Parents choices

The heat of the approaching summer gets carried in on the breeze through the open window. Lizzy is sitting in her home room class wishing the breeze was a little stronger to actually cool the sweat that was starting to develop on her body. 

History class is her least favorite subject. Yea the "learn from the past so we don't repeat ourselves" is great. She loves that part but must one have to try remembering all the dates of things?

"Hey farm girl?" Stacy asks sitting next to Lizzy.

"Yea?" She replies.

"You hear about the time travelers right?" Stacy asks excitedly.

"Pretty sure everyone has." Lizzy answers while laying her face against the cool table that quickly heats up. Well it was nice while it lasted.

"I hear they are going to be coming to our school to look for candidates to go to the future." Stacy just about squeals.

"Take it you want to apply to go?" Lizzy asks putting her elbow on the table so her head can rest in her hand.

"Well duh! The guy that came through the portal was hot! There has to be more like him." Stacy collapses her chin into her hands while her elbows prop her up while she goes off onto a quick day dream of a boy.

"But you probably won't apply because you have your animals right? I wish you would though so we can both be together!" Stacy gives her best sad face.

"Yea I can't leave my cows or goats behind." Lizzy says getting a sad look in her eyes.

"And your chickens attack everyone. I don't think they will live long if your dad is the one caring for them." She gives a concerned face when she saw the sadness in Lizzy's eyes.

"My parents would be eating a lot of chicken." Lizzy says giving her friend a wide eyed look.

"He wouldn't eat Henrietta would he?!" Her voice just a touch too loud. Lizzy straightens up.

"Stacy. Quiet down please." Their teacher says looking up from grading papers.

"Yes Ma'am." She politely replies.

"He would eat her." Lizzy says calmly knowing it would rile Stacy up.

"That monster!" She shouts.

"Stacy! Separate from Elizabeth!" Their teacher is furious and pointing to an empty seat up front. She purposely has a "seat of shame" up front thinking it will embarrass kids enough to not to act up again.

"Sorry!" Lizzy whispers with a smile dancing on her lips.

"Uh huh!" Stacy whispers back grabbing her things and moving to the front.

It's 2011 and about this time next year Lizzy and Stacy will be eighteen years old and graduating. Then the limits of how much Lizzy can work will be lifted. Her parents don't have much money so she has been working so she can go to college. Her dream has been to be a veterinarian. Working with large animals because cat bites are the worse. A kick to the leg from a two thousand pound animal? Meh, it can be walked off. Hurts reaaal bad but sure beats getting your hand amputated because of a bad infection.

To be a veterinarian, you also need good grades. Lizzy has been doing her best in classes ever since she failed a history class. She is no top what ever in the school but her grade point average is high enough for the college she wants.

Bing bong bing bong.

Relief comes over the class as the bell tells everyone class is over.

"Please take an application home and fill it out if you are interested in going with the time travelers. It is a one way trip so please think it over and talk with your parents. They also need to sign it." The teacher says as everyone is trying to leave.

Stacy was the first to grab an application then skipped out of class. Lizzy could see Stacy waiting in the hall for her.

Lizzy has no interest in time travel so she heads out to the hall and goes about her normal school day.

.     .     .     .     .

At home Lizzy is in her most favorite spot in the world. The big red barn in the middle of her parents property with all her animals. The goats are demanding their scratchies. After giving them a good scratch between their ears where their horns would be. Lizzy moves on to their next favorite spot. They love getting scratched between their shoulder blades. Their happy faces are the best. Now if only she had four hands for the four goats that were pushing her around wanting attention.

Lizzy moves to brushing her two cows down. We say brush but it's with a comb. They have the same itchy spots as a goat but there is one spot a goat will not let you touch freely. That is their tail. A cow puts up a little fight but once you scratch it they freeze. Not only is it funny but they love it so much they will try to lick you in appreciation. It feels like sand paper so unless you're covered in winter gear avoid their licks.

Lizzy feeds everyone their hay and throws corn down so the chickens are busy with that and not pecking her. She measures out the right amount of grain for all and mixes in some pain relief medication in for the old goat. They all have water so she heads to the house to finish up homework.

Three days go by and it is the same thing almost day in and day out. Out side of hoof trimming day. That was... Not fun. We will leave it at that. There was an assembly and the time travelers did their speech. More or less come to the future it's sunshine and rainbows with a lot of robots. 

Not Lizzy's type of rodeo.

That night laying in bed she could barely make out her parents hushed conversation in the next room at the dining table.

"I got laid off from work last week. I didn't know how to tell you since we had just gotten off the last lay off." Lizzy could hear the frustration in her dad's voice.

"Oh no.... without that income we will have to sell this place." Her mother's voice trembles.

"You think I dont know that?" He snaps.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I got this letter in the mail from Lizzy's teacher." She heard her mom say and the sound of paper rustling. "It's about the time travelers wanting some high-school students to come to the future."

Lizzy sits up in her bed.

"So we just ship her off?" Her dad's voice is raised.

"I don't want to! But looking at the requirements she has met them all with her grades and such. Also this says she will be well cared for. She can go to college to get the degree she wants. Health care is covered so she can see a doctor and dentist." Her mom tries to ramble on.

"Yea? And what's THAT going to cost?" He hissed through his teeth.

"Nothing... Nothing outside it's a one way trip so we will never see her again." Lizzy's mother chokes out the words.

There was silence for what seemed like forever.

"If we are going to loose it all we might as well loose everything." Her father sighs.

Lizzy leaps from her bed and bursts into the dining room.

"We can sell my cows and I'm sure we can find buyers for my goats. I will help!" Lizzy is flustered. She begins to tear up from the fear of the unknown.

"Even if we sold the live stock it will only be enough for a month or two. The lay off is expected to go on for six months. If I get another job I'm fired and nothing pays as good as the factory." He scratches his head in frustration.

"I will get a second job! I have my savings we can use. And.... And..." What else can I do? Lizzy asks herself. Expand the garden to sell produce?

"Enough Lizzy!" Her father's hand comes down on the table. "Go to bed. Your mother and I have things to discuss."

Lizzy knows better than to try to agrue further. She returns to her room and cries herself to sleep.

Morning finally comes. Lizzy didn't get much sleep from all the emotions running rampant through her mind and body.

She walks out to do morning chores in her night time clothes of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Running on autopilot as she throws hay and grain at the animals. Oh. The sound of running water snaps her a little into reality. She forgot to shut the hose off to the water tank. The tank was over flowing for awhile and had made a complete mess of the dirt and manure around the water trough. I'm sorry I messed that up she silently apologizes to her animals.

Lizzy gets back inside the old ranch style farm house. Her father is sitting at the table. Then the memory of her mother's car missing this morning surfaces.

"Lizzy sit. We need to talk." His speech is a little ragged.

"Where's mom?" She asks, timid of the answer he will give.

"Sit and I will explain." He says.

She does as he says and sit across from him.

"We decided to fill out the paper so you can have a better life then what we can give you. Your mother is going to deliver it because we all know you would shred it before it ever left the house."

"I don't." He holds his hand up. Lizzy flinches. She knows arguing won't work.

"This was a hard decision. And we are sorry. We refuse to make you work for our short comings. We have f-failed as parents." His voice cracks. His lips quiver as he hangs his head low. "This last week... I spent all your savings at the horse track hoping win big to keep you here... It's all gone.... I'm sorry..."

The emotions of shock and anger rush through her. She wants to fight but has nothing to fight with. Sadness takes over. She buries her head in her arms and cries mumbling how she can't and doesn't want to leave. A whisper escapes her lips telling her father she hates him. Her father gets up from the table and walks out the door.