I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that Rocky, in the book, thinks he's been gone so long that Adrian might have found a new mate. He says it in such a resigned way that it's obvious he's thought about it for a long time, perhaps even convinced himself that Adrian has moved on. It's as if he's already steeling himself for potential heartbreak because why would Adrian wait all this time for him? He's just an engineer. He's not special.
Except he is. To Adrian and Grace, he is. Adrian waited and Grace came back for him because they love him, and that's enough. That's all it takes.
And I love how in the movie, we are shown the depth of this love when Rocky tells Grace that despite the long time he and Adrian have been together, it's not enough; that the time Rocky gets to spend with Grace will not be enough. Because no amount of time could possibly be when someone is special to you.
