1.14 James
4:47 PM | Posted by
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“Is something bothering you?” Tom was staring, no, scowling at me and had been for about an hour. I asked the same question again.
“Listen, if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. But will you knock it off with the whistling?” Tom fired back and then turned his attention back to the piece he was shaping.
Whistling? I had not even noticed that I was whistling. “You have a problem with happy sounds?” I asked. Smiling, I ducked as he threw a piece of scrap wood at my head.
“There’s nothing to tell. I’m just happy.” I knew that would not satisfy him. And considering how he was the only person in at least a thousand-mile radius that knew almost all of my other secrets, I should not have been surprised.
“You take off straight after work. You’re home who knows when, but long after I’m asleep. And you know what a light sleeper I am.” Tom continues to list what he considered “unusual” behavior while I let out a snort at the words “light sleeper”.
Suddenly, Eric appeared in the doorway. “You boys ready for lunch?” he asked.
“Eric, if it’s ok with you I would like to work through lunch again and take off a bit early…” I waited for his reaction.
“No problem, James. I pretty much expect it from you now. How about you Tom? You skipping lunch too?” Tom laughed, mostly at the thought of missing a meal, I am sure. He shook his head and told Eric he would be out in a minute or two.
Our “usual” routine had been to stop for one of Alise’s lunches and take it with Eric in the front shop. Tom’s stomach was already growling 10 minutes before the front door bell rang to indicate her arrival. You could bet your life on Tom’s stomach-clock.
Eric’s departure freed Tom up to speak his mind once again.
“What a surprise. Missing lunch again. WHEN will you tell me WHAT is going on? Surely your not…” Tom began to list off various ridiculous scenarios to explain why I had not been around for the last few weeks, each of them more bizarre than the last. I suppose the truth is much less interesting than fiction, at least in Tom’s mind. To me, it seemed obvious and for that reason, I was keeping my mouth shut.
“Then it’s got to be a woman.” Tom had finished his list. I shook my head at him and chuckled what I hoped was nonchalantly.
“We went to the pub together two nights ago. Or have you already forgotten?” Yes. Two nights ago when Catherine could not sneak out to meet me at our usual spot.
Something that sounded like “hrmph” came from Tom’s closed mouth as he removed his protective gloves and went to the front shop for lunch. “Mmmmm… smells AMAZING Alise!” Tom was speaking louder than necessary. My stomach growled in response. But lunch was a small sacrifice to make. Left alone in the workshop, I allowed my mind to drift off while cutting the smaller pieces for the armoire I was building.
Catherine and I had been taking advantage of the long days for the last few weeks, but lately it was becoming obvious that winter was approaching, as the days seemed to be getting shorter and shorter.
I was not entirely sure what we would do in winter, when it would become dark before work was over. Winter was not far away.
Tom had been busy working on several easy projects for Eric while I had been painstakingly crafting the “world’s most amazing piece of furniture”, or at least that is how Jack was describing it. Jack, as he asked me to refer to him, and I had been spending a bit of time together lately. He would come by usually in the early afternoon, while Eric was out walking Alise back home. I told him that I was clear on what he wanted and that I understood how important this piece was, but he insisted on checking in on me every couple of days. After a while, I looked forward to our visits.
“Where we at today, James?” Jack would say as he limped slowly across the workshop to whatever station I was at. I always worried that he would stumble on a mislaid piece of wood or machinery but he always made his way to me in one piece.
“Not long now” was my customary response.
Jack would ask me questions about the world, as he saw me as a bit of a world traveler. I would try to tell him that traveling from my hometown to here was hardly “seeing the world” but considering his little mobility, I suppose it was all relative.
Laughter from the front shop brought my mind back to the task at hand. Tom was making sure I knew I was missing a good lunch. Eric and Alise laughed at another joke he made.
He’s really not that funny.
I smiled. They were good people and treated us well.
In fact, it had been Eric’s idea to pay me commission on the piece I was putting together for Jack. I was surprised, but he insisted that my initial sketches that had sealed the deal. I did not resist too hard. Eric’s business was doing well again, now that there were three of us to complete the projects, and with more coming in each day I suppose he wanted to make sure he kept us.
The extra money doesn’t hurt, either.
I had already decided what my plan would be. First I needed to save up enough money to move out of the inn above the pub. Then I needed to see about putting in an offer to the owner whose land Catherine and I had been frequenting.
I understood Catherine’s need for secrecy. I could not imagine that her father would approve of her running around with a man with no savings who lived above an inn. Although I had no real knowledge of her family. But then again, I was not volunteering my story either. And in that way, our arrangement was perfect. For now.
So I would accumulate all the things I had once left behind. But this time these things would represent something more to me. They represented a future. A future with her.
One small step had to be taken at a time. Next month I would have enough money to rent a small place of my own. Tom would be fine living in a single room above his favorite locale. Tonight I would meet with Catherine and we would spend the evening as we always did, sitting under our tree, talking of life, watching the stars… but for now I would continue my work on Jack’s masterpiece. After all, his sister’s wedding was scheduled for this coming spring and he wanted to make sure it was perfect long before then.
**END OF PART ONE**
**END OF PART ONE**
