“It doesn't matter, really, so long as no one else is here when I do it. Most of the stuff that needs to be wrapped secretly is already done anyway. But later on tonight, maybe we can put together George's things?” It'd be a fun activity for them to participate in together, at least.
Her reaction to his joke was a surprise, and it worried him a little bit. “What's with the reaction?” he asked. “Or, maybe hesitation would be a better way to put it. Normally you'd be all over my case for making a joke like that.” Insecurity wasn't a part of what he was saying, it just surprised him a little bit that she didn't play along at first. It had become a thing for them.
He rolled his eyes in response to her joke, and sighed heavily. “Such abuse I weather. I don't know how I do it.” He paused and nodded when she more or less echoed his reason for being willing to embarrass himself in front of them. “Yeah, admittedly, that's why I suggested coming along. I'm not usually one for willing humiliation, but I suppose, for the sake of my girls, I'll deal with it.” He chuckled again.
Though they'd discussed Leah's worries, Evan was sure that everything was okay with their little one. Slowed development was normal nowadays, they'd said, and the medics had all but driven it into their heads that just because Little One wasn't wiggling like a worm didn't mean that he or she wasn't okay in there. Just lazy, had been Evan's joke.
“Hey, I'm a master sneak.” It was a lousy joke, and pretty far from true, but he would stick by it. He watched her shake the box and shrugged exaggeratedly. “Maybe I packed it tight so nothing would shake,” he suggested, though the weight of the box would completely belie that.
When she finally started sifting through the paper to get to the picture, he half-smiled. “Seemed fitting. Since we're both happier than last year, and the family's bigger than last year...” he mused. “You know. Symbolism and all that artisty stuff,” he mimicked the tease she often threw at him.