Deeply ingrained in the attempt. She could believe that, she thought: he seemed earnest enough to commit to things fully, to take things with the seriousness they deserved. She wanted to ask about his history, but she was sure that was beyond the scope of polite conversation. She smiled instead, and refrained.
“Well,” Callista said, keeping to lightness and almost playful jest; “it is a noble pursuit. I wish you every success with the endeavour.” (She knew she ought to try harder to change, too – she had not been making the progress that perhaps she ought, and she knew her tendency to shrink to her comfort zones, year after year. And she didn’t know that she could shake off her history, but she was sure she ought to try and shake off some of her fear. She didn’t want to let her family down.)
“Well,” Callista said, keeping to lightness and almost playful jest; “it is a noble pursuit. I wish you every success with the endeavour.” (She knew she ought to try harder to change, too – she had not been making the progress that perhaps she ought, and she knew her tendency to shrink to her comfort zones, year after year. And she didn’t know that she could shake off her history, but she was sure she ought to try and shake off some of her fear. She didn’t want to let her family down.)
