"It might be. It might not be. I don't know enough to say. But either way, it is in the past. It can only hurt you as much as you let it."

Let's see, what was it boys liked? If her observations were correct, the proper thing to do would be to not acknowledge that he had cried at all and let him recollect himself so that he could save face. She just sat there and let him get it all out.