In a rare occasion, Elijah Barker isn't in the mood to get any of his assignments out of the way. The college senior is distracting himself by playing the latest Final Fantasy video game on the PS5 in the living room of the house where he resides with his parents. 

Although his strong interest in the game couldn't even distract him from the thought of his girlfriend, uncertain whether or not she might have cancer, despite her insistence that she's okay, he knows she is just as scared as hell as he is, or even more. 

While using the button combination on the controller to defeat an enemy, the door unlocks, and shortly after, Nathaniel Barker steps inside the house and peeks over at his son, playing the game while taking off his overcoat and putting it on the rack near the door. 

"Hi, Dad," 

"How are you doing, son?" Nathaniel addresses the younger man on the couch. "Decompressing?" 

"Something like that," he exhales roughly. 

By now, Nathaniel sits beside him while putting his briefcase near his feet. 

"Well, my office hours ended earlier than usual, so I decided to take advantage of not having to be on campus too," he tells him. 

"Oh," 

Nathaniel can tell by his expression that something is going on with Elijah, which he decides to be proactive about since the last time something was troubling him, he drank so much he nearly wrapped around a pole. 

"I know it's been a while since we had a man-to-man chat, but if there is anything you need to get off your chest, I'm here to listen without any judgment." 

Elijah sets the controller near him, somewhat surprised by that statement. 

"Yeah, something's going on," he starts. "But I can't tell you what it is because I promised someone I wouldn't betray their confidence." 

"Let me guess, it has to do with Lynn?" 

"It does," 

"Well, son, if you're about to tell me what I think you're about to say, you and Lenny have your mother and my full support no matter what occurs." 

Elijah doesn't hide his bewilderment at his father's indication. 

"What are you talking about?" 

Nathaniel puts his hands together and glares at his only child. 

"Look, things of this nature happen unexpectedly, and whether or not Lynn decides to go through with the pregnancy, we'll be here financially or for anything else." 

"Wait! Wait! Wait! You thought, Dad. No, it's not that at all." 

He then sighs, gaining some composure again. "But it's something that is going on, and I don't know what to do." 

"Whatever it might be, just remain in her corner; that's all any of us can do when it comes to the people we love," Nathaniel advises. 

Elijah's iPhone vibrates on the side table, and he welcomes the interruption.

"Hey," he says after seeing the person who contacted him. 

"Yeah, I'll be over there in about fifteen minutes." 

Elijah ends the call. 

"That was Lynn," he announces to his father. 

"Now, let me guess, you need to borrow the car." 

"Yeah," 

Within seconds, Nathaniel retrieves the keys from his bag. 

The twenty-two-year-old leaves the couch to grab his coat from the rack to put it on.

"Dad," 

"Yes," 

"Thanks," 

The gesture makes Nathaniel appreciatively nod while Elijah heads out of the house to get in his father's black Mercedes sedan that's in the driveway, which he drives down the tree-lined street he grew up on to be there for his girlfriend in her time of need.