Susan rarely thought about her past life. It was like watching an old black-and-white movie that no longer evoked any emotion. But one day, the past reminded her of its existence. On a Saturday, while the family was walking in the park, Susan saw a familiar figure. An elderly woman sat hunched on a bench in an old-fashioned coat. It was Eleanor. She had changed a lot: aged, lost weight, her hair now mostly gray. She was alone.
Susan stopped for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat.
— Is something wrong? — David asked, noticing her hesitation.
— No, everything’s fine, — Susan shook her head. — I just… saw someone I know.
She didn’t want to approach her. She didn’t want to stir up the past. But something compelled her.
— Stay here with Leo, I’ll be right back, — she told her husband and walked toward the bench.
— Eleanor? — she called softly.
The woman looked up. For a second, recognition flickered in her faded eyes, followed by fear and hostility.
— What do you want? — she rasped.
— Nothing. I just saw you and wanted to say hello. How are you?
— How am I? – She gave a bitter laugh. — As you can see. Alone. My son… – She trailed off, waving a dismissive hand.
— And Mike? — Susan asked gently.
— What about Mike? — she mimicked. — Your Mike drank himself into a stupor. Lost his job, lives off my social security. Sometimes he disappears for days, then comes back dirty and drunk. I’m waiting for him now. He promised he’d come. He’ll ask for money.
She stared into the distance, and her gaze held such hopelessness that Susan felt uneasy. All her former authority, all her arrogance, was gone. In front of her sat a lonely, old, and unhappy woman.
— I’m sorry, – Susan said sincerely.
— You’re sorry? – Eleanor turned her gaze on her, and a spark of the old hatred flared in her eyes. — This is all your fault. If you hadn’t left, none of this would have happened. You ruined his life.
Susan said nothing. She didn’t argue. There was no point in trying to prove anything to this woman.
— Goodbye, Eleanor, – she said quietly and walked away.
She returned to her husband and son, who were waiting for her by the fountain.
— Who was that? – David asked, putting his arm around her shoulders.
— A ghost from the past, – Susan replied, leaning against him. — But he doesn’t scare me anymore.
She looked at her laughing son, at her loving, dependable husband, and realized she was completely happy. Her past, with its pain and resentment, had made her stronger and wiser. It had taught her to appreciate what she had now. She no longer looked back. Her life was here and now: in her child’s smile, in her husband’s warm embrace, in the sunlight playing on the fountain’s spray. And it was a beautiful life. A life she had built herself.
That evening, as she was putting Leo to bed, she told him a story about a brave princess who defeated an evil dragon and found her handsome prince.
— Mommy, are dragons real? – the little boy asked.
— They are, sweetie, – Susan replied, kissing the top of his head. — But they’re not so scary. The most important thing is to not be afraid to fight them. And then you’ll always win.
The little boy fell asleep, and Susan sat by his bed for a long time, thinking that her own personal dragon had been slain. And she was grateful to fate for that battle. Because only by going through it could she find her true treasure: her family, her love, her happiness.
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