Ethel Goldwyn took in her daughter's words and thought about it for a few seconds.
"She recalled her daughter telling her what her son-in-law had said in response to her looking for a job," and knew that it would only fuel the already burning embers.
"The situation, however, called for a step in the right direction, the little money she had saved away was what she had given to her daughter to meet the urgent needs of the little ones."
Since losing her husband to the cruel hands of death several years ago, at the insistence of her son-in-law she had sold off the family business, and, moved to their home.
"Things are different now," she thought, sighing deeply. "Yes, helping your husband should be the next best thing for you to do but I fear it would not end well," she reminded her daughter.
"Mum, you know as well as I do that he no longer has any money. Did I tell you that whatever money he received from his debtors he has had to use to settle his clients?" Lindsay confessed.
"Oh my God. I had no idea, I simply thought that he stopped you from looking for work because he was expecting funds," Ethel replied.
At the look of frustration on her daughter's face, she knew that, "indeed there was only one way out of it and that was for her daughter to get busy."
She stared at her daughter, taking in her petite frame much like hers. "She wasn't as delicate as she looked. Her Lindsay had potential."
She was born a twin, her second who followed a few seconds after her was called Loraine, they were also best friends and distance did not get in the way.
"They were almost identical twins, both were blondes and hazel-eyed but Lindsay was a honey-blonde and the prettiest of the two.
She was also curvier and smiled a lot more. She had a sunny disposition right from birth and as she grew older, loved to to study and to master new things.
"Come over here dear and sit next to me, I can see just how upset you are," she extended her right hand and drew her daughter close.
When they were both seated she said, "You are a mother and a wife, I know that you only want what's best for your home but how do we get Rex to understand?"
"Without any doubt, she knew that Lindsay would do well running her own business but without a start-up capital, she would need to earn money from a 9-5 job first," she reasoned.
"At this point I am ready to look for a job without his consent, I have three kids to take care of and you. Please don't tell me not to worry about you," her daughter countered.
"You know that he has ignored the home since this problem started more than two years ago. Didn't you see how he neglected Matt even after I told him about the sudden illness?" Lindsay continued, her voice stern.
"You are right on all counts dearest. So when do you intend to start looking? I am glad the schools are on holiday, this will avail you enough time before resumption," Ethel said.
"I will speak with a few people from the church in the morning and other acquaintances. I already updated my c-v just before the incident with Matt," her daughter replied, standing to her feet.
"As for trying to convince him, don't bother yourself again mum, you have tried your best. I just need time to run things through my mind and also speak with Loraine." Her daughter said with a note of finality before leaning over to kiss her mother on the left cheek.
Ethel reached out her hands and straightened Lindsay's tussled honey-blonde tresses,then bade her goodnight.
She sat staring at the door long after her daughter had shut the door after herself and recalled how submissive Lindsay had been to Rex all these years.
She and Rex Michaels met at a church function. He had been invited to grace the youth week as a worthwhile financial contributor to the church.
Lindsay, who had a masters in business administration at the young age of 24 was an inspiration to the youths and had been one of the speakers.
One thing led to another then she and Rex, madly in love with each other, were married a year later.
Now ten years later at 35, and never worked since she became Mrs Lindsay Michaels, she knew that her daughter still had a lot of work cut out for her.
"Tonight, however, she saw a determined young woman. From the timid and devoted full-time housewife, was a fiercely protective mother and daughter ready to fend for her loved ones," Ethel realized.
"Her son-in-law had been very generous to all and sundry, it was almost as if he wanted to be the answer to everyone's problems."
"Why did bad things happen to good people?" she had heard such words spoken out several times and now knew why such questions were asked time and time again."
"What she couldn't understand though, was his refusal to allow his wife help out now that he was in trouble?"
"Her late husband was as stubborn as they came, and being a certified country bum didn't make it any easier tempering his ego but he knew when he needed help," she recalled.
Unsettled about the situation, Ethel left her seat and decided she was going out to the garden. She stared at the wall clock and saw that it was ten o'clock.
"Thank God, this neighborhood is well secured," she thought to herself as she opened her room door and went gingerly down to stairs.
"The well tended flowers with their unique fragrance help calm her frayed nerves oftentimes."
Ethel was already in the center of the garden when she saw the familiar figure of Rex Michaels making his way unsteadily towards the house.