Is there a glimmer of hope for I'mstillhopeful ?

[I'mstillhopeful]

Any mention of the date on his part?

No date set, just the next time I'm here. I have to say from past experience with H once he says he'll do something that's as far as it goes. It is almost as if simply mentioning it will magically get the task accomplished. I'd be (most pleasantly) surprised if he followed through with anything but the taxes.

I can't believe you haven't broken the news to your family yet... you're worse than me! =)

My parents are in their 90's, my mother is quite frail and my father is sliding into dementia. My mother thinks the world of H and it will absolutely destroy her when she finds out. She is already burdened by so much worry about my father, their house, my recently divorced sister and her children. For some inexplicable reason H has facilitated the charade that our relationship is still solid.

The last time I visited he telephoned their house every few days to make the situation appear unchanged. This time he was at a professional conference and I told her that he wasn't likely to telephone.

I was preparing to post this last night when my cell phone rang. It was H checking to see if I was at my parent's house and wondering if he should call me on their phone. He had tried contacting me at our home to see if I was there. He explained that "he hadn't wanted to do anything to worry them". We spoke for about an hour and, when I finished the call I had a really hard time getting back to sleep. He gave me advice about my F's condition and asked if he should go check on our house after church. Somehow we started talking about our garden and we agreed that he should pick some tomatoes and anything else which would otherwise go to waste. I've been trying not to read anything into his motivation, but I do feel it was a small, positive step.

This afternoon before calling them he checked with me to see if there were any updates on my F's condition.

Oh, and I did remove my ring on Wednesday morning. And rather than putting it on the bureau or in my jewelry case, I am so sappily sentimental, I transferred it from my finger to a long gold chain which I plan to wear around my neck, thereby retaining some connection to the original placement. Of course, before arriving at my parents I had to put it back on my finger for as long as I was there. Now I will have no problem wearing it on a chain.