[Neal smirks a bit as he watches her sip her wine.]
Ahh, I see you also grew up with the slightly awkward Christmas experience?
[In Neal's case it was a mother broken by his father's actions and an adoptive mother who was just trying to do the best she could. But he doesn't like airing his mother's dirty laundry.
Even if he hasn't spoken to her in years, she's still his mother and she did the best she could.]
no subject
Ahh, I see you also grew up with the slightly awkward Christmas experience?
[In Neal's case it was a mother broken by his father's actions and an adoptive mother who was just trying to do the best she could. But he doesn't like airing his mother's dirty laundry.
Even if he hasn't spoken to her in years, she's still his mother and she did the best she could.]