Mr. Hanson was whistling as he pushed the shopping cart, now and again he would smile and ruffle his daughter's hair as she sat peacefully in the cart's seat. Her eyes would stray to him, but the smile on her face never faltered; never grew, and then her eyes went back to the products they passed by.

Bending down to get the right spaghetti sauce, when Walker stood up an old woman was cooing at his daughter. He smiled at the scene.

The old woman went to touch Zoë's head, and Zoë didn't move. The smile was still fixed on her face and her eyes would wander from time to time. "Such a pretty baby girl." The woman admired, "What's your name, sweetie?"

Walker felt the invisible fist of reality slam into his gut as it had before so many times in his life.

Zoë looked at her, before dropping her head back and staring at the bright lights above her.

The woman looked rebuffed, "Well, doesn't she talk yet?" She asked curiously.

Forcing calmness, Mr. Hanson cleared his throat, "Uh, no, she doesn't speak."

She looked appalled, "But she's so big! How old is she?"

"Two," Walker confessed softly, "She's just tuned two."

She looked at the young child in concern; "Can't she say even a few words?"

His head shook, "No, not even just a few, or just one." A soft sigh of regret escaped his mouth; "She doesn't even make a few noises."

The older woman's face turned sorrowful and pitying, she touched the soft hair on Zoë's head and then his arm in comfort, "Maybe someday." She murmured quietly before walking on almost idly.

Biting back another sigh, Mr. Hanson gritted his teeth and continued pushing the cart to finish his shopping. A now even more tedious task than before.

Upon getting home, his wife had sent out two of his older children to help bring in the groceries while she took Zoë from him at the door. "How was she?" She asked softly, brushing her cheek against the back of her daughter's head.

He shrugged, "As she always is." He replied coolly. "Silent sweet."

She nodded, "And the shopping?"

It was then that he released the second sigh he'd been wanting to release in the store. "A lady fell in love with Zoë." He answered as Isaac and Taylor walked passed them and Mrs. Hanson steered him into the house to finish.

"And?" She encouraged.

He nodded, "And, she asked her her name and Zoë just sat there and smiled at her. Then she asked me if she talked. Even just a little bit."

Diana gave him a sympathetic smile, "It's not your fault, you know?" She asked him softly.

"We all kept telling her to be quiet though." Walker stated gruffly, pushing his hand savagely through his hair in frustration. "At the studio, 'shh, Zoë, your brother's are working.' At Avery's ballet, 'quiet Zoë, Avie's dancing.' At night, 'come on Zoë, sleep and be quiet, everyone's sleeping.' "

His head started shaking again, "And she did, didn't she?" He asked bitterly.

Mrs. Hanson touched his cheek softly, "She'll learn to talk again."

His shoulders sagged, "I know I should feel sorry for her, Di, but on somedays I feel more sorry for us."

Her face crumpled at his admittance. It wasn't him that was like her. It wasn't him that didn't speak, but only smiled. He wasn't silent sweet.