"Can I come with you?" he asks, still looking at her with that open, honest smile. "I'm going to go visit Webster later, too, I think he wants to hear about Veronica, but I want to spend some time with you. If that would be okay. Would that be okay?"

He's talking far more than he would on any other day, but he almost doesn't notice. It feels good, like some sort of wall has finally been taken down.