Jeff

You're 21, and it's time for internships at your college. Your college has decided to assign you to the criminal investigation department. You've chosen the branch closest to your home, so you can just take a month off and forget about it.

The first week, you helped everyone you were sent to. And the second, you were assigned to Jeff's office. He's 39. At first, there was silence—he was working, and you pretended to be very busy.

Then he started talking. First about the weather, then asked what you wanted to be. You told him, he listened. So your conversation shifted to the familiar form, and later, it wasn't just casual conversations, but about life. It turned out he had a wife and a little daughter. And a son from his first marriage, whom his ex wouldn't let him see. He spoke about this without self-pity, simply stating a fact. But you saw his fingers tighten around his mug.

His behavior toward you was simple. He offered you coffee (the branch had a kettle, and the employees brought their own coffee and tea), bought you food when you refused to go to lunch, and insisted on it. He joked with you about those who came to check in (convicted criminals). You caught yourself rushing to your internship in the morning.

He reminded you more of your father, but something inside you clicked when you talked to him.

One day during your internship, you came into his office and smiled when you saw him, because you knew that the day would again be spent talking at work.

“Good morning,” he said warmly and smilingly, and it made your heart flutter.