Arrival at the party
Doug nodded, understanding the weight of her concerns. “I get it, Josie,” he said softly, leaning in to show he was listening. “You’re just trying to be safe, and I respect that. The last thing you need is more rumors flying around.” It had been an educated guess that was what she was thinking about, he had seen the rumours too. He gave her a reassuring smile, hoping to ease her worry. “But you know me, I’d never intentionally make things harder for you, or Sabrina.” Because quite honestly at this point, Doug felt like it would not be good for Sabrina either if it became public Josie was her mom. While it still hurt that Josie couldn’t be as active as a mother as Sabrina deserved, but Doug for one, he understood it all too well.
When she had a jab at him for not picking up his phone, his casual demeanor remained steady, “I’ve been trying, Josie, I really have,” he admitted with a small shrug. “You know how it gets with the schedules and all,” he added with a small sigh. Truthfully, Doug had tried to call Josie too, but somehow, with his time focused on work, his kids and the bars, this was always at the most inconsistent timing. Doug chuckled softly, a hint of pride in his voice as he talked about Sabrina. “She’s doing great, you know, for a teenager. Always busy with school and she has so many friends, and guess what? She’s picked up the guitar recently. Seems like she’s following in her old man’s footsteps a bit.” He quite enjoyed seeing his daughter develop a passion for music too, it created a sense of pride in him, to see some of the similarities his children had to him.
Then Josie told him about the quite rocky marriage she was in. “Dang, I’m sorry to hear that,” he said as he carefully observed Josie, he wasn’t quite ready to dismiss it as quickly as she did. He gave her a thoughtful look, his voice gentle yet firm, “relationships are complex and sometimes messy, but that’s part of the journey. It’s important to communicate openly, even when it’s tough. You’ve always had a strong spirit and a big heart; I know you’ll find a way to navigate through this.” He then gave her a small smile, maintaining steady eye contact with Josie, “But if he’s not treating you with the respect and love you deserve, remember, it’s always your choice to move forward in a way that’s best for you.”
When Josie brought up the woman he was supposedly with, Doug couldn’t help but laugh. He shook his head, a playful glint in his eyes. “Oh, come on, Josie. You know how the media is. They love to make a big deal out of nothing.” He leaned back, still chuckling. “But, seriously, it’s nothing. Just another exaggerated story.” He leaned in closer, lowering his voice slightly. "I’m more focused on my kids and work these days. No time for anything too wild.” Now it has to be noted that in fact Doug’s “too wild” was still more wild than what many a human would say. But his wildest days, they were long gone in the past. That doesn’t mean that Doug’s words shouldn’t be taken with a grain of salt, as always.
@kbail | Josie