"That's not you failing, Tom. That's them being unreasonable." It sounds hollow to her ears, since she knows the same feeling. There's a deep pit of frustration, a well of 'why can't I be what I was?', 'why isn't it ever over?'. She can tell Tom it's because of the others, but they both know it's because hosts are broken little creatures.

"Tom, I..." She chews on the side of her lip. She knows she's one of those people who railed against Tom letting Iniss back in. Who used the facts of the situation like a bludgeon during the elections. If she's so guilty, does it make it a sham for her to try and say anything to alleviate his plummeting self-worth?

"I let Edriss back in by choice, too," she says quietly. "I understand, baby. I understand what it's like."

That doesn't mean she knows how to respond to it. She doesn't know how much grace she can give Tom. But she needs him to know he's not alone or defective in making that decision.

Unless they're both defective.

Eva thinks they probably are.