A Moment of Weakness Read Online Free PDF

Nothing but cherry wood and inlaid carpets for Tanner Eastman. A politician on the rise needed the right type of office even if it meant having his mother come down and make over the place herself.
    He ambled toward the last of his things, a stack of legal books that would barely fit on his desk. These were treasured books, and whether he’d need them or not during the internship, he intended to read them:
Religious Freedom Fading Fast, Whatever Happened to God in America?, One Nation Under God?
    He stood the books where he could see them, wondering what his mother would say if she knew what really interested him. Hogwash, no doubt. A waste of time. Silly notions. Extremism. Tanner smiled. The books were a secret, but they were nothing compared with the secret he harbored in his heart. The secret of what he really wanted to do with his life.
    Fred Lang, one of the younger supervisors, peered around the pressed board that made up the east wall of Tanner’s new office. “You ’bout ready?”
    “I think so.” Tanner reached for a folder.
    “You did read the file we sent, correct?”
    “Four times.” He handed Lang the folder. “I put together a few pages in summary, stating the board’s reasoning, highlighting the profit and loss statement for Kelso General’s children’s wing. It’s all in there.”
    Lang took the folder and glanced through it. “Impressive.” He looked up at Tanner. “This is a hot one. Town’s pretty riled up about it, what with a closure affecting sick kids and all.” He hesitated. “What would you think about presenting your summary at the public meeting today? Since the townspeople don’t know you yet.”
    Tanner shrugged. “Fine with me.”
    Lang’s shoulders relaxed and the lines on his forehead were replaced with a broad smile. “Okay, great. We’ll introduce you, tell them you’re working with the board for the summer. Then hand you the floor. We’ll handle the questions when you’re done.”
    Tanner shot a glance at his watch. “The meeting’s at four, right?”
    “Right. We need to be there half an hour early to compare notes.”
    “One question.”
    Lang leaned against the particleboard but straightened again when it threatened to topple. “Shoot.”
    “The file wasn’t real clear on the alternatives, other ways the county could cut the budget besides closing the children’s unit.”
    Lang sighed. “To tell you the truth, there really hasn’t been time. Elections are coming up this fall, we’ve got the police staff about to go on strike. Budget cuts are a reality, and this was an easy choice.”
    “Maybe not to the townsfolk.” Tanner wasn’t trying to be difficult, but if he was going to be on the front line, he needed to know how to respond to the fire.
    “Don’t worry, we’ll take the heat. You just give ’em your presentation. Maybe then they’ll stop thinking we have something against their kids.”
    “Small town syndrome?”
    “Too small. Everyone on the board knows someone who’s taking this thing personally. The town thinks we’re a bunch of ogres who have it out for them.”
    Tanner wondered. “Nothing personal involved?”
    “No. Just the simplest cut we could make. The one that took the least time to figure out and helped us make ends meet.”
    Tanner nodded. “Is there a Plan B?”
    “Plan B?”
    “The town’s coming out for the meeting, right? What if there’s more outrage than you’re counting on? It’s election year, after all. You said so yourself. Maybe we should have a Plan B.”
    “Such as?”
    “Such as taking the summer and seeing if we can find somewhere else to cut the budget.”
    Lang gripped his chin with his thumb and forefinger and nodded slowly. “Not a bad idea.” He let his hand drop. “But don’t tell the people that.”
    Tanner folded his arms. “First rule of sticky politics: Work like you have a Plan B, talk like you wouldn’t consider it.”
    Lang smiled. “I like that. But it wouldn’t be us