Fox's Glade scream at the top of your lungs

Laurel hadn't a clue about Xan's backstory but now that Valette explained it like that, it all made sense. He was just doing what his own parents had done, what his no-good father had done. Ugh, typical. Laurel would never do that -- she'd never do to her own children what her parents had done to her. Typical of no-spine, weak-willed Xan to do that. "Ugh, that's horrible," said Laurel in response, feeling disgusted -- both about what their father had done to Valette and Xan, as well as about Xan repeating this behaviour.

Laurel decided not to correct Valette on the mate-front; she wasn't mates with Xan, never had been, but it was easier maybe to not mention that. It'd been difficult from the start. For now, Laurel listened to what Valette said about mates, and about her own mate leaving her.

Though easy to gather sympathy from others, Laurel wasn't sure how to deal with being expected to give sympathy. She knew it was expected of her but didn't really want to at all. Still, she decided to put on the pleasant mask for now and with a sympathetic frown Laurel said: "Oh no, that's terrible! He just left? Did he say anything?" Then, a more genuinely meant comment: "Men are all the same!"