Persona BLEACHED 4 Gaiden 2: Gated Heart

Persona BLEACHED 4 Gaiden 2: Gated Heart
May 15, 2032
Liverpool, England.
A typically mild day on the northwest coast of England. Not cool enough to warrant a jacket, but not particularly warm either. With the most recent Premier League season having just concluded, the atmosphere was not nearly as rambunctious as it would be on prior Saturdays.
The quiet mood suited many of the city's inhabitants just fine. A day like today was perfectly suited for a comfortable sit-down chat with a friend or two.
"I've got two black milk bubble teas?" a café server called out.
"Meee, danke~." Natalia chimed. No longer prime weather for her signature hoodies, she was dressed in a sunny yellow blouse and a white skirt.
She looked at the teas. "'Customer name: Matty.'"
"Meh, close enough." she uttered, slightly annoyed.
She sat down at her table. "Here ya go~."
"Thank you, Natty...or, Matty, I guess." her companion replied with a Dutch accent, not unlike her own. She was a girl about Natalia's age, with ashen brown hair, a few strands of which drooped over her left eye. She wore a green shirt, cropped to where her lower midriff was visible, and also a green beret on her head.
"Not the worst butchering I've seen."
Natalia's thoughts turned to the time she and Carrie went to a café, and her friend was incredulous at the name on the order. "(Who on Earth is Larry?! Do I look like a Larry?!)"
Her companion today was her friend Layla, an art student. Though she had once bullied Natalia, the two had since reconciled after the latter helped pull her out of a personal rut. "Alright, give me the deets. How are things going?" Layla asked.
"Things are going great! School's amazing, the new apartment's nice and cozy, the weather's not too crazy...honestly, compared to Tokyo, London's a lot more like home. Way more chill and laid-back...unless there's a football match going on. Then things get a little nutty."
"I can imagine. It gets crazy after Club Bruges games. Here it has to get even worse. Better stay away from the pubs."
Natalia raised an eyebrow. "...you remember where we're at, right?"
The girls giggled. "Sorry, forgot."
"Alright, my turn. How's school going?"
"School's going great. It's kept me...very busy. But I'm learning a ton about the process. And it's not like I don't get to do my sketches on the side. I've got my book in my hotel room, if you want to look through."
"Do I ever!"
"Okay. Just a warning so you're not shocked, though...there's a couple of you in there."
"Ohhh. Now I've really gotta see. Hope you made me look pretty."
"You're not gonna be disappointed. It helps that you're already pretty."
"Awww." Natalia started blushing.
"Hey, so..."
"What's up?"
"Well, you know...con season is starting up again. I've got all my trips and appearances lined up, and I'm really excited. Just...I've got a con in Tokyo coming up in a couple of weeks."
"Oh, nice! You might run into some of the gang there. Maybe even Professor Kubo and her little girl."
"I might. But, um...you said your friend Max is living there now, right?"
"Oh...yeah."
"Look, I know you said he's gotten way better, but...what he did to me was really messed up. Waking me up and saying those awful things, then doing...whatever came after."
"I know. And so does he. Trust me, he asks me a *lot* about how you're doing, or when you're coming around there again. He really wants to make it up to you. I know what he did wasn't cool, but I can vouch that he's changed for the better. We all would've taken turns beating him up if he hadn't."
"I don't *not* believe you, Natty. And I'll hear him out if he wants to apologize. It's just hard to unhear the things he said, you know?"
"I get it. Forgiveness is hard. But it's better than staying bitter. If I didn't take that to heart, we wouldn't be sitting here having boba and chatting about how crazy cute that outfit is."
"We haven't gotten to that part yet."
"We haven't? Okay. You're looking crazy cute today."
Layla giggled. "Oh, you." She took a sip of her tea, then looked past Natalia. "Hey, Natty?"
"Yeah?"
"That guy sitting by the window...he's been looking over here ever since you sat down. You know him?"
Natalia looked over her shoulder. At the table Layla spoke of, there was a pale, middle-aged man with short black hair and glasses, wearing a simple black shirt and waistcoat. He fidgeted with his hands, and actively avoided eye contact. He was accompanied by a dark-skinned woman in a coat and nurse's attire.
"Nope. Can't say I do." Natalia replied.
The man noticed she was looking at him. She gave a wave. Startled, he gathered his things and walked out, though his companion tried to calm him first.
"Okay, then. Weird." Layla said.
"Excuse me, young lady?" the woman approached.
"Yes?" Natalia responded.
"Would your name happen to be Natalia?"
"Yeah...? Do I know you?"
"I'm so sorry to trouble you. My patient has quite a bit of difficulty with social interactions. He didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. He says that he's seen you in pictures with his son."
"His son? Who is he, exactly?"
"My patient's name is Richard. You're friends with his son, Kenneth. So he says."
"Kenn--" Natalia was caught off-guard. "Kenneth *Southgate*? That Kenneth? That guy out there is his dad? Can I go talk to--"
"That probably wouldn't be for the best. He's already in a nervous mood. Once that happens, it takes him a while to settle down. I shouldn't be leaving him alone for too long. Sorry again for startling you." The nurse left.
"...what."
"That guy with the fidgety hands was Kenny's dad? I wouldn't have guessed. Really don't see the resemblance." Layla said. "You never met him before?"
"No! Kenny barely ever talks about his parents. I know his mom was abusive and really old-fashioned, but that's all he's spoken about. And I know even less about his dad. I never would've thought he'd be...like that."
"Looked more to me like someone who's taken abuse than given it out. Should you tell Kenny you saw him?"
"I don't know if that's a good idea. Anytime someone's asked him about his parents, he shuts the conversation down right there. It's a real sore spot."
"Well, one thing caught my attention there. He's seen pictures of you with Kenny and knows your name. Sounds like he's still keeping track."
"Yeah...hey, Layla? Before we go back to the hotel, want to make a slight detour? I wanna stop by Kenny's aunt's house. She'll know a lot more about what went on with his dad."
"Sure your boyfriend won't overhear any of it? Doesn't he stay there?"
"Yeah, but he won't be home until later. He's got a project he's working on for an art festival coming up. We should be good."
"Alright. Seeing more of the sights wouldn't hurt. Don't forget your tea, Matty."
"I won't--hey!"
The girls stepped out of the café, and walked off.
From a distance, the fidgeting man looked. He took a step forward, then immediately retracted. "No, no no no no no no no..." He turned and left.
---
 "Pah! Soddin' coward!" 
Such was the reaction of the orange-haired woman whose home the girls were now in. Natalia sat on the couch, while Layla looked around with curiosity.
"Ma! Can ya lower your voice a bit? Great-grandad can hear ya, and he's a bloody corpse!" A brown-haired teenage boy entered.
"Oh, piss on it! I can ramble in my own damn home!" the woman barked back. The boy rolled his eyes and went back to his room.
"M-Miss Cathy, you really don't have to yell..." Natalia tried to calm her.
Layla, meanwhile, looked at the wall, specifically, the head of a large bear mounted onto it. "Hey...is this a real bear? Or, was it?"
"Aye, lass. Hubby got 'im right between the eyes on a huntin' trip years back. Brute was eatin' a local village outta all their cattle." Cathy affirmed.
"The bear or your husband?"
"Could be both, really."
"Can we get back to the subject?" Natalia asked.
"Sorry, sugarpuff. Ugh...can't believe the dipstick is out and about now. Keepin' tabs on the boy like some kinda stalker..."
"Was your brother really that bad, Ms. Cathy? Like...did he ever hurt Kenny?"
"Lass, I'll say it like it is. I don't think my brother ever laid a finger on that boy. He's the most spineless coward you could ever meet. His harpy of a wife walked all over him. And when she started 'educatin' poor Kenny, he didn't do a damned thing to put a stop to it."
"Sounds to me like he was probably getting as much abuse as Kenny was, then." Layla spoke up.
"I dunno the whole of it. Only as much as Kenny'll say, and that ain't a lot. But I do know that he hasn't checked in on the boy once in all these years. I ain't heard a damn peep. Now he wants to keep tabs? I bet the harpy's put him up to it..."
"I don't know, would someone that controlling let him walk around with a nurse?" 
"He looked really nervous and scared. Who knows what's been going on since you took Kenny in? Him having a nurse means he's getting help. Maybe him and Kenny can--" Natalia began.
"Sweets, I'm stoppin' ya right there. Don't bother tryin' to reconcile the two of 'em. Kenny's moved on. He doesn't need no reminder of what happened to him. My advice, you let this go. Forget you saw him. If I know my nephew at all, then I know he'll want nothin' to do with my brother. What's done is done." Cathy interrupted.
"But--"
"Kenny's lucky to have such a sweetheart. But some things just ain't that easy to forgive. Leave it be, lass."
"....."
---
Later, in their hotel room, Natalia sat at the foot of her bed, ponderous. Though usually she would stay with Kenneth's family during her visits to Liverpool, with school being out for the summer, she'd opted to spend the week with Layla.
"You can't let it go, can you?" Layla asked, laying on her stomach while sketching in her book.
"No. I can't. I still think I should do something. Is that bad?"
"I didn't say it was bad. Wanting to fix something broken isn't wrong. But there's a lot of layers to this. I mean, we don't know what really happened to Kenny. Maybe his dad really did hurt him. Would bringing them together be a good idea then?"
"I don't think so, no. But I...I can't get past the look in his dad's eyes. He wanted to say something. But you saw how he was. If it's bad enough that he needs constant supervision just to go outside, then it's no wonder he hasn't reached out to Kenny."
"I'm not saying you're wrong to want to help. But if he really didn't do anything, why would Kenny be mad at him?"
"Maybe it's *because* he didn't do anything. At least, nothing to stop the abuse. Unngh, this stinks! I wanna help so bad, but there's too many what-ifs. I just think that if there's a chance for Kenny to have a positive relationship with one of his parents, then it'd be worth it to try. My parents wanted me so badly that they kept trying, even when they kept getting told it was impossible. The idea that both of his parents wouldn't want him as he is...it's so foreign to me. So..."
"Natty. You don't have to keep justifying it to me. That big heart of yours is why I'm here in the first place. I'm just saying you should be careful. If you see him again, and you can get him to talk, great. If he wants to mend things with Kenny, even better. If he's really just a weirdo, then leave it at that and forget about it. Make sure it's really the right thing to do before getting Kenny involved. Otherwise you'll end up with a bigger mess."
"You're right. I think tomorrow I'm gonna go by the café again. Hopefully he's around. Thanks for the encouragement, Layla."
"Anytime, bestie."
Layla quickly realized what she'd let slip. "Oh, no! I didn't say that out loud, did I?"
"Yeah, you kinda did."
"Forget about it. You've already got Carrie and Kat. I'd be one too many."
"There's not a limit on how many best friends you can have. I don't mind it. I feel the same way."
"I don't want you to just say that to make me feel better."
"I'm not! You're a dear friend, Layla. I love whenever we get to hang out. I really mean it."
"Oh, Natty...I don't want this to sound sappy. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you saving me that day on the bridge. You're special to me, you know?"
"You've got more than just a couple sketches of me in there, don't you?"
"...yeah."
"I wanna see every single one."
"Alright. For a price. One Natty hug."
"You know you get those for free already, right?"
Natalia got up from the bed, and gave Layla the hug she requested.
"Thanks, Natty. Alright, let's have a look. There's nothing inappropriate, just FYI. I keep it family-friendly."
"I never said you didn't." Natalia laid down and put her head on a pillow.
"Oh, getting comfy? Careful, if you fall asleep, I'm not moving you."
"I'd have to be bored to fall asleep. I wouldn't worry."
"You're teasing too much, Natty. I think a certain cat girl is corrupting you."
"Meow~."
---
May 16, 2032
A rental space in western Liverpool. An assortment of technical equipment was laid out on a table. In the center, Kenneth was at work rounding out the edges of his current project.
"...ahem. Ms. De Roos?"
He peered over his shoulder. Layla was watching. "Oh, uh...yeah?"
"Was there something else you needed?"
"Um..."
Layla was there to deliver his lunch on behalf of Natalia, who was off on other errands.
"If there's nothing else, you're free to go back to spending time with Natalia. She's been counting the days until your visit. I won't be the one to keep you."
"Uh..." "(Hold up, Layla. This is a perfect opportunity to get some info out of him about his dad. Natty's still out looking for him. I could at least help with info-gathering. Alright, girl, time to turn on the charm!)"
"I...wanted to watch your process."
"My...process."
"Your sculptures are always so detailed. I really wanted to pick your brain while I was here. I know sketches are a world of difference from big stone statues, but..."
"Word of advice from a fellow artist. There's no need to compare yourself to others, or put yourself down. You have a very strong grasp on your style. Now normally, I don't work with an audience, but I would imagine Natalia being very cross if I turned you away, so...I suppose I can make an exception."
"Oh, thank you! I'll try not to be a distraction."
"Frankly, all I really have left are the final details, so I can spare some extra moments for any questions. I would suggest not standing for the entire time, however. There's a seat right there."
Layla sat down in the wooden chair. "(Alright, you're in. Now to ease into asking about his dad. Don't want to throw it out there right away...)"
She imagined the result of such an approach.
"(Hey, so your dad--)" she would begin.
"(AWAY WITH YOU, YOU HATEFUL SHREW!)" an oddly aggressive Kenneth would reply.
"(Yeah, no.)" she thought. "Alright, so...what's the sculpture for? Some kind of festival coming up, right?"
"Correct. One celebrating the myths of old. Care to take a guess what this is?"
The statue he was working on depicted a man with an eyepatch and viking-style armor, using a spear to battle a large wolf. The man was accompanied by a pair of ravens, perched on his shoulders.
"(Okay...don't want to offend him.)" Layla thought.
She envisioned the result of a wrong answer.
"(Um...a pirate fighting his dog?)" she would say.
"(IDIOTIC SWINE! BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT AT ONCE!)" a strangely aggressive Kenneth would respond.
"...oh! I think I read about this in mythologies class. That's...Odin fighting Fenris, right?"
"That's right. I had a dash of inspiration recently, and wanted to commit it to stone."
"What was the inspiration?"
"...a rather dicey encounter with a pack of wolves."
"Ummm...when did you--"
"Some questions are better left unanswered."
"(Okay...need another question. Can't be something too obvious or dumb.)"
Again, she ran the scenario through her head.
"(Sooo...what's your favorite color?)" she would ask.
"(The color of LEAVE! NOW!)" a bizarrely aggressive Kenneth would answer.
"(Man, imaginary Kenny is scary.)" she thought. "So...what's your favorite piece you've done?"
"Hmm...a simple question with a not so simple answer. My sculpture for the Snow Festival certainly ranks up there."
"Oh, the one of Natty? Yeah, I really loved that one. I remember she did, too."
"Yes...so do I. I also recall the noise I made when I hit the floor after she expressed her gratitude."
"You can say she kissed you, dude. It was super adorable. She turned redder than a tomato after."
"I suppose it's easier to laugh about it now. I remember how anxious I was about her reaction. Everything about that piece and what came after it are special for obvious reasons. I can only think of one other time where something I made with my own hands illicited that kind of response."
"What was that?"
"It was during a time when I was still isolating myself from the others. Professor Kubo thought it could be a good lesson in letting other people get close to you. Her family requested that I make a memorial bust for her late father. I obliged, despite being what others would describe as 'largely unemotional'. This was the big step towards changing that."
"How so?"
"I spent a day with the Professor's mother, learning about the man I was to sculpt. She described him as kind and generous to a fault." "(Not unlike his daughter, in that way.)" "She also described her late son. That he was brilliant, but also a bitter loner who rejected other people. He died with anger in his heart. And the Professor thought that I was much like him, in terms of keeping people at a distance. Her mother conveyed to me how short life is. That it's better to let the people you care about know that now, than to keep them at arms-length. The bust I made, with all those feelings in mind...it's what I'm most proud of. Professor Kubo was touched. Her mother and aunt both emotional. Every reaction an artist could ask for."
"Awww. That's actually really sweet, Kenny."
"It taught me not to take relationships for granted. That it's better to live in the moment than be held to the pain of the past. 'A life spent holding onto hate is no life at all'."
Kenneth went silent after that. Pensive.
"Kenny?"
"I've...been thinking of that last line a lot lately."
"(Oh, this is it! The opening! Don't mess this up, Layla!)"
Before she could press further, Kenneth raised his hand. "No. Forget it. It's no one else's business."
"(...crud.)"
"...you look disappointed."
"Bah...! No, I'm not. Just...a little hungry, is all. Sorry."
"Guess it is close to lunchtime...bah. After everything I've said. I don't want to fill your ears with my misery. Venting should be reserved for Dr. Wolfe, or someone else. Natalia probably wouldn't appreciate me saying all this to her friend during her visit."
"No, no, it's totally fine! Just pretend I'm Natty if it makes it easier. Don't expect me to cook, though."
"...very well. You may have heard this from her, but my upbringing was...nightmarish. My mother was an old-fashioned control freak who dominated every facet of my life. She would make sure I had proper skills and manners through the most barbaric means. Whippings were frequent. Once she pushed me down the stairs after I failed to hold a cup of tea 'properly'. Even to this day, I can't go up or down a flight of stairs without immense difficulty. 'Again, Kenneth. Until it's perfect.' Repeated so often that it's seared into my memory."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Kenny...that sounds horrible...where was your dad in all this?"
"Good question."
"(Uh-oh. Here it comes.)"
"My father was...feeble. He never once spoke out of turn towards my mother. Always looked incredibly nervous and disjointed. It was a pitiful sight. The memory that sticks out to me is how after being pushed down the stairs, he whispered to me 'I'm sorry'. As if to acknowledge that he couldn't stop her even if he tried."
"Kenny...do you hate your dad? It sounds like your mom was probably doing a lot of the same things to him. He never laid a hand on you, did he?"
"Not once that I can recall. Don't misunderstand. I don't resent my father for the abuse I suffered from my mother. I resent him for what came after."
"What do you mean?"
"Four years ago, my aunt Catherine intervened and took me in. Not long after, I was sent to the academy in Naruki. I have not heard a thing in regards to either of my parents since then. I can live with never knowing what my mother is doing now. But my father...with everything that happened, all his displays of weakness and fear...never reached out to me once. Maybe he's still her subservient underling. I don't know. And maybe it's for the best that I never know. I have no positive recollections of my parents. My life is far more fulfilling now without them. There's no need to reopen old wounds."
"But Kenny...what if your dad tried reaching out to you now?"
"I'd ask why he waited four years, until I started having art pieces featured in public displays. I don't need to think too much about that. I've found that the best way to not hold resentment towards them is to not think about them at all. I still have a family. By blood and by chaotic friendship. I don't need parents."
"That's...really grim to say."
"It must sound foreign to you. Your parents adore you. Same as Natalia. Her parents sacrificed so much to ensure her happiness. The idea of one's parents not being a positive influence is not so difficult for me to comprehend when it is my lifelong reality."
"So what would you do if you ever saw him again? How would you react?"
"Truthfully? I wouldn't."
"....."
Kenneth looked at his watch. "Should probably get to eating before it cools. Will you be sticking around?"
"N-No, I'm gonna see if Natty wants to go eat somewhere. I'm starving."
"I won't keep you. Tell her I've set our dinner reservations for 7. It is a formal restaurant, so do look your best."
"Yes, sir, Mama De Roos didn't raise a slob! Thanks for the talking. See you later."
Layla stepped out of the building. Her cheerful expression dropped. "...oh, Natty. You've got your work cut out for you, girlfriend."
---
Over at the café, Natalia's search was coming up empty.
"Should've figured he wouldn't come around again. I probably spooked him." She sighed. "Maybe I should just walk around for a bit. Might get lucky."
She started walking to the right of the café, eventually walking into the residential district of Canning, also known as the 'Georgian Quarter' for how the homes retained their 17th-18th century architecture. Kenneth had gone into detail about Georgian architecture multiple times, so she knew more than she otherwise would have.
She stopped in front of one set of homes. "(What are you doing here, Natty? Sticking your nose into someone else's family matters. You don't even know the half of what happened between Kenny and his dad. So why interfere?)"
She looked in the mirror of one of the homes. "Least it's a nice day to wear cute things. I love my hoodies, but a fashionista has to mix it up sometimes." She winked.
Her reflection shifted to show herself with a hood draped over her, looking far more depressed and miserable. "(I try not to think about those days. Everything felt so dark back then. All the people it took to pull me out of it...like...)"
She envisioned her parents embracing her. "(Mama and Papa did everything they could to make sure I'd live and be happy. Me being born at all just shows how much they wanted me. Maybe that's why this isn't sitting right with me. I want Kenny to be happy. For me, being happy means having people around that you'd do anything for, and they'd do the same for you. Ohhh, but he'd probably get so mad at the sight of his dad! What do I--"
As she wracked her brain, a nearby door creaked open, just slightly. "...excuse me. Ms. Natalia?" uttered a man's voice, nervously.
"Huh?" She looked to see. It appeared to be the man from the day before, though only as much as his eyes were visible.
"Your name...your name is Natalia, isn't it? You know...you know Kenneth, don't you?"
"Ah! Yeah, I do! You're his dad, right?"
"...he is my son, yes. But I..." He shook his head frantically. "No, y-you shouldn't be here. I'm sorry--" He ducked back inside.
"Wait a minute! I've been looking around for you all day! I wanted to talk!"
"Does...does Kenneth know that you're here?" He peeked out again.
"Nope. I came here by myself. I wanted to know more about what happened between the two of you."
"There isn't anything to tell, I'll probably get in trouble for being outside this long..."
"You aren't outside, though..."
"E-Either way, I shouldn't be taking up your time, I must get back to my programs..." He ducked inside again.
"Mr. Southgate, wait! Please, just give me a few minutes to talk. I'm Kenneth's girlfriend. If there's anything I can do to help, I want to."
He poked his head out. "Girlfriend...? But...Kenneth is--"
"We all thought so, too. Turns out he has a wider range of tastes than even he knew. Please, sir. I love your son. And I want to believe that you still care about him. Otherwise, you wouldn't know me by name. Can we please talk for a minute?"
"....."
"Richard, is someone at the door?" the nurse called out from inside.
"Yes, there is!" Natalia answered.
"W-w-wait, don't--!" Richard panicked.
"Is that the girl from yesterday?" The nurse fully opened the door. "Oh, so it is. Was there something you needed?"
"Marsha, please, 'Murder, She Wrote' is almost on..."
"That show has been on re-runs since 1996, Richard, I don't think there are any surprises left."
"Y-You don't know that!"
"Is there something I can help you with, Ms. Natalia?"
"I was hoping to learn a bit more about Mr. Southgate. I'm his son's girlfriend, and he doesn't talk a lot about his parents, so I thought maybe his dad would be more willing to talk?" Natalia replied.
"'Willing to talk' and 'Richard' don't really go well together. I'd be more than happy to fill in any gaps."
"Marsha--" Richard spoke up.
"The girl is close to your son, and she's being very polite, Richard. She has a right to know."
"...I'm going to watch TV."
"Nobody's stopping you. Let the girls talk. Come in, Ms. Natalia."
"Thank you." Natalia followed them inside.
The house was dimly lit. It was immaculately taken care of, with nary a speck of dust to be found. Richard quickly ducked into the TV room, turning it on and watching with nervy focus. 
Natalia took off her shoes. "My, and the lady already knows what to do." Marsha said.
"I went to school in Japan. It's second nature to me by now." Natalia replied. "Is, um...is his wife around?"
"...oh, dear. You really don't have any idea what's going on." Marsha sighed. "Come with me, sweet girl. I'll explain everything."
Natalia followed the nurse upstairs, giving Richard a passing glance along the way. His attention was completely on what was on his old-fashioned TV.
She walked into a large studio, with canvasses and paintings everywhere. "Oh, wow..."
"Careful not to knock anything aside. He'll know." the nurse cautioned.
"He's an artist, just like his son..." Natalia noticed a table, with a number of newspaper articles inside frames. All of them had one thing in common. All had photographs of Kenneth, next to one of his sculptures. Natalia recognized one of them, coming from the Snow Festival. She was in that picture. "I can see how he recognized me. He's been following Kenny's art career."
"With the utmost attention. You would be hard-pressed to find a father prouder of his son. As difficult as that may be to believe, given the circumstances."
"....." Natalia looked around, a quiet, somber look in her eyes.
"You must have so many questions. 'If he's following his son so intently, why hasn't he reached out to him?' And the answer is...he's tried. Many times, over the years."
"He has...?"
Marsha walked over to the corner of the room. She pulled out a green tote. "See for yourself."
Natalia got on her knees, and opened the container. "...!" She gasped.
The tote was filled to the brim with envelopes. All of them sealed. All of them, addressed to Kenneth.
"He'll work up the strength to write to his son. Fold it up, put it in an envelope and seal it. It's the last part that's eluded him. Over and over, for the last three years that I've been his live-in nurse. I tell him that I'll send it, but he just shakes his head no. I've heard every excuse as to why. 'People don't send letters anymore', 'I probably don't have the address right', 'It's been raining so the ink is going to run'. It's become a part of his routine."
"Ms. Marsha...what's happened here?"
"What has your boyfriend told you?"
"Just that his mom was controlling. What little he's told me always focuses on her. Never on his dad. His aunt told me yesterday that Mr. Southgate was timid, and was probably being abused, too."
"Well, what I'm going to relate to you was told to me before I took this job. There was an incident, not long after Richard and Elizabeth--his wife--lost custody of Kenneth. He told me how her controlling behavior got even worse with the focal point of her anger now gone. The verbal and physical abuse got so potent one night that the neighbors could hear it through the walls. They called the police, and when they arrived, Richard was cowering on the floor, with bruises all over him. Elizabeth had beaten him with a rolling pin."
"Oh...poor Mr. Southgate..."
"She didn't express any remorse when they interrogated her. She was, and this is how my boss phrased it, 'truly demented'. She conducted herself as if she were still living in the 1800s, and disciplined everyone around her the way you'd expect out of that time. No one knew what to make of it."
"So what happened to her?"
"Last I'd heard, she was being housed in a psychiatric institution in Birmingham. Still within her Victorian fantasy. Certainly in no condition to be released anytime soon."
"Wow...and what about Mr. Southgate? I see what he's like now, but...is there any chance of him getting better?"
"What you see is as functional as I've seen him. He has his routines. We'll venture out whenever he fancies it. He prefers the house spotless. But things like cleaning or groceries, that's left up to me. The reason he could never regain custody of Kenneth should be obvious. He could never take care of a child. He can barely take care of himself. He was already a timid sort before the abuse started. Now, it's all about managing it."
Natalia heard a noise, and turned to the entrance. Richard was standing there, silently.
"Mr. Southgate, I..." she uttered.
He walked over and sat down next to one of the canvasses. "I...started painting again a few years ago. I always loved painting. Elizabeth didn't. She said a man should commit himself to stronger tasks. I only started again after...after she left."
Natalia got up, and put a hand on his. He flinched, but had no other reaction. "The paintings around the house...did you do all of them?"
"Yes..."
"They're beautiful. I can see where Kenny got his talent from."
"That's...very kind of you to say. Kenneth has so much more talent than me...I could never show my art in public...the nerves would kill me."
"Maybe you could just show them to Kenny?"
"Oh, no no no no no! He'd absolutely hate them, I mean me, I-I-I mean..."
"Richard, Richard, calm down..." Marsha massaged his shoulder.
"...I can't face him."
"Why not, Mr. Southgate?" Natalia asked.
"I was...I was too weak to protect him from Elizabeth. She was so...so cruel to me, and to him, and I could never...ever stop it. And it's been so long since I've seen him...he probably thinks I abandoned him. He is my son, but...I have no right to call myself his father. He'll never forgive me."
"How do you know, unless you try?"
"I can't..."
"Mr. Southgate, you have to. Send him those letters. Let him know you never stopped thinking of him."
"I...I can't..."
"Why not?"
"Because he doesn't need me. You're a very...very kind girl, Natalia. He needs someone like you to love him. Not a broken mess of a man like me. I can't even go outside without needing someone to watch me. He'll only see me as a burden."
"That isn't true. The Kenny I know...he can find it in his heart to forgive. You have to let him know. You're only punishing yourself by not reaching out. You didn't hurt him. But the longer you stay quiet...the more he'll feel like you did."
Richard was shaking, and covering his eyes. Finally, he spoke. "...take them."
"Take what?"
He pointed. "The letters. Give them...give them to him. If he wants to see me...then he'll see me. But if he hates me, I'll...I'll have to live with that. I..."
Natalia grabbed his shaking hand again. "Okay. Thank you. This is...very brave of you." She grabbed the container. "I hope I can come back here again. With your son, this time. Thank you, Mr. Southgate."
"....."
"I'll show you out." Marsha said. She took Natalia downstairs, as Richard stayed in place.
"Thank you for telling me everything." Natalia said on her way out the door.
"Thank you for the visit. I hope this works out. Having his son around might be what he's missing. Are you sure you don't need help with that?"
"I'm stronger than I look. I can get this back. Hopefully it doesn't rain..."
"God, no. Last thing we need is his every fear coming to pass. Safe travels, Ms. Natalia."
"Thank you, again." 
Natalia walked out. She looked at the container. "I hope...this is the right thing to do."
---
Natalia sat on her hotel bed, staring at the container. "...he...really said that?"
"Yeah. Didn't shut the door completely, but...didn't sound too optimistic." Layla responded. "Was his dad...really that bad?"
"It was awful. He's a prisoner of his own guilt. It's a miracle he even let me take these." Natalia buried her head in her lap. "What am I doing, Layla? If Kenny doesn't react well to the letters...it'll shatter that man's heart. Was this..." She shed a tear. "Was I wrong? Should I have just...left it alone?"
Layla sat down next to her, putting her arms around her friend. "You have such a good heart, Natty. I don't think it's steered you wrong here. All you can do is try. If it works out or not...that's up to Kenny. Don't give up now, okay?"
"*Sniff* Okay..."
"Come on. I don't like seeing you cry. Let's pretty ourselves up, have a nice dinner, and then take it from there."
"Yeah...you're right." Natalia wiped her eyes, then put her hands on the tote. Layla comforted her all the while. "I hope this works...families shouldn't be apart. Please...please let this work."
---
Later that night, at the restaurant.
"She is...taking a while." Kenneth, wearing a black suit, pondered.
"Freshening up doesn't just take a couple minutes, Kenny." Layla wore a lime green dress and heels, along with gloves. Her hair, still covering her left eye, was curled.
"Even still, it's a concerning amount of time. We're already through the appetizers."
"Are you complaining that she wants to look absolutely, stunningly, blindingly radiant for you? The nerve, Kenny."
"I...don't know how to respond to that."
"Well if it settles your manly nerves, I'll go check on her. I better not catch you staring." Layla got up.
"You don't have to talk like a certain feline girl for Natalia to like you, you know."
She froze. "(Crap, is he seeing right through me?! So scary!)" "I, uh, don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure. You just picked up that overly casual, ever so flirtatious attitude within the last few hours. Remember what I said about not comparing yourself unfairly to other people? I can assure you, Natalia prefers you as you are, not pretending to be someone else."
Layla's expression dropped. "They're too good. I don't know how to compete with them..."
"It's not a competition. But if you insist...try to be real with her. As much as Caroline and our charming Ms. Kit adore her, sometimes it can border on coddling. She could use a level-headed bit of reality."
"I'll...try. Thanks, Kenny. I'll go see how she's doing." "(And maybe test that last part out...!)"
Layla walked into the ladies' room. "Natty...?"
"I'm in here." Natalia voiced from inside a stall.
"Are you alright? You needed to go that badly?"
"I didn't need to go at all. I haven't even eaten."
"You feeling okay?"
No response.
"Let me in, Natty. I think I know what's going on."
The latch unlocked. Layla walked in. Natalia, in a yellow dress, with white heels bearing ribbons on the ankles, looked away.
"...it's bugging you that badly, isn't it? You having second thoughts?"
Natalia shook her head. "I can't...I can't lie to him, Layla. I've never been good at lying. But I can't just blurt it out over dinner. He might not believe me without proof. He'll just think his dad was lying, or faking it, or...*Sniff*"
"Please don't cry, Natty. You look so pretty. Don't ruffle that up with tears. I know this is tough. It's tough because you love him so much and you want him to be happy. I can't tell you how he'll react. I'm not psychic. But hiding this in your heart is just gonna make it worse."
Layla embraced Natalia. "Your heart's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I might be swimming in a cold river right now if it wasn't. I did so many awful things to you. And you still forgave me. That's how I know you're not wrong about this. You know Kenny pretty well, right?"
"*Sniff* yeah..."
"Then you know he's not the type to get angry out of nowhere. As much as my imagination might tell me otherwise. He's a cool, smart guy. Just be upfront with everything. As much as his past hurts...I think he'll understand if it's you telling him. But you've gotta keep it together until then. Man...this would sound so much better if it was any of your other friends saying this. Not your old bully."
Natalia tightly hugged her back. "It sounds perfect coming from you. Thank you. So much." She gathered herself, patting down her dress to ensure it was on straight. "I have to be strong. I have to be brave. No Scaredy-Cat Nat today. However he reacts, I can't control it. But I have to try."
"There you go. Let's get back before he *really* starts thinking something weird's going on." Layla opened the door. "And hey. I love you. I know I don't have that effortless charm or regal air that your other friends have, but..."
Natalia grabbed her hands. She gave her a hearty smile. "No 'but's. And you never needed to be Kat or Care. I love Layla just as much. Okay?"
"Awww. Now my mascara's gonna run. Come on, before Kenny gets the police involved."
The girls returned to the table. "There you are. I was getting worried. Is everything alright?" Kenneth asked.
"Yeah. Everything's okay. Tabby just called to give me a CiCi update and I lost track of time. My bad." Natalia replied.
"Who's Tabby?" Layla asked.
"Oh! I actually hadn't mentioned her yet. Tabby's a friend from school. She's catsitting for me while I'm away. If we swing by London this week, I'd love to introduce you." 
Natalia quickly recalled what her immediate concern was. "Oh...but before all that. Kenny?"
"Yes?" he responded.
"When we're done here, can you come by our hotel room for a minute? There's...something really important we have to talk about."
"That's a more serious expression than I'm used to seeing from you. If it's really that important, I couldn't say no. Is there a reason we can't discuss it more here?"
"It's better if we talk in private. And...it's got to do with something I have back in the room."
Kenneth looked ponderous. "Now what could you to be planning?"
"Wha--me?! Why am I getting roped into this?" Layla questioned.
"Merely because of my growing suspicions as to why you visited me for as long as you did. But, that is not for now. Now, we eat."
"Great, because I've been staring at those breadsticks all this time!" Layla grabbed the plate of appetizers.
"Manners, Ms. De Roos."
"Ah...right." She set the plate down, then moved a single breadstick onto her own plate. "Thank you for the very lovely evening." she said with a faux-French accent.
Natalia tried hiding her laughter.
Kenneth sighed. "Perhaps mimicking Caroline's manners isn't the worst idea..."
---
A short while later, the three exited an elevator. "Man...I'm not gonna need to eat for the next three days, at least..." Layla rubbed her stomach.
"The dangers of filling yourself up with appetizers." Kenneth replied.
Natalia remained quiet the entire walk back to the room. Her heart started to race. She moved to open the door.
"Natalia? Your hands are trembling. Did the food not agree with you?" Kenneth asked.
"...it's not because of the food, Kenny. Depending on how you take what I'm about to tell you...you might not want me to be your girlfriend anymore." Natalia replied.
"....! What could you possibly..."
"....." Layla stayed silent.
Natalia opened the door, and turned on the lights. Kenneth immediately noticed the crate on top of one of the beds. "...Natalia. Why is there a tote in here?"
"I got it from someone today." Natalia replied.
"From who, exactly?"
She put her hands together, her expression staying serious. "Everything that I'm about to tell you...everything I've spent the last couple days doing...I just want you to know, it's because I love you. And that I want you to live life without regrets."
She struggled to get the words out.
"...this is proving difficult, isn't it?" Kenneth asked. "Whatever it is, don't be afraid to tell me. I certainly don't think it could be grave enough to make me reconsider our relationship. What is it that's causing you this much anxiety."
Natalia rubbed her hands. "...yesterday, me and Layla went to the café. We saw a man there, with a nurse. He got frightened at the sight of me. His nurse walked over and said that...he knew I was friends with his son. And that the man's name was...Richard Southgate."
Kenneth was slow to show any sort of reaction. It was as if he hadn't quite absorbed what she had just told him. "Richard...Southgate. You mean...my father. You encountered...my father."
"Yes, Kenny. I did."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because I didn't know how you'd react! I know how touchy a subject your parents are. I wanted to know more before I said anything to you. I didn't want to reopen any old wounds that I didn't need to."
"There is nothing to tell. My father never raised a finger of objection towards my mother, nor did he ever make contact with me in the years I've been gone. And now, he somehow knows who my friends are? What an insipid joke."
"You're wrong." Layla spoke up.
"What exactly am I wrong about?"
"Let your girlfriend finish."
"Kenny...today, I found his house. I went inside, and..." Natalia began.
"His house. And what, pray tell, was in there? Monuments to my mother, no doubt..." Kenneth replied.
"Will you let her finish?!" Layla interjected again. "Look at how she's five seconds from crying, dude. This has been eating her up all day. And you're acting exactly how she was afraid you'd act. How about you let her say what she needs to before jumping down her throat?"
"I'm not..." Kenneth could see the increasing nerves overcoming Natalia. His frustration immediately gave way to concern. "...I'm sorry. I was not expecting this tonight. Please, go on, Natalia."
Natalia fought through the nerves, and put on a smile. "Your mom...she's not there anymore, Kenny."
"She isn't...?"
"The nurse said that right after you went to live with your aunt, your mom went off and tried to hurt your dad. They put her in an institution. She's probably never getting out."
"They...they locked her away. She's really gone...?"
"She's gone. She's where she can't hurt you anymore."
"And what of my father?"
"He's a mess, Kenny. Constantly nervous and anxious, compulsive and scared of people. His nurse is live-in. He can't even leave his house without supervision, or do any sort of chores without some sort of problem. He's...he's broken." Natalia began shedding tears.
Kenneth looked down. "....."
"But it wasn't all bad. I saw things there that gave me hope. He's a painter. His house is full of his work. They're wonderful. Just like your sculptures. He knows about me because he's got articles about your work framed in his studio. He's followed your career since the Academy days."
"I...I don't understand. If he's truly been keeping track of me, then...why hasn't he reached out to me?"
Natalia walked over, and put a hand on the container. "He has. Or, he's tried."
Kenneth opened the tote. "...!" 
"You see?"
"These letters...they're addressed to me. Some of them look like they were written years ago. And there are so many..."
"Ever since he's been able to, he's written you. But...he can't muster up the nerve to send them. He's terrified of what you'll think. He thinks that him being in your life would make you unhappy."
She put her head up against his shoulder in a comforting way. "He didn't forget you, Kenny. Your dad still thinks of you constantly. He's proud of you. And as scared as he is of reaching out, he let me take these letters. He wants to be in your life." She continued to cry.
"....." He stared into the tote, filled with letters.
"She would've told you sooner, but when I brought up what you said earlier about not feeling anything about your dad...it made it a lot harder. She didn't know if this was the right thing or not." Layla said.
"...what have I done." Kenneth spoke. "I caused you this much grief, without even knowing. What a fool I am, speaking so recklessly. All you've been doing is fixing what I've been too much of a coward to. I don't deserve the love and kindness you've shown me."
"But you're getting it anyway." Natalia replied.
"...I have no right to ask anything of you. But...I need some time alone. I have much to think about...and read through."
Natalia got up on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek. "Take all the time you need."
"I'm so sorry, Natalia."
"Let your heart heal. I'll be back to help finish the rest." She went over to Layla. "There's a café downstairs. Let's wait there for a while."
"Sure thing. Brave girls first." Layla replied. Natalia walked out, looking at Kenneth before leaving. "For the record, Kenny? I got real with her. Now you need to be real with yourself. Otherwise, she did this for nothing." Layla exited.
"'Real talk'. My mouth has done irreparable damage of late." Kenneth was left with his thoughts.
He picked up one letter, and opened it. He took out the formal parchment, and started to read. Everything was in perfect cursive.
"'To my son, Kenneth,
Hello, Kenneth. I hope this finds you well. This is actually my 59th attempt at sending you a letter. With any luck, there won't be a 60th, though I've written that same thought 32 times now. 
I recently found an article about your ice sculpture. It was an incredibly well-done piece, from the pictures I saw. The girl it was modeled after--Natalia, I believe her name is?--must be very special to you. To have someone so inspirational around, is a joy every artist wishes for. My inspiration is no longer around, sadly.
I hope you are not too upset with me, though I understand if you are. I want more than anything to be a father to you, but I have several blocks in my head that keep me from...everything, really. Talking to people, enjoying the outdoors...sending letters. I realized long ago that I would be a burden to your success. That is why I have chosen to stay away for as long as I have.
I am so happy that you are as brilliant an artist as you are. I could never put my art in front of so many viewing eyes. But still, it is good to see that you did not inherit my negatives. 
...there is so much I wish to teach you, my son. They say that the greatest joy of fatherhood, is to impart your wisdom and skills onto your child. Your work is so amazing, that I truly don't know what I could possibly teach you. But my wish is still there.
I don't know what I wish to achieve by writing this. I know I would be an awful burden on you, so intrusive my problems are. But...I can't hold this thought back. I miss you, Kenneth. My life feels so hollow without you. And the thought of you despising me for my weakness digs a hole in my heart that may never be repaired. I long to speak with you, without fear of what your mother would think. About art, and life. Maybe even about a person you deem to be wonderful enough to call your partner. To see you thrive in spite of everything is a great relief, and I truly wish I was the kind of man that would benefit you to have around.
For now, I will keep writing letters, hoping that I might accidentally send it one of these days.
With love, from your proud father,
Richard'"
Kenneth's normally steady hands shook.
"...benefit? Burden?"
He looked through more of the letters. The language was the same. Warm regards, followed by sorrowful longing.
Every preconceived notion Kenneth had, lay crumpled on the ground with the envelopes.
---
Downstairs, Natalia, looking as tired as she was feeling, sat at the café table.
"Hey. Here you go. Hot cocoa, with marshmallows and all." Layla appeared with the beverages. "No names, so no 'Leela' or anything else like that."
"Thanks." Natalia took a sip.
"How you feeling?"
"Relieved, I guess. I hate lying. I'm just worried about Kenny now. Up there all alone."
"Guy needed time to think. You just dropped a lot on him. He thought his dad didn't care about him, and now he gets proof that he was wrong. That can't be easy."
"Well, you definitely didn't sound sympathetic up there."
"Said it once, I'll say it again. I don't like seeing you cry. You were about to fall apart. I couldn't say nothing. I know it's because he's hurting, but so were you. You know I've got your back."
"I'm so lucky to have amazing friends like you. Thank you, Layla. I couldn't have gotten through this without you."
"There's the smile I love so much. I should've grabbed my sketchbook when I had the chance. I'll just have to commit it to memory."
Natalia let out a giggle. "So...how long should we stay here? We can't leave him alone for too long. And, you know...we need somewhere to sleep."
"As long as you think he needs. A few minutes, another hour. Up to you. I'm seeing that look in your eyes. You want to go up there right now. So...finish your chocolate first, and then we'll go back up. 'Kay?"
Natalia nodded.
A short while later, they returned upstairs. Natalia opened the door. "Kenny? Are you okay in here?"
Kenneth sat at the foot of the bed, reading a letter. Several envelopes lay on the floor around him. "...I'm a fool."
"Kenny, don't say that..."
"I knew all along that he was taking the same punishments as me...yet I blamed him for failing to protect me. I can feel his sorrow in every written word. He truly believes himself insufficient to be in my life. My every action has kept the man in a prison of self-imposed punishment. And all this time, I knew nothing."
He grabbed the sides of his head, and stared down at the floor. "It feels like reality's been flipped on its head. What am I even supposed to do now?"
His hands were pulled away by another pair of hands, warm and loving. Natalia knelt in front of him. "Please don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault, or his. Neither of you created this situation. But you can fix it. See him. Fill that void that's been there for four years. You're the only one that can do it. Please, Kenny."
Layla watched from the corner, and wiped a tear from her eye.
"...this warmth...is this a family trait?" Kenneth asked. "Your mother always told you about the power of hugs. Every one you've ever given me has had this same, comforting warmth to it. They're almost spiritual, in a way."
"I've always said it. Hugs can fix a lot. It's the sure sign that someone's there for you when you need it."
She sat on his lap, and hugged him tight. "I love you, Kenny. This was all for you. I'm sorry I waited to tell you. Please, make this right."
"No, Natalia. My muse. My love. I'm the one who's sorry. You worked to fix something I should have amended myself long ago. Forgive this fool for making you cry. I welcome any punishment you or anyone else wishes to inflict."
"No more punishment, please. Just promise me you'll make this okay. My heart can't take anymore stress today."
A few minutes later, after attending to the mess of envelopes, Kenneth picked up the tote. "I'll let you get your rest. I have...quite a few more of these to go over."
"And your dad?"
"...I'll call you in the morning. I may be needing directions."
Natalia's eyes lit up. "I'll be waiting."
"You'd better follow through. I know where you live." Layla interjected.
"The Kit So-yin act really doesn't suit you, Ms. De Roos. She would have made some sort of lewd comment by now." Kenneth replied.
"Ugh, let me sound cool for one second, will you?"
"Your tongue-lashing was more than enough. Now then, I should take my leave. Good night, ladies."
"Nighties." Natalia waved.
Kenneth departed, Layla closing the door after. "Yeah. That guy's not getting any sleep toni--Natty?"
Natalia had dropped onto the bed, her eyes closed.
"Guess I can take the other bed tonight." Layla carefully removed Natalia's shoes, then draped a cover over her. "Good night, Natty. Sweet dreams. You've earned them."
"...huggies..."
"Huh?"
Natalia, half-asleep, held out her arms. "Need...huggies..."
"Oh, of course." Layla obliged the request.
"Thankies...lovesies..."
"I lovesies you too, Natty. Even if I don't--nah. I'm not gonna keep bringing it up when you obviously don't care about it. You're my bestie. Now and forever."
---
May 17, 2032
Canning, late in the morning.
"Richard, I'm going to get the groceries. Behave yourself." Marsha called out, to no response. "...barely a word since yesterday. I hope that girl knows what she's--"
A knock at the door. She opened it, to find Natalia standing there. "Hello~." she said with a positivity that belied her tired expression.
"Hello again, Ms. Natalia. And..." Marsha noticed who was with her.
"Good day. Your...patient, is home, I assume?" Kenneth asked.
"Yes...upstairs, in his gallery."
Kenneth took a deep breath. "No excuses now."
Natalia comforted him, rubbing his arm. "You'll be okay. I'll be right here."
Kenneth stopped at the stairs. He shook his head. "She's not here. There's nothing to fear." Slowly, he took a step, and headed up.
"How...did you...?" Marsha questioned.
"Heehee~. A little bit of magic." Natalia replied.
"And a bit of friendly encouragement." Layla popped in, putting her arms around her friend.
In his studio, Richard stared at one painting hanging on the wall, of a man releasing a small bird into the sky.
"...you have quite the expansive collection. Even lining the stairs." a voice spoke from behind.
Richard became unnerved. He could not believe whose voice it was. "I thought you didn't like the stairs."
"Perhaps all it took was the right decorations."
"I...I didn't want a house with stairs. Maybe I was resigned to the thought you'd never step foot in it. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
"It's alright. There's no one to push me down them now. These paintings were all done by your hand, correct?"
"Yes. Every single one."
"The composition is immaculate. Clearly you took a great amount of time to ensure every detail was as you wanted it."
"I never thought I'd be hearing such praise...much less coming from you. I'm in constant awe of your work, Kenneth." 
"The praise is duly noted. Tell me...what's the story behind the one you're looking at?"
"This one...is about a man letting go of a bird he'd been raising. He loved the bird, and wanted so desperately to keep it in his life. But you can see from his haggard looks...the man could barely look after himself. And so..." Richard shook. " ...he decided that the only way that the bird could ever flourish and be happy is if he let it go. No matter how much it hurt him to do it. That was his penance for not being strong enough to protect the bird in the first place."
His head dropped. "...forgive me, Kenneth. I've been a weak man for my entire life. My one duty as a father is to protect my child, and I failed miserably. I couldn't even muster the strength to send a single letter. I wouldn't blame you if you'd disposed of every single one--"
"Father."
"...!"
"I didn't dispose of any of your letters. Natalia gave them to me, and I spent the entire night reading through them all. The sheer volume of them made it rather difficult to read them chronologically, but I have a fairly good idea of the order."
"The entire night?! Oh, no no no, someone your age shouldn't be forfeiting sleep like that, it isn't healthy..."
"Relax. School is out for the summer, and my current project is 99% completed. I have time to make up for it. And...I didn't want to delay this. I am the one who should be apologizing."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Kenneth--"
"But I do. I should have made a greater effort to reconnect, even if I was a continent away from here. I let anger cloud my judgment. You were as much Mother's victim as I was. But I failed to see that until recently. My way of coping was to ignore the memories entirely, and that simply wasn't working. I should have come to this conclusion sooner, but...I have a very insistent muse."
"That girl...has a very sizeable heart."
"Indeed. And it's because of that heart that I'm standing here now." Kenneth stood next to his father. "So, Father...what say we start over?"
"...I...would like that. Very much, Kenneth." Richard, still shaking, embraced a surprised Kenneth. "My son...I missed you. These last four years...have been torturous."
"I understand. But it doesn't have to stay that way. I've already found an easy way to start the repair process. The thing I know we both share a love for. I could actually use some advice."
"Y-you...want me to help with your art?"
"Yes. I said I have 99% of my current project done, but I'm a little hung-up on the finer details..."
---
May 29, 2032
Tokyo. An events center in Shinjuku, where a local convention was in full swing. Cosplayers filled the halls, while artists sat at their tables, tending to every visitor who stopped by.
"Danke, thank you! Have a nice day!" Layla bid one such visitor. Sketch drawings of a number of anime and game characters, as well as VTubers, were on display at her table. On the front was a banner with a chibi drawing of herself in a witch's cap, along with the online moniker "HeksGirl".
She glanced at her phone, back to the ongoing back-and-forth she was having with, as the messenger app had it, "Nattyyy 💖".
"'How's things over there?'" Natalia asked.
"'Busy day yesterday, Saturday's gonna be crazyyyy 😭'" Layla replied.
"'Oh boy, you're gonna be swimming in 💰'"
"'Gonna need it for all the relaxing I'm gonna be doing after this 💤🏖💅'"
"'You've earned it!!! Love this for u'"
"'Thanks bestie!!! How are things with ze boyfriend?'"
"'They're going pretty good. He visits his dad every day. The art festival's in a couple of days, and we're hoping his dad can come out and see. He's still really nervous about being around a lot of people, so we're gonna try going places and easing him into it.'"
"'Baby steps. Glad it's working out. Already counting minutes til my next visit'"
"'Saaaame. Alright, time to get to sleepies. Talk again soon. Good luck!!! ❤️'"
"'Danke. Nighties 😘'"
Layla had little time after finishing the conversation, that another inquiring soul popped up. "Hi, miss!" It was a black-haired boy wearing a red 'Super Sentai' shirt.
"Hello! How can I help you?"
"Did you draw all these? They all look awesome!"
"Oh, thank you! Yes, I did! I've got a book of them here, if you wanted to look...oh, wait a second. You aren't here alone, are you?"
"Oh, I'm not! Uh...oops. I think I ran too far."
"Uri! Darn it, kid, you know how easy it is to get lost in here..." a male voice called out.
Layla froze up. She recognized that slight Southern twang. "(Oh no...of all the people...is he coming to finish me off?!)"
She envisioned that black suit of armor, looming over her and, in her imagination, laughing like a cartoon villain.
"Seriously, kid, don't run off like that..."
"SPARE ME!" Layla yelped.
"Gah!" 
She finally got a good look, and this was not the armored man of her nightmares, but a startled 19-year old from Oklahoma wearing a blue jacket with a silver 'Ultraman' shirt underneath.
"Oh, uh..." she uttered.
"Wait...I know that face. You're Layla, aren't you?" Max asked. "...hey, um, kid? You want to go look at one of those tables for a minute? I need to talk to the nice lady here."
"Okay!" Uri exclaimed.
"Don't go too far. I'm not gonna spend all day running after you."
The boy bounded off.
"He's, uh...Professor Kubo's nephew. I volunteered to bring him. He's a big toku fan, and, well." Max gestured at his shirt. "So...Natty says you're doing a lot better. You look like you're doing better."
"Yeah, uh...I'm doing great. Art school and con runs keep my brain busy, and...not thinking of scary guys in black armor threatening me and my parents." Layla replied.
"Yeah...yeah. Look, I--"
"I know Natty says you're a different guy now, and that I shouldn't be afraid anymore, but...that was messed up, what you did. Like...what were you even thinking? Telling me you're gonna save me and then putting me to sleep, like, how's that saving me?"
"I know, I know! I...I screwed up. I know that's putting it lightly, but I promise you, I'm not proud of anything I did back then. I had good intentions, but, well, there's that old saying about the road to hell. What I did to you was wrong. I should've left it to Natty to help you."
"Yeah, you should've. She's really good at it."
"I'm sorry. For whatever it's worth coming from me. I've been asking Natty a lot about how you're doing. I'm glad you're doing good. The last thing I want is to have left any lasting pain."
Layla took a second to formulate her response. "If I've learned anything lately, it's that it works out better for everyone if you let go of your anger and let people move on. If Natty says you're not a bad guy, then I won't argue with that. I've got nothing to complain about with my life now. So..."
She ducked under her table for a moment, then pulled out a sketch of the black armor. "Recognize this?"
"Yeah. You made that after I went in your room. Kat showed it to us right before she outed me. As much as I've come to hate what that look represents...you captured the likeness pretty well."
"I held onto it for whenever I saw you again. I think I've finally got an idea of what I want to do with it. Do you promise never to do something that messed up again?"
"Swear it on my mother."
"Good enough for me." She tore the sketch in half. "Apology accepted."
"Thank you, Layla. I hope this helps with moving on. Let me get Uri over here to--"
"MAXIE! It's a life-sized Blazar! I've gotta have it!" Uri gestured at a man-sized replica of the titular Ultraman.
"Absolutely not! Your parents would kill me if we brought that back! And I literally just started working, you want me to go bankrupt?!"
"MAXIE! Look at her!" A silver-haired girl with glasses and a pink and blue outfit appeared, gesturing at a white-and-black hooded replica of someone resembling Spider-Man. "You know how long I've been wanting my own Spider-Gwen?! She'd be perfect for my living room!"
"Nope, no no no no no nope! Your dad told you to be fiscally responsible, Cindy, I'm not gonna have him on my case about you overspending!" He turned back to Layla. "Sorry. I've got more than one problem child on my hands today. Excuse me for one second. Cindy, don't look at her! No, noooo, get your hand away from your wallet--"
As Max and his companion bickered, Layla watched, and laughed. The last two weeks had put her through a range of emotions. Now, when the course of her life had once seemed so bleak, she was more than happy just to be able to smile.