It was hours and a few dozen bruises later that the three men headed into the warmth of the forge as the winds began to pick up outside, sending snow swirling and drifting.\u00a0 Their audience had grown and shrank as time passed, as the others began to get cold or finished up what they were doing and took a break to see what was going on up on the hill.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou had more aggression to work through than I thought you would,\u201d J.T. told Thom as the trio got settled inside.\u00a0 Matt headed for his anvil while J.T. stepped over to the bellows.\u00a0 Thom took a seat near the jury-rigged grinding stone, stretching cold, sore muscles that were already protesting the paces he\u2019d put himself through.\u00a0 \u201cSomething come up that we should be aware of?\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom shook his head, reclaiming his sketchbook.\u00a0 \u201cNot really.\u00a0 Just frustrated in the middle of working on something for Marin and the baby is all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt raised a brow as he rubbed warmth back into his fingers.\u00a0 \u201cAnything we can help out with?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d planned on enlisting a little help from the two of you, yes.\u201d\u00a0 Thom sighed and turned up the lamp\u2019s wick, flooding the space with light as the once-dim flame flared brighter with the addition of more fuel.\u00a0 \u201cHoping that whatever I manage to design won\u2019t be beyond my ability to create.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell are you working on, Thom?\u201d\u00a0 J.T. began to work the bellows, starting to bring the coals back up to temperature again so Matt could get back to work.\u00a0 \u201cSounds like you\u2019re trying to design something ridiculously complex.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom smiled faintly.\u00a0 \u201cNot complex, just special.\u00a0 I\u2019m designing a cradle.\u00a0 I just hope that I can build it without hurting myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI fail to see how that would be beyond your abilities,\u201d Matt said, picking up his hammer and a pair of tongs.\u00a0 \u201cHell, you figured out how to give us radiant heat down there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this was an engineering problem, I doubt I\u2019d be having this much difficulty.\u00a0 It\u2019s design.\u201d\u00a0 Thom sighed, staring at the cover of his sketchbook.\u00a0 \u201cNothing seems right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you build it for my sister and that baby, Thom, it doesn\u2019t matter what it looks like.\u201d \u00a0Matt smiled lopsidedly.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope you\u2019re right,\u201d Thom said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cGod, do I ever<\/i> hope you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It was hours and a few dozen bruises later that the three men headed into the warmth of the forge as the winds began to pick up outside, sending snow swirling and drifting.\u00a0 Their audience had grown and shrank as … Continue reading