#anyhow caleb is an absolute treasure and i love him

[kindred-sims]

Caleb didn't know what he'd been expecting when he'd returned to the house that afternoon, but it certainly hadn't been what he'd found. Usually at this time of day, he could find Jo in the parlor, busy with one of her needlepoints, reading, or plunking away at the piano.

But then he hadn't.

He'd picked up on her sniffles as he'd neared the kitchen and had went to investigate, shocked to find her crumpled on the floor, surrounded by a cracked bowl and splattered ingredients.

"Josephine? What on Earth--" He knelt immediately, concern lacing his voice. Jo barely looked at him, only continuing to let out muffled sobs beneath her hands.

"I'm sorry--I'm so sorry, it was an accident, please--"

She kept apologizing over and over, even as Caleb helped her stand to her feet. He realized, in doing this, just how much she was trembling.

"Now wait a minute, hold on. Never mind any of that, are you alright?"

"I--I don't know, but--but I'm so sorry--"

Jo's sobs cut off as Caleb delicately grabbed her hands, inspecting them for any cuts. The bowl hadn't looked too broken, but one could never be too careful.

"Well, you don't seem to be injured, Thank God." he concluded about after a minute. "I think you'll make a full recovery soon enough."

Jo blinked back tears as she stared back at him.

"But...the bowl..."

"Is just a bowl. I'm not too worried about it," he chuckled. "Believe me, Josephine, these dishes are about as old as my grandmother, God rest her soul. They've certainly withstood far worse than being knocked off the counter."

"Still...I've made such a mess, though..."

She hiccupped, letting out a light sniffle as she lowered her head.

"You're...you're sure you're not angry?"

"Angry? Now why in the world would I be angry?" Caleb asked, evidently puzzled. "You said it yourself, it was an accident. And last time I checked, accidents happen all the time. Its nothing to go into a tizzy over."

"Well..."

"And besides, I'm only grateful that you weren't hurt."

Jo looked back up at him, a gentle surprise in her sad, misty eyes.

"Really? You mean that?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I? You're my wife, aren't you?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing, and leaned forward, voice dropping to a hush.

"And just between you and me, I never really cared for that bowl anyway. Its already got a lot of cracks in it, what's one more?"

He glanced to the counter behind her, only now noticing the chocolate pie from where she'd hastily placed it earlier. A smile crossed his features, and he looked back to her.

"What's this? Did you make it?"

"Y...yes. I did. I wanted to surprise you..."

"Well consider me surprised then. It looks absolutely delicious," He gave her a light pat on the shoulder as he passed her by. "Let's you and me have a slice later, yeah? But first, I think we should consider getting this mess cleaned up..."

He walked away in search of a broom, leaving Jo with her mind reeling. He didn't know it then, but he'd just given her so much more to think about, so much more to consider. What she'd been expecting in response to her actions wasn't what he'd given her -- not words of anger, no shouts of cruelty.

Only gentle concern and kindness. Her father had never done those things for her before. Neither had Edward.

Maybe...maybe there was more to Caleb than she'd thought after all.