“Yeah… yeah it is Eric! What in the world is he doing here?” William said with confusion.
Even though Eric was Nate’s brother, he was older, by a few years and Nate always looked up to Eric like he was a second father to him. In fact, from what Nate could even tell, Eric never acted like a brother… he always acted like dad had acted with him. Though it was strange to see Eric there ahead of them when he was supposed to be living at home with their mother. Even though he was twenty and Nate was eighteen… unlike in that very real dream… Eric was still being coddled by their mother. If Nate was right, however, that no longer was the case and somehow she knew to send Eric to Moon Lake. Getting out of the car, William and Nate ran toward Eric as Eric ran to his family members, meeting up halfway and embracing in a big three way hug.
“I am so happy to see you guys made it! Mom said you guys were moving to Moon Lake and she said that you both wanted me to live here, with you.” Eric said with a big, happy smile as he continued to embrace his family.
“Um… what exactly did Martha tell you?” William asked sternly, planting his left foot out slightly from his right with his arms crossed over one another.
“All she told me was that you got a new job here, that you and Nate were moving here and that was it. Though…” Eric said as his demeanor went from happy to upset very quickly. “sh-she told me that she didn’t want me anymore! She said I had to go live with you and Nate. She told me that I reminded her about you and wanted nothing to do with me because of that!” He said between weeps and sobs as he burrowed his face into his father’s chest.
Immediately, when William hear those words and seeing his son cry, he was infuriated and rage filled every fiber of his being at that time. “That bitch! How could she say or do something like this?!”
Nate grasped his father’s arm, rubbing it gently to try and calm the man down, but no matter what he did nothing seemed to work. Not only was he angry, but he was more worried about what they were going to do. They had only planned on living in a two bedroom townhouse and there wasn’t going to be enough for a third. To spring something like this on him and his two sons, William wanted to kill her with his bare hands.
Having been witness to the whole altercation, Samantha… the town chancellor… rushed up to the trio and interjected herself into the issue. She was a tall, brunette with a healthy complexion that was slightly tanned and an athletic build to her. As Nate thought about it, he looked at and paid closer attention to everyone in the welcoming party and they were all like Samantha. It didn’t really seem odd to him because of the dream, but he still didn’t know if the townsfolk were as they were in his dream.
“If I may William Anderson, I am Samantha… the town chancellor… and we all wanted to bid you a fond welcome into our moderate sized community, but it seems there is a bit of an unexpected problem. Due to the job that you have moved here to take on, we are more than willing to accommodate your needs with a three bedroom dwelling. However, at the moment, we have none available to house you. If you would be willing to wait for a new housing unit to be completed, as we do have several that will be ready to move into in the month, everything can be worked out. Though, as I am sure you are more than aware, you will have to share a room with your son. Knowing all of the layouts for the housing here, I can say there is more than enough room for you and your son in the master bedroom. Do… do you find these terms acceptable?”
Listening to her words, Nate could see the cogs turning in his father’s mind and he soon opened his mouth to provide her an answer, which was: