It was easier for him, I think, when you were young. He was more at a loss of what to do with you in other ways back then, but it was simpler for him to make you happy. All it took was to pick you up or hand you a toy, and you would smile at him. He liked to make you smile; you might have been too young to remember that, but I do.

[And perhaps work on the clinic is going to stall out for the time being, thanks to this reminiscing, but there will be plenty of time to get the downstairs in order. Right now, the reminiscing adds warmth to the way she's still idly leafing through the pages of the book, glancing over the woodcut images as though taking stock of which pages she wants to peruse more thoroughly later.]

I know it's harder for him now. The sentiment is still there, but he can't simply win you over with a toy or a pat on the head anymore.