Jo watched in silence as he processed through all she had revealed. She had had months to come to terms with the knowledge, Zach deserved more than five seconds to consider it all himself. When she realized she was almost scrutinizing his reaction, Jo dropped her eyes down to her clasped hands. Minutes to process and whatever vague sense of privacy he could find in a pub seemed a fair exchange to grant.
After what felt like an eternity he finally spoke and she lifted her head to see the tail end of his smile. He understood where the name had come from then and, more importantly, he didn't resent her for calling back to that much happier time. Jo gave a small smile of her own. Perhaps they would find a way to manage after all.
"Yes. She's with the innkeeper right now, but I can bring her to you later if you'd like." Zach and Ilona meeting was all she had dreamt of in the final month of her pregnancy, and now that it was here Jo found that she was impatient. He seemed so accepting of it already, so willing to at least privately acknowledge their daughter. Jo didn't dare hope for more.
"We have been staying at an inn nearby here, we're safe." The owners believed her to be a young widow focusing on reestablishing connection with her family after years of distance, not that Jo would share that piece of information with him. "She's a perfect little thing." Jo added, this time with a brighter smile.
After what felt like an eternity he finally spoke and she lifted her head to see the tail end of his smile. He understood where the name had come from then and, more importantly, he didn't resent her for calling back to that much happier time. Jo gave a small smile of her own. Perhaps they would find a way to manage after all.
"Yes. She's with the innkeeper right now, but I can bring her to you later if you'd like." Zach and Ilona meeting was all she had dreamt of in the final month of her pregnancy, and now that it was here Jo found that she was impatient. He seemed so accepting of it already, so willing to at least privately acknowledge their daughter. Jo didn't dare hope for more.
"We have been staying at an inn nearby here, we're safe." The owners believed her to be a young widow focusing on reestablishing connection with her family after years of distance, not that Jo would share that piece of information with him. "She's a perfect little thing." Jo added, this time with a brighter smile.
![[Image: V9Vf0R0.png]](https://i.imgur.com/V9Vf0R0.png)