Maxine Ely hated doing laundry. She didn't mind gardening, or dishes, or cooking, but she loathed laundry. The process of washing and hanging it on the line or pulling it out of the dryer and folding it and sorting was just so monotonous. She was easily lost in thought during the tasks that came with doing was for her family, and often had to rewash items because she got distracted and let things sit. This week's sorting of darks and lights was no different.
Tossing a cream cardigan in the light pile, she recalled the day some months ago when Sam had pulled her aside after class at the end of the day and told her all about a scholarship she had heard about. "And you know he would only say "Brat, why do you gotta get involved?" and clam up if I mentioned it. Coming from you..." Sam said.
Sam's words were cut off by the scuffle of steps and the creak of the classroom door. Jen stood in the doorway and said "Sam, we're going to miss the bus. Besides, he wants to talk to you." "He" was said with a note of dislike that caused Max's eyebrows to raise. No lost love between those two. I wonder...could Jen and Jake be interested in each other? Is that where there antagonism stems from? The thought quickly vanished as she recalled the light in her baby's eyes when he saw the girl standing in front of her, and she smiled. Perhaps, I have been reading too many romance novels. She warmly thanked Sam for the forms and watched her go, knowing without a doubt that Sam would one day really be the daughter she had never had.
She picked up the T-shirt her husband had been wearing the day her youngest son had finally finished the application for a scholarship to college. Weeks later, after her initial conversation with Sam, that included days of badgering her son to come out of the barn and write the essays, the scholarship application was completed. Noting the hastily veiled emotion in his eyes as he signed the last form, she murmured, "You'll get invited to the interview, Baby Bear."
He was seemingly not convinced, as he rubbed the back of his neck and rose to place the papers in an envelope. "I wouldn't count on it, Mom. This whole thing was cooked up by you." What Jake didn't know was that it hadn't been her idea, it had been his lifelong friend's idea. Sam was like the daughter she and Luke had never been given and finding the scholarship information was yet another thing Max owed Sam.
She was pulled out of her reverie by the buzzer of the dryer, she tossed that load into a basket and plopped the next wet batch in its place. Bending to move the dry load to the folding table, she saw the polo Jake had worn to the interview. He'd worn it again to some event last week. As far as she could tell from his mumbles and short answers, the interview had gone well, though he had said "Damn Sam!" earning her interest as to why on earth Sam would be the cause of his ire. No matter how it went, they had yet to hear back from the committee, though the notice would be in the mail any day.
Max came rushing into the house with groceries and the mail six days later. "Jake?" she called, "It's here! Come quick!"
Quinn called back from the upstairs someplace "He's out over at the Foresters' or something, Ma! And before you ask, I'm only inside because I'm expecting a call about a rodeo coming up next month."
Max smiled ruefully, knowing her second youngest child lived for the thrill of the eight second ride, though she could do without hearing about his next go. She said "Why don't you come down here to wait and help me with dinner?" She picked up the phone and punched in the number for River Bend.
"River Bend, Grace Speaking." came over the line. It was the warm voice of the Forester matriarch.
"Hello, Grace. It's Max. I'm wondering if you might know where Jake happens to be right now. He got a letter, and I'd love to be able to see what it says."
"Well, now. He and Samantha just came in, do you want me to send him home? He's welcome to stay for supper, and I think he promised to help Sam out with her math."
Max smiled. She knew that Sam did need any help she could get with math. It seemed that Jake had been roped into the duty. Of course, there wasn't much he would do for Sam, not that he ever said as much. A mother simply knew these things. "No, if you could put him on, maybe I can open it over the phone."
After a few seconds of chit-chat with Grace, Jake came on the line. "'lo?" he said.
"Jake, it's your mother, I saw this letter from the scholarship committee, do you want me to open it? I can tell you what it says, if you would like me to."
He agreed, and she passed on the news with as bright a smile she could muster on her face simply because she knew he was going to be so disappointed when she read what the letter said. "Dear Mr. Ely, We here at the foundation have never seen so many promising applicants in in one year..." Max began slowly.
He seemed to be very accepting, even slightly shocked for someone as impassive as her son, as she read the letter, and the phone called ended soon after. I'll just put in a cake, just in case anyone wants it, of course. Quinn didn't say anything as he saw his mother reach for the red velvet that only Jake seemed to enjoy.