"A Beautiful Night"

Jay walks out on the patio letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. He search till he spots her sitting on a lounge chair in the far corner. He walks to her contemplating what he would say. He knew she was going to be in a foul mood judging by the half empty bottle of wine on the table.
"I thought I'd find you out here." He looks up at the newly risen moon the scent of roses and pine on the warm breeze.
"Beautiful night" He says sitting on the chair next to her. She glances at him then turns her head and looks up at the sky the peace shattered. She was in no mood for this she'd hoped he'd have enough sense and just let her have some wine and let it go for now, but this was Jay.
"What do you want Jay?" She says closing her eyes. She knew the speech by heart now.
"Alex, honey I'm sorry" She says with him "Yes I know Jay you're always sorry." Jay looks down at the ground then back at his wife her eyes still closed.
"I mean it I'm trully" He starts again and she finishes.
"Sorry, yes you said that already. You know if I and a hundred dollar for everytime you were sorry I could leave here buy my own island and live like a queen." She chuckles. "I don't know why I expect anything more from you it's always business first and foremost.Crush spirits pass out blame."
"Not this time you can't blame me for this one. Jake just couldn't let it go! He goaded me into it! This ones on him!" Defends sounding childish and ridiculous to his own ears.
"I hope you're not serious!" She snorts. He looks at her then at the ground and shakes his head.
"I... you're right and I apologize." Alex opens her eyes and sits up her anger still intact.
"Do you even know what you're apologizing for or it's just something you say to placate me!"
"No of course not. I truly am sorry. I promised you I wouldn't discuss business at the table and I lost control of my temper." Alex glares at him.
"You think that's all you need to apologize for?" Jay glares back at her the muscles in his jaw tightening nostrils flared.
"What the hell else do I have to be sorry about?" He jumps up from his seat and walks to the edge of the patio annoyed with direction this was taking.
"How about the fact that you berate our son at every opportunity, for things you didn't even know! I heard you on the phone when I came to your office earlier." Jay spins back on her his temper barely in check.
"That's the point! He should've known! Hell, if he was really serious about his job he would have known before I did! I'm not going to just sit back and let him ruin us with his incompetence!" Alex stands her chin tilted defiantly.
"Incompetence? He just landed a multi million dollar contract! What else does he have to do to prove himself to you?"
"He could have done what I told him and fully vetted who bought that mill before Chase Van Dorn got a foothold back in this town!" He barks his voice filled with contempt his lips a thin line."Now that son of a bitch is here to stay!" Alex stares at him then shakes her head her smile mocking.
"My God Jay! Can't you ever let this go? The kids built a little company so what" She scoffs Jay steps closer his face white with rage.
" So what? Are you serious? As soon as he has enough money and power he's coming after us and we had better be ready. Jake better start paying attention! to the big picture! Cause they're coming!" Alex laughs and shakes her head.
"You are such a paranoid narcissist! You think Chase is after retribution for what you did to his family! It will be years before Chase or any of them would be able to challenge you in any effective way. That's if they even bother! So what, you're scared Jay and so you're going to push until he does"
 "Neither he nor his father have ever scared me! This is about protecting my family! Jake and I have worked to hard to let them take what's ours!"
"Does "What's ours" include Clay and Lesley where do they fit in your little fiefdom?" Her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Lesley and Clay are a big part of this! Lesley does her job very well I have no complaints. And if Clay would just knuckle down and take some responsibility. Maybe show a little interest in the actual running of the company nothing could stop us!" Alex stares at him incredulous arms folded over her chest unable to control her laughter.
"You don't know your son at all!" She snarls "Clay could care less about running the company! Never has! He loves being out there on the mountain the way you used too! You've alienated and belittled him to the point he can't wait to get away from you! He hates this house so much he's barely here and when he is here he doesn't say more than two words!" Jay looks at her and let out a bitter laughs growing more weary of the conversation the longer it went on.    .
"He's barely here because he's too busy chasing after that Van Dorn slut!"
"Well, like father like son!"  She snaps her voice a deadly whisper head high. She grabs what's left in the wine bottle and walks back into the house.

"Harbinger Falls" Copyright 2014