**Diary Entry 12th May**
“Natalie, you wont believe what Ive just heard!” Irene, who was usually so unflappable, sounded utterly shaken. “Its beyond comprehension!”
“Whats happened?” Natalie asked, startled by her friends uncharacteristic distress.
“I cant explain over the phone. Im nearbycan I pop round?”
“Of course, come straight in,” Natalie replied, curiosity piqued.
***
“Well, out with it!” Natalie urged, ushering Irene to the kitchen table, where a freshly baked apple pie, two delicate china cups, and a pot of herbal tea waited.
“I hardly know where to begin,” Irene murmured, distractedly stirring her tea.
“Start at the beginning,” Natalie encouraged.
“The beginning? Alright, then.”
Irene took a steadying breath before asking, “Do you remember Dr. Eleanor Whitmore from our local clinic?”
“Dr. Whitmore? Of course! She was a brilliant doctorsaved my sons life, and countless others. Always so thorough, so kind. People called her at all hours, and she never turned anyone away. A truly gifted paediatrician.”
“Exactly,” Irene nodded. “I owe her my daughters health too. If not for her sharp eye, God knows what mightve happened. She couldve ended up disabled.”
“So why bring her up now?” Natalie frowned. “She retired years ago. I heard shed joined the church choirsaw her there once myself.”
“*Had* joined,” Irene corrected softly. “Shes gone, Natalie. Passed away.”
“What? But I only spoke to her recentlysmiling, warm as ever, her eyes still shining. She didnt seem ill. Though… she mustve been in her late seventies.”
“Nearly eighty. And in good health, too.”
“Then how?”
“You wont believe it,” Irene said bitterly. “Her own children did this. Drove her to the grave. Literally.”
“No! Thats impossible!” Natalie gasped.
“Its true,” Irene replied flatly, her face hardening.
***
Eleanor Whitmoreonce just Elliehad married a young cadet fresh out of Sandhurst while she was still a newly qualified doctor. Naturally, she followed her husband, William, to his first posting and immediately found work.
They moved often, living out of suitcases, before finally settling in a Midlands town. Eleanor always workeddoctors were scarce in small communities, and she was needed. Eventually, they landed in a proper city, with a proper clinic. By then, they had two children: Joanna, the spitting image of her father, and Edward, who took after his mother.
William served; Eleanor held the fort, raising the children and treating the neighbourhoods sick.
Only an officers wife knows what that life entails. The children, the household, the relentless responsibilityall fell to her. Add to that a demanding job and Williams difficult temperament…
She managed, though. Always smiling, always composed. No onenot even her closest friendsguessed the strain at home. Outwardly, they were the perfect family: a spacious three-bedroom house, a car, well-dressed children.
Eleanor was more than a talented doctorshe was a devoted mother, a gracious hostess. The whole garrison adored her. Edward, her boy, was the life of every party, though a proper scampnever studied, always strumming his guitar or chasing girls.
Joanna, though… Clever, top of her class, mature beyond her years. She clashed with Edward and kept to herself. Eleanor worried shed struggle to connect with people later in life.
And she was right.
***
The familys stability shattered overnight. One Sunday morning, without a word of explanation, William walked outleaving Eleanor and their nearly grown children behind.
Shed suspected his infidelity, of course. But shed bitten her tongue, refusing to make a scenefor the childrens sake. They were old enough to understand, and the shame of it crushed her. So she pretended not to notice.
William, emboldened, stopped hiding his affairs altogether. Then, one day, he packed his things, muttered, “Cheerio,” and moved in… next door. To a widow with a toddler. Whether it was love or something else, no one knew for sure. The garrison buzzed with gossip, but the truth remained murky. William retired soon after, whisked his new family away, and vanished.
***
Eleanor was devastated. Twenty years togetherno small thing.
Theyd started with nothing, moved from posting to posting, even lived in barracks when the children were small. Hed been away often; shed raised them alone. It got easier when Joanna and Edward started school, but Eleanor never stayed homeshe worked at the clinic, caring for other peoples children.
Shed never imagined William would betray her. Not when they were young, not when they had silver in their hair. But then, suddenly, a wall had risen between themone she couldnt scale.
She saw it plain as day.
Yet she didnt leave. Not for herselffor the children. And later, they blamed *her* for their fathers abandonment.
*Him*the rare guest, the favourite, the golden parent.
Shed taught them to see him that way.
***
An invisible war began in Eleanors home.
Her children stopped respecting her. Whatever she said, whatever she didit was met with scorn or silence.
She endured it, smoothing over every conflict, hoping theyd grow to understand.
They never did.
Joanna left for university in London, married some businessman, and lived in luxury. She bought a flat in her mothers townnot to live in, but to rent out. She visited rarelyonce or twice a yearand often didnt even stop by. Edward might as well not have existed.
They lived like strangers.
***
Years passed. Eleanor grew accustomed to having a daughter who was, in essence, absent.
She poured herself into her work, into other peoples children.
That was her life.
Then Edwardher darling boyturned forty with two failed marriages, two children, and a string of bad habits. His ex-wives, tired of his laziness and drinking, kicked him out.
Where did he go? To his mother, of course.
A leech.
Another woman mightve disciplined him. Not Eleanor. She believed his failures were her faultthat shed deprived him of a fathers guidance. So she indulged him.
Edward spiralled. First, he drank heavily, then vanished altogetherducking child support.
“Good Lord,” Natalie murmured as Irene recounted this. “I had no idea.”
“It gets worse,” Irene said grimly. “After Edward disappeared, Eleanorwho adored her grandchildren and was fiercely principledwent to court and took over his payments. She paid his child support herself.”
“Why?” Natalie gasped.
“So her grandchildren wouldnt go without. And to shield Edward from legal trouble.”
“Thats madness.”
“It was. But Eleanor couldnt bear to do otherwise. She worked double shifts, never turned down a house call, even after retirement. Then Edward returnedwith a new girlfriend. Guess where they moved in? Thats rightwith Eleanor. She couldnt say no. Overnight, she became their maid and cook. Neither worked; both drank. The chaos was unbearable.”
“How dreadful!”
“It was. Yet Eleanor still smiled in publicneat, composed, greeting everyone warmly. Never complained. A year later, Edwards girlfriend demanded she leave. He packed her things in a bag and threw her out. Said she was ‘in the way.'”
“No!” Natalie cried.
“Oh yes. Neighbours heard the shouting. They found Eleanor sitting on the doorstep, refusing help, convinced Edward would relent. He didnt. She slept in the stairwell for days. Finally, someone tracked down Joannas number. She arrived two days later, drove Eleanor to her flat, tossed her the keys, and sneered, ‘Live here. Pay the bills yourself.’ Then she left.”
“Just like that?” Natalie whispered.
“Just like that.”
***
For a few months, Eleanor lived in peacequiet, alone.
She started attending church. Someone heard her singing and invited her to join the choir.
Life seemed to mend.
Then
One evening, Edward turned up, drunk, demanding money. She handed over what she had, but it wasnt enough. He took her pension cardher only income.
“Mum, how will I live?” she asked softly.
“Figure it out,” he slurred. “Dig into your savings. Or let the church feed you.”
There were no savings. Too proud to borrow, she rationed her food, stretching three months on crumbs.
Then Joanna stormed in.
“Why havent you paid the rent?” she shrieked. “Now theres a late fee!”
“Darling, Im sorryEdward took my card”
“What? You gave him everything? If you love him so much, go live with him! Pack your things!”
Joanna hurled her mothers coat at her. “I helped you, and you threw it in my face. Edwards your favourite? Fine. Id rather rent the flat than cover your debts.”
She dumped Eleanor outside Edwards door, rang the bell, and left without a backward glance.
***
A bleary-eyed Edward opened the doorthen shut it again.
Eleanor collapsed on the step, weeping.
Just then, an old friend walked in.
“Ellie! Ive been trying to catch you for ages! Why are you crying?”
Eleanor broke. She told her everything.
“Come stay with me,” her friend offered. “Plenty of room. Itll be nice to have company.”
Eleanor agreed. Where else could she go?
“Thank heavens,” Natalie breathed. “At least someone cared.”
“For a while,” Irene said grimly. “Six months later, the friend grew tired of her. She called Joanna, furious: ‘Im not your mothers keeper! Sort this outnow.'”
Joanna arrived a week later. She placed Eleanor in a locked psychiatric warda social care bed. No phone, no contact. The staff were told only to call in emergencies.
An emergency came quickly. Eleanor died four months later. By the end, she barely knew where she was.
Joanna collected the body, arranged cremation, and took the ashes without a word.
Edward never asked where his mother had gone. Occasionally, in drunken ramblings, hed muse how nice it was to live off someone else.
***
No one knows where Dr. Eleanor Whitmorebeloved by so manywas laid to rest.
But shes remembered. Spoken of with warmth.
And her tragic story spreads, leaving hearts heavy.
Some blame Williamhis betrayal started it all.
Many blame the children.
A few murmur that Eleanor brought it on herselfstaying with William, failing with Joanna and Edward, neglecting her own for others.
And the rarest souls, after a silence, simply say: “Nothing happens without reason. Theres always a cause.”
