A few pieces of furniture were present, but the room was for the most part empty. Whoever owned it had clearly just moved in. My gaze instinctively tr...velled to the black, hardwood desk, but the leather chair that stood behind it faced away from me. I couldnt tell if it was occupied or not. I continued my inspection. I noticed a lamp standing in one of the corners. Its light only partly illuminated the room, keeping the rest of it bathed in darkness. A few file cabinets stood in another corner.. I was meeting a man, not my husband and the father of my children, evidence of premeditated betrayal in my purse. Leaving my Mountain View, California neighborhood, I turned onto the El Camino Real, the commercial thoroughfare connecting the peninsula cities from San Francisco to San Jose. As I drove among the congestion, I mused about life, my life.I was a poor girl, educated by Catholic nuns, was going to be one! It was on my way home from Notre Dame High School when he stopped me. He blocked. I don't want you madecompletely female. Just enough to finish turning you into my lesbiangirlfriend." He bit his lips and shuddered. She was in control and hiswants were being ignored. And the guy who was preparing to alter hisface, however subtly, had referred to him in feminine terms. Fromsomewhere in her purse Tyra produced a small bottle from which she took adiminutive pill. She held it up to is mouth and said, "If you're going tobe such a fuss budget, take this. It'll calm you. You've got the majority of your life ahed of you. Focus on the present and the future, not the past. Determine that, no matter what has taken place before, you will make the most of your life from this point on."Marianne smiled weakly. "That's wonderful advice. It's just that I feel I need..." What? What do you need?" I'm not sure. First Arlene and then the two of you have been so kind to me. I wonder if I deserve such kindness." Of course you do," replied Christy. "You're an intelligent young.