To Get Me To You

Chapter 2-2

Cam really should’ve been working on year-end reports. It would save him time come tax season. Unfortunately, he much preferred mucking around in the dirt to the spreadsheets that tracked the income and expenses of his business. But since it was the dead of winter, that mostly meant mucking around in virtual dirt, except when he was in his greenhouses. Cam clicked his mouse and dragged to adjust the fence line on the park he wanted to build on Abe’s land out at Hope Springs. He’d been fiddling with this design for the better part of four years, mostly for fun, but with a thread of pipe dream in the back of his mind. It had begun as a distraction for his mom while she was in chemo, and he’d made idiotic deals with God that if she made it through, he’d find a way to make it a reality.

Sandra had not only survived, she’d gotten re-elected mayor—a post she’d left for only a six-month hiatus during the worst of her treatments. Cam had taken that as a sign from the Universe that it was time to move forward with the park. His first year as a Councilman had quickly put an end to that idea. But he couldn’t seem to let it go in the wake of Abe’s announcement.

A murmur of voices preceded the unceremonious opening of his office door by his nursery manager, Violet. “See there, told you he wasn’t really workin’.”

Cam rose as his mother stepped inside.

“Hey baby. Sorry to interrupt.”

He managed, just barely, to stop himself from asking if everything was okay. She was tired of the worry, tired of the solicitude, and just wanted life to get back to normal. “You’re not interrupting a thing.” He slid his arms carefully around her, thinking she still felt too fragile in his embrace.

“I’ll just leave you two to it. Cam, I’m flipping the sign.”

He let his mother go. “See you tomorrow, Vi.”

Sandra peered, unabashed, at his monitor. “The park at the springs? What’s got you looking at this again?”

“Did you know Abe’s looking at selling his land out there?”

His mother eased into the chair on the other side of the desk. “No, I hadn’t heard that.”

Cam told her what he’d heard at the Mudcat the other night. “Any idea who the potential buyer might be?”

“Not a one. Do you think he’s serious?”

“Seems like. I told him to hold off on making any final decisions.”

Sandra looked at the screen then back at him. “You want the city to buy it.”

“That’s not news.” Before she could say it, he said it himself. “I know the city can’t afford it. But he can't sell that land, Mom. It can't change. It's too important to the history of the town. The springs are its heart."

Sandra gave him a look of affectionate forbearance. "The heart of this town is its people."

"And we're losing them left and right.” How many families had picked up and left in the last six months? “Everything's changing and I don't know how to stop it."

She rose and came around the desk to frame his face in her hands. "Oh my baby, you've never dealt well with change. That’s probably my fault. I did everything I could to keep things the same for you after your dad left.”

“You aren’t to blame for anything that happened after that.” God knew she’d done the best she could, and that was a damned sight better than plenty of people had with two parents.

“Be that as it may, the fact is that life is change. You either adapt and survive or you stagnate and die. I know you love Wishful exactly as it is, and you want to preserve it. That’s admirable and is part of what endears you to many of your constituents. But if we're going to make it in today's world, we may have to do some things for our town that we won't necessarily like. We need jobs to keep the people. Without them, we have no town."

Something in her tone put him on edge. “Is there something you’re not telling me? Some new development?”

Sandra lifted her hands for peace. “I don’t know anything yet. Vick’s making noises about having some potentially interesting news by the next City Council meeting.”

Cam scowled. City Planner Victor Burgess was as close as he had to a nemesis. Cam felt like he spent more than half his time and energy as a City Councilman trying to block whatever c**k-eyed scheme Burgess came up with, in order to keep Wishful from turning into yet another soulless, cookie cutter suburbia. “God forbid the man actually spend some time thinking about what’s truly good for this community.”

“Now son, that’s not fair. Vick does think he’s doing what’s best for Wishful. It just happens you two don’t see eye to eye on what that actually is.”

“And we never will.”

“Campbell, our town is in trouble. Whatever it is he’s got up his sleeve, I want you to give it a fair chance. Promise to at least hear him out.”

Cam managed not to grind his teeth. “Yes, ma’am.”

He understood that Wishful needed help. It needed jobs and an influx of serious cash into the economy. But he couldn’t help hoping that there was some other way than courting the big industries that would come in and change the entire tone of the town.

“That’s enough about that. No reason to borrow trouble before we absolutely have to. Are you about done here?”

“I ought to be working on year end reports but, as Violet pointed out, I’m not. You wanna go grab some dinner? We can be completely decadent and hit up Tosca. Ask for extra cheese on everything and tiramisu for dessert.” Cam laid a hand over hers. “You deserve to splurge. You’re still not back to fighting weight.”

Sandra turned her palm up and squeezed his fingers. “It’s been eighteen months, baby. I’m fine.”

Eighteen months, two weeks, three days since the chemotherapy was pronounced a success. Cam wondered if he’d ever stop counting the days. Probably not, if only to give thanks for each additional one.

“Anyway, I can’t. I’m going over to help Molly put together a welcome home party for Liam.” She tugged her hand away and picked up her purse.

“Welcome home?”

“He’s leaving the service and coming home to Wishful.”

The eldest of four, Liam Montgomery and his two brothers had been in the Marines almost as long as Cam could remember. “Wow. I know she’s thrilled. Anything I can do to help?” Please say no. All he really wanted at this point was to get on home. But if they needed anything, he’d suck it up and deal.

“Not right now, but I’ll let you know. The party’s at Speakeasy day after tomorrow.”

Translation: Your presence is expected.

Cam held in a sigh. Yet another social engagement he couldn’t dodge. At this rate he was earning some serious cave time. He rose to escort her out to her car. “I’ll be sure to make some time to stop by and welcome him home.”

Sandra rose to her toes to kiss his cheek. “Go home and enjoy your quiet, darlin’. I know you’re always worn out by all the social of the holidays, and Miranda’s going to expect you at her New Year’s Eve party.”

He groaned. “Why do I need to be there? The world is going to be there.”

She patted his cheek. “Because you are not spending another year at home alone with your dog. You need to be out with other young people having a good time. And you will go because she’s family and it will make her happy.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sometimes family obligations were a real b***h.