A Promise

With what felt like her final breath she poured her heart into a request. “One last thing before you go.  I need you to make me a big promise”

He bravely offered up the last bit of charming composure to slyly respond "Let me get this straight.  You mean for me to make a solemn vow to you, on behalf of a man I haven’t met yet, some stranger who wears my skin at some point in the future.  You’re asking me to promise you, he’ll do something big?  Now, how am I supposed to guarantee he'll do anything?”  Clever deflection he thought.

She didn’t waiver in her conviction, offering a sly response of her own. “Promise me that you'll do everything in your power to convince that man to be kind to himself.  Beneath his cool exterior, is an an eager romantic, who really only wants pure love.  But he can never truly love anyone until he loves himself.  True love starts inside, then bursts out onto the world.   He’s far too concerned with duty to see that a full heart has never lived under heavy shoulders. You can do this.  I believe in you.”