Something strange happened after that.
Ryan and Travis started talking.
It began with practical things.
A broken fence.
A car problem.
A leaking gutter.
Then music.
Ryan discovered that Travis's band wasn't nearly as intimidating as he'd imagined.
One Saturday, Travis invited Ryan to rehearsal.
Ryan came home saying:
"They're actually pretty good."
I laughed.
"You're shocked?"
"A little."
A month later, Ryan bought tickets to one of their shows.
Emma came too.
She wore ear protection and danced beside me.
At one point, I looked over and saw Ryan cheering louder than anyone.
Travis noticed.
After the show, they shook hands.
"You're still terrible at dancing," Travis told him.
Ryan laughed.
"I was supporting the band."
"Sure."
Their friendship never became perfect.
But it became real.
And sometimes that's better.