Nick didn't know a lot of things, but what he did know is that he did not want to be going down the elevator to meet his family.
"You'll be fine, Nick. You've been adjusting very well," Nancy, his caseworker, kept telling him as the elevator made it's descent to the hospital entrance. He didn't bother to look up in response, rather just focused straight ahead at the cold, steel doors. His reflection no longer showed the ten year old that Evie would remember, but the gangly young man who hid his eyes behind his hair.
The twist of some unidentified emotion grabbed his guts, but it never passed his face. Wondering if Evie would be there to greet him, Nick stepped off the elevator behind Nancy. He clutched his small bag of things as they approached the group.
Nancy was the first to speak, "Nick, look. Your brother and sister are here." Then reached out to shake Jack's hand, "I'm Nancy, his caseworker. We just need you to sign some papers..."
Nick looked beyond Nancy and Jack to Evie. He blinked once. Twice. Then managed, "Is that really my little Evie?"