Arnel gave her a faint smile. Beth had been the gentlest soul Arnel had ever known, he couldn't fathom a world where she would hold a grudge - he more easily imagined how heartbroken she would be, how wounded and tearful, but never hateful.
"Simply because you asked?" Arnel tilted his head. "No." Not because she asked, "But," he added because he did not want her to dismay and because he wanted to explain, "but because I see genuine regret in you, and a genuine desire to make amends - I do try." He could not lie to her either though. "Lilith," he said gently, his gaze searching out hers, "I had forgiven you most of your transgressions the night you confessed to me." He hesitated, mostly because he felt guilty about not being able to forgive her for all of them... He wanted to, but he couldn't let it go, not yet.
"I am as imperfect as any man though," and his shame beaded threw in his tone, "I have yet to be able to bring myself to forgive you from taking away my chance to become a father."