{"id":204,"date":"2014-01-23T14:33:13","date_gmt":"2014-01-23T22:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/?p=204"},"modified":"2014-01-23T14:33:32","modified_gmt":"2014-01-23T22:33:32","slug":"legal-issues-chapter-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/?p=204","title":{"rendered":"Legal Issues – Chapter 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

A young woman visits a farm with intention to make the farmer sell his property. \u00a0Forces intervene and the woman changes.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I’m posting this as a test in changing my style and methodology. \u00a0Rather than taking time to write the whole thing (probably roughly 12,000 words) I’m breaking it up into three parts. \u00a0I’m hoping this allows me to get things out faster while allowing me to take a little extra time to work on the separate pieces. \u00a0Basically shortening my longer pieces for easier consumption. \u00a0I hope to have part 2 finished tomorrow and part 3 (the end) finished Monday.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thick clouds of dust billowed behind the sleek black sedan as it sped along the small dirt road.\u00a0 Overhead, a single lazy cloud cast a huge shadow across the rolling green pastures on either side of the road.\u00a0 A huge line of wheeled metal structures sprayed crops with sinuous streams of water as a single green tractor pulled it further down the field.<\/p>\n

“You know,” the driver said to his passenger.\u00a0 “It’s a little funny to say this but I’ve never really been in the country.\u00a0 Have you, miss?”\u00a0 The lady in the back seat made no answer so the man continued.\u00a0 “I mean, I honestly think that this is my first time seeing horses and things.\u00a0 In real life.\u00a0 I’ve probably seen them when I was a kid on some field trip but I can’t remember.\u00a0 It’s embarrassing to think of that.\u00a0 It’s not that I-”<\/p>\n

Lynn scowled at the stack of papers on her lap.\u00a0 Glancing up briefly, she spoke to the driver.\u00a0 “I’m trying to focus and you’re distracting me.\u00a0 I’m not in the mood for idle chatter.”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The driver’s eyes flicked to his rear view mirror before returning to the road.\u00a0 Lynn shuffled her papers, refocusing over the rumbling noise of the car crunching over rocks and dirt.\u00a0 Sloping fields of green grass alternated with corn and other crops as the car passed farms that spread further and further apart the longer they drove.<\/p>\n

“It’s actually quite beautiful out-”\u00a0 the driver started.<\/p>\n

“Listen,” Lynn interrupted.\u00a0 “Stephen, wasn’t it?”<\/p>\n

“Shaun, actually, miss.”<\/p>\n

“Shaun.\u00a0 It would be fairly easy for me to have you fired.\u00a0 Not reassigned.\u00a0 Fired.\u00a0 I’ve asked you to be quiet and I expect you to listen.\u00a0 I wouldn’t be coming out to this wasteland if it weren’t important.\u00a0 Otherwise, my firm would send a junior partner to handle this.\u00a0 And they would drive themselves out here.\u00a0 I don’t give a damn about the scenery and if I have to ask you again to be quiet, I won’t even make a phone call.\u00a0 You’ll simply drive me back when I’m finished and then go home.\u00a0 We won’t expect you back.\u00a0 Now.\u00a0 Please don’t speak until we’re there.”<\/p>\n

Knuckles white on the wheel, the driver clenched his jaw and focused on the road ahead of him.\u00a0 The young woman returned to her files and the silence in the car grew oppressively.<\/p>\n

The car turned and then suddenly vibrated fiercely as it drove over a wide cattle guard laid into the ground.\u00a0 Lynn looked up from her papers, blinking her eyes at the bright light filtering through the tinted car windows.\u00a0 Small wooden sheds, chicken wire fences and various pieces of machinery dotted the path leading to the old, sprawling main house.<\/p>\n

With a voice devoid of emotion, the driver intoned, “We’re here, miss.”<\/p>\n

“Thank god,” Lynn said.\u00a0 “Wait in the car.\u00a0 If he’s smart, I’ll be finished in less than thirty minutes.\u00a0 If he’s not, it’ll take longer.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, miss,” Shaun replied, eyes still straight ahead.<\/p>\n

Lynn stepped from the car, knuckling at her back as she stretched from the long car ride.\u00a0 The air smelled of dust and manure and animals.\u00a0 Lynn wrinkled her nose from the various smells before making her way to the large house further down the path.\u00a0 Eyeing a few loose chickens that somehow weren’t being murdered by a pair of roving cats, the young woman knocked on the front door.<\/p>\n

A small cat, orange showing through a light covering of dust, investigated Lynn’s black shoes.\u00a0 She shooed it away and it turned, tail proudly in the air as it strutted off.\u00a0 Another orange cat and a larger black one joined up with the first and they took turns to sniff at each other, curious about the newcomer.<\/p>\n

The front door opened suddenly, forcing Lynn to take a quick step back.\u00a0 A man stood at the entrance, taller than her 5’2″ slim frame.\u00a0 The man, older than her by a few years, stood barefoot in well-worn blue jeans and a stained white shirt.\u00a0 He had a square jaw with just the hint of a dent in a chin covered with stubble.\u00a0 His straight blond hair was caked with bits of dried mud and the man brushed a few strands away from deep green eyes.\u00a0 He glanced at her and then looked beyond to the car waiting behind her.<\/p>\n

In the eaves above, a small, gentle light glowed to life.\u00a0 Awakened by the new arrival, it hovered and twirled before sinking into the wood of the house.<\/p>\n

“Can I help you?”\u00a0 The man asked.<\/p>\n

“Are you Mr. Chapman?\u00a0 Christopher Chapman?”<\/p>\n

The man looked back at Lynn.\u00a0 She read caution and curiosity in his yes.\u00a0 “Yes, I’m Chris Chapman.\u00a0 What can I do for you?”<\/p>\n

“I’m Lynn Hathaway from Spiel & Filhart & Hathaway?\u00a0 You spoke to my-”<\/p>\n

“Your assistant.\u00a0 I told him-”<\/p>\n

“Associate, actually.”\u00a0 Lynn corrected.<\/p>\n

Blinking, the man continued.\u00a0 “Associate.\u00a0 I told him I wasn’t interested.”<\/p>\n

“Mr. Chapman, I’ve already spoken to your neighbors and they’re willing to sell.\u00a0 If we had an agreement from you, P&G Chemicals would be able to build their-”<\/p>\n

“I said I wasn’t interested.”<\/p>\n

“The remuneration would be quite substantial, Mr. Chapman,” Lynn pressed.<\/p>\n

Christopher sighed.\u00a0 “Look, Ms. Hathaway, I was just in the middle of lunch.\u00a0 Why don’t you come in for a second and we’ll talk for a bit.\u00a0 And it’s just ‘Chris’, not ‘Mr. Chapman.’\u00a0 I keep looking for my dad when you say that, only he’s not alive anymore.\u00a0 Come in.\u00a0 Can I get you some water or something else to drink?”<\/p>\n

“I’ll take a little water, please.\u00a0 Thank you.”\u00a0 Lynn looked around the front room as she entered.\u00a0 Decades of living littered the entire room.\u00a0 Old photos, some color and some black and white lined shelves that were strewn with knick-knacks from other eras.\u00a0 Faded green reclining chairs and a matching couch faced a large fireplace.<\/p>\n

Chris looked back at Lynn.\u00a0 “My father died a year ago.\u00a0 I haven’t made the time to clean up or rearrange anything yet.”<\/p>\n

The odd clash of old and new continued in the kitchen.\u00a0 Speckled green Formica countertops were arranged around a shiny black induction stovetop.\u00a0 A large LG refrigerator hummed quietly in the corner, surrounded by blackened cast iron pots and pans.\u00a0 On the counter next to a simmering pot of soup lay a large, opened cookbook.\u00a0 The smell of onions permeated the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Chris gestured to a small table surrounded by windows.\u00a0 “Have a seat.\u00a0 I’ll grab some water.”<\/p>\n

The old wooden chair creaked as Lynn sat.\u00a0 A thin local newspaper sat next to a bowl of half-eaten soup in front of the other chair across from her.\u00a0 Lynn rolled her eyes at the main story – a young gap-toothed girl holding a first place ribbon in front of a large horse.\u00a0 “Suzanne Getters, #1 At 4H Showing!” read the headline.<\/p>\n

“Here you go,” Chris told her, handing over a small glass of water.<\/p>\n

“Thank you,” Lynn said, placing the cup to the side with no intention of drinking anything from the cloudy glass.<\/p>\n

“So-”<\/p>\n

Lynn interrupted.\u00a0 “I’ll be blunt, Mr. Chapman.\u00a0 You’re the only one holding up the sale.\u00a0 Your neighbors are ready to go but we can’t do anything unless you agree.”<\/p>\n

“Which I won’t do,” Chris said.<\/p>\n

With a frown and an internal sigh at herself for leaving her documents in the car, Lynn began her speech.\u00a0 “I don’t understand, Mr. Chapman.\u00a0 We’ve spoken with your father when P&G initially surveyed.\u00a0 We’ve done our research.\u00a0 We know you’re just making enough to live off of but hardly any more than that.\u00a0 I’m sorry for your loss but your father was the farmer.\u00a0 You’ve spent most of your adult life away from here.\u00a0 I fail to see why you wouldn’t<\/i><\/b> sell.”<\/p>\n

Chris looked through the window out into his property.\u00a0 Lynn could see the man’s jaw working and she imagined him mentally going over what he should say.\u00a0 So he’s the ‘more than thirty minutes’ type,<\/i> she thought.<\/p>\n

“I-”\u00a0 Chris paused.\u00a0 “I hated this farm growing up.\u00a0 I was up before school, working.\u00a0 And then, back home, I was working again.\u00a0 That’s all it was.\u00a0 Work.\u00a0 The older I got, the more I wanted to move out.\u00a0 To make my way into the city and do something that wasn’t anywhere close to this.\u00a0 I went to college and messed around until I settled on a degree.\u00a0 I drank, tried some pot and just cut loose.\u00a0 My dad kept in touch and I visited here and there but never for long.\u00a0 I had a job to get back to.\u00a0 A life.\u00a0 I was seeing a girl and it was getting serious.\u00a0 I proposed and was taking extra hours to save up for a proper ring.\u00a0 Because that’s what you do, right? That’s what she wanted.\u00a0 A big wedding, a big ring, a big group of people to come out and see all the shiny things.”<\/p>\n

The man took a sip of his own water before continuing.\u00a0 “When my father died, I put it all on hold to come out and take care of things.\u00a0 My fianc\u00e9e came out once and then went straight back home.\u00a0 Didn’t like the smell or the animals or the lack of a flat screen TV.\u00a0 I spent a week going through things.\u00a0 Reading the paperwork, understanding the will.\u00a0 And then another week.”<\/p>\n

Lynn desperately tried to find a way to stop the flow of words – to insert something in to change the subject.\u00a0 Before something came to mind, the man continued.<\/p>\n

“Have you ever seen the stars out here, Ms. Hathaway?\u00a0 Out in the country?\u00a0 There’s thousands of them.\u00a0 Out here, alone in my father’s house and under those stars, I realized something.\u00a0 I realized I’d changed one thing for another.\u00a0 One life of struggling for another.\u00a0 I kind of reevaluated what I was doing.\u00a0 My fianc\u00e9e, she was a decent gal but away from the city, away from the constant go-go-go, I realized there was nothing there.\u00a0 I was building a life of things.\u00a0 My father, he… Him and his parents and their parents, they built this up.\u00a0 They took care of the land and animals and raised children and passed it on.\u00a0 They lived a good life and they were, well, stewards of the land.\u00a0 Something called to me that night and I listened.\u00a0 I invited my fianc\u00e9e out to live with me and we spent almost week arguing back and forth until she gave my engagement ring back.\u00a0 And now here I am.”<\/p>\n

“But, Mr. Chapman, I understand-”<\/p>\n

“I do well enough, Ms. Hathaway.\u00a0 I’m relearning old habits.\u00a0 I know my neighbors and we visit and chat.\u00a0 I go out into the community, to the farmer’s market and I meet the town folk.\u00a0 They remember me from when I was a kid and they’re more than happy to see me taking over my father’s land.\u00a0 I know almost everyone in that little town and we help each other.\u00a0 When I lived in the city, I didn’t even know the names of the people in the apartment next to me.”<\/p>\n

“Mr. Chapman, I appreciate the story, trust me, I do, but I’d really like you to consider-”<\/p>\n

“I won’t Ms. Hathaway.\u00a0 If I bring P&G out here, it’ll ruin the land.\u00a0 It’ll bring in workers, sure and more money but they will destroy everything around them.\u00a0 I hire on workers, too and I help the community with what extra money I have.\u00a0 I’m doing useful things and I feel damn good about it.\u00a0 I guess I just had to see what else was out there before I made up my mind.”<\/p>\n

Lynn stared at the man in front of her.\u00a0 His eyes were clear and sure and she knew he wouldn’t change his mind today.\u00a0 She sighed, glancing at her watch before standing.\u00a0 Chris stood with her.\u00a0 “I understand, Mr. Chapman.\u00a0 I will go back to P&G and run some numbers by them.\u00a0 I’m sure I can find something that more suits your needs.”<\/p>\n

“Ms. Hathaway, I sure wish you wouldn’t.\u00a0 I’m firm on what I said.\u00a0 My family trusted me with this farm and land and I intend to make sure I pass it on to my own children in even better shape.”<\/p>\n

“P&G has a record of excellence and is a leader in environmental-”<\/p>\n

“I’ve done my own research, Ms. Hathaway.\u00a0 I’ve looked at existing factories on Google Maps.\u00a0 I’m not stupid.\u00a0 I’ve seen what happens.\u00a0 I’ve read about the chemicals leeched into the soil around their plants in Indiana and Kentucky.\u00a0 The out of court settling they’ve done.\u00a0 Please don’t think I’m stupid just because I’m living out here in the country.”<\/p>\n

Around them, unseen to either, six little glowing lights gathered from the shadows.\u00a0 Each light bobbed in the air, pulsing with a hidden beat.\u00a0 They flocked to Christopher as he argued.\u00a0 Almost lovingly, they danced around him, their light high and bright.\u00a0 One of the lights broke away, flitting cautiously over to Lynn as the woman listened with her brows knitted together and her arms crossed.\u00a0 With its internal lighting low, the small glowing sphere circled her body, spiraling up to touch lightly against her head.\u00a0 A second light joined the first until all six investigated the stern lady.\u00a0 They flashed red and sickly yellow as they listened to the conversation around them.<\/p>\n

“Mr. Chapman, you’re primarily a dairy farm and, from our research, you haven’t even automated.\u00a0 Your farm is woefully behind the times and the amount of money it would take to install milking stalls and pens would be prohibitive.”\u00a0 Lynn argued.<\/p>\n

“I won’t have my cows locked in stalls all day, Ms. Hathaway.”<\/p>\n

A spark of anger slipped through the young lawyer’s control.\u00a0 “They’re just animals!\u00a0 You can’t-”<\/p>\n

The eldest of the six whispered thoughts to the others and they responded.\u00a0 Court was held and a judgment was passed.<\/p>\n

“Dairy isn’t the only thing I work with, ma’am.\u00a0 I have plenty of crops that are doing just fine and I’ve come up with some ideas to help with the milking.\u00a0 But that doesn’t mean I’ll lock them up and hobble them like some do.”\u00a0 Chris hooked his thumbs into the belt loops at his waist, an old habit when he dug in for a fight.<\/p>\n

“And you’d still be operating at a loss, even if you do find a way to optimize the process.”<\/p>\n

Chris laughed loudly and deeply.\u00a0 “Optimize?\u00a0 They aren’t machines, ma’am.\u00a0 And, speaking of, I need to get back to work shortly.\u00a0 But, please, Ms. Hathaway, I hate to see you come empty handed.”\u00a0 Walking to his fridge, Chris fumbled around and returned with a glass bottle filled with milk.\u00a0 The six lights swarmed around the bottle before dispersing back into the shadows.\u00a0 The smallest of the six wobbled back up to Lynn to rest in her hair.\u00a0 “It’s fresh and way better than anything you’ll buy at the store.”<\/p>\n

“I really can’t, Mr. Chapman.”<\/p>\n

“Please.\u00a0 It’s the least I can do.\u00a0 I know you don’t understand what I’m talking about.\u00a0 I probably sound a little crazy – giving up everything to come out here and sweat my ass off but, try it and maybe you’ll get a glimpse of what I’m talking about.\u00a0 The animals roam free and, honestly, since I moved back home I’ve felt the same.\u00a0 Free.\u00a0 This is a taste of all of that.”<\/p>\n

Lynn grudgingly took the bottle.\u00a0 “I’ll visit again, Mr. Chapman.”<\/p>\n

The older man smiled sadly.\u00a0 “I doubt it, Ms. Hathaway.\u00a0 I’m not going to change my mind, regardless of what P&G comes back with.\u00a0 Next time, call and I’ll save you a trip out.\u00a0 Oh, and you can reuse that bottle.”<\/p>\n

Chris walked Lynn to her car.\u00a0 The small light nestled in the tight bun of Lynn’s brown hair pulsed with a sudden bright light before wandering off to the nearest tree.\u00a0 Three cats watched its movement, tails twitching.\u00a0 The dusty black car rumbled to life and Chris watched it go before heading back in to finish his lunch.<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

Lynn sat in her overstuffed chair with a glass of wine in one hand.\u00a0 Flipping uselessly through her channels, she finally gave up and left it on a random show.\u00a0 The young woman leaned her head back, feeling the tension in her neck and shoulders.<\/p>\n

Just made partner and then I get this shit?<\/i>\u00a0 She thought to herself.\u00a0 P&G was exerting enormous pressure on their firm to handle the circumstances.\u00a0 This was her first big deal and she knew it was a test.\u00a0 She’d fought hard to get where she was and the two other partners, both men, were skeptical of her.<\/p>\n

Tomorrow she was expected to present her report but her bed felt a long way away.\u00a0 She had pills to force sleep but they only gave her four hours of restlessness and she’d never been able to fall back asleep when they wore off.\u00a0 Damn that man and his abstinence,<\/i> she thought.\u00a0 It’s so simple, is it?\u00a0 To give it all up and go back to your childhood?\u00a0 Crawl back to… that?<\/i><\/p>\n

Images of growing up flashed through her mind.\u00a0 Her parents struggling to make ends meet, saving every penny they could to send her to college.\u00a0 In the end, they’d barely been able to pay for half a year of law school and they looked twenty years older than they were.\u00a0 Lynn sighed at the memories of her mother.\u00a0 It was a different time back then.\u00a0 She didn’t know how bad it was when she was a child.\u00a0 All she knew was her mother coming home late to sing her to sleep.\u00a0 And then… Lynn looked at her small fridge.\u00a0 She used to make me warm milk to help me sleep.<\/i><\/p>\n

Downing her glass of wine, Lynn rinsed the cup and then drank water to clear the taste from her mouth.\u00a0 The young woman grabbed the glass bottle of milk from the fridge before digging around for a clean mug. \u00a0Opening the bottle’s cap, she sniffed and was surprised by the smell; she was used to the simple smells of milk from the grocery store.\u00a0 The bottled milk was full of extra scents – she could almost smell a sweetness to the slightly yellow milk.<\/p>\n

“Well, what the hell.\u00a0 If it’s poisoned, I could always sue him.”\u00a0 Smiling slightly at her joke, the woman filled the mug and then microwaved it.\u00a0 Returning back to her chair, she crossed her legs, cupping the mug in her hands while she slowly sipped it.\u00a0 She sighed between sips as a warmth spread slowly through her body.<\/p>\n

By the time the mug was empty, Lynn felt the weight of her body pulling her down.\u00a0 She yawned and stretched, luxuriating in the feeling of comfortable sleepiness settling deep within her body.\u00a0 With another yawn, she brought her mug to the sink and then shuffled off to bed.<\/p>\n

Lynn sighed as her silk pajama pants slid between her cool covers.\u00a0 The added weight and warmth of the blankets surrounded her like a cocoon.\u00a0 The woman yawned again and couldn’t remember falling asleep.<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

The sound of Lynn’s alarm clock startled her awake.\u00a0 The young woman was suddenly frantic and confused and it took her several seconds to even realize what was happening.\u00a0 She usually slept so poorly that the last time her alarm clock woke her up was when she’d first joined her firm four years ago.\u00a0 She’d had far too much to drink and her alarm had woken her from her stupor.\u00a0 Since then, the stress had built and she was usually awake far before the alarm went off.<\/p>\n

Pale light glowed around the edges of Lynn’s window blinds.\u00a0 She swung her feet over the edge of her bed and then worked back mentally to find when she fell asleep.\u00a0 She couldn’t remember waking up at all during the night.<\/p>\n

Fragments of dreams came to the woman’s mind as she struggled to remember her night.\u00a0 She remembered laughing, as a child.\u00a0 And light.\u00a0 And peace.\u00a0 The love of her overworked parents.\u00a0 But, more than anything else, she remembered the calm.\u00a0 That feeling where there was nothing to worry about.\u00a0 Nothing at all in the world.<\/p>\n

A full bladder made Lynn head to the bathroom and she sat with a satisfied sigh.\u00a0 The young woman worked her shoulders and back; her body ached and she wondered if she wasn’t used to sleeping for so long.<\/p>\n

As she stood and pulled up her pajama bottoms, Lynn winced.\u00a0 The skin of her lower stomach felt tender against even the smooth silk of her pants.\u00a0 As gently as possible, the young woman explored her stomach, tracing her fingers along skin that felt thicker and yet more smooth at the same time.\u00a0 The whole area was sensitive in a strange way and her fingers found four small spots in particular that hurt.\u00a0 Although the skin was slightly reddened and vaguely warm to the touch, she couldn’t find anything else wrong.\u00a0 Mentally, she resolved to go to the doctor if it became worse or was still there tomorrow.<\/p>\n

With two hours before she needed to be at work, Lynn showered, luxuriating in the steaming hot water as it ran along her small body.\u00a0 Her nipples ached oddly and she found herself shielding them from the direct streams of water.\u00a0 Maybe my period is coming early?<\/i>\u00a0 She wondered.<\/p>\n

The young woman stepped from the shower and dried herself.\u00a0 With a thick white towel wrapped around her waist, she dug through her clothes.\u00a0 She grabbed a pair of black panties, gray slacks and dark green blouse.\u00a0 The young woman leaned against her wall as she tugged her pants on.\u00a0 Frowning at how tight they felt, she pulled harder, grunting until they finally came up to and over her hips.\u00a0 I wore these just last week,<\/i> Lynn remembered.\u00a0 What the hell?<\/i><\/p>\n

When Lynn put on her bra, she knew something was different; the clasp she was used to hooking were too tight.\u00a0 The young woman took her bra off and gently hefted her breasts.\u00a0 Her c-cup breasts felt heavier in her hands and, circling them with her palms, she was sure they felt bigger.\u00a0 Note to self,<\/i> Lynn thought.\u00a0 Get tampons on the way home.<\/i>\u00a0 Lynn attached her bra at a different hook before heading into the bathroom.\u00a0 A basket on the back of her porcelain toilet held her few remaining tampons.\u00a0 Lynn pocketed one before sitting down for her makeup.<\/p>\n

Lynn stared at herself cross-eyed in her small makeup mirror.\u00a0 She held tweezers to her chin, searching for tiny brown and wispy white hairs that occasionally grew out.\u00a0 Two small brown hair stood just under her chin and she winced as she plucked them.<\/p>\n

“Perfect,” the young woman said after a quick examination.\u00a0 On her way out of her apartment, she grabbed her purse and coat.<\/p>\n

The drive to work was slow through the dawning heat of the morning.\u00a0 Lynn cursed at a few drivers but mostly she used the time to mentally prepare for her meeting with the other two partners.\u00a0 She knew they wouldn’t be pleased with the lack of progress but she still had time before P&G really started bearing down on them.<\/p>\n

Lynn parked at her reserved spot.\u00a0 It still made her happy to see her own name on the small sign in front of her parking spot; a small victory after her years of hard work.\u00a0 The young woman swiped her keycard at the panel by the front door and then entered when she heard it unlock.<\/p>\n

“Good morning, Ms. Hathaway,” the receptionist said cheerfully.<\/p>\n

Whether it was the full night of actual sleep or the calm she’d felt or something else, Lynn stopped to look at the girl.\u00a0 Normally she would just nod on her way to her office but, today, she felt better somehow.\u00a0 More relaxed, even with the meeting in a few minutes, Lynn smiled at the girl. \u00a0“Good morning,” she told her.<\/p>\n

Humming a simple tune, Lynn walked through the side door that led to the maze of offices and cubicles in their small building.<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

“So, do you think he’ll change his mind?”\u00a0 Mr. Spiel asked.\u00a0 The old man looked like an inflated human pug that was stuffed into a blue suit and Lynn had a hard time maintaining eye contact with him.<\/p>\n

“Not immediately, no,” Lynn answered.\u00a0 “He seems fairly certain of his convictions.\u00a0 I mentioned his neighbors.\u00a0 They won’t sell unless he does but I told him they’re prepared to sell right now.”<\/p>\n

Mr. Spiel picked at a large spot on the back of his hand; a habit he’d formed over the years and one Lynn knew meant he was anxious.\u00a0 “Hmm.\u00a0 What’s next?\u00a0 You know how important this account is for us.\u00a0 We’re riding on the coattails of our success with Shell but that will only get us so far.\u00a0 Can you change his mind or not?”<\/p>\n

“I’ll put together some numbers for Mr. Meza at P&G to see if they’re willing to increase their funding.\u00a0 I’ll also meet with Mr. Chapman’s neighbors again.\u00a0 He’s very community minded and if I can convince them to talk to him, he might be swayed that way.\u00a0 He’s-”\u00a0 Lynn stopped as a yellow butterfly fluttered past Mr. Spiel’s window.\u00a0 The sun played through its fine wings as it landed on the small bush in front of the window.\u00a0 The small creature slowly settled into place as Lynn watched. \u00a0Something about its gentle elegance pulled at her and a flash of a memory played through her mind: her as a child, chasing butterflies through a green field.<\/p>\n

“He is what, Ms. Hathaway?”\u00a0 Mr. Spiel interrupted.<\/p>\n

“I’m sorry?”<\/p>\n

“You were saying ‘He is’ just a moment ago.”<\/p>\n

Lynn thought back.\u00a0 What was<\/b> I saying?\u00a0 I was talking about Christopher… Mr. Chapman and his… the community…\u00a0 The neighbors?\u00a0 Right, the neighbors and his sense of community.<\/i>\u00a0 “Sorry, yes.\u00a0 Christopher- Mr. Chapman- is really interested in the community around him.\u00a0 If I can get his neighbors to talk to him then they may have better luck at convincing him to sell.”\u00a0 From the corner of her eyes she watched the butterfly take flight.<\/p>\n

“Well,” Mr. Spiel said.\u00a0 “It’s worth a shot.\u00a0 You might also look deeper into their backgrounds and financial records to see what you can find that might help.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, that’s a good idea.\u00a0 They do seem like honest, good people so I’m not sure what I’ll-”<\/p>\n

Mr. Spiel scoffed.\u00a0 “Ms. Hathaway, I assure you, nobody is honest or good these days.\u00a0 Perhaps Mr. Chapman has a debt owed or an ugly habit.\u00a0 Or his neighbors do.\u00a0 Something will break them all loose.”<\/p>\n

Christopher’s green eyes and open expression came unbidden to Lynn’s mind at the remark.\u00a0 The young woman grimaced, tossing the thought away. She knew the older man was right, everyone had a secret; some dark spot they held close to their chest.\u00a0 Lynn found herself slowly messaging the tender skin of her lower belly.\u00a0 It felt slightly loose to the touch and the gentle massage was oddly satisfying.<\/p>\n

“You’re right, of course.\u00a0 I’ll push harder.”\u00a0 Lynn stood from the desk without another word.\u00a0 Mr. Spiel was already staring at his own computer screen; no further words were needed.\u00a0 Lynn walked slowly to her desk, fingers playing distractedly with the soft skin on her belly while her mind wandered.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A young woman visits a farm with intention to make the farmer sell his property. \u00a0Forces intervene and the woman changes.\u00a0 I’m posting this as a test in changing my style and methodology. \u00a0Rather than taking time to write the Continue reading Legal Issues – Chapter 1<\/span>→<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[181,4],"tags":[150,107,125,108,191,182,189,183,11,185,136,149,8,21,30,135,186,187,15,38,188,10,190,93,9,192,184],"class_list":["post-204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal-issues","category-story","tag-breast-enlargement","tag-change","tag-changes","tag-changing","tag-cow","tag-cow-girl","tag-cow-lady","tag-cow-woman","tag-erotica","tag-forced-change","tag-lactating","tag-lactation","tag-mf","tag-magic","tag-mental-changes","tag-milk","tag-milked","tag-milking","tag-nsfw","tag-romance","tag-self-milking","tag-sex","tag-slow-transformation","tag-tf","tag-transformation","tag-udder","tag-were-cow"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42NMN-3i","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=204"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":206,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204\/revisions\/206"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}