We meet Ben's mother

Tuesday, 1^st November

So, we are finally back at the hotel. What an eventful day.

I showed Ben the footage yesterday, he had never heard of this fetish. I have once seen a documentary, that's why I recognised it. He was more surprised by the cleaning fetish. Even he thought it was ridiculous. I tied his ropes again and we went to bed. This morning he had to force himself to eat something. We both woke up early and had plenty of time, so he took his time and managed some porridge, scrambled eggs and toast.

We took the train to Anyers, and Father Morris picked us up. He is much younger than I expected. We had arranged to meet at his house. Ruth arrived just a few minutes after us. She nearly squeezed Ben to death! She could not let go of him, she kept saying she cannot believe he is there in flesh and blood. Again, she looked and acted so different from what I had expected, although we had some recent photos. She cut her hair off. Apparently women do that when they break off with a man.

Father Morris and I left them alone, I chatted with him for a while, and then went off to look at the town. Gosh, it really is a small town! I was back for lunch, Ben and Ruth hardly managed to eat, they were talking so much. After lunch Ben wanted to go to the cemetery. I gave them some privacy, he laid some flowers on his sisters and nieces grave. They are buried together. We went back to Father Morris, he supplied us with tea and cookies. The man is a saint, putting up with us. I did say, how can we thank you, and he said, well, the church is collecting for a new heating system. I promised him a donation.

Ruth had admitted to Ben earlier that it was her who had locked him into his room that fateful summer. Ben had always assumed it was his father. She did it as she did not want him to run off again. She was worried it was all her fault: the delayed operation and that he has a stoma, that he did not trust them and ran away because of it. Ben assured her he forgives her. She asked me, if he had had the surgery earlier, would he have been alright? I had to tell her I was not that familiar with the case, Barbara might know better. She wanted to know a lot about Ben's life in Canada, I think she was satisfied he is happy now, with me. When Ben went to the bathroom, I asked her about the obituary, why Ben was not mentioned. She confirmed Jonathan had put pressure on the journalist to omit him. She was not happy about it and has had many arguments with her sons since her husbands death, but she does not want to fall out with them as well.

Finally everyone was all talked out and we had taken up Father Morris's time enough. Ruth drove us back to the station. She made me promise umpteenth times to look after Ben. We assured her we would come back to Boston regularly, and want to see her in Stockholm soon. We can pay for the flights. I nearly had to drag them apart when the train came.

Ben was exhausted, elated but tired. We had dinner in the hotel, very quiet. The barman was kind enough to make him a shake. He wanted to go for a walk, it was good for both of us.