"Sorry," Thomas said, sounding shy and looking down bashfully. He clasped his fingers together and then pulled them apart, fidgeting a bit. He thought about offering comfort, a touch or a hug but he continued to be terrible at some basic human interaction.

"You can cry if you want," he offered instead, looking back up at her. "I won't tell anyone. My parents -- "

He shook his head. "They're gone. For awhile now. I don't remember them but I do know that. I just hope they're comfortable."