"Yeah, pretty cheater lady at that." He goes for another drink then, because it's still there and he's not had enough.

But after the light-hearted joke, he admits, "I don't wanna go back."

So many people do, but if he wants to do anything? It's go ahead. He loves his son, and the moment Yondu died he gave him the best gift he could give him. Ego only wanted him to sap his power, to grow stronger by draining his child, one of dozens upon dozens (so many more than Yondu ever saw). But to Yondu, he was his one and only (at the time, anyway). Yondu gave his life for him instead of taking. He doesn't want to show up and make his own sacrifice worthless. He wants to believe his son is fine. That he did everything right and he can take care of himself.

The worst parents take and take. Yondu wasn't great for it either. But in that moment, he gave the very last of himself for his boy.

"He don't need me no more. I worked hard to be sure of that. He'll be fine."