Chapter 15 #2
“It makes no sense, I know. But it was instilled in me by the clan, and I was convinced it must be true here as well,” I explain dolefully. “My priorities have been so misguided my entire life. I only feel like I have truly woken up since coming back here.”
“I know you didn’t intend to hurt me all those times, but you still did.
It made me feel so insignificant that you would put the time and comfort of anyone, even acquaintances and strangers, ahead of mine.
I wish—” Her voice hitches, “I wish that last Yule hadn’t been tainted by my anger at you.
It made it hard to enjoy the day. Had I known it was my last one with…
” her head drops. “Well, I just wish it had been different.” She swipes at the tears trailing down her cheeks.
“I am so sorry, Ada. I would go back and change everything if I could,” I murmur, my voice hoarse with emotion.
“I know,” she says wanly.
“Walt will have no problem winning a seat. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the most votes overall,” Ada whispers to me. I am inclined to believe it even based on our experience with the campaign posters.
“I can hear you, sweet girl,” Walt says as he nudges her shoulder with his. “Thank you for your confidence, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” She sticks her tongue out at him in response, drawing a chuckle from him.
While we stand in line at town hall with Walt and Acton to cast their ballots, Ada explains to me that it is a ranked choice vote where the ballot asks the voter to rank the seven in order of preference and the top three with the highest level of preference will win seats.
I never had a chance to vote when I lived here, so it is all new to me.
Polls are open from noon until midnight on each chosen election date in Monstera Bluff to ensure that everyone has a chance to vote.
Walt is among a group of seven who are vying for the three empty seats on town council.
Since the town is small enough, each council member represents the entire town.
Walt and Acton are handed their ballots first. “Wish me luck!” Walt jokes with a lopsided grin before they head toward the separate voting area.
When Ada receives her ballot, she follows in the same direction, and I walk outside to wait for them.
We will have dinner and then go to the election night party hosted by the Twinkle Toes Dance Academy, who adore Walt, based on the dozens of campaign posters they papered on their storefront.
The party starts at ten at night, so that it will still be in full swing when the election is called within an hour or so of polls closing.
Most who attend will bring their own celebratory beverages, but some drinks and snacks will be provided.
Ada already dropped off a few donations to add to their offerings.
Walt is keyed up at dinner, fidgeting an uncharacteristic amount. Acton and Ada do their best to calm his nerves. “I’m not sure I can even eat,” Walt mumbles into his menu at our table at The Roaring Wood.
The hour is much later than any of us usually have dinner, but the place is quite busy tonight.
The election seems to have kept many out later than usual.
Some acquaintances stop by our table to wish Walt luck.
He smiles and thanks them, exchanging a few words with everyone, but his body language betrays his nerves.
“We’ll have confirmation of your win in just a few hours, Walt. It’ll be here before you know it, I promise,” Ada tries to soothe him.
“A healthy dose of nerves shows how strong your heart beats for this community, Walt. Now you must trust you have a place in their heart as well. They won’t disappoint you,” Acton intones in his soft-spoken voice.
Walt picks at his dinner, but the rest of us partake in the restaurant’s delicious food.
Even Ada, who still has not been eating as much as I would like, finishes more than half of her salmon in a creamy sundried tomato sauce.
Acton easily finishes his salad of flowers drizzled with sycamore syrup and sprinkled with bright shards of candied goldenrod pollen.
“You are an hour closer to learning that you have won a seat,” I tell Walt, trying to sound upbeat as we leave the restaurant to go to the Twinkle Toes Dance Academy for the party.
“It can’t come soon enough,” he bellows melodramatically, though he winks at me light-heartedly afterward.
Ada laughs merrily at his exaggerated outburst. “The time will fly once everyone starts talking your ear off!”
A sizeable crowd greets Walt as we arrive in the large practice room, spacious enough to hold an event this size.
The atmosphere is energetic. Friends and neighbors socialize in clustered groups, with animated and lively conversations happening all around us.
Some young students from the academy perform their routines as entertainment.
A few couples even engage in an impromptu ballroom dancing lesson, twirling around the room just for the fun of it.
Many of his old friends and coworkers are there. With Walt’s job as the head of the parks department and Acton’s popular landscape design business, which he has slowed down since Walt’s retirement, they are well known and liked around town.
A young troll, tall and bulky with long dark green hair, reservedly says hello to us in a low but quiet voice. “Wyck Pyewacket! I’m happy as a clam that you’re here! It’s been too long,” Ada greets him enthusiastically. He smiles bashfully in return.
“Good evening, young man. I heard you improved the software that’s tallying the votes,” Walt notes sounding impressed.
“Well, it wasn’t so difficult. Just a few tweaks to make inputting the data quicker. The calculation itself was already pretty fast,” he stammers, trying to downplay the praise.
“Both of you need to get on your high horse. You are both far too humble.” She laughs at the two males.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Wyck demurs, a blush darkening his cheeks.
Ada playfully shakes his outsized shoulder. “See what I mean?” she remarks.
Not long after, a brown-coated wolven strides up, extending a paw-like hand to Walt, who takes it in a firm handshake.
“Best of luck tonight, sir,” the wolven says deferentially.
“Thank you, son. I thought my public life was over when I handed the department to you. But here I am back at it, and at a party for myself, no less.” Walt chuckles self-consciously, embarrassed by the attention.
“We’ll be all the better for it. Plus, I look forward to working with you again. We’ve got to keep them on their toes,” the wolven jokes.
Walt turns to me, gesturing back at the wolven. “I’m not sure you’ve met. This is Kiernan Lykander. He worked on my team for years and then took over as the head of the parks department when I retired,” he introduces us.
“Norrell Snowstrider,” I state, grasping his hand in hearty handshake.
“Nice to make your acquaintance. Walt is the best mentor I could have asked for,” Kiernan extols.
“This is another good excuse to keep up with our weekly lunches. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with the upcoming projects I have planned.
” He aims a knowing smile at Walt who returns it just as fervently.
It seems he handed over his department to a fitting successor.
It is late and Ada is visibly tired, though she tries to fight through it to stay the duration of the party.
She leans into my side. I support her by wrapping a hand around her hip to take some weight off her feet.
The feel of the curve of her body against mine is bliss.
The memory of it does not do justice to the real thing, like her body was made to fit against mine.
My attention never wavers from the softness of her body and the cushion of her hip under my hold.
When she sags even further, I reluctantly ask Walt to grab her a chair. I would hold her in my arms, but I know that is only a dream right now. When she takes a seat, I position myself next to her in case she needs anything.
Clancy joins us around midnight, letting us know the results will be tallied quickly.
He frowns as he sees Ada sitting in the chair, clearly tired.
He then fixes me with a level stare as if I have something to do with her exhaustion.
I hold myself back from making a face at him and instead look on as Walt, Acton, and Ada talk to another friend who just arrived.
Clancy’s phone rings and he steps away from us. When he hangs up, he trots to the front of the room and loudly clears his throat.
“The results are in!” Clancy announces. The small crowd hushes to hear him.
“The new town council members are Walt Sutton, Bo Aelfric, and Iara Calder! Congratulations to the winners, and especially to our good friend Walt!” Clancy sweeps his arm to Walt who is still standing beside us.
The crowd erupts with applause and cheers.
An unmistakable flash of surprise crosses Walt’s features, like he cannot believe he won despite everyone telling him he would.
He faces Acton, who pulls him into a crushing hug, his heightened emotions causing a few wayward vines to snake across Walt’s back.
Ada jumps up from the chair and joins them, wrapping her arms around them both.
“Do I go up there? Should I say something?” his muffled voice asks them.
Ada’s tinkling laughter travels through the air. “Of course! It’s your moment.”
Walt stumbles toward Clancy, who shakes his hand vigorously and claps him on the back.
He then turns around toward the crowd with an awestruck expression on his face.
Ada is still laughing, wiping a happy tear from her cheek.
She angles her face toward me, so bright-eyed and elated that I am struck by her natural beauty all over again.
She leans in for an unexpected hug. My body melts around hers, as I wrap an arm around her lower back and another behind her head, tucking her into my chest snugly but not too tight.
I do not want her to feel trapped. She soon shifts so that she stands next to me again but leaves one arm clasped on my shoulder from behind.
My hand returns to the curve of her hip, bracketing her to me as she stands for Walt’s speech.
Walt’s voice is endearingly shaky, overcome with the emotion of the moment.
“I gave my best years to this town. But I think I have a few more left in me,” he says to more cheers and whistling.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone in this community. You’ve embraced me wholeheartedly over the last fifty years.
This town means everything to me. I promise I’ll show up every day doing my best to keep this cherished place strong and thriving.
I will never stop nurturing that trust and support you’ve always shown me.
I’m the luckiest man alive. I want to thank my niece Ada, who gave me the idea to run for office.
And of course, the love of my life, my mate Acton who never wavers in his support for me. I owe this amazing life to him.”
Ada brushes a streak of tears from her cheek as Walt wraps up his short speech. I squeeze her hip as I smile down at her, happy for her and Walt. She looks up at me tenderly and laces her fingers over mine. We stay like that until Walt thanks the crowd again and the party disperses.