"Mmm! Yay, this tastes amazing!" Emma excitedly said.
"Hehe, you like it?" Jesse snickered.
"Mhm!" Emma replied with a mouth full of spaghetti.
The family of three went out to Olive Garden for dinner. Thanks to Emma's cheerful mood there's no way you could look at her and not have a smile on your face or at least for some people. Emma was slurping on her spaghetti and meatballs while Jesse glanced at her every once in a while. Everyone was all happy and jolly except for one person and that was Adam; he did look up at them every once in a while with a small smirk on his face but he still had distant look in his eyes as if he was distracted.
Throughout the whole meal, Adam didn't even lift his fork. He looked very distant and distracted and would just stare into the abyss. This of course didn't go unnoticed. Jesse knew this but didn't say anything during dinner in order not to ruin the mood. She didn't want Emma to notice it either knowing that she will get upset but unfortunately Emma did notice his actions as well. Of course, she wasn't happy about it but she had no choice but to act like she didn't care or notice cause she was afraid that her parents might fight again.
They walked out of the restaurant and headed straight to their car. On the way back home Emma fell asleep in the backseat. Jesse took this opportunity to ask Adam what was going on without letting Emma know.
"Adam," Jesse said
"What?" Adam replied glancing at her for a second before turning his eyes back at the dark road.
"What's going on with you? You have been acting very different lately."
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Yes, you do Adam. You've been acting very distant lately. What happened?"
"Listen I don't know what you're going on about but I've been perfectly fine. Nothing is wrong with me." Adam sighed.
Jesse scoffed and shook her head. "Always in denial aren't you? Emma and I are worried about you, but you don't seem to care now do you?"
"Maybe not about you, but of course I care about Emma she's my daughter why wouldn't I care?"
'If you cared about her you would tell me what's going on."
"I don't have to tell You anything."
"Adam, how selfish could you be? I'm just trying to help you for the sake of our daughter!"
"I'm doing this all for you and Emma! I'm doing this to protect the both of you damn it!"
"What do you mean protecting us? All you ever do is bury yourself in your work! All you ever think of is WORK, WORK, WORK!"
"That's because I don't want you to fucking die, Jessica!"
"Adam..."
"Just forget it, Jesse. It doesn't matter anymore." Adam sighed and focused all his attention on driving. Jesse didn't know what to say so all she could do is sigh and look the other way.
The rest of the way home was silent except for Emmas' occasional snoring here and there. Adam parked in front of the apartment complex and got out of the car to take Emma out of the backseat. Jesse came out too and slammed the car door shut and entered the building not waiting for Adam.
"I'm gonna tuck her into bed," Adam whispered as he held Emma in his arms while shutting and locking the door behind him. Jesse just sat on the couch and nodded her head not making any eye contact with him.
Adam walked over to Emma's bedroom and carefully laid her on her bed and tucked her in with a fluffy pink blanket and placed her favorite stuffed pink panda next to her. He just sat on the other end of the bed stroking her head gently and smiling.