Evander was perched so close to the edge of the bed that for a moment Caroline was quite certain he'd fall off it, rather than manage to remain in his seat, but at least he had entered the room. She gave him an enouraging smile, not that he noticed it, his eyes were looking at their daughter. And then, well Caroline did her best not to chuckle, it appeared he shook their daughter's hand. It was such an Evander thing to do that Caroline could not help the smile curving the edges of her lips or the amusement crinkling her eyes.

But then....Caroline was speechless. Her eyes widening. She'd never seen Evander cry. She'd seen him mad, upset, worried, ... but never this. The sounds he made, the tears coming out of his eyes. For once in here life Caroline did not know what to do, instead she let instinct take over and leaned forward, pulling Evander's face to her shoulder, wrapping her spare arm around him to hug him. And there, for the first time in her life, Caroline was able to hold her own family, so very dear and loved, to her, to surround herself in the simple love that knit them together.