Joe sees Melissa coming out of a building and she heads into an alleyway. Joe parks and get out at the alleyway.
Joe, "Melissa, what the hell are you doing?"
Melissa, "I saw Anita. But then I didn't. And they're trading off body parts."
Joe lifts Melissa's shirt to see her gun and see it's been fired.
Joe, "What happened?"
Melissa tells him what happened.
Joe, "Didn't I tell you to stay put?"
Melissa, "Let's not do this here. I'm not going to stand around and let anything happen to myself or my family. You did this. I told you to stop but you wouldn't and now we're cursed with this drama and I DON'T KNOW FOR HOW LONG!"
Joe, "My fault?"
Melissa, "Where do I start? I told you to not expose Simee to those things. But you didn't listen."
Joe, "Simee have already been exposed to those things before she got with us."
Melissa, "Correction before she got with me. You didn't have a personal interest in adopting Camille, Riley or Simee, that was me. Those girls been through a lot as in. I took them in and here you come back into our lives and flipped it upside down again after you promised to be different. But you wanna know why you didn't see no wrong in involving Simee in those things? Because she's not your blood. Just like I'm not, and that's why it's so easy for you to mistreat because you wouldn't dare put your hands on Peyton or expose her to this trauma on purpose. But newsflash baby, you exposed them all. Now that's real. Move out of my way." Melissa bumps pass Joe and headed to her car.
Melissa was right. That was a hard truth laid out in front of Joe and he had to eat it. He wouldn't dare expose Peyton to the man he used to be unless he was protecting her not introducing her to that world so she could take part. He wouldn't dare put her out and give up on her. But Simee he's washed his hands with her and it was easy because he didn't adopt those kids, Melissa did, so as their mother she feels deeply. Melissa became those kids mother before he was her man again.
Joe headed home thinking about Melissa's words. He goes inside and look out the back glass doors to see Melissa in her bikini sitting in the sand on their private beach. Yasmine stands beside Joe, "What's sup?"
Joe, "Figured out why Melissa is so mad at me."
Yasmine already privy to it, "Yeah."
Joe, "Do you think we can fix it?"
Yasmine, "I believe over 99.5% of things in this world is fixable. Both, all parties just have to be willing."
Joe remained quiet.
Yasmine, "She doesn't hate you. But as a mother, a true mother, it was just hard and it still is."
Joe, "I thought about it. And I realize I made mistakes with Simee. I did expose her and I did put them in bad situations. I, myself put my family through hell and they're still going through it."
Yasmine, "In time the smoke will clear. We all just got to hold on. You got to earn back trust and respect. It took more than a day to loose it so don't expect it to be fixed all because you're tired."
Joe, "Thanks Yas."
Yasmine, "You welcome and she's not perfect either but it's not about the blame game. And that woman loves you to no end."
Joe, "I don't doubt it."
Joe watches Melissa and she finally stands up from the sand watching the sun go down. He comes outside with a blanket wrapping it and his arms around her body.
Joe kisses the back of her head, "What are you thinking about?"
Melissa breaks, "I just want my family to be whole, be safe and have stability and I'm fighting for that with everything in me."
Joe embraces her, "You're not alone. You can lean on me."
Melissa, "Every time I think about you walking out those doors and me possibly losing you. I just can't take it. My nerves can't take it because I worry about you so much."
Joe, "You don't have to worry about me."
Melissa, "We need to figure out a way to move forward and be on the same page."
A smirk comes across Joe's face as he kisses Melissa's neck, "My birthday is coming up."
Melissa laughs, "And what is that supposed to mean Mr. Reigns?"
Joe, "What do you have in mind? Because I know what I want."
Melissa, "You'll like your surprise."
Joe, "We still sleeping separate?"
Melissa, "Yes."
Joe, "Well let's talk about Simee. And everything. Let's talk everything through. Look I'm sorry about Simee. You are right. I would never have Peyton involved in such things and you were taking care of these kids before I came back into the picture. I had no idea she would spiral this way and begin on this self destruct path and most of all I never meant to hurt you."
Melissa, "As a mom I felt hopeless. And as a wife I felt conflicted. How do I keep my child but at the same time be a supportive wife? How do I be a great wife and be a supportive mother as well? Then all this stuff happened with Camille and the police. I felt bad. I felt horrible and the way I went after her."
Joe, "Simee knows the predicament she put you in. I may can't change everything that happened but I'm just as determined to keep our family safe and keep us together."
Melissa, "Speaking of, I have to leave."
Joe, "Melissa---
Melissa, "Here me out. I have to get things ready for my businesses to launch."
Joe, "YOU WANT TO LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESSES WITH OUR MARRIAGE! WHAT KIND OF CRAP IS THAT?! AND YOU ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE TO GO OUT OF TOWN!"
Melissa, "This is for our children to have a legit legacy and business to run so they'll never have to punch anyone's clock."
Joe, "BULLSHIT! WHO'S THIS NIGGA YOU GOING TO GO MEET?!"
Melissa, "What?!"
Joe, "I didn't stutter and I know you can damn well hear my big ass mouth!"
Melissa, "Yeah I do! Stop yelling in my damn ear! What the hell you tryna do?! Deafen me and the baby!"
