Both Aaron and Townsend are seeing the versions of Robert they knew (pre prison and in prison), not the version he’s had to remold himself into in the present after his release. Even Vic doesn’t see him as she doesn’t fully listen to what he’s saying.
And for Robert, he doesn’t see the full Aaron either, first the one suppressing his feelings/not wanting anything to do with him and then the one pretending he’s his pre prison version of them to ignore all things Johnboy. Until they all see their true selves in the here and now, they can’t move forward.












