Someday? Never?

Fortress

Later that day, Estelle was bombarded with questions and congratulations on her beating Mark like she did. She had gathered everyone around after they got set up and began to tell a grand tale of her beating Mark several times before he gave up.

"And on the fourth round," she said with her best British accent, "the sad man child had given up and accepted defeat for the final time."

"Oh come on! It did not happen like that," Mark said walking up.

"Art thou saying that I am untruthful?"

"Yes," he laughed.

"Well then please, kind sir, regale us on your version of this grand tale," she said crossing her arms.

Mark said the same thing, only lamer.

"I like her version better," Mark's tech, Ernie laughed.

There were several people who agreed.

"Damn, I just keep beating you don't I?"

"Well y'all can work for her then," he pouted.

The crowd dissipated as everyone went back to work. Estelle grabbed his cheeks and puckered her lips to match his as she mocked him, moving his head from side to side.

"Oh the wittle baby is mad he lost? He's a sore loooossseerrr," she laughed.

Mark snatched his face from her grip and thumped her forehead. She thumped his back and he put her in a headlock, poking her sides.

"Now look at the big baby! Getting beat up by the little baby, how fitting," Mark teased.

"Alright chill! I'll leave you alone," she said, laughing.

She still smacked him in the arm when he let her go, just for good measure.

"You wanna go grab a bite? I'll be damned if I'm here and don't get a real Philly steak," Estelle offered.

"I guess I can tag along. There's a place walking distance from here," he agreed.

"Good, I can burn off what I eat," she laughed.

She shot the girls a text to see if they wanted her to pick them up something and Mark did the same with the guys. Of course, it ended up being them picking up food for their respective bands. Thankfully the service was quick, so they were in and out in no time.

They made it back to the venue and dropped by the dressing rooms to deliver everyone else's food and they went back outside. They found a picnic table nearby and made themselves comfortable. Mark chose right then to be randomly honest about his feelings.

"You know Stell? I think I'm finally starting to come to terms with the fact that even with all my success, I'm a failure," he sighed.

Estelle was caught mid-chew, with fries and cheese hanging between her fingers as she processed what Mark had said to her. Confusion was very clearly written on her face, but he continued anyway.

"I still don't get how I missed how unhappy Vic was... well, is. I should talk to her more in depth I think... maybe some couples therapy? What do you think?"

Estelle took a swig of her soda and pondered what he said. Really taking her time to come up with the right words to say, and keeping a nice, even tone so as to not piss him off.

"Friend, how you figure you should fix this? You're not a failure, this ain't your fault and it ain't on you," she shrugged, "and it sounds to me that this has been a long time coming."

"Well... What makes you say that?"

"Based on how you kinda spazzed on the phone, whatever she said was the straw that broke the camel's back," she commented.