Chapter 21 - VALERIE FINALLY SAYS WHAT SHE WAS JEALOUS OFTwo years? No, maybe one year after. Valerie and Mabel sat cottage porch.
Jasper at school.
Valerie asked:
“Can I tell ugly truth?”
Mabel:
“You’ve told several.”
Valerie smiled.
“I was jealous not because he loved you.”
“Because he trusted you without performance.”
Mabel listened.
Valerie:
“I always planned.”
“Bought.”
“Managed.”
“If he upset, I wanted fix fast.”
“You could sit.”
“Yes.”
“I thought your calm made me look bad.”
“No one watching.”
“I was.”
Valerie looked garden.
“I felt like motherhood was test.”
“And you kept passing without trying.”
Mabel shook head.
“I tried plenty.”
“You didn’t see.”
Valerie looked.
“I cried in pantry when Jasper had colic.”
“I called Cecily because didn’t know.”
“I lost patience.”
“I sometimes went home angry.”
“I was not magical.”
Valerie absorbed.
“But Jasper trusted.”
“Because I was consistent.”
“Not perfect.”
Valerie whispered:
“I wanted him to choose me.”
Mabel said line:
“He never needed you to beat me.”
“He needed you to be there.”
Valerie cried.
Not dramatic.
Silent.
Mabel did not reach immediately.
Then placed hand over hers.
Not employer.
Not servant.
Two women.
Valerie said:
“I’m here more.”
“I know.”
“He comes to me now.”
“Good.”
“Sometimes still you.”
“Good.”
Valerie laughed.
That was breakthrough.
May you like
Multiple attachments not ranking.
She no longer needed win.
