"How can a mother possibly abandon her child," she blurted out without thinking and immediately regretted it. "Sorry, not my business." Stupid lack of words-to-mouth barrier.
Phoenix kind of wanted to climb over the counter and hug his head but she managed to resist that particular urge and tried to think of a change of subject. Except that he beat her to it.
"Well, one night I had a dream. In it was a giant candle. I think it was a representation of God... And it told me to climb on a boat and run a ship-shape shop," she held up her hands, palms out like she was framing her face. Obviously she was lying but really she was just trying to distract his thoughts.