[She doesn't hide her relief very well, it's there with a smile that probably doesn't fit the response she gives him.]
My mom's actually living in another city, and my dad's gone. [Dead, of course, but that's ambiguous sounding enough that it could also come across as he left their family or something.] My little brother is way too young to be in control of anything, and he's off at boarding school for the incredibly classically gifted.
[There. A perfectly neat, lovely explanation! No messy, emotionally painful stories to tell - not today, at least.]
What about you? You're on your own?
[It kind of seems like he is, but she doesn't really mean to pry.]
no subject
My mom's actually living in another city, and my dad's gone. [Dead, of course, but that's ambiguous sounding enough that it could also come across as he left their family or something.] My little brother is way too young to be in control of anything, and he's off at boarding school for the incredibly classically gifted.
[There. A perfectly neat, lovely explanation! No messy, emotionally painful stories to tell - not today, at least.]
What about you? You're on your own?
[It kind of seems like he is, but she doesn't really mean to pry.]