It was late in the afternoon when there was a knock on Elijah's door.

Luckily Elijah was home, and he opened the door. He almost immediately closed it when he saw Ben, having not expected it. He managed to grip the door and keep it open though. "Ben. I didn't.. expect you to be here.." He had just come home from work minutes ago, he hadn't checked to see if Anthony was asleep in bed or not. Either way he was not ready to be answering those questions with him.

Ben hadn't known what to expect and had been prepared for all options, and yet it still pained him to see Elijah so reluctant before. He held up his hands as if to stop the constable from doing anything before hearing him out. "We were both overwhelmed. Things got heated. But..." there was a light twitch of the corner of his mouth as if he was in pain, but then he continued: "You've been right before where I was wrong. I want to hear what you have to say."

Elijah sighed and looked down. He really didn't intent to hurt the man like this. He had been like a father for so long. "Ben... I am sorry. I was heated and I think I am in the wrong. Come in and have some tea and we can talk. I need to apologize. " He opened the door to let him in praying Anthony wasn't there or was asleep and would stay so.

Ben entered and sat down on the sofa. "Thank you..." he said quietly, gathering his thoughts.

Elijah nodded and nervously made tea, glancing over several times. He frowned and stared at the water as it was bowling. "How have you and the kids been?" He said though trying to keep himself too busy to sit and talk.

"They're alright..." he said, raising his voice a little so Elijah could hear him from the kitchen. "Alice is... as fine as she can be under the circumstances. We've put the decision off." He fiddled with his hands. "I'm sorry if Bram came here unannounced."

Elijah poured the tea and let it steep as he rubbed his hands together. "I am sorry to hear that, it is all my fault she is left in this ...limbo."

He glanced towards him though he couldn't see from his location in the room. "It is alrightm Bram is little and easily distracted so he forgets in his excitement. I like having him but I did want to know ahead of time. Please tell him if he let's me know early I'll make sure to have some sweets ready. That may help it stick next time." He chuckled weakly as he poured their tea. 


He brought it in before timidly sitting beside him.

Ben nodded slowly. "You we're right though..." he said quietly. "My children are frightened of me. I was angry with them for goin' over without permission. And then I recalled what you said, and I looked at them 's if for t' first time... They were all trembling and miserable and frightened. Even Alice and Will were." There was a pained expression on his face." He looked at the constable. "Ye shouldn't have referred to Simon. Ye know I can't deal with that. And ye shouldn't have shouted in front of Tobias... But you were right I'm not good at handlin' them well."

He stared at his tea so as to not look at the man beside him. He sipped silently as he listened and frowned, feeling sorry for him and ashamed.

"I am terribly sorry. I lost my temper and went too far. I suppose I haven't had something to keep me in line for a long while and it's showing."

Finally, he looked towards Ben. "That isn't your fault completely. You know how to be tough and you try to instill it in your children as well as keep them on the right path, you've always just been a little strict." He didn't want to mention that normally there was another parent to help keep things under control, he had already hurt Ben with his words too much this week. "Even scared ,the children love you. They are just afraid of your temper. You can change and be gentler in your reactions and punishment. They never mean to disobey."