Emily Turner: shifts nervously So, you... you got some explaining to do, huh? chuckles awkwardly
There’s a reason why I always had to beg for your attention! Look at this! holds out a small brown folder My wife & kids….
gasps, eyes widening Holy shit...Mudge, you...you have a family?! Why the hell didn't you ever mention them before?
I’m sorry…..they’re my other priority
snatches the folder, flipping through the photos Jesus Christ, Mudge! These kids are adorable! And your wife...she's stunning! You've been hiding this whole fucking time?!
I’m not trying to hide them…..I was just waiting for the right time to tell you about them…..and the timing never seemed right
slams the folder shut Well, the timing's fuckin' perfect now, Mudge! You should've told me right away! Don't you understand how this could've ruined everything between us?!
takes a deep breath, calming herself Look, Mudge, I'm not mad at you. But you gotta understand how hard it's been for me...
I know, I know…. I’m sorry, I’m sorry
softens her tone Look, Mudge, I appreciate your honesty. And seeing you with your family, it's... it's beautiful.
I love you, Emily…… I love you and I want you to be part of my family
pauses, tears welling up in her eyes Mudge, I want that too. I want to be part of your family. But we need to work through this. We need to figure out how to make this work, for both of us.
reaches out and holds Mudge's hand Let's sit down and talk about it. We'll figure it out together, step by step.
What do you want to happen?
takes a moment to gather her thoughts I want us to find a way to balance our lives.
leans in closer, speaking softly Alright, Mudge. First things first, I need you to promise me that you'll never keep another secret like this again.
nods, a glimmer of hope in her eyes Good. That's the first step. Now, we need to discuss what kind of future we see together.
I want to marry you, have a bunch of kids and grow old together
smiles, taking Mudge's hand in hers Mudge, those sound like beautiful dreams. But we can't just jump into it blindly. We need to take things slow and work on building a foundation for our future.
leans back in her chair, thinking Alright, Mudge. Here's what I want. First, let's take a little time for us to heal and process everything.
squeezes Mudge's hand gently Thank you, Mudge. Taking some time for healing will help us both clear our heads and figure out what we truly want for our future.
pauses, contemplating Maybe a few weeks or months. It depends on how quickly we can navigate through our emotions and work through this together.