It's Monday. Today is the last day of my week. I work Thursday through Sunday at my job as a receptionist for an Assisted Living Facility. I've been working here ten years. These people, both the residents and my co-workers, have been like family to me. I've been thankful to be a part of this family, especially recently, with what I've been going through.
On my days off I usually do everthing I didn't get a chance to do during the work-week. You know the drill, shopping, bank and bills, doctors, house cleaning and laundry. I usually don't mind doing all these mundane chores, but the last few weeks have been very hard for me. On Tuesdays, bank and bills are done early at home online. Then it's house cleaning. The big stuff, you know, like cleaning the fridge, mopping the floors and washing the windows. If I have an appointment, it's off to the doctor after that. On Wednesdays I usually do the grocery shopping and then come back and start the laundry while I put away the food and prep different items for my weekly meals.
Yes, Wednesday is laundry day. Of all the chores I have to do on my days off, laundry is my least favorite. I didn't mind laundry day before. I even kind of looked forward to it because it was a chance to look at all the kids little outfits they had worn throughout the week. I would smile and think to myself "My, how they've grown". or "They'll need new underwear soon." Sometimes I would find a hidden "treasure" like a favorite leaf, rock or sometimes a private note tucked into one of the pockets. Of couse there were the times I found not so welcome items like markers with the tops off, old melted candy or smashed spiders and bugs that were"collected." I even found money over the years, some claimed, some not.
My husband, Pete, used to leave me little surprises in his pockets as well. The notes were cute. They said things like I Love You, Happy Birthday, Miss you and such. I even found earrings and a very nice diamond necklace once. I was so surprised. He said he put them there to brighten my day, and that they did. That is until I finally realized they weren't really for me at all. I found out that all the "surprises" in my husband's pockets were either from or for someone else. Each Tuesday, while I was at home paying bills and such, apparently he was out doing HIS thing with some other woman. Then on Wednesday's when I loaded laundry, I found his little reminders and trinkets that he either forgot to remove from his pockets or maybe the woman didn't want. I finally caught on when I found a note with his name on it. All the previous ones were nameless and I assumed they were for me.
On that particular Wednesday, I was loading the jeans and as I emptied pockets, I found a note that said "Pete, I can't wait to see you!" I couldn't beleive it. I held the note while remembering all the others I had found. Could I have been that naive? Had he really been having an affair right under my nose? Were there more than one? I put the note aside and figured I'd confront Pete when he got home after picking up the kids from soccer practice. I finished the laundry, made dinner and prepared myself to see if today, Wednesday, laundry day would be the end of my marriage. I already felt as though it was the end of my life as I knew it.
I called my best friend, and co-worker, Melissa, crying as I explained what I had found. She was understanding, simpythetic and offered to come over to be with me until Pete got home. I told her that I'd be ok and would call her later if I needed to. We attempted to make small talk and then my call waiting beeped. Melissa held while I took the call. When I clicked back, she knew something was wrong and said she'd be right over. I slowly sat and put my head in my hands. I cried until Melissa arrived. She let herself in and immediately came to me. "What is it, what is it?" she demanded. Through choking sobs, I asked her to take me to the hospital. Pete and our kids had been in an accident and they weren't expected to make it through the night.
We got there just in time for me to say goodbye to my family. I'll never forget the feeling and wouldn't wish it on anyone. That Wednesday, three weeks ago, laundry day, changed my life forever. And to think I was ready to end my marriage. That all seems so trivial now. Every Wednesday from then on, every laundry day from now on, I wish I could find the little hidden treasures. I ache for the rocks, quarters and other kids' trinkets that I know I'll never find again. I'd even be happy to find one of the tainted love notes, it would be better than washing only my clothing and being reminded that the kids do not need new underwear. This is why I hate laundry day. I can't bear to change the day though, I'm afraid if I lose the hurt, I'll lose the memories as well.