Youve lost your mother forever! the motherinlaw exploded.
Forget that you ever had a mother. After youre married youll stop bothering me, pretend I never existed, and I wont hand you any wedding money. If I didnt pick your wife, I wont foot the bill for this whole charade.
Eleanor Whitmore felt an odd, bubbling joy when her little son, James, clung to her and whispered:
Mum, youre the best in the world. Ill do everything to keep your smile forever.
James had no idea how his simple words turned his mothers soul inside out. She swelled with pride at having raised such a cherubic boy, an angel she called my little cherub. Golden curls, blue eyes, perfectly chiseled featuresevery line of his face breathed aristocratic elegance. As he grew, his mother used his perfection as a measuring rod for any prospective daughterinlaw: she must boast a fine lineage, polished looks, a sleek figure, a university degree, impeccable manners, and a respectable job in a prestigious firm.
My boy already has a flat. Now we need a proper lady to keep it immaculate, to be ready for guests at any houreven three in the morningbecause thats her duty as wife and housekeeper.
Time slipped by, and Eleanors demands hardened.
No woman past twentyfive, or shell bear a frail child. And the child must be unquestionably Jamess.
Eleanor, have some sense of the Almighty, relatives warned her. In these days you wont find a girl who meets all your criteria. If you want James to marry on time, let go of your obsessions, or hell stay a bachelor forever.
James graduated with top honours from school and university, landed a wellpaid position at a London consultancy, yet his love life stalled. Whenever he introduced a potential partner to his mother, she conjured a thousand reasons to reject her.
At each meeting she would tell James:
James, fetch us some fruit from the kitchen while we chat.
The first girl Eleanor had to face was Agnes. She came from a modest household: a mother who kept the books, a father who worked the furnace, and two younger brothers. Agnes stocked shelves in a chemists shop, which made Eleanor pause.
So she has constant access to medicines. Could she poison my son? Or me? No, shes not suitable. Her family are labourers; we dont need that.
Sweetheart, you understand you cant marry James, dont you? Eleanor snapped when they were alone. Youre too different. He grew up in a world you cant imagine. Forget him and find someone simpler.
Agnes rose without a word, left without a goodbye. When James begged for an explanation, she replied coldly:
Ask your mother who raised you in such exotic conditions. Shell say youre too fine for me, and I should look for someone more downtoearth.
Mum, why did you turn Agnes away? I like her, truly like her. What did you tell her?
Son, youve forgotten something, Eleanor said slowly. Im your mother and I know best who can make you happy. Not that Agnes, of course. Where did you even find that? As if no respectable family existed.
James realised arguing with his mother was futile and walked away. He sometimes mentioned meeting a new girl but never brought her home for Eleanors scrutiny. Occasionally Eleanor offered to help him settle down; he politely declined:
Thats for me and my wife. Ill marry, not you. Ill choose myself.
I already know who youll pick, Eleanor muttered. A housemaid whose mind is only filled with rags and mops.
At least the floors will shine, James smiled wickedly.
Do not speak to me like that! Eleanor scolded.
James retreated to his room. Eventually he decided to move out of his mothers shadow, taking the flat that Eleanor owned and had been renting out.
His relationship with his father, George, a man whod long divorced his mother, was strained. George hadnt spoken to James since the divorce when James was six, but recently he agreed to meet.
You know why I left Eleanor? Because she never let me live, always kept me under her thumb. She monitored where I went, when Id return, what people said about her. When I wanted to spend time with you, shed yell I couldnt teach you anything because I lacked a degree. Why did she have to raise a child for me? I was just a draft animaldo my part and walk away. Then I thought, why waste my life on a madwoman who never cared? I spat on her, divorced, she refused alimony and stripped me of parental rights.
And youre happy now? James frowned.
Why ask? his father retorted. I bought you a flat, handed you the keys. Didnt she tell you?
What? James blinked.
George repeated:
I saved ten years wages to give you a place of your own. God forbid you stay with her, youll have no life. She counts no one as a person.
Why didnt you talk to me? James asked hesitantly.
I didnt want you to have problems. Eleanor threatened to ship you off to another city, and Id never see you again. So I watched from afar.
His fathers words reshaped Jamess view of his mother. She became his greatest treasure, and he often said hed look for a woman who resembled her in some way. Eleanor smiled condescendingly: Hell never find one. Someone like me is one in a million, maybe a billion.
After Agnes, more introductions followed, but none pleased Eleanor. At last James set a condition:
Either you stop meddling in my life, or Ill cut off contact with you.
Ungrateful wretch, Eleanor hissed, Who do you think youre talking to? I bought you a home, funded your education. How dare you?
Mum, enough, James pleaded. I know who actually bought that flat. I spoke to Father; he told me everything.
And you believe him? his mother exploded. Not my son, but some loser?
If you must know, that loser is my father. Or not?
Eleanors face turned mottled. She stared at him with contempt, then retreated to her room. The next morning she didnt join breakfast. James knocked, only to hear a furious shout:
Leave me alone and crawl back to your worthless dad!
Mum, why? James opened the door, stepping inside. She lay on the bed, hair tangled, dress rumpled, eyes staring at the ceiling. It was a stark contrast to her usual immaculate appearance, perfume, and polished shoes.
You know, son, Ive figured something out, she whispered slowly. Marry whomever you like, I couldnt care less. Even a halfPapuan, halfPenguin, halfIndian rhinoceros. Just forget you ever have a mother. After the wedding, stop bothering me and act as if I never existed. And I wont hand over any wedding money. If I didnt choose your wife, I wont pay for this farce.
Got it, Mum, James bowed mockingly and closed the door softly. That day he moved into HIS own flat, as had been arranged.
Six months later he invited his mother to a restaurant to announce his upcoming nuptials.
And who is she? Eleanor asked, indifferent.
Whoever she is, youll hate her anyway, James replied coldly. Just so you know, my future wife is called Mabel. Shes twentysix, from a line of distinguished doctors. A very respectable lady.
Good heavens, and youre so sure of her worthiness? his mother rolled her eyes as usual. Show me a picture.
James pulled out his phone and displayed a photograph. Eleanor pursed her lips, shook her head disapprovingly.
And this is the future mother of my grandchildren? What a nightmare!
The girl in the picture had an exotic look.
Thats some sort of Gulchatai, not Mabel. Why call her that?
Mabels halfKorean, James answered patiently.
Even better, his mother snorted. Exactly the mix of a bulldog and a rhinoceros.
Youll grow to like her once you meet her after the wedding, James smiled.
Eleanors breath caught at his words.
After the wedding?! Youre actually going through with it? Just to spite me?
Why not? For my own joy, James grinned, flagging a waiter for the menu.
The mother sat in a stunned trance, trying to picture grandchildren from such a lineage. The image was hopeless.
At the wedding James approached his mother, sternly instructing:
No drama. If Mabel leaves me because of you, Ill never forgive you, understand?
Eleanor was forced to sit as quiet as a shadow, lower than the grass. She watched the radiant bride, the glowing couple exchanging vows, dancing, laughing, and stealing loving glances. The next day the newlyweds arrived bearing a hamper for Eleanor, but she barred them from the doorway.
So, son, Ive obeyed every one of your wishes. Now listen to me. Do not bring that halfbreed into my sight again; I refuse to see her. Do you understand? A man may have a thousand wives, but a mother is only one.
The couple left, and Eleanor, in a fit of anger, tossed the hamper into the garbage.
I wont take a single thing from this halfblood, she snarled.
Soon after, Eleanor fell ill often, and Mabel tended to her care. Sometimes James hired a night or day carer so the elderly lady wouldnt be left alone. Eleanor could never accept the daughterinlaw she loathed for daring compare her unfavourably.
You said youd find someone like me. Where is she? Eleanor muttered, irritated that she now depended on Mabels help, forced to leash her tongue.
When the phone rang, Eleanor answered with a melodic tone:
Hello, dear Mabel. How are you? My pressures a bit up. Could you pop round and have a look? Splendid, well arrange it
And the dream drifted on, a strange, halfawake world where mothers ruled, sons fled, and love tangled with absurd demands.
