Hemingway listened intently; he always liked hearing the little details of her life. And he felt it ache in his heart when she spoke about losing the memory. He held her a little more tightly for that moment. "He's a part of who you are," he said gently.
The kiss apparently worked to convey his meaning, but obviously not why. She really didn't know how the little things she did and said meant so much to him. "It's more what you didn't say," he tried to explain. "You take my word for it. You don't question what I might have done, or tell me I should have more respect for my parents," he explained, with a bit of a weary sigh.