Love Never Dies. Chapter Five. Tale of one friend's marriage. Autumn.

The tension between Autumn and Dave had been percolating to a point of overflow for some time; long before her return. This tension not only was clear in her general demeanor but in phone disputes that were witnessed within her office. Add to this there were some added tensions between her and the direct report which she was having a relationship or affair depending on your perception.

Prior to the tree incident and her moving back in with Dave, my husband and I came to visit DC. We were in town for a fundraiser on which I was on the board. Autumn came as a guest at our table which was greatly appreciated. Trying to get guests at a table for a $200 or $250 per person brunch (I don't remember exactly) isn't easy. Doing so 3000 miles from home is all the more challenging. At this brunch I not only learned more about the "boy toy" romance, but that he was a pot dealer on the side and she was dealing weed to high school students in the same high school she wanted her students to attend. Writing this now I sometimes question my own judgement in character. Desperation has limitations. I wasn't comfortable about it, but I tried to justify her reasoning, her telling me the limitations, etc. Bullshit! It's was just wrong! Never mind a high end felony and possible Federal felony as I am not sure she didn't cross into DC, Federal parks and the likes. Around DC, it's so easy for almost anything to become a Federal crime. The Baltimore Washington Parkway is run by the National Park Service for example. Giving our Senior grad as the parent or approved by a parent some beer is one conversation, enabling freshman their weekly weed habit is unconscionable. Her kids smoke weed. She smokes it and so does her ex. She talks to her kids though about waiting, being too young, brain development, etc. This is someone with a Masters in Psychology after all, as well as being a Mother. I do agree with her that if they are going to ultimately anyway, she wants her kids to be comfortable enough to talk to them to about it. The kids share what seems to be just about everything with her and they most definitely don't with their Father, so I guess she has succeeded there. But, she has no regard for anyone else's children? I remember asking her about it at some point and her reply was something like "they will get it somewhere" and then tried to justify how she meters the quantity, frequency to which she sells to her youthful clientele.

Autumn's boy toy was given permission to move to San Francisco and still work for the company. She was unhappy to see him gone and jealous as she had longed to return to California having lived there with me in many years ago. She continued her part-time trade via shipments; another very risky endeavor. At some point, shit hit the fan between them and she stopped selling, he stopped shipping, I don't know all the details and honestly increasingly realized I really didn't want to but the tensions were very high and it worked it's way into their work place. Add to this, Autumn and Dave having screaming matches at random on the phone it's no surprise she was eventually fired for her "personal life getting too involved in the workplace."

Autumn received about  $10,000 in an insurance settlement from the tree incident. Reckless that she is about much she is at least always insured. Still defiant about the idea that she would have to spend money to get divorced, putting this money aside for it was not a consideration. I barely knew her kids but did want what was best for them. I didn't believe her having a fallacious and ultimately contentious relationship with Dave was that scenario. I grew up with parents in a nasty, violent, adulterous  and suffice to say, toxic marriage before they finally divorced. So. I suggested she come to us in California. This proved to be a terrible mistake for all.