"Heh." Connor smiles sadly. "So did she." He stirring up rice now, adding egg and vegetables she's chopped up.
"The antique store was perfect, she worked downstairs and told people what good taste they had until they bought things, and I could just handle the books and the purchasing... she used to say I scared away customers, anyway..."

It's going to be slightly salty rice, because suddenly he's dripping a few tears into it.