Park & Eleanor

Seven

eleanor

She always thought it smelled just before you entered that house. There was just something so unsettling about the sent it gave off. Like malt balls and old hymnals. It was like the sent was trapped in the door, so whenever you entered, it was like someone dumped a crate of records on your face. 

But that smell gave her a sense of comfort now. It let a wave of nostalgia wash over her and she couldn’t help but smile a little. And she realized just how much she needed this. 

“Mom…?” She heard a gasp. Before she could process it, someone had nearly crushed her. 

“Eleanor,” she heard her mother say, petting her hair. “Oh my god, I’ve missed you.” Eleanor hugged her mother back, the two of them standing there in front of the still door-less bathroom. 

“Sabrina—”

“Mommy!” They were both flocked with little children. Little arms wrapped between Eleanor and her mother. 

“Geoffrey? Susan?”

“Sabrina, we’re so sorry about Richie.” Her mother took a knee, looking over all of her children. Silent tears were falling like rain. 

“Ben,” she said. “Maisie… Mouse…” she began sobbing, “Little Richie…” Richie was soon wrapped in her arms, falling victim to the waterworks she’d managed to contain. “You’re so big.” Little Richie’s saucer eyes made Eleanor snort. “You were just a baby when—”

“You made cookies?!” Ben was plagued with a one-track mind. 

“Cookies!” 

With a chuckle, her mother wiped her tears and rose to her full height. She still towered over Eleanor, despite the small hunch she’d began to develop. With all of the children gone (Eleanor wasn’t a child), Geoff wrapped her mother in a hug. 

“I’m so sorry, Sabrina.” Sobs racked through her, and Geoff struggled to hold himself together. She had a terrifyingly stiff upper-lip, but this was admittedly hard for Eleanor to watch, adult or not. It was like seeing that one person who seemed to have this impenetrable strength crumble. She cringed just thinking of the angsty flashbacks this was going to give her. 

“Eleanor!” Maisie called. “I saved you a cookie!” Susan waved a hand at her, wholly relieving her from duty. Waves of relief ran through her as she managed to get past her mother and Geoff and into the kitchen. 

Maybe being a kid wasn’t so bad after all. You were always trapped in ignorant bliss.