The Portal At The End Of The Storm

Chapter 6

Chapter 6Linda

I SAID, “THAT'S weird.” Jane had just told me a strange story.

“What is?” Mom asked.

“Ashley is missing.” I told her what Jane had said.

“Do you think he went after Fritz?”

“I don't know. Without thunderstorms, how could he? Maybe Tony will know.”

“Well, I wouldn't worry just yet. Let's start getting ready for the holidays. Would you mind if I use Fritz's car while I'm here?”

“Not at all. He won't need it.” As if a pipe had sprung a leak, a trickle flowed down my cheeks that just wouldn't stop. “What am I going to do, Mom? I knew coming back would be difficult, but I can't make any sense of this. I'm gone, he's gone. What next?”

“Hopefully, he comes back and you stay put. Ashley and Jane get married and you all live happily ever after.”

I dried my eyes and laughed. Mom does have a way to make the difficult seem silly. And easier to fix that way. “But Koppler is still free. That still worries me.”

“Linda, that's not your problem right now. He can't undo the election. The government is wise to him, so he won't get away. Take care of the baby, make the house ready for when Fritz comes home. Start working on what you have spent years getting ready to do. Or is that MBA just for show? You dreamed about your bike shop, and Fritz shared it with you. He supported every step you made. That's your work—the baby, the house, the shop. The rest will be whatever it is.”

“Thanks, Mom. But what if he doesn't come back?”

Mom looked squarely in my eyes. “The baby, the house, the shop.”

Mom had raised her kids, Joe and me, in the relative normalcy of an affluent community. She had been an active volunteer in many organizations and causes over the years. She matched perfectly with my father. She offset his bluster and argumentativeness with practicality and logic. I even think she cancelled out his votes. I had learned over the past few days she not only knows how to cook, but she can bake, something I have never been good at. So I've helped her. Ash and Jane and the rest of our occasional crew got to sample Mom's skills. She'd said only a few days ago that she believed the old adage—as kids got older, their parents got smarter. Then she just smirked at me, hands on her hips.

“You know, Mom…”

“Yes, I do. About time you figured that out.”

“That's not what I mean. I fell into a trap that I made myself. Walking out like I did. I can't believe I didn't make more of a fuss about the portal. It's dangerous. It changes lives. We just went along because it was good for the country.”

“It was, wasn't it? Think of all the good things you did.”

“Mom, Fritz and now Ashley can time travel. Every time, they set things in motion that brought us to where we are now. Remember how mad you and Dad were when Joe and I played with matches. Well, we've been playing with them again, only this time, the matches are sticks of dynamite. And what did I do. I became a stereotype, the woman upset because her husband didn't listen. I walked out like he cheated on me. I've been so stupid. Look at where we are now.”

“Linda, I can see both sides. I tried all summer to get through to Fritz, and he always said that you would come home, but you needed to find out for yourself, on your own. But, he's been miserable. He started smoking again. And drinking. He didn't know that I could hear him at night, calling for you. I couldn't pry you away from Tim, so I just had to wait. And I did my best to minimize the damage of you and your father together.”

“Why didn't you say something?”

“I did, but you weren't listening. You and Fritz have been perfect together all these years. Part of that, I think, is that both of you are pig-headed, but you're both so smart that eventually you were able to compromise. Or really see the other's viewpoint. Unlike what your father thinks, Fritz was the best you ever brought home.” She took a deep breath, I remember, because that's when she said that Ashley would find him and bring him home. “That's why I don't want you two at odds. It's not helpful.”