He’s settled into a new normal. It seems like something that had been happening every few months since the world changed, at least until they’d found Alexandria. Things going to shit, finding a new place, adjusting to new CIRCUMSTANCES. But not anymore. He’s settled for good now, or it seems like it. And if he closes his eye and relaxes for a bit he can almost pretend that the world is like it used to be.
Almost. He doesn’t have Penny anymore. But there’s Gracie and the girl reminds him a bit of his daughter, though she’s more precocious. Not as timid. And perhaps it’s because she grew up inside the walls, PROTECTED in a way that so many of them never were. Penny hadn’t been. But it’s been years since his daughter died.
“Mmmm, is that right?” Philip smiles at the little girl as she babbles at him about the math she’s been learning. “Well, you’re a regular Einstin, ain’t ya?” He chuckles and watches as the little girl scampers off to her room, gaze shifting to Eric once she’s GONE. “Just about. Least she’s out here doin’ math problems. Not a lotta kids would be takin’ so well t’ their schoolin’.”
THANKFUL was the first word that p o p p e d into his mind as eric came to sit opposite the man at the table . it would have been both easy&&understandable for gracie’s unexpected visit to be seen as an annoyance but philip was so good with her . never c o n d e s c e n d i n g , never outwardly b o t h e r e d . if he DID see her presence as a problem , he was kind enough ( to both of them ) to have kept it under wraps .
❝ she l o v e s it . ❞ would eric give himself a l i t t l e credit for that ? maybe ! after all , having a parent who really P U S H E D early childhood education , if only as a way to get back to his own roots , certainly would have had an effect one way or the other . thankfully for all involved brainy-gracie had EMBRACED it instead of running headlong in the other direction . still , there was slightly more at play when it came to gracie && her enthusiasm to learn . ❝ once judith started grace absolutely REFUSED to be left out . it was pretty cute annoying as hell for judy , but still c u t e . ❞
from under the table a sock covered foot came to rest on the bottom of philip’s chair , one jerky movement pulling him forward ever so slightly turns out , he was heavier than he looked . ❝ ya’know , if you’re ever s t r u g g l i n g i can probably put in a good word for you . she’d make a great tutor . ❞
