Stephanie just let herself be led over to get it washed and bandaged, so shellshocked by exhaustion and humiliation that she couldn't protest even if she wanted to. It likely would have been a jarring thing for Marcelo to see his supremely ambitious, driven and energetic wife in such a miserably low state.

When she finally spoke, it was in a broken near-whisper.

"I just wanted to help clean up."

Then she looked away, her cheeks reddening a little bit. It was a little more complicated than that and she knew it. And so did he.