If possible, Anson also wished Jack could stay away from the entanglements of his biological family forever. That nightmare should remain in the past.
But Anson had been through it himself. He knew that just because something is out of sight doesn't mean it no longer exists. Even if Jack never sees his father again, the nightmares that haunt his mind will still persist, relentless and inescapable.
In the end, we all need to face our fears; otherwise, the scars on our souls will never heal.
So, rather than worrying about Jack running into his father in New York, it's better to focus on Jack himself, hoping he'll gather the courage to fight back.
They can't run away forever.
Jack stared blankly at Anson, his eyes slightly reddening. "At least now, I'm not afraid to return to New York. One day, I won't be scared to face him."
"But for now... New York is so big. I'm not worried he'll find me."
"To be more accurate, he's probably drunk and passed out somewhere. He doesn't have the energy for anything else, let alone knowing I'm back."
Deep down, Jack was still afraid. He wasn't ready to face his father.
It wasn't easy.
Jack took a deep breath and forced a big smile to cover up his vulnerability. "But I had to come back. You were in trouble, weren't you?"
"Now there are all kinds of rumors flying around in the media, getting more and more outrageous. I don't know what to believe anymore. Those reports are terrifying."
Jack shivered and made a funny face, baring his teeth.
This made Anson laugh out loud.
"Don't believe any of it," Anson said. "The media is all lies. More precisely, you should focus on enjoying your school life, thinking about what college you want to go to and your future, not paying attention to my news."
Jack pressed his lips together. "It's hard not to pay attention. Do you know how many headlines are about you?"
Anson looked serious. "No, because I don't go online or watch the news. So, I don't know anything about it. You can do the same."
Jack's mouth dropped open in disbelief. You can do that?
A smile crept into Anson's eyes.
Jack finally relaxed, walking to the foot of the hospital bed to take a closer look at Anson. From the outside, he didn't seem injured, no broken arms or legs, just lying there casually. The media's dramatic reports seemed way off, and this confused Jack.
"Anson, are you okay?"
Without thinking, Anson said, "I'm fine."
But after speaking, he reconsidered and said more carefully, "I hurt my lower back, and I need time to heal. There will be rehab, but it's not that serious and shouldn't affect the rest of my life."
"Or, to put it another way, to make sure it doesn't affect my future, I need to follow the doctor's orders, which is why I'm lying here like a good patient."
Often, parents or adults assume kids don't understand things, or they try to shield them from the harsh realities of life. But this approach is questionable.
First, kids usually do understand.
Second, just because they're unaware of the truth doesn't mean life will treat them kindly.
The movie Life Is Beautiful is incredibly moving. A father, trying to protect his child's innocence, weaves a fairy tale in the middle of a concentration camp. It's a classic, no doubt.
But that doesn't mean reality will spare the child. When reality takes away the father, the child still has to face the brutal world, and it will be even bloodier.
So, Anson tried to speak the truth in a reasonable way.
Maybe it would help Jack grow up.
Sure enough, Jack quieted down, looking at Anson thoughtfully.
"...Does it hurt?" Jack asked softly.
Anson nodded. "Yeah."
Because Lucas and the doctors were cautious about Anson's history of addiction, they were careful with the painkillers.
The painkillers only worked for a while, and once they wore off, the electric-shock-like stiffness and sharp pain would return, tugging at Anson's nerves, keeping him in a half-dream, half-awake state through the night, unable to fully sleep or wake.
But there was no need to tell Jack these details.
Jack thought for a moment. "Even so, do you still love your job?"
Anson smiled.
Jack was confused.
"My mother asked me the same thing," Anson said.
Jack: "What did you tell her?"
Anson: "I love it."
Jack didn't say anything more.
Anson noticed. He remembered when they were filming Elephant in Portland, Jack had shown some curiosity about acting. "Why, are you interested in becoming an actor?"
Jack looked up at Anson, eyes full of confusion, as if he didn't understand where that idea had come from. Then, he realized.
"Haha, no, no, no, that's not it."
"I can see why you'd think that, but no, I was just thinking maybe being a journalist is an interesting job."
"Not like those paparazzi who dig into people's private lives, but finding the truth through investigation, through conversations, through thinking—about justice, fairness, and hope."
"Like you. The media is just making wild guesses, spewing nonsense without any evidence. I want people to know what really happened."
He paused.
"I also want people to know what happened between my mom and me, instead of gossiping behind our backs."
The last sentence was nearly a whisper, but Anson caught it.
"Jack, did something happen at school?"
Jack shrugged lightly. "Same old stuff. Nothing new. But don't worry, I can handle it. I know what to do."
His evasiveness and half-truths made Anson's heart ache. Had Jack escaped domestic violence only to fall into the whirlpool of school bullying?
But what could Anson do? Beat up those bullies? Help Jack run away again?
Anson took a deep breath and looked at Jack. "They'll try to make it seem like it's your fault, but you haven't done anything wrong. They're just finding excuses for their violence and stupidity."
"You need to know that. Stand up for yourself. Be proud of yourself. The ones who use violence to show their strength are the real weak and small ones."
Pep talks don't really help, that's true. But Jack needed to face these challenges on his own. The path of life must be walked alone.
The difference is that Anson will always be there as a strong support.
Jack looked at Anson and suddenly smiled. "Like Spider-Man?"
Anson remembered Peter Parker was also a victim of school bullying. He smiled and nodded lightly in agreement. "Just like Spider-Man."
The two exchanged a glance and smiled at each other.
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking interrupted their laughter.
Anson was about to respond.
Jack put a finger to his lips. "I snuck in."
Anson: "??? So what? This isn't Romeo and Juliet!"