"Last thing I want after the past few years is to get rid of you, missy," Punctuated the sentenced by kissing the top of her head chastely, reached to rub her shoulders gently. "We'll always be friends, Lil, the very best of them. You, me, Vee. Maybe Duncan will show up some day and we'd be the Fab Four all over again. It'll be epic." His hands paused a little and he gave a soft shiver.
Veronica was his epic. Their story so rocked by the events all around their lives, he sighed as he thought about how she was likely taking this. Wished he knew how to make her trust him more. But that was her. There wasn't much at all that they could do about it. He looked to Lilly with a gentle smile. "You're going to have to help me soften up Mt. Vee."