If she thought of it strictly in those terms, it wsan't a hard answer to phrase.

"We were friends," Tahiri answered with a slight nod. "Not terribly close, and only the last couple of years, but yes. In fact, I wouldn't go so far as to say he isn't one, now. Just one I watch a little more carefully."

She thought of the note again, and smiled wryly. "Family doesn't always have to be close, necessarily, but you could call it that too."