What does Tova tell Ethan Mack when he tells her he is sorry to hear about her brother, and what does she remember about her brother?

Ethan Mack tells Tova when she comes to his grocery store that he is sorry to hear about her brother. Tova tells him that they were not close. Then she asks herself if they were ever closed. She believes they were as children and young adults. Lars stood up at Tova and Will's wedding and at their reception gave a lovely speech. For many years, Tova and Will spent every New Year's Eve at Lars's house in Ballard. Then after Erik died, things changed. One New Year's Eve, Lars called Tova and told her that he and his wife Denise had other plans. After that, there was a skipped Easter luncheon, a canceled birthday party, and a missed Christmas gathering. The years stretched into decades, and Tova and Lars became strangers.