Evans Creek Book 1: Mister Mayor

TEN

PHOTO CREDIT: Californiaclosets.com  altered image       This is Graham's living room.  Graham's preferences for clean lines and neutral colors.  Pamela's splashes of comfy color with pillows, throw and flowers.    Special note: Graham keeps the flowers because he's gotten used to them and Jesse likes picking out the new colors.

***

July fourth was three weeks gone before Arayna could get through a day without feeling jet-lagged. Her new job at campaign headquarters was seasonal so there were no benefits. At least it was only four hours a day. The extra hour cut into her sleep, but she needed the money. She yawned. Thankfully the new job wasn't taxing in any way. At the moment she answered phones, stuffed envelopes and sorted mail.

Arayna covered a yawn and reached for her coffee mug.

"That's your fourth cup!" her co-worker, Ben, commented.

"If I could get it intravenously, I would." She only half-joked.

"I believe it. I don't know how you do it, Arayna." Ben shook his head. "I haven't worked three jobs since college. And I'll tell you this, if it were anyone else running for Mayor, I wouldn't volunteer the rest of my free time."

"Graham's a great mayor."

"I'll say so. His after-school programs for disabled and under privileged kids are the reason my nephew is going to college. It's really made a difference to have a tutor there to help with the homework. Math these days is way beyond when I was in high school. Without that help, he wouldn't know about the scholarships and grants and without those, we couldn't give him a chance at attending college."

"I can understand that. Daddy invested savings for me but the returns were bad for several years so he only had enough to help me with the first two years at community college. I managed to pick up a few smaller scholarships but I still had to work three jobs." She laughed

"Right of passage." Ben bantered.

"Ow!" She suddenly cried as her finger flew to her mouth. She frowned at the coppery taste.

"How bad?"

"Bad enough that I need a band aid or these fliers will have a little extra red on them." She frowned looking at the long cut on her finger that resembled a bloody flap. She frowned again as her stomach went woozy. Why did hand and head cuts have to bleed so much?

"There's a first aid kit on the wall in Graham's office." Ben suggested as he offered a Kleenex he snatched from the box on the table.

Graham was rarely in his office except on special occasions and unless he was in a meeting or on the phone, the door was always open. With her attention focused on the nasty papercut on her finger that was already bleeding through the Kleenex, she didn't pay attention as she walked into the office. She jumped, looking up with a start when she heard her name.

"Ray?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just needed—I didn't realize—I'm sorry." She stuttered and started to back out.

"Hold on Bill." Graham hit the hold button and Arayna's eyes were drawn to the red flashing dot on the desk phone.

"I have a huge favor to ask. It's okay to say no—but it would really help me out."

"Sure." She said without hesitation. This was Graham, and they'd been friends forever. Of course, she'd help him out if she could.

As he talked, Graham looked at her hand and frowned at the bright red spot on the white tissue. In a flash he hit the speaker button and the light stopped blinking.