He's shared his troubling news with several of his newer acquaintances by this point, and each time he finds himself surprised by how hard it seems to hit them. Perhaps he would feel similarly if their positions were reversed, but it's humbling to him, even so.

"A few weeks," he admits. "Perhaps a month." He shrugs slightly. "It's not unexpected news to me. However, I do apologize for springing it so suddenly on you."

He says as if there's any other way for him to share the information at this point.