53 Chapter 53: A Worried Father

Arias welcomed the commissioner into his home and lead him into the living room. There he offered him a seat before leaving to prepare the coffee.

He returned several minutes later and set a mug on the table for him.

"Thanks."

Gordon wasn't a talkative man to begin with but it was clear that the atmosphere was a bit off for him, after all he and Arias weren't at all close and his opinion of him was neutral at best.

"You're welcome, you definitely needed it." Arias was careful with his words as he took a seat on a separate sofa.

In such a situation, Gordon would become uncomfortable if someone like Arias, who he wasn't close to just began asking him about the problems he was facing.

To gain insight in such a case, one needed to play the role of a trigger and listener. Triggering the individual by to start a conversation themselves, and then listening.

"Is that obvious?" Gordon took a sip from his cup and sighed, unaware of the mind games that Arias had already began to employ.

He had a lot on his mind, anyone in a similar place would want to vent those problems, even if they didn't realize it themselves.

It was all about them being in a comfortable space where they felt relaxed.

Arias created such an environment with a simple mug of coffee and light conversation. To answer Gordon's question, Arias nodded and then feigned a concerned expression.

"It does and from the looks of it, it's something serious. It's not my place to pry but you shouldn't let whatever is bothering you linger around, I'm speaking from experience."

Once again Arias chose his words carefully so as to lure Gordon in. First, he showed concern, this let Gordon feel that he was showing genuine concern.

Second, he avoided asking Gordon directly what was bothering him. This showed Gordon that Arias wasn't nosy or too interested in his affairs, just concerned.

Then lastly, he subtly made it known that he had experienced a similar situation. This would make Gordon more likely to share more, in hopes of finding a solution from someone more experienced.

It worked like a charm.

After a brief silence, Gordon couldn't help but ask. "You're young so I'm sure you know how teenagers work far better than me. What… what does it mean when a girl at that age has a breakdown or at least something like it?"

Gordon was hesitant and still didn't reveal too much but to Arias who already had some knowledge prior to the conversation, he could fill in the blanks.

It was easy for him to conclude that whatever happened with Barbara and Bruce the previous day, it hit her hard. Far harder than he could have guessed, judging by the helpless expression on the commissioner's face as he asked.

"In this day and age, a lot can cause a girl in her teenage years to suffer from a breakdown. However the most common involve bullying, heartbreak and or depression. To narrow it down, you need to look at the signs. For example, was the the girl happy and normal and happy in the earlier days prior to the breakdown or did she show noticeable changes over time?"

Since Arias had prior knowledge of who the actual person involved in the situation was, it was easy to forge a fake analysis that would provide hope to the worried father.

"Normal, definitely normal. No warning at all, I'm also sure the cause has to be one particular thing, but I don't know what."

Gordon became more active now that Arias gave a valid point, especially since Gordon, a detective, was thinking along similar lines.

"If that's the case then it can't be bullying or depression, they would have been signs prior. That leaves only heartbreak. One moment the girl is happy and normal, then suddenly one day she'll be in tears, if it happened on bad terms then it could even cause anger and make her throw a fit of rage."

The more Arias's words matched what happened to Gordon, the more he believed that he was the right person to speak to.

He became less hesitant and just outright asked. "Then, will she be better? How can it be solved?"

Some eagerness could be heard in Gordon's voice, he had completely forgotten that he was talking to practically a stranger about his personal affairs.

Any loving parent desperate to save their child from a situation they didn't understand would do the same, if not more.

"She'll need to heal and forget. A mother will likely notice and give insight on the matter from a girl's perspective, that will help. After all, the girl can't turn to anyone else and it's that feeling that makes them feel even more hurt and miserable."

Gordon got his answer, but it wasn't one that made him happy.

When Arias learned Barbara's identity, he of course learned the basics of her life. Such as the fact that she had lost her mother.

He purposefully mentioned a mother figure to make Gordon cling to hope, only to have it crushed.

Why? So he could be desperate for another solution and even more grateful after.

"And if the girl has no mother?" Gordon asked in a very deflated tone, looking as mentally exhausted as he did before coming.

Arias took the finished his cup of coffee and stood up from his seat.

"Simple, the father will need to be that distraction. He just needs to take her away from the root of the problem for a few days, it could be a trip camping outside the city, maybe visiting a tourist attraction in another state, the options are endless. However it has to be done as naturally as possible. If the girl feels that everything being done, is being done for her sake, then she'll find it hard to relax."

Gordon took Arias's words to heart as it sounded like genuinely good advice.

With that done, Arias could end the conversation. He saw no point in trying to accomplish anything more. He simply had a great opportunity presented to him so he chose to utilize it by sparing a few minutes of his morning.

"I'm about to go shower, you can let yourself out whenever you're done."

This was the last play of Arias's twisting of words. He ended the conversation and didn't pry, letting Gordon know that he was somewhat dependable and a good conversationalist.

It was far from a friend but it was enough gain to Arias in exchange for a few minutes of his morning.

As for what advantages it could bring, only time would tell.