Through It All

FIVE

"So that is it then? No do you like her or anything of that sort?"

Adam nods mutely as he holds the hand scraper in his bristly hand and looks down at the wooden chair in front of him. He is almost finished; all he needs to do add the varnish and this week's order would be completed.

Daniel leans against the wall watching him work. "Sounds a lot like my marriage."

"Other than you being engaged since you were twelve, yes, it does sound a lot like your marriage," Adam replies giving him a teasing look.

"Fifteen," Daniel corrects. "Who is your betrothed? Throughout the whole conversation, you have managed to avoid saying who the lucky girl is."

"You haven't heard? I thought everyone knew by now."

Daniel shrugs. "You know how I keep away from gossip."

"You're attending the party, aren't you?"

"You mean your engagement party? Of course."

Adam runs his hands down the chair satisfied with his work. "Then you will find out who the lucky girl is then."

Daniel chuckles. "Keeping me in suspense, I see." He grabs his jacket and starts towards the door. "I will have to leave you, my father wants to have a family meeting of some sort."

Adam nods. "How is your wife? I hope she's doing well."

Daniel replies dismissively, "She's doing fine. She's happier, I think."

"Happier? She hasn't been to Lakewood to know if she's happier in New York."

"Trust me, she doesn't need to come here, I know she is happier in New York. I'd be happier in New York."

Adam chuckles as Daniel exits the carpentry. He tries hard to distract himself with his work but his mind drifts to the engagement party. He always thought of himself getting married when he was at least twenty five. There are many things he wants to do before settling with a wife. After he graduated from the university, he swore he would enjoy his youth. He even started to make plans to travel the world with his former college classmates. Getting married will only bring all this to an abrupt stop.

He stretches his throbbing back as he looks out the window thoughtfully. How come when he was at the Willis residence, these plans didn't seem to matter? It didn't even cross his mind when he sat opposite Sophia back when they were having dinner. In fact, Sophia was a very pretty woman once he saw her up close. Her soft blue eyes spoke volumes even when her shy demeanor didn't. Adam saw everything he had failed to see at that Christmas party. Her beauty, her thin and small body hidden under her great gown, her gracious and charismatic behavior, all this he saw in the two hours he remained at the Willis residence. Of course he couldn't help himself from comparing her to Lucia. He had the pleasure to be accompanied by the woman every man in Lakewood want, and yet his eyes seem to always drift to her sister, to his fiancé.

"Thinking of how your life has been ruined?" he heard his father say, he hadn't noticed when he entered the room.

Adam clears his throat. "Not exactly," he admits.

His father laughs and positions himself on the same chair Adam was finishing. "Are you excited for tonight?"

"Father, can we perhaps, wait for a couple of years for this marriage?" It took him a lot of strength to finally ask his father.

"Why? Did you not like your fiancé?"

"It's not that, it has nothing to do with Miss Willis. I just see how I absolutely not have a say in this matter, perhaps I can at least, decide when this marriage is going to take place."