Ami noticed that Marion's package was still unopened and gave a soft laugh. before frowning. His insistence that Aviel would end up like his mother had hurt more than his son, it had hurt this girl too. He shook his head and opened his package, smiling at the intricately carved pipe inside. It was simple, but the designs were well crafted.
"A pipe." He said softly and looked up to Marion. "I need to apologize to you." He looked at the pipe, turning it over and over again in his hand. He could hear Aviel in the kitchen and lowered his voice, "Aviel's mother colored the way I thought of him and treated him... and that in turn colored how he treated you." He smiled sadly, sighing, "He couldn't leave you, but he was always afraid of being like his mother... because of me, so he would push you away. Just far enough. I did you both a disservice."