Nicholas
Wednesdays for most people who construct the built environment are often very long and tiring. Hump day. Saturdays and Sundays are good; time spent with family, maybe go to a game or the beach, clean up the honeydew list, or just a backyard barbeque with the boys. Mondays were all about getting back into the grind, followed by Tuesdays where there was more time ahead until the weekend than behind, leading up to Wednesdays when fatigue and longing for the weekend were at their peak.
For Nicholas Connor however, the middle of the week was his favourite. After spending nine hours doing the kind of work that allowed you to look back and see the difference, he would head home, jump into the shower, rinse off the dust of the day and then after a brief session of stretching, hit the streets and trails for a nice long run, one of his greatest passions. Mondays and Fridays, he would break up the run with some strength training at the park gym, Tuesday was the dojo and Thursdays was weights and yoga- but Wednesdays, rain or shine, were all about running as fast and as far as he could for ninety minutes. Everyone thought him mad.
Running was a lifelong pleasure and his favourite form of decompression. He would start at a gentle pace, allowing his respiration rate and length of stride to gradually increase to the point where it felt like effort. Then he would kick off and push for ten minutes, or until he felt the world and his vision closing in, then drop his strike rate until he recovered before repeating the cycle for the rest of his run. Although his fitness routine gave him the strength and endurance of a national level marathon runner, he had never competed outside of a couple of military ironman contests back in the day as a young soldier.
He was well educated, having studied engineering physics before earning a commission as a military engineering officer. Leaving the army after four years despite offers of promotion and choice of duty assignment, to complete an apprenticeship as a construction electrician. His army career manager was dumbfounded at his choice but with a handshake and best wishes reminded him that he could always come back when he came to his senses.
Nick's life was well organized, almost preordained. Career path had been decided long ago in his junior school years. He never discussed his personal goals or details of his youth with anyone save a few of his closest and lifelong friends who had a similar history, and who owed their lives, ambition, and loyalty to the same cause.
He lived alone, travelling as a journeyman electrician between cities where large capital works projects would give him a year or two of steady employment, always staying at a large detached house located somewhere in the city where he worked. He'd accumulated few personal possessions, save some climbing gear, a decent sound system, and a late model silver sport utility vehicle. He earned well, usually assuming a senior supervisory role on most of the projects he worked, but was frugal by nature and over course of his working like had amassed a large pool of savings that was carefully managed by a very talented financial planner. As he understood it, he could look forward to a lucrative and comfortable retirement beginning at age forty-five.
Although taking fierce pride in his work, Nick considered it a vocation only. It provided the means to move through society at large, inconspicuous to the wider world and actively practice his life's work- something he could not imagine being without. In the first quarter century of his life he had easily mastered two traditional professions, as a soldier and an engineer. His true calling, however, was as protector and guardian of the ancient society that had given him life. He pursued his duties with the endless passion and devotion of a zealot. The practice and ceremony of duty was for Nicholas a spiritual endeavour in which he excelled and consequently his star was on the rise. It hadn't occurred to him just how quickly or vast the arc of that journey was to become.
Rounding the corner of University and Gordon, he headed down McDonald Street to College Avenue. Now fully warmed up, he decided to run through the arboretum to avoid the late afternoon sun. His mind wandered briefly, revisiting memories of the conversations and challenges of the day before packing them up and letting them go. He began thinking of the Bruce trail hike and climb that he'd been planning for the weekend and rehearsed the conversation he would have with Sofie securing her approval. She was certain to push back hard but in the six months they'd been together, he'd figured out how to get his own way now and then.
She would poke him about the risk of serious injury, and he would counter with how much he enjoyed it and what great exercise it was. His three partners were highly skilled climbers and equally cautious by nature. The escarpment was hardly a challenge for them but there was little else within reach for a weekend climb.
She would mention how injury would certainly compromise his ability to honour his primary responsibilities- not to mention his ability to work. He would rebuttal with, how it was also incumbent upon him to stay fit and capable and that meant practicing his fieldcraft regularly. The ultimate decision was of course hers, but he would carefully choose his moment to bring it up, optimizing the chance of her acquiescing.
The three kilometres of College Avenue were dusty and busy with traffic. There were several runners ahead of him that he quickly overtook before turning in to the groomed trails of the university arboretum. Running through the dappled emerald light of the forest was a joyful experience. The trees closing in on him along the trails created the illusion he was moving much faster than he was. He soared past the garden of rhododendrons whose flowers had only recently fallen. Breathing deeply, he looked upward through the canopy of overarching pine and hemlock, filled with contentment. Occasionally he would run through a pocket of cold air, delighting the senses.
A satisfying hour later, he was closing the last hundred meters home at a near sprint driven by the anticipation of a cool shower before a cold glass of beer and a nice meal with the Matron, Sofie. Using the back entrance to the house, he casually tossed his shoes in a box on the deck before entering and stripping off his sweaty running gear into the laundry hamper.
"Nicholas, hi!" It was Sofie appearing in the doorway to the hall that led to the kitchen.
"Matron." Nick replied adjusting the temperature controls for the corner shower to a few degrees below normal body temperature. "How was your day?" he asked, smiling at her.
"You're naked. Nice. Just to let you know we have an important unscheduled visitor this evening for supper, which is fish by the way. She's helping me in the kitchen. How was your workout? Do you need any extra calories?"
"No Matron, just a cold beer would be awesome, thanks." he replied. He could feel the warmth of her eyes upon him as he stepped into the fine spray of the shower, enjoying the gentle cooling effect of the water instantly. With his back turned to her, he allowed himself a gentle smile. Nicholas was proud of the way he looked naked and was particularly pleased at how much Sofie seemed to enjoy looking at him.
Against all protocols, he secretly harboured a deep feeling toward her but would never compromise their association by broaching the subject. The Matron performed a highly valued and respected service for the clan, and it was his privilege to assist her. He would never dream of doing anything that could embarrass her or bring the wrong kind of attention to her work.
She watched as the shower spray first appeared to bead, then gather in tiny rills running down the bronze contours of his muscular back before descending into the fold between his gorgeous buttocks. Taking some liquid body wash in the palm of her hands, she began to gently wash his back and shoulders. After a minute he turned around, leaning his head back, and enjoyed the cool water running through his thick brown hair and down his back. His body felt electric at her gentle touch. Sofie treated him to a soapy massage of his chest and abdominals, as she studied his exercise hardened torso.
This one, Sofie thought, is by far the best, the most beautiful and kind, and the brightest star they have ever sent me. This one is my favourite. She smiled and thought, I choose this one for me. Her tenure as a Matron was due to expire in the next year, at which time, in reward for her service to the clan, she would be entitled to select a mate of her choosing among the eligible clansmen, and raise a family of her own.
