You Have My Word

Chapter 7: We'll Get Through It Together

Matt nodded, the vein in his hand flexing nervously as he thought of everything that was to come.

"Hey," Cath said softly, "don't worry. We'll get through it together."

"I'm ready," Matt smiled softly.

"Me too," Catherine nodded, smiling back at him.

—————

"Hey," Josh sighed, wrapping his arms around Mari's waist from behind. "How are you holding up?"

"I miss Cath," Mari sighed. "She and Matt found out what they're having today. She refused to tell me."

"That's exciting. Any news on when the shower will be?"

"No," Mari shrugged. "She refuses to tell me anything."

"Now...brace yourself. Don't get mad," Josh sighed with a wince.

"Oh no," Mari sighed. "What did you do?"

"Wasn't me this time!" Josh laughed. "Violet sorta got in trouble at school today."

"What'd the little brat do?"

"Mari," Josh sighed, "I know it's hard, but we have to be patient, alright?"

"Josh, what did she do?" Mari asked sternly, each work punctuated with perfect articulation.

"She hit someone."

"Mother of the Lord in heaven, what in God's name is wrong that kid?" Mari moaned.

"Mari," Josh said softly, "she had been getting bullied. Some idiot said we had filed for a foster family. "

"Welcome to my world," Mari muttered.

"What are we gonna do, Mariah?" Josh moaned, flopping on the couch. "I don't know what to say, what to feel- I barely know how to provide for you."

"Going back to Paris is always an option," Mari smirked.

"That won't solve anything," Josh sighed, putting a hand to his temple.

"Come here," Mari sighed, wrapping her arms around her husband. "We'll figure it out. Don't worry."

"She's so much like me," Josh laughed sadly. "It hurts."

"I know, Hon," Mari sighed.

"Hey," Violet said, creaking open the front door. "I didn't know you guys were home already."

"How was school?" Mari smirked. "Hit any rude people today?"

"No," Violet said softly. "I made a lot of friends, don't worry."

"Hm," Mari hummed. "Then we were lied to."

Violet's face changed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, my husband heard through the grapevine that you hit someone today."

"I pushed. Pushed away," Violet whispered. "He was just pretending it hurt."

"Woah, woah, woah," Josh stammered. "He?!"

"Yeah," Violet shrugged.

"Great," Josh mumbled. "Now I have permission to go beat this kid up."

"Josh," Mari said sternly, "you can't beat up a little kid."

"He's not a kid," Violet mumbled. "He's fourteen."

"Yeah, Mari," Josh said blatantly. "Old enough for me to scare him, at least."

Mari sighed. "Don't lay a finger on him, you hear?"

"It's fine, really," Violet mumbled. "I don't care what he says. He can say anything he wants. It won't change how I feel."

"But- but-" Josh groaned.

"Hon, leave it," Mari said softly.

"Besides, he'll move on," Violet mumbled, fixing her hat. "He barely sees me now."

"He'll move on?" Josh questioned.

"He will pick on someone else eventually," Violet sighed. "I don't mind when he says rude stuff to me. At least it means he knows I exist, right?"

"You don't...like him, do you?" Mari asked slowly.

"What?!" Violet spluttered. "Ew! No!"

"Hey, it's happened," Mari chuckled.

"He's gangly and stupid and tall and...his hair sticks up too much and... his eyes are all green." Violet mumbled playing with her sleeve.

"There's nothing wrong with green eyes."

Josh gave a cocky smile. "Tell me more about him, Violet."

"He's smart, and good with computers and math and music and stuff. A complete loser. He only picks on me behind my back to make himself feel better about his sucky parents."

"So, he's smart, eh?" Mari smirked.

Josh bit his knuckles to mask a grin.

"Yeah, but everybody knows that," Violet muttered. "You can see it in his eyes...He's smug about it and he laughs too much."

"Sounds like you, Josh," Mari laughed.

"Which would make Violet..." Josh smirked smugly.

"Me," Mari smirked.

"I don't like him!" Violet shrieked.

"You love him," Josh teased, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

"Should we plan the wedding or will you?" Mari chuckled.

There was a light knock at the door.

"Josh, can you get that?"

"Yep," he laughed, popping the p. He opened the door and a young boy walked in. "Who are you?" Josh questioned.

"James," the boy mumbled. "I'm here to see Carrots."

"I said not to call me that!" Violet yelled as she went to charge him.

Mari held her back.

"Carrots? How Anne of Green Gables," Josh chuckled.

The boy gave a smug smirk.

"He's not talking about that, Uncle Josh," Violet muttered angrily. "He's being a degenerate moron again."

Mari sighed. "I've got to go. You've got this, right, Babe? Okay, good. Bye."

Violet's tear filled eyes looked up pleadingly. "Don't leave me," she whispered.

Mari was, for the first time, genuinely concerned. "Alright," she whispered back with a small smile. "I'll stay."

"What do you want?!" Violet snapped at James.

"To talk, that's all."

"About what?" Violet scoffed.

"About today?"

"What's there to talk about?" Violet frowned.

"I don't know," James shrugged. "I just want to apologize."

Violet scoffed. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Yep," James grinned.