Whenever Xavier spoke it seemed to Abi that he just simply did not understand, and that he would never understand. She was now cried out and felt a cloud of deep, deep sadness descend upon her. "'You have never disrespected me...'" She repeated his words with a sense of hopelessness as she shook her head. "You just don't see it do you. You just don't see it." She sat in silence for a moment. "I am not so sure WE can work it out Xavier. In the past your idea of 'working it out' has meant I give in and do things your way. I am not willing to do that anymore. And since you asked yes church and choir have been an act. I don't believe any of that crap. The idiot who calls himself a pastor doesn't know anything about the biblical text except his own prejudices and preconceptions. Don't forget I actually read Greek and some Hebrew. Look, I'm sorry but I am through with church. I am not willing to pretend any more. You can go alone or not at all. I am not putting up that facade any more. And this is not up for negotiation. If you had been paying attention you would have noticed I have actually been in church for weeks and that I quit the choir months ago."<br/><br/>She looked at Robin. Her still moist eyes conveying a sense of hopeless sadness. "I'm sorry Robin. None of this is about you. It has been coming on between us for a while and it is really unfair to you ended up stuck in the middle of this. And I am sorry I mess up your pronouns, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but when I get so emotional I just don't think carefully. Please forgive me." She wiped her eyes and turned back to her husband who after taking a deep breath began to carefully, more gently than he probably would have normally, explain how he would dispose of this situation. She watched has he slid Robin's possession back to her and listened as he explained about the ID. She nodded, "of course.. I understand that." She expected him to confiscate the pot and she would not have put up any objection to that. Abi may have had trouble with her own boundaries but she respected the law. So she was surprised when he pushed the cigarettes and pot back to her: "...promise you will come home tonight and we will talk." She could hear a pleading in his voice as he unlocked the cell.<br/><br/>Robin didn't move initially while Xavier returned to his desk and waited for some response.<br/><br/>"I want to propose a compromise." She said carefully and softly. Then taking a deep breath she continued, "Xavier, I love you... I really do... I have loved you since the day I met you." She paused as the imagine of her husband as a happy young man passed through her mind. "But I don't think you understand me and maybe you just can't understand me. But I can't continue like this. I think we both need some time apart. I know I do. I need a day or two just by myself to think through all of this. I promise I won't do anything drastic. I won't tell the kids and I promise I will return to the house. But can you at least understand that I am feeling so hurt and neglected and I just get the sense our marriage is just hopeless. I think you see me as an extension of yourself, you don't see me as a complete person who has a life apart from their own, who has interests, needs, desires that do not revolve around you... a no longer young woman has had experiences you have never even bothered to ask about. I know you didn't like my parents, but did you ever consider that getting to know them might have helped you understand me." Abi paused again as an image of her deceased parents flashed through her mind. They had been very odd in many respects. As an only child Abi had been a daddy's girl and had adored her father who had died suddenly of a heart attack. Her mother eventually had to be institutionalized and died slowly, with Abi overseeing her care some 15 years later.<br/><br/>She looked up at him and sighed, "So... what do you think... just a couple days - no contact - no attempt to spy on me and then I will come home and we can see where we are both at. I'll warn you before I return. Or maybe we can do something nice for each other for a change... or not... I don't know..." She looked in his eyes and saw confusion fear and anger which caused her to slouch again  in her chair overcome with sadness. It seemed at that moment to be impossible. Nothing would ever change, not because he wasn't willing, but because he wasn't able. There would have to be something major to ever move him away from his worldview.<br/><br/>She waited for a response but after a pause, she looked over to Robin, "Come on, I'll drive you back to school." Another look at Xavier before she sighed and got out of her chair.