Ten O’Clock Scholar – lake

In Ten O’Clock Scholar, Peggy, a mother of two young boys, decides to go back to college for her Interior Design degree. The only problem with her plan is a reluctant husband. Peggy soon learns what it’s like trying to complete homework assignments, draw plans, and take required home tours while maintaining a home and caring for two little ones – with no support and a lot of opposition from hubby. Will she survive and achieve her dreams? Or will the struggles and arguments undermine her and make her give up? Stay tuned and read along as we find out.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘lake.’

Enjoy this week’s story snippet, then return to Tuesday Tales for more delightful tales from other talented authors.

Peggy walked her sister out to the car and wrapped her nephews up in a gigantic hug. Al, the quieter and more compliant one of the two, submitted to the affectionate kiss from his aunt. Ed squirmed, trying to get out of the embrace. Peggy laughed, enjoying her nephews embarrassment, before returning to the house, her mind already shifting to making a decision about what to have for dinner.

She debated about throwing a cookie sheet full of fish sticks in the oven, but remembering Derek’s sarcastic reaction the week before, she chose not to go that route. The past week had been difficult enough without throwing more ammunition onto the flames of their feud. Deciding to make a meatloaf and baked potatoes instead, Peggy stopped at the television to start a DVD. She almost couldn’t bear to hear another round of ‘the wheels on the bus’, but she knew that Jonathan’s favorite would keep him occupied while she chopped onions and scrubbed potatoes.

But Peggy didn’t make it to the kitchen right away. The open laptop sat on the desk, beckoning to her in a come hither manner. One quick peek, she thought, then I’ll get to dinner. She almost didn’t stay when she saw she had 68 new emails. But the lure of unseen messages is stronger than the drudgery of the kitchen. Scrolling down the list an email from the college caught her attention. Her gut tightened and a ball of tension tightened in her throat. With a mixture of dread and excitement, she opened the message.

“Hooray! They accepted me!” she shouted to the room.

Jonathan looked up with a puzzled look, then turned his attention back to the musical rendition on the screen in front of him.

Giddiness swept over her. Not only was she accepted and enrolled in her first class, her student loan application was approved too. She only had to show up at the office with documentation to secure the financing for the upcoming semester.

With a grin plastered across her face, Peggy shut the laptop and scurried into the kitchen. Now the task of making dinner – once again – wasn’t as formidable as it had been just a few minutes earlier. She hummed as she bustled about chopping, and slicing, and dicing.

The aroma of a sizzling meatloaf filled the house when Derek and Clifford arrived home. Clifford, in his typical five-year-old enthusiasm, dashed into the house chattering up a storm. He was full of tales of the evening and bounced with joy when he reported on how he got to fly on his dad’s training cord.

Peggy glanced at her husband to gauge his mood. She noticed a smile on his face, an uncommon occurrence lately. “You seem pretty chipper tonight. What’s up?”

“I’m a hungry man. Could smell dinner when I stepped out of the van. Meatloaf?”

“Yes. And baked potatoes.”

“Great. I’m ready.” He rubbed his stomach to emphasize his words. “Oh, by the way, my brother called tonight. Wants to know if we want to go up to Big Bear with them next weekend. They’ve got a lake house for three days. Says there an extra room we can stay in.”

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