She glances back at him for a moment and nods. She gets it. Losing your mother is still huge - it doesn't matter how you lost her or why, but it's always going to be a loss you feel in a huge way. Then she swallows hard and there's a deep breath, before she gives him a small, shaky smile.

"I haven't been to a lot of these, but I'm pretty sure dead parents fall under terrible party talk."

Or something.