Chapter 12 #2
He only wished that Tamryn was here to witness his coming clean. He hadn’t spoken to her since she’d left him standing in the library at the Gauthier mansion two nights ago. His calls had gone unanswered; so had his dozen text messages.
“Hey, man, you ready for this?”
Matt opened his eyes and found friend, and fellow attorney from Maplesville, Mason Coleman walking toward him.
“I’m ready,” he answered.
He followed Mason, stopping at the edge of the door that led from the back room. The front area of the hall was set up with two stools on either side of a desk. This debate was the final event between him and Patrick Carter before the special election in two weeks.
It ate at Matt’s gut that he’d come so close. This area deserved better than Patrick Carter as their state senator. But it deserved better than him, too.
The pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church, who was sponsoring this final debate, called for a moment of prayer before the start of the event.
After that was done, Matt and Carter were called to the floor, entering from different sides.
Both took their seats, but after one final mental check that he was ready to do this, Matt stood and walked over to Pastor Ryland.
“If I could, I would like to have a couple of minutes to address the audience,” he said. Carter started to bluster, but Matt stopped him with a hand. “You’ll want to hear this.”
He turned to the crowd, which was at least eighty percent Gauthier residents, despite the debate being held in Maplesville. Matt let out a deep breath and began.
“The people of Gauthier have always been extremely good to my family, but it pains me to admit that it hasn’t always been reciprocated.
Since the fire of 1882 that nearly burned down the town, the Gauthiers have been wreaking havoc on this area.
” Matt took in the confused faces in the crowd.
“For years stories have been told about Micah Gauthier helping to rescue the Callis family from the fire, and saving other lives, but the part that never gets told is that it was Micah’s son who started the fire. ”
Low murmurs started to spread through the room.
“This is just one instance in a long line of transgressions of the Gauthier family. The water treatment plant that was built didn’t go to the best company for the job, it went to the company that was willing to line my grandfather’s pockets while he was mayor of Gauthier.
And the outlet mall here in Maplesville…
” Matt paused. He had to swallow twice before he could speak again. “I’m the reason it’s here.”
A collective gasp echoed over the crowd.
“Matthew Gauthier, what are you talking about?” It was Eloise Dubois, who’d stood up from her seat.
“I’m the one who brought the Lakeline Group to this area,” Matt admitted. “At the time, I thought the outlet mall would be a boost to Gauthier’s economy. I had no idea the company would choose to build in Maplesville instead. I had no idea any of this would happen, but it did.”
He closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. “I am ending my candidacy for state senate.” This time, the gasp that tore through the crowd was so loud that he felt it on his skin. “I’m not the man you all thought I was,” he continued. “I’m not the right man to represent District Twelve.”
“Are you the same man who gave five thousand dollars in scholarship money to the local high school?”
Matt’s head popped up. He looked toward the back of the room and saw Tamryn walking up the center aisle.
“That outlet mall has cost me a lot of business,” Nathan Robottom chimed in.
Tamryn turned to him. “Didn’t you tell me just last week that Matt helped your hardware store get on the list of approved suppliers for the new concrete plant that’s about to start construction on Highway 190?” she asked.
“I guess you’re right,” Nathan muttered.
Tamryn continued her journey up the aisle. “Are you the same man who organized the all-night read-in event to kick off a mentorship program?” she asked Matt.
“And the 5K,” Mya Dubois-Anderson added from the second row.
Mariska Thomas, of all people, stood up and said, “And the Thanksgiving food drive.”
When Tamryn arrived at the front of the hall, she turned to face the crowd and pointed to Matt. “In the few weeks that I’ve spent here, I haven’t seen anyone do more for the people of District Twelve than this man.”
Murmurs of agreement reverberated around the room. In that moment, Matt realized just how much Gauthier had embraced her as one of their own. He stood there in disbelief, stunned and incredibly humbled as she spoke on his behalf.
He’d spent the past twenty-four hours preparing to end his candidacy and begin what he knew would be a long journey of gaining the forgiveness of fellow Gauthier residents. And an even longer journey of gaining Tamryn’s forgiveness.
But here she was, like an apparition conjured by his imagination. Speaking on his behalf, standing up for him.
What in the world had he ever done to deserve someone like her in his life?
“We’re not letting you quit,” Eloise said. A majority of the crowd began to applaud.
“Now, wait a minute,” Carter started.
Matt turned, a smile on his face. “I was mistaken,” he said. “Looks like we have a debate to start.”
He looked at Tamryn, who had a soft smile on her lips. Good luck, she mouthed.
He didn’t need luck. Now that she was there, he had everything he needed.
Tamryn stood off to the side of the church hall, unable to wipe the grin from her face as she watched Matt completely annihilate Patrick Carter in their final town-hall debate.
She still couldn’t get over the fact that he had been about to drop out of the race.
Was he crazy? Matt was so much worthier than his opponent.
Anyone who listened with even half an ear would know within minutes of hearing the two expound on what they would provide as members of the state senate that Matt was the better man.
He had the people of this area’s best interests at heart. They would be fools not to elect him. Based on the raucous applause when he gave his final statement at the conclusion of the debate, Tamryn was pretty sure they would all have the chance to see just what type of state senator he would be.
The debate ended and Matt was immediately swarmed by residents from Gauthier. Several of the ladies from the civic association gave him hugs and kissed his cheek, their reassuring smiles warming Tamryn’s heart. These people loved him, and for good reason. Matthew Gauthier’s heart was pure gold.
She’d gone over the reasons he’d kept the diary hidden from her over and over these past two days, and had come to realize what he was up against. For some reason, Matt had taken it upon himself to rectify what he saw as a lifetime’s worth of transgressions by his family against the people of Gauthier.
As misguided as he was, Tamryn now understood.
She’d posed a threat to all the plans he’d had in place to make up for his family’s past misdeeds.
As much as she wanted to hold it against him, she knew she couldn’t.
He finally came to stand before her. The myriad emotions on his face made her heart hurt.
“Thank you,” he said.
“You’re welcome. Although I didn’t do anything.”
“Except stop me from making the biggest mistake of my life?” he asked. “Make that the second biggest. The biggest mistake of my life was hurting you.”
It was painful to pull in the deep breath she took. “Matt.”
He took her hands in his. “Don’t say anything. Let me first tell you how sorry I am.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do,” he said. “I lied to you, willfully.”
“Because you thought you were doing the right thing.”
He shook his head. “Don’t make excuses for me.
I was trying to save my own ass. I knew how much that diary meant to you, and I still kept it from you.
I will never be able to make up for that, even though I will try for the rest of my life.
Even if it means flying to Boston every weekend to grovel at your feet. ”
“Unless you’re going to see the changing of the leaves or a Red Sox game, you won’t have much reason to go to Boston.”
His forehead crinkled in confusion. “What are you saying?”
“I lost my position at Brimley,” Tamryn said.
His eyes slowly shut. “If you’d had that proof for your research, you could have saved it, couldn’t you? Dammit, Tamryn, I am so sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be,” she said. “Now that I’m no longer at Brimley, I can take the position Ezekiel Marsh offered me yesterday when I called to tell him I’m available.”
Matt’s eyes popped open. Tamryn couldn’t contain her smile.
“I won’t be able to start until the spring semester, but that’s actually perfect. It gives me time to find a place to live and to finally finish writing Adeline West’s story.”
“You have a place to live,” he said. “If you think you’re living anywhere but with me, you’re crazy.”
Matt pulled her into his arms and squeezed so tight Tamryn thought he would break her back.
“Oh my God, I love you,” he whispered against her ear.
“I love you, too, senator.”
Resounding applause and cheers sounded behind them. Tamryn burst out laughing as she looked over Matt’s shoulder and found a number of eyes on them.
“I hope you’re prepared for life as a Gauthier in the town of Gauthier.”
“You’ve done pretty well. I think I can handle it.” She cradled his cheeks between her hands, urging his head down. Her lips hovering just inches from his, she whispered, “I cannot think of anything I’d rather be than a Gauthier.”