[ He doesn't ask, though. Not immediately. Instead he frowns, looking back out over the serene surface of the lake. ]

I don't -

[ That's not what he wants, either, he's realizing now. It's not that he doesn't want to talk about himself, necessarily, but this isn't how he wants to do it. He sighs, rubbing his forehead. ]

Look. You're right, I am being defensive. [ She's telling it like it is - that's what she meant by "truthful." ] It's just - I don't want to sit here going through a laundry list of my faults. That doesn't help either of us.

[ They're trying to reach a mutual understanding, right? But you can't do that through one-sided criticism. ]

I want to understand where you're coming from, too. Maybe - why don't we take it in turns? You ask one, I ask one. Would that be acceptable?