I followed Femella outside. She's wiping away her tears. I hugged her from behind and planted a kiss on her exposed shoulder. She shrugged me off but I did not attempt to leave.

"No one is playing tricks on you, sweetheart. What I told you is true."

She sniffed.

"You should go now, Maverick. We're done. We're done so why are you still here looking for me?"

I held her to face me and touched her swollen eye.

"It's true that I respect your decision to leave me. So now, I'm going to ask you for a favor to respect me for my decision to come back for you. Let's...