The Root of Money

5

5Esther Carrier stood in front of her son’s home holding a glass dish filled with cold eggplant parmesan. Her long white hair hung loosely over her shoulders, accentuating the vitality of a woman who enjoyed spending time outdoors.

“I don’t know why this couldn’t wait until he came home,” she said.

Amy wheeled a ring of keys in her hand while balancing a container of marinara sauce. As she found the entry key she turned to look at her mother. “It took two weeks for him to return my calls and only after I threatened him.”

Amy reached for the light switch she knew was on the wall to the right of the front door before realizing the overhead light in the narrow hallway leading to the kitchen had been left on. Esther placed the dish on a butcher block kitchen counter and shook her arms to rush the return of blood flow. She looked at her daughter. “What’s so strange? He’s busy doing whatever it is he does.”

The small kitchen was enough to contain the basics: refrigerator, stove, sink and dishwasher. Each appliance was stainless steel, above which custom-made cherry wood cabinets were appointed with white porcelain handles. Amy scowled as she remembered her sister-in-law’s insistence of the design and installation. She also recalled her brother’s hand-wringing when the cost overrun was incurred on the heels of buying his wife a brand new car. Amy opened the refrigerator to inventory its contents.

“Look at this. The milk is expired and he hasn’t touched the lasagna you brought him...when was it?”

“Last month.” Esther’s voice broke as the light of her optimism was extinguished by understanding.

Amy held up a small green plastic basket of fuzzy strawberries for her mother to see. “All the fruit is rotten and he seems to be living on beer and takeout.” She opened paper and Styrofoam containers before tossing them in the garbage.

“He’s going to know we were here.” Esther felt something brush against her ankle and looked down to see Bull.

“At least he’s feeding the dog,” Amy remarked.

Esther waited for Amy to finish moving items around in the refrigerator until there was room for her to slide the eggplant parmesan on the top shelf. Closing the door, she took a piece of paper from beneath a magnet holding a picture of Jake and sat down to write a note. “I want him to know we’re not spying on him,” Esther explained in a guilt-free motherly tone.

Amy shook her head disapprovingly as she climbed the stairs to the second floor. “But Mom, we are spying on him,” she declared. “Maybe it’s not such a bad thing for him to know.”

Esther leaned on a counter to complete her note, informing Tek there was fresh food in his refrigerator and asking him to call her. The sound of opening and closing drawers bounced downstairs.

“Leave his things alone, Amy!” Esther admonished. “It’s not nice to be nosy.”

Amybellowed, “We’re not being nosy. We’re being concerned!”

A few minutes later Amy descended the stairs balancing a cache of plastic candy wrappers on the palms of her hands. “The floor in Jake’s room was covered with these.” She stepped on the wastebasket lever and dropped them in the receptacle. “I told you he needs help. Maybe more than you and I can give.”

“You know he was never one for picking up after himself. Housekeeping was the one thing that Vicky was good for.” Esther spat the forbidden name with a sound resembling a hatchet cleaving waterlogged wood.

“You’re forgetting Jake, Mom.” Amy continued to busy herself cleaning around the kitchen. “She was somewhat responsible for him, wasn’t she?”

Esther walked purposefully to her daughter, taking Amy by the arm to pull her around. “Don’t you ever say that to me. I have not forgotten Jake. How can I? I love him as much as you do. I miss him terribly, but that cur moved him a thousand miles away. So what can I do?” The anger in her voice was swallowed by an effort to refrain from crying.

“I know.” Amy put her arms around her mother and kissed her cheek. “That’s not what I meant. I miss Jake too.” She held Esther by her arms and stepped back. “Can you imagine how Tek feels? His son for God’s sake! They were…they are so close.”

“I wish there was something more we could do.” Esther covered her face with her hands and began to sob.

Amy knelt to pick up Bull. “We’re doing what we can. I gave him the dog for company and now I’m stuck in the middle, passing Victoria’s messages.”

Esther kissed her daughter’s forehead. “You’re a good sister.”

“All I get for my trouble is grief from Tek for intruding, as if I’m on her side.”

Esther took her daughter’s hand. “Maybe you should step out of it. Let them talk between themselves. At least he wouldn’t blame you for—”

Amy shook her head. “She doesn’t want to talk to him. Not yet, anyway.”

Esther motioned Amy to sit next to her. “I still don’t know why she left the way she did.” She searched for an answer in her daughter’s face.

“I don’t think she knows herself. I would have said it was just an impulse if she hadn’t been planning it for so long,” Amy said. “It’s not like Tek cheated on her or…”

Esther’s hand flew to her mouth to cover a gasp.

“Maybe Tek will be better off without her.” The words fell from Amy like an anvil.