"Long Lonely Time"

 Jay pulls into the parking lot of the Mayor's office and into his reserved spot shutting off the engine. He'd been trying to get Ed on the phone all day. Either he was as busy as his secretary said doing what was the question or he was hiding from him either way he'd see for himself. He turns his head reaching for his briefcase on the back seat and catches a glimpse of Sharron and Hank coming across the square, hand in hand laughing and talking as they walk. His head swivels with them as he watches them stop on the edge of the sidewalk laugh at some private joke then kiss and continue their walk arm in arm. His heart lurched at the sight of her just as it always did even after all these years. Followed by the anger he always felt when he saw Hank with her.
Hard to believe that long ago that he and Hank had been best friends. He pulls his brief case from the back seat then climbs out the car and walks toward the front of the building. He turns the corner catching a sight of Sharron and Hank sitting on a bench in front of the fountain laughing and talking oblivious to anyone else around them happy with each other and in love. Maybe that was the part that bothered him. He remembered a time when she'd looked at him that way. Now when she looked at him it was with disdain.
 He remembered the first time he'd seen her since she was a kid. She was a pretty little girl but gone was the awkward gangliness of youth replaced with a graceful and beautiful woman.
She was standing next to the fence at the high school watching the cheerleaders practice and she'd taken his breath away. Her blonde hair blowing in the breeze a smile as bright as sunshine. He couldn't take his eyes off of her or help himself when he'd stopped and offered her a ride.
"Hey!" He'd called out to her as the car rolled to a stop. She turns towards him and smiles.
"Hey Jay how are you?" She smiles pleasantly coming towards the car.
"Where you off to?" He smiles feeling as awkward and shy as some teenager who just got a smile from the prom queen.
"I was on my way home. I just stopped to watch what the new cheer captain was doing with my old squad. What are you up to?" She says kneeling down resting her arm on the car door.
"On my way home from work. I have to pass by your place you want a ride?" He says smoothly struggling to keep his voice steady but inside his heart raced with longing and excitement.
"Sure it's way better than walking!" She laughs standing up and stepping away from the door. Jay silently expels the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as he reaches over and opens the door.
"Get in!" He waits for her to get in feeling practically giddy as he stumbled around his brain for something to say.
"So what have you been up to since graduation?"
"Nothing much just got back from school day before yesterday. I was just walking around taking a look at the place." She sighs leaning her head against her palm as they drive.
"What about you what have you been up to?" She ask.
"Nothing really work, the usual." He shrugs.
"Ed says you and Alex got engaged?" She says casually turning towards him putting a mild damper on his mood with thoughts of Alex engagements and weddings.
"How's that going?" She asks
"Fine I guess she told me all I had to do was show up she'd take care of the rest so I'm holding her to it" He shrugs and laughs making her laugh.
"Good for you" She chuckles then turns her head and looks out the car window.Jay falls silent a moment fumble through his thoughts and blurts out the question that was on the tip of his tongue and immediately wishes he could take it back.
"What about you anyone special?" She looks at him and laughs.
"Why are you volunteering?" She chastises then laughs making him blush.
"No, no" He sutters. "I was just making conversation." He laughs nervously.
"Are you going to working over the summer break?" He asks thinking maybe he could fit her in over at the mill. That would really spice up his summer.
"Yeah, I got an office job over at Van Dorn Steel for the summer. and I have my volunteer hours to do for my Physical Therapy course" Jay stares out at the road feeling a little disappointed but there were other ways to skin a cat and with Alex occupied with wedding he'd have plenty of opportunity to make this work.
"That's me coming up." She says gathering her purse and sweat jacket as the car rolls to a stop.
"Thanks for the ride!" She says opening the door and climbing out. Jay leans forward grinning like a twelve year old.
"Anytime my pleasure."
"I guess I'll see you around." She smiles slamming the car door."
"I guess I will." He grins barely able to contain his excitement.
"Bye!" She waves then turns and walks towards the front door.
"Not if I see you first Stockton." Ed laughs leaning in to the car his smile not quite reaching his eyes startling Jay.
"Hey Ed what's up? How's the campaign going?" He turns towards him his expression composed. Ed glares inside the car his expression less than friendly.
"Stay away from my sister Jay." His voice level his eyes cold. Jay laughs looking at him in disbelief.
"What the hell are you talking about Ed? I was passing by the high school, I saw her walking and offered her a ride!" He laughs then realizes he's the only one.
"I've known you for years Jay and I've seen that look on your face more times than I can count. I'm telling you stay away from my sister." His eyes colder than his voice he stands and walks into the house. Jay watches him a second then pulls away laughing to his self.
 Maybe he should have listened to him and stayed  away from her but he couldn't. He'd wanted her the first time he saw her he found himself constantly thinking back to that first moment. Sometimes he'd find himself fantasizing about her. Once at a meeting he'd gotten so carried away he'd had to excuse himself. No matter how he tried through all Alex's wedding prattle all he could think about was her and the ache he felt for her and his desire to slake it. He'd found himself making sure he just happened upon her on her way home or showed places knowing she'd be there. He'd pursued her relentlessly until he'd worn her down with lies of love and forever happiness. He'd never worked so hard to seduce a woman in his life and all his efforts had been more than worth it. There had been no woman before or after that had raised a fever in his blood the way she did. But he'd wanted bigger for Stockton Lumber and for his self.
 The Graves owned seven-teen hundred acres of virgin wood and marrying Alex gave the Stockton's control of the entire mountain. Marrying Sharron may have been for love and she was everything he wanted in a woman but no matter what they said you can't live on love and if his father had done what he'd threatened he'd have been penniless. Well not penniless he could have worked as a logger or in the Steel mill but as his father and grandfather knew he wanted more a lot more. So he'd told her goodbye breaking her heart, the shattered look on her face to his surprise breaking his own.
It had taken him three days to show one once of the courage his son had shown this morning. He'd gone to her only to find her married to Hank Van Dorn! The same night he'd told her goodbye! His best friend and the woman he loved. She hadn't waited a days before the whore spread her legs for him and he'd both loved and hated her ever since. He'd gone home and married Alex as planned and when he had his moment he'd gotten even with Hank for betraying him.
 He glances at them again then walks into City Hall his mood none the better for having seen them. He walks through the door of Ed's office pushing his way through the people sitting in the waiting room and straight to the office clerk.
"Is Ed in his office?" He girl looks nervously up at him and stutters.
"Yes sir, but he's in there with someone!" She shouts out as he pushes past her and opens the office door slamming it behind him.
"I've been calling you all morning Ed!" He growls coming towards him
"And as you can see from I'm very busy today Jay!" He says smoothly pointing to the woman seated in front of him. Jay looks at the woman sitting in the chair in front of Ed and puts on his most charming smile.
"Mrs. Pettigrew how nice to see you!" The woman gives him a sidelong glance.
"Hmph" She snorts then stands turning her attention back to Ed.
"I'll catch up with you next week Ed." She glares back at Jay then move toward the door he held open for  her. He smiles as she passes.
"Always a pleasure! Say hello to your husband for me." He say closing the door behind her then wielding back toward Ed.
"What the hell are you going to do about this thing your son is building? He growls leaning his knuckles on the desk. Ed stares back at him unfeathered.
"What do you want me to do about it?" Jay glares at him annoyed with his casual attitude and growls,
"I want you to put a stop to it!" He shouts. Ed face turns white with rage as he stand then shouts back.
"I can't! It's already been approved!" Jay glares at him in disgust then grunts.
"What they did was illegal! They misrepresented themselves to the board and this town!
"No they didn't!" Ed laughs and shakes his head.
"They are a subsidiary of a larger corporation! Everything they did was perfectly legal! If we try to stop it now you're talking a huge lawsuit this town can't afford!  Hell!, you voted for it!
"That was before!" He bellows slamming his fist on the desk.
"Before what Jay?" Ed snaps his own anger peaked.
"Go a head and say it! We both know the reason behind it all. I just want to hear you say it" He growls
"Before I found out your son and nephew tricked us into it! Now, I want you to decline the variances!" He grinds out his eyes glittering with rage as Ed laughs bitterly.
"It's too late it's already been approved by the state!" His voice filled with frustration as Jay rages.
"Because you and your son tricked this town into approving this disaster!" He accuses his eyes bright his jaw clenched. Ed's eye narrow his voice cold
"Are you saying I jeopardized integrity of this office for my own personal gain?"
"It wouldn't be the first time and you and I both know it!" Jay voice lowers to almost a whisper as he meets Ed's stares his jaw clenching and his eyes growing dark.
"And I have enough on you to take you down right with me!" His voice a deadly whisper.
"There's nothing you can do about it so get used to it! Now get the hell out of my office!" Jay eyes become slits as his fist clench and unclench at his sides.
"This isn't over Ed!" He growls. Ed shrugs walking back around his desk and picking up a folder and thumbs through it.
"It never is with you is it!" Jay walks up behind him his voice low.
"You had better be careful Ed you don't want to find yourself on the wrong side! You might want to take a good hard look at some of those skeletons hanging in your closet. Especially with this years upcoming election!" Jay throws open the door slamming out of the office. Ed pushes the door closed sits on the edge of his desk and sighs. The feeling of freedom he'd felt yesterday when his son had given him the news was once again replaced with anxiety and fear of being trapped.    


"Harbinger Falls" Copyright 2014