Chapter 3 - CHARLES BEFORE VANESSA
Charles had not always been cruel.
That would have made leaving easier.
Before the crash he was impatient.
Status-conscious.
Competitive.
But affectionate.
He cooked on Sundays.
Remembered Eleanor’s coffee order.
Sent ridiculous voice notes from airports.
After the accident, he became intensely attentive.
Too attentive.
He handled:
insurance calls,
prosthetic appointments,
contractors,
transportation,
mail,
household banking.
Eleanor was grateful.
Then embarrassed by how grateful.
The first year, she needed help.
A lot.
The second year, she needed less.
Charles did not adjust.
If Eleanor said:
“I can call them.”
He answered:
“I already did.”
If she said:
“I’ll drive.”
He said:
“Why risk it?”
If she asked where a statement was:
“I handled it.”
Care slowly became administration.
Administration became access.
Access became assumption.
May you like
By the time Vanessa entered the picture, Charles had spent years believing he was the person who made Eleanor’s difficult life function.
That belief would become his defense for almost everything.
