Ford took a second to consider that. His expression was pensive with a mild frown as he ran his tongue along the backs of his teeth.

"I think I'd like you to yell at me," he eventually decided. He knew from her perspective that he deserved that, given what she thought he'd done, and he had the sense that maybe if he'd been able to push her to the point of blowing up at him that afterwards it might be clearer how to pick up the pieces and move on. She was playing everything so close to the chest — it was obvious to everyone that she was livid with him, but it was not obvious to him what he could do about it. Clearly, as his fumbling through this conversation indicated.

Maybe that was intentional on her part, though. Maybe she had the same sense that if she yelled at him then this tension between them would have reached its crescendo, and there would be nowhere left to go but towards resolution. Maybe she didn't think he deserved to be forgiven, yet.

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