Julie didn’t like the idea of going shopping in person. Too many variables were possible. What she most dreaded was how strangers responded to her experience. They knew nothing about her life or her lived experience. Nor did they care to be kind or learn anything about it, because it showed how their convenient life inconvenienced someone else. This response often came with permission for them to mock, insult, and be rude to her. With words like “You’re being overdramatic,” “You’re imagining it,” “Just get over it, you’re an adult,” or her favourite response, “You’re just seeking attention.” If she revealed her ADHD to some, she’d heard, “That’s a boy’s disease and women can’t have it.” These thoughts plagued Julie for many years. She knew it was pointless explaining to them how wrong they were for saying these things and believing it all. It’s not a disease. It’s a condition women and men can have, and there’s no cure. Then there’s the stupid rea

Julie followed Michael to a nearby café where Leon and Aria already sat at a table. “Everything okay?” Leon asked Michael as they approached. “Julie’s hesitant, but she’s willing to keep an open mind, and Aria?” Michael at least had the decency to look toward Aria for her reaction. Julie saw little reaction from Aria. But she noticed Ariad didn’t have her overly bright smile and wasn’t her loud, chatty self. This gave Julie a sinking feeling about this encounter. They sat, and the two men talked business for a while before they ordered their coffee. As they waited for their order to arrive, Leon turned to Julie. “I noticed you have a recent novel coming out soon. Did you know your books have caused quite a stir at the country club with everyone?” “No, I’ve been avoiding the club. Well, I knew a few people took offense. But it’s not something I intended.” Julie said. Her words quietly answered Leon’s question.

“I don’t understand, Leon. I apologized. Why didn’t she accept it? Is she that mean?” Aria wallowed in her coffee after Michael and Julie left. Leon could see she didn’t understand that unspoken rule. You can apologize to someone for anything, but there’s nothing that says the other person must accept the apology. Leon blamed her father and his cover-ups. Money moved his world. In his world, everything and everyone revolved around the sun. Of course, he’s the sun, so no one else mattered. Leon had grown over the last year after walking away from the plans for him to enter politics on Aria’s father’s coattails. The final nails in his coffin of his political career were when Leon realized Aria’s father could pin his dirty deeds on Leon, his grandfather’s involvement in the mafia back home in Italy. Leon walked away from politics, and he turned the tables on Senator Cain. The senator and his political career could sink or swim. Leon wouldn’t think twice of letting a few secre

Leon hired a wedding planner after he’d received Aria’s ideas for their wedding. She wouldn’t deal with any of the vendors this time. Her name wouldn’t be on any of the wedding and her father wouldn’t have a word in its planning or contribute a single cent to the wedding, reception, or honeymoon. He knew where Aria wanted to go for her honeymoon and Leon figured it was a good start, but he’d add to her idea. When he finished with it, she’d have a honeymoon to remember and something valuable from each location that would remind her of their time there. He took techniques from Michael’s courting of Julie. They went for drinks several times together. They’d discussed the changes in their relationships. He’d shared what he’d learned about Aria’s situation and the help he’d struggled to find. It hadn’t been easy. Without his money and influence, he’d probably still be looking for help. Michael admitted they were looking for help from a specialist with

Michael spent most of the afternoon getting Julie a faster appointment and succeeded before the business day ended. Finally, an appointment opened first thing in the morning. Michael spent a sleepless night. He was too concerned about Julie to sleep. Michael ended up sitting in bed staring at his wife, worried if he slept, he wouldn’t wake up to help her if she needed him. How had he ended up like this? He’d never missed sleep over anyone before this. Michael thought about how he waited a lot longer than he’d expected for Julie to become pregnant. He’d put a lot of effort into making it possible. His concern moved from impregnating Julie to her concerns about receiving decent care while pregnant and not suffering through the subjective opinions of the doctors and nurses masquerading as professional opinions. He understood Julie’s concerns. The entire medical system bogged down with opinions, blaming or belittling women, and he had los