After the Fall ba-2

by L. G. Castillo

  “That’s the problem.” She sighed as she picked up a newspaper from the stack in the middle of her desk and waved it at him. “How can I touch the hearts of the people in this country when the media portray me to be out of touch with Middle America? I have to figure out a way to make them see that what our party is doing is good for all.”

  He tugged on the sleeves of his crisp white shirt. Small diamond cufflinks twinkled as the light hit them. “What are they complaining about now?”

  “Fracking.” Jane searched through the pile of newspapers, pulled one out, and tossed it to him. “This one says that the fracking Prescott Oil is doing in North Texas is causing the earthquakes in the area.”

  Luke laughed. “I was told on good authority that the seismic events barely registered. Besides, we have our own geophysicists, Harvard-based, mind you, who say it is a natural shift in the plates in that area.”

  She pursed her lips before continuing. “Then there is this paper.” She waved it. “They have a reporter doing an undercover investigation in Gardenville.”

  She got up from her desk, sat in the seat across from Luke, and handed the paper to him. “He claims the wells aren’t safe and that chemicals used in the fracking process are seeping into the drinking water.”

  “Absurd! There is absolutely no proof.” Luke tossed the paper onto the table. “Besides, Texas has some of the most stringent regulations in the country.”

  “That may be, but I’ve received word that State Representative James Keith will be introducing a bill requiring companies to disclose the chemical used in the fracking fluid.”

  Jane felt an eerie chill at the blank expression on Luke’s face. It wasn’t a look she’d ever seen on him before.

  His lips slowly curled into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and she shivered. “It sounds like an environmental witch hunt to me.”

  “I don’t know. What harm could come from disclosing the information? I plan on fully backing his bill, to show my support of transparency in the fracking done by Prescott Oil―or any company for that matter―involved in this type of business.”

  “Ah, excellent political move, my dear. It also shows you’re environmentally friendly.”

  Jane scowled. “It’s more than that, Luke.”

  “Now, now Jane. Don’t be upset. I’m only teasing you. I know your discomfort with the politics of it all. However, I fear your support of this bill would do more harm than good for the people in Texas.”

  “And why is that?”

  Luke leaned over, picked up the cup of coffee, and took a sip before continuing. “If Prescott Oil were forced into full disclosure, then our competitors would have full access to our proprietary business information. This could severely impact our profits. We might have to pull out of Texas.”

  He took another sip, his eyes observing her over the cup as if gauging her reaction.

  She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Was he threatening her?

  “What exactly do you mean?” She drawled the words slowly.

  He carefully placed the cup back on the table and studied her for a moment. “Prescott Oil has brought many jobs to the people of Texas—to people who’ve been hit during these troubling economic times. It would be a shame if they lost their livelihood because the company had to look elsewhere for a more...amenable location.”

  Jane’s stomach churned. She didn’t like where the conversation was going. In all the time she’d known Luke, he’d never interfered with her political work, and he’d never asked for political favors, which she knew were common in the world of politics. So far, most of what she’d done had benefitted the people in her state. The last bill she co-wrote had broken the red tape and allowed companies like Prescott Oil to expand fracking. She was proud of the fact that now it would be easier to bring fracking to more rural counties in the country and even to go international. It would mean more jobs and hopefully a better economy for all. While she was writing the bill, she got a lot of heat from the media, claiming her friendship with Luke had influenced her. It couldn’t have been further from the truth.

  “Sir, may I have a word with you?”

  Jane jumped at the sound of Sal’s voice. She looked over at the hulking body at the entrance, taking up the entire doorway. How could someone so huge not make a sound? She wondered how many conversations Sal had overheard between her and Luke over the years.

  “What is it, Sal?” Luke’s voice sounded irritated. He continued to look at Jane expectantly.

  “It’s about the Houston transfers in the job-training program. I have the report for you. You said you wanted it as soon as I received it.” He held out a manila folder.

  “Job-training program?” She raised a brow.

  Luke reached out to take the file from him. “It’s a program Prescott Oil started about a year ago to train men and women to be ready to work in the oil and gas industry. We have a few transfers from our Houston training site working in Gardenville.”

  “Really? I’m impressed.” Relief swept over her. This was the Luke she knew and loved.

  “Prescott Oil is not in it all for the money.” Luke glanced down at the report, and a look of disappointment crossed his face. “I have some business to take care of. Think about what I said?”

  She looked into his eyes as they gazed back at her kindly. Those were the eyes she remembered from her childhood. Over the past year, she had seen less and less of them, and she wondered what was going on with him to have changed so much. He had always been on her side, and she wanted to trust him like she always had. But lately, she felt like it would be safer for her to keep her thoughts to herself. She couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that something was off. He was different.

  “I’ll consider any avenues that benefit the people and our country,” she said.

  He stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. It was cold.

  “That’s all I ask.”

  9

  Naomi watched Megan climb out of the red pickup truck that was parked along a farm road. She looked exactly the same as when she’d last seen Megan―with her arms and perfect body all over Lash. Same silky blonde hair. Same flawless sun-kissed skin. Same dazzling smile.

  Megan smoothed down her pastel yellow dress, flashing manicured nails and matching nail polish.

  Great. Even her nails are gorgeous. Naomi made a guttural sound in her throat.

  Jeremy looked at Naomi curiously. “Anything wrong?”

  Crap! He heard.

  “No. Nothing. Everything’s fine,” she said, her eyes wide with innocence.

  Good grief. Who knew angels could feel things like anger and jealousy? That was something she’d never heard of. She’d always thought they were perfect. Meeting Lash had of course changed that theory and tossed it out the window. And now that she was an angel, she didn’t feel any different.

  She turned her attention back to Megan, who was leaning into the truck holding her arms out. A little girl, no more than four years old, climbed into them.

  “Megan, can you open this for me?” The girl waved what looked like a candy bar in her hand.

  “Not now, Emma,” said a woman who was the spitting image of the little girl. She grabbed her mass of fiery hair and pulled it up into a ponytail. “You’ll get chocolate all over your dress.”

  “I won’t,” Emma’s pink lips pouted. “I’m a big girl.”

  Megan smoothed back Emma’s unruly ginger curls. “Yes, you are, and you’re growing up so fast. But your momma’s right. We don’t want you to accidentally get candy all over your pretty face before we get your picture taken, do we?”

  “Oh, all right,” Emma said as Megan placed her on the ground. “Can Teddy be in the picture?”

  “Of course.” Megan poked her head back into the truck and took out a stuffed bear. “Aunt Verna, where do you want us to sit?”

  Naomi sighed as Megan’s aunt gave directions on where to sit in the sea of bluebonnets. She remembered the springtime Texas tra
dition of taking family photos with the pretty blue wildflowers. When she and Chuy were small, Welita and her parents would drive them out to a meadow not too different from this one and have them pose in their church clothes. At the time, she had hated it: having to put on a scratchy dress and then having to deal with Chuy, who teased her. For some reason, Welita thought that wearing a velvet dress in the Texas heat was a good thing.

  She always got back at Chuy though. She’d show his friends the photos of him in his little suit and tie. She even threatened to show his friends a photo Welita had taken when he was a baby. It was one that showed his bare bottom. That seemed to shut him up.

  As much as she had hated taking those family photos at the time, she’d give anything to have it all back again.

  “Now, Emma, sit on Megan’s lap and tilt your head a little bit,” Aunt Verna instructed.

  “Momma, when is Daddy coming to visit?” She asked.

  “He’s on the road working. He’ll come when he feels like it.” Verna cursed under her breath.

  Emma’s lip trembled. “He’s not coming ’cause of the ’vorse.”

  “Don’t worry, Emma.” Megan gave her a squeeze. “Divorce or not, he loves you. He’s just busy working. He’s in his big truck traveling through Colorado, remember? He’ll come to visit soon.”

  She bobbed her head and then turned her attention to the bear in her arms.

  “Megan, can you read to Teddy later?” Emma clutched her toy close to her chest. “Teddy wants to know what happens to the princess.”

  “Megan has to work tonight,” Aunt Verna said as she looked through the camera lens, snapping photos. “I’ll read to you.”

  “I want Megan. She does all the voices.” Emma looked up at Megan. “And Teddy thinks she’s pretty.”

  Megan kissed the top of Emma’s head. “I think I can squeeze in a few minutes for my favorite little cousin, and Teddy too.”

  “Emma, put your head down so I can see ya. Look over this way.” Aunt Verna pointed in the direction where she and Jeremy were standing.

  Emma’s big brown eyes widened as she looked directly at Jeremy. Then she flashed a big smile. “Do you want to be in the picture too?”

  Naomi gasped and then she turned to Jeremy, who grinned back at Emma, his dimples flashing. “Is she talking to you?”

  “I believe so,” he said, waving his fingers hello at Emma.

  If she could see Jeremy, then that could only mean one thing. She turned back to the petite red-haired girl.

  No!

  “Please don’t tell me that she’s your next assignment.”

  His smile disappeared, and he looked at her sadly. “You know I can’t tell you.”

  “Can you give me a hint?”

  He studied her for a moment, blue eyes searching her face. He was so close to her that she could see thick dark lashes that any woman would die for, and a smattering of blond stubble on his strong jaw. His eyes held hers, and for a moment, she felt a strange pull towards him.

  He blinked and then looked away, releasing her from the strange spell that held her captive. She let out a breath. What was that?

  She inched herself away from him carefully, trying to keep her distance and at the same time not wanting to hurt his feelings. Was Lash right about him? Did he have feelings for her?

  “We each have our assignments. Let’s just focus on those, okay?”

  “Sure.” She watched him as he turned his attention to Megan and Emma. She was being silly. Obviously, Jeremy didn’t want to upset her about the little girl.

  “Who are you talking to, Hon?” Megan asked.

  “The man with the boots.” She lifted the bear’s arm and waved it at Jeremy.

  “Stop that nonsense, Emma,” Aunt Verna said. “I told you ‘bout your imaginary friends. You can’t have them if ya want to go to school with the other big girls. Dag nabbit! I’m runnin’ out of battery. Hold on, girls, while I get another one. Don’t move.”

  Emma sniffled, and tears formed in her eyes.

  Megan gave her a squeeze and whispered in her ear. “I see him, too.” She waved to the left.

  “Not there. He’s over there,” Emma said, pointing in the opposite direction.

  Jeremy chuckled. “Sweet girl.”

  “Who? Megan?” Naomi asked.

  “Yeah. Not that many people like to pretend they can actually see me.”

  Naomi looked at Megan as she waved in the direction Jeremy was standing, making Emma smile again. Okay, so Megan wasn’t that bad. Maybe she even was starting to like her a little. Megan seemed like a natural mom the way she was taking care of Emma. Someone who cared for children couldn’t be that bad.

  The thought made her feel a little bit better—more angelic.

  “I guess you could say—”

  Naomi was cut off as squawking birds fled from the nearby trees and took off into the sky. Then a strange feeling hit her, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

  She glanced at Jeremy. He was on full alert. His thick arms tensed, ready for action, as if he sensed danger nearby.

  “Okay, I’m ready now. What da hell?” Verna lost her footing as the ground shook, and she fell.

  “Mommy!” Emma shrieked, jumping out of Megan’s lap. “What’s happening?”

  “No, Emma.” Megan gripped her arm and pulled her down. She looked up at the swaying utility poles that lined the road. “Stay here with me.”

  The ground continued to rumble. Emma clutched Megan’s neck and cried into her chest.

  “What’s happening?” Naomi asked Jeremy.

  “Earthquake.”

  “Earthquake! Texas doesn’t have earthquakes.”

  “Not normally, but over the past few years, they’ve been increasing in frequency.” Jeremy looked at her with a surprised look. “Don’t you watch the news?”

  “Not lately. I’ve been busy being chased by fallen angels and demons, you know, little things like that,” she snapped.

  She watched the electrical wires whip around as the poles swayed. Was this it? Was this the danger that she had to protect Megan from? She bit her lip as she looked worriedly at Emma. She didn’t want to see the little girl die.

  Please don’t let her be Jeremy’s assignment.

  The shaking finally stopped, and she let out a breath of relief. They were safe—for now.

  “Aunt Verna! Are you all right?” Megan leapt to her feet and ran to her.

  “Lord, have mercy. That sure was somethin’. She took a hold of Megan’s arm as she helped her to stand. “Dag nabbit! I broke the lens.”

  Megan sighed and went back to Emma as Verna fiddled with her broken lens. “It’s okay, Hon. Your momma’s not hurt, just her camera.”

  “I heard ’bout earthquakes happenin’ over in East Texas out in Timpson. Neva thought we’d get one here,” Verna said, tugging out a pack of cigarettes from the front of her jean pocket. Her hands shook as she took one out and lit it.

  “Uh, Emma.” Megan’s lips thinned as she eyed the smoke that wafted near her and Emma. “Go wait in the truck.”

  “Okay. Come on, Teddy. Don’t be scared. I’ll take care of you.” She squeezed the bear to her chest.

  “Oh, wait!” Megan unwrapped the candy bar and handed it to her. “Share it with Teddy. It’ll calm him down.”

  Emma beamed. She then glanced over at Jeremy and looked down at her candy. She curled her tiny finger motioning Megan to lean in.

  Megan raised an eyebrow and then bent down.

  “Do you think I should give some to the pretty man?” Emma whispered.

  “She has good taste.” Jeremy grinned, throwing Naomi a glance.

  Megan looked over in the direction that Emma was looking. “I don’t know. I think he wants you to keep it for you and Teddy.”

  Emma looked to Jeremy with wide eyes.

  “Megan’s right,” he said to Emma. “You and Teddy should keep it.”

  Emma gasped at the sound of his voice. She was about to sa
y something when she gave a quick look at her mom and shut her mouth closed. She gave Jeremy a simple nod and turned back to Megan. “Okay!”

  Megan kissed her forehead, and Emma ran to the truck with Teddy in one hand and the chocolate bar in the other.

  Megan got a hold of Verna and led her away from the truck. “When did the other earthquake happen?”

  “I think it was a few months ago. Word is that maybe it has to do with all the drillin’ that’s been goin’ on over there.”

  “We’ve got just as much drilling here, too.” Megan furrowed her brow with worry. “Was it bad over there?”

  “4.8. That’s what they said in the news. No one got hurt, though.”

  “Not yet,” Megan muttered.

  Verna took a final puff on her cigarette and let the smoke out slowly. “Nothin’ we can do ’bout it. Best thing that’s ever happened to this town is the drillin’. I’d have lost the house if it wasn’t for Prescott Oil buyin’ some of my land. They even gave me a job. They’re good people.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “You tell her, Megan,” Naomi said. Yep, she was starting to really like her now.

  Jeremy raised an eyebrow at her.

  “What? Can’t an angel have an opinion on environmental politics?”

  He shook his head and chuckled. “You’re one of a kind, Naomi.”

  “No guessing ’bout it.” Verna said loudly. She walked to the road and flicked the cigarette, putting it out with her shoe. “It’s what puts food on the table and a house over our heads. It’s gettin’ late, and you need to get ready for your shift at the Dixie Bar tonight.”

  Jeremy turned to Naomi, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Dixie Bar?”

  “Welcome to Texas,” she said.

  * * *

  “How long do you think we need to stay?” Naomi said as she watched Megan in a tight-fitting white T-shirt and jean shorts that barely covered her assets, serving customers at the Dixie Bar.

  “Why? I’m having fun.” His eyes looked appreciatively at Megan.

  Naomi rolled her eyes. Just when she was beginning to like Megan, thinking that she had a good head on her shoulders, she acted like...like a blond bimbo.