>>>You need to wait for the avol to start the conversation. You should not.
Aside for that he murmured words of acknowledgment I was told by Rav Moshe Heineman that if an avel leaves the door and allows people into the house and is sitting in a manner of being prepared for conversation you don’t need to wait for him to initiate conversation. Ask your LOR but when an avel is looking at you waiting and expecting you to say something I don’t think it is correct to remain silent because he is