Bearly In Love

by Terri Reid

  “Stacy was there?” her mother asked, the temperature in her voice dropping further. “I thought she was in school.”

  “She graduated, Mom,” he replied. “She’s back in town taking care of her grandmother. Sam told me that things have been a little rough for them.”

  Straightening up, Charlene met her son’s eyes. “Don’t let people like that take advantage of you,” she warned. “Don’t let your soft heart overrule your head.”

  Henry shook his head. “People like what, Mom?” he asked. “The Gages are great people. They have been our friends since I was a kid.”

  “They have been Sam’s friends since you were a kid,” she corrected. “He never understood that once your business succeeds and you make a certain amount of money, there are social obligations inherent to your status. And social spheres you are expected to enter. The Gages do not fit into that sphere.”

  Henry bit his tongue. No matter how many times he’d had this kind of conversation with his parents, he didn’t think they were ever going to change their point of view. As a kid, he had understood his parents were snobs, but as an adult, he realized how bad they really were.

  Thinking his silence meant he was contemplating her words, Charlene decided to push her advantage. “I mean really, Henry, the girl’s mother was an Osage Indian,” she said with an amused sniff. “She hardly fits in with our kind of people.”

  He felt his temper rising as he remembered that the last thing Stacy’s mother did was put him in a safe place before she ran to help her husband hold onto the storm door. He stared at his mother, wondering if she realized how ignorant she sounded. This woman who had responded to the death of Stacy’s parents with a quick shrug of her shoulders and a fleeting display of sympathy before moving on to other, more pressing, items. He shook his head. “You’re right, Mother,” he said, dropping his uneaten cookies back on the plate, his appetite gone. “They don’t fit in with our kind of people.”

  He turned away and crossed the kitchen to the staircase to his room. “Lucky them,” he whispered.

  “Oh, Henry,” his mother called after him.

  His hand clenched on the rail, he took a deep breath and turned. “Yes?”

  “I came down to tell you that darling Lorraine stopped by this evening to see you,” she said. “I think she was expecting to spend more time with you now that she’s working at Adventureland, too.”

  His eyes hardened. “You didn’t tell her that Sam left it to me, did you?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Of course not,” she replied easily. “I know the terms of the agreement. My lips are sealed.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “Goodnight.”

  “You will call her, won’t you dear?” she asked. “I really think you two make a cute couple.”

  “Goodnight,” he repeated and jogged up the stairs, quickly closing his bedroom door behind him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Stacy decided the long walk from the employee lockers to the Bear Concessionary was surprisingly pleasant. The sound of traffic from the nearby highway was muted by the forests around her, and the air smelled of loam and pine. The sky above was bright blue, and there was a symphony of bird songs echoing from the tops of the trees. She inhaled deeply and smiled. Yes, she could get used to this every morning.

  As she got nearer to the second gate that opened into the Deep Woods Park, she saw that George the bison was waiting for her. He rubbed his body against the heavy, chain-link and bobbed his giant head up and down several times.

  “Good morning, George,” she said with a smile and, reaching into her backpack, pulled out a plastic bag with slices of apple. “I brought this just in case you were here this morning.”

  She walked to the fence and pushed the slices through the links so they dropped in front of George. The first slice garnered a cautionary sniff but soon was gobbled up quickly. The next few slices were swallowed as soon as they hit the ground, and by the end of the bag, George’s eager lips were at the chain-link fence waiting for each juicy morsel to be hand fed to him.

  Folding the empty bag up and stuffing it back into her backpack, Stacy laughed at the large animal. “Wow, George, you were hungry. I’ll be sure to bring another apple tomorrow.”

  She stepped away and started back towards the gate when she heard a loud bellow. She turned to see George licking the chain-link, his long tongue slipping around the metal wire, looking for more apples. “Sorry, George,” she replied. “I’ll bring more tomorrow.”

  After unlocking the gate, she slipped through and relocked it before heading over to the store. The building was about ten yards away when she noticed the damage to the décor on the front of the store. Many of the items that had been used to make the façade look like a trader’s cabin had been pulled off the storefront by the storm from the previous night. The needed repairs looked more extensive than just picking things up and putting them back where they belonged. Some of the items had been damaged, and some of the wood plank siding was gone as well. “It’s actually an improvement,” Stacy muttered.

  “Pardon me?”

  Stacy squealed and then turned around to see the giant, bear character standing a few feet away, hidden by a copse of trees. “Sam, you scared the heck out of me,” she scolded. “Don’t do that.”

  The bear chuckled softly. “Sorry, I really didn’t mean to scare you,” he replied. “I was just walking around checking out the damage from the storm.”

  “Well, as you can see,” Stacy said pointing at the exterior of the building, “Mother Nature decided to do some much needed redecorating.”

  Stacy thought it was comical to watch the bear put its paws on its hips and survey the damage. As if he could read her mind, the bear turned to her and cocked his giant head slightly. “So, what would you do to fix this?” he asked.

  “If I could do anything I wanted?” she asked.

  The bear shrugged. “Within reason.”

  Smiling, Stacy walked up to the building and pointed at the front. “I’d take the wood paneling off this area and this area,” she said, pointing to two spots on either side of the door. “Then I’d put in display windows. That way it would bring more natural light into the store, and we’d be able to highlight some of the unique work inside.”

  The bear nodded slowly. “Okay, what else?”

  “Well, I’d get rid of these traps for sure,” she said. “This is a wildlife preserve. People don’t want to be reminded about how cruel early hunters were to the animals they caught.”

  “Good point,” the bear replied. “And?”

  She smiled. “And I’d see about talking to some artists who do outdoor sculptures, you know, like those bears out of tree trunks. We could set up a display in front of the store. I think that would catch the visitors’ eyes when they look down from the tram.”

  “Excellent ideas, Stacy,” the bear said, nodding his head in approval.

  “Thanks, Sam,” she replied with a soft sigh. “But unless you’ve got some pull that I don’t know about, I think I’m going to spend a good portion of my day putting things back the way they were.”

  “Well, why don’t you hold off on any repairs for now,” the bear suggested. “I don’t mind going to the top brass and making a suggestion or two. And who knows? They might be in a listening mood.”

  “Okay, I’ll cross my fingers for you,” she said, walking to the front door and typing in the key code. “It was great to see you, Sam.”

  “I’ll see you later, Stacy,” the bear replied.

  Henry watched Stacy enter the building and close the door behind her. He sighed softly and shook his head. “I suppose if she thinks I’m Sam, it’s a lot safer that way.”

  He turned and walked back towards the tram to make arrangements to put Stacy’s ideas into action.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The parking lot was still filled with puddles from the previous night’s storm, and Lorraine drove her red, BMW convertible around several times looking for a s
pot where she wouldn’t risk getting her brand new, white canvas shoes dirty. The employees were supposed to park at the far end of the lot, leaving the closer spots for guests, but she never paid attention to that rule. Besides, she was late to work and it wasn’t as if she was a regular employee. She was Lorraine Mills; she was only working to get a little experience. She didn’t need this job.

  She pulled up next to the handicapped parking spots and weighed the risks of actually parking in one of those spots. Really, how many spots did handicapped people actually need? And besides, what were handicapped people doing at an amusement park anyway? She swept her blonde hair back over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.

  She was about to take one of the spots, reasoning that if someone in the police department actually dared ticket her she could afford the fine, when she spotted a familiar car.

  “Oh, hell,” she said, quickly backing out of the spot and following the other car to a section farther away from the entrance. “Just what I need, Henry’s mom seeing me park illegally.”

  Pulling in next to the black Mercedes sedan, Lorraine grabbed her oversized purse and hurried out of her car to catch up with Charlene Guthrie. She knew that lately the only way to Henry was through his mother. Was he just busy, or was there something or someone else on his mind?

  “Oh, Charlene,” she called, waving her hand over her head as she skittered across the pavement avoiding puddles. “Charlene, wait just a moment.”

  Charlene looked over her shoulder and smiled genuinely when she saw Lorraine. “Well hello, dear,” she said. “How are you this morning?”

  Noting the smile, Lorraine felt a modicum of relief as she hurried the final few feet to catch up with Charlene. She tried to smile while she caught her breath. “Oh…I’m just fine,” she panted. “I suppose I just got my morning workout.”

  “Are you working today?” Charlene asked.

  Nodding, Lorraine fell in place alongside Charlene and walked with her. “Yes, I am,” she said. “And I do so want to thank you again for sponsoring me for this job. It’s so enlightening to understand how the park works, all its ins and outs.”

  Smiling with satisfaction, Charlene nodded. “Well, my dear,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper. “I feel that it’s important for a wife to know the inner workings of her husband’s business. It gives them another point of connection.”

  Yes! Lorraine responded silently. Charlene is still in my camp. All I have to do is keep laying it on thick —but not too thick. “And I do so want my future with Henry to be rewarding for both of us,” Lorraine gushed. “You have raised such a wonderful man.”

  Patting her hair in a preening motion, Charlene shrugged modestly and acknowledged, “Well, I have to admit he’s turned out perfectly,” she said. “But breeding will out, you know.”

  Lorraine bobbed her head in agreement. “Yes, it will,” she gushed.

  “Although…” Charlene paused. “I was surprised to learn he was out with that Gage girl.”

  Lorraine nearly stumbled. She thought back to her surprise two days ago at seeing Stacy Gage in front of her old house. She hadn’t realized Stacy was back from school. And not only was she back from school, she was also looking better than she should.

  “For a while I was concerned because I thought he was interested in that Gage girl,” Lorraine said offhandedly, watching for Charlene’s reaction.

  Stopping in her tracks, Charlene glared at Lorraine. “My son would never lower his standards and consort with someone like that,” she stated emphatically. “I would not allow it.”

  Feeling a little emboldened, Lorraine shrugged. “Well, you do know she’s working here, don’t you?” she asked. “She was hired yesterday, right before me.”

  “I didn’t know,” Charlene replied. “Well, I don’t like that. Not at all.”

  “Well, don’t worry about it,” Lorraine said, patting Charlene on the arm. “I have a strong feeling that this is going to be her last day at work.”

  “And how would you know that?” Charlene asked.

  A smile crossed Lorraine’s face. Now Charlene would be in her debt and Lorraine loved having the upper hand in any situation. She lowered her voice secretly. “Well, the drug tests come back today, and I’m sure everyone is going to be surprised by the results. And,” she added with considerable pride in her voice, “I had more than a little to do with it.”

  Charlene studied Lorraine for a moment and then cocked her head slightly. “Lorraine, dear, I’m not a stupid woman, and I don’t normally approve of underhanded dealings. But they can be useful in the right circumstances” she replied. “Am I correct in assuming that Miss Gage is going to be more surprised than anyone else?”

  Lorraine’s smile broadened. “Why, yes, I believe she will,” she said widening her eyes innocently. “But tests don’t lie.”

  “Well, isn’t that…resourceful of you,” Charlene replied. “And can I presume that the test should have had another name on it?”

  Charlene pulled her arm from Lorraine’s touch, turned and started walking across the parking lot towards the entrance. Lorraine trotted alongside her, a self-satisfied smile on her face. “Well, if truth be told,” she said, lowering her voice dramatically, “I had no idea there would be drug testing involved in the interview process, and so the night before I smoked a substance that many argue should be legalized anyway.”

  Nodding, Charlene kept her eyes on the entrance. “You smoked pot,” she confirmed.

  “Well, just a little,” Lorraine said with a shrug. “I barely inhaled. And it was just to relax me so I could sleep well before the interview.”

  “And how did you decide to switch your sample with Miss Gage’s sample?” Charlene asked.

  “She was in the bathroom right before me,” Lorraine replied. “And her sample was still on the shelf. It was the perfect opportunity to put that girl in her place.”

  Charlene nodded slowly. “That was quite brilliant of you,” she said, and Lorraine beamed at the compliment. “You have quite a knack for self-preservation. But how did you know that Miss Gage’s sample didn’t also have drugs in it?”

  Encouraged, Lorraine snorted in a most unladylike way, but she didn’t notice Charlene’s quick wince. “Stacy Gage and drugs? No way,” she snickered. “She’s so strait-laced and proper; she’s probably still a virgin.”

  Charlene stopped walking and turned to look at Lorraine. “You do realize who you are speaking with?” she asked.

  Her heart dropping, Lorraine covered her mouth with her hand. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “That was just an expression. I have not…. I mean, I’m still….”

  Staring into Lorraine’s eyes, Charlene cocked one eyebrow slightly and watched the young woman turn red and fall silent before her. Finally, Charlene took a deep breath and pasted a smile on her face. “This has been a most enlightening conversation, Lorraine,” she finally said. “I do hope you have a good day.”

  Lorraine watched Charlene walk away from her and enter the employees’ entrance.

  “Damn it,” she cursed softly. “Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The inside of the store was intact; the ravages of the storm had remained outside. So after a quick dusting of the merchandise, Stacy was ready to open the store for the day. She slid the radio onto her belt, checked the receiver to be sure it was on and turned on the cash register. When she opened the register, she was surprised to find a typed memo addressed to her.

  Dear Miss Gage,

  We are interested in increasing the visibility of our Bear Concessionary and, as we have reviewed your resume, we see that you have a business degree from Oklahoma State University. Would you be interested in applying some of your skills to marketing the store? If not, we will be hiring a local marketing firm with whom we would have you work.

  Please consider this opportunity. Of course, there would be an increase of pay commensurate with the additional responsibilities.

  I will have
someone in my Human Resource staff contact you later in the day to determine your interest in this proposal. Thank you for your consideration.

  Sincerely,

  John S. Rayburn

  Shaking her head, she reread the letter again. She couldn’t believe it. They would actually pay her for promoting the store? She felt as if a fairy godmother had just plonked her on the head with a magic wand. She grabbed a notebook from under the counter and began her list of marketing ideas she’d already come up with. When Human Resources called, she was going to be so ready for the meeting.

  She was only into page two of her suggestions when the radio buzzed.

  “Bear Concessionary, Stacy speaking,” she said.

  “This is Dora Fitzenbottom in Human Resources,” the voice on the other end of the radio supplied. “I would like to meet with you immediately in my office. You do remember where that is, don’t you?”

  Stacy nodded. “Yes, I do remember,” she said. “Should I just lock things up?”

  “Yes, lock everything up and be sure to bring all of your belongings with you,” Dora replied.

  “My belongings?” Stacy repeated, confused. “Okay. And I’ll bring a list of ideas I have for marketing.”

  “Just hurry to my office, Miss Gage,” was Dora’s curt reply.

  “Yes, ma’am, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Stacy clicked off the radio and shook her head. That was not the voice of someone who was excited to meet with her about new opportunities. But, it seemed that Mrs. Dora Fitzenbottom had not been her biggest fan since the first day, so perhaps her nose was out of joint because of the promotion. Oh well, Stacy thought with a grin, she’d just have to get over it.

  Within five minutes of the phone call, Stacy had closed down the store and was quickly striding back down the path between the Big Woods section of the park and the main amusement area. She looked around to see if George was anywhere in sight, but he was obviously looking for greener pastures. When she reached the final gate, she carefully locked it and started across the back lot of the amusement park. She was just passing the employee locker room when she saw the giant bear character walk out.