Noah nodded, as if to say, 'of course, of course. My bad.' He hitched Evie up, getting a firmer grasp on her as she wriggled in his arms. He smiled at Cait's utterly unimpressed expression. More sincere this time, he offered a shrug. "If you need help, it is part of what I do for a living."
Evie looked levelly at Cait, before deciding to be bashful again. She hid her face, but still responded, her words muffled against Noah's shirt. "We have to be ind...-"
Ruby, as she meandered by with a box of macaroni, spoke knowingly and sagely: "Independent."
Looking from one girl to the other, Noah gave them a look. "Those aren't necessarily the same thing. But, it's true. Independence is important. And, if I recall correctly, you're just as outspoken. Certainly it's not a bad thing." He raised his eyebrows at Cait.