Winnie hid behind her champagne, watching him carefully over the rim of the glass as she sat forward. This felt wrong and she knew it. A sudden sinking feeling dropped into the pit of her stomach. She blew out a shaky breath; did she want to know? Honestly, she didn't, it seemed like something that was only going to pain her if she knew the full details, but she wasn't sure if not telling her was going to somehow make it worse for him. Winnie would rather take the brunt than let it eat at him too much.

"I think," she hesitated, biting her lower lip, adding gently, "That maybe the past should stay there," Maybe that would be for the best. Letting it chase them into the future wasn't going to do them any good if they had any hope of fixing this. "Unless you can't move forward without telling me." If he was going to get stuck on it and let it sit in between them, it was probably better just to rip the bandage off and let the chips fall where they may. Just because she didn't want to know, didn't mean that she couldn't handle it.

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Any courage mustered to reveal the depths of his affection for Maple vanished within an instant. The past would have to exist in the past, never to be reflected upon or brought up again. It was the only way to save his relationship with Winnie. And while Dory wasn't yet certain he could carry on without confessing, he knew he had to. Winnie was asking it of him.

"Alright," he sighed. He'd have to forget about Christmas and how much he realized he missed Maple. Perhaps, in time, he and the mediwitch could become friends again. Even if not, Dory could live with her loss if it meant staying with Winnie.

"Let's go into the new year leaving the past in the past."

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