"No, not at all!" Roger replied quickly. "I just want you to be sure of yourself. This is a big change, but I'd be delighted to have you around."
"It'll take me a while to get everything in order, but I'll let my boss know what I plan and put the house up for sale. I'll probably sell it furnished and just keep a few things with my clothes. I can always put stuff in storage until I'm settled. I don't expect it'll take very long."
Once Steve had made his decision, there seemed to be little point in continuing their tour and they headed back to Walnut Creek the next morning. Roger made arrangements to fly back to Toronto the following day and Steve drove him to the airport. Their parting should not have been emotional since they would see each other again in a few weeks, but they had been apart for several years and this brief reunion had been more important than either realized. They embraced much as they had when Roger had first arrived and they parted with careful smiles and the knowledge that they would see each other again very soon.
Roger had phoned Eleanor almost every night and kept her apprised of his travels and the progress of his son. He told her that Steve would be coming to stay with him for a while and that they would have to change their personal time together, but that Steve knew he was personally involved with her and was delighted to hear it. Eleanor was pleased that she would get to meet Roger's son and at no time thought of it as an inconvenience on their private lives. She was impressed with how well Roger had managed a difficult situation; particularly since he had learned of his ex-wife's further infidelities. There was little in Roger's life that he did not share with her and it gave Eleanor a sense of security and comfort about him.
-0-
When Roger arrived home in Toronto, he carried with him two new items. The first was a piece of art; specifically a brass and wire three dimensional wall hanging of a pier with a fishboat along side, seagulls on the shed roof and a couple of fishermen standing on the wharf. It would have been a cliché if it weren't for the whimsical nature of the rendering and the minute detail wrought into the work. It required close examination to see all the little features and it pleased him greatly. He had found it in a gift shop in Duncan Mills in the Russian River Valley and purchased it within five minutes of spotting it.
The second item was more important to him. Steve and he had visited the market bazaar in Emeryville and there he had found something special for Eleanor. It was a pure silk oriental housecoat, handmade in Shanghai. It was black with dark red Chinese characters embroidered on the left front lapel and the figure of a dragon in red on the back. It was closed with peg-and-loop hooks; the pegs made of ebony and the loops of braided silk. The workmanship was exquisite and it too might have been a cliché except the artwork was subtle and he knew that it would suit her perfectly. He tried it on briefly to establish it would fit her (they were similar in height) and he was sure it would be fine. Again, he purchased it immediately, never asking the price.
After some discussion with the Canada Customs agents at the airport, it was determined that no duty was payable on either item. Roger thought this odd but was not about to argue. Later it dawned on him that it was just about shift change time and perhaps they had decided the paperwork wasn't worth the effort. In any event, he was pleased with his two purchases and was anxious to show them both to Eleanor.
Eleanor was equally delighted. The new housecoat would replace the aging one she had been wearing for many years. She marveled at the detail of the embroidery and the softness of the material and when she put it on, it looked even more elegant than Roger had hoped. It was a complement to her beauty and he was openly pleased at how well his choice had worked out. Eleanor made it known how happy she was with his gift and hugged him tightly in appreciation; effusively complementing him on his good taste.
Following along a few weeks later, Steve moved into his father's apartment with little fanfare and less luggage. He had sold the house easily; apparently for a great deal more than they had paid for it and more again than it had been listed for. He had left his employer on good terms with an open offer to return at any time or if he chose to; connect with their Toronto office. But it was a forlorn and unfocussed Steve Inhalt who came to Toronto and while he kept himself busy and respected his father and Eleanor's privacy, Roger was clearly concerned that his son needed help to get his life back on track.
Steve and Eleanor hit it off immediately. He could see in her everything that his father saw; a beautiful woman both inside and out who had suffered in her own time and was completely dedicated to his father. He felt completely at ease with her and the feeling was mutual. In his private moments, he wished his father had met her a long time ago and avoided all the pain they both had endured. He had no trouble accepting her as his surrogate mother and he disliked the name step-mother. He was sure they would marry as his father had told him of his determination to complete their union, but it really didn't matter. She was a part of his family and she was welcome.
Steve was never an outgoing, demonstrative young man. He was quiet, thoughtful, somewhat introspective, but to his close friends and associates he demonstrated a wicked sense of humour and the gift of putting people at ease. That he was clever and knowledgeable was a given. But the death of his wife had taken the fun out of him and he was unable to grasp any lifeline offered to him by his friends and family. His father was becoming frustrated with his inability to cope with his loss and yet, he knew, better than anyone, how difficult it was to shake this malaise. Finally, he knew he would have to sit down with his son and try and get him to seek professional help. He chose a Saturday morning to broach the subject.
"Steve, I want to talk to you about something very sensitive and I hope you'll hear me out." Roger began tentatively.
Steve raised his head from the newspaper and nodded briefly.
"I realize that you've been having trouble coming to terms with the loss of Diana. I also realize ... or I think I do ... how hard it is to regain a grip on your life and move on. I wanted to tell you about how I coped when I went through something like this myself ... I mean ... when your mother and I divorced."
Steve sat silently, watching his father carefully.
"When I learned of your mother's infidelity, I was devastated. I was angry and hurt and demoralized and full of doubt about whether I was partly to blame for her behavior. I guess I became a bit reclusive and the only thing that kept me sane was my job. I loved my new job and the people I worked with. But in my private time, I was in despair; lonely, unmotivated, bordering on depression. Finally, a new friend at work suggested I see the H.R. department and talk to them about therapy. My medical plan covered it, so there wasn't any cost associated with it. But I saw it as a mark against me; the 'Mental Illness' tag that might follow me.
Anyway, I went and sat and listened and realized their attitude was much different than I thought. They viewed it like any other illness and they wanted to help. They suggested I talk to their resident consultant, Dr. Weisman and I took a chance and agreed to go. It wasn't pleasant, but after a while, I realized that I wasn't to blame for the failure of the marriage and that my humiliation at your mother's behavior was pretty much normal. I guess, to sum it up, it helped. It took a while, but it helped. I still hurt from what she did to us, but I've come to terms with it finally. It made it possible for me to find someone new and I am so happy to have Ellie in my life. I don't think that would have been possible if I hadn't gotten some help." Roger had finished his long narrative and stopped to see his son's reaction.
"So, are you saying you think I should see a Psychiatrist, dad?" Steve asked carefully.
"Dr. Weisman takes on private clients. I know him well enough to call him and talk to him and see what he suggests. I won't do that without your agreement though."
"Am I causing you problems, dad?" he asked seriously.
"Only that I'm worried about you. You've gone through a terrible time and it's obviously weighing on you." he said seriously. "Look Steve, I was reluctant too, but I can tell you he helped me and if he can help you ... well ... why not try?"
"I'll think about it dad, I promise ... I'll think about it." Steve replied.
Nothing more was said about it that day or the following morning. Roger and Eleanor went to the theatre that evening and on Sunday, he took his car out of the garage and they went for a drive out to Elora and St. Jacobs. It was a beautiful, sunny day and with the exception of the many tourists with the same idea, they enjoyed their outing very much. They had dinner on the way home and arrived back at the apartment building just before nine that evening. They kissed on the elevator and Eleanor continued on up to her apartment after Roger left on the eighth floor.
When Roger entered the apartment, Steve was sitting in the Living Room reading a book. He put the book down as his father entered and they exchanged pleasantries. After Roger had hung up his jacket and poured himself a glass of water, he wandered into the Living Room and sat down. It was Steve who spoke first.
"I've been giving your talk yesterday a lot of thought, dad. I don't think I'd have agreed if you hadn't already been through it and felt that it would help. I guess I had to be honest with myself and recognize I can't do this myself and I can't just go on the way I've been going." He paused for a moment, looking at his hands and then at his father. "If you can arrange it, I'll talk to Dr. Weisman."
His father nodded and said quietly: "Good for you, Steve. I think you've made a good decision. I'll call Dr. Weisman's office in the morning and see if I can get you an appointment."
