College Bound

 College Bound

Wayne Rutherford stood at the foot of his mother’s bed and didn’t say anything. The room was dark, quiet, serene. It was cloudy outside and he hoped that the sun would make an appearance. Her mood improved drastically when it was bright and sunny. The woman needed all the breaks she could get.

Mary opened her eyes slowly and smiled at her son.

“Morning.”

“Good morning, Wayne. You have grown to be such a handsome young man.”

“Awe mom, seriously.”

He was embarrassed.

“The girls are going to be very happy to see you in college.”

She looked away and the smirk on her face was perfect.

“I’m not going there to meet girls.”

“No, but you will. There are lots of pretty, smart girls in college.”

“I am sure there is. I don’t leave for a couple of days. Let’s do something fun.”

“Well, that sounds good, but my strength is limited.”

“So it has to be something that is fun but doesn’t require a lot of effort on your part?”

“That would be perfect.”

“I will think of something.”

“I am sure that you will.”

“I have to go to work now. It is my last day.”

“Okay, have a good day. And make sure that you thank your boss for hiring you.”

“Okay, mom.”

He kissed her on the forehead and left.

Wayne had landed a job working for the township. The man who hired him was a high school friend of his mother’s. It was an easy gig and a crew of two went around a very large area watering flowers and trimming hedges. It was a great program as it kept the area beautiful which was good for tourism and gave a bunch of student’s a decent summer job.

It was the last day for everyone and at lunch they had a special barbecue.

He had met a lot of the summer students, but hadn’t had a chance to work with all of them.

Susan Worthmire was a pretty, vivacious brunette and seemed to have a permanent smile etched across her engaging face.

“Okay, where is everyone going to school this fall?”

Everyone answered what college they were attending and their specific area of study.

When it was Wayne’s turn he smiled at everyone.

“I ain’t going to college cause I’m already a genius. I’m gonna stay here in Albertville and run a beer tent.”

Everyone burst out laughing.

“Can you ever be serious?”

“I’m going to Pearson and planning on being a doctor.”

Everyone looked at him and seemed puzzled.

“I thought you were going to Brantford to study psychology.”

“I was but I changed things.”

What he really wanted to say was that he didn’t want to go to college. He wanted to stay at home and help out there. He wasn’t a mama’s boy, but the thought of leaving his dad and younger sister alone to take care of their wife/mother in her condition was a heart-wrenching.

“That is quite the turn around.”

“I had applied for it before, but wasn’t sure what direction to go in. Now, I am sure what I want to do.”

Susan and some of the others that knew the situation at home understood why he had changed his mind.

“I think you will do great.” Susan smiled and he smiled back.

There was a time when he was a freshman that he wanted nothing more than to date Susan Worthmire. But she was extremely popular and it was difficult to get a date with her. The time had passed by and Wayne had never made a move.

Now, he had no desire to date her. She was more mature and was truly beautiful, but there was no lust.

Susan continued to go around but seemed to have her mind on Wayne. When she finished the young girl looked at him and smiled, but it wasn’t that bright, explosive smile, but one of concern.

Their last few hours of the summer job went without a hitch. 

He returned home and found his mother in the living room where she liked to spend the afternoon. The shades were drawn and the house was quiet. His sister who was on ‘mom’ duty was probably somewhere with her headphones on and totally ignoring responsibility as usual.

His dad was at work.

“How was your last day at work?”

“It was good.”

He kissed her on the forehead and she smiled.

“They had a barbecue for us and it was nice. I met all of the others that were there on orientation.”

“Oh, that’s nice.”

“Almost everyone is going to college.”

“As they should be. Did you thank Russ for giving you the job?”

“I did. He asked about you and I told him that you were getting along.”

“That’s nice. You don’t have to worry about supper tonight because your father called and said he was going to surprise us.”

“Oh, okay. So what so you want to do?”

“Well, I had a good day and rested quite well.”

“That is good.”

“It is.”

“Where is Shae?”

“I am not sure. I don’t want you to give her a hard time.”

He clenched his jaw.

“I won’t but she is irresponsible.”

“She is having a hard time with all of this.”

“I know, mom, but what is going to happen when I am gone?”

“Everything will be fine. Your father is coming home with a surprise and let’s have a stress free fun family night.”

“I guess so.”

“Can you promise me you will not cause trouble?”

“Yeah, I promise. What do you think he is brining home?”

“I don’t know.”

“So what do you want to do?”

“How about a movie? I will try to watch the whole thing without falling asleep.”

“Let’s save the movie for later tonight.”

“Okay.  

So they sat there and Shaelynn casually strolled down the stairs and entered the room like a debutante.

“I am here, people.”

Wayne went to say something but bit his tongue. He had promised his mom.

“Where have you been honey?  I thought we could spend some time together?”

“Sorry, mom, I was working out my high school schedule.”

Wayne again held back a nasty comment.

“After all, next year I am going to be in senior year and one must build on the success of the previous year. I haven’t decided if I am going to join the drama club.”

“You might not have time for drama club.” Wayne glared at her.

“Sure, like you dictate how I spend my time.”

“No, the current family situation dictates how you spend your time.”

“Wayne, please don’t start something.”

He turned away.

Shaelynn was about to say something but stopped.

“I really hate drama, Wayne so-

“That is kind of ironic when you are trying to join the drama club.”

She bit her bottom lip.

Just then their father walked in.

“Daddy’s home.”

“Oh, good.”

She stood up, but didn’t have enough strength to go all the way up and fell back down.  

“Mom,” they both said at the same time.

Gary walked in the room.

“Hey, how is everyone?”

He walked over and kissed his wife. She was about to burst into tears and he smiled.

“Isn’t anyone going to ask me what the surprise is that I brought home?”

“A surprise?  Cool, dad what did you bring home?”

“I brought home Sushi from Palace Gardens.”

“Oh, that is good.”

“Half of it is for my grand lady cause it has tofu in it and other healthy ingredients.”

“That’s good.”

“Okay, everyone in the kitchen because you’re on duty except my lovely bride.”

The family moved into the kitchen.

Despite the tension, brother and sister worked well together setting the table and doing all the prep work for supper.

They sat down a few minutes later and there were smiles all around. Sushi night was for only special occasions.

“Okay, how was your last day of work?”

“It was good. They had a barbecue for us.”

“That was nice.”

“And how did the female portion spend their day?”

“Organizing my schedule for back to school. I am not sure what activity I want to join.”

Gary nodded his head.

“You are going to be busy this year.”

“I guess so.”

“With school, your duties that you agreed upon here and then everything else.”

“My duties here come first.”

She eyed Wayne who didn’t return the glance.

Gary nodded.

“I don’t want you to make sacrifices for me. You need to be your own person and do things.”

“I will always be my own person. You thought me that mom.”

“I did. I am glad that all my nagging didn’t fall on deaf ears.”

Shaelynn laughed.

“This is good sushi.”

“It is one of the last meals that we are going to have the four of us as a family for a while. In two days, the oldest bird leaves the nest.”

Wayne swallowed hard twice.

“I don’t want to make a big deal of it.”

“Under normal circumstances it would be a big deal. I always wanted you to go to college.”

“Well, I am going.”

“Are you sure that you want to study psychology?”

“I’ve changed my mind.”

Greg looked at Mary who shrugged her shoulders.

“What do you mean you changed your mind?”

“Well, dad and mom, it is my life and I don’t want to study psychology anymore. I will be taking pre-med at Pearson. I am going to be a cancer doctor.”

Gary shrugged his shoulders.

“Are you now, Wayne?”

“Yes, I am mother.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I was waiting for the right time.”

“I see.”

“But we agreed on psychology at Brantford.”

“Mo, you agreed on psychology at Brantford. I just nodded my head.”

“Gary, please don’t make a scene.”

“I’m not trying to make a scene. But, you just can’t change everything like that without telling us.”

“I didn’t tell you because I knew you would be upset. It’s my life.”

“That line again.”

“Do you realize what this means?”

“Yeah, I am going to become a cancer doctor. This is my choice and my life.”

“You aren’t going.”

Wayne just laughed.

“Do you think you’re going to stop me?”

“I am paying the bills and damn right I am going to stop it.”

“You can try, but it won’t work.”

“Where the hell do you think you get off telling me what I am going to pay for and what I am not going to pay for?”

“You should be proud that I want to be a doctor.”

Gary smiled.

“You want to play your psychological game of cat and mouse?  Fine, then go and become a cancer doctor. But, you had better have some money saved up because I’m not paying for it.”

“The college fund is earmarked for college. There is no stipulation as to where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to study.”

Gary was fuming.

“You think by making some drama that you won’t go to college and get your way?”

“I don’t want to go.”

“No, you are going.”

“I want to stay here and help take care of mom.

It is too much of a burden for the two of you. Besides who is going to take care of her when you are at work and Shae Lynn is at school?”

“Your aunt Bertha will help us out.”

“And your cousin Jessica will be here every day.”

“I am not going.”

“I’m confused. Is he going to college or not going to college?”

“Your choice is to go to Pearson to study psychology. This is your only choice.”

“That’s what you think.”

He got up and left the house.

It was three days later. His father had gone to work and he returned.  

“Wayne where have you been?”

“I texted you ten times mom.”

“I know, but still.”

“I know what we can do together. Everything is ready all you have to do is come outside.”

“First, you will tell me where you have been the last few days.”

“Please, mom, we don’t have much time.”

They walked outside.  

The tree was already planted into the ground and had been watered.

“It is a hope tree, mom. Now I have two ribbons and we are going to tie them together.”

She looked at him.

And together they tied the ribbons on the tree.

“Goodbye, mom.”

He hugged his mother like he had never hugged her before or would ever hug her again.  

And then he left.

Mary died the following spring. 

Gary remarried and lost contact with his children. Wayne moved ahead in life and became a cancer doctor.  

The hope tree was stolen late one spring night and put in his dorm room. It would move with him from place to place until it found a permanent home in his office.  

The ribbons remained intact.