“I told you that I was going to take some time off when the baby came, Frank,” Harold said. “At least a week maybe more. I was gone eight days. It’s not like you need my help.”
“The principle of the thing,” Reznicek grumbled again. “Welcome back.”
“It’s good to be back,” Harold said. “I liked being home with Ellie and the baby but we need money coming in.”
“You’ll get paid in full,” Reznicek muttered, barely audible. Harold heard him but ignored him, not wanting to somehow start a fight or something. Reznicek pushed himself away from his work table and began shuffling through the store. “I’m closing up shop,” he said as he walked by Harold.
Harold heard this, too, but ignored him, not wanting to somehow start a fight or something. He would say something later.
Martin was out making deliveries. His next stop was the apartment of Leland Decker. He found the complex and began hunting down the apartment. When he found it, he knocked softly. He always did this just in case there were babies or little kids sleeping. He heard a scream come from the apartment and knocked again, loudly.
“Oh, thank God,” a woman’s voice came from inside. “Please come in.”
Martin walked in and saw a very pregnant woman lying on the floor, her head propped up against the couch, legs splayed out and no pants on. Martin immediately gasped and turned his head. “Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am. I thought you said to come in.”
“I did,” she panted. “I’m going into labor. I’m been screaming for nearly thirty minutes. You’re the first one to hear me. I can’t hold this in anymore.”
“Uh, well, where’s your husband?”
“Boyfriend, and he ran off a month or so ago. What do you have there?” she nodded at the package Martin was holding.
“Uh, Mr. Decker brought in his watch to be repaired. I was delivering it to him.”
“Keep it,” she tried to chuckle. “He’s not coming back for it. Just like he’s not coming back for me or our baby. Can you help deliver a baby?”
Martin had helped his mom deliver his baby sister and had seen plenty of babies being born in the poor neighborhood he lived in but he didn’t know if he could do it on his own with no guidance. He shrugged. “I can certainly try. I know a lot of it is automatic. Nature knows what to do. Should I call an ambulance, ma’am?”
“Please, call me Angela. We’re going to get pretty acquainted here in a few minutes,” Angela tried chuckling again but it turned into a moan.
“I’m Martin Hogue. Pleased to meet you.”
“Angela Matney,” she then winced in pain. “You better go wash your hands, I don’t think it’ll wait any longer.”
Martin went into the kitchen area of the apartment and called 911 before washing his hands and preparing himself for delivering a baby. Both Martin and Angela thanked God that it was an easy delivery, there were no problems, nothing went wrong. Paramedics arrived shortly after the baby came out and were able to finish things up and take Angela to the hospital.
“Wait, wait,” Angela called out as she was wheeled out of the apartment. “Martin, thank you. When I get back here, maybe you can stop by and I can repay you with lunch or dinner sometime.”
“No payment is necessary but I’ll keep that in mind,” Martin smiled. “You and that baby come home soon.”
Angela was wheeled out of the apartment and down the stairs. Martin picked up the watch he was there to deliver and took it with him as he left.
Harold’s work day was just about over. “What was that about closing up shop?”
“Just that. I’m closing up,” Reznicek said.
“When? What about me? What about Martin? Did you think about us when you made this decision?”
“Of course I did. I was going to ask if you’d want to take over the shop. You could even train Martin on how to fix stuff and get a new delivery boy. It’d be your shop, you can do what you want with it.”
“Really?” Harold was stunned. “Why didn’t you say that? Why didn’t you just say you were thinking of handing the shop over to me?”
“I’m not one to get all emotional,” Reznicek grumbled. “So you want it?”
“Yeah, of course. I’ve loved working here and I’m good at it. I would be honored to continue your tradition.”
“Okay, we’ll talk about it more in the coming days. You still have fifteen minutes before you’re off so get back to work.”
The collapsed warehouse was going to become Lucius’ first major upgrade for his ward. He wasn’t sure if it going to be the new home for beautiful apartments and lofts or a hotel and casino. He’d decide when all the rubble was removed and he could see what deals he could get for each. “How’s the clean-up coming, Conrad?” Lucius asked.
“It’s going fine, sir. There are no salvageable parts of the old warehouse and most of it has wound up in a now-flooded basement that is currently being drained. It’ll be about a month before this lot is cleaned out.”
“That’s fine. So glad that Time Man was able to hasten the owner’s decision to sell this property,” Lucius smiled.
“Mr. Goebel, Mr. Goebel. We found something that you have to see,” a worker ran up to Lucius and Conrad. “We think it’s a body,” he whispered.
Lucius looked at Conrad. “Show me.”
Lucius and Conrad peered over the edge of a part of the basement that wasn’t flooded. A massive pile of rubble had just been removed exposing the still body. Neither of them knew what they were looking at at the moment but the forgotten golem had been found.
