Part One - One Big Happy Family #2
All he could think about was getting home and sharing the good news with his girls, Poppy, Lizzy, and Lola.
They had supported him through the whole ordeal and only complained a little when he failed to attend yet another event over the last two years.
Since it was the week of Thanksgiving, school was out.
They would be at home. He could hardly wait to get home to share the fantastic news.
Thinking of Poppy, his mind immediately wandered back to earlier that morning and the awesome start to his day she had given him.
Quickening his pace, he quickly collected his files.
But, like many other times in his life, God just laughed when Bennett Carrington started making plans.
Every few steps out of the courthouse, he was waylaid by someone wanting to congratulate him on a job well done.
Reporters from every newscast tried to interview him.
With the sentencing phase of the trial set for the next day, Bennett did not want to jinx anything by saying too much publicly about the case.
Two Hours Later…
Bennett had just cleared the Jacksonville bottleneck when his phone began buzzing.
He immediately declined the unknown number assuming it was probably a news reporter with questions about the case.
It was the third time that number had rung since he left the courthouse.
The next call that came through was from his secretary.
Using the hands-free options, he clicked accept.
"Great work today, boss. Score one for the good guys," his secretary Tammi said excitedly. Her slow, Southern drawl was as strong at sixty as it had been as a young girl growing up in rural Mississippi.
"Thank you. I appreciate that," Bennett replied quickly. "Of course, it was a team effort, and we all worked really hard for today's results."
"That is true, but no one worked harder or more passionately than you. You were the heart and soul of this case," she stated matter of factly. "You are the man of the hour. Enjoy it. You've earned it."
Uncomfortable with praise, Bennett tried to shift the conversation. "I don't know about all of that. But thank you. Any calls from the press? I have had several calls from random numbers since I left Little Rock."
"Yeah, we have had several requests for interviews. I have put them off until after tomorrow's sentencing. I can set something up then if you want. Maybe an on-air interview at the television stations unless you would rather do it at your office. Let me know."
"I will think about it and get back to you," Bennett replied, almost unable to believe the case was almost over.
"Okay, sounds good. You also have several messages from Jameson Williams."
"Jameson Williams?” Bennett barked out the man's name in surprise and disbelief. "What did that old fart want?"
"I have no idea," replied Tammi, "But he has called several times and left multiple messages. He wants you to call him. Do you have his number?"
"Somewhere, maybe?" said Bennett.
It had been more than ten years since he had talked to Williams. Once upon a time, they often spoke about fundraising and how Bennett's political career could best serve the will of the people of Arkansas, if not Williams himself.
But that was before Bennett's life had radically changed. Over ten years had passed since his life, and the lives of those he loved had been turned upside down.
Thinking of Williams, Bennett assumed the man must have heard about the case and wanted to congratulate him on the win.
Williams had been a loyal supporter years ago.
He had not been happy when Bennett had decided to walk away from a life he had spent years building.
In the end, though, Williams had let him know that while he would have preferred a different outcome, he understood and supported his decision.
"Send me his number, please. I will call him," stated Bennett, deciding he had just enough time left on his way home for a quick call.
"Will do, boss. Let me know about the press for tomorrow," replied Tammi. Bennett could hear her clicking something into her phone as they talked.
"I will. I am going straight home and spending the rest of the day with my girls."
"Good for you. You deserve it." With that, Tammi rang off, and the number for Jameson Williams popped up on his phone. Surprise, surprise. It was the number he had been declining for the last hour.
It only took a second for Bennett to get Williams’s office on the line and ask to be connected to him. Bennett had only been on hold for a few seconds when he heard the loud, gruff voice of Jameson Williams booming over his car stereo.
Talking a mile a minute and expecting everyone to keep up, Williams yelped, "Congratulations, Bennett, my boy! You really slayed the dragon today. That is all anyone is talking about at the Capitol. Good for you. I always knew you would be back. Just didn't think it would take this long."
As uncomfortable as receiving compliments from Williams, as he had been from Tammi, Bennett tried the same defusing tactic again, "Well, thank you, sir, but it was all in a day's work. And my team did an incredible job helping me pull it all together."
"Don't give me that shit," screeched Williams. "I know you, remember. I know how much of yourself you threw into winning this case. And boy, it is going to pay off big for you this time."
"Well, not sure about all of that, sir. Just happy justice was served," replied Bennett, unsure where the conversation was going.
Crackling, William responded, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hear you. You never were any good at taking a compliment. Humble sells better than cocky shit, so it is all good."
It might have been more than a decade since he and Williams had spoken, but it was becoming clear the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Williams was the same old blunt ass he always was.
Choosing his words carefully, Bennett said, "Not looking to sell anything other than the truth these days, but as I said, I am glad justice was served. It was a long time coming."
At that moment, Bennett heard the noise level on the other end of the line significantly increase.
William said, "Sorry, it is getting loud in here.
Look, I can't really talk right now. I am in the middle of a major strategy meeting.
We took a break for me to take this call, but the natives were getting restless.
I called because I have something really important to run past you.
How about we meet for breakfast at The Community Bakery at 7:00 AM in the morning? "
Thinking of all he needed to get done and be at the courthouse by 8:30, Bennett incredulously repeated, "7:00?”
He meant it sarcastically, as if to say there was no way he could make that work. But, Williams, being Williams, did not pick up on it.
Instead, he heard it as a confirmation of the time and replied, "Yes, see you then." Before Bennett could correct him, the line went dead.
"Well shit," said Bennett, hitting the steering wheel. Now, he was committed to a meeting he did not want or had the time for. And all for a meeting that he was unsure what it was about.