"I know," Evan agreed quietly. "We didn't used to be like that, but life just kind of has a way of subverting things when they feel too happy, I suppose." He laughed bitterly and shrugged a shoulder. "I could," he agreed. "But you know how hard it is to talk to your siblings sometimes. How difficult they can be."
He chuckled. "You know, I remember when Stephanie was born... I was about Mari's age. Yeah, I was a little bit resentful, but I was also pretty happy. And I learned pretty quickly about taking care of a sibling. Mari's a good helper, so I imagine she'll be even more helpful than I was." Evan smiled a little bit at that thought. Marigold was already an amazing helper, so he couldn't help but be a little excited for that.
The lazies. Evan chuckled a little and nodded his head. "Not so much the lazies as the natural mama needs," he pointed out. "But I'm glad."
"What do you mean?" he asked her. Couldn't talk? Half of what he appreciated the most about Leah was how she spoke her mind. "Anyone who doesn't appreciate you talking doesn't deserve to enjoy what they see," he pointed out. "And I'd prefer it if you weren't the silent type. The hot type, I do appreciate. But the silent type..." he shook his head no. "I always want you to talk." Period. No matter what it was she had to say. Sometimes it was hard, sure, but you took the hard with the easy. That was how love worked.
Evan nodded his head. "I can understand that," he told her with a little smile. "In which case, I'll spend my time taking care of the two of you, mostly." He started outlining the stencil and turned to look at her for a brief second. "Oh, I don't doubt that," he mused. "I suspect it'll always be a war to get our own child. Like it is now with Marigold." Even Danny had been getting a little bit better about Marigold, after all. "Even George, now." It had taken her time, but she was getting there.