Chapter Thirty-Two
Jerome watched Renee stuff her swollen feet into a pair of flip-flops.
“She can’t just do what she pleases,” Renee shouted. “It’s almost ten o’clock!”
Jerome looked up from the newspaper he was reading. He didn’t understand why Renee was so upset. This wasn’t the first time Joshua had gone downtown without an adult. “Are you forgetting that Josh is with her, too? How do you know that he didn’t want to stay down there?”
“Oh, so this is how things are going to be?” Renee asked. “You’re going to defend her every time she does something wrong? She may be allowed to stay out late in Philly, but I’m not Taylor. She can’t do that here.”
Jerome put down the paper. “I’m not defending anyone,” he said. “The kids are just having fun. I’m glad they’re getting along.”
Renee mumbled something under her breath and grabbed her purse.
“I’ll drive,” Jerome said and started to get up.
“That’s okay. They’re going to meet me at the hotel, and I might stick around for a while,” she said and headed to the garage.
Jerome followed her. He knew Renee was still having a hard time dealing with Joi, so he tried to give her some space. But how much longer was he going to tolerate her moods? “Joi isn’t going anywhere, Renee. Eventually, you’ll have to accept that. Maybe if you just opened up a little more . . .”
Renee opened her car door. “You’re trying to make up for the time that you missed, so she can do no wrong in your eyes. You’re right,” Renee said. “You should’ve been around her from the beginning. But that’s another issue. And your being absent doesn’t make coming in here after ten okay.”
Renee was about to get into the car, but had more to say. “Why can’t you understand why I won’t open up to her? I didn’t have a daughter for you. You cheated with the same woman. I know God would want me to be forgiving and not hold what you and Taylor did against her, but I’m human. I’m not Jesus. It isn’t easy for me to look at her and forget what you did to me and this family.” Renee got in the car before she started to cry and rolled down her window.
“Renee, I love you,” Jerome said out loud. “We’re going to get past this.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said before driving off.