I fold around her immediately, one hand cradling the back of her head as tears sting behind my eyes.
“Oh, my brave girl,” I whisper into her hair, relishing the smell of strawberry shampoo.
Her little body presses tighter against mine.
“You’re brave too, Penny.”
Brave.
My arms tighten a fraction around her, because I feel anything but.
“Daddy cried,” she adds quietly.
I hum and lift my head slowly to look at Evan over the top of hers. He’s standing beside the bed with one hand braced against the rail, eyes fixed on us.
Tired shadows hollow out his face, and there’s no embarrassment there at all. Only grief. Relief. Love so raw, it’s still bleeding.
Elle pulls back slightly to look at me. “He was really scared.”
“I know,” I whisper, my throat burning. “I was scared, too.”
Her mouth wobbles a little at that, trying so hard to be brave, then her gaze flicks to Evan, and back to me. “When are you coming home?”
Home.
I smooth her hair back carefully. “Soon, bug.”
She studies my face for another long second, like she’s checking whether I mean it, then finally holds the folded paper out toward me.
“I made you something.”
I take it carefully and unfold it against the blanket. It’s a stick figure family, with giant smiles and mismatched-length arms. Me with blue-tipped hair, Evan tall beside me. Elle’s between us, holding both our hands, and even Gus is there, spotted with dots like a little cow instead of a dog.
Something inside me cracks wide open.
“It’s beautiful, Elle. Thank you.”
She points proudly. “Mrs. Patel told us to draw the people we love most, so I drew my family.”
My vision blurs instantly, and beside me, Evan drags a hand over his mouth and looks away for a second, trying to pull himself together.
Gwen’s voice sounds gently from the doorway. “Hey, monkey butt. We should probably let Penny rest for a bit now, eh.”
Elle nods, but she throws her arms around me one more time first. This hug is tighter.
“I love you, Penny.”
The tears spill before I can stop them, and my eyes move to Evan’s over her shoulder.
“Love you too, bug.”
Elle leaves reluctantly, her hand tucked in Gwen’s as they disappear down the hallway. Evan watches until they turn the corner completely, unable to look away before the door swings shut behind them again.
I stare down at the drawing still sitting in my lap, fingertips brushing carefully over the crooked little stick figures holding hands, now dotted with tear splotches.
Evan steps back inside, carrying a plastic tray of food the nurse gave him, but the second the door clicks shut behind him, something in his face changes.
The composure slips, and I see how hard he’s been holding himself together for everyone else.
