Imagine a mother
telling a lie so outrageous that her son, her only surviving child, is arrested
and charged with a serious crime. Imagine maintaining that lie at trial, under
oath, and beyond while an innocent man, a successful local architect is sentenced
to a lengthy term in penitentiary at great personal cost. Unthinkable. That is
the novel, Almost Broken.
“Heaving a deep
sigh Blaise laid his head back and closed his eyes. ‘It’s like I never thought
this day would ever get here and now here it is. After my mother had her say at
my early parole hearing I’m surprised they didn’t find a way to add time to my
sentence. Who knows, come up with something to keep me inside longer. I guess
she made sure I wouldn’t get out ahead of schedule though. She said she’d do
it, and she did.’”
‘Blaise, what did
you ever do to make her hate you so bad she’d be gunning for you like that?’
Blaise kept his
eyes closed. ‘Well first of all, I was born. I don’t think she’s ever forgiven
me for that. And then of course there’s Rory. That’s what this is really all
about.’”
Declan sighed.
‘It’s not exactly a crime to come into this world, but yeah, Rory.’
‘Anyway, I don’t
necessarily want to talk about her … or Rory. Not right now at least.’
Declan nodded as
he switched to an FM station, keeping the volume low so they could chat.
‘Understood…’”
The story is set
in the little town of Woodstock, New Brunswick, and pictured above is the local
courthouse where Blaise Callaghan would have been tried and convicted.
At the heart of
this romantic suspense novel is the unsettling truth that some mothers do not
like their children … or in some instances, all of their children. Sadly there
is a disconnect for many reasons, and in Almost Broken, that hatred carries
terrible consequences. And while this is fiction, it’s sad to think there are any
number of cases where for a variety of factors, mothers fail to bond with their
children, or a particular child while being appropriately affectionate and
loving to the others.
And since there
are always extremes in everything, including maternal bonding, I thought it
might be interesting to see who is recorded among the worst mothers in modern
history — whether it be “impaired maternal bonding” or simply not having their
children’s best interests at heart. Sure enough I found just such a list at Insidesources.com/holy-cow-history-meet-the-five-worst-moms-in-history/.
Coming in at last
place is Mary Ball Washington, George Washington’s mother. Fairly or unfairly
she makes the list because she did not support George in his patriot cause.
Many would say it was just a difference of opinion, or politics, because Mary
remained loyal to the British crown, but it’s likely her political position
caused her son no shortage of embarrassment. And, according to the piece, she
was highly vocal about her support of England’s King George III, and equally as
virulent about the USA’s bid for independence. Nevertheless it earned her a nod
as a bad mother, in this situation at least. My two cents? Just because she
disagreed with her son doesn’t necessarily make her a terrible mother.
MA BARKER
In the number four
slot is Arizona Donnie Barker, known better to everyone simply as Ma Barker. A
star on the FBI’s Public Enemies list of lawbreakers, she was referred to by J.
Edgar Hoover during the 1930’s as “the most vicious, dangerous and resourceful
criminal brain of the last decade” — a woman who influenced her boys into a
life of crime. That meant that sons Herman, Lloyd, Arthur (Doc) and Fred also became
criminals, known for murder, stealing cars, kidnapping, armed robbery and
knocking over banks, and leading the way by example was their mother.
MARY ANN DID MURDER
We go back to the
19th century for number three, a very industrious and by all
accounts hardworking Mary Ann Cotton — a nurse, dressmaker and housekeeper who
had a penchant for poisoning people. That included her own children. Eleven of
her thirteen children were killed in that horrific, agonizing fashion, as were
her four husbands and two lovers. There are also two other deaths attributed to
her during this killing spree. The age-old motive was insurance money, and
arsenic was her weapon of choice to achieve those payouts. Mercifully the law
caught up with her after twenty-one people died. She was hanged for her crimes.
JESSE’S MOM
I will admit that
number two surprised me because I had often seen Zerelda Elizabeth Cole James
Simms Samuel (Jesse James’ mother) portrayed as long-suffering. Indeed she
seems to have married well: her first husband was a Baptist minister, her
second a wealthy neighbour, and her third a physician. She survived all three.
In any event it is acknowledged that life had not always been kind to her, and perhaps
it was suffering those unfortunate losses that helped make her tough. When her
sons Frank and Jesse turned to crime it invited Pinkerton detectives into their
lives. These lawmen were warned: “if the boys don’t kill you, the old lady
will.” That story is well documented, usually in favour of the bad guys, and
true she did withstand a lot, famously including the firebombing of the family
home during which her youngest son, Archie, was killed. It also cost Zerelda her
right forearm (amputated at home without anesthesia). Bitterness at these
events could be why she went on to capitalize on her sons’ infamy by turning
the James farm into a “tourist trap” because it seems she had no aversion to
larceny. “…she sold old, rusted, guns that she claimed had belonged to Jesse;
she actually bought them cheap at second-hand shops and charged a fortune for
them. Which is why dozens of private gun collections today still boast a
firearm that was ‘carried by Jesse James.’”
And coming in at
number one? Well, that also surprised me considering the others on this list. Mama
June of television reality show fame. According to Insidesources.com/holy-cow-history-meet-the-five-worst-moms-in-history/:
“If
you saw the show, you understand. ‘Nuff said.”
I’m sure there are
countless other examples that are less well known, but thankfully most mothers
are exactly as they should be — kind, loving, nurturing and devoted.
It is
heartbreaking for those children unfortunate enough to be at the mercy of a
mother who feels no maternal connection, except hatred, such as it is for
Blaise Callaghan at the hands of his mother, Viola, in Almost Broken:
“’Mother, please,
you have to tell the truth. I apologize for damaging your wall, I apologize
for, I don’t know, not being a better son in whatever way you think I wasn’t.
I’m sorry we never got along that well. I’m sorry you had to raise me on your
own. I’m sorry for everything you had to go through as a single parent. I am
very grateful for everything you’ve done for me, but you have to stop lying
about what happened. What you did to me was shocking and you have to fix it.
You have to tell the truth.’
‘I have to do no
such thing. All I want is to be safe now that you’re back in Woodstock, so I
have requested a restraining order against you. You’re not to be in contact
with me anymore.’
He was aghast, his
jaw dropping and it took a few seconds to recover. ‘Are you serious? I didn’t
make contact with you, it was you who called me.’
She continued as
if he hadn’t spoken. ‘I’m warning you, if you come anywhere near me I’ll have
you arrested. Now don’t phone me and don’t come to my home. That’s what I
called to tell you. I’m not interested in talking to you about anything else.
As far as I’m concerned I don’t have a son anymore, so stay away from me.’
‘Mother, you know
I didn’t contact you. What’s wrong with you! Why are you doing this? Haven’t
you hurt me enough already? Why are you trying to destroy me? Why!’
‘It doesn’t matter
why.’
‘It matters! You
doing that, saying I contacted you and asking for a restraining order could get
me sent back to prison for violation of my release.’
‘Exactly. Face it,
Blaise, you’re all done.’”
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