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The last time I saw him, he was a bit on the fence about mending his family relationships, and the last I ever heard anything relating to him was when Nick closed the cafe yesterday citing the ever-ambiguous ‘family plans’ as the reason why.

Fast forward to the present time, and doting dad over here was idly rapping his knuckles against the counter as I hurriedly began prepping his order, and ever so often adjusting and readjusting the little gift box sitting in front of him.

So then, does this mean what I think it means? Or am I jumping too quick into conclusions right here? Know what, think I’ll just ask the man himself instead of continuing to end every single thought popping inside my head with another question mark.

Like a suave bartender-man working in the sleepy back alley tavern, I slid the man before me his drink of choice, his wrinkled eyes telling of a story beyond words, and asked him, “How have you been doing lately?”

The old man gave me a smirk, as he stretched the wrinkles out from his business suit, a glint of silver slightly protruding from his buttoned sleeves. Once more, a far cry from the decrepit, desperate man I used to know of him.

With a jovial swell in his voice, he spoke, “As well as I can possibly be, thanks to you,” then plucking his lips to the straw, he took a large sip of his drink, audibly smacking as he leaned back, his gaze with this assessing look. “Not half-bad there, son. A little heavy on the sugar though... just a light sprinkle next time, don’t toss them.”

.....

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” I said, then quickly before I get called by another patron, asked. “How are you doing with your family by the way? Since you’re here, you bought a gift, I assume something’s going right, right?”

“I give you my life story once, not a very interesting story at that, and you still want more?”

“To be fair, you did leave me at quite the cliffhanger.”

And to that, he had nothing to say to a fair point made, bobbing his head once in a show of props.

“Well, I suppose to keep a dull story brief, we’ll just say I decided to... reconsider my stance. I don’t take back what I said before, I still firmly believe everyone’s better off without me in their lives. But like I mentioned before, I’m a selfish man, aren’t I? I thought I could handle my desires before... but then after experiencing near death, after a while, it’s got me wanting more.”

I listened to him speak, and saw a flash of what looked like guilt and shame briefly dampen his spirited demeanor before he washed it all away with another long sip of his drink.

“I know it’s wrong to involve myself in their lives. Aside from Nick, I also know that nobody else wants anything to do with me anymore. And I especially know that after all I’ve done and how long it’s been that there is no going back.”

Harry shook his head as if trying to reaffirm himself of his own statement.

“No, there is no going back,” He repeated, then he looked at me, a little determined, a little firm, and perhaps even a little hopeful. “But there is still going forward.”

“Going forward, huh...” I muttered, eyeing his gift-wrapped box off to the side. “So is this what this is, then?”

“A good attempt to, yeah,” He nodded. “You know, I don’t even remember the last time I gave my boy a present. Birthdays, Christmases. About time I change that, don’t you think?”

Gray areas were never my expertise. I could see either sides to his approach, both the good and the bad, and while I personally think it was good that he was trying to make an effort, I could see the inverse being true too. That he didn’t deserve to try.

For the time being, I was leaning on the former side of the fence, and though I wasn’t gonna give my input just yet, opting instead to wait and see, I did at least have one thing to say.

A question, to be more accurate.

“Shouldn’t it be two then and not one?” I asked him. “Last I remembered you’re a father of two not one, so... where’s the other one?”

Harry clamped up at once, the smile slowly fading from his face. “Hayley’s, um... a bit more complicated to deal with.”

“I can only imagine,” I said, speaking hurriedly and briskly as I left the counter to tend to a waving customer. “But if you’re gonna try to go forward, shouldn’t you instead be trying to make an effort with the person who’s hurting the most here? I don’t think Nick is the one who you should be worrying about at the moment.”

And that’s where I left him for a fair few minutes as I played the Q&A game with a first-timer utterly baffled by our mythical menu selections. It was here that I had time to reflect, and I realized that maybe I wasn’t the best candidate to be giving out family advice especially on such complex and critical matters as the one now.

When I walked back around the corner, Harry was still in the same huddle position I left him, the surface of his glass gleaming with droplets and for a long while untouched. But when he looked at me , he had that same peppy smile wide on his face again.

“You know, apart from a shrink, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone so invested in my family affairs. Not one on a payroll, at least”

“They’re my friends,” I replied, sliding him a coaster for his drink.”And I’ll help them in any way if I can. Dozens of failed interviews, and your kids are the only ones that welcomed me with open arms. I’m grateful.”

“But this grateful?” He raised his eyebrows. “If you want to pay them back, then just do your job, right?”

“They’re friends,” I repeated again. “And you, well... I suppose you’re getting there. Let’s just say I’m sympathetic, alright? I’d like to see a good outcome between all of you... if such a thing even exists.”

“As despicable and undeserving a man as I am?” He asked.

“You say that, but I personally believe you’ve earned your fair shot at a second chance,” I replied. “Even if you don’t think so.”

Harry stared at me for a good long while there as if he was trying to work out a solution to a rather complex puzzle.

“A guy like you working here, I don’t know how Hayley’s still single.”

I blinked. “Scuse me?”

“You’re not spoken for, are you?” He asked me. “Because if I can’t ever see her again, then I think I might be able to rest at ease knowing that she’s at least with a guy like you.”

“Umm...”

Whether I was or not, he never got to find out... for in the next moment, suddenly there was a chime at the door, and there, with all the timing of divine intervention, walked in the very same subject of the topic at hand.

With a smile much like his, and bearing that same kindly look in his eyes, Hayley took one look in my direction and waved in delight.

And I, trying to hide my alarm and panic, waved just as merrily back at her.

Oh, this can’t be good...