"Classmates, these are my fathers," Emmalyn announced as she was practicing for her presentation. Alder and I were helping her. "And I'm gonna show them a picture of you, is that too much?" She asked. Alder and I shared a glance.

"If you want to show them a picture, go ahead," I said. "Most of them probably know already since we drop you off before we go to work."

"I know, I guess I'm feeling a little bit jittery," she admitted. "I've never been good in front of crowds."

"But you're in the drama club?" Alder said.

"It's in front of people that I know well," she replied. I placed my hand on my daughter's shoulder and she looked up.

"How about you do it like Evan's speech about Connor, you know that way of presenting?" I tried to suggest. Emmalyn shook her head.

"It wouldn't fit that way. That speech is about if you ever feel alone someone will find you, my thing is just a presentation for my school's Pride Month." She smiled at us. "I'll figure it out, don't worry." Alder and I shared a look. My mind flashed back to the time in the hospital. Alder and I were still 14 at the time and we'd recently started dating.

Alder was in the bed and I was on the chair next to him. I had taken him there after nearly vomiting at the sight of him at his house. His father was nowhere in sight, probably at work. Reason I'd nearly lost my lunch: The house smelled strongly of blood and the 'a' word. I'll spare you the details. The state of him made me snap and I had angrily asked who had done this to him.

His dad.

This had made my rage quickly turn into horror. His DAD had done this to him? His SON? How... how messed up do you have to be to do THIS? To your CHILD? Alder could've died, and because of who but his DAD?

We had talked in the hospital about things I that I've forgotten exactly what. One thing lead to another and I ended up revealing my own secret.

The most horrific part of this memory? A few days later Alder had showed me the scars on his arms. I didn't need to look twice to see what they were.

Cut scars.

They were too perfectly aligned to be any other kind of scar. I attempted to comfort him. But it does make me wonder, if Alder and I had never met, how differently could his life have played out? He'd escaped the torment of his father when he moved in with me, and was finally free when his father died of 'a' word poisoning.

"Father?" Emmalyn's worried voice made me realize I'd zoned out. By Alder's expression I could tell he probably guessed what memory I'd just had.

"Oh, I'm fine! Got lost in my train of thought there." And what a gruesome train of thought it was. "Yeah I suppose that type of presenting wouldn't work, I'm sure you'll think of something." I said. Emma smiled.

"I wonder if anyone else is doing anything for Pride Month?" Emmalyn asked herself.

"Maybe people will 'come out'?" Alder suggested. "Seems like the best time to do it?"

"And you chose a really random not-June-day to come out when we were in Grade 6," I reminded. Alder smirked.

"Says Mr.I-only-came-out-to-my-mother," he teased. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay you win," I laughed. "What do I owe you?" I joked.

"Hmm... I think you owe me a kiss," Alder joked back. We kissed and Emmalyn rolled her eyes.

"Gross," she said with a slight giggle. We turned towards our daughter.

"One day, when you meet your soulmate, you'll understand." Alder replied. I sent her a wink, causing her to blush.

"O-oh, well maybe I just haven't experienced that yet," she answered.

"Hm, maybe~" I teased. Emmalyn's blush darkened but she didn't reply.

"What do you mean by that?" Alder asked, getting a slightly overprotective tone.

"I'm saying that she could've or could've not, but she doesn't know," I replied trying to sound like I was being genuine. Neither Emmalyn or Alder knew that I knew about Emmalyn's crush on Timothy.

"Oh, okay."