Best Friend's Ex Box Set

"Outsiders running things in our community from the outside," he murmured.

"Mr. Miller, we are trying to help your community," I sighed as I frantically tried to think of a line of reasoning that would convince him we were the best option for Corner Grove. "We are not trying to interfere with your way of life."

"Oh, but you are," he said shaking his head. "You most definitely are. And as far as I can see, Mr. Wallace, this partnership will most likely benefit you more than it will benefit us."

"Why are you being so stubborn?" I blurted as I pushed my chair back from the table and shot up out of it. "My God, it's not like you people have trade secrets to protect or something! You're farmers! You need energy and we have a means of supplying you with it that won't interfere with your primitive lifestyle."

I could feel the anger rising and I wanted to shout at the man, but I knew that I'd probably already gone too far. He said nothing as he sat looking up at me. His expression gave nothing away. How could he not see that technology would make their lives easier and less stressful? Could he really be as blind as my father?

"Mr. Wallace," he said breaking the silence and pulling me back to the conference room. "Thank you for coming all this way, but we are not interested in installing your turbines in Corner Grove."

"That's it?" I said incredulously. "That's the end of it? You listen to part of my pitch and then just say no? You aren't going to ask the community what they want?"

"Mr. Wallace, as I'm sure you're aware, I am the bishop of this community," he said calmly rising out of his chair. "I am endowed by God the Creator and the members of this community to make the decisions for Corner Grove. I do not need to consult with anyone, so long as I abide by the word of God."

"Well, God is being pretty damn short sighted," I retorted as I quickly grabbed the presentation materials off the table and headed for the door. Before I exited, I turned and said, "You will regret this, Bishop Miller. I guarantee it."

"If it is God's will," he replied, "Then so be it."

I turned, yanked open the door and stormed down the hallway past the front desk where the young man who'd first greeted me sat. As I headed for the front door, he called out, "Have a blessed day, sir!"

"Go to hell!" I yelled as I slammed the palms of my hands against the heavy glass door forcing it open. I marched to the Mustang muttering under my breath, "Blessed my ass."

I yanked open the door and threw the handful of papers toward the opposite side of the car and watched them fly in all different directions. I slid into the driver's seat, slammed the door shut, and jammed the key into the ignition. The car roared to life and without looking behind me I put the car in reverse and backed up, narrowly missing a buggy full of Amish teenagers pulling out of the parking lot.

"Watch where you're going!" the boy holding the reins yelled.

"Fuck you!" I yelled flipping him the bird as I stepped on the gas. I knew my anger was over the top, but I'd had enough of old men telling me that my ideas weren't good enough. Much like my father, Bishop Miller was behind the times and refused to see that it was essential that he employ new technology to improve things.

At the edge of the parking lot, I waited for another buggy to cross the factory entrance. "Goddamn it!" I shouted as I slammed my fists against the steering wheel. "Will you people please join the twenty-first century?"

As soon as they'd moved away, I swung the car left and hit the gas. There was nothing but open road in front of me and I knew that a little speed would help burn off the anger that threatened to consume me. I punched my foot to the floor and felt the car take off. Flying down the road the speedometer climbed: sixty, seventy, eighty. Soon, I hit ninety and watched the factory disappear in my rearview mirror.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement and the next thing I knew, I hit the brakes and was sliding sideways along the sand covered asphalt. I pulled my foot off the brake and wrenched the wheel to the other side as the car continued to slide.

"Oh shit!" I hollered as the Mustang went sliding over the edge of a grassy bank, and then everything went dark.

Chapter Thi

rteen

Grace

"C'mon Blackie, let's get home and get some supper," I said to the brown work horse who'd been waiting under the shelter Dat had long ago built for Toby after I'd cried and told him I thought it was inhumane to make an animal wait outside in the sun or rain or snow. I could feel the tears welling up as I pulled myself up into the buggy and prepared to head for home.

It had been another extremely long day at the store and I was feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me. I'd spent the day sifting through Dat's papers, trying to organize the supply orders and the bills, but Dat seemed to have carried the information in his head rather than recording anywhere and now the office looked like a tornado had blown through it.

What I could piece together didn't paint a pretty picture. As best I could gather, the store was in some big financial trouble. It looked like Dat had been robbing Peter to pay Paul and the entire set up appeared to be in danger of collapsing leaving the store in a very precarious position. I wasn't ready to panic, though. Mamm had told me that Dat had always managed to put a little extra away for a rainy day, and I was feeling certain that I would be able to locate the money as soon as I cleaned out the office.

The velvety black night sky stretched out across the countryside and without the glow of electric lamps to interfere, I could see the various constellations shining brightly. This was the one think I loved about being home. I always loved how close I felt to the land and the sky. I loved the city for its busy bustling movement and the way it always felt alive and ready. But in Chicago, buildings rose out of the concrete landscape blocking out the sunlight often making me feel closed in and walled off.

I breathed deeply and smelled the scent of damp earth mixed with fresh cut grass. It was the scent I associated most with Corner Grove, that and Mamm's cooking. I bit my lip to hold back the wave of emotion that threatened to come crashing down as I struggled to suppress memories of Mamm standing in front of the stove frying chicken or bent over the counter rolling out pie crusts laughing as she tried to teach Danny how to emulate her technique. My brother would invariably end up with a lopsided lump of dough covered in flour. His silent laughter making Mamm laugh all the harder. I couldn't believe I'd never see her or Dat again. I choked back a sob as I turned into the drive and found Honor leaning against the fence post. She was barefoot with her arms crossed over her chest and an obstinate expression on her face.

"Honor, what are you doing out here?" I asked as I pulled the buggy around to the side of the house and hopped out. "It's late; shouldn't you be inside helping Danny clean up after supper?"

"I'm sick and tired of this family, Grace," Honor muttered as she helped me pull the harness and reins off Blackie. "It's absolutely ridiculous around here."

"What are you talking about?" I asked as I led Blackie to his stall and made sure he had plenty of feed and hay. I grabbed the hose and filled the trough with fresh water before grabbing the brush and going over his coat. "Honor, what's got you so worked up?"