Sounds like a nice, low-key evening. I will be doing the same with my mom and brother, minus the flight to LA.
Just a thought regarding talking with your son, would it work to ask him what he thinks in response to his own questions? For example, when he asked if your wife is having trouble because of something her father might have done, ask him what thinks about that. It might help you gauge the level of his understanding of the situation.
I used to be a teacher and though I have no children of my own, I found that to be a useful technique in figuring out how much they knew about a subject.
