Life Changes (standard:drama, 5765 words)
Author: Hopes	Added: Jan 16 2003	Views/Reads: 3372/2818	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
David's life as a bachelor changes drastically when he is called upon to fulfill his duty as godfather.

LIFE  CHANGES By Hopes 

“You two are in serious trouble!”  They had heard these words before,
but never with such vehemence.  This time they ran to their room like 
co-conspirators and waited nervously. 

*   *   *   *   *   * 

David was not married and thus didn't expect to be raising kids any time
soon unless the ‘right one' came into his world.  That wasn't likely.  
His work as an explosive expert involved extensive travel around the 
country at a moments notice.  Often he was sent to teach classes or 
give presentations on new techniques.  It was a lot of responsibility 
for one as young as he, but he loved it.  As technical as it could be, 
it just made sense and came natural to him.  This was the reason he had 
advanced so quickly to become one of the top ten experts in the 
country.  Few people, much less women, could handle his schedule or the 
stress involved.  It wasn't stressful to him, it was a challenge and 
almost fun.  He could understand though, how hard it would be to deal 
with on a regular basis for a wife.  His mom handled it pretty well, 
although he could hear her sigh of relief each time he called her after 
returning from an episode.  When that is, she knew what he was doing.  
Luckily, he traveled enough that she didn't always know when he was 
working rather than speaking. 

For some years he had lived with his parents since college his master's
training.  They still had the home he grew up in and with only his 
younger brother at home now, there was plenty of room.  His mom was 
happy to have him back after six years away even though she knew he 
would eventually move on to his own place.  She had secretly hoped that 
it would be through marriage he moved out.  Three years ago he had 
bought this rather large two story older home for himself out on the 
edge of town.  With it came several acres around it to ensure privacy.  
It looked a lot like his grandparents farmhouse, which he had loved.  
Everyone asked him why he bought such a large place for one person as 
well as one that would need lots of upkeep with all that woodwork and 
hardwood floors.  It even had an attic.  He loved it.  Woodworking was 
his hobby and it relaxed him to work around the house.   His brothers 
had given him a hand from time to time and his sister had helped 
selecting furniture that would fit naturally into the old style house.  
He knew what he liked when he saw it, but had trouble shopping for it. 

He had fixed up the kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom and one
bedroom before moving in.  That was most of the first floor.  There was 
another room across the hall from the bedroom that he used as a storage 
room.  The staircase was great.  It started near the front door and 
arrived about the middle of the second floor.  There was a solid oak 
wall around the opening.  The steps were nice and wide with plenty of 
foot room on each one, not like the skinny modern steps.  There was a 
strong solid oak banister all the way up.  Upstairs were two rooms on 
the left, a large bathroom at the end of the hall and a suite on the 
right.  That would eventually be his ‘sanctuary'.  There was a large 
bedroom with double doors opening into what could become a sitting room 
or a study, maybe a bit of both. 

The extra room downstairs would be a library, for he loved books.  If
one came into his possession, it rarely left.  He even had a section 
for his own childhood books.  Those, that is, that survived the 
numerous readings he gave them.  Books were his friends and he treated 
them as such.  David's taste was not limited to one or two areas, but 
enjoyed many types, especially history, biographies and historical 
fiction.  There would be a reference section, a Biblical section, 
informational and paperback sections. 

The first year projects were the stairway, upper bath and library.  Part
of the bath had been done when the lower bath was restored.  Both had 
the old claw leg tubs and a shower.  He made the bookcases himself and 
attached them to the walls. 

The second year he began on his suite.  The excitement was almost like a
kid building the perfect clubhouse.  All his favorite quirks were 
allowed here whether conventional or not.  It was HIS hideaway. 

The third year saw the other two rooms finished upstairs.  They were
done simply, but had no furniture.    Most of his family lived nearby 


Click here to read the rest of this story (463 more lines)