Through It All

THIRTY ONE

"What's the meaning of this?" Adam asks angrily as he enters the shop, the place crowded with men he has never seen before.

"Mayor Smith hired them," his father replies nonchalantly. "I am glad we have the extra help."

Adam doesn't know if he agrees. They did need the extra help, but he always thought that two or three extra pair of hands would do it, not fifteen. "Where are my designs?" he says not finding them on his desk. He shuffles all the items around, but the designs for the West Hotel project are nowhere to be seen.

"I gave them to Carl, so he could hand them out. Each man has their own piece to complete."

Adam looks around him only to find that he has nothing to do. All the work was now being done by strangers, all of it.

A month has gone by since the contract was signed, and there were no major changes in the business other than the building's expansion. The shop was now twice its original size and Adam was satisfied, more room for their projects was what they needed. There was not a single mention of the hiring of new personnel. Mayor Smith didn't tell him, his father kept it to himself, and already Adam was feeling like any other employee, instead of the man who would have eventually inherited the place if it wasn't for its purchase.

Adam decides to visit his mother. He exits through the back door and crosses the dirt road between the shop and the Lancaster house.

"Well, well, well," Martha greets teasingly. "Look who has decided to visit his mother."

"Hello Martha," Adam replies missing Martha's playful character. "Is mother around?"

Martha ignores his question. "Just because the gentleman is now a married man, he doesn't find it necessary to see his own mother. How long has it been? Five, six months?"

"Five." Adam shows himself to the drawing room leaving Martha alone with her accusing looks.

"Adam! What a surprise!" his mother says as a servant lets him in. "It's so strange to see you in here, I suppose I forgot what it was like to see my son in this house."

Not my mother too, Adam thinks as he gives his mother a quick embrace. "I'm sorry, there's has been a lot in my mind."

"Oh I know, with your father's sudden lapse of intelligence."

Adam blinks at his mother's distant tone. "Are you referring to the agreement with Mayor Smith?"

"Of course. Who in their right mind sells his grandfather's successful business? I could care less if it was the mayor or the president of the United States." She settles back down on her chair fanning herself crossly.

"I suppose he thought it a good investment," he tries to defend his father, but even he knows it's a weak excuse.

"Mayor Smith started bombarding your father with his ideas at the luncheon that your father panicked and agreed to every word. If only he had more of a spine." Adam doesn't reply. She said what he was thinking, and he felt better about himself, at least it wasn't just his biased opinion about his father. "It's too late now," continues Mrs. Lancaster. "I hope Mr. Smith knows what he's doing."

"Adam?" His father appears on the door with an annoyed look on his face. "Why are you in here? We have work to do."

"He can't visit his mother now?" Mrs. Lancaster replies before Adam can.