"Dinner at Eight"

        Jacob Stockton paces the space behind his large cherrywood desk growling into the phone.
"So he's the one that owns it now?....Why am I just finding out today?....I should have known about this months ago! Months! Before he laid the first God dam brick!...From what I've heard that son of a bitch will be fully operational in weeks!.....I'm not in the mood for you pitiful excuses... Yeah you get on it....I don't care if you don't sleep for the rest of your life! You had better have figured out a way to stop him or you're out of a job you understand me?" He barks slamming the phone onto the cradle.            He stops his pacing and stands in front of the open window in his home office breathing deeply to calm himself  the smell of fresh cut pine on the breeze relaxing him instantly. He'd always loved that smell there was nothing like it in the world. It reminded him of his grandfather and his childhood the stories of the work, sweat and blood that went into building this place. Days spent wandering the woods learning each and every inch of the land every facet of the business till at fifteen he could run it all and had. This was his land for as far as the eye could see an empire his family had built from the ground up. This was his town his family built it he was going to keep it. He wasn't about to allow Case Van Dorn to change that! He'd put his father down and he'd put this young pup down too. No one, not Chase Van Dorn not anyone in this town was going to take that power from him.
       "Hmmm, I love that smell" Alex purrs coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.
      "Me too, " He agrees wrapping his free arm around her pulling her close. "Kid's home?
      "Yes, Jake got in a few minutes ago he should be down for dinner in a minute."
      "Good! I need to talk to him he and Clay both" Alex lets go sighing heavily and walks a few paces away shaking her head.
       "God Jay can't whatever it is wait till later? Can't we get through one meal in this house without it erupting in anarchy?" She snaps turning around to face him. He stares at her a moment then sighs and smiles.
     "You're right. I'm sorry" He goes to her taking her hand in his. " I promise you I'll be on my best behavior"
      "Thank you, now lets go" She says pulling him out the door toward the dining-room. "I had the cook make all your favorites!" She smiles watching him out he corner of her eye as they walk.
      "Why what's the occasion? He looks over at her smiling holding back a laugh.
      "Does there has to be a reason?" She squeezes his arm playfully.
      "When you have "Cook" make all my favorites there's always a reason" He laughs.
      "I just wanted to show you how much I love you" She hesitates worry edging her voice. " and tell you Wellington Swift is back in town." Jay stops in his tracks and leans closer lowering his voice.
     "Does Lesley know?" Alex hesitates a moment biting the inside of her lip.
     "That's how I found out" She confesses surprised by his calm response.
     "How longs he been home?" He asks as they enter the dining-room.
     "He got back this afternoon Lesley saw him getting out of the car in front of his father's" She replies taking the chair he held out for her.
     "Guess I'll be giving Ol' Ed a call later." He says taking his chair as Lesley comes in and takes her seat at the the table.
     "Talk to Ol' Ed about what?" She looks from her father to her mother then back their worried looks giving them away instantly.
     "Just some town business I need to clear up." Jay remarks trying to sound casual as he heaps food onto his plate. Lesley smirks knowing exactly what that call would pertain to.
     "That business wouldn't have to do with Wellington being back in town would it?" Her mother eyes fly to her father's the two looking panic stricken making her laugh.
      "Oh and you made all Daddy's favorites to soften the blow." She laughs. "You two look like deer in the headlights! You don't have to worry about me I have no intention of seeing him" Taking the plate being handed to her by her father who nods in approval.
      "Good glad to hear. With everything else going on that's the last thing I need!" Glaring at Jake as he comes in the room followed by his brother and sits down.
      "All what going on?" He says shaking out his napkin and placing it in his lap. Jay glares for one son to the other then stabs at his food.
      "I promised your mother we would have a pleasant dinner" Grumbling as he shoves a forkful of food in his mouth. Jake glares at him. He had enough going on without this BS.
      "You brought up Dad say what's on your mind! You know If you're going to let me run company then let me run it! This checking behind me all the time is ridiculous!" He snarls throwing his napkin on the table." What were you checking on today Dad?" He growls. Jacobs glares back as he methodically wipes his mouth. Lesley looks from her brother to her father knowing exactly where they were headed and pushes back from the table tossing her napkin on top.
     "I'm out! I'll see you all later maybe. A pleasure as always mother." She smirks, laughing as she glides out the room. Alex glares at her remaining family her mouth twisted in anger and beyond words as she pushes from the table grabs the bottle of wine and storms from the room. Jay watches her leave knowing there would be hell to pay later. He lets out a heavy sigh then stands reaches for the bottle of bourbon on the server and fills his water glass. Jake sits up in his chair his eyes challenging.
     "Are you going to spit it out or what?" He slouches back in his chair arm looped around the back. The furrows in Jay's brow deepen his voice a deadly whisper.
     " You two listen to me and you listen good. While you were asleep at the the wheel Chase Van Dorn bought the old steel mill and has converted it into a semiconductor and printed circuit board manufacturing plant!" Jake stares at him wide eyed. "I thought some big New York Company bought that property." Jay eyes narrow his lips turning into slits.
      "He is the big New York Company dumb ass! Had you done what I told you this wouldn't have happened!" He bellows causing the crystal on the table vibrate. Clay smirks at both of them enjoying his brother being the one in the hot seat for change then rises from his seat.
     "If you'll excuse me I have some place to be." Jay stands slamming his fist on the table.
     "Where the hell are you going? Sit down!" He barks. Clay turns back to face them unperturbed.
     "This has nothing to do with me. My job is to get the lumber from the mountain to the mill! All this corporate crap is between you two." He states flatly ignoring his father's yelling as he turns to leave.
          "There won't be any lumber if Chase Van Dorn has his way!" Jay grinds out then takes a big gulp of his drink.
         "And I'm positive between the two of you you'll make sure that doesn't happen"Clay turns and walks out the door leaving his father and brother staring after him as Jake finally finds his voice.
        "Forget him! He's useless anyway! I don't understand why you're so hot and bothered? What he's doing on no level competes with us." Jay just stares at him his face white with rage.
       "Get this through your thick head! What he's doing will puts him in a position of power! That weakens the power we have! Get it now?" He says slamming his glass down on the table. "Now you get on that phone call that little flunky of yours and you figure out a way to stop him you hear me! Cause if I have to do it,"  He pauses and drains his glass then leans down towards his son their noses almost touching. "you're out on your ass!" He he grinds out before stomping from the room leaving Jake alone both angry and frightened.
    
"Harbinger Falls' Copyright 2014