Ever since their relationship had smoothed over—ever since Daniel had suffered that serious illness—Bert rarely did anything to make Daniel angry. When disagreements arose, he usually stayed silent, as he did now.
During that time, it was as if he had suddenly seen everything clearly. Living well mattered more than anything else; quarrels and petty disputes were meaningless. His life had already been lonely enough—apart from Daniel and his mother, there were very few family members left in the world. All he wanted was for Daniel and his mother to live well. Even if their relationships weren't particularly close, he wished for their wellbeing.
Because if they were gone, he would truly be all alone in this world.
That was also why he now cherished the sense of family that Dave and Lilian brought him, and why his usually sharp, irritable nature had softened considerably.
