298 Doubt Blossoms

(Winona)

I’m sitting on a park bench the next day, watching Abby as she climbs the jungle gym, her little legs kicking out as she tries to navigate the bars. Judy’s right behind her, guiding her carefully. It’s one of the new playgrounds in the area, all shiny and safe.

But I still feel uneasy, as I always do with Judy.

Judy’s laugh rings out as Abby makes it to the top. She claps her hands, and Abby beams down at her. It’s a picture-perfect moment, and I love it for Abby, but I hate that I can’t ever be at peace with this woman in our lives.

Every time Judy's around, I feel on edge, like there’s something waiting to go wrong. But Abby loves her, and no matter how many boundaries I put up, there’s always supervised visits. It’s the deal we made.

I pull my jacket tighter around me, watching Judy lean in close to Abby, whispering something that makes her giggle. Judy looks over at me, I know she has something she wants to say.

“You should try the big slide next, Abby,” Judy says, holdin