Kara glanced at him, licking her teeth a little. "Um yeah,' she said quietly. She scratched her cheek a little. "I have a daughter... Lea."

Mark managed a smile and nodded. "Wow, I uhm. I didn't know that." he nodded a bit. "How old is she?"

And here's the kicker... Kara thought dryly, doing her best not to frown. "She's seventeen."

Mark blinked, studied her. "You don't seem that old." He smiled a bit. "To have a seventeen year old daughter. You must have been young."
He was trying to keep his cool. He wasn't scaring off, more so as just...lamenting their date and future dating.

Kara made a small popping sound with her lips and nodded a little. "Sixteen," she affirmed for him. "So... yeah."

Mark nodded, studying her. He smiled and then shook his head, starting to laugh. "Wow." he said softly. "Here I am, sitting here." He gestured. "Forty-years old and terrified of having a kid, and there you are, you've had this daughter for a huge portion of your life which, I'm sure you're the most natural mother in the world..." He put his fingers on the beer. "You're ten times the person I'll ever be. You're incredibly brave and smart and caring and ... you deserve a lot more... than..." He swallowed a bit.

Kara frowned, staring at him for a moment. "Well I have... the best kid in the world so... that makes up for everything," she said quietly. "But. I mean you already... said how you feel about kids so. I really... understand if you don't wanna... get into this. I've been there before."

Mark looked to her and shrugged. "I have to say that you're incredibly inspiring." He whispered. "I admire you a hell of a lot...." He smiled at her. "I can't say whether or not this...is going to lead to that kind of future, but... I don't know. I can't quit yet. I know were over the part of our life where we don't need to look into the future. Talking about these things is important early on. I can't guarantee I'll change my mind. But there's something about you. I don't know. I'm rambling..."

Kara frowned a bit more, looking at her drink. "Lea is my life," she said quietly. "And if you don't like kids... I just know it's not going to work, Mark. Because she's there. And I will always, always choose her over any guy. No matter what." She licked her lips. "Besides. It's probably better if you get out early anyways, if you're not interested."

Mark swallowed hard and nodded. "I uh..." he managed. "I appreciate the honestly. As brutal as it is." He told her, wiping his forehead. He stared at the table.

Kara frowned at him, licking her lips a little. She felt bad, a little, but if he really hated kids like he said then there was no way he'd fit into hers and Lea's family. And it was better to do this now before anything real developed between them. She hated that most men didn't like kids, that usually they vanished into thin air after finding out about Lea. She never regretted Lea, never blamed her but... guys were just stupid.
She sighed a little and pulled out her wallet, putting some cash on the table for the drinks. "Come on," she said quietly. "I'll drive you home."

Mark swallowed and nodded. He pursed his lips and got up, checking to see if his wallet was in his back pocket.
He didn't even want to go in to how his interview went today--his frustration led to this bitter conversation far too soon, he felt.

Kara walked to her car and quietly got inside, turning it on and driving down the street, back to his place. She parked just in front of the building.

Mark looked to her and smiled--although it was strained. "Thanks...I hope maybe sometime we can get together again..." he said softly. "As friends." He managed. He leaned over and gave her a kiss before moving to get out.

Kara swallowed quietly and nodded a little. "Yeah," she said quietly. "I'll um... see you around."