Kathryn exhaled softly and, turning, set her daughter down in the middle of the bed. The girl cooed in protest, but Kathryn offered her a smile and a tickle, and the girl gurgled her pleasure and remained quiet. Once she was once again happily distracted, Kathryn rose.
She smoothed down her dressing gown with her palms, then met Dekka's eyes squarely. "Dekka, I'd still be wasting away in a bottle hoping to die if it weren't for Calent. He's been patient with me, better than I deserve after what I've done to him. He gives me hope. He makes me want to be better, for him. Being with you..." She hesitated -- but it was time to admit it, wasn't it? "I feel better when you're here -- young, immortal, untouchable. And numb. And when you go, you take a part of me with you, and all I can think about is how badly I want you back...and until you come back, I close myself off from everything and everyone. Being with you is worse than the brandy ever was. Liquor was just a poor substitute until I could see you again. I can't go back to that. To either of those things."