Chapter 9: Who is the True Loser?

Amy got custody back so I was picking John's daughters up and returning them to Amy. This was going to be our second weekend; I had never entered Amy's house, the girls always came out with their weekend packs on Friday afternoon. Then I would take them home on Sunday evening. They were happy when they were with us and we never talked about Amy with them.

Next was the start of our two week summer holiday. I went by the three seats state Ford Focus station wagon on Friday afternoon to bring the girls and two weeks luggage. When I stopped at Amy's house Amy, Carol and Zoë came out together and invited me into their house. I accepted and I got my crutches out of my car and went into the house with them. We sat down and the girls giggled and disappeared from the living room.

Amy began, "How can I tell you? My daughters praise you for hours and I have to listen to them about you're being such a superwoman. The girls have learned to cook from you and they cook for me. Today they've been packing, but they took a little time to bake some Hungarian pastries. I had to look for some special things for them, poppy seeds for example. My daughters said these pastries were your favorites."

I guessed the girls baked Hungarian strudels in my honor. The two girls brought the four just ready strudels. The first was filled with ground poppy seeds and mashed pumpkin, the second with apple and cinnamon, the third with ground poppy seeds and sour cherry and the fourth with cottage cheese and raisin. They cut each into slices and we tasted every Strudel. All were delicious and Amy liked them too.

I praised the girls, "These strudels are very tasty."

Carol replied, "Wendy, we learned to cook from you and we wanted to show you we were good students."

I said, "Your exam is excellent."

The girls and I laughed.

Zoë told Amy, "Mom you can eat them for breakfast."

Amy also praised her daughters, "I'll eat them quickly, because these strudels are fine."

The girls went to finish their packaging. I remained in the room with Amy.

Amy said, "John and you hate me I know. I deserve your hatred."

She began to cry, "I was a stupid bitch. Now all day I hear from my daughters that you're a superwoman, a true Fairy. They're discreet so they don't talk about John but they call him Daddy instead of Dad between themselves."

I wondered, "AM I NOT A LOSER CRIPPLE?"

She continued her confession in tears, "I hated John and you both, when I saw your wedding photos. I was so lonely. How could I be such animal that I humiliated a handicapped woman in a crowded Mall?"

To be polite, I didn't say you had been a stupid, impertinent bitch.

However I was mad at her, "Do you know what you did to me? I had to keep your secret from my husband how you humiliated me in that crowded Mall. I was afraid to tell him. I almost forgot your kind restraining order. If John had rushed to your house to complain about my humiliation he would have been sent to prison for three years. I had to ask him to swear on our children's lives that he wouldn't come near you. Only after his oath did I dare admit your humiliation two years after the fact. That's way I'll never forgive you or what you did to my husband!"

The weeping Amy responded in despair, "I was envious and I hated you both. But I wasn't so cunning, so vile bitch that I would have planned an incident to send my ex-husband, the father of my kids to prison. Believe me, please, believe me! Our meeting was accidental."

"All right. I believe you were a simple, stupid, envious woman. I don't forgive you, but I'm willing to forget the dark past for the sake of the kids, as your daughters will forget your last ex," I slipped a dig about her pedophile ex-husband in.