Even bickering about his conference would be preferable to leaving Helen alone to her thoughts at this point. His response made her lips curl upward at the edges, the closest to a genuine smile that she had come in days.

"Is that a plea for more work or should I leave you to your misery?"

Banter, bicker, talk -- Helen didn't care what way the conversation went. She just needed a distraction, something else to focus on. At least for now.