He sits up more slowly after she stands, watching as she paces around, all but yelling at him. OK, his choice of words was very poor. He waits for a break in her anger.

"I love you," he says evenly, staring up at her. He refuses to stand up, adding his size to the conversation and turning it into a confrontation. "There's more, but it's--well, it is important, but the main thing is, I love you. And I know you know that. I was wrong, in a lot of ways, when I broke up with you. I still..." Now he looks down at his hands, unable to watch her as he says the next. "I still think I made the right choice, leaving. Not just for you, but for me, too. But I let the mayor and your mother's visit rattle me, and I could've handled everything a lot better than I did."