You know, he was really so much better at this than she could ever be. Now she really was crying but Kaine wiped them away, painful and quick, and sucked in a deep breathe. She could do this. She could at least have enough pride to avoid breaking entirely. Hopefully.

"Right, because that's always what it boils down to, isn't it? If Nariko had never come here then Roland would actually be able to spare a glance at you. He wouldn't have run off to another world, and I wouldn't have helped him go there. He would have been there by your side where he actually belongs, right? And your parents' tomb wouldn't be collapsed, caved in, no more shadows to stand under, no more Anis, Rebecca's daughters likely gone, everyone you grew up with and loved, dead, because Roland was gone, and because you were as sorry a replacement as you already knew you were."

At some point or another, her voice had risen a bit and found some strength, some emotion, but it deflated slightly as she added. "Frankly, I'd rather be a bitch in heat than whine over all this the way you do, at least my state is temporary. You'll always be this way, won't you?"

And Jesus Fucking Hell on a cracker if that didn't get him to swing then maybe nothing would, and she really would need to do it herself.