Theresa Stone, Part Two

“That’s laughable, Ben Johnson would be a nothing without me” Theresa’s nervous laughter belied the ferocity of her statement.

Beth stayed silent watching Theresa’s face as all of her doubts and insecurities danced across her expression.

Theresa glared at Beth, “As if you could offer someone like me advice.”  Theresa’s tone was derisive and scornful.

Beth stood up, glancing down at the American Express card still on the table, and then back at Beth.  Reaching down and picking up the card, Beth softly said “You might want to rethink your lofty attitude, after all I’m approaching seventy and still have young bucks like Jack dropping cash on me for anything I desire.  Should you decide you need assistance, I am staying at the Biltmore, Presidential Suite obviously.”

Theresa sat there, left behind like some school girl too troublesome to bother with any further.  It was a feeling she did not like and was certainly not accustomed to feeling.  A waiter happened by and slide the bill in front of Theresa.

“Great just great, now I have to pay the old gold digger’s tab too?”

Resentfully Theresa paid the tab and gathered her parcels.  She stormed off, throwing her valet receipt at the unsuspecting valet, and tapped her foot impatiently for the Jaguar convertible.  The sleek powder blue beauty  pulled up and Theresa speed away as soon as her parcels were stowed by the valet in the trunk.  She drove aimlessly for a while and then involuntarily it seemed the convertible was headed for the Biltmore.

Theresa once again handed the convertible over to a valet.  Once again she failed to notice the valet, other than ordering the valet to have her parcels sent up to her suite.  She sneered angrily to herself knowing that she had lesser accommodations in the hotel than the gold digger Beth.

Stomping her way to her room, her mood on display for all who came near her.  She grumbled and grouched under her breath, her face was a mask of fury, and her shoulders were coiled tight with tension.  She slammed her suite door closed behind her and immediately made her way to the bar.  Pouring herself a large gin and tonic and she slumped in the nearest chair.

A timid knock on the door roused her from her silent fuming, “Come in, dammit” was the response.

The door pushed open and the bell hop politely asked where he should deposit the parcels collected from the Jaguar.

“Oh any where, for heaven’s sake just throw the blasted things where ever you want.”

The bellhop did so and silent closed the room door closed behind him, thankful to have escaped with no further interaction or demands from Mrs. Johnson.  Little did Theresa know, not that she would care if she knew, but the hotel staff despised any and all interaction with her.  She was a common discussion point in staff meetings, and management had come very close to requesting that the Johnson’s terminate their extended stay and never return.  It was only Ben Johnson’s standing in the community that kept Theresa ensconced at the Biltmore these days.

Wobbling as she stood, she made her way over to the bar and poured herself another drink.  She collapsed back into the chair and sipped her drink somewhat slower this time.

“Oh does this Beth person think she is?  How dare she infer that Ben is on the verge of dumping me!”  Her voice slurred slightly, as she talked to herself.

But then a horrible thought hit her, “What if that seventy year old dried up hag knows something I don’t?  Crap, I am going to have to go up there aren’t I? “

Theresa’s voice broke into a sob as she realized she couldn’t risk not talking to Beth.  The older woman had to know something  Theresa didn’t after all, she was in possession of a black American Express card and Theresa was not.  These thoughts infuriated her so intensely, that she hurled the now empty glass across the suite and smiled as the glass shards rained down like sparkling diamonds.

 

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Theresa Stone, Part One

Theresa sat in the outdoor café in Scottsdale, sipping her coffee and enjoying the breeze in the sunny day as the shoppers rushed by. She was in no hurry to be anywhere, instead more interested in killing time to avoid her tedious husband and returning home to Smithson. Flipping idly through a fashion magazine, her hand stopped in mid-turn. There before her, in a secluded corner, a couple caught her eye.

Theresa peered intently at the couple, sure enough it was her younger brother Jack with a much older woman sitting across from him. Jack was eighteen years younger than Theresa and the siblings weren’t close. He was clearly eating up the attention the older woman was bestowing on him. Theresa shivered in disgust and turned away. The last thing she wanted to witness was some old biddy throwing herself at the waste of humanity that was Jack.

Theresa blocked the two from her mind and resumed flipping through her magazine. However, despite her best intentions her eyes keep wandering back to Jack and his companion. Jack appeared to be bored but interested. Theresa thought to herself, “If only I could find a willing, gullible boy toy with which to amuse myself. Someone as simple and idiotic as Jack would be ideal.”

She shook her head, as if trying to clear the though. The canary yellow diamond gracing her left ring finger catching the light as she shook her head, as if to remind her she was married to the fabulously wealthy ball player Ben Johnson. She smirked, the ring might sparkle in the sunlight but the sparkle and shine had definitely evaporated from her marriage long ago. Theresa knew that now she had to bilk as much cash from their joint accounts before Ben filed for divorce. Theresa knew it was only a matter of time before Ben left her and she knew that without his money, her lifestyle would come to an abrupt end.

“Look Beth, I need to book. I have classes to attend in Tempe and so have fun. Go shopping or whatever on me.” Jack tossed a black American Express at Beth and headed out.

Theresa heard the exchange and watched Jack carelessly toss the credit card at the woman. She slipped the magazine into her tote and walked over to the seat Jack had just abandoned. She slipped into the seat, saying “Hi I’m Theresa Stone, how do you know my little brother?”

The woman called Beth glanced across the table at the woman and smiled. Something in her eyes was familiar to Beth. She sized up the woman before answering. Theresa was about five-foot-six, lilac eyes, crow’s feet beginning to form, and a deep tan that could only be attained with chemical help. Beth immediately noted the number of diamonds gracing Theresa’s person, literally the expression dripping in diamonds came to mind immediately. Glancing at her surroundings Beth laughed out loud, the diamonds were so out of place even in ritzy, snotty Scottsdale, Arizona.

“Well, Theresa how I know your brother is my business don’t you think?” Beth’s voice was dripping in sarcasm.

Theresa’s eyes flicked downward and rested on the credit card Beth had made no attempt to retrieve from the table. “Well, Beth it appears from the outside you are a gold digger taking advantage of a young man too dumb to know the difference.”

“Wait, are you jealous or do you want to know my secrets?” Beth’s husky laugh grated on Theresa’s ears.

“Why would you think that?”

“Because from the look of you, you are trying too hard to flaunt your wealth and you are beginning to show your age. My guess is that you are on the verge of being dumped by the current fool that you suckered into placing that canary on your finger. It’s what an eight carat stone? Nicely done, by the way.”

 

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Carson Stone, Conclusion

Carson closed the door behind him and Dove curled up in her normal spot at the foot of the bed. Carson laid his briefcase next to the small desk in his room. He never worked up here but the desk was a fond remainder of happier times. The day had been a long one with more confrontation than pleasure unfortunately. He was tired of the bickering and endless whining.

Carson was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. The deep slumber of a man confident in his decisions but weary of the battles resulting from those same decisions. His rhythmic snoring soon filled the room.

The first rays of dawn were peaking over the San Francisco Peaks to the east when Carson awoke the next morning. The birds were starting their morning chatter outside his window as he lay there. The dawn broke over the horizon a brilliant splash of pink and orange as it filtered through the towering Ponderosa Pines.

Glancing at the clock on his bedside, Carson shook his head. “Dove, old girl, I remember a time when I could sleep well past ten in the morning. Now I’m blessed if I sleep past seven.” Dove glared at him with one eye opened, clearly communicating her displeasure at having been awoken so early.

The house was still and there was little noise from outside other than the birds greeting the day. Carson got up and decided to head into the office early. He had a relatively light day ahead of him but that was no reason to dawdle. Besides it was Friday, and that meant no staff in the office unless they had pressing business to attend. Carson long ago had implemented the no work on Friday rule when he opened his law office. Too many hours were spent working the rest of the week and young lawyers eager to scramble the ladder of success often forgot to have any semblance of a personal life.

Morning routine completed, Carson headed downstairs to scour up some breakfast for himself. He wasn’t surprised to find Rita already there stumbling around making coffee. “Morning sleepyhead,” came his amused greeting.

Rita glared at him in response. She was not a morning person. “Go away big brother, go away.” Her voice was gruff with sleep, her hair a wild disarray, and her fuzzy lime green slippers the most cheerful thing about her at this point in the day. The coffee finished brewing and she grabbed her cup and held it close, inhaling the dark, bitter brew’s scent deeply. The smell of the coffee perked her up and she smiled as she took that first sip of the day.

Turning to him she asked, “Now what can I make you?”

He laughed, “Nothing. I’m more than capable of fending for myself. Now go back upstairs and wake up. I’ll see you later.”

Rita waved at him as she shuffled from the room, more asleep than awake still. Carson popped a coffee pod into the machine and threw together a breakfast burrito for himself. He had learned long ago that he needed to eat a hearty breakfast because most days he was so busy he forgot about lunch entirely. Strong cup of coffee in one hand and his breakfast in the other, Carson made his way to the back door. He shrugged into a warm jacket and found his way to his seat at the outside table.

It was cold but there was nothing he liked more than breakfast outside when weather permitted. The wind was brisk and cold from the snowcapped Peaks but the air was clean and smelled of pine. The surrounding woods were waking up, the level of chatter from wildlife increasing steadily as Carson ate. Breakfast completed, Carson sat there enjoying the outdoors and silently promising himself that once the practice was disband he would spend more time outdoors simply doing nothing more strenuous than bird watching from this very spot.

Glancing down at his watch he noticed that it was already seven-thirty and he pushed away from the table somewhat reluctantly. Dishes deposited in the sink, Carson headed for the office. Smithson was already awake with residents meeting at the diner and heading out for the day. Carson, like all residents, took a good sniff of the morning air as he drove past the diner. He wasn’t too proud to admit that on some days he stopped for a second breakfast because the smells from Winston’s kitchen were that intoxicating.

Pulling into the parking lot, Carson parked and then noticed he failed to grab his briefcase from the bedroom. He laughed out loud, “As if I needed any proof of my age.” He shook his head, knowing that the briefcase could wait until Monday. Unlocking the office and heading toward his office, he flicked lights on as he went. The office was quiet, the only sound that could be heard was the hum of the office equipment.

“Good,” he thought. “No one else is here and I can get some serious work done before that blasted interview at eleven.”

He sunk into his cold office chair, shivered involuntarily at the cold leather beneath his jeans, and buried his head in a file. He worked undisturbed for about an hour when he heard the office door open. Glancing down at his watch, he did not notice as the intruder entered his office.

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Carson Stone, Part Four

Carson looked at the twins, their mocking laughter ringing through the foyer and grating on his nerves.

“Both of you please shut up and go do something useful.” Carson growled as he entered his library and shut the door silently behind him.

Rita heard the commotion and decided to quietly fix a try and bring it to Carson. She knew he was tired of dealing with the constant bickering among the three oldest children and he was more than ready to kick them all from the house. Rita couldn’t blame him.

Knocking on his door, Rita pushed her way into the library and set the tray down on his desk. “It’s just something light Carson but you should eat.”

“Rita, are they ever going to grow up and get out of my house? I’m tired and I can’t imagine how you’ve tolerated them for all these years. I owe you a debt I can never repay.” His voice was tired, his shoulders slumped in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace.

“Carson, you don’t owe me anything. I decided to stay and raise them. I did the best I could but you are right, they are whining, petulant brats that need to be shoved from the nest. I’ve tried but they refuse to go and I’m tired of making failed attempts. I spend more time these days out on the ranch then I do here listening to their poisonous diatribes.”

Small of stature with a face weathered by years spent playing in the sun and on horseback, Rita was the quintessential image of an older woman living on a ranch. She curled up in the chair next to Carson’s and watched the flames flicker and dance while Carson picked at his dinner.

“Whiskey Rita?”

“I’d love one Carson.”

The siblings settled into a comfortable silence, each deep in their own thoughts. Dove had curled up between then on the rug in front of the fireplace. The only sound in the room was the crackle of the fireplace and Dove’s purring.

“I’ve made some decisions tonight Rita.” Carson spoke finally. His voice sounded both light and weary with the weight of those decisions. “Those petulant brats are going to be furious and I don’t expect the decisions to be greeted with cheers or love. In fact, I expect the exact opposite.”

“Carson, whatever you’ve decided you have my full support. Neither of us are getting any younger and it’s time they learned to fend for themselves. I’ve been thinking about taking a vacation, an extended vacation mind you. I love the ranch and have been happy here but I need a break.”

“Go Rita, book a vacation wherever you want for as a long as you want. You know that time and money isn’t an issue. You have been more help through the years that I can ever repay and I owe you a debt of thanks I cannot I can never express adequately.”

“Carson stop. It was my pleasure and it gave my life a purpose when I needed one. I do appreciate your support on vacation however. I will let you know.” Her voice was tired but the smile on her face was beautiful.

Carson stood and stoked the fire down for the evening. “I’m going to bed. It’s late. I suggest you do the same.” Carson’s voice was gruff as he ruffled his younger sister’s hair just like when they were younger. She had the same reaction, she reflexively swatted his hand away as she stood up to follow him.

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Posting Delay Apology

I apologize for not posting for the last several days.  I was struck low by the worst migraine of my life and the ability to sit in front of the computer and type was beyond my abilities.  Life has returned to normal now and as such there will be more installments posted in the coming days.  Carson’s short story will be wrapping up and a new one beginning. 

So stay tuned folks, I haven’t forgotten about posting I just haven’t been functional.

Carson Stone, Part Three

As Carson and Dove drove east through Smithson toward the ranch, he appreciated the darkness engulfing the tower pines surrounding the town. The darkness in Smithson was broken only by the light spilling from the odd open business and his headlights as he drove down Main Street. Carson was glad that the town had agreed that light pollution would only ruin their collective view of the heavens in a town council meeting several years back.

As Carson drove home, he reflected on how best to revisit the decision to disband the office with Rafe and Gabe. He knew that the decision was his alone to make but somehow he needed to make sure the two of them understood what an opportunity he was presenting them. In their mid-thirties, it wasn’t too late to strike out on their own to make their own fortunes, “But how do I make those two hard-headed, entitled brats suck it up and make something of themselves rather than riding on my coattails for eternity?” Carson asked himself and Dove.

Not expecting a response, Carson hopped out of the car and opened the first cattle gate. After it was closed he continued to drive to the house, tired but energized by his decision earlier and the new project he would be starting. Pulling up to the house, Carson noticed all of the lights on and couldn’t fathom why.

Pulling open the heavy pine door, Carson’s ears were immediately assaulted by the sounds of a heated argument. Dove heard the commotion and bolted for the sanctity of the library. Theresa’s voice crystal clear as she hurled insults and hate at someone.

Theresa was Carson’s oldest child and only daughter, and her second husband had fled two weeks ago. If he were honest, Carson didn’t blame Ben Johnson for fleeing and was amazed he remained married to her for as long as he had. Theresa’s marriage to Ben had not been for love but for money and if Carson had to guess, she had just learned that the pre-nuptial she signed prior to the marriage was unbreakable.

Theresa came stampeding down the stairs, oblivious to all but the person on the other end of the phone conversation.

“I don’t care what you think. Do you know who my father is? Do you know what he will do to your career if you fail to break that ridiculous trash agreement I signed when I married that ball player?” Her voice was shrill, haughty, arrogant, and condescending.

Theresa spied her father and abruptly ended her call. She came flying down the stairs heading toward Carson like a spoiled five-year old expecting Santa Claus to still be there on Christmas morning. Carson neatly side stepped her out stretched arms and Theresa’s venomous glare landed on him as she stumbled and turned to face him. “Why won’t you hug me daddy?” her voice whining and needling.

“Theresa Marie Stone Russo Johnson I’ve told you too many times to count now that I am not getting in the middle of your divorce proceedings. Stop flinging my name about like I’m going to ride in and save you. You are thirty-eight and dammit woman it is high time you started acting like it and took responsibility for your own actions.”

Carson’s words rolled off her like water on a duck, she always got her way and this time would be no different. “But,”

“Just stop right there,” Carson’s voice rung out steady and firm. “I told you repeatedly since Ben left you high and dry two weeks ago that I won’t be your knight in shining armor. Stop using my name in a foolish attempt to bully your divorce attorney. Truth be told, you are lucky I’m letting you stay here at all. Don’t push your luck or you will find yourself out of the house and all contact with me cut off.”

Theresa stared at her father, hate and contempt swimming behind lilac eyes. “Just try me old man, just try me.” Her venom voice filling the foyer with her unspoken promise.

As she said this, she glanced up and saw Rafe and Gabe laughing at her. “Same goes for the two of you sorry, pathetic creatures still suckling at Daddy’s teat all these years later. Grow a pair and man up.”

The twins, not known for liking one another and never doing anything together if it could be helped, laughed at her words in unison. “Oh do shut-up both of you!”

 

 

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Carson Stone, Part Two

Carson slowly swiveled his chair from the peaceful evening stretching before him back to the two very thick files awaiting him on his desk. One file contained the future he wanted to pursue and one file contained the future his sons were determined to manipulate him into protecting. In his heart, Carson knew it was possible to do both adequately but his head wouldn’t stop reminding him of all the very logical reasons why it was time disband the law practice.

Dove made the decision for him inadvertently by draping herself over the legal file. “Alright old girl, you win. I will make an appointment with the clients and tell them that they need to find a different legal eagle.” Carson’s voice was gruff with emotion and tinged with relief. At seventy, the everyday practice of law was exhausting and while still intellectually thrilling, it was more time and effort than Carson wished to devote.

Carson flipped open the other file and a casual observer would have observed the change in his posture and mood immediately. His sun weathered face relaxed into a smile, his hazel eyes quickly skimming the pages in the file, and the tension slowly seeping from his shoulders and spine. Whatever Carson was reading clearly energized him and Dove’s purring grew even louder.

After another hour of reading, Carson started locked the two files away in his desk. Carson was habitual about not taking work home to the ranch, even work that was more pleasure than labor. Over the years, Carson had realized that the ranch was his refuge from the stress and politics of a successful law practice and bringing work back to the ranch only polluted the oasis Rita had so successfully created on his behalf. Something prevented Carson from locking the two files in his desk however and he opened his battered leather briefcase and stowed the files.

After the files were secure in his briefcase, Carson quickly checked his calendar of appointments for tomorrow. An interview at an eleven o’clock with M.M. Connelly and a two o’clock meeting with Jo Olivera the town librarian and historian.

“An easy day,” Carson thought as he stood and looked around him. Darkness had enveloped the world outside his window, the office was quiet and still, and the only sound to be heard was the creaking of the pines and Dove’s purring. “Let’s go home old girl. It’s been a long day and there’s nothing I wouldn’t love more than a whiskey in front of the fire after dinner.” Exhaustion, exhilaration, and weariness tinged his voice as he moved through the office, flickering off the remaining few lights that still glowed.

The office wasn’t large as law offices go, but for a town the size and population of Smithson it was enormous and out of place. However, Smithson was the satellite and refuge for the much larger law offices maintained in Phoenix and Tucson. Very little day to day law was practiced from Smithson but all associates in the firm knew that every important decision in the life of the firm had been made from the Smithson law office. Carson Stone was the sole partner in the firm, something he made sure every potential attorney seeking to join his firm understood would not be changing as time marched forward. Gabe and Rafe managed the day to day business of the practice of law, but Carson’s word was still final on all major decisions.

Pulling the large intricately carved pine door firmly closed behind him, Carson turned his key in the lock and slipped it into his jacket. Carson and Dove climbed into the car, the engine rumbling to life disturbing the peace surrounding the office.

 

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Carson Stone, Part One

Carson stared out his office window at the late afternoon sun filtering through the towering Ponderosa Pines. The noise of the office was settling down as a typical busy Thursday came to an end but he could still feel the tension from his earlier meetings with his sons Gabe and Rafe. His shoulders felt tight with the tension and the words spoken in anger.

Rafe had made a point of stomping out of his father’s office fifteen minutes earlier. His parting words still ringing in Carson’s ears. “Your foolishness old man will not be tolerated much longer, I don’t care how rich you are. I will see you declared incompetent before I allow you to disband this law firm you’ve spent the last forty plus years establishing.”

Gabe had nodded his head, vigorously agreeing with his twin but for once, not vocalizing his opinion. His stocky frame bursting out of his suit seams. Gabe had remained uncharacteristically silent during the meeting but Carson had not failed to notice the quizzical and plotting look behind Gabe’s eyes throughout the heated conversation.

Carson sat in his chair staring at the filtered light as late afternoon slowly slipped into early evening reflecting on his life and career choices. He was an imposing figure in the legal community, a living legend was how he was often referred to in local newspaper and magazine articles. But more than once he had heard the whispers about a living fossil who didn’t know when to retire. Those hushed whispers made Carson smile fondly remembering a time when he too had thought the same about the old guard lawyers in the community.

Dove wandered into the office and wound herself between Carson’s long, out stretched legs before jumping onto his lap. Dove was Carson’s cat and a not so unusual visitor to the law office here in Smithson. This morning the cat had decided that today was her day to spend in the office and Carson had found her asleep at his car door when he left for the office that morning. Dove was an old, pewter gray cat that had one day attached herself to Carson when he was in town. That was over ten years ago and in that time, the two had slowly become inseparable.

Most days Dove stayed at the ranch, content to spend her days napping in front of the fireplace in Carson’s library. He’d often return home to find Dove purring in her sleep and find himself smiling for no reason other than her reliable presence. The ranch house was just outside of the sleepy town of Smithson, about a ten to fifteen minute drive depending on weather.

The ranch had been restored by his younger sister Rita over thirty years ago. The house was large enough to provide the entire extended family with privacy without being ostentatious. The ranch was a working ranch, although nothing like it once was. Carson left the everyday running of the ranch to Rita, and if he were honest with himself, he had let Rita raise his four children. She had done an excellent job given the challenges of living in a remote region of Northern Arizona with a father who was absent for long periods of time.

Carson shook his head, forcing himself back into the present as he petted Dove’s silky back. “Old girl, what am I going to do about those hell raising twins?” In response, Dove head butted his hand back into petting her. “Oh how I wish it were that simple, a head butt and the boys would come to their senses.” There was a wistful quality to Carson’s voice as it echoed off the walls of the now deserted office. The only response was the sound of Dove’s purring.

 

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Welcome to Benefitting Smithson Short Stories

As I work on completing my first novel, I decided that I would begin to introduce characters in the novel in short stories on this site.  I’m aiming to post a portion of every story once a day during the week.  Admittedly, I might miss a day or two between postings depending on how much time I spend writing the actual novel each day.

First character to receive his own short story will be Carson Stone.  Carson is quite the character in the local and state legal community.  Best known for his bolo ties and his misogyny, Carson is contemplating retirement.  There is only one thing stopping Carson from retiring, his twin sons determination to dismantle and destroy the Benefitting Smithson trust.

*All characters, places, and events are the sole creation of the author and are not intended to be reflections of events, places, or persons living or dead.

 

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