"What a philosopher you've become," she drawled, a playful jab, since yes. Of course he'd know. As a fan of all things spooky-scary herself (Cece really leaned into the witch thing), and having lost both parents quick and clean at an early age, she'd come to terms with the whole death-as-a-thing-that-happens-to-us-all concept. It was fine. But still. There were social niceties. Things people liked to hear. Just because they might have a grasp on it didn't mean it didn't hit you right in the feelings-bone when it happened to someone you knew and cared for.
What did she want to know? Uh. Hmm. "I dunno, Lucas, how about... Is America still on the map or did it all fall to shit? For all I know, Atlantic City and Summerview are all that's left of this country." It seemed entirely plausible. If you avoided the news like the plague. Which she did. Religiously. "I live on a tiny island full of weirdos. What's going on in the world? Is all the fake news true?"