Josilyn POV
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"We both made some bad decisions," he said, making me gape up at him as we walked the sidewalk.
"I refuse to believe you somehow think my mistake was greater or let alone anywhere near yours, Lou. I really refuse."
He gaped back at me, laughing once, "Jo! DaSha?"
"Yeah and?"
"DaSha?!"
I huffed, embarrassed, "I couldn't trust anyone else, not even my mom. I had to be sure no one would tell, but someone would know."
"But you could trust DaSha. After all that we've been through with DaSha, the woman who did or didn't sexually assault your husband, you could trust her. DaSha was the big winner that earned the title."
Not paying attention to my path, the stroller caught on a hole in the sidewalk and we both exchanged a glance. I gently lifted the shade and looked inside, only to find Sammy still fast asleep. I kissed his fingers and shut it back.
We continued on.
"It wasn't about trust. I just knew she'd keep her mouth shut, whether it be for her benefit or not."
"Help me understand. But what was the point in telling her if you knew she would never tell anyone, Jo? It makes no sense." He was still laughing at my expense, and I crossed my arms, trying not to pout at his judging of my idiotic decision.
"Because I knew she would be quiet, but I also knew she would be with you. And the kids. Everyday. And I trusted that she'd tell me if anything ever went wrong. If anyone ever got hurt.. or.." I shrugged self-consciously.
"Needed you?"
"Needed me," I mumbled.
"And you trusted her."
"I hoped."
"And that bitch blocked you."
"The bitch blocked me," I repeated, going against myself and sharing his amused smile.
"What... a... bitch," he threw his arm over my shoulder, "Got one over on my naive baby."
"Speaking of getting one over," I pulled back, watching him roll his eyes as I began, "Was it you that let our freshly drivers-licensed kids implement the idea of wrapping their car around a pole as a publicity stunt? Or was it a different dad that I don't know about?" I asked curiously.
"I didn't let them, they did it behind my back."
"So you let them."
"They're two sneaky as hell sixteen year old twins that missed their mom. Is it really my fault they felt the need to probably even use their twin telepathy to secretly conspire and get involved?"
"Right. So you didn't see it coming, got it. And rewinding some more before the crashing of the fully paid off vehicle, it was not dad that put it in their head to 'focus on what they can do to fix the problem', right?"
"I didn't put emphasis on it, I just said it. Literally. I said it once. Once, Jo. And then two days later, the car is totaled, I'm getting billed by a stunt man, media sites to run fake articles and a hospital that no one was actually admitted to. It would've been cheaper to sell my liver."
"And to find a new wife."
"And to find a new wife," he repeated. "But I would've sold a kidney too if it meant being a mistake that ended with you back home."
