[They're what his father would have called a 'charming couple', Paul thinks, and now he really is in danger of becoming sentimental.]

It's strange how that works. You wouldn't think of this place as a refuge, but for so many people, it is.

[They've veered far from worms and their proclivities. Paul brushes an imaginary bit of lint from the hem of his shirt, idly.]

I shouldn't keep you, on that note. I'm sure she's wondering who's whisked you away, and we can't have that.