Never once did he refer to her relationships as healthy. But neither was his relationship with his own parents, and yet he still mourned their passing. So maybe she didn't expect any difficulty or pain or anything else, but she may find herself surprised when the time came.

Instead of saying so, he simply shrugged.

"Only time will tell, my dear. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, and not a moment sooner, mm?" He smiled warmly. "Take a look at this, please. I've been meaning to get it down here, but some other things have taken precedence." Namely dealing with the slowly dwindling supplies.

In the file he handed over was specifications for an assistant required for Rachel's assistant, and one of his own, too. "Anyone come to mind off the top of your head?"