I delayed asking Emery about the details of his conversation until we were back at my place. Talking in the car didn't seem wise, considering the poker face he wore after his father left through the door without looking back at his son. I could see the shift on Emery's face from hurt to numbness. Neither of us talked much during the ride. Jasper occasionally made remarks out of topic, which I mostly left without a response, diving into my reflections.

Jasper went directly into the kitchen to start the dinner leaving us behind. Emery made himself comfortable on the sofa holding his phone in one hand and a remote controller in the other. There wasn't anything in particular on the screen that he was interested in while he mindlessly scrolled through the list of shows. He jumped from one title to the other. I studied him for several seconds before I spoke.

"Your father gave it back to you?" I sat in the opposite corner titling my body in his direction. 

"Yeah, he found it in my room." He looked down at the black square in his hand.

"Are you okay? How did the talk go?" I asked, minding the volume of my voice. 

Emery sighed. He laid forward to place his phone on the table, then settled back against the backrest. He stayed silent for a short moment before he uttered a word. "I don't know exactly. He seems convinced that she did something bad to me, but I'm not sure he believes in the kidnapping part. They charged her with abduction, and now they will start collecting evidence for the trial."

"Did he say what her excuse is? I guess she didn't admit what she has done to you." I stated what was obvious. 

"Not really... I mean, my father said something about me going there willingly. He commented on it- which is bullshit. I have no idea who those people were. Why would I go there?" Emery said, his voice fluttering.

"Yeah," I shook my head. "Makes no sense."

"I... I asked him if he was on my side to support me because I'm on my own with this... and this is a lot. He said he needs to think about it because it's plenty to process. Is it normal? To not believe your child?" Despite his voice getting louder and louder, he seemed lost- almost desperate to find the answer he hoped for.

The reality is brutal. Life is hard. I have learned the hard way that sometimes those closest to you will turn away from your needs. The people who were supposed to protect you will betray your trust as soon as you don't fit into their lifestyle. After all, we can only count on ourselves because no one else will do it for us. 

Emery seemed like a good person, and my dark thoughts wouldn't help him to cope. 

"It happens. My parents don't believe me either, and now we're not close anymore." I shared at least something with him- that small detail from my past. He wasn't aware, but we had something in common. 

A broken family. 

"Is it why you were crying the other night?" Emery asked, watching me, his eyes soft and sympathetic.

I froze in my seat. I couldn't dare to say anything. My heart beat so hard that I could feel my t-shirt move. I hoped Jasper was focused on making our food instead of listening to us talking.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I couldn't stop thinking about it." He added.

"That's fine. It's a small flat. I just... I didn't think someone could hear me so late." I let out a long sigh. "So embarrassing."

"Do you want to talk?" He asked carefully.

"It's all in the past. But thank you for being so... nice about it." Maybe I said it too fast, but Emery didn't push for more. 

He smiled gently when he responded. "That's the least I can do. We all have our demons."

"I guess. Well, I'm glad you have your phone back." I changed the topic.

"Me too. He asked if I wanted anything else to bring, but I could send Cornelia to get my things. I don't think he will know what I need."

"I can also go. Just let me know." 

"Thank you."

We settled on a TV series that we often watched with Jasper during our lazy evenings when my phone pinged with the message. I unlocked my screen to see the response from Emery on Instagram. I have long forgotten about it. I looked up to see him smiling, and I mirrored his expression.

I typed back simple greetings, and after hesitating, I added- It's nice to see you smile.

My cheeks heated, and I wasn't so sure if that was a good move. I glanced at him again, trying not to be obvious, but he had already watched me, smiling. Then he placed his phone on the table, settling back into his seat.

"Can someone help me with potatoes?!" Jasper shouted from the kitchen way too loud for what was needed.

"Coming!" I yelled back at him, reluctantly getting up. I wasn't keen to stop this conversation, but the other part of me was glad I could run from awkwardness. Were we ready to go down that path?

"I can help," Emery said, and maybe I was wrong, but he seemed down. His gentle smile was gone, which left me wondering if he enjoyed our conversation as much as I did. 

"Sure. If you want?" I gave Jasper's back a side-eye as we entered the kitchen area. He deserved it for his poor timing, which I suspect he premeditated. 

It was an open plan with a small wall separating it from the living room. A large wooden frame formed an arch through which furniture was visible. 

Jasper stood by the stove with his hair tied back. The sauce in the pot looked and smelled great. The cupboards were to the right, and to the left was just a little table with a fridge in the corner.

I walked inside, pulling out the bowl with potatoes, and I noticed that Emery stopped by the doorframe, watching us intently. There wasn't enough space to fit three grown men.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked the chef of the day. 

"Peel and cut them into big squares. Unless you want to bake them?" He stopped mixing, waiting for my response.

"I think boiled are just fine." He nodded, and I got to work. 

"Can I help?" I heard Emery's voice asking from the doorstep.

"Let him do the work. You can find us a movie to watch." Jasper grinned. After a short pause, he asked less enthusiastically. "You don't have to tell me anything, but are you and your father good?" 

"I hope so. I guess time will show." He shrugged.

"It seems like a tough situation for both of you," Jasper said, and I focused on the potatoes in my bowl, letting the two have some room to talk. 

"He is just confused. I hope we can talk again later- especially since today went better than I thought."

I smiled to myself, hearing Emery saying that out loud. 

"He is your dad. I know sometimes it doesn't matter, but I've seen the way he's been acting, and I think, as you said, he's confused. I hope he will come around." Jasper told Emery, and it seemed like their conversation naturally faded.