I feel Rowan's mother dying of cancer, presumably throwing a huge weight of worry and responsibility on Rowan, when Rowan was 20 - was she 'working and supporting herself' or mother and sister as well, since she was 18? - might have factored in to the situation in ways he's not allowing for.

Though it's pretty weird (or maybe that's just me) to be thinking about 'offspring within the next 10 years' in the context of 'person I have been dating for under six months and whose family background I am only just learning about'.