When I asked Marianne whether she’d ever regretted staying, she looked surprised.

“I regret choices I made while I was afraid.

I don’t regret the girls.”

“Do you regret marrying me?”

She took her time.

“I regret believing I could make someone ready for a family by loving him hard enough.

But our marriage was part of my life.

I don’t need to pretend it never happened.”