Seth took some time off work to do the logging and true up the logs for the house addition. He also repaired the two smaller buildings they were going to use for their animals. He helped them place the logs for the walls of the house addition and get the roof on. It took them almost 4 months of part time work to get the rough structure for the addition completed. Of course they didn’t work on the construction every day. They had to take time out for the garden and other farming chores. No work was done in the mine. Seth had only worked on the dust three or four days during that time. He did get another ounce or two of dust and small nuggets however.
After the new addition was framed in Seth began working on his own projects while the women did most of the finish work on the house. He did help them with jobs that required more people or his strength and knowledge however. By the time they noticed ice forming on the water left outside overnight they had the new house completed. It was not pretty by any means. It looked like what it was—an old log building that had been almost doubled in size by adding on another log addition. It was weather tight and well insulated however. They had splurged and installed modern double pane windows and had purchased a large new, efficient wood stove for heat. All three were as proud of their new home as if it was a large mansion in the ritzy part of town. They had purchased a large deep freeze and filled it with food from their garden and meat from their herds.
They had furnished the new house with second hand furniture purchased from yard sales and second hand stores. Their only extravagance that way was a brand new king sized pillow top bed.
The week of Thanksgiving on Monday evening Seth and the women were sitting on the porch relaxing. It was just dusk and cool enough they were thinking about going inside when he first heard, then saw a newer F250 Super Crew truck coming up their road. This was the first uninvited visit he could remember in the little over two years he had lived here.
For some reason Seth felt his anger surge. He was sure the driver was one of those assholes that thought no trespassing and private property signs were meant for everyone but them. His eyes were flashing in anger. He stood and moved out into the drive to meet and give the driver a piece of his mind. The sun glared off the tinted windows just enough he could not see the occupants of the vehicle well. The vehicle stopped and the engine was turned off. Seth set himself as he watched the door on each side open.
Tasha and Charity stood on the porch watching. All at once Seth was almost running toward the truck. He headed toward the woman who had exited the passenger side. When he got there they heard him yell, “MOM,” just before he wrapped the older woman in his arms. He picked her up and twirled her around before setting her back down on her feet. By then the man who had been driving had walked up beside Seth. Seth turned and wrapped him in his arms for a moment.
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