"Time Will Tell"

 Hank walks down the steps of town hall stopping at the bottom for a moment to enjoy the warm fall sunshine smiling to his self as he continues his walk. He wasn't sure exactly whom all his sons friends were but they were efficient. They had already delivered the revisions to the state, the report to the EPA and he'd made the appointment for the inspection for the certificate occupancy. It felt good to be one step ahead of Jay Stockton for a change. He'd been looking forward to this day for years. The day when Jay's strangle hold on him, his family and this town would come to an end.
He glances up at a passing "Stockton Lumber" truck reminding him of his childhood. When he Ed and Jay would hitch a ride on the back of Jay's Dad's truck on their way up to the lake. Hard to believe at one point they had all been best friends, then everything had changed the morning Sharron Swift had walked into his office.
 He'd been working in his father's Mill's legal department for a few years longer than he had planned and he was starting to get that closed in restless feeling. He wasn't sure whether to stay or pursue his own dreams. His father needed him but he wasn't sure this was what he wanted for the rest of his life.
She'd walked in that spring morning and it was like a burst of sunshine in his life. It had taken him a moment to remember she was the same pretty little girl that used to chase after them when they were kids. Sometimes he'd look back and see her tau head down her shoulders slumped standing on the edge of the lawn looking forlorn and convince the other to take her with them. Now there she was standing on the threshold of his office door. She was young, vibrant, funny cheerful and she had grown into a beautiful young woman. Nothing left of the child he used to know not the the way his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her.
"Sharron?" He says turning towards her smiling broadly.
"Hank!" She squeals running to him and throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.
"I was hoping I'd see you!" She lets go standing back smiling from ear to ear.
"I'm so happy I caught up with you!" Hank grins fighting back a blush.
"Wow you are absolutely stunning." He mutters his thoughts spilling out before he could filter the words. She blushes slightly smiling happily.
"You don't look so bad yourself." She says admiring what she was seeing tall lean, muscular frame sun bleached hair sun kissed skin still gorgeous. Hank always was a handsome devil even as a kid but he'd never acted or treated people with that arrogant conceit some kids get. Out of all her brother's friends he'd always had been thoughtful of her feelings and had even stuck up for her and forced them to take her along on more than a few occasions. Which also made him the object of her childhood crush for years.
"So this is where you've been hiding yourself." She says walking around his office looking at his niknaks and plaques. Hank chuckles leaning back against his desk.
"Me? I haven't seen you since you were in braces and pigtails." Making them both laugh.
 "How was your first year at school?" He says watching her pace around the room enjoying how much she'd grown in all the right places.
"Great, a lot of work but great. What about you what have you been up to?" She asks stopping her pacing and coming to stand in front of him. Hank smiles waving his arm around the room like a presenter.
"Keeping my Dad's business afloat. What brings you here?"
"I applied for the temporary secretarial job for the summer."
"Did you get it?" He says trying not to sound too hopeful not sure why he did.
"I start tomorrow" She smiles enjoying the tell tale grin on his face.
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you, and I was able to find a place to do my volunteer PT hours." She smiles proudly. Hank lets out a small whistle then nods in approval.
"Wow! You're going to be a very busy girl." Sharron nods in agreement.
"It's not so bad" She shrugs.
"I only have the PT a couple of  nights a week. I'll still have some free time thankfully. What about you? What do you do for fun or are you still all nose to the grindstone?" She teases making Hank blush again.
"I get out! I still play on the baseball league on Sunday's. Why don't come down and watch us play sometime. I'm sure the guys won't mind anymore." He says with a wink making her blush this time.
"Maybe I will!" She laughs nervously feeling suddenly shy.
"I'd like that." He smiles back feeling suddenly awkward as silence falls between them. Hanks stares at her a moment longer then pushes off the desk and walks around it stalling for something to say. Sharron's mind races quickly searching for something to say afraid to say what was on the tip of her tongue.
"Well I'd better get going. She says instead chiding herself mentally for taking the coward's way out.
"What if I picked you up on Sunday around ten we could go to the game maybe stop at Mr.Gerber's hot dog stand?" He says nervously not even sure what had possessed him to do so or what he was saying. The expression on her face making him even more unsure as he rambles on. .
"You know for old time sake?" He chuckles nervously trying to hide the odd sensation of hope he had mixed with the dread he felt at the prospect of her saying "No". Sharron smothers a giggle and stomps down the giddy feeling that was about to overwhelm her.
"I'll see you Sunday." She says coolly then sauntered out the door.
Hank stops at the intersection smiling broader as he hears the familiar sound of a car horn and Sharron rolls to a stop.
"Hi ya handsome you need a ride?" She teases from the open car window.
"Anywhere you're going hot stuff!" He laughs walking around the car and climbing into the passenger seat.
Marjorie spots Hank standing at the corner calls his name and waves just as Sharron's car pulls up alongside him. She shakes her head at her luck then proceeds into the town hall building and up to Ed's office. She opens the door closing it behind her noting that Georgia's desk was empty then stopping when she hears the sound of Jay's voice coming from Ed's office.
"I just saw him leaving the Zoning office! Now what the Hell are you doing about it?" He snarls stepping closer. Ed glares back at him his temper barely in control.
"You keep forgetting the people you're talking about are my family! My son and my nephew! What makes you think I'm going to betray them? Secondly, he's been given the go ahead by the state and the EPA by this town and might I add by YOU! There is nothing standing in their way! Just face facts its over!" Jay's eyes narrow his voice animalistic.
"You had better find something and find it fast! You're up for re-election aren't you Ed? It would be ashame if someone found out about you and an evening... " His voice trails off as he smiles slyly Ed's head snaps up his eyes bulging at his words his anger turns to rage.
"Now get this through your thick head I'm not helping you!" He grinds out.
"You had better be careful Stockton I wasn't the only one there that night and if I go down I'm taking you with me you can bank on that!"  Jay glares at him a moment then smirks.
"True but I'm not up for re-election." Ed grins back  knowing he had his checkmate move.
"I'm not the one trying to fulfil your obligation to that Japanese outfit. What do you think they'd do if they found out? Weren't they a little twitchy to begin with?" Jay's anger tweaks he was right he couldn't afford that kind of a scandal right now not if he was going to seal that next order.
"You know this deal with the Japanese affects you too!" Ed stares at him him his look cold and determined.
"Not as much as it will hurt you. Now unless you have some town business to discuss you'll have to excuse me I have work to do."  He say sitting down in his chair and pulling out his computer keyboard. Jay's jaw clenches tight his lips a thin white line his eyes ice cold.
"Don't get too comfortable in that chair Ed. This election year you're going to have some competition, some very tough, very winnable competition." Ed looks up at him his expression unmoved.
"Do whatever you want Jay. I don't give a dam!" Jay stares back at him his smile menacing.
"You will Ed, believe me you will!" Jay snatches up his briefcase as he turns to leave slamming out of the office door then storming to the exist never noticing Marjorie tucked away in the corner of the sofa behind it. He slams the outer door then stops in the hall to answer his phone.
"Yes, I'm on my way I'll meet you at the club!" He says before moving further down the hall. Marjorie sits another moment as a plan formulates in her head then stands and walks into her husbands office smiling pleasantly as she walks to his desk.
" Hi honey! Are you ready for our lunch?" Ed smiles happy for the distraction after the last ten minutes. He stands walks to his wife and kisses her cheek.
"Been looking forward to it all morning!" He says walking to the coat rack pulling off his jacket and shrugging into it.
"Where would you like to go?" He says opening the door for her.
"Thank you, I thought maybe we could go to the club?" She smiles pleasantly passing through and stopping as Ed locks his office door.
"That's fine! The chef there makes the best steak in town!" He says walking to the outer door and holding it open.
"Perfect!" She smiles to herself as she walks ahead and presses the elevator button.
"You're sure looking chipper this morning." Ed says coming to stand beside her as the elevator doors open. Marjorie smiles back laying her hand in the crux of his arm.
"I was just thinking that Abigail Colgate and the Ladies Auxiliary have their luncheon today I may be able to kill two birds with one stone." She smiles to herself.



"Harbinger Falls" Copyright 2014