's stomach grumbles as she smells it all, grabbing a slice of pizza first. She moans softly after the first bite, making Ronnell smile even wider. Jo opens her eyes and meets his. "Ronnell, you do know I will never be able to enjoy a cheese pizza from somewhere else ever again, right? Expect phone calls at the weirdest hours of the day to make me one." 

Ronnell laughs happily and comes over to her to give her a hug. "You are the only one that can call me in the middle of the night and get away with it. I will happily make you cheese pizza's for the rest of your life."

Jo kisses his cheek and says: "If I wasn't already engaged...."

Two strong hands grab her by the waist and turn her around. "Hell no. Mine and mine forever. I like Ronnell and I love his food, but that's it!" Dart kisses Jo possessively, glaring at Ronnell, making all the others around them laugh. 

Jo tries a bit of everything, saving the bitterballen for last. She hasn't eaten these since she left The Netherlands. These fried balls, filled with ragout in a crispy skin, fly her back home as soon as she takes a bite. She smiles with her eyes closed and Dart studies her face. She opens her eyes and he sees a lot of different emotions in them. He strokes her cheek and asks her: "Are you okay?" 

She blinks and chases the memories away. "I'm fine. These are really good." She turns to Ronnell and says: "Best ones I ever had Ronnell. And I bet you never made these before." 

Ronnell smiles at her and says: "Never before. But these things are fun to make!"

Dart takes her chin in his hand and turns her head to him, so he can look into her eyes. She tries to avoid his gaze for a second, but knows it won't work. He tries to find out what's wrong by staring deep into her eyes. She sighs and says: "I think I should try to call my mom. I haven't spoken to her since I ran away and she has no way to contact me. She was really fond of Mark... I would like to go back to The Netherlands at some point though, even if it's just for a visit. But it all feels so uncomfortable." 

She rubs her arms and closes her eyes. Dart kisses her softly and pulls her in for a warm hug. "Just remember I will be here, every step of the way, whatever you decide to do." She takes in his scent and starts to relax in his arms. He always manages to make her feel better, she kisses him and whispers a thank you.

She takes out her phone and walks into the kitchen to make the phone call. She dials the number nervously and after a few rings, her mum picks up. In a hesitant, soft voice she says: "Hi mom." 

Her mother gasps and then asks: "Johanna? Is that you? Oh my god!" 

Jo feels a hand on her shoulder as the first tear rolls down her cheek, knowing it's Dart to support her. "Yes mum, it's me. How are you?" 

After a deep breath, her mum starts to ramble: "Where are you? What happened? And Mark... Did you really break his nose? And are you really engaged? I don't understand any of it. But I haven't been a very good mother to you lately, have I?" 

Jo cries and says: "I missed you so much mum. Through all of it." 

Her mother apologizes and says: "Please tell me all about it. But I know that must difficult right now. I want to know all about you, I want to be there for you. I was so worried. Please, stay in touch." Jo is not able to hold the phone anymore and sinks to the floor. She pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them as she cries. 

Dart picks up the phone and introduces himself to her mother. "I am sorry, but Jo is too emotional to talk right now. It's nice to talk to you though. I promise we will meet soon and talk about it all properly. Just know she is safe with me. Until next time. Bye." He kneels down next to Jo and pulls her close, speaking softly as he rubs her back. "You did it, you called her. Whatever happens, you can be proud of yourself."

Jo gets up as her phone beeps and Dart hands it to her. Jo looks at the message and lets out a hoarse laugh. It's a message from her mum, sending her a picture of a billboard asking Jo if that's really her with her future husband. 

Oh yes, that's us.
You should google him.
He is really out of this world on every level. 

Dart tries to look at her message and she shows him the picture and translates her reply. He coughs and says: "Don't tell your mum to google me! That can't end well." 

Jo laughs out loud and says: "You don't know my mum. She will like you even more. She likes her men young, strong and skilled." Dart looks so shocked that Jo can't help but laugh some more. Her phone beeps again and she smiles wickedly as she reads the message. 

Holy fuck Jo!
How did you get someone like him?
He is every woman's wet dream.
I bet he never leaves you unsatisfied!
Congratulations! 

She tells Dart and he becomes even more uncomfortable. "Yeah, are you sure you want to meet her soon?" Dart shakes his head and Jo bites his lower lip, before saying: "It's fine baby. I will make it very clear to her that you are mine and mine alone. And I doubt she will say these things to your face. She said it thinking I was the only one seeing it."

Dart kisses her, trying to hide the feelings suddenly overwhelming him. But Jo notices as always and makes him talk about it. "I should call my mother too. And I should tell you about my dad." He suddenly looks so sad that Jo hugs him tight, trying to make him feel better. At that moment, Ivette peeks into the kitchen and sees the look in Dart's eyes. 

She walks up to them and asks Dart what's wrong. He mumbles: "I should call maman, right? And tell Jo about dad." 

Ivette rubs his arm and says: "You should, maman wants to hear from you. And I think it could be good for you, to tell Jo about dad. She can help you through this brother. Her love has already healed so much." Ivette kisses Jo on her cheek and says: "Trust on the love that everyone can clearly see and you two can make it through anything. Until next time, I am off to create an awesome three-page spread."

Jo smiles at Ivette and turns her attention to Dart again. She strokes his cheek and says: "Go on. Call her. If I can do it, so can you." Dart takes a deep breath and lifts Jo up to put her down on the kitchen table, taking a seat in front of her. His eyes tell her to stay put, as he gathers the courage to call his mom. He plays with her hair, while he waits, gasping as his mum picks up. 

He softly speaks in French, looking so sad and stressed, that Jo feels it in her own heart. Dart pulls at one of her curls and tries to stay calm. But it doesn't seem to be a very happy conversation. Jo gets nervous, feeling the tension coming from Dart. At some point he gets angry and says: "She is not! No, I am not listening to you any longer. I tried to do the right thing, but I am hanging up now. I love her more than anything in this world. Bye!" 

He slams his fist on the table, scaring Jo in the process and he apologizes the second he realizes that. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I am not angry at you. She just... She saw all the other 'girlfriends' over the years and just assumed you are like them. She is not even listening." He pulls Jo onto his lap and she kisses his face over and over, whispering how much she loves him. 

Jo leans back and says: "We will have to show her she's wrong about me. But you can't really blame her can you? It all sounds pretty unbelievable, doesn't it?" 

Dart looks up at her in surprise and asks: "You would want to meet her? For real?" 

Jo runs her fingers through his hair and says: "Yeah duh, she is your mum and she is obviously important to you. We should at least try."Dart kisses her deeply and pulls her into his arms. 

He gets up, holds her close to his body and walks out of the kitchen, into the cafe. Jake smiles as they walk in and says: "Well Ivette did say you needed some time alone..." 

Dart breaks the kiss and winks at Jake, stating the obvious: "I am taking her home. Thanks and bye." Jake laughs and runs to the door to hold it open for them. Jo clings to Dart as he makes his way home, stopping every few steps to kiss her deeply. 

As soon as they're home, pieces of clothing come off feverishly and Dart carries her to the bedroom, mumbling: "Better give the door some rest, before we do that again." Jo laughs a bit hoarse and he stifles it with a long, deep kiss. He makes sure he kisses every inch of her body and Jo loses all sense of time and place, all she feels are his hands and mouth. She whispers his name, trembling all over and dragging him down with her into a world full of desire.

She tries to catch her breath, but her heart is still racing extremely fast. She turns her head to Dart and he smiles at her lazily, stroking her skin with one finger and making her shiver. She bites her lower lip, still lost in a different universe. And he knows it, as he enjoys how little effort it takes to make her shiver. 

She whispers: "Stop it." He smiles wide and shakes his head. He leans over and barely touches her shoulder with the tip of his tongue, making her moan. There's no way she can stop him, because it is impossible to move right now. She pleads: "Dart please, give me time to recover. Please." 

He plants a feather-light kiss on her lips and says: "Hmm, okay. I'll get us something to drink. It's a lot more fun when you bite and scratch me anyway." Jo watches him get up and walk out of the bedroom, seeing the scratches on his back and ass. She smiles weakly and closes her eyes, trying to control her breathing. 

 Dart walks back towards the bedroom and stops in the doorway. He looks at the gorgeous woman in his bed, sunlight shining down on her fiery hair and her pale complexion and her pink skin in the spots that are still excited. He takes in the view and feels like the luckiest guy in the world. She is awesome, maybe less experienced, but all the more exciting to play with. All her responses are real, honest and drive him crazy. 

He sits down at the end of the bed and hands her an energy drink. She tries to get up and manages to do so, but very slowly, feeling a bit dizzy. He smiles at her lovingly, desperately trying not to touch her. She takes a sip from the energy drink and avoids his gaze, feeling his eyes on her. She starts to smile more with every sip and looks up into his eyes. He winks at her and pulls her hair.

Jo sits up next to him with her feet on the ground and asks him: "Dart? What about your dad? Want to tell me about him?" Dart slides down to the floor and lays his head on her lap. She plays with his hair, giving him time to find the words. 

He speaks softly and Jo hears all the various emotions in his voice. "He didn't agree with my career at all. And we had a big fight, before I moved over here for good. He told me that if I left, I wouldn't be welcome at home anymore. He thought I was wasting my talents and that I would never be happy this way. I went anyway, thinking I knew exactly what I was doing. I didn't have a clue, but I was stubborn and proud. As soon as I booked a ticket to go home to see the family and admit to him that it wasn't all I thought it would be, my mom called." 

"My dad had a heart attack and I flew home, not knowing if I was able to speak to him again. When I arrived at the hospital I was too late." He said it all very fast, worried he might not make it till the end and then starts crying. Jo's heart breaks for him, as she strokes his hair. 

"Oh Dart, I am so sorry." A tear runs down her cheek, as she rubs his shoulders. She lifts his head up and kisses him softly. "Come on, get back into bed with me, so I can hug you properly. Please." He gets up and she lays down on her back, holding her arms out to him. He buries his face in her hair, right above her shoulder and she holds him tight, telling him how much she loves him. She holds him lovingly for as long as it takes him to cry his heart out. 

He rolls onto his back with a sigh, avoiding Jo's eyes. Jo sits up and takes his hand in hers, kissing every one of his fingers. "Dart, don't hide from me. Not now, not ever. I want to be there for you, through it all, like you are for me." He looks into her eyes and sees her strength and love in there. He pulls her down to the bed and she lays her head on his shoulder and a hand on his chest. 

He enjoys her warmth, her smell, her trust in him and starts talking again. "I knew exactly what you meant, when you told me how you got lost, after your dad died. I was so lost I almost killed myself with the way I was living. I am not proud of that time, but I didn't know how to crawl out of that hole either. I can see how Mark seemed like a savior when you need someone to save you that desperately."

"I was lucky to have a sister, who just flew over here from France, to knock some sense into me. She stood by me through all of the bad times and I was so horrible to her. But she kept coming back, telling me she loved me and always telling me about a woman out there, who was perfect for me. And that I needed to get my act together for that woman in the future. That a woman like that would need a strong, loving man she could lean on and that I was nowhere near that, in the state I was in."

He takes a deep breath and runs a finger down Jo's spine, she reacts immediately and he smiles softly. "If I had known back then, that you were the woman my sister was talking about, I would have snapped out of it right away. I want to be the best version of me for you. You're so much more than I could have ever dreamed of, I still can't believe you're here sometimes. I had convinced myself that I would never find someone that truly loves me, that it would be fake relationships forever."

Jo lifts her head, looking into his eyes, until he looks back at her. "I knew Ivette was amazing when I met her. She looks like you on the outside." 

Dart smiles and says: "Yeah, but she's an awful lot like you on the inside. She's meaner though."

Jo kisses his chest and says: "Remind me to thank her the next time we see her. Without her, I wouldn't have you right now. Thank God for her." 

Dart rolls over with Jo in his arms and pushes himself up with a fist on either side of her face, looking down into her eyes. "Talking about this all makes me realize just how amazing you are. You got through it all on your own, no one there to support you. Your dad dying, your mum grieving without you and Mark the bastard." 

Jo shakes her head: "Not true. The only thing I did alone, was getting the hell out of a bad situation. But that was not a conscious decision, it was like a reflex. When I realized what I had done, I was already collapsing on a chair in the cafe. If anyone saved me, it was Jake. And that's all thanks to his sister, she somehow brought me to him and he saw what was wrong with me, even before I told him about it. It all comes down to sisters, see?" 

Dart lowers himself onto her and kisses her lightly. "Yeah, from my sister to Jake's sisters. Pretty awesome."

Jo strokes his back and says: "I think we should fly to Europe together soon and meet the mothers. And I would love to see the places you grew up. I would love to learn more about you as a kid." Dart stares into her eyes with so much love, that a warmth spreads from her heart to the rest of her body. She pulls him close for a kiss and whispers she loves him. He asks her if she's tired and she nods, hiding a yawn. 

"Okay, so how? Spooning? On my chest? In my arms? Tell me." 

Jo laughs and says: "Spooning. That saves me from seeing you." 

Dart looks hurt: "You don't want to see me?" 

Jo sucks his lip suggestively and says: "No, because I won't get any sleep that way. And tomorrow is busy right? Photoshoot, interview and movie premiere if I remember correctly."

Dart pouts and says: "Yeah, you're right and I should be the one telling you to sleep. I'll try and behave. It's difficult but I am strong." He laughs and lays down on his side, pulling her close, placing his hand on her tummy, with his fingers spread out. He feels her relax and sink into dreamland. He whispers: "Sweet dreams, gorgeous. I will keep you safe." He drifts off himself for a bit and then hears his phone beep from the kitchen. He gets up carefully, watching the cats take his place and he laughs softly.

He looks at his phone and sees it's a message from Jake. 

I hope you will let her get some sleep at some point.
There will be food on the porch in two hours or so.
Feed her and yourself.
And if you need to talk, I am here. 

Dart smiles at his phone, thinking to himself that Jo is really rubbing off on Jake. He seems to know things, without someone telling him about it. Darts walks over to the bedroom to look at Jo sleeping, Canelle is in her arms now and Minous climbed on top of her again. Her cheeks are red and it looks like she's smiling.