"If I only had myself to think of." He shakes his head, his expression shifting wry. "You're not that old, I don't think. It's a heavy thing to learn in a short time."

He appreciates the effort. He feels awkward, too, that he blurted something like that. It has been a difficult night. The whales... He can't explain it. They opened him up a little, reminded him of a person he has long believed no longer exists. What if he does and has only been waiting for a chance to come back? How very confusing.

"For what it's worth, I like who you are. I wasn't expecting to make a friend in this mess. I feel like I have."