Through It All

THIRTY ONE

"Not during business hours."

Mrs. Lancaster stands calmly. "Have you ever thought that having all these new employees leaves you with nothing to do?"

"I wouldn't pry if I were you, since you obviously don't know anything," he replies flatly.

"She's right," Adam finds himself saying. "I couldn't find my designs for the West Hotel and as far as I know, that is all we are focusing on. You gave them to everyone else and I was left empty handed."

"Then you find something to do!" his father exclaims.

Adam closes his eyes slowly trying to not raise his voice. "I wanted to see my mother. I'll be there in a second."

Satisfied with his answer Mr. Lancaster Sr. leaves the room.

Adam turns to his mother. "Forgive me, I supposed I have to leave now."

His mother gives him a smile. "Don't you worry. I'm glad you stopped by."

As Adam steps out he finds John brushing Jesse's long mane as he hums to himself. Adam smiles and walks up behind him, John turns to him for a second then turns his attention back to the horse.

Adam pets the horse's strong side. "It's strange, it's like he already knows you."

"He does," John replies confidently. "Sophia lets me ride him every Friday."

Adam smiles again, no one informed him of John's weekly visits but he couldn't be happier, assuring him that Sophia will be a great mother. "She does? That's good for Jesse, he likes your company."

"You think so?" he ask. Jesse nudges him with his nose in reply.

"See?"

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The next three hours were hell. He met all twelve new employees, all of them from other towns he hasn't even heard of. They were professionals though, which is what mattered when it came to the shop. It's for the better, he kept telling himself as he kept trying to make something only to find his tools missing or his plans misplaced, or his ideas stolen.

"Pardon me," one of the men whose name he forgot, bumps his shoulder strongly sending a painful twinge down his shoulder. Adam bites his tongue trying to distract his anger. What was the mayor's plan? Push the Lancaster's aside and keep the shop all for himself?

"I can't," he whispers to himself. Nothing's the same, nothing will ever be the same. He was content with just being him and his father, even though his relationship with his father is now tarnished, he misses the silence where the only sound being heard was the sound of sandpaper against wood.

"Whoa!" comes a rough man's voice. Adam turns abruptly and finds his wife standing in the entrance tacitly. Adam rushes to her side thankful that it was lunch time and he could actually spend time with someone he cared about.

"Whose pretty lady is this?" says the same rough voice. Adam realizes that the place went completely silence and he looks around the room, he finds every male watching her as if she was the first woman they set their eyes on.

"Ready?" he asks her ignoring the room full of hungry men.

She nods clearly uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he says once their out the door.

Sophia lets out a laugh surprising him. "Why were there so many people in there?"

"Well, Mayor Smith thought it convenient to hire more carpenters."

"And is it?"

Adam looks back to the shop not able to recognize it anymore. "I really don't know."

He hears the door from across the street open followed by an excited shriek. His mother runs to embrace Sophia, Adam watches her curiously. He has never seen his mother being so affectionate with anyone that weren't her sons.

"I was just thinking about you!" Mrs. Lancaster says excitedly. "John asked me to ask you if he could mind your horses. Nothing too difficult, of course, he's just a boy, but he seems so much happier now that he sees you every Friday. If he could stop by for an hour or two after his classes..." she stops abruptly and scrutinizes Sophia as if seeing her with new eyes. "You're glowing," she notes quietly.

Sophia starts blushing. "Am I?"

Adam watches his mother as she studies Sophia from head to toes. "Have you gained a bit of weight? Oh my God..." she gasps. "Are you expecting?"

Sophia doesn't speak, she doesn't have to. In seconds, she's back in her mother in law's arms.

"Why didn't you mention it?" Mrs. Lancaster chides her son.

"Forgive me, I suppose I forgot," he replies teasingly.

She gives him a look feigning anger but a smile reemerges. "I'm going to be a grandmother!" she says gleefully.

For that second Adam forgets all about the frightening changes happening at the shop, and looks forward to the changes happening in his home.

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The day comes to a slow end, Adam sat on his desk for the two hours making simple sketches for the baby's room. The room he decided would be made since the house was under construction, the room that remained empty since they moved in.

Grabbing his jacket from his chair, he decides to head home. He had nothing else to do, he had time in his hands and he preferred to spend it with his wife.

Without a word to anyone, not his father, nor he's new coworkers, he heads out and climbs on Jesse and in a steady pace, starts towards the outskirts of Lakewood.

The empty streets lets his mind wonder. Thinking about his future, letting the fact that he was going to be a father sink in. A father. He was going to be a boy's or a girl's father. There's going to be a child in his house, and he or she will have Sophia's kindness and caring personality. He smiles to himself, having a human being for their own scares him but it energizes him as well. How are things going to change.

In the distance, he sees a girl running down the road, Adam recognizes her immediately. The distress on her face makes his blood run cold. He urges Jesse to run and as he catches up to Lily, she exclaims breathlessly, "It's Mrs. Lancaster! There's an intruder in the house...She needs help fast!"

Adam has no time to think. "Go to the police,"he manages to say as his horse sprints down the road. Faster, he tells himself,his worst fears emerging from deep within him. Sophia, the baby, they need him and he needs to go faster.