If anyone had ever warned Eleanor that she would become the spark for gossip and the wedge between a father and his son, she would have demanded the comment be rescinded. Eleanor was a plain, country girl, but she could still stand up for herself. Still, the events unfolded exactly as they did, and even in the most terrifying nightmare she could not have imagined that happiness would require her to endure seven circles of torment.
She had only just moved to the bustling town of Bristol, despite begging her mother not to send her to her aunt. At the family council it was decided that Eleanor, and no one else, would travel to Aunt Margaret Clarke, simply because there was no one else available. John Clarke, the patriarch, had been a tractor driver, and now the fields were a chaos of work. Mother tended the farm, while the younger brothers and sisters were scattered between school and nursery.
Packing a tiny suitcase with the bare essentials, Eleanor set off for the aunt she had seen only once, at a christening. Rumour had it that Margaret, with her sharp temper, had never managed to get along with any of her three husbands. She had no children, and thus no heirs, and Eleanors parents secretly hoped she would bequeath her flat to her niece. That is what happened, but The aunt treated Eleanor with a polite distance, never prying into her life, keeping her own world sealed off. One might ask why she kept Eleanor at all. Simply because lately she feared death, fearing she would vanish unnoticed until a foul smell drifted up the stairwell and someone finally called the police to break open the flat.
Margaret had long battled an incurable illness, aware that she would not live much longer, perhaps tomorrow. To her, Eleanor was a ticket to a timely funeral and a proper wake. Eleanor sensed her aunts anxieties and never asked questions. She washed, cooked, cleaned, shoppedanything required of her. With no friends, the girl who was used to sitting on a bench with peers after a hard day found herself bored. In the town she rarely left the building; the only escape was a balcony where she could watch young mothers strolling with their toddlers, or elderly women gathering to gossip about daily concerns. Eleanors life seemed split in two: the unpleasant part, where she ran errands like a servant for her ailing aunt, and the pleasant part, which began when Margaret fell asleep after her painkillers. Then Eleanor would brew fragrant coffee and retreat to the balcony for a deserved pause.
Soon she noticed a charming neighbour, Andrew Whitaker, who also appeared on the balcony at the same time. At first they nodded politely, pretending not to notice each other, then they exchanged greetings, and gradually their interactions resembled a youthful infatuation. Both hurried to the balcony, hoping to catch a glimpse of the other and share a fleeting moment. By the time Margaret passed away, Eleanor and Andrew were already inseparably close, having confessed their feelings. After the funeral, Eleanor refused to return to the village and stayed in the town, telling her parents she was applying for universitythough they sensed the real motive but chose not to argue.
Certain of her own feelings and convinced of Andrews, Eleanor accepted his courtship and his proposal of marriage. Andrew lived alone. His mother, after a divorce, remarried and moved to the United States. His father was a doctor stationed in Kenya, visiting only once a year on holiday. Their wedding was modest yet cheerful; the bride and groom were the happiest couple, ready to walk handinhand through life.
Andrew followed his fathers footsteps, training as a surgeon and taking a junior post at the city hospital. Wanting to match him, Eleanor enrolled in a nursing course after a brief stint of study and easily gained admission. She imagined them working side by side, saving patients together, but not every dream materialises.
Eleanor, the fathers arriving next week! Get ready, her sister whispered.
What does he like? We need groceries, a menu, a deep clean
Relax, its not the king of Kenya, just my dad, a simple bloke.
Still, Eleanor fretted. Shed seen his photostall, tanned, a hint of Spanish or Turkish looksbut appearances deceive. Perhaps he was a snob, or a perfectionist spotting flaws everywhere. Perhaps Andrew would later think she wasnt worthy and leave. Yet Uncle IgorAndrews fatherproved entirely different. He greeted his son and daughterinlaw at the door with kisses, apologized for missing the wedding, and brought a mountain of presents. He praised the stew Eleanor had prepared, saying it was the best hed tasted in ages, then left to visit old friends. A month flew by, and Igor returned to Kenya, leaving the newlyweds alone.
Sometimes Eleanor could not understand why her motherinlaw seemed ready to trade Igor for another. He cooked superbly, often rising early to make lacelike pancakes only a skilled housewife could master, and he helped Eleanor with chores, offering his son advice:
Lucky youve landed a good wife Look after Eleanor, help her in everything, or youll lose your own happiness.
Andrew smiled silently, thinking, Where could she go? Eleanor isnt the type to abandon everything. Even if she were unfaithful, she would forgive and carry on as if nothing had happened. Rural folk live simply, for their children, tolerating everything. He believed this was the raw truth, so when a nurse flirted with him, Andrew dove into a new romance, oblivious that at home his wife suffered a weeklong bout of severe morning sickness, unable to cook. He always returned full, dined with Karina, drove her home, and pretended fatigue as an excuse to retreat. Eleanor seemed unaware of the shift in her husband, absorbed in her own sensations. She rejoiced at the thought of motherhood yet feared she could not cope, though how could she, with such a caring husband?
When the baby arrived, responsibilities multiplied. Milk was scarce, the infant woke screaming. Andrew snapped, demanding Eleanor soothe the child while he retreated to the lounge. When Igor returned, he barely recognised Eleanor. The oncecheerful, rosy woman had become pale and gaunt, a shadow, while his son grew thinner, staying out late and returning home at odd hours.
Help your wife, will you? Igor urged.
Dad, shes home all day, let her at least tend the child.
Someone new in your life?
Why ask?
I see you light up when youre out, and turn irritable when youre back.
Just nothing serious, Dad.
Make sure nothing serious turns into a nightmare.
Eleanors to blame. She doesnt look like a woman any more. See her hair, her face?
Its your fault. Shes never resting.
Im off, nothing waits!
Andrew seemed deaf to his fathers pleas, insisting that Eleanor should handle everything at home, while Igor understood her without words, offering any help he could. Eleanor, go rest. Ill look after the granddaughter.
What if she gets hungry?
You think I cant make a formula and feed the baby? Remember, I raised the troublemaker who became your husband.
Thanks to her fatherinlaw, Eleanor finally slept a little. Igor would walk the granddaughter, feed and soothe her when Eleanor was occupied, giving her a chance to breathe. She thanked him constantly, praying that God would grant him a partner who would bring him his own joy. It was lonely for himAndrew and his daughter were his only family, while he remained far away in Kenya. Eleanor found herself thinking more and more of Igor. He became more than a fatherinlaw: a substitute for father, brother, friend, even confidante. They could discuss anything; he always listened and supported. A dark thought lingeredwhat if he left? How would she survive?
Eleanor, you look downcast.
Just
Here, take this money, get yourself a makeoverhaircut, dye, makeup, manicure. Then shop for something nice. Dont worry about the child; Ill watch her.
In a flash she kissed Igor on the cheek and rushed to follow his instructions. By evening she returned, radiant and thrilled, contemplating a surprise for Andrew. She turned toward the clinic where he worked.
Good afternoon, Im looking for Dr. Andrew Whitaker.
Hes in, please come in.
Eleanor imagined his delight at her visit, expecting him to be stunned by her new look, but what she saw stopped her heart. A young nurse sat on his lap, her gown halfunbuttoned, clearly not for a medical examination. Shocked, Eleanor fled, hailed a taxi, and wept all the way home.
What happened, love?
Andrews cheating
Who told you?
I saw it with my own eyes
Igor gently pulled Eleanor close, smoothing her hair. Cry, dear, itll ease the pain. Ill talk to him, just wait.
Im leaving, taking the baby.
Dont be foolish. Where will you go? Think of the child. Rural life isnt easy, work is hard, and you have a little one in your arms.
No one had ever held Eleanor so tightly. The couple had been sleeping in separate rooms for months, yet the scent of his cologne and his soothing words spun her head. Igor, too, felt an urgent pull toward herher vulnerability, her fragility. He lifted her and carried her to the bedroom; she offered no resistance. They now shared a secret they guarded fiercely, a secret that would have been obvious had Andrew paid any attention at all. When he arrived, he offered no apology, acted as if nothing had occurred, and Eleanor stayed silent. She felt shame for her fleeting lapse and a strange joy that she was loved and cherished. Inevitably she began comparing Andrew to Igor, and, to her dismay, Andrew lost out in every regard.
Soon after, Eleanor discovered she was pregnant again. She didnt know what to do; they had been intimate only three or four months earlier, and Andrew would surely suspect infidelity.
What are you worrying about? Its wonderful! I never thought I could be a father at fifty. Its up to you nowwill you marry me?
And Andrew?
What about Andrew? I know we both acted poorly, but hes also at fault. Hell eventually leave, but I love you and cant imagine life without you.
After their divorce, Eleanor and Igor married and moved to Kenya. Their families could not understand the decision; villagers whispered that she had merely pretended modesty while scheming behind the scenes. Andrew kept recounting how cruelly his wife and father had treated him. Yet none of that mattered. They were happy to have found each other, treasuring every moment they shared.
