That was the only affection Lavender got from her husband. She needed it. She would do anything he wanted as long as he didn't stop loving her and kick her to the curb.
She knew it was pitiful. But Nick was the first person to give her the time of day after her family died and she lost everything. The first man who ever told her that she was beautiful. He was her first in a lot of ways and he was far from perfect but she didn't know what she would do without him.
"You didn't do anything wrong," he said seriously. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately. Sorry."
Lavender let out a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding. This wasn't about her. Maybe he really was trying to process his grief differently and had been so caught up in that it didn't cross his mind….though that did seem unlikely knowing him.
