[ the grumps melts away a little -- ok so maybe jade's wearing him down slowly. it doesn't hurt that he gets to talk about his favorite person, though. ]

My grandmother. She'd have my whole family in the kitchen helping, and I always liked that. Didn't matter how busy life got, didn't matter how long I'd been gone on work. I come home, everyone fits right back in washing dishes and peeling potatoes.

[ his heart swells with the memory of it. the way she'd glued them all together, even when they were across the planet from each other. ]

You'd have liked her. Used to tell stories that'd make sailors blush, too.