Broken Vows (Domestic Discipline Romance) by Mariella Starr

position ." Jenny glanced over her shoulder at her mother as she set Emmie's lunch in front of her. "I realize it would never occur to you that my husband has a legal right to defend himself against an unscrupulous employer. It would also never occur to you he was in the right. Not only did he defend himself, but also nineteen other co-complainants who received unfair treatment. It would never occur to you to defend your daughter's husband against malicious slander because you would rather stick by your wealthy friends than your family."
    "Why should I? I have never accepted him into our family! He is a nobody . He doesn't even know who his parents were. They were probably alcoholics or drug addicts." Denise exclaimed. "He was never worthy of marrying into our family!"
    "Do not say another word against my husband," Jenny snapped. "What God died and put you in charge of deciding who is worthy? I was there, Mom, and I have not forgotten a thing including Dad's dirty business deals, your lies, and how you treated both of us as children."
    "I don't know what you are talking about! We gave both of you the best of everything! How did you repay our generosity? Both of you ran off and ruined your lives," Denise snapped. She moved towards the dining room to look inside. "Are you selling all your things?" she demanded.
    Jenny recognized a dodge when she heard it. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She did not want to get into a screaming match with her mother and knew they were close to it.
    "If the box is marked for auction or consignment, yes," Jenny said tightly. "We don't have any need for it, so why not sell it? We can use the money."
    "You have stooped so low that you are selling off your possessions." Denise dipped into a box and pulled out an Irish crystal bowl. "If you don't want this, I will take it."
    "Not unless you plan on paying for it," Jenny said firmly. "The bowl will sell for a hundred dollars or more at auction."
    "Excuse me?" Denise looked horrified. "You would charge your mother for something you are giving away?"
    "Do you ever listen? I am not giving it away. I am sending it out to the auction. If you want it, pay for it. I want cash in my hand, too, not some vague promise to pay later. We both know how that works; it is a lie."
    "Jennifer! Your father would turn over in his grave if he could hear you!"
    Jenny looked directly at her mother. Sometime in the last few weeks, she had grown a stiffer backbone. Maybe it was because she and Josh had come so close to ending their marriage. Maybe, it was because she finally realized she could take a stand against her mother's manipulations.
    "I doubt it, Mom. I remember some spectacular yelling matches between you and Dad over the lies you told him and the endless amount of bills he had to pay. If you want the Irish crystal, pay for it. If not, put it back in the box. I have a lot to do today."
    "Westland's is having a sale today on cosmetics," Denise said with her single-minded manner of dismissing anything beyond what concerned her. "I thought you would like to come to the mall with me."
    "I will not continue to repeat myself, I am not going to the mall. Whatever you want, get it yourself. I have another closet to clean out today. If you haven't heard, we are broke. I can't afford to go shopping, especially when I don't need anything." Jenny was talking with her back to her mother as she cut Adam's vegetables into small pieces so he wouldn't choke.
    "You should divorce him," Denise said abruptly.
    The knife slipped and sliced into Jenny's finger. She grabbed a paper towel to wrap around her bleeding finger. She glanced over at Emmie, who was staring at her grandmother with wide eyes full of fear. Jenny knew that look… it preceded hysterical screaming.
    "Emmie, baby," Jenny said quickly. "Gamma didn't mean that. Mommy and Daddy are not getting a divorce. Would you run upstairs to the bathroom and get mommy a band-aid? You know where they are, please