𝖠𝗍𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗑𝗂𝖺 | 𝖬𝗂𝖼𝗁𝖺𝖾𝗅 𝖫𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖽𝗈𝗇

Chapter One

the topic of rape and sexual abuse is discussed in this chapter.

"I told you this in confidence. You promised me. You promised me and you lied."

"Michael, you haven't said anything in seven minutes." Jo slide a Christmas coffee mug across the dining table to Michael, cradling her own reindeer mug with shaky hands.

He took the cup and took a long drink, wincing at the heat.

"Careful, it's hot." She pointed.

He sat it down and hummed, licking his bottom lip that burned. Jo picked at her nails, breathing deeply to calm her nerves. "I'm sure you have questions. Please, ask me anything. I'll tell you whatever you want to know." She knew he deserved the truth.

He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He was completely in awe. This was the last thing he expected. Jo had children. Her third was on the way. She was already a mother.

"Uh," He forced out. "So...how old are they?"

"Meredith is five." She answered quickly, nervously, a shaking ball of anxiety. "And  Michelle will be two next month."

Michael's eyes went to the pictures on her fridge, colored pages that were scribbles and random, messy shapes. "Meredith and Michelle." He said the names. After a moment, he chuckled. "I have to admit, Garner, this, of all things, was not what I was expecting."

His laugh calmed her nerves and she cracked her own smile. It broke the ice. Michael took another sip of his coffee, looking around her kitchen and over to the living room to the pink and purple play pen in the corner of the room.

He had so many questions. "I don't really know what to say, Garner."

She blinked, nodding slowly. "Well, what would you like to know?"

He leaned back in his seat, stretching his arms out while he held his snowy mug. He looked over at her, admiring her long brown hair. It was beautiful, only ever having seen it in a clip.

"Meredith is in first grade." Jo quickly filled the silence. "Michelle won't start preschool until she's three."

He listened and she talked

"I had my oldest when I was 19." She folded her arms over the table. "And I just had Michelle when I started at the cooperative. My last job didn't pay enough to support two kids."

"What was your last job?" He finally spoke, voice rough and gravely.

"Waitress." She chuckled. "Was a shit job and had shit pay."

He nodded, playing with the ring on his finger. "So, who is he?" He asked.

She knew exactly what he meant and she sighed sadly. "Their father doesn't have a relationship with them. He stops in around the holidays sometimes or birthdays, but he doesn't want the responsibility."

"But you still have a relationship with him?" He looked at her stoically, curious.

"It's not what you think." She shook her head. "We...have a deal."

"A deal?" He shook his head. "What does that mean?"

Jo took a sip of her coffee, avoiding eye contact and starring at the table. "I met him when I was sixteen. We fell in love and we ran away together. He was....saving me from my home life." She propped her legs up on the table, legs clad in blue pajama pants and purple socks.

"We were the definition of happy ever after. We got an apartment and had jobs, but then one day he got a call from his mom. His sister had gotten killed in a car accident." She told the story with barely any emotion, reserved and almost cold. "It was all down hill from there. He never recovered from it. He turned to alcohol and heroin. Then when I got pregnant he...just lost it. He wanted me to have an abortion. I almost considered it, but I couldn't go through with it."