How do you get someone to be more open with you?

Asked by kayyyyleigh (404) November 30th, 2009 from iPhone

I’ve known him for a while, and I feel completly secure in telling him anything and he knows that as well. but he’s only ever been open with me about one thing, and that’s his ex girlfriend. and long sad story short she died in a car accident. it took him forever to tell me about this. but we are really close. we talk all the time, yet I still don’t know things like.. about his dad, who isn’t there. I don’t know if he left.. or if he is dead I don’t know.. but we aren’t the type of people where we can directly come out and ask each other that. so how do you get someone to be open with you?when you are already open with them?