Chapter 14 - ELEANOR CAME TO THE HOUSE SHE ONCE WANTED TO CONTROL
Nine months after the morning with the makeup bag, Eleanor asked to see Audrey.
Audrey said no.
Two months later, Eleanor asked again.
Audrey said:
“Coffee. Public place.”
They met in Alexandria.
Eleanor arrived early.
No beige cardigan.
No family jewelry.
Just jeans, a navy coat and visible nervousness.
“I almost canceled.”
“So did I.”
That helped.
Eleanor ordered tea.
Audrey ordered coffee.
For several minutes they discussed nothing important.
Weather.
Traffic.
Brooke’s new job.
Then Eleanor said:
“I sold half the furniture.”
Audrey blinked.
“What?”
“The McLean house.”
“You’re selling?”
“Eventually.”
Eleanor looked down.
“It is too much house for one woman.”
Audrey almost smiled.
A year earlier Eleanor had wanted Audrey to reorganize her life so the house could stay emotionally full.
Now she was allowing the house to become a house again.
“I’m thinking about a condo.”
“Where?”
“Old Town.”
“That could be nice.”
Eleanor nodded.
Then:
“I owe you an apology that does not mention Julian.”
Audrey waited.
“I wanted you to move into my home because I was lonely.”
Good.
“I resented your house because it gave you somewhere that did not include me.”
Better.
“I thought your money made Julian feel small, and instead of expecting him to deal with that feeling, I expected you to reduce the difference.”
Audrey stared.
Eleanor continued:
“And when he told me you had agreed to the loan, I accepted it too quickly because it gave me what I wanted.”
Excellent.
“I’m sorry.”
Audrey believed her.
That did not restore trust.
“Thank you.”
Eleanor’s eyes filled.
“Can I ask one thing?”
Audrey’s body tightened.
Eleanor noticed.
“Never mind.”
Another improvement.
Audrey relaxed slightly.
“What?”
Eleanor swallowed.
“Could I see the Vienna house once before I move?”
Audrey frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I spent years treating it like the enemy.”
That was honest enough to be almost funny.
Audrey thought.
“Not today.”
Eleanor nodded.
“Okay.”
No argument.
No guilt.
No but I’m your mother-in-law.
Technically, she would soon be Audrey’s former mother-in-law anyway.
They finished coffee.
Two weeks later Audrey invited Eleanor over.
One hour.
Daylight.
Natalie knew she was coming.
Not because Audrey feared a scene.
Because she liked having her choices witnessed by herself now.
Eleanor stepped into the foyer.
She looked around quietly.
“This is beautiful.”
Audrey nodded.
“It is.”
Eleanor did not say:
Too big for one person.
She did not say:
Julian loved this room.
She did not ask what Audrey planned to do with the equity.
She stood in a house she had once thought needed to become useful to the family.
May you like
And treated it like someone else’s home.
Progress could be that small.
