"She also might not, Zach." Jo responded pointedly. Ilona was young and impressionable; anyone could whisper in her ear about her mother's absences and how that related towards her. It would be better to have a clean break, a quick snap rather than the drawn out process her leaving and returning repeatedly. Juliana would have access to Ilona if Jo were to leave, and then it was almost assured that both Zach and their daughter would despise her.

She hadn't even realized her dress was stained until Zach had passed her over a washcloth for her injured hands. Frowning, Jo paused before reaching for it to lightly wash her palms. This was their relationship in a nutshell, was it not? He was always taking care of her, always considering and comforting her, and she was always running. They could never function long term.

There was nothing she could have done to stop the sudden onset of tears as he spoke next. Her gaze fell to the table still between them, her heart too fragile to see the pure honesty on his face. A minute passed by after he concluded, then two, all the while Jo stood frantically trying to form a response that might actually force him to see sense.

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