'Shelagh, I don't know.' He admitted sighing heavily. It helped that he had his back to her, even after the adoption interview and collapse last summer he found it hard to admit weakness before the woman he loved. 'And…I don't know if there's anything TO know. I'm scared.' He felt her arms tighten around his neck, smiled as she buried her face in his hair. He had no idea how he'd been gifted with a woman who loved him so much and best when he was in one of his fugue states. Most woman would probably despair of him for it but instead his wife, his beautiful, intelligent, wise wife loved him best of all for it.
'So am I. It's okay to be scared m, your professor sounds like a very wise man if you ask me. You don't have to face this alone though, I will stand with you at the very step and we can figure this out together. First though we need to get some sleep, yes Patrick actually sleeping.'
'Come here.' She swung down to perch on his lap. Instead or resting his head against her arms he now leant forward to touch it to hers. 'It's at times like this I wish I had your faith.' He whispered.
'It's at times like this I wish it made a difference.' She replied instantly, both their minds going back to a case not long ago chronologically and yet a lifetime away. 'No matter how much I pray, and I will, nothing will stop Susan being limbless, nothing will bring baby Cottingham back to her mother. What we can do however is look after Susan as she grows up and teach our daughter not to treat her any differently, we can care for her when the inevitable medical complications arise, we can treat Ruby Cottingham with care and respect. We can't do everything but we can do something. We can make it better the only way we know how. Love Patrick, we can love.'