Anna waved to the store clerk, sorting through the candy in her bag before handing it to John. "Because you can't visit our town without getting some of his homemade hard candy."
"Homemade?" John examined the haul, removing one. "I don't think he'll much care for the factory we're moving into town."
"Candy?"
"One of them." John took pace beside Anna on the pavement. "We've got a line of different businesses. I thought we'd start with our indulgences line."
"Indulgences?" Anna laughed, "Like the Catholic Church?"
"They'd probably call them a sin." John chuckled with her, sucking on the candy. "We've got our brewery, our distillery, and our bottling plant for our alcohols. Then there's our candy, confections, and chocolate lines. Group those with our adult erotica and we've got it all."
Anna choked, "Excuse me?"
"I'm kidding. It's alcohol, candy, and cards."
"So you're the patron saint of Valentine's Day and anniversaries?"
"Something like that." He shrugged, "My father died when I was young and I remember my mother always saying that she wished someone looked out for those left behind on Valentine's Day."
"That's a beautiful sentiment."
John nodded, "I guess since everyone looks out for themselves on St. Patty's Day we're all alright."
Anna shoved him with her elbow, digging in her bag for a handful of wrapped chocolates. "Why not involve them in your business."
"How'd you mean?"
"Well," Anna unwrapped one, tucking the wrapper safely in her purse, "You've got your Willy Wonka factory all set to go but what about your artisan line?"
"Like that?" John craned back to point over his shoulder and Anna nodded.
"With the crazes about Veganism and Organic what people really want is homegrown comforts. Mashed potatoes and macaroni that just drips cheese."
"I think you're a little too Midwestern now if you're talking about mashed potatoes as your comfort food." John smiled at her, pulling the wrapper off another hard candy with his teeth before sucking it to the back of his cheek. "Comforts of home for me are hearty stews and a nice draft aged to a golden brown."
"Then align the comforts appropriately but realize that what people want, more than the mass produced and cheap stuff to jam down a stocking or into a paper valentine are those things they turn to when they're feeling down." Anna stopped them at a light, "Think about it. Who doesn't like the Cadbury eggs?"
"No one I know."
"My point exactly."
"You do know they've got a factory."
"And yet it still tastes like home." Anna bit into the chocolate in her hand, grinning at him. "Think about it."
"Since our intention is to add to the town and not destroy what you've got here I will." John dipped his head toward her, "What else about your town is just so lovely that you can't wait to show me?"
Anna pointed up the street, "That."
John gawked, "Where'd you get something that big and old?"
"I think you forget they founded this state in 1803." She pulled him across the street and looked up at the building before them with a sigh. "They built this place in 1914 in the Tudor-Gothic style and the family donated it to the town."
"It's so huge." John started walking around the edge, "What would you ever do with it?"
"They've got a stage in there so local productions perform here. You can also rent the space for weddings, receptions, parties and the like. And, recently," Anna brightened, "The library system took it under their wing and it still operates as a library… albeit not the independent entity it was before."
"Someone just gifted this to the town?"
"People occasionally do that you know." Anna sighed, shaking her head at it. "I loved this building growing up. I'd peddle my five-speed here on the weekends to check out books and then read in there because they ad aircon and we didn't."
"I'll guess it's got that smell to it."
"Smell?"
"Yeah, smell." John pointed at the building. "Not just the books all growing old and musting together but that old building smell. The one you get when someplace is hanging on to life but inevitably crumbles to the steady beat of time."
"You are the most unromantic person I think I've ever met." Anna huffed but John only winked.
"You didn't think so this morning when we almost set your house on fire."
"I'm ignoring that." Anna led them to a bench and sat down, "If I can offer my opinion, about your business interests here in Downton, I'd like to suggest you design your factories and businesses with this as your design model."
"Why not glass and concrete and steel like they're doing everywhere else?"
"Because we're not a big city and it'd just look garish next to everything else." Anna gestured toward the town. "People live here because they want to remember a time that long since passed them by."
"And we shouldn't do our due diligence and bring them to the modern age?"
Anna shook her head, "Why do you think people still pay to see the old mansions and castles of Europe if they love the modern age?"
"Misplaced nostalgia."
"All the genealogical advisors in that basement would hiss at you for that." Anna unwrapped another chocolate, "People want to feel connected to the past the way they want to go into the future."
"You're suggesting we give them a security blanket."
"Change is difficult, John," Anna took the wrappers out, folding them together to create a paper crane. 'People don't want to feel lost."
They sat in silence a moment before Anna sighed. "I think we're sometimes in too much a of a hurry to embrace the future that we forgot why the past even mattered."
"Why does it matter to you?"
Anna leaned forward on the bench, shoving her shoulders up near her ears as she rocked back and forth. "It made us who we are. Beyond the simple biology of needing your parents to meet so you'd come into being, there's the reality that where we are right now, in this moment, hinges directly on what's all come before and that's important."
"Give me an example." John fished another hard candy from his bag, shoving the wrapper in his pocket with the others.
"The Red Scare." Anna gesticulated toward the trees, "If America or the Soviet Union decided the other was just playing chicken and actually went through with their threat then we'd be a smoking crater right now."
"Okay but this," John motioned toward the building shadowing them, "This wasn't built to stop the Soviets bringing Communism and the Red Army Choir to America."
"No but it was built to save a piece of history inherent in it's construction." Anna laughed a little, "Even the book Notre Dame de Paris was written explicitly to stop the Parisians destroying Notre Dame with their alterations and architectural ideas. Hugo saw the value in preserving it as it was for the monument it is today."
"I doubt very much that Victor Hugo, for as interesting and talented as he was, saw around the edge of time to see Notre Dame as one of the greatest tourist attractions in Paris."
"But people don't visit the cathedral there, or in Rome, or the Great Wall of China because they're modern, John. They go there to touch history because it matters to them. It's part of the social identity and part of our historical DNA. As necessary as the DNA that gave you brown hair and blue eyes."
John laughed, "Again, I state that you are the deepest thinker I've ever met."
"And, again," Anna gathered her things, taking the used wrappers to the rubbish bin, "I take it as a sincere compliment."
"So you'd have us take the old factories, the crumbling buildings, and the empty shops lining your streets and restore them as is."
"The Historical Society would thank you and you'd avoid the hefty fines they'd give if you violated the historical nature of them." Anna guided them back to the road, following it toward her car. "And you'd endear yourself to the town."
"The town that doesn't like change."
"No town likes change, John. This place just happens to fuss and worry over it a bit more since half your population are geriatrics and the other half are dying to escape to University."
"What are their chances?"
Anna shrugged, waiting at the light again before leading the crossing. "If you go by the students in some of my classes it'll be a miracle if they pass state testing. But I think the determined ones'll break free, they always do."
"I'm going to assume that you were one of those determined ones."
Anna mocked a curtsey. "I was and I rather enjoyed what I saw of the world."
"Not much of the skies then?"
"Oh heavens no," Anna shook her head, "I never wanted to be a pilot and I was too short for it anyway. Besides, the testosterone required to even compete in that field was beyond me. I just wanted to serve my country, see the world, and get a decent education."
"And now you dispense that education on the deserving and unwilling of the next generation."
"They can be little snots sometimes but it's all worth it for the ones who want it." Anna checked her watch, "If I haven't destroyed your appetite with the candy are you interested in lunch?"
"I'm always interested in food and if it means I get the chance to continue our conversation I'd say it's all the better."
"Good." Anna stopped, frowning from the driver side of the car. "Do you know that woman?"
John turned over his shoulder and his face fell immediately into a scowl. "Unfortunately I'm well acquainted with her."
"Given that she's on a warpath in our direction I'm guessing I'm about to know her too."
The woman, looking exactly like the foster mother from Orphan Black marched her way across the street, sticking up her middle finger toward the honking cars and stopped right in front of John. He held her gaze and neither backed down, giving Anna a niggling feeling that perhaps she was about to witness Battle Royale right on the side of the street.
"How interesting to see you here Batesy."
"And you, though I doubt very much it's a coincidence."
"Your secretary-"
"The fact that she even spoke to you just ended her career with me." John bit through his teeth. "What do you want Vera?"
"Can't I come and greet an old lover?"
"Not when you followed me a few thousand miles to do so."
"I thought that was supposed to be romantic, dropping everything to be with the one you love."
"You actually have to love someone for that to be true." John reached for the handle on the car but Vera stopped him. "Move or I'll move you since the restraining order was clear about the minimum distance you're supposed to be away from me."
"You weren't returning my calls."
"Then maybe you should've gotten the hint."
Vera clicked her tongue against her teeth, "No, no, no that just won't do. See, I was calling about a business proposition."
"Then go through the solicitors, like normal people do."
"And watch them dither and whine just to drain my pocketbook for their hourly wage, I don't think so." Vera stopped, finally noticing Anna. "You turn around fast Batesy. Not even six months finalized and you already worked yourself a bit on the side."
"I guess it's all a step in the right direction if it'd be away from you." Anna crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sure you've got nothing to complain about if he decided to move on and leave you. I would've."
"Batting for the other team are you?"
"I don't play baseball… or cricket, for that matter."
"Not what I meant."
"I know what you meant." Anna waved her away, "Now please, I'd rather you didn't stand so close to my car. The paint might peel under the assault."
"Oh, feisty." Vera eyed Anna up and down, "She like this in bed too Batesy? Give you what for and tie you to the bedposts and all that?"
"That's enough." John stepped between Vera and Anna. "Ms. Smith has been nothing but gracious and generous with her time since I arrived."
"I'm sure she has." Vera reached a hand forward but John caught it. "What, don't want to admit to the dark circles under your eyes that she probably put there."
"Whether she did or not is none of your business." His voice lowered, "Now I'll ask you again before I call the police. What are you doing here?"
"Eyeing an investment."
"What investment?" John laughed, "You already sunk the half of the company you took in the divorce and, last I heard, your boyfriend had to bail you out of bankruptcy."
"Keeping tabs on me?"
"Who do you think bought back your half?" John's face hardened, "If you're here to ruin anything then I'd suggest you leave before I bury you in legal work until you've not got two pounds to rub between your greedy little fingers."
"Legal threats?" Vera laughed, "You used to be so much more intimidating when you'd bring out the big guns and the drink."
"I'm not that man anymore."
"I've noticed. "Vera eyed him up and down, shaking her head, "And it's a shame because you're simply not the man you were. The weakness wafts off you so strongly now I could smell it across the road."
"Then stay across the road and leave me be."
John went to climb into the car and Anna followed sit as Vera took a step back. "I know why you're here John and trust me when I say I want my share of it or I'll make sure you get none of it."
"I don't owe you a thing, Vera, and even if you could guess why I'm here you'd never understand it."
Anna peeled away from the spot the moment John closed his door and gunned the gas down the road. She waited until they were a few minutes away from the confrontation before speaking. "I've got one question."
"If it's, 'how could you ever marry that woman' then the short answer if I was young and stupid and thought I knew what I was doing when I confused sexual lust for real love."
"No, that wasn't what I wanted to ask." They stopped at a light and Anna pointed, "Midwestern comfort food or our attempt at a Philly Cheesesteak?"
John cracked a smile, "I'll go for your comfort food I think."
"Good answer." She pulled toward the restaurant, "But remind me never to play cards with you."
"Why's that?"
"You've got an incredible poker face." Anna parked, "I would've taken my fist to her nose and tried to blacken an eye."
"Then I'm a little sorry to've missed the chance to see you as the Million Dollar Baby." John smiled, exiting the car with her. "But it wouldn't have done anything but given her a fight and I wouldn't have wanted to put you in that kind of position."
"What if that's the position I wanted?"
John shook his head, "No one wins when they crawl down to her level to fight it out with her."
"Speaking from experience?"
"It's the most painful teacher I'm afraid." John pulled the door open, "But right now I want to coat my precious arteries with your caloric heavy comfort food."
"Then right this way Mr. Bates."
