“Are you okay now?What happened?Are you—”
“Not now.”Cujo leaned back in the chair, rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.He didn’t come here to talk about his cancer.“How did you end up doing what you’re doing?Whateverit is.”
“I enrolled at Boston University, threw myself into my Environmental Analysis and Policy degree.When I focused on academics, I couldn’t think about you.When I did, I’d find myself at a travel agent’s trying to find a way back to you.While I was in school, the Exxon Valdez environmental disaster happened—you know, the supertanker that ran aground in Alaska.It bothered me that no one was holding these super-companies accountable.I worried what kind of world I’d be leaving you, leaving my grandchildren.After I graduated, I realized what I needed to do.”
The story sounded much like Drea’s, except Drea had stayed.She’d put her own needs second to her mom’s and made the best of life.She hadn’t bailed on her family.
“So why didn’t you come home?”
“I headed for Capitol Hill.I was ready to change the world, one environmental policy at a time, so I networked the crap out of that place.I met with every member of BU’s alumni, contacted Clay Shaw, who stood for Florida in the House of Representatives, even though he was a Republican.”She laughed at her own joke.
She was no longer crying.The tears had stopped.She was confident, like all the bumps were simply that.Obstacles to be overcome.
What the fuck?Was she even sorry?Cujo squeezed Drea’s hand.“I think we should go.”
“What?Wait, please.Let me explain,” Evelyn begged.
“Why, so you can tell me your life story.I asked why you didn’t come home, and you tell me about your first job.”
“I’m trying to tell you what I did, Brody, because I want you to be proud of me.I gave up our family for a bigger cause.”
“Well you don’t need to make it sound so fucking easy.”Cujo stood and shoved the chair out of the way.
***
“Easy?You think my choice waseasy?You have no idea.I left my children behind,” Evelyn sobbed.“My body ached for you.Every day.But I knew the path my life was going to take me would put you at risk.You want to hear I regret it?Of course I do.But by the time I realized that, it was too late.You were grown.”
The pain in Evelyn’s words cut through Drea, but it was Cujo she was concerned about.He held her gaze, his eyes brimming with torment.She held out her hand and nodded her head.He straightened the chair and sat again, before gripping her hand in his.
“You end up working in Washington, then?”Drea asked Evelyn.
Evelyn took a deep breath and smoothed a hand over her hair.It was a tic of Cujo’s, and in spite of the heartbreaking conversation, she smiled.
“Kind of.I met with a man who worked for an advocacy group.An environmental group with significant funding.We talked about how environmental lawmaking had stagnated.”She turned to look at Cujo, her eyes piercing his with excitement.“Did you know that in the nineteen-seventies, all the major environmental legislations and amendments were passed?The Clean Air Act.The Clean Water Act.Even the Endangered Species Act.It’s true.”She nodded at him.“Oh, people argue that the U.S.is leading the charge, but in reality, we tweak them every now and then.We haven’t been as progressive as we should.”
The moment reminded her of watchingTitanic.Even though she’d known the story, she’d found herself wishing for a different ending.She didn’t like where this was heading.It was way out of their league.
“Anyway, I took the job.Shit happened.Clinton and Gore got in.They preached environment, but Clinton was more focused on the ratification and signing of the NAFTA agreement.Lobbying was still painfully slow.The Republicans took control of the house.And there was a huge gap in how companies viewed environmentalism.I wanted to change that.”
“So how did you get from there to here?”Cujo asked, leaning forward in his seat.Drea rubbed circles on his back.
“Well, if you can’t get information from the outside, then sometimes you need to get it from the inside.”
Had she really been inside of Cleffan?“So what are you then?A spy or some kind of whistleblower?”
“Of sorts.I was trying to find out what Cleffan’s expansion plans were for the Everglades, and a shale gas operation in Alabama.”
Of sorts.What the fuck did that mean?“What did you do?”
“I started work as a personal assistant to Elroy King, Cleffan’s head of security.”
Elroy King.The man she’d seen outside Henderson’s suite at the hotel, and the man they witnessed talking with the governor.
“Did he find out who you really were?”Cujo stood and started to pace.
“Yes he did.Don gave me up.”Evelyn looked up at Cujo.
Of all the things Drea had been expecting Evelyn to say, that was not it.She remembered the night at the hospital when she and Cujo had fought over whether to call Don.Had Cujo been right?Was Don the bad guy?
