Chapter 10 - I Had Let Eleanor Become Nora’s Entire World Because It Was Convenient for Me
For weeks afterward I was furious at:
Mom.
Howard.
The foundation.
Then Nora’s therapist asked me:
“How often did you see her last year?”
I knew.
I did not want to:
answer.
“Maybe fifteen times.”
“Over twelve months?”
“Yes.”
“How many overnight visits?”
“Two.”
“How many school meetings?”
“None.”
“Medical appointments?”
“None.”
“Therapy sessions?”
“None.”
There.
My accountability.
Not because an uncle automatically should attend:
all of those.
Because I had repeatedly told myself I was:
Nora’s backup.
Yet I knew almost nothing about:
her daily life.
There were earlier clues.
One:
Nora asking why I never came.
I argued with Mom about what she told Nora.
Then still did not:
come.
Two:
the trust expenses.
I questioned.
Received formal answers.
Then decided:
professionals are watching it.
Three:
the gala speech.
Mom told Nora to thank her for:
“saving” her.
I objected to the line.
Then still attended the event as:
honorary co-chair.
Four:
Howard calling Nora:
“Laura all over again.”
I told him:
don’t say that.
Then continued allowing him to serve as:
trustee
without formally raising whether his resentment impaired:
judgment.
Why?
Work mattered.
I was CEO of Donovan Capital after Dad’s death.
Thousands of employees.
Investors.
Deals.
Responsibility.
All true.
But another truth sat underneath.
I was afraid of:
raising Nora.
I loved:
her.
I did not want:
parenthood.
Not then.
My apartment had become:
quiet
after Laura died.
My work gave me structure.
Becoming guardian would have meant:
school schedules,
therapy,
grief,
a child asking questions about a mother I had failed to save.
Mom made the decision easier.
“She needs consistency.”
“She needs a woman.”
“She needs someone home.”
I agreed with:
every sentence.
Then converted gratitude into:
distance.
Eleanor’s control grew partly because everyone else—including me—let her become:
indispensable.
That did not justify:
misusing Nora’s trust
or:
isolating her.
But if I wanted to challenge who was making decisions for Nora, I needed to stop pretending my only job was:
signing birthday cards
and:
asking accountants questions.
May you like
That was mine.
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