Page 165 of Relentles
“I like talking to you,” she said.
“I love talking to you, sweetheart. Hearing your voice is one of my great joys in life. Mom is mom, though. Don’t hurt her feelings when I don’t call you.”
She scrunched her brow, thoughtful.
As he’d reminded Dinah, Meggie was only six. He’d have to remind her again not to mope when he couldn’t call.
“Let’s get you—”
“About my job,” Dinah interrupted, blocking his departure. “I won’t even consider giving it up.”
“Dinah, I pay all your expenses. I send money every week for Meggie. You don’t have a car note or a mortgage. You don’t even pay for insurance. I pay itall. Food, clothes, whatever you and Meggie want or need comes out of my pocket. You don’t need to work.”
“I do! I’m an independent woman. Working gives me a sense of self. Being a stay-at-home mom is antiquated, so get that idea out of your head. It shows your chauvinism and how little regard you have for me andallwomen.”
Goddamn, the fucking irony. If it wasn’t so irritating, he’d laugh his fucking ass off.
“Something has to be done, Dinah.” Another thought occurred to him. “What about a therapist?”
“I don’t have time,” she said with a little sniff.
“But—”
“I know what you’re doing, Joseph. You want me declared insane to steal my baby from me.”
Meggie grabbed his chin and turned his face to her. “I love my mama, Daddy,” she said severely.
“Oh, Meggie,” Dinah wailed. “I love you, baby!”
“I’ll send someone in five days a week. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They’ll help keep the house clean, cook meals, and do laundry.”
Dinah’s eyes rounded. “What? And make everyone think I don’t know how to keep house? Absolutely not!”
“Dinah—” Joe started, losing his fucking patience.
“What’s keep house?” Meggie asked.
“Cleaning, cooking, and laundry,” Dinah answered. “What we do on weekends.”
“You have my kid acting as a fucking maid?”
“I havemy daughteracting like a functioning human being!”
“She’s—”
“Daddy!” Meggie cried, her nose reddening. “Mama called me a hooman being!”
The tearful words broke the tension, eliciting laughter from both him and Dinah.
“It’s nothing bad, princess,” he promised.
“Yes, Meggie,” Dinah agreed. “We’re all human beings.”
“We are?”
“Yep.”
Dinah scowled. “Yes.”
