Jude closed his eyes as he felt Violet was justifying her actions without being remorseful
He slowly opened his eyes
"You keep saying family, family, family", he said calmly
Then he took a brief pause
"So answer me honestly ...If Tyler and Tia discover everything ten years from now...would you still tell them you were protecting them by falsely throwing their mother under the bus?", he added
Violet's hand stood still on the doorknob as she held back
Images flashed through her mind as Tyler laughed while he climbed onto her lap and Tia insisted that Aunt Violet should braid her doll's hair
She remembered their tiny voices calling her their favorite aunt as she swallowed hard
She snapped back to reality and without looking back
"I would tell them I did what I believed was necessary at that time", she quietly said
Jude's shoulders fell and that confirmed that she wasn't ready to change not today perhaps not ever
Violet opened Jude's door as she stepped out
