The morning of the next day arrived peacefully with the rising sun's rays bathing the family's bedroom through the windows.
After Alicia and Theron got home last night and food was prepared, the family had their dinner at the dining table. They ate and chatted like always, with Frank and Alicia speaking about their day and Theron mostly listening to them.
When Alicia eventually got to the part of Theron getting a job, Frank was immediately shocked by the announcement.
As was expected, Frank voiced his refusal at once, but a swift and lingering murderous stare from Alicia put him in a bind, sweating from fear, and with no way out, but to accept the fact that his four-year-old son would start working as of tomorrow.
Today was a working day, so it was decided for Frank to accompany Theron and drop him at his new job before he went to his own.
About Frank's job, Theron still didn't have all the information, as very few details about it were mentioned in Frank's and Alicia's conversations over the years. He only knew that Frank was working in the main warehouse of a big company, moving stock and supplies for deliveries and shipments. What the name of the company was and what the products he was moving around were, he had no clue.
After getting ready and having a full breakfast, the father and son duo left the house after Alicia gave a big hug full of kisses to Theron. Walking along almost the same streets as Theron yesterday did with Alicia - with the main road only having the occasional single vehicle zooming past - they soon arrived at the entrance to the market street.
Different than yesterday late evening, the market street in all its length they could see was quiet, with sparsely the random passerby drowsily walking here and there and the odd drunkard who came from who knows where, passed out on the cold stone-paved ground without a care on the world.
All the stores and shops were closed with "closed" signs on their doors. The small stands right out vanished while the bigger ones instead were packed and folded like oversized suitcases of wood and metal.
Walking casually today on the bare stones of the market street, with all the freedom of space in his disposal, Theron followed Frank to the workshop.
Just a few minutes later, its imposing front side was in front of them, threatening them to squash them with its invisible pressure alone. The bulky metal double door on its base didn't have a sign on it like the other stores as it stood there like a gate.
Theron was already informed of this yesterday by the bearded blacksmith. The door was not locked so they didn't have to knock or meaninglessly wait outside for something.
Frank opened the door, and they both entered inside. The place was the same as yesterday, with its item-keeping shelves on the side walls and the showcases in the middle of the floor. Of course, the messy piles of random pieces were still there too, not diminished at all. In fact, they seemed to have increased a little!
The salesperson from yesterday was gone, while from inside the open door at the back, sounds of metals clinging together and thudding noises were being produced.
*Cling!* After the metal door behind them closed with a fairly audible sound, the noises at the back room stopped.
A couple of seconds later, the bearded blacksmith with a white shirt on this time, walked out of the open door and past the counter to meet them.
"Well, you are indeed here kid! Good morning!" the blacksmith immediately voiced out almost flatly with his deep tone.
"Good morning, sir!" Theron answered back with the same enthusiasm. He didn't even attempt to take out his hand for a handshake. The man before him didn't seem to care about those gestures for niceties and appearances.
"Mhm!" the blacksmith approved of the attitude. "And who is this?" he asked while glancing at Frank.
"I am his father, Frank!" Frank flatly answered for himself, taking out his hand for a handshake at the same time.
He needed to withdraw it eventually in awkwardness though, because even a few moments later had passed, the blacksmith didn't reciprocate it. He only stood there looking at the extended hand perplexed as if he didn't know exactly what he was supposed to do.
"Well, hello Frank! Good morning!" the blacksmith at last greeted him a dozen seconds later, only to seem puzzled the next and shocked afterwards when a realization hit him. "Right, names! How could I forget?!" he finally said.
"Kid, what's your name? I forgot to ask you yesterday!"
'Did he offer my son a job and little Teri accepted, without even knowing each other's names at least?! What kind of logic is that?!' Frank incredulously thought.
"My name is Theron. What's yours?" Theron decided to opt a more casual tone for his speech after interacting with the blacksmith more today.
"Oh, that's right, I didn't tell you mine either! My name is Derion Bronz!" the blacksmith said and then continued.
"Wait... Is your name just Theron? No surname at all?" The blacksmith asked after thinking about it fast. It was kind of weird for someone to not have a surname nowadays.
"Well, yes, I don't. At least as far as I am aware of." Theron simply answered while taking a sneak peek at Frank who oddly seemed a little pale at the moment with cold sweat starting to form on his forehead!
"Oh!" No worries, kid. A surname isn't so important!" the blacksmith didn't really care and brushed it off without a second thought.
Then right after, he went on to say: "So, about the job...."
Frank watched them by the side, halfheartedly answering at each other questions back and forth like they were old-times buddies.
After five minutes or so, the blacksmith finished explaining the duties and chores Theron would have to do each day. Frank heard them by the side, and he had to say, he was satisfied with what he had heard, forgetting at the same time the seemingly rude attitude of the blacksmith.
For the genius and careful son of his, this job will be a hike in the park.