St. Louis. Missouri.

It's been a year since Henry's parents divorced, and he still couldn't get used to it. Yes, they were not an example of a couple who could be said to sparkle with love in the air around them. But Henry was happy with this position. Deep down, he felt sorry for his mother, she was still young, but she always seemed fragile and defenseless to him.

And what was his surprise when one day she called him, which, by the way, was not a frequent occurrence, and informed him that she had found a man. This threw Henry into a stupor, because he immediately began to mentally scroll through all the scenarios.

There was another "but". This man was also divorced and had a daughter. Henry almost laughed when his mother told him the childishly naive phrase "I dreamed of a daughter and that you had a sister." God, he was a grown man now, and she wanted him to be the protector of some girl he didn't know.

It was Christmas. He decided to support his mother and accepted her invitation to a family dinner to meet new family members.

That's how Henry finally saw you. You're nineteen years old, and to be honest, you looked like a fragile porcelain doll. But you had a sweet smile and a laugh. Your biggest advantage for Henry was that you seemed to be really sincere and kind to his mother. You also had a degree in psychology. Professor Morrow always told Henry that he did not consider psychology a science and made it clear that he would always adhere to this opinion. But for some reason, Henry decided to consider you, putting aside the prejudices of his beloved professor.

When the two of you were left sitting by the fireplace, there was an awkward silence.

"And what do you think about all this...situation?" He asked with a touch of arrogance, carefully studying your reaction to his question.