Loving Evelyn (Part 1)

4 - She Became His Whole World

Her pale blue eyes settled on him and he watched them widen in surprise. Was she shocked by their similarities as well, or was it something else? He hoped she wasn't scared of him. After all, he was a pretty big guy. At a little over six foot, Samuel had wide shoulders and large arms from the many years he worked on the ranch. He'd recalled a few of his buddies mentioning he looked pretty terrifying at first glance. 

He didn't know how to ease any of the little girl's fears. For the first time in his life, he wished he wasn't so big. 

Evelyn was smaller up close and she looked so fragile.

"Hello Mr. Taylor." 

He hadn't realized he'd been standing there for a while without saying anything and just staring at her. When Samantha greeted him, he pulled his eyes away from his daughter to the woman before him. 

Samantha Gowen wore the same styled suit as she did the first day they'd met, but this time her hair was down. It made her look less tense than when her hair was pulled up tightly into a bun. The lines of her face were a lot more relaxed this time around and he suspected that had more to do with the little girl still peeking out from behind her. 

"Mrs. Gowen," he inclined his head in greeting. 

The woman shifted slightly to the side and held out a reassuring hand to Evelyn. She seemed to look at it with slight suspicion before she put her small hand in hers. Once she did, Samantha gave her a small pull, more of a gentle tug to place her more directly in front of her so she could properly greet the two men before them. 

"Evelyn, this is Samuel Taylor, your father. He's been wanting to meet you honey."

Her tone was surprisingly gentle with the little girl. 

The father and daughter pair just stood there, silently watching the other. It seemed the two were at a loss for words. 

Samuel had been thinking about this moment. He'd rehearsed over and over in his head what he was going to say, what he would do. But it all seemed so silly now. What was he supposed to do in a situation like this?

It turns out he didn't need to say anything when he felt a weight barreling into his legs. Shocked, it took another moment to realize Evelyn had wrapped her small arms around his legs in a tight hug. In a split second he crouched down and pulled her into his chest. 

What he felt was overwhelming. Warmth spread through his heart and he knew then that this little girl would be his world now. He wasn't ever going to let her go. It didn't matter now that he'd missed the first five years of her life. He would spend the rest of his loving every second of the time they would share. 

He didn't notice Samantha's look of astonishment or his oldest son's already clear adoration for his little sister. All he noticed in that moment was the little girl in his arms. 

They stayed that way for a few minutes, their embrace conveying what words could not. Evelyn was the first to pull away as she looked into her father's eyes. 

"Hi," said her soft, angelic voice. 

Samuel couldn't help but chuckle. "Hi. I'm so glad I got to meet you Evelyn." 

A throat cleared and he looked up to see Wyatt looking pointedly from his father to the little girl. 

The man stood back up to his full height and pulled his son over by his shoulder. "Evelyn, this is Wyatt. He's your older brother."

"Brother? I have a brother?" She looked back to Samantha, who Samuel had actually forgotten about, as if to confirm this. The social worker nodded with a smile.