I cannot be otherwise.

[ She leans into his touch as best she can. ]

You are patient with me too.

[ The tears have stopped, but Alexandrie knows well enough how many of them she contains. ]

You do so much for me and I fear you count it little— or not at all— because it is not born out of great effort or sacrifice; it simply grows from who you are as my patience with you— which seems a thing of wonder to you— grows from me.