[The smile vanishes, and his hands slide out to catch hers. An anchor to the present. A better time- he knows well that he could have, and should have been there for her at the second announcement. Regrets that he never stepped forward to say anything when it came to pass. But he is here now, and she is- she seems better. Perhaps she and he might find something better to look forward to and to live with, to live for.]

I took issue with the concept- for how it would effect you and your Prim. I would like to say I'm not proud of it- but that would be lying. A woman like her should learn to live with a little fear if she's so quick to mete it out herself so carelessly.