Dad, you beat Roman with a slipper in Gustav till he cried for ordering lobster, remember?
Roman laughs and gets to his feet. He wishes Shiv hadn't said that in front of Gerri. He doesn't care what anyone else around the table thinks, but he doesn't want Gerri to pity him. So he makes a quip, calling Shiv Siobhan like he never does, which is his way of telling her to shut up.
He doesn't know when he started caring what Gerri thinks of him, only that when he sat beside her giving his spiel about the rocket launch, he was glad she was there. Only now she probably thinks he's a pathetic baby.
Gerri doesn't show any reaction to Shiv's one-way trip down memory lane, but Roman knows she has a good poker face. He doesn't make eye contact with her as he sits back down.
Later when Logan says that Gerri could be the next CEO, then takes it back immediately, a part of Roman is glad that Gerri was embarrassed today too so they are back on equal ground, then he feels bad for thinking like that. Maybe Gerri should be CEO. She would be better than Kendall, who currently looks like a zombie, or Shiv, who would be unbearable. If Roman can't have the top job himself, maybe Gerri is the next best option.