[ He considers her across the table, considers staying quiet just to see if she will elaborate on her own, but given that the risk is likely that she would sooner turn the conversation, he says, ]

A shame for all that patience to go to waste, if it went untested,

[ which is not exculpation for either of them and the way they might be trying, but maybe nudges the tenor of the conversation back somewhere light. ]

I'm certain he's only glad to have you back, and me upright.