”Noo” Bette protested tearfully.

”Yes, Bette”

”I can’t…”

”Yes you can and it’s without question. What the hell, girl? Where’s the Bette I know, the tenacious and determined Bette?” Marcus asked, scolding fatherly. He placed his strong hand on Bette’s collarbone and lifted her head, making her look him straight into the eyes. ”I know she’s somewhere near the surface and you damn better get her back like about now to go and fight for your woman. You love Tina more than yourself, right? Then quit humming and hawing, get to the damn action!”

Bette had ceased crying by then and was listening to Marcus’s admonition, contemplating over his words.

”Tina loves you deeply too, it’s pretty obvious you know. So when two people love each other and then one of them fucks up, he goes and grovels and grovels and grovels until he’s forgiven or at least until he is given another chance to make everything right. That’s what you have to do – grovel and make amends and you’ll start tomorrow. Enough of whining, get it?”

Bette closed her eyes and nodded mildly.

”Good.” Marcus stated, easing his grip on Bette’s collarbone. ”And one more thing… There’s no diagnosis, especially the kind you had created for yourself. Personality disorder? What a bunch of fucking bullshit. Don’t you ever think of yourself like that. Look at me, Bette” The man demanded and as the brunette raised her eyes he continued in slightly hushed voice. ”You may be a criminal here-” He pointed a finger to Bette’s head. ”-but here…” He then pointed to Bette’s heart and shook his head. ”…you’re a pure bunny… That’s why your mind and heart answer to you differently.”

The brunette pondered for a moment, then she released a soft chuckle, feeling a bit better already. ”Fuck off, I’m not a bunny”

”So soft and mushy, like a bunny” Marcus teased on.

Bette chuckled some more. Marcus put an arm around her shoulders and started to guide her towards the parked SUV. ”Let’s go and push some food into you. My treat.”

”I can pay for myself, alright”

”Oh c’mon, can’t a man be a gentleman for God’s sakes? Especially with the love I still have for you, even though it’s undivided…” Marcus said and mocked the sorrow of rejection, causing Bette to burst out laughing.