Eye of the Beholder (44 page)

“Everything I own is in this dinky U-Haul trailer,” Lawrence said. “Why didn’t you just sell the shirt off my back?”

“Dad, I asked you what you wanted to keep. If it got sold in the estate sale, it’s because you gave the green light. You could at least be grateful those nice young men on the corner loaded it up for us.”

Lawrence seemed to be looking in the side mirror. “What do you suppose
she
wants?”

Ellen turned and saw Sybil Armstrong crossing the street. “Dad, please be nice. I’m sure she just came to see us off.”

“I brought you some cookies to take with you.” Sybil walked over to Ellen and handed her a Baggie. “Oatmeal raisin.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I even added a little flax meal. All that fiber will be good for him.”

“Thank you, Sybil. That was thoughtful of her, wasn’t it, Dad?” Ellen glanced over at her father, surprised to see his eyes welled up.

“Yeah, thanks. Right nice of you. Can we go now?”

“Lawrence,” Sybil leaned down by the driver’s side window, “don’t you be worrying about your flowers. I’ll keep them watered till the new owners move in next month. You have my email address. I want to hear all about your new place.”

Ellen looked at her watch. “We really should get on the road. It’ll only take a couple of hours to get to Seaport, but Guy and Roland are expecting us before noon.” She reached over and squeezed Sybil’s hand.

Ellen opened the door and slid in behind the wheel. She glanced up at the blue gingham curtains in the kitchen window, and blinked a few times to make her eyes stop stinging.

“You gonna sit here all day or are you going to get this sardine can on the highway?”

Ellen waited for several seconds more, then turned the key and backed out of the driveway, painfully aware of the ending of an era—and the dawning of a potential nightmare.

Ellen opened her eyes wide and blinked several times, feeling the effects of last night’s restlessness. She picked up the Styrofoam cup in the holder and drank the last of the lukewarm coffee.

“Dad, would you like a cookie?” She picked up the Baggie on the console.

Lawrence stared out the side window and didn’t answer.

Suit yourself
.

Ellen took a bite of cookie, her mind wandering back to her mother’s kitchen and an incident that happened when she was a junior in high school …

“I’m so proud of you,” her mother had said. “I think running for class president is an excellent idea.”

“I’ll have to really campaign hard. Mary Pat’s a cheerleader. And Kent’s like the brainiest kid on the planet.”

Mother put a plate of oatmeal cookies and a glass of milk in front of Ellen. “Well, you’re very smart—and persuasive. Plus, you can get along with anybody. Don’t defeat yourself before you even get started.”

Her father walked into the kitchen. “Get started with what?”

“Ellen’s decided to run for class president. Isn’t that something?”

“Big waste of time, if you ask me,” her father said. “Why don’t you sink your energy into something more useful—like joining the sewing club or becoming a Candy Striper?”

Ellen glanced over at her mother and then locked gazes with her father. “What’s wrong with running for class president?”

“It’s pointless, Ellen, that’s all.”

“But Dad—”

“Honestly, Lawrence,” her mother said, “why must you be so negative? The entire process will be a good experience for her whether she wins or not. Learning to compete will help her in college.”

Lawrence rolled his eyes. “College is a waste of time and money for women. Their place is in the home, taking care of their children.”

“What if I don’t ever get married and have kids?” Ellen said.

His face softened. “You will.” He stroked her cheek. “Just look at that face.”

“So if I were ugly, going to college might be worth it. But since I’m not, I should plan on being a housewife? Come on, Dad. That’s not fair.”

“Listen to me, young lady. What’s not fair is women trying to change their natural bent toward being wives and mothers. It’s upsetting everything.”

“I never said I don’t want to get married and have kids. But can’t I be a journalist, too?

“Women flooding the workplace is creating problems you have no idea about.”

“But all I’ve ever wanted to do is write.”

Her father’s eyes were suddenly like stone, his voice stern. “And I’m telling you to spend your time learning things that will benefit your husband and family and not your own selfish ambitions!”

Ellen dropped out of the race for class president. But her father’s refusal to fund her college education had only made her more determined. She secured the loans she needed and struggled through all four years without his financial support or approval. But nothing between them had ever been the same …

Ellen spotted the Seaport exit up ahead and put on her right blinker, aware of her father shifting in his seat.

Lord, he brings out the absolute worst in me! Unless You intervene, we’re just going to go on making each other miserable
.