I'm On Your Side

 Clay flips the pages of the clipboard then glares back at the driver slapping the board against his chest.
"You were supposed to be gone twenty minutes ago!""
"I had to change one of my straps."
It's always something with you Jonson!"
"What do you want me to do? Spiral down the mountain and lose my load?"
"I want you you to get your loads to the mill on time! in fact I want you to start getting here on time!"
"You saw the construction on the road up here this morning!"
"Yeah? What about yesterday?"
"You know Clay I don't know what your problem is today but I really don't need you jumping all over me for petty stuff!"
"Maybe I wouldn't be jumping on you if you'd do the job you're paid for" Bill head pops up at the sound of raised voices and jogs over stepping between the two.
"Hey, hey hey! What's going on here?"
"I'm reminding Jonson here that this is a business and if he can't handle the job well..." Bill frowns knowing instantly that Jonson wasn't Clay's real problem just the focus of his anger.
"Clay I need to see you about something in the office it won't take long."
"Can't it wait I'm in the middle of something!" He says glowering at his employee.
"Yeah so I see!" His frown deepening.
"Dave you're already late you better get going." He says taking the clipboard from Jonson signing it and handing back to him.
Okay Bill.!" He glances at Clay then climbs into his rig shifts it into gear and heads towards the gate. Bill watches him a minute then turns to Clay.
"You mind telling me what that was all about?" Clay shrugs his jaw tight staring down at the ground then back to Bill as they walk.
"I'm just tired of Jonson and his slacker ways is all." Walking through the door Bill held open for him.
"Jonson comes from a long line of slackers but this time it's not his fault I told him to change that belt. Now what's really up?" He says closing the door behind him.
"Ah everything! All I want to do is live my life you know? But everyone else has other ideas." He says slamming his hard hat down on the desk. Bill grimaces taking off his hard hat and laying it down beside his as he comes towards him.
"Who's everybody wait, let me guess Jake?" His mouth twisted in disapproval.
"He came over last night!" His voice filled with annoyance.
" Oh man." Bill says shaking his head and leaning back against the desk.
"You should have heard him!"  Clay's mind goes back to last night as he tells Bill the conversation.
"What the hell are you doing Clay?" Jake seths turning to face him as Caly slams the door shut behind him then walks to him his chin tilted defiantly.
"Living my life what the hell are you doing?" Jake sighs he looks up at his brother his eyes pleading.
"Trying to save my brother from making a decision in the heat of the moment and regretting it.
"I don't regret anything I'm happy with what did." Clay smiles as he crosses his arms over his chest his brow furrowed. Jake stares at his his expression shocked and confused.
"Your happy you broke your mother's heart?" Clay grins enjoying his brother manipulative mention of their mother. He walks to the Kitchen and opens the oven door Jake trailing behind him.
"She's a big girl she'll be fine!" He chuckles closing the oven door then turning towards him.
"Look I have to live my life I'm not going to live in that house and be another one of Jay's puppets." Wishing he'd chosen different words from the look on Jake's face and anger in his voice.
"Are you saying I'm Dad's puppet?"
"No, Jake," He sighs making a concerted effort to keep the sting from his tone.
"I'm saying I'm tired of Dad trying to run my life, I'm tired of the constant tension and fighting. I'm tired of feeling like I have to steal my own happiness!" Jake's expression relaxes he understood that feeling the tone of his voice becoming more empathetic.
"Look Clay I get it, and you know I like Felicia and I don't have anything against her but, this definitely not the time for you to do this!" He pleads to a deaf ear as Clays expression becomes closed mimicking his crossed arm body language.
"Whatever date you had in mind its too late I already picked today!" Jake runs his hand through his hair frustrated trying to contain his anger.
"And it couldn't be the worst time! With everything the company is facing we need to show a united front." He pleads his voice raising despite his best efforts.
"It's the perfect time and the challenges you have were created by you! And like I told Dad I don't want any part of it I just want to do my job and live my life."
"So you're abandoning your family when they need you most?" He shouts unable to contain his anger anymore and triggering Clay's.
"I'm not abandoning my family no matter what happens nothing will change the facts of who my family is! And I haven't abandoned the business I'm still on the job!" He shouts over his brother taking the later aback and silencing him as Clay continues.
"I'm just not living in Jay's house. I can't do it anymore and I'm not!" He states with vehement finality.
"This isn't about business or the family! This is about me wanting my freedom and taking it! This is between me and Jay I don't even understand why you're here? Nothing's changed between you and me." Clay glares at him his eyes challenging. Jake stares back at him then laughs bitterly.
"You still don't get it," He shakes his head in disbelief.
"This stunt of yours has him on the war path!" He bellows back as Clay looks on still defiant and unmoved.
"Don't blame me for that! He was on that path long before I moved out!" He shakes his head laughing at the ridiculousness of his brothers accusation.
"Don't try to use that to guilt me into moving back it's not going to happen!" Jake lips become a thin line his eyebrows forming a "V" as he points an accusatory finger at his brother.
"Just remember little brother when the gas hits the fire it will be on your head." Clay shakes his head in the negative refusing to allow his brother to lay that weight on his shoulders.
"No, Jake that fire is all on him and if any gas gets poured on it that will be you and him!" He accuses back watching as the look of confusion flows across his face.
"So you've chosen them over us now?" Clay sighs heavily.
"The only thing I'm choosing is Felicia over everything else and if you don't understand that, then that's your problem!" He walks to the door and opens it.
"Have a good night Jake" Jake storms toward the portal stopping in front of Clay and growls.
"This isn't over Clay and when it all hits the fan it's going to be on you!" Clay smiles grimly and shakes his head.
"As far as I'm concerned and my involvement in anything you have planned it is. Just go Jake." Clay finishes retelling the story to Bill and sighs leaning back against the desk.
"Holy crap!" HE says expelling a low whistle.
"Yeah, I feel like I'm damned if I do and if I don't."
"Whatever happens none of it is on you and you have a right to live your life and pursue happiness. Hell, the constitution grants you that." He says venom edging his voice.
"Then why do I feel so guilty?" Bill's mouth becomes a grim thin line he walks to Clay and places his hand on his shoulder.
"Because you're a good man with a good heart who loves your family. If you didn't feel bad I'd be worried. I think you made the right decision. This fight has been going on since before you were born all you would be doing is keeping this stupid thing going."  Clay nods his head in agreement.
"Thanks Bill" He says still sounding as depressed as before.
"Look why don't you.." Bill starts but then is cut of by the voice of the guard calling to him over the radio.
"Hey Bill you may want to look alive up there Jay Stockton just rolled through the gate." Bill looks at Clay and rolls his eyes as he presses the button.
"Thanks for the Four-one-one George." Clay grabs his hard hat shouting to Bill as he leaves out the back door.
"I'll see you up top!" He says running to his truck and speeding up the back road just as Jay pulls up in front.
"Yeah thanks a lot!" Bill mumbles to his self as he watches Jay exit his car and come into the office.
"Hey Bill! How are you?" He says with the fake friendliness Bill had come to loath.
"Jay." He says flatly walking around to his desk and picking up one of the files on it flipping through it as he talks.
"What brings you here?" Jay looks around the the office noting it was just he and Bill.
"I was hoping to speak with Clay, is he around?" Bill walks to the file cabinet opening the draw and shoving the file in as he talks.
"No, you just missed him he's just went up the mountain. I can have one of the boys take you up if you want."
"No. I'll try and catch up with him later." He says rubbing the back of his neck.
"Okay I'll let him know you stopped by." He says closing the drawer and walking back to his desk.
"That boy is going to be the death of me one of these days" He a laugh Bill smiles then reaches for the computer mouse.
"Clay a good man I wouldn't worry too much he'll be fine." He says wishing Jay would just leave.
" I suppose you're right I just don't want to leave things the way they are. Maybe you could do me a favor?" Bill looks up at him already knowing what his next words would be.
"You and Clay are close maybe you could talk to him? Maybe convince him to move back to the house become more involved with the business?" Bill sighs looks up from the computer his patients gone
"You don't know your son at all do you? Clay's a grown man he knows what he wants and nothing I say is going to change his mind. Maybe you should try listening to the man instead of constantly talking at him!" Jay eyes narrow his lips thin.
"Don't you ever tell me how to deal with my family!" He bellows his voice vibrating against the walls. Bill rises from his desk his voice low.
"Clay is my family, or did you forget? Besides that he's my friend and I'm not going to convince him to do anything he doesn't want to to do just to make the great Jay Stockton happy! You got me?"
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jay growls Bill stares back at him unmoved by his display.
"I know exactly who I am! I'm the only man in this town who isn't afraid to stand up to you, wait that's wrong I'm one of only two men in this town that isn't afraid of you! Now if you'll excuse me I have work to do" He says snatching up his helmet and heading out the door. Leaving Jay more angry and determined to get his son back than before.
"When I'm done with you Davidson you'll be having nightmares about me!" He mumbles as he slams out the office door.


"Harbinger Falls" Copyright 2014