"Yes, it is sometimes too painful to think about. It wasn't surprising mind you. I may not have been welcome in that world, but I could watch from a distance as my fears came into reality." Marie took the single page from the group of papers in the young lawyer's hand. She studied the picture at the side of the obituary announcement. Nicole Jordan Charleston, wife of entrepreneur Brant Charleston. Marie scoffed, "the only thing Brant Charleston was an entrepreneur of, was women."

With a withered finger, Marie brushed the picture, and then let the page flutter down to the bottom of the trunk.

The man handed her a different piece from the pile. Marie smiled, "yes, some good memories. My son saw the light, went back to school." She patted the man's hand as her eyes misted over at the picture of the handsome young man in dirt smeared University of Illinois baseball uniform. "I didn't see Richard often after that afternoon at the hospital, but I saw him at the games. Him and that wench." Marie looked up at her lawyer. He looked startled. She could only imagine what he thought at the look that must have crossed her face. Those years were a tumultuous mix of horror, revelation, and, Marie had to admit, just a little bit of excitement. She shook her head. "Occasionally life at that time was, to put it mildly, entertaining."