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people make up their mind that you are sick, especially mentally, there is little you can do, besides earn a PhD in Physics, to prove otherwise. So, she kept quiet and enjoyed her life free of obligation. She knew that her husband remaining married to her was an act of mercy, for surely he could have divorced her and left her there. But, being the religious man he was, he did not want to have his name tarnished with the reputation of divorcing his sick wife. Besides, Annabella would never forgive him if he did such a thing. So, Eudora stayed there and pretended to be the frail woman that everyone obviously wanted her to be. She had the occasional visitors - from church members to family members. But, her husband no longer visited. She wasn’t sure if he could not bear the thought of seeing her like that or if he had taken up with another woman and simply could not face her. She did not care one way or the other. She had learned to function without seeing him, so if he ever did decide to show up, it might set her back in terms of emotional healing.
    Eudora had settled down for the day and prepared for a quiet evening watching her favorite television programming. She and some of her neighbors on the floor would meet in the television room a few times a week and watch various shows at night. She was on her way down the hall with her bag of popcorn when she saw a familiar flounce coming down the hallway.
    “Annabella!”
    “Mother!”
    Eudora and her daughter embraced for what seemed like hours. Other residents passed them with looks that ranged from joy to envy. Most of the residents there did not have children who visited them regularly, so it was always an emotional time when anyone under the age of 40 entered the premises. One of Eudora’s friends seemed to be waiting for the embrace to end so that she could walk down the hall with her friend. But, once the hug was over, Eudora excused herself and invited Annabella back to her room. She could tell that her daughter was not doing well and wanted to find out the matter before she returned to her friends.
    “How are you?” Annabella asked her mother as she let her go.
    “I am fine. But, it seems that you are not,” her mother told her.
    “How do you know these things?”
    “One never stops being a mother, Annabella. Now, what is going on? I want to know everything.”
    Annabella went on to tell her mother about her legal troubles, about Caroline , and about Warrenton. He mother looked thoughtful, interested, and saddened at the appropriate times. Annabella was surprised that her mother seemed to follow what was happening. She had come simply to lift her mother’s spirits and for a sounding board. She never imagined her mother would know what she was talking about or care, for that matter. But, her mother was more alert and interested than ever and she even had a few words of advice.
    “You know you can al ways be yourself with Warrenton,” she told her daughter.
    “I guess that is true, mother. I always have been.”
    “I mean, if you two were to get married. You would never have to uphold an image. He knows you and he would never ask you to pretend to be something or someone you are not.”
    “I’m sure that’s true, mother. But, I am not interested in marrying Warrenton. Weren’t you listening?”
    “Oh, I was listening. But, I was also paying attention. You said that man’s name no less than 40 times while you were talking.”
    Annabella was stunned. She could not believe her mother remembered the number of times she said Warrenton’s name and she was even more baffled that her mother picked up on the subtext of the conversation. Annabella surely had feelings for Warrenton, but that was not what her words and actions indicated.
    “That may be, mother. But, Warrenton and I are certainly at odds right now so there is little hope for anything more than what we have now. If God is merciful, hopefully one day that man will be out of my life for good.”
    “I