June 26th 2022

Chapter 177
Our Days of Construction

The day they had torn down the fence had been an emotional one. Not everyone who worked there or spent time there in any way had been present or directly connected to the ranch and its people on the night of the old structure's destruction, but several of them were. Others had family members who were, and others had no connection except that they were now of the ranch and for that they knew its history, right down to this spot right there. Here was where Simon Sullivan had given his life, rescuing horses from a burning stable about to collapse. To some, the name might have only been familiar for being inscribed over the archive's front, but they always made sure, if they could, to catch them up on who this man had been.

Already by that point, the unearthed box of treasures – with its updated contents – had been returned to where it had been found. The construction crew had been made aware of its presence, so that it would be left alone, where it belonged, as they moved forward. Since then, the long abandoned plot of land had disappeared under the beginnings of what would become the Friars' Dog Retreat. They had decided on the name as a matter of acknowledging things as they were, mainly that, while the property at large was and would remain Sullivan Stables, and Lucas and all but one of his daughters very much had that Sullivan lineage in their blood, they were the Friars. They were and would continue to be as lasting and influential of a legacy here as the Sullivans had been when they had opened the ranch. So, for that, it was only right that their name appear somewhere, and this being a project instigated by Lucas and Ella…

Even as he had been busy with the summer campers, their arrival and then their presence at the ranch, Lucas had been looking in on the construction process, which in turn meant spending time with his family. Maya and the girls had been out here nearly every single day, very specifically near the site. They were all kept at a safe distance, obviously, but they were a captive audience, or at least the triplets were. It had just been a funny thing at first, how fascinated they were with how the building was being built, but then even when they'd been at home, they had wanted to see the 'doggy house.' So, Maya had taken them back again… and again… and again, until every day was a question of 'do we go or not?' And most days it was a yes.

It wasn't a bad activity for them, was it? They'd get to be at the ranch, which for the likes of them was as good as an extension to being home. They had people there who were like family to them, and even if she didn't care to watch the building people as much as her little sisters, Marianne would have plenty to keep her happily entertained around here. There would always be someone to call her up and ask if she wanted to join them in some activity or another, and she would look to her mother with big 'mommy, can I?' eyes before being given the much hoped for go ahead. Maya would have Mackenzie with her, and spending hours on end in a place like Sullivan Stables, even in the midst of construction noises, uninterrupted hours with her baby girl… It was as good as any vacation spot she could think of. Her creative centers seemed to enjoy it, too, if the pages of her pocket notebook were any indication. She'd been spending some time at the Hex nearly every night after they'd be home again and the girls would be asleep, sometimes joined by Lucas, as she tried to bring the day's lyrics or harmonies from her mind and pages into sound.

It was right at the ranch where she'd worked out this year's anniversary song for them. Eight years now… Eight years since they'd been married, right here at the ranch, under the big tree. By now it felt a lot less like going 'I can't believe it's been that long' and more like taking note of and being thankful for all those years past, looking forward to the new one just beginning.

"Mama! Mama!"

"Yeah, bun?" Maya turned her eyes from the baby – who she was trying to soothe from a fussy moment – to the three girls sitting just in front of her. They were in what had become comically/affectionately called the 'junior supervisors' corner' by the work crew, their safe space for observation. How they managed to hold all three girls to those rules so much of the time was sometimes beyond them. Kacey and Remy were still looking on, like here was their favorite TV show, but Lucy's attention had been diverted when she'd seen something out of the corner of her eye… someone. She looked at her mother now and pointed.

"There, uncle!" she told her, which now drew her sisters' attention, too. They got up from where they sat and started to call to the approaching man, escorted by none other than Marianne, which quickly had Lucy doing the same, much to Mackenzie's displeasure as she now cried in earnest. Her big sister dashed over at once, even as the triplets either forgot the rules or decided that if she could run one way then they could run the other. Off they went, the three little blondes descending upon the giant that was Bishop Nicholas.

And was he ever up to the challenge. He saw his old college classmate's daughters coming his way, and he scooped them all up in one go, lifting them up into strong arms that made them seem to weigh absolutely nothing. He brought his tiny load back over to the safe zone, where Maya was still tending to Mackenzie. The triplets were put back on their feet, where they now crowded around their mother, joining their big sister in passing what good vibes they could on to their little sister.

"Sorry about that," Bishop told Maya as she moved to give him a one-armed embrace.

"Don't worry about it," she insisted before looking down to the baby, turning her about. "Look, Macaroni, look who it is, you know him? Do you?" It might have been much to ask of the girl, especially in this emotional state, but then this was Bishop, and his was a face that could make anyone just a little happier for seeing it. In due time, it all worked out for the best and Mackenzie stopped crying, at which point she could be passed over and held in the man's arms. "I had no idea you were going to be here today," Maya told him. "Are you looking for Lucas?"

"I am, actually, yes," Bishop nodded. His attention was very much on the baby, as it would be, but as he told it, Lucas had asked him to come over.

"Well, he should be with the campers around this time," Maya reflected. "Remy, step back," she called almost in the same breath, as she continued to divide her attention between Bishop and the triplets. Marianne swooped in at once to intervene. "He should be back around this way soon though," Maya finished with a smile, and Bishop chuckled.

As promised, Lucas arrived a few minutes later, and the college buddies greeted one another as they would. After he'd finished his own education, Bishop had started to work in a vet clinic out in Houston, where he and Leona lived with their daughter until just last year. When their friends had revealed that they were splitting up, it had been a shock, understandably so. They didn't know if it was just because these were their friends, and it didn't seem possible that they shouldn't be together anymore, or if it was this idea of any of them being divorced, but they'd all been stunned. Now, Bishop and Leona were sharing custody of four-year-old Evangeline, and as hard as it was on both of them, she was the one that mattered most in this, so all they really wanted was to make sure she was doing okay.

"Hey, did you tell her?" Lucas asked Bishop with a nod to Maya.

"Tell me what?" Maya blinked.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you wanted me to…" Bishop shook his head.

"Tell me what?" Maya repeated.

"No, please, by all means," Lucas insisted.

"Yes, please, by all means," Maya cut in, like she'd just cleared her throat to get them to notice her. Lucas and Bishop exchanged a look, a few gestures as though to say, 'you do it or me?' "Guys!" Maya called them up again, and it made the triplets laugh. Lucas lifted up his hand. Allow me.

"I called Bishop to come over today, because I wanted him to get a look at how the retreat's coming together, seeing as he'll be running it," Lucas told his wife, and Maya's jaw nearly dropped. She looked from her husband to their friend, the two of them with their big grins like they'd succeeded in pulling a surprise on her. Sure, she'd overheard them discussing it, but it hadn't been official, and Bishop's circumstances, she'd figured maybe it would end up little more than wishful thinking, but… Lucas motioned for Bishop to pass him the baby, which he did, the better for Maya to hug the very tall man. It had been funny before when they did this, him and her, and it was still funny now.

"Wait, so… hold on, what does this… Are you moving here? I mean, I know the drive's not impossible, but…"

"In the beginning, no, I will still live in Houston. It's better that way, for Evangeline," Bishop explained, and Maya understood. "Depending on how it goes, I might decide to get a place out here in the future."

They couldn't have asked for anyone better for the job. Well, the only one who might have been above him would be Ella, but she still had several years of school ahead of her before she could be here full time, so in the meantime there would be Bishop. How they would balance things out once she was done with school, well, that would be something for them to figure out when that time came, and once it did, there was no doubt they would be able to find a place for everyone to do what they were made to do.

"I remember when you two were still in school, how you kept saying you would work together someday," Maya told Lucas as they stood looking on while Bishop played rampaging giant with the small Friar girls running around him. "You never forgot it, did you?" she smiled. It didn't matter that they'd both had their own things, one in Austin, one in Houston. They were going to make this happen, somehow, sooner or later.

"You know, at this point, it was either this or me and him starting something when we're little old men," Lucas joked, in the midst of making funny faces for Mackenzie as he 'danced' her around.

"I hate to break it to you, Huckleberry, but that guy is never going to be a little old man," Maya teased him, and he gave a look of mock hurt, which got a smile out of the baby girl. "I think she's got my sense of humor," Maya whispered, smiling back down to Mackenzie.

"One of your more charming qualities," Lucas agreed. "You go ahead and make jokes about your old man whenever you like, alright, Tiny?" he told the baby, who responded with a giant yawn. "Yeah, that is definitely your kid," he looked back to Maya, who stifled her laughter by pressing her face into his shoulder.

"Don't worry, she'll grow into her Friar side, won't you, Mack Attack?"

TO BE CONTINUED

See you tomorrow! - mooners