If anything this outing with Richard might get John to pay attention. It was a horrible way to draw him out, but nothing else worked as her getting chummy with his brother. "It's been over a year." It was going on two already, "I'd like to give him a chance to explain. I just don't have much of anyone right now." So yes, things had been bad and she was developing some of her backbone again, but John was all she had at the moment.
She couldn't stop smiling. She laughed politely, throwing her arm out across the table to squeeze his hand. She didn't have self-esteem issues but it was nice to hear. "You sound like a Hallmark card Richard, I'm going to have to call them for copyright infringement," she threw him a wink. "I hope I mean more to him than just some girl he let move in with him." She took the menu. She'd promised them she wasn't going to talk about John and yet it was the only thing that seemed to come up in conversation. She looked over the choices breaking her eye contact long enough for a quick scan. "I've given up a lot for him. I think he's forgotten that." He couldn't continue to just shower her with gifts to say he was sorry.