Aftermath - Part I
“Your Honor, despite our differences, you should know I would never deliberately endanger the public.” Buck was having trouble keeping his voice even.
“And yet your ‘Institute’ is close to the city. Why is that? You’re just trying to make me look bad!”
“Dammit Lewis! That’s not it. That’s never been it, regardless of what your paranoid delusions might say!”
“That’s Mayor Todd to you. You lost first name privileges decades ago.”
Buck slowly stood up. While he didn’t quite tower over the mayor, he was much better at being intimidating. The other man had let himself go to seed and wore a perpetual scowl. “You are being foolish. But,” he looked away briefly, “you are the mayor, and I’ll comply. Now, if you don’t mind I have extra planning to do. Your Honor.” Buck made the honorific sound like an insult.
Todd drew himself up, his face reddened. “You do not get to dismiss me, you pompous, self-serving,”
“Stop!” The shout made both men turn. Doctor Conner stood in the doorway, “You both are being children.”
Both men looked abashed. Todd met her eyes for a second, “Jules, please. This doesn’t concern you.”
“Oh? Then you’re not still carrying that stupid grudge? You’ve finally admitted that your own ego is what made me leave you?”
He drew himself up again and stabbed an accusing finger at Buck, “Oh, I know exactly what happened.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I think that it is time for you to leave. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you Buck had nothing to do with it.” She shrugged, “You don’t accept that. Considering you told me you love me, it strike me odd that you can’t even trust me.”
“Jules…”
“Good bye, Mister Mayor.” She stood aside and swept a hand to the door. Todd shot a last glare at Buck, then stomped out the door. Conner closed it behind him, then walked up to the desk.
“I’m sorry about that, Julianne. I don’t know why I can’t have a civil conversation with that man.”
“Friends make the worst enemies, Buck.”
He nodded sadly. “I think you’re right. About everything.”
She smiled at the admission, “Oh hell, at our age we’ve earned the right to indulge in a little childishness. I just wish it would be more of a fun sort.” She shook herself, as is shaking off a memory, “I take it he told you that rebuilding is out?”
“That was probably the most civil thing he had to say. In fact, he threatened to have me and Cynthia locked up for endangering the public and interfering with an investigation.”
Julianne winced. “Unreasonable as always.” She sat down, and Buck came around the desk and sat next to her. “What now?”
“Like I told you. We rebuild. I’m just not sure where yet.”
“You always were a damned persistent cuss. So, tell me. Any ideas yet about how you’re rebuilding?”
“Well, now that you asked,” he smiled, and they talked for long time.
“And yet your ‘Institute’ is close to the city. Why is that? You’re just trying to make me look bad!”
“Dammit Lewis! That’s not it. That’s never been it, regardless of what your paranoid delusions might say!”
“That’s Mayor Todd to you. You lost first name privileges decades ago.”
Buck slowly stood up. While he didn’t quite tower over the mayor, he was much better at being intimidating. The other man had let himself go to seed and wore a perpetual scowl. “You are being foolish. But,” he looked away briefly, “you are the mayor, and I’ll comply. Now, if you don’t mind I have extra planning to do. Your Honor.” Buck made the honorific sound like an insult.
Todd drew himself up, his face reddened. “You do not get to dismiss me, you pompous, self-serving,”
“Stop!” The shout made both men turn. Doctor Conner stood in the doorway, “You both are being children.”
Both men looked abashed. Todd met her eyes for a second, “Jules, please. This doesn’t concern you.”
“Oh? Then you’re not still carrying that stupid grudge? You’ve finally admitted that your own ego is what made me leave you?”
He drew himself up again and stabbed an accusing finger at Buck, “Oh, I know exactly what happened.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I think that it is time for you to leave. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you Buck had nothing to do with it.” She shrugged, “You don’t accept that. Considering you told me you love me, it strike me odd that you can’t even trust me.”
“Jules…”
“Good bye, Mister Mayor.” She stood aside and swept a hand to the door. Todd shot a last glare at Buck, then stomped out the door. Conner closed it behind him, then walked up to the desk.
“I’m sorry about that, Julianne. I don’t know why I can’t have a civil conversation with that man.”
“Friends make the worst enemies, Buck.”
He nodded sadly. “I think you’re right. About everything.”
She smiled at the admission, “Oh hell, at our age we’ve earned the right to indulge in a little childishness. I just wish it would be more of a fun sort.” She shook herself, as is shaking off a memory, “I take it he told you that rebuilding is out?”
“That was probably the most civil thing he had to say. In fact, he threatened to have me and Cynthia locked up for endangering the public and interfering with an investigation.”
Julianne winced. “Unreasonable as always.” She sat down, and Buck came around the desk and sat next to her. “What now?”
“Like I told you. We rebuild. I’m just not sure where yet.”
“You always were a damned persistent cuss. So, tell me. Any ideas yet about how you’re rebuilding?”
“Well, now that you asked,” he smiled, and they talked for long time.
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