Choices of the Heart

It had been raining hard all day. Teddy was wet through, exiting the car she made a quick dash through the garage, closing the door, she tossed her umbrella aside and she stripped off, and left the sodden heap on the garage floor. She then headed to the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom clean and dry.
Teddy then dashed into her children's bedrooms and quickly made up the beds and picking up clothes.
As she looked at her watch, she ran downstairs, she had barely an hour to clean up and prepare supper.
Teddy rummaged in the freezer and grabbed a previously cooked pot-roast.
' This will have to do.

As she was setting the table, she heard the front door open, the thud of a book bag and stomping upstairs.

' Oh dear, Tammy must have had a fight with Mikey.

Minutes later, the door opened again and Rob her thirteen year old came rushing through to the kitchen.

“Hi Mom.”

Rob sniffed the air, “I don’t smell Lasagna.”
“We’re having Potluck tonight.”
“It’s Tuesday Mom, we always have lasagna." Unimpressed at her, he grabbed an apple; headed to his room she counted one, two, and three.
Thump, thump, the beat of his music, filled the house.
Remembering the pile of wet clothes, she ran to the garage, better hide the evidence. Dumping them in the laundry basket, she laughed, it wasn’t likely Rick or the kids would see them, laundry magically went from bedroom floor to closet.

*****

She headed upstairs, knocked on Tammy’s door; it would be hard to hear with the noise coming from Rob’s room.
“Rob, turn that down” she yelled. The volume remained unchanged.
Opening the door, she saw Tammy sitting against her pillows arms, folded and chins on her chest; this was not a good sign.
“What’s the matter honey, Mickey and you have a fight?”
“You wouldn’t understand Mom.”
“Try me.” said Teddy.
It all came tumbling out; Cody wanted to go to the concert, Friday night, with his friends…
The telephone rang Tammy lunged for it.
Teddy left the room when she heard her daughter say ….I’m sorry too.

*****

Dinner was a noisy affair as usual, Teddy drifted off, going over her day in her mind.
“Mom …Mom. Earth to Mom!” said Rob.
“Sorry honey, what did you say?”
“I said … “ sounding so like his father, she had to suppress a giggle.
“Is this potluck a one off or have you changed Lasagna night?”
“I’ll make it tomorrow for you.”
“No, then we won’t get Mexican, I’ll wait till next week.”
Teddy laughed, life for Rob revolved around food. I’ve upset the order of life around here. They were so structured. Routine ruled Rick liked it that way. Just wait until tomorrow she thought.
Rick looked over, “You okay honey you seem a little distracted- Remember it’s poker night you got the snacks …right?”
He never waited for an answer. He relayed a funny incident at work, that the kids howled with laughter, Marco, the janitor was a funny guy, Rick often said he reminded him of himself, worked his way up through hard work. Studying accountancy, nights at the community college, I’ll be hiring him again, when he graduates, he’s a determined bright kid.
"Does he have your dazzling personality and good looks Rick?" she smiled at her husband

*****

Teddy had cleaned up, prepared the food for poker night.
Finally, she headed to the den to get to work. The end was in sight. She changed the page on the screen when she heard Rick come back in from dropping of the kids at their friends.
Hearing him moving about in the kitchen, she smiled he’s checking out I have it all ready for the guys.
Rick was the breadwinner, she was the bread maker that was their roles clearly defined, he prided himself that she was a stay at home mom.
When Rob started high school, Teddy wanted to go back to work. Rick seemed hurt.
“Don’t I take care of my family? The kids need their mom here. Anyway, what would you do? You’ve been out the rat race for years.”
That conversation ended.
The guys started arriving; the smell of cigar smoke made Teddy choke, so they always played in the basement.
The rest of the evening, she worked away at the computer, stopping only to serve the snacks and collect the kids.
When they had all gone to bed, she double-checked all she had added. It was finally completed. Panic rose in her as the mouse hovered over the send button. She took a long deep breath.
Click.

*****

The next morning Rob asked if it was still enchiladas for dinner. Tammy was running late, yep back to the old routine, the kitchen was pristine by nine am.
Wednesday’s, she always cleaned the upstairs. Passing the telephone it rang
“Hello” her stomach knotted.
“Mrs. Roberts, Bill Peters from the Clarion, I read your e-mail, that’s extensive documentation you sent . You have investigated this well….I‘m impressed.This story will be big. Colbert’s chemical plant has been rather naughty. It explains a lot, the loss of the flora and fauna over the years from the river and the lake.
“There’s no excuse for dumping toxic waste. Mr. Peters. This needs put right.”
“Your right, Aren’t Colbert’s your husband biggest client? I got a feeling they won’t be retaining him after this. Does your husband know about this-what made you put it all together?
“No, he doesn’t know. He'll support me I know it. Something I thought I saw up there one day, then a remark from Rick, about how cost efficient they were. It got me thinking.”
“That’s real intuitive.”
“The lake and river need to be regenerated. This dumping has to stop.
She would protect Marco, he had come to her; it’s amazing what information is thrown out in the trash. Six months they had been collecting the evidence, yesterday’s wade in the lake to photograph the actual dumping was the final piece they needed.
If it cost Rick a client,so be it.
“I’ll be in touch, Mrs. Roberts.
As she hung up on the editor, Teddy heard the screeching of brakes.
I guess Rick read my e-mail.