Then she yawned. A huge yawn that took up her whole face. And she curled her tiny fist around the collar of his clean blue shirt and fell asleep.
Ben made a sound I’ll never forget. Not a sob, exactly. Something deeper. Something that came from the very bottom of him.
“Hi, Evie,” he whispered. “Hi, baby girl. I’m your dad. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry I wasn’t there. I’m here now. I’m here now, I promise.”
I stood by the window and watched them, and I didn’t cry. I’d done enough crying. I just watched.
When the hour was up, my dad came to the doorway. He didn’t say anything. He just stood there.
Ben looked up. He nodded. He stood, very carefully, and handed Evelyn back to me.
At the door, he stopped.
“Same time next week?” he asked. “If that’s okay. Only if that’s okay.”
