Summer's Loss

Chapter 9

Abigail

The meeting room she sat in was much cooler with the air conditioner running and the lights turned off.  Her uncle had drove them back to head quarters and left them there in the care of an elderly woman whom Abigail had learned was the secretary.  She had fallen asleep in the truck on the drive back and that had helped diminish her head ache somewhat, but the throb was still there, pressing on her forehead and temples.

The secretary and Conner had both left her alone in the dark room so she could sit in silence, but the chair she sat in made it impossible to fall asleep.  So she just sat by herself in the quiet darkness.  God, I'm such a wimp she told herself. She knew she was clumsy but she'd never considered herself accident prone until this week.  The cut on her leg was covered by a large patch but it had scabbed underneath.  It would heal but it would always be a reminder of how ditsy she'd been that first day here.  Stupid she told herself.

There was a window in the door of the conference room that looked out to several cubical sitting spaces with people ticking away at computers.  The office room was nothing like the kind you'd see in a city.  Everyone wore similar out fits, tan button up shirts with the Forest Service emblem on the chest pocket and forest green pants with multiple pockets down the leg.  Along the walls were all sorts of preserved stuffed animals ranging from bobcats crouching, ready to pounce, to barn owls in mid flight.  Between the taxidermy animals were lovely paintings of snow covered woods and slow moving creeks.

She was admiring the art works when a familiar head of golden hair passed by, walking down one of the hallways towards his office.  Abigail sat up and watched Brice stop to exchange words with a co-worker.  They laughed about something that the other man had said.   Brice stood to walk away when Conner came around a corner with two water bottles in hand.  The two of them almost walked past each other when Brice stopped again and said something to Conner.  Abigail couldn't hear them due to the closed door but they only said a few words before they walked their separate ways. 

Abigail felt anger rising in her stomach.  The prick had said that he wasn't here so he didn't have to work with her.  What had she done to make him dislike her so much?  She remembered how tense he got around her that one day they had worked together.  Stuck up little- her thoughts were cut short by Conner opening the door.

"I thought you might want something to drink."  He said as he held up the water bottle he held in one hand.  He walked towards her and set it on the table, "How are you doing?"

Abigail seethed inside.  She opened the bottle and took a sip of water.  Then a thought crossed her mind.  Her uncle had said that Brice wanted her to work with people her own age.  She hadn't thought anything of it then but now it only heightened the anger burning in her throat.  Did he think she was too immature? 

"Abby?"  Her attention snapped to Conner, who she had forgotten was waiting for an answer.  Her head still hurt but she was too pissed to care.

"I feel fine,"  she stood up, "I have to use the restroom."  And with that she stalked out of the dark room.  She winced at the light but continued towards the hallway Brice had disappeared into.  The building was small and it didn't take her long to find his office. She didn't bother knocking when she reached for the handle and opened the door.

The room was cluttered with papers and pieces of equipment just like the last time she'd been in it. Brice sat on his desk with the phone to his ear and her back towards her.  He cocked his head to see who had walked in and his eyes went wide.  He quickly murmured an "I'll talk to you later," into the phone and set it down.

"Can I help you?"  His tone made her pause. It was tense, but not bitter.  She actually didn't know what she had planned to say so she stood there for a moment, then remembered the fact that he didn't want to be around her.

Anger bubbled in her throat again. "Do you have a problem with me?"  The words came out, bluntly.  Brice only gawked at her a moment.

"What?" he stammered but Abigail didn't give him time to talk.

"You could have just said you didn't want me around instead of avoiding me ," she snapped and Brice stepped around his desk to face her.

"I was sick."  Was all he got out.

"Oh?"  Abigail struggled to keep her voice down so the rest of the building didn't hear her.  She didn't know why she was still talking, she was mad, but it wasn't her place to freak out at him, she barely knew him.  And yet she had felt something unusual that day she was with him, so she continued, "so that's why you still told my uncle you weren't here and just let me run around with other people my age."  She recited his words with an extra bitter edge, making sure he caught her point.  "I'm not some immature, stupid kid, you know."

Brice only looked at her, his face blank. He took a step towards her, and crossed his arms, "That's what this is about?" He asked, "You having to work with the YCC crew?" There was only a few feet between them, but Abigail didn't let his closeness bother her.

"No, it's about you acting like a selfish prick."  Abigail's hands fell away from her waist and she stepped forwards, "what did I do in one day that made you think you're too good to be around me?" She was now close enough that she had to look up at him to see his face.

"You think I don't like you?"  His words had become much quieter.  He looked at her with and expression Abigail couldn't understand.  There was something in his eyes that made her pause, then he turned around and walked back to his desk. He picked up his phone and punched in several numbers. As the phone rang he took a seat the stared at Abigail.  A voice that she couldn't hear answered, but Brice kept his eyes locked with hers as he said, "Hey, Tom, it's Brice," He paused, listening then continued, " I just wanted to let you know that I'm back and that I think Abigail's time will be better spent working with me again, feel free to drop her off here in the mornings," another pause, and he blinked but didn't break his gaze with her, "you too, see you later." And he hung up. 

Abigail didn't know what to say to him. She felt stupid for coming in here and acting so boldly.  She lowered her eyes from his as heat rose to her cheeks.

"Happy?"  His tone was so soft that Abigail didn't know how to respond, so Brice said, "I'll see you tomorrow."  Abigail turned and opened the door to leave but paused when Brice said," I don't think your immature."  Abigail stopped and looked at him.  He was focused on a paper in front of him.  When it was clear that he wasn't going to look up, she slipped out the door into the hallway and back to the conference room, ignoring Conner's questions about her head, which she had forgotten all about and only now realized was gone.