Building on Dreams

Chapter 40 - New Beginnings and Old Friends

Given how much time Susan and the family had spent anticipating it, Greg couldn't believe how fast the week of Matthew's visit passed. He arrived late on Sunday evening and stayed barely a week, so the visit itself felt very short.

Everyone went to Julie's on Thursday of that week to celebrate the beginning of Passover with a special supper shared with Greg and his family. It was an interesting experience for Susan as she was treated to dishes that were traditional over this holiday for Greg's family, and she resolved to learn to make some of them to serve in their home in the future, borrowing recipes form Julie she planned to try later in the week.

On Friday evening Susan and the children went to Good Friday services at their nearby church after supper instead of observing the Sabbath as they typically did at home. It made for an interesting holiday for Greg, causing him to remember how different their experience was here at home than it was the previous year in Sydney when they'd had the Wilsons visiting in their home.

Before they knew it, it was Sunday, and almost time for Matthew to leave. He stayed long enough to attend the sunrise service with Susan, Zackary and Jessie on Easter Sunday, with the four of them arriving back at the farmhouse just as Michael came to pick him up. They said their goodbyes and he was on his way. Greg did his best to help Susan and the children celebrate Easter at home after Matthew left, just as he knew Susan would try to celebrate Passover with him during the coming week. Passover would continue that year through April 4th, though in Greg's mind April 1st was the day he was anticipating and waiting for.

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Finally however, April 1st came, the day Greg had been looking forward to nearly as eagerly as the children had been looking forward to Spring Break the week before. It was an important day in the Abernathy household. It was the anniversary of the crash. It was also the beginning of construction for their new home. It was an appropriate day, Greg thought, to make a new beginning, for so far in this life, many good things had been begun on April 1st.

While the children went off to school and Susan started work as usual on that Monday morning, Greg left the farmhouse in their SUV headed for their property in order to meet the contractor for his first day on site. Greg parked where he often did, towards the top of the hill. He got there so early, his was the first car there, and he got out, eager to look over the site one more time before everything began.

The clouds hung low over the sky, with tendrils of fog still clinging to the hill, making the lengths of the tall grasses damp. Greg walked about, taking it all in, when out at the tip of the point of the hill, directly over the cave he spotted the silhouette of a deer. He stood motionless, watching it move, grazing on the green winter grasses growing between the dried steams from summer. Gradually the creature came closer and Greg could see it was the white-socked deer.

"Hello," Greg told her through the fog that clung to the side of the hill. "I'm sorry we're about to disturb your home today, but we're going to be neighbors, you see."

The doe twitched her tail but also her ears, raising her head to watch him intently before moving off.

"Good bye," Greg said aloud while watching her go, while at that same moment the first of several cars started to arrive.

They pulled up beside his and stopped. Soon a small knot of men were collecting there, and there was no longer any sign of the deer. Greg couldn't help wondering if that would be the last time he would see her there. He was still thinking about that when his contractor, Mr. Thompson approached.

"Good morning," Greg greeted the other man.

"Good morning, Mr. Abernathy. Nice to see you here," Mr. Thompson said genuinely.