Two years after getting married, they had a son, but being a stay-at-home mom just wasn’t her thing. She was restless and needed a purpose, something Greg couldn’t understand. Greg left the bank and went to work for an independent accounting firm. Rachael’s parents thought it would “look better” for Greg in their social circle if he worked at a high-powered company. If she wanted, Rachael could be a local socialite, join the garden club or the Junior League. But Ra chael’s personality was not compatible with women who were prim, proper, and phony. Especially phony.

Before Ryan started school, Rachael would arrange playdates with other moms and kids, but after a period of time, she would get bored with the vacuous conversations and move on to another group.

By the time Ryan entered kindergarten, Rachael was ready to climb the walls, so she took a part-time job at the local dance studio. She had always been an excellent dancer and had taken lessons in jazz, ballroom, and a variety of other disciplines. By the time she was eight, her parents had her schedule completely filled. Dancing lessons, piano lessons, tennis lessons, and water skiing were planned. Tutoring in foreign languages was also on her calendar. It was no surprise that she had rebelled after graduating.

Of all the extracurricular activities, it was the dancing that made her feel alive. She could lose herself in the music and the moves. Plus, it was important to know how to dance, especially when you had to attend galas and fundraisers. It wasn’t surprising that she was everyone’s favorite dance partner.

Within two years of working at Salon de la Danse, her classes became so popular that there was a six-month waiting list if you wanted to learn to salsa, rumba, or swing. People of all ages were clamoring for Rachael’s dancing excitement.

But when Rachael was home with Greg, the only excitement was the argument du jour. It became obvious that their marriage wasn’t going to last, at least not without a lot of door slamming, yelling, and sulking.

Finally, after an uncomfortable dust-up at the country club, Rachael’s family intervened and encouraged her to get a divorce. They could see the pain in their daughter’s eyes whenever she and Greg would meet them at a social event or dinner. Her father took her aside and said, “Sweetheart, your mother and I have been talking.” That sentence was always a warning signal, but this time it worked to her favor. “We can see how unhappy you are, Rachael. I know your mother and I pressured you into getting married and having a family. But we never expected it to make you this miserable. It’s the last thing we want. We will help you with whatever resources you need, particularly a good lawyer.”