The Aftermath

Meet The Mayor

So sorry that it has been so long since I updated but here is the next chapter. I hope to put two up tonight. If i don't it should be here shortly.

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In a true politician’s fashion, Mayor Reese was on the phone when I arrived.  His posse of entirely threatening goonies stood behind him looking, well looking entirely threatening.  His deep Armenian roots shined through his bronze skin and dark black hair that was peppered with grey do to his age.  His dark grey tailored suit fit his mob boss persona perfectly and it worked effectively in scarring the living shit out of me.

I stood awkwardly in front of him for a little while. He was still on the phone, his clipped accent fluidly barking orders at the cronies on the end of the line.

His accent was kind of soothing, I yawned.

Crap. Campbell was up all night with nightmares and I was getting the grunt of soothing shifts since Fifi is working night shifts at the hospital and going to med school during the day. so I am exhausted. 

My eyes started to droop, and my head began to nod.

“Mr. Westley.”

I jerked my eyes open and promptly fell over.

I cursed in my head.

I jumped to my feet, brushing gravel off the front of my shirt.

“Mr. Reese, um…Mayor Reese…Sir.”

He looked at me sharply.

“You are the doctor that Mr. Dalton hired to rehabilitate my daughter?”

I looked around.

“…yes…?” I didn’t know how to answer that. I was so tired, that I could be at the wrong house and not even know why.

“You seem young. Do you have any qualifications?”

Is this guy for real?

“I graduated high school and college a few years ahead of schedule, so yes I am young, but still qualified. I am a PT, an ATC, and a licensed OT. That is more qualifications than most doctors these days.”

Mayor Reese looked taken aback by my sudden vocals. I thought for a minute he was going to sick his henchmen on me for talking back, but he surprised me by slapping me on the back and letting out a huge laugh.

I almost peed my pants.

“I like you, boy. You’ll do just fine.”

With that, he and his cronies ushered me into the house.

By the way, it is freaking huge.

Marble columns curled up the walls toward the second floor. A curved stair case wrapped around the foyer. And I think that the constellations were painted on the ceiling four floors up.

I must have been staring because Mayor Reese slapped me on the back again and laughed.

Definitely peed my pants. I needed to get this guy to stop being so…ugh. Subject changing time.

“So…when do I meet Fallon?”

He snapped into business mode.

“Fallon will be notified that you’re coming in about five minutes, she will most likely have a three minute freak out, and then you will see her after that.”

With that he turned and left me standing alone in the foyer.

And my phone went off.

FIFI

“Hey Fi, whats up?”

“Gabe, sorry to bother you on your first day, but I need to know when you’re coming home.”

“Um…I’m not sure, a couple of hours at least.”

“Okay…shit.”

“What’s going on Fi?”

“You know that douche professor I have?”

“Professor McDouchepants? Or Dr. Douche McGee?”

“Very cute, Gabe. Dr. Callahan moved up our exam to today at two thirty. I gave Brit the day off because I thought that I would be home and she has plans and Bell is tired and …. I need a sitter, but you are at work.”

“Sophie, breathe. I will be home for Bell at two fifteen. I will walk out of work if I must.”

“Gabriel Westley. You are entirely too sweet.”

“You are my family; I will do anything for you. Now study up Miss Pre Med and ace that test.”

“Okay.” Her voice echoed for a minute “Bell, want to say hi to Gabriel?”

I smiled as my boy giggled into the phone.

“Hi, Gabey!”

“Hi, Bell. What are you doing?”

“I playing with mommy.”

“Really, what are you playing?”

"ZOO!! I’m a lion and she is a lion S. We’re going on hunts and making a den. We have a giant lion den in the the the…Mommy what woom is the fort in?”

Sometime during Bell’s speech, Mr. Reese came back into the room and motioned for me to come with him.

“Bell, baby, I got to go but I will see you at two and you can show me your fort then okay?”

“Otay.”

“Let mommy study buddy, so go play quietly with Rawr Rawr.  He is in the bin by your bed.”

“Okay Gabey.”

I hung up the phone and turned toward Mayor Reese. He had a soft expression.

“Your son?”

I looked at my phone. My background was a picture of Bell on my back. His arms locked around my neck and a stuffed monkey dangling from his arm. I ran my finger of his picture.

“Yes. His name is Campbell.”

I showed him the picture.

“He is a beautiful boy. You are lucky.”

“How so Sir?”

“You have a boy. I only got two girls.”

My eyebrows raised. I had never heard of another daughter. Only Fallon.

“Two? I didn’t know you had another.”

Mayor Reese closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“My oldest daughter, Grace died about three years ago.”

“Sir, I am so sorry. To lose one daughter and then go through the situation with Fallon. I can’t imagine how much pain that has caused.”

“Yes, well. Here is Fallon’s room. She is expecting you.”

He turned and left.

I looked at her door.

Shit.