Then there were the Hartwells and finally the Spences, owners of the hotel. The Spences changed their opinion of him after Kayden showed interest in renovating their building at no cost. They gushed about his work on the diner and looked forward to the project, so she hoped they at least had something nice to say. Once everyone who cared to show up was seated, brought together by Judge Hartwell’s son Joshua, all anyone could talk about was the accident.
Mavis Simpson, owner of the Thrift shop on the edge of the block, had stood, hand on her hip, wagging her tongue.
“I’m still pissed off about losing power for almost two days!”
“Yeah!” Someone in the back of the room shouted.
“And what about the property damage?” Kevin Wilson asked.
He owned a shoe store across from the hotel, which never had many customers to begin with.
“What property damage? The only damage there was was to those kids, the pole, and the car!” Joseph Smith interjected.
Kevin looked around the room sheepishly, then sat back down without a rebuttal. The room fell silent for a moment, and all you could hear was the occasional shuffle of shoes on the laminate flooring.
“Well, I don’t like the girlfriend. She’s quite rude and very stand-offish,” Patricia Whitehall added.
Aunt Mae couldn’t contain herself anymore and stood, facing the crowd.
“I’ve lived in Hamby my whole life, and I’ve been proud of that fact, until this very moment. How dare you all?”
There were a few gasps as she spoke, but everyone gave her the respect she deserved and let her talk. She looked out at the twenty or so faces and made sure to make eye contact with them all. Some dropped their gazes, some rolled their eyes.
“We’re all going to sit in here and act as if everything Kayden did in the last few months, including almost being killed, doesn’t matter?”
Her voice rose, and she clenched her fists as she continued.
“And what about his fiancée? I’m sitting here listening to you complain that she was “stand-offish”? What in the hell does she owe any of ya? Nothing, that’s what!”
Aunt Mae lumbered over to the podium now and grabbed the microphone out of Joshua’s hand. He moved out of her way and stood off to the side.
“She’s been harassed, run out of town, hit by a car,andlost her child, in our town, on our streets, and somehowyou peopleare the victims?”
Her eyes danced around the stuffy room at them. Some shifted in their seats uncomfortably, and someone in the rear got up and left the room.
“If I were her, I’d be more than just stand-offish if someone shoved their phone in my face!”
Her eyes hit Patricia Whitehall’s, and she dropped her gaze to her lap. Aunt Mae was near seething, her ample bosom heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Joseph got up and made his way to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Now don’t get your pressure up, Hattie-Mae.”
Josh took several unsure steps forward and turned to the small group.
“Everything she just said is proof positive of why we need them out of our town! The Capshaws caused all of that. Not us!” he exclaimed, turning to Hattie-Mae.
James Whitehall stood next.
“And we all know that Maureen pulled her strings to get that batshit crazy girl off, too! That woman is pure evil!”
“Now, Maureen is no saint, but her sins are not her son’s and vice versa. I won’t sit in here and listen to you tear him downanymore. He’s paid his dues to this community, he’s not the same person he once was, and it’s time to let it go already!”
With that, she shoved the mic into Josh’s chest, causing loud interference, and took her seat with the help of Joe.
“They want to restore the Hotel, and I have to say I was looking forward to that,” Mr. Spence stood and said.
“And what’s to stop the next crazy ex-girlfriend from ruining that?” Josh shouted, returning to his post behind the podium.
“Oh, please, Josh,” Aunt Mae broke in, “We all know you’ve been jealous of Kayden since you were children. Why that is, has always escaped me, but don’t pretend that what you’re doing now is out of concern for this town or its property.”
