Chapter 24 - The Return

Michigan Wines

Eleanor Thomas had been gone for twenty-one years when she returned for the opening night of Persephone. She packed enough clothes for the weekend into a carpet bag that had been passed down from woman to woman in her family since the civil war. She read Mark Twain on the flight over, and took a cab directly to the New Globe. She sat quietly through the play, after which she checked in to a moderately priced hotel and went to sleep. The next morning she woke up early, took the subway and made a surprise visit to an elderly aunt, taking her out to lunch before heading back to the airport and taking a plane back to Moscow. Oliver knew nothing about the trip until he received a letter in a peach envelope, attached to a case of fine vodkas.

Dear Oliver

I am writing to congratulate you on your recent successes. But along with these congratulations, which I assure you are most genuine and heartfelt, I regret I must also offer you a confession. My declaration of guilt is not based just on the fame and reputation of you and your work but on the achievement itself. To speak plainly I have seen the work. I apologize for not informing you and apologize even more for not visiting you while I was there, but I know how such things are and I cannot, in good conscience accept any credit for your achievement. Anytime a mother is brought into focus in a situation like this, she is invariably congratulated. I could not bear to be congratulated. You and I both know I deserve no congratulations. I have never put this into words before but I hope you have taken for granted the considerable guilt I keep in regard to your upbringing. I, in my infinite selfishness made far too many decisions that were detrimental to you. That you have become what I at one time most hoped for you despite all of my many many mistakes is to me only more evidence that I have nothing to do with the way you turned out. Still, I want you to know that I love you and I hope you have lots of people in your life who are much better at loving you than I am.

Your Mother.

Eleanor

Oliver sent his reply in a lime green envelope attached to a sample case of Michigan Wines.

Dear Mother

I know.

Your Son,

OFT