Supernatural Abundance: A Journey To The Father's House (2 page)

Howard jumped out of the driver seat and opened the door for Adam.

"
You don't have to do that, Howard,
” said Adam.

"
And you didn't have to come,
" he answered, "
but here we are.
"

Adam smiled and stepped out of the car. The salty sea air, mixed with the sweet aroma of the nearby flower gardens, brought back more memories than he could count. Adam had been gone for so long that he had forgotten how much he had left behind.

Howard shut the car door and reached behind his back, "
These are for you.
" He produced a large ring of keys.
 

"
And Father?
" He asked, giving the keys a cursory look.

"
Waiting for you inside,
" Howard answered. "
Go on. I'll be just behind.
"

Adam reached out and took the keys. The ring was large enough to fit around an apple. It held over a dozen keys of every size and shape. All of the keys were unfamiliar to Adam, all except one … an old-fashioned brass key in the shape of an eagle.

When his Father built His house, the last thing He finished was the front door. After it was done, He had a special key made for each of His children. Each one was different, but they all opened the front door to His house. Adam's key had been made in the shape of an eagle. The last time he had seen it was the day he threw it into the ocean; the day he left his Father's house for good.

His heart racing, Adam took his key in hand and approached the door. There he paused a moment. He could still leave. Howard would drive him back to the airport. He wouldn't be happy about it, but he would do it. Then he wouldn't have to face his Father and all that was between them. There was still a choice. Feeling the anxiety and excitement battle within his chest, he slid the key into the lock and turned it with a deep echoing click.

The door swung open on well-oiled hinges. Adam stepped into the immaculate entryway. The room had seemed immense when he was a child; an endless cavern lined with hand carved mahogany molding and brass fixed lamps. It was not so different now. Streams of sunlight flowed down from the domed skylight, painting patterns on the hardwood floor. Even though Adam was significantly taller and older now, it was hard to resist the feeling of warmth that the room created. Everything held a hundred memories – the tall coat racks that were full during winter, as well as the shoe shelves that had held so many muddy boots and dirty sneakers. Even the echoing sound his feet made on the hardwood was as familiar as the sound of his own breath.

He turned, taking it all in, and then smacked his hand over his eyes as he saw the portrait that hung on the wall just to the right of the front door.

"
Why does he have to do that?
" Adam muttered to himself, looking at the portrait through his fingers.

Adam's Father had many children. An artist had been commissioned to paint portraits of each of them. Of course, Father had insisted that each one be done on the largest available canvas. This resulted in there not being nearly enough walls in the house to hold all of the massive portraits. Realizing this, Adam's Father had decided that He would display one of His children's portraits in the entryway. A different portrait would be displayed every day so that everyone had a chance to be shown. This way his Father would always communication that each of his children would know that they are the most important person in his house.

The portrait that hung in the entryway featured a thin-faced, freckled boy, with dark brown hair and a mischievous smile.
 

"
It has been a long time since I've seen that smile,
" Howard remarked.

Adam turned, "
What's he up to, Howard?
"

"
I'm sorry?
" Howard replied.

"
Why is he toying with me?
" Adam looked back at the portrait of his younger self.

Howard placed a hand on Adam's shoulder, letting it rest there a moment before saying, "
He's not toying with you.
"

Adam pulled away and threw the ring of keys on the ground, "
Then why the games, the notes, the keys, and this old painting? What's the point?
"

The old caretaker sighed and picked up the keys, "
I know that you and your Father did not leave each other happily. There is a deep pain separating the two of you.
" Adam rolled the ring in his hands, as if he were counting to make sure each one was still there. "
I know your Father has His own way of going about things, but I also know that all He wants is for things to be made right between the two of you.
"

Adam took in a few deep breaths, trying not to feel embarrassed by his outburst.

"
And something tells me that you want things to be made right as well,
" contorted Adam. Howard smiled, "
Let Him say the things He's been waiting to say. And let Him say it in His way. He always has reason for it.
"

Adam pinched the bridge of His nose and then rubbed his eyes. He had come this far; turning back now would be such a waste. And something deep in his heart was still desperate to see his Father again.

"
Alright, Howard.
 
I'll see what He has to say.
"
 

"
I thought you might,
" said Howard, reaching into his coat pocket and producing a small yellow envelope. "
I was told to give you this when you were ready to find your Father.
"

Adam reached out and took it, recognizing his own name written on the front in his Father's handwriting. Inside was a small note, also written by hand:

Son,

Thank you so much for deciding to come. It's been my great desire to see you face to face again. There has been much that has gone unsaid between us, too much. I hope you will indulge me a little further. There is so much that I want to say to you, but some things are better shown than told. So come find me. Howard will help you, just as he always has. Start where things always started. I'll see you soon.

Once again, that all too familiar signature sat at the bottom of the page.

"
Well, Howard,
" Adam laughed, "
in for a penny, in for a pound. Let's see what the old man has cooked up.
"

"
Indeed,
" Said Howard, holding back a chuckle.

The massive entryway led into a long and well-lit hall, lined by dozens of dark wooden doors. Each led to one of the many rooms that made up his Father’s mansion. Much of Adam's childhood had been spent running up and down these halls, chasing one of his siblings or even his Father. Adam had forgotten how much time his Father had spent playing with him. He was different from most other Father's in that respect. There was always more than enough business to take care of, but He was always quick to make time for His children.

Adam's eyes were drawn to the first door on the left, a tall piece of oak with the words carved neatly above it: "
You're Attitude Determines Your Outlook.
"

"
The Study,
" Howard said, looking at the door.

"
Oh, I remember. Every lesson, every lecture, every time a window was broken or the fine china used as hockey pucks,
" Adam answered. He laughed at the memory, "
Every important conversation started here in his study.
"
 

Adam tried the doorknob, but found it locked. He frowned for a moment, but then remembered the keys. He turned to find Howard holding the ring out in front of him.

"
Still picking up after you,
" said the old caretaker.

Adam smiled, taking the keys, "
I'll learn one day.
"

He then found a small silver key with the word "attitude" embossed across it.

"
What is it Father used to say?
" Adam asked sliding the silver key into the lock, "
'The right attitude can unlock any door!'
"

The study was a quiet place. There were no visible walls, only shelves filled to the brim with books of every size, shape, and age.
 
The sunlight poured in through ceiling-high windows, bringing even more warmth out of the antique chairs and his Father's thick oak desk. It was a place of learning and teaching, of speaking and listening.
 

Adam stepped into the room, feeling the familiar creak of floorboards beneath his feet. He spotted his Father's old globe, a massive marble ball, mounted in a polished brass frame. He gave it a spin as he walked past. A large leather bound ledger sat closed on the center of the desk. Across the cover the words "Adam's Tire Repair and Replace" were embossed in gold lettering.
 

"
He's been keeping an eye on my business?
" Adam asked, turning toward Howard.

The caretaker shrugged, "
Your Father keeps an eye on everything.
"

"
Just as well, there isn't much to see anyway,
" Adam said, sinking into the chair in front of the desk. "
Just a mediocre start followed by a slow and steady decline.
"

"
Your Father told me about the grand opening. It didn't sound mediocre.
"

Adam traced the letters on the ledger with the tip of his finger, "
He did come to that, didn't He?
"

Howard settled into the chair on the opposite side of the desk, "
It was–
"

"
It was the last time I saw Him,
" Adam interrupted. "
We didn't even speak. I didn't speak, I should say.
"

The memory was still fresh in Adam's mind. He had tied balloons and colored banners all throughout the shop. He was no interior decorator. They had been messy and tied with big ugly knots, but he was elated all the same. This was the culmination of all his hard work. His first business – the first thing he had truly done on his own. Only about a dozen people had shown up, but it felt like a thousand to him. He had even given a short speech while standing on a small stack of tires.
 

He noticed his Father just as he was finishing up his speech. He was standing at the back of the crowd, applauding as Adam stepped down from his rubber stage. Adam tried to pretend like he hadn't seen Him, but it was also hard not to stare. Why had his Father come? Was it to patronize him, or to see if Adam could handle things himself?
 
Eventually Adam found himself glaring at his Father from across the room. Finally, after what seemed like hours, his Father closed the gap.
 

He rested His hand on Adam's shoulder, but Adam shrugged it off.

"
That's alright, son,
" his Father said, looking at the rejected hand. "
I just wanted to come to congratulate you.
"

Adam tried to give an obligatory smile, but the attempt made him sick to his stomach. Without a word, he turned and marched straight to his newly built office, slamming the door behind him. He stayed there, fuming, until closing time.

"
He waited until your employees told Him they had to close.
" Howard said.

Adam snapped out of the memory, "
What?
"

"
I drove him to your shop that day,
" Howard adjusted his position in the chair. "
He waited for you to come back out until they had to lock down the building.
"

"
I felt so justified in my anger that day.
" Adam went back to tracing the letters on the ledger,
 
"
It's different looking back.
"

"
Yes?
"

"
Some of this is my fault too, I guess,
" Adam said looking up at the old caretaker. "
I've thrown away a lot of chances to make things right.
"

Howard reached across the desk and flipped open the ledger. Inside was a detailed record of every penny that came in and out of Adam's tire company. Every loan payment, every month's rent, every tire, every repair, every pack of chips sold from the vending machine … all of it. Adam flipped through the pages, just as he had so many times with his own records. In the middle of the book he found a graph outlining the profits and losses his company had undergone throughout the years. Though there were many ups and downs, his business showed a clear and steady downward trend.