No wonder Octavia had never managed to fully process how much she missed Gloria. It was too wrapped up in this, the same feeling that only barely allowed her to hear the rest of what he was saying past 'I still love her'.

She didn't say anything. She didn't feel allowed to say any of what wanted to come out.

She was just biting on the inside of her lip (maybe a little pain would stop her eyes stinging, somehow) and hoping he would keep his eyes on the water and not come back to her face, because he wasn't going to like the tremble in it.