Jo shrugged, entirely unsure of the answer. While she was positive that she had lost some (if not all) of her sunny disposition following the events of Egypt, it was impossible for her to discern who Alfred was now. They hadn't had a genuine conversation in nearly two years, and the last thing he'd ever told her following said conversation was to leave. Had he transformed into a brighter person? Had he changed as much as she?
"I don't know, Alfred." She took a sip of her drink before turning to face him once more. A hundred questions, demands and statements ran through her head as she struggled to keep her rising frustration at bay. Alfred thought her cynical without knowing any of the circumstances. He had talked to her about taking a trip and then all at once he was moving and getting married. If she was cynical, it was due partly to him as well. Not entirely, perhaps not even significantly enough to matter, but enough that Jo was able to recognize the loss.
"Wouldn't you turn cynical after an intensely dark period in your life? Or did you return from South America entirely as you were?"
"I don't know, Alfred." She took a sip of her drink before turning to face him once more. A hundred questions, demands and statements ran through her head as she struggled to keep her rising frustration at bay. Alfred thought her cynical without knowing any of the circumstances. He had talked to her about taking a trip and then all at once he was moving and getting married. If she was cynical, it was due partly to him as well. Not entirely, perhaps not even significantly enough to matter, but enough that Jo was able to recognize the loss.
"Wouldn't you turn cynical after an intensely dark period in your life? Or did you return from South America entirely as you were?"
![[Image: V9Vf0R0.png]](https://i.imgur.com/V9Vf0R0.png)