"M-My apologies, Doreen. I... brought up something i shouldn't have." "It's OK, Erik." She smiled a bit as she hid the scars under the sleeve of her blouse. She exited the door that was being held open for her, smiling at him on the way out.
Looking into Erik's office, she smiled like only a mother could upon seeing the two boys, fast asleep on the couch. She turned the smile to Erik and then back into the room. She made a quiet walk over to Ben and knelt where he was sleeping.
"Benny," she said softly but to no response. "Beeeeennnny," she said again but to no response. She looked over to Erik, smiling and shaking her head and with almost a whisper, "they wore each other out." She then looked about the room and noticed the hurricane's wake scattered about. With Benjen asleep, she began picking up and putting away the toys and many other things the boys scattered everywhere. Erik did, after all, have to work tomorrow and she wasn't about to leave his office a wreck. Once finished, she again knelt before Benjen only this time she picked him up and held him, his head on her left shoulder.
"Fortunately he's small framed," she joked.
As they headed out, they spoke softly. "Tomorrow is a paperwork day for me so I'm only in my office for part of the day if we want to continue this after lunch or something?"
![[Image: htPh9n3.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/htPh9n3.jpg)