It was the Playing Safe br there in her mirror br the terrible sameness br of her life br her routines br her husband br her friends br her lovely children br her home br all there in place br yet her soul br did not feel fed br aching regrets br lingered there br unknown regrets br because of what br had not happened to her br was unknown to her br she had no idea br what that would be br yet she ached br for something to happen br to her. br In college br she had stories to tell br adventures to relate br to friends. br For years now br she had nothing but br baby stories br work stories br husband stories br sort of the Loneliness br of Routine br of a sense of time passing br and just ahead br she sensed br she would be at that edge br when nothing would ever change br she could see that in the mirror br she could see the Passage of Time there br the Hard Lines growing br the gentle thickness br in the wrong places br the sense of a downward slope br of a grinding boredom br oncoming br inevitable br and innervating br to where she br could she herself br gradually br turning into her mother br old br energyless br disappointed in how her life br turned out br pushing her daughters br to end up better br than she had br obsessed with her garden. br br She decided br she would have an affair.