"But it's not just not doing the wrong thing," Kathy said, giving him a sad smile. "It's trying to do the best thing, too, don't you see? I don't want to walk in on you so you'll know that I respect what you two have and aren't trying to push in and demand more. I don't want to say the wrong thing and hurt you or upset you because if you're going to have a girlfriend at all, it should be one who cares about your feelings and tries to make you happy. I want to be--"

No, that was too much. Too close to the bone.

"It's like trying to run uphill," she said instead. "Trying not to fall down is important, but if that's all you focus on, you just stay put. You have to try going up, too."