I’ll Wait For You

Chapter 2

“Yes, Mom. I’m fine, thanks,” Elinor said to Catrina Giles. Her mother’s voice came back like a hummingbird’s wings.

“Oh, I do hope so. I always worry about you, you know? Don’t forget, any time you need help, just ask. I’ll be there. I don’t like the idea of you being all on your own.”

“Mom. You’ve not liked the idea of me being on my own since I was born. If you hadn’t noticed, I’m twenty-eight, now. I’m perfectly capable of the whole alone thing.”

“Oh, of course. Of course. I’ll be happy, you know, to come over a few times a week, and we can cook something together, just like the good old days. I miss doing that sometimes, you know, since your lazy slob of a father can barely lift a finger to boil water.”

“I heard that!” Elinor’s father shouted from the background.

Elinor grinned. Her parents loved each other like crazy, and they had the arrangements of the household down to perfection. Catrina relished the job of being a stay-at-home mom, making sure Andrew Giles could make it to work every day with his food packed, and come back home to a tidy household, and his screaming children exhausted from whatever activities Catrina had exposed them to. Elinor had been eighteen when her next batch of siblings joined the household, so she had endured them when Catrina had recommended to Elinor to stay around for a year or two to save up some cash before getting her own apartment, instead of jumping straight into an apartment. Elinor ended up staying four extra years, almost saving enough to make the deposit on a place of her own.

Then, Aidan had come along, and the money had gradually dwindled into nothing.

Always boils back to him. Elinor hated the fact, hated that her mind kept looping over her years with Aidan like a broken record, the songs scratched and tainted. It would be nice for once to have her thoughts linger on better, positive emotions. The kind that inspired passion and led to productive things and a churning of the imagination, with creative juices leaking through her fingers and out through her mouth.

“Thanks, Mom, but I’ll be alright. I know you’re just worried because it was a bad breakup, and that you feel awful since you thought Aidan was a good man and you’re shocked he turned out to be… well… what he was.”

Her mother fell briefly silent. “It’s true. I did think he was a good boy. So charming, always hugging and kissing you and telling us how forward he was looking to start a family.”

“That was the issue, Mom,” Elinor said, putting her cellphone on loudspeaker so she could brush her short hair, which was beginning to show some prominent knots. “Ugh, Mom, why did you have to curse me with the wiry hair gene?”

“Your hair is beautiful. You shouldn’t have lopped it all off,” Catrina replied briskly. “And why was it the issue?”

“Because,” Elinor grunted, tugging on a stubborn tangle, “He was obsessed with having children. I didn’t think much of it at first, found it cool, actually, since you’re always hearing tales of men who find the very thought of a kid terrifying and life ending to all their dreams and future careers.”

Catrina let out a snort on the other side of the phone, and Elinor imagined what expression her mother would be pulling with a smile. Catrina possessed a gentle, open face, and she had the instinct to mother everything in sight.

Andrew Giles, on the other hand, had quite the passion for animals, and had grown up with dogs and cats in his home. He wanted to get pets for the place, but Catrina stonewalled him at every turn because she knew if it happened, she’d never be able to resist every cute face.

“So in your case, beloved and wonderful daughter, you’re saying that he just wanted you to bear his children?”

“Yup. Pretty much. And when the results of our reproduction…” A new knot formed in Elinor’s stomach as she tried keeping her voice casual, holding back the dam of emotions that thrashed and screamed of their own accord, “… didn’t work out, he looked elsewhere.”

“I see.” Her mother’s tone came back icy. “In other words, instead of supporting you through three miscarriages, he decided instead to try his chances with another woman. I think I hate him more now. Say… do you know where his new address is?”

“No, Mom. You’re not going after him with an ax.”

“If she doesn’t, I will!” Her dad roared, obviously eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Jesus Christ, parents. You don’t need to parent that hard,” Elinor said, grinning nonetheless. Having their utmost support cheered her up, made her feel less bad and more able to control her oscillating emotions.

“Thanks, Mom and Dad. I feel happier. Now.”

“I’m dead serious,” Catrina retorted. “Ain’t no one who hurt my baby girl and gets away with it. You’re a Giles in the blood, honey, and having his name tacked onto yours don’t change that.”

“I know, Mom. I know.”

Elinor finished yanking out the last knot in her hair, discarded any loose strands down the toilet, then ventured out of the bathroom into her small but cozy living room. Brown leather sofas adorned the center, along with a sleek black coffee table covered in glass, and an orange and red rug underneath with flower patterns. Her kitchen contained the bare necessities, and a few luxuries for when she wanted to treat herself to a good meal.

“Thinking of you, always, baby girl. I gotta go pick up the kids from their friend’s house, now – before they trash the place and send Helen into a nearby asylum to recover.”

“Send my love to Jordan and Greg,” Elinor said, “And I’ll look into getting a good present for Jordan’s birthday – 22^nd of May, right?”

“Yes. Don’t get him any of the Hot Wheels cars – that’s our theme for this year.”

“Okay. Love you, Mom.”