Building on Dreams

Chapter 37 - Exploring a Cave

Greg felt like a boy again by the time he arrived home. He got there in plenty of time for supper and to practice their Hebrew lessons with the family as they'd planned, but as often happened during the school days in his youth when some grand adventure awaited him after school hours, he found it difficult to concentrate on his flashcards very well during supper.

Later that evening while Susan was cleaning up the kitchen and the children were watching TV, Greg made phone calls to people he hadn't talked to in quite a while to arrange for favors and took time out to run a mysterious errand outside the house before returning and announcing to Susan and the children that after services on Saturday morning, he would be spending the afternoon unexpectedly with Neil, his step-son by his second wife.

"Is that alright?" Greg asked. "Or will you need the car?"

"Jessie and Zack's games are in the morning, so that should be okay if you can drop us off at the park before you go and pick us up after. But I will need the car on Sunday to take Zackary to the airport. Remember, he'll be at Michael's this coming week."

"When does he get back?" Greg wondered.

"Next Friday. He didn't want to miss his games next Saturday, and also there's our dinner with Richard and Marion that evening he wanted to be here for," Susan told him. "But that means I'll be away at suppertime on Friday evening."

Greg nodded. "It can't be helped, Susan. I'm sure the Lord will understand."

"Probably," Susan agreed. "So what are you doing with Neil?" Susan asked curiously looking surprised.

"Going on an adventure," Greg answered honestly. "The opportunity arose through a friend of mine and I thought of Neil immediately. Zackary is still too young for what my friend has in mind. Neil is precisely the right age, plus it is the sort of activity he enjoys. I've spent very little time with him since our return, so I thought this might be a good opportunity to correct that."

"I don't know what you're doing, but I'm glad you found a way to involve him," Susan told him.

"Will you be okay on your own with the children?" Greg asked anxiously.

"We'll be fine. The park where they are playing is the one near the YMCA where we went for swimming lessons last fall. We can have lunch at the café near there afterwards. You can join us there after services, if you like and give us a ride home before you go?" Susan suggested.

"I was planning to attend the early service then meet Neil somewhere afterwards," Greg told her. "But we could swing by to give you a ride. Who knows, you might even get there before you do."

"You just may," Susan agreed, though privately she didn't think so.

c

Saturday came and Greg spent the early hours as he intended, attending services and getting ready to meet his stepson before going by the café to give Susan and the children a ride home. He and Neil made small talk until they left the farmhouse, then Greg described what he had in mind to his step-son as they drove up into the hills.

"Sure, I can do that," Neil agreed. "The last trip I made to do any spelunking was last summer, but this sounds fun. Do you have any idea how big it is?"

"None. It is a wild cave, I believe they call it," Greg told him. "Have you brought your equipment?"

"I have, though you'll probably want to install something better if you're going to keep going in there," Neil cautioned.

"We will, just as soon as we understand what exactly we are dealing with," Greg told him.

Together after lunch, they drove to the property near the entrance to the excavator's tunnel and parked in the newly flattened area created by the tailings. Two cars were already there.