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Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9
Through the glass doors of the campground market Veronica Emmons watched two men outside seem to argue. One of the men was her employer, Andy; the other man was a mystery. What was even stranger was that Andy, a six foot four bear of a man, seemed intimidated by the much smaller man with frosted blond hair.
“Who is that guy?” Veronica asked her coworker Nikki Howe.
“Are you kidding?” the short blond asked as she drank a soda.
Veronica looked at her with eyebrows raised, reassuring that she did not know who the man was.
“That’s Lance Richardson, his family owns the plant. You know; our sponsor for the match,” Nikki said and finished her can of sugary caffeine. She placed the can in the trash and began stocking drinks into one of the refrigerated displays that lined the wall.
“How long have you lived in Whisper anyway?” Nikki asked without looking back at Veronica.
“About six months.”
“Well, Lance is an asshole. He thinks he owns the place,” Nikki said.
Veronica was familiar with the plant. She had not really made any friends since moving to Whisper California; populations seven thousand, however, she had heard about the plant in her classes at Whisper Junior College. It seemed that many of the locals worked at the ammunition plant, loading bullet casings and processing orders. The company had many government contracts and the ongoing war in the Middle East generated a lot of work. The Richardson Ammunition plant was the sponsor for Andy’s latest venture, a paintball tournament. Veronica thought it funny in a sad way that a company that makes instruments of death was sponsoring a competition that turned mock warfare into weekend fun.
Andy and Nikki where the two people that Veronica knew best in her new town, but that was not saying much. She was not very close to anyone up here in the mountains of Northern California. Veronica had an almost self consuming goal of becoming a doctor and her focus left her little time for friends. Veronica felt best when working towards a goal. Her free time was spent reading medical journals or textbooks; anything to keep her mind off of her past. Taking a summer job at the campground store allowed her to stay busy and earn some extra money but she also got to know her coworkers. She knew that Andy had worked hard to put together the paintball tournament to promote his field. Veronica admired his determination. Andy had built the general store at the campground to serve campers a couple of years ago. This year, the expansion of his business had provided Veronica with a job. Since there were no classes offered in the summer that she needed, Veronica was thankful to have something to do.
Andy, his conversation over, pushed on the heavy glass door to the shop and entered. He removed the sign that read CLOSED and propped both the swinging doors open.
“Veronica is your drawer ready?” he asked his attractive young employee.
“Yes, were all set,” acknowledged the tall dark haired woman as she shut the drawer to the cash register. A phone rang at the desk near Nikki who dashed to answer it. Veronica noticed that Andy seemed upset. She was very perceptive about others pain and felt compelled to inquire about his well being. Nikki’s voice sounded, cutting Veronica off before she could speak.
“Andy, it’s the Sheriff.”
Andy sighed as he turned and slouched his way towards the phone. Veronica watched with concern as Andy looked so heavy with thought. The smell of perfume and hair products snapped her out of her musings as Nikki took her side.
Veronica, a very pretty young woman of twenty eight, studied her coworker and wondered why she was always so dolled up for work. Nikki was short; about five foot one, but appeared more diminutive next to the five foot ten Veronica. She had medium length blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. Veronica hardly had time to be jealous of anyone. Her logical mind knew that she was attractive yet; deep down she felt a little plain with her long brown hair and brown eyes. She thought about coloring her hair or styling it at a salon but it was just easier to tie it back with a rubber band as she always did. There were just too many other, more important things to do. She was working on getting into medical school and had too many demons from her past to let such superficial things to get into her way. She had to admit though, she was a little jealous of Nikki’s large chest. Veronica was a B cup but being five ten made her appear smaller. Veronica never tucked in the paintball tee shirt that Andy had given the girls as a uniform. She liked to keep her shirt loose, where her coworker liked to keep her outfits as tight as possible. Nikki appeared very proud of her chest, something that Veronica was too shy to show off herself, but then again, she had different priorities. She resolved that twenty one year old girls like Nikki were into that.
Veronica wondered; was I ever that young? She did not think so; she had too many things to do when she was twenty one. Taking care of her dying father took up all of her time and her youth. As an Army trauma surgeon, her father had contracted a mysterious cancer during the first gulf war. He had lasted six and a half years with the disease as a testament to his strength, but also due to the love and care of his daughter. Her mother had died in childbirth so Veronica and her father only had each other in the world. But that was a lifetime ago. The insurance settlement had ensured her a small level of comfort and the ability to pursue her education. Veronica had moved to the country to evade the memory of her past. To escape the bustle of the city that seemed to close around her choking off her humanity. Here in the open air, amid the slow pace of a quiet mountain town, she could get her life together. There was a small college and fifty miles down the highway a larger four year school with a Premed program. Here at the base of the mountain, she could find herself. She might not find a man with all his own teeth, but she could find peace.
“What does the Sheriff want?” Veronica asked. Nikki shrugged her shoulders and made an unknowing expression.
Nikki returned to her work, leaving Veronica to watch Andy. Her rough life had left Veronica somewhat empathic. She had learned to trust her feelings. Right now, her feelings were telling her that Andy might need a kind ear. It was in her nature to be sympathetic. Helping others was the best way that Veronica could think of to honor her father.
Andy hung up the phone perturbed. He approached the girls on the customer side of the counter.
“Girls, over here for a second. I just talked to the Sheriff. Looks like a bunch of kids from the JC were on a field trip up north of here. They haven’t reported back, so get the word out, if anyone sees any lost, hungry kids, call the Sheriff or the Ranger station. We got some worried parents back in town.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Nikki noticed a group of paintball competitors enter the registration area in front of the store.
“Sure thing Boss,” she said as she motioned towards the contestants. Andy turned his attention to the glass doors and waved a greeting to the men. Veronica had to ask,
“Is everything alright?”
“Yeah,” he hesitated, “It’s just hard to make all the decisions.”
“What did that man want?”
“He didn’t come right out and say it, but I think he was threatening not to sponsor us next year unless his team wins,” Andy confessed.
“Oh,” Veronica said studying his demeanor.
“I am not going along with anything dishonest. If I lose the sponsor, I’ll make it work without them,” Andy sighed.
“Your doing great, we are pulling in good money,” she reassured and touched his wrist.
“Yeah, thanks,” Andy said as he straightened himself to leave.
Nikki, who was eavesdropping on their conversation while pretending to stock the shelves, joined Veronica.
“Are you into Andy?” she whispered to Veronica.
“No, I am just worried about him. He seems upset today.”
Veronica was taken aback by the suggestion. She had no attraction to Andy, rather a general human compassion. He was nowhere near her type. She was not even sure what her type was anymore. It had been a long time since she was close to anyone; not since before her father had taken ill. Veronica decided to hide her discomfort and turn the suggestion around with a dash of humor.
“Why, would I be getting in your way?” she teased the girl. Nikki rolled her eyes and answered sarcastically,
“Oh yeah, you know I want to climb that mountain.” The two girls shared a laugh. Nikki continued,
“No, I don’t think I am going to find my Prince Charming in this old town.”
“Come on,” Veronica countered, “there are some attractive guys here.”
“Yeah, guys who like to play Army.”
Veronica shuttered at the mention of the word Army.
“No, my father was a surgeon in the Army. I grew up on bases all over the world. Army guys are far worse than this,” Veronica said.
“Well, I have lived here my whole life and I am sick to death of these idiots.”
Veronica’s attention fell towards Jack who was some distance away outside talking to a reporter from Warpaint Magazine.
“Who is that?” she asked nodding towards Jack.
“Some hot shots from the bay area, Berkeley or somewhere like that. They won the amateur championship for California last year,” replied Nikki unimpressed.
The man was attractive, eye-catching and somehow interesting to Veronica. Maybe he was her type, but the mentioning of the bay area caused her to relive old memories, dispelling her attraction.
“I used to live in San Francisco,” Veronica said in a quiet tone.
Nikki looked at Veronica with interest.
“I was thinking of transferring to SF State.”
“I’ll never go back to that hellhole.” Veronica’s demeanor soured as she turned to restock a candy display.
Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9
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