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"All your expenses, they shared, right?" Misty asked.

"Almost all. There were times when my mother didn't agree about something my father had bought me or vice versa and the way they settled it was the other didn't have to contribute."

"They were always like this and you thought they were in love?" Star asked with a smirk.

"Yes, I did. I don't think they were like this from the very start. As I said, I think they were romantic and then they just became . . ."

"What?"

I looked at Dr. Marlowe. There was no doubt she was very interested in my answer. It had taken me a long time to find it, many hours of watching my parents argue and gradually become more comfortable as strangers than lovers. - -

"Threatened:' I said.

Star looked at Misty, who shrugged.

"Can you explain what you mean, Jade?" Dr. Marlowe asked so softly, I almost didn't hear her question.

"I guess they each realized how much of themselves they would have to surrender to make the marriage work, and when I came along, the price went up. My mother was always afraid she would become less and less if she had children, and my father was always afraid he would get weaker and weaker as my mother demanded more of him."

"Is she right about all this?" Star asked Dr. Marlowe. "Does she know what she's talking about?"

"Maybe," Dr. Marlowe said.

"Don't you ever say yes or no?" Star snapped at her.

Doctor Marlowe just looked calmly at her. "Yes," she said finally, holding her expression for a moment and then we all laughed. It felt good, like we were all able to stop pulling on a rope.

From the way Star looked at me, I knew she had another delicious question rolling around in her brain. "What about this?" she asked, motioning around the room.

"This?"

"Coming here to see the therapist. Who pays for that?"

"Oh, they both do that:' I said. "Although there's no question my father thinks it's my mother's fault and my mother thinks it's my father's."

"So how did they agree on it?" Misty asked.

"The judge made them agree," I said.

"The judge made them?"

"I'm practically a ward of the state at the moment," I said. "You didn't have all that much to do with your parents' divorce, did you?"

She shook her head.

"You do?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? I have two new best friends," I told her.

"Who?" Star asked

"My parents' lawyers," I said and I laughed.

None of the others joined me.

They were all just staring at me. Why weren't they laughing too? I wondered.

Until I felt the first tear slide down my cheek. 2