Out Of Time

The Tea Set

Sam looked at the deer in shock. "Your grandson?"

"Yes."

Sam inched closer to the buck. "...Dad?" The buck turned and bounded away. She scowled and growled, running after him. "Wait just a damn minute!"

The buck disappeared through the forest and Sam groaned in frustration. Son of a bitch. Was the buck really her father in disguise? Why was she only finding out about this now? Why appear as a buck and not as her actual father? She burst through a brush to a small lake with a waterfall and saw a man standing on the bank of it. He turned around to face Sam and she gasped. It was her father.

"D-Dad?" she sputtered out.

Her father gave her a warm smile, tucking his hands into his beige slacks. "Hello, Samantha."

Sam approached the man in shock. "You...you've been the buck this whole time?"

"Yes," he replied. "You've grown to be a fine woman. I'm so proud."

Sam blinked madly. "How did you...how are you...what?"

Her father smiled again with a shake of his head. "I understand...this is a lot to take in."

Sam let out a short, high pitched scoff. "No shit."

He walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders, looking at her face. "It's good to see you."

Sam sniffled, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "You...you've been the buck this whole time?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"Yes," he replied as if it were the most casual thing in the world.

"But...I don't understand. How did this happen?"

Her father laughed. "I haven't the foggiest idea, honey. But right now you need to wake up."

Sam's eyes widened with surprise. "But I have so many questions!"

"And all will be answered in time. Wake up."

Sam opened her eyes quickly with a sharp intake of breath. The sun was shining through the windows to signify that it was morning. She sat up in the bed, looking over to find Hosea still asleep next to her but Arthur was gone. She could hear clattering in the kitchen and she got out of bed, quickly changing into a brown button down shirt and black pants. She slipped on some brown riding boots and exited the bedroom to find Arthur in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She quickly walked up behind him and hooked her arms around him, pressing her face into his back.

"Hello, sweetheart," Arthur said. When she didn't respond, he looked over his shoulder. "Sam?"

"I know who the buck is," she whispered.

"Who?" Arthur turned around, frowning at the look on her face. "Who is it?"

Sam looked at him, biting her lower lip. "He's my father."

Arthur made a surprised expression. "Your father? How do you know?" Sam went into the details of her dream and the more she talked, the more surprised Arthur look. By the time she was done, he looked almost mortified. "Jesus...that's...that's one hell of a dream."

"I know." Sam moved away from him and leaned on the counter, taking a deep breath as her head bowed down. "I can believe every other thing that has happened to me, but this? I...I can't wrap my brain around this."

Sam felt Arthur press against her back and place his arms around her, kissing her neck softly. "Well, hopefully you'll have another dream about him and he'll explain things."