There were a long list of topics Jo longed to discuss with Alfred. Heavy and emotional ones, joyous ones about their children, traveling, the list was endless. None of those topics contained the letters recently sent. None of them dared to touch on the response that left her crying into the wee hours of the morning.

She inhaled sharply and refused to look at him. "There was nothing worth remembering. I'm sorry for even answering it." Jo bit back. What a mistake that had been. An absolutely ridiculous mistake. Thank Merlin she hadn't touched on his mention of love. How mortifying would that have been?

"You don't have to do this. I understand the boundary - we're not friends. What I think doesn't have to matter here." She pushed on a bit more hesitantly.

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