In Ian McEwan's book, The Children Act, a judge in England is named Fiona. She presides over cases such as child custody, maltreatment, and family court. In one case she had to rule about two boys who were co-joined. Together they shared a bladder. One boy was stronger than the other. His heart was working for himself and his brother. He wasn't able to do the work of two boys for ever. If the boys were not separated, both would die. If the boys were separated, the weaker boy would die. People were impressed with her wise judgement. She gets a new case about a 17 year old boy who will die without a blood transfusion. His parents told the hospital they will not allow him to have a blood transfusion. Fiona hears the case in court and then travels to the hospital to meet the boy. Meanwhile, at home, Fiona's husband has told her he wants to have a sexual encounter with a younger woman before he settles into old age with her. He seems to think she would be okay with an open marriage. Fiona is not okay with this idea. This was a terribly interesting story. I hear it has been made into a film starring Emma Thompson as Fiona.
