This is just a short update from me. I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to rework the actual past into a presentable story that makes sense, so I am now telling people the truth. That is the only thing that makes sense to me and I am glad I am doing that. Cases in point: one Marianne, in Austin, another Marianna, in Chicago, and my former classmate and friend and neighbor Ron, in SF. I found Ron via LinkedIn yesterday and will have lunch with him tomorrow. And we have been emailing today.

Ron told me that his ex wife took her own life in 2004. She " ended up in a situation very similar to yours - with a demeaning, controlling narcissistic bastard for a husband. Don't let it upset you, but she didn't make it. She took her own life back in 2004. As far as I can tell, our daughter (HB: whom he raised and she is an adult now and just passed the California Bar) has handled it fairly well."

After that sort of an introduction, I told me about my suicide attempt. That sort of felt like the right thing to do. His response was very sweet and touching. I did not expect anything quite like that. "What else can I say? I am certainly glad I did not have to tell my daughter she lost two mothers that way. " After just being classmates and neighbors in university housing for two years, to call me her mother is very sweet.