Henry passes Emily a plate, up to his elbows in dish soap – even at twelve he still loves too many bubbles – and she starts drying. "He was that bad, huh?" she says.
Henry rolls his eyes. "He was bo-ring," he says emphatically. "All of mom's dates suck."
Emily bites back a smile, setting the first plate aside and holding her hand out for the next one. "Well, at least she has you around to flag up her bad choices."
"They're all bad choices," he mutters, scrubbing harder than necessary.
Emily reaches out and takes the third plate from his hands, drying it then setting it aside and leaning against the counter. "Your mom is pretty great," she says, watching him slump against the sink. "She'll find somebody amazing, if that's what she wants."
"I think it is," he says, shrugging. "She has all of these dates, but they're all – I mean, none of them…" He shrugs again.
Emily smiles and ruffles his hair. "I know you just want her to be happy. I want that too."
He turns slowly, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. "You like my mom, right?"
"Of course," Emily says lightly, although the rhythm of her heart suddenly feels all wrong – like it's plummeting to her stomach then bouncing up to her throat.
"No," Henry says, his smile spreading. "I mean you like her."
Emily stutters for a moment, and has just opened her mouth to form a real reply when JJ appears in the kitchen doorway.
"Are you guys done with the dishes? The movie is about to…" She trails off, taking in the blush rising in Emily's cheeks, the way Henry has sprung into sudden action emptying the basin. "Um – did I miss something?"
They both shake their heads quickly, and she raises her eyebrows. "Uh huh. Well, hurry up. It's starting. I got the popcorn ready."
By the end of the evening, Henry has given each of them a pep talk, and he's positively gleeful when their fingers weave hesitantly together on the sofa between them.