"There's nothing to apologize for, baby," He ran a hand through her hair again, before gently pulling her in for a kiss, gentle, hopefully comforting. "I'm not going anywhere. Neither of us are. Believe that, and everything else will work out."
Mark had heard this sort of talk all his life, directed at his father, his mother through her divorce; it probably seemed counterintuitive that she would be so caring, but there it was.