Making Mom Happy

Her first customer was an attractive, handsome thief who took her money and jewelry while she was still in her early twenties. This must-have soured her on men because Jacquot deserted her so soon after they met. Since then, she has dated and occasionally had an affair, but it hasn't progressed any further than that. However, my mother reduced her hours to half time to care for me while I was sick with rheumatic fever and missed a year of school.

Until I hit adolescence, my mother and I had a good relationship. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad, either. We were able to speak, but it was often a conversation of rage and irritation since we were so familiar with each other. As for the two of us, I was grumpy and unpleasant while she was hovering and tense. Because of the tense atmosphere, we couldn't get close to each other. Now, as I look back, I understand that we were resisting our natural inclinations to make the other person uncomfortable so that we wouldn't have to embrace them......