Chapter 14 - The Ring of Growth
By noon, the trunk of Elena’s sedan was packed. The hand-crafted drafting desk was carefully wrapped in quilted moving blankets and secured in the rear.
The autumn sun hung high in a crystalline sky, warming the golden canopy of maples that bordered the mill. Thomas Albright had brought his grandson over to help manage the timber inventory for the coming week, ensuring Marcus would not have to lift heavy lumber until his leg had fully healed.
Elena stood by her car door, holding a travel mug of fresh coffee. Marcus walked her down the gravel path, his gait noticeably smoother, aided by the sturdy ash cane he had polished that morning.
""Don't let them pour asphalt over the cobblestones on the waterfront project you mentioned,"" Marcus advised, his eyes twinkling with dry humor. ""Cobblestones breathe. Asphalt rots historic foundations.""
""I'll make sure they use reclaimed granite,"" Elena laughed, adjusting her sunglasses. She looked at him, her smile softening into profound gratitude. ""I'll be back in two weeks, Dad. I’ve already scheduled the digital inventory of the flume archives for the weekend of the eighteenth.""
Marcus nodded slowly, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling into genuine warmth. ""The guest room in the loft has fresh cedar in the wardrobe. The drafts are fixed.""
Elena leaned in and kissed his cheek. ""Take your medicine. And let Thomas do the heavy carrying.""
May you like
""Yes, boss,"" Marcus said, waving her off with an affectionate shake of his head.
As Elena backed the car down the drive and turned onto the winding forest road, she glanced in her rearview mirror. Her father was still standing by the edge of the sawmill yard, framed by the towering oaks and the rushing river, tall and rooted once more in the soil where he belonged.
