@mentolist,Ā Ā Ā *holds out his hands for her to hand over baby holly*
she Ā eyes Ā him Ā with Ā more Ā than Ā a Ā smidge Ā of Ā distrust; Ā a Ā greatĀ big Ā heaping Ā of Ā suspicion Ā and Ā doubt, Ā mashed Ā together Ā and Ā left Ā to Ā spoil Ā in Ā the Ā pit Ā of Ā her Ā stomach. Ā Ā first Ā instinct Ā is Ā to Ā clutch Ā her Ā child Ā tighter, Ā to Ā shift Ā her Ā a Ā little Ā higher Ā up Ā on Ā her Ā hip, Ā so Ā as Ā to Ā fully Ā envelop Ā her Ā in Ā a Ā hug, Ā protection Ā from Ā what Ā karen Ā can Ā only Ā deem Ā a Ā threat Ā Ā āā Ā Ā what Ā other Ā word Ā is Ā there Ā to Ā describe Ā someone Ā who Ā brings Ā news Ā of Ā her Ā children Ā being Ā in Ā harmās Ā way? Ā Ā but Ā she Ā can Ā see Ā that Ā gleam Ā in Ā his Ā eyes, Ā the Ā way Ā he Ā lit Ā up Ā at Ā the Ā mere Ā sight Ā of Ā holly. Ā Ā [ Ā who Ā can Ā blame Ā him? Ā she Ā thinks Ā to Ā herself, Ā she Ā whose Ā chest Ā blooms Ā with Ā warmth Ā every Ā time Ā she Ā sees Ā her Ā youngest, Ā no Ā matter Ā how Ā often Ā in Ā a Ā day. Ā ]Ā Ā lipsĀ purseĀ andĀ stretchĀ intoĀ theĀ slightestĀ ofĀ poutsĀ asĀ sheĀ deliberates,Ā fingertipsĀ absentlyĀ brushingĀ overĀ theĀ strandsĀ ofĀ fairĀ pigtails.Ā Ā jawĀ sets,Ā andĀ sheāsĀ madeĀ upĀ herĀ mind.Ā Ā cueĀ aĀ hesitantĀ nod,Ā browsĀ thatĀ knitĀ together.Ā Ā sheĀ doesnātĀ takeĀ herĀ eyesĀ offĀ him,Ā notĀ evenĀ forĀ aĀ second,Ā movingĀ toĀ transferĀ hollyĀ fromĀ herĀ armsĀ intoĀ his.Ā Ā heĀ seemsĀ toĀ beĀ goodĀ withĀ kids;Ā unusual,Ā forĀ aĀ manĀ whoĀ saysĀ heĀ hasĀ none.Ā Ā sheāsĀ onlyĀ somewhatĀ soothed,Ā andĀ eagle-eyedĀ allĀ theĀ same.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā Ā youāreĀ veryĀ goodĀ withĀ kids,Ā mr.Ā jane. Ā Ā Ā Ā ā
HEĀ Ā STUDIESĀ Ā HERĀ Ā DOUBTS,Ā Ā Ā RECOGNIZESĀ Ā HERĀ Ā FEARS,Ā Ā Ā butĀ Ā patrickĀ Ā doesnātĀ Ā capitulate,Ā Ā Ā stanceĀ Ā firmĀ Ā asĀ Ā sheĀ Ā makesĀ Ā upĀ Ā herĀ Ā mind.Ā Ā Ā heĀ Ā appreciatesĀ Ā herĀ Ā hesitation,Ā Ā Ā ofĀ Ā course:Ā Ā Ā sheĀ Ā hardlyĀ Ā knowsĀ Ā himĀ Ā &Ā Ā heāsĀ Ā madeĀ Ā aĀ Ā difficultĀ Ā impression,Ā Ā Ā ifĀ Ā anything,Ā Ā Ā butĀ Ā theĀ Ā wholesomenessĀ Ā ofĀ Ā hisĀ Ā gazeĀ Ā asĀ Ā heĀ Ā peersĀ Ā atĀ Ā theĀ Ā childĀ Ā knowsĀ Ā toĀ Ā silenceĀ Ā tracesĀ Ā ofĀ Ā uncertaintyĀ Ā &Ā Ā THEĀ Ā BABYĀ Ā ISĀ Ā DELIVEREDĀ Ā INTOĀ Ā HISĀ Ā ARMS,Ā Ā Ā fervorĀ Ā growingĀ Ā asĀ Ā sheĀ Ā radiatesĀ Ā aĀ Ā warmthĀ Ā &Ā Ā lifeĀ Ā heĀ Ā hasnātĀ Ā experiencedĀ Ā inĀ Ā years.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā heeeeeeey. . .Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā AĀ Ā BROAD,Ā Ā Ā AUTHENTICĀ Ā SMILEĀ Ā MATERIALIZESĀ Ā ONĀ Ā HISĀ Ā LIPSĀ Ā whenĀ Ā heĀ Ā gazesĀ Ā downĀ Ā atĀ Ā theĀ Ā child,Ā Ā Ā establishesĀ Ā rapidĀ Ā contactĀ Ā &Ā Ā drawingĀ Ā theĀ Ā childāsĀ Ā vividĀ Ā attention.Ā Ā Ā sheĀ Ā feelsĀ Ā naturalĀ Ā inĀ Ā hisĀ Ā arms,Ā Ā Ā asĀ Ā ifĀ Ā fillingĀ Ā aĀ Ā spaceĀ Ā leftĀ Ā vacantĀ Ā forĀ Ā tooĀ Ā long,Ā Ā Ā herĀ Ā handĀ Ā naturally Ā Ā comingĀ Ā toĀ Ā gripĀ Ā atĀ Ā theĀ Ā lapelĀ Ā ofĀ Ā hisĀ Ā jacketĀ Ā asĀ Ā heĀ Ā gentlyĀ Ā rocksĀ Ā her,Ā Ā Ā placesĀ Ā aĀ Ā kissĀ Ā uponĀ Ā herĀ Ā brow.Ā Ā Ā GAZEĀ Ā BREAKSĀ Ā TOĀ Ā RETURNĀ Ā ONĀ Ā HERĀ Ā MOTHER,Ā Ā Ā patrickĀ Ā grinningĀ Ā widelyĀ Ā whenĀ Ā heĀ Ā speaks.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā sheāsĀ Ā beautiful.Ā Ā Ā howĀ Ā oldĀ Ā isĀ Ā she?Ā Ā Ā ā