"Da'? Is everything alright?" came Kate's voice, hardly more than a whisper. It seemed that Kate had heard the commotion, had perhaps even caught a glimpse of Ruth, and had sat in the corner of her and Ruth's room so quietly, that Bill had not even noticed she was there.

He quickly got up. "Aye lass, yer sister is home, but ye better wait a bit comin' down," he said. So much for his time of reflection. He made his way down the stairs quietly and stopped when he heard Lottie unleash her frustration and Ruth sob. He considered staying here on the stairs for a bit, but Lottie would probably blame him for being unsupportive again, a claim she had made several times and which was totally unfounded, since he worked hard to support the family.

And so he took a deep breath and then slipped into the kitchen quietly. He looked at his daughter. It hurt him to see her like this. It hurt him to see his family like this. And yet he shared Lottie's sentiment.