Re: Marlene/Jacob
"Not bad but uncomfortable? Strange?" she tried, so used to Alastor and his silences. However, it was easier to guess when you knew someone for most of your life. "There must have been something, love, or you wouldn't have mentioned it."
She smiled again. "That's where we have a problem. You didn't do it to be considerate, but you did it because he asked. To me that's being considerate. You had no other reason than him asking."
Marlene snorted. "Don't feel so insulted," she teased. "I was just trying to guess here. I know that it's not easy when you aren't used to trusting people, but you've been around people, some of them tried to be your friends, but you really didn't connect with them. So something about Patrick must make you comfortable with him, even if he's a little strange and confusing." She was trying to help, but she wasn't sure even he knew what the problem was. "So what's the problem? Has he said something to make you think that he's upset? Or are you upset by him? Or by the fact that you want to be nice to him?"