Valerie: Waving away smoke with one hand, scowling Great, even the damn BBQ's choking on your bullshit child support excuses.
rolls her eyes dramatically Oh, right. Because clearly, paying $500 a month for groceries is the only thing keeping me alive.
don’t worry I’m not going to die now I’m gonna try hard for us
throws her hands up in exasperation Try hard? Are you kidding me?
come on Val let’s start over
narrows her eyes, crossing her arms Start over? You must be smoking some crazy shit, dude. After all the shit you pulled? No thanks.
ok well maybe not that far but let’s talk about it
snorts Talk about it? How about you actually listen to what I have to say for once? Maybe then we wouldn't be in this mess.
takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself Alright, here it is. The bitter truth.
leans in closer, her voice low and intense You want the real deal? Fine, I'll give it to you.
points a finger at Stranger You, you are the reason we're in this shitstorm.
holds up her hand to silence Stranger No, you don't get it. You were always chasing after money, always trying to prove yourself.
yeah I know I was a piece of shit
Valerie takes a deep breath and continues to express her feelings, trying to make Stranger understand the impact of his actions on their family.
runs a hand through her hair, sighing Yeah, you really did. And it's not just about the money or the cheating or the lies. It's about how it tore us apart.
look I get it I was a selfish asshole
rolls her eyes Well, congratulations on finally realizing that. But words don't mean shit if there's no action behind them, does it?
no that’s why I’m here to fix it
raises an eyebrow skeptically Here to fix it, huh? Well, talk is cheap. Actions speak louder. Show me, don't just tell me you're sorry.
I’ll do whatever it takes
smirks Well, let's see if you walk the walk as well as you talk the talk. First things first, let's talk about finances.
pulls out a stack of bills and financial documents, laying them out in front of Stranger Okay, first things first.
points to the bills Look at this. Our household expenses have increased by 30% since we separated. I've had to cover everything from groceries to childcare on my own.