The simplest thing

I asked her what the hardest thing she's ever had to do. She tossed her hair back, batted an eye or two, and said "nothing that hard". It was our second date and we were still very much in that learning phase. Probing. Telling our stories. Open to every past sin or past accomplishment. It was all ok. Set fire to a rectory when you were twelve? Sure, understandable. Nuns and 12 year old boys did form two ends of the triangle. Slept with your ex's best friend because...well..you both just really wanted to try it? Sure, understandable. Who hasn't been there.

The list of accomplishments where in a similar vain. Ran a marathon...been thinking about doing one myself.  Got a chess scholarship to an ivy league school even though they don't give out chess scholarships? Sure, of course. I play a wicked game of Go!.

A few days later when she new there would not be a sixth date but he was falling head over heals for her she revisited his question.

"You remember when you asked me what the hardest thing I've ever had to do?" she said.
"Yes."
"Not this."

And with that she got up, turned and walked away shedding not a tear. For breaking up with him now was far, far from the hardest thing she's ever had to do. And he would never get close enough to find out what it was.

Nor should he care.