Petticoat Mall

For a long time the project seemed to be crawling along, with earthworks and road formation underway and the authorities adding exit and entry lanes to connect the development to the freeway, the Petticoat Mall Company having to pay a substantial amount toward those connections.

Then suddenly, one morning the first building site storage and worker's lunchroom and toilet block appeared on the barren site and by the end of the week three more building contractors were adding their facilities to the site.

Mall building construction was underway,

Annie and her small team were working to sign up tenants and that was slow going until the City Voice announced that one of the city's largest businesses, Starline Kitchen & Bathroom Warehouse announced it would open a retail side to its business in Petticoat Mall, taking up 22,000 square feet of prime space. Then a national department store, not established in Rangoon Falls, announced it would occupy a three-level building as a mall anchor tenant and the very next day Price Shaver Supermarkets announced it was negotiating to become a major tenant at the new mall.

From that week the race to become tenants was on.

The next week Gene made an appointment to meet a photographer and reporter from the City Voice outside Miller's Flowers at 10:00 on Tuesday. The photo in next morning's newspaper showed Mrs Miller hugging Gene Gunter.

The story quoted Mrs Miller as saying proudly, "I'm opening a branch at Petticoat Mall and Gene whose family has been customers of Miller Flowers for three generations, says my kiosk in the mall quadrant will be the mall's tiniest business. Now isn't that something?"

* * *

Gene held out a hand and smiled a welcome as the chairman of the council's works and development committee came to the premium dining booth at the Riverside Café, with it's great view over the river.

Fred Perkins ignored the outstretched hand and sat.

"God that woman of yours is persistent. She forced me to come here reminding me her father had saved my life when he and I were kids swimming in that river down there when it was in full flood, the crazy young kids we were in those days."

"Annie never gives up Fred," Gene smiled. "I learn that to my pain some times."

"She's a great girl Gene. I must say Vicki and I enjoyed your wedding and as Vicki said there was no one worthy enough of Annie until you arrived here to settle. Now you know I was and remain strongly opposed to the mall, so it's no use..."

"Fred please, this is not about the mall."

"Oh, then let's order."

Fred what was the effect on City Hall of the flood four years ago?"

"A mini disaster. At the peak only sandbagging stopped water entering the foyer. Salvage work to dry and copy stored files from the basement cost us $48,000 and the insurance company failed to cover that saying we were idiots using a basement in a known flood zone to store documents. It cost $26,000 to have the silt removed and the basement redecorated. Floodwater had never penetrated our basement before."

"Fred what I am to say is confidential between you and me, okay? Not a word to anyone until I give you the green light, least of all to my mother. I don't want her compromised."

Fred grinned. "Oh going to build us a new City Hall are you up there at the mall?"

The waitress handed Fred his whisky and Gene his beer. The guys watched her ass as she walked away and Fred said, "Not bad eh?"

"Very nice. Fred do I have your agreement this exchange is in absolute confidence until I give the green light for you to talk about it?"

"Yes."

"Well I do want to build you guys a new City Hall but raised and on the existing site."

"Jesus. But where would we be housed during what eighteen months of construction?"

"Think two years. We have signed up Brenton's Department Store to relocate you know where."

"Jesus, that's Main Street gutted."

Ignoring that, Gene said, "Luckily for us Brenton's want to be in the first stage development so their building will become vacant in approximately sixteen months from now when you guys shift in and I building your new City Hall. Then when you shift in there I'll remodel Brenton's old premises into a three-floor craft center where potters and the like will rent space to make and sell their wares."

"Bringing people into Main Street."

"Exactly."

"Jesus boy. Ain't you something."

"No too fast Fred. This is prickly with politics. The concepts might appeal but the council will demand you call open tenders for the construction of the new City Hall."

"Yeah, right. So what do you think about that?"

"As a developer I don't mind who does the construction because my role is to come up with ideas and then orchestrate. Providing my company wins the contract to manage the project I have no problem with who the council gets to do the construction. We will also manage the fit-out and the relocation and shift back of the council operation. There would be big fees for us because this could be a thirty million project. You could sell off surplus land at present used for parking because you'd have two levels of basement vehicle parks, great use of that flood-prone space as vehicles can be shifted before the arrival of the next hundred-year flood as they once were called but now come ever eight to twelve years."

"Some of us have been talking about a new City Hall with a few wanting it up at Petticoat Mall."

"Not at the mall Fred; that really would gut Main Street. Oh are you aware your daughter and husband have signed up to relocate at the mall?"

Fred's face told it all: he hadn't known.

Two weeks later Gene called Fred.

"Hi Fred. I guess you know your son Pete will shift his men 'swear business into the mall?"

"I did. And pardon me for saying this I must admit Pete never has been stupid."

"That's okay Fred. I guess that means it's safe to issue you a VIP invitation when we open stage one?"

"You can."

"Fred it's time for you to begin a rumor that the council is thinking about consulting Gene Gunter about building a new City Hall."

"How do I start a rumor and yet not announce it?"

"Easy, begin asking your senior people have they heard the rumor. Eventually the mayor will call an executive meeting to try to track down the rumor and you can then say you heard from a confidential source I even have a sketch of the proposed new structure."

"You have?"

"Yes, it's just been handed to me by my people and very impressive it is."

"The mayor will press me to ask who told me about the sketch plan."

"With great reluctance you reveal it was my wife, your best pal's daughter."

"God I can't do that."

"No it's fine. I'll brief her in a few minutes what you intend doing. She'll laugh and congratulate me for getting the news around before my mom knows a thing."

"Jesus, you have a brain that would work well in crime."

Two days later the Mayor, her voice icy, personally invited Gene to a special meeting of the council and senior executives at 3:00 that afternoon.

"And bring your sketch plans."

"Mom imagine the consequences for you with the accusations of incestuous relations had I not done it this way."

"Boys don't do sneaky things to their mothers, at least not when they are grown up."

"Annie is pregnant."

"What? Oh Gene. Ohmigod, I can't believe it. That makes me the happiest woman in the world."

"Well that's a change. Annie is not very happy about it, saying the timing is wrong."

"Don't worry darling, I'll calm her."

"Mom no, you cannot mention it. Annie doesn't want anyone to know just yet."

"Ohmigod Gene, you can't do this to me. Darling... please."

"Okay then call round tonight and I'll say Annie has some great news for you. I'll probably end up with the coffee pot wrapped round my head but anything for you mom."

"Oh my darling boy. You are so kind to me."

Gene put down his phone and frowned, wondering how long it would take before his mom realized she'd just been expertly defused.

* * *

Gene was taken into the meeting and sat at the end of a long table facing his mother.

"Mr Gunter, this is an informal inquiry to either prove or disprove you are in some way connected to a rumor about a proposal to rebuild City Hall. It is up to you whether or not you wish to answer questions."

"Thank you Mayor Gunter and good afternoon everyone. I confess to initiating the rumors to break the ice. I knew if I walked in here with a proposal to build you guys a new City Hall I would have been tossed out on my ear."

Mayor Gunter said, "That still might be your fate Mr Gunter."

"Thank you ma'am. Perhaps to avoid misunderstanding could we first play this 10-minute DVD which is the complete extent of my present preparation?"

"Proceed."

The screening began with a heading, 'Gene Gunter's Proposal for a new City Hall for Rangoon Falls'.

The Gunter Development Group's film began showing floodwaters rising amid torrential rain in Main Street, with voice-over by Annie Gunter.

'Here we recall desperate scenes in Rangoon Falls's Main Street four years ago. Note City Hall, sited in the lowest section of Main Street, where workmen are sandbagging the main entrance in a bid, successful as it turned out, to preventing floodwaters entering the foyer and continuing right to the Mayor's office suite."

The next shot was of Annie who held up a report.

This is an independent report commissioned by the City Council that establishes over the past 147 since recordings began, flooding encroaching into Rangoon Falls's CBD has worsened with floods progressively becoming more frequent and reaching new heights. However because of contours of surrounding land and the capacity of downstream pastureland to create a ponding effect to release flooding pressure on the city, flooding will not set higher peaks from that experienced four years ago. The research in this document and conclusions reached have not been refuted since the publication of the report three and a half years ago.'

The new shot was of Gene. 'Hi I'm Gene Gunter, property developer. This shot shows Breton's Department Store that will be vacated in seven month's time when the business relocates in Petticoat Mall. I propose the council business relocates completely from its present site to these premises for the next two years during the construction and fit out of its new City Hall on the existing site. The new seven-level building will sit on two levels of below-ground parking and they can be emptied at times of severe flooding warnings. This would give the council surplus land to sell off its spillover ground parking area if it so wishes. When it shifts into the new building I plan to convert the former Brenton's Department Store that I now own into a craft center when craftspeople make and sell their art and wares."

There were gasps when a color sketch of the seven-floor City Hall was shown, with a gold-colored canopy providing shelter at the entrance.

'We have provided a dozen steps up from Main Street to give more than required safety margin above the future flood level maximum. This will impress the council's insurers. The Mayor will be even safer from flooding because you will see in rough layouts to follow the mayoral suite and council chambers are up there in the clouds on the seventh level.'

"Now seven levels makes City Hall the highest building in the city. Some of you may worry about what city taxpayers will think of that. Well I suggest the timing is perfect. Those people, even the new tenants up there in the mall, will be thinking this is brilliant; it gives prestige to the CBD and will encourage development of quality commercial buildings in that neighborhood, removing all fears that the trend of retailing away from this area will leave the area permanently gutted. It will require a transition but it will occur. What follows are before and after pictures in other cities where mall development removed the heart of city retailing to another location.'

When the film ended there was polite clapping initially and that became quite enthusiastic applause.

"Any comment?" asked the mayor.

As Fred Perkins had arranged, two of his buddies proposed and second that Fred chair the investigating committee on whether the council required a new City Hall and if the conclusion was a yes, then what steps should follow.

"Yes, I agree with that sensible approach," said Mayor Gunter and when put the motion was carried without dissention.

A thirty-minute discussion then followed with Gene answering questions. On the question about cost, he said it would be expensive and be a issue likely to attract hysterical outcries of the council being engaged in empire building. "Just call it a $50 million ballpark estimate. It will be built and commissioned for less than that unless you guys demand marble staircases and pricey chandeliers, copper roofing and original art."

Finally the Mayor thanked her son for his innovative thinking and wonderful looking new City Hall. Then drinks were served.

* * *

As the mall project entered its final month before completion of stage one Annie, well into her seventh month of pregnancy, was beginning to tire easy. So Gene bought her a golf cart to move around the sprawling site and cut back her work hours. She soon admitted that worked amazingly well and incoming tenants accepted it was better to phone her than wait for her to come to them. Gene also hired her another assistant experienced in events organizing.

Annie sent Gene a huge bunch of flowers as a thank you and before too long there was evidence most of her old bounce was back.

A week before the public opening there was a big party for construction crews who'd worked on stage one and most were now working on stage two. Annie attended that for an hour and later in the week spent two hours at the party for principals and managers of mall businesses.

The grand opening the following Wednesday attracted two network TV crews, presumably their program directors were intrigued to learn the country had a city called Rangoon Falls, that it was opening the first stage of a $128 million mall with the fascinating name of Petticoat Mall.

An area was set aside for VIPs and all the females wearing ankle length petticoats that Annie and her team had commissioned and the men all wore top hats.

It really was a gala occasion. Huge applause erupted when Gene, with Annie beside him and the chairman of the insurance company that held the cornerstone investment in the project and his wife, entered into the glass roofed mall quadrant in a Ford Model T. Behind them arrived the Clough sisters in an horse-drawn carriage driven by their brother. They were all dressed in their grandparent's clothes on loan from the city museum.

After the closing the party for VIPs began. Gene took the tiring Annie home and she kissed him and told him to really enjoy his big night.

The quadrant was really rocking by the time Gene returned with a big band keeping revelers rowdy and dancing while the quieter folk gathered in groups at the perimeters.

Gene danced with his mom and she told him the council now had all funding in place to allow its total relocation to proceed on schedule at the end of the month and for demolition to commence and construction to follow.

"That's great. Most of the opposition appears to have died."

"Well sooner of later folk know they are up against a brick wall went they take on City Hall," she smiled. "Some councilors are quibbling about costs but they realize that is only getting them space in the newspaper. Your campaign to really interest people in the rebirth of their city center has really taken off. People now seem to believe it will happen."

"And that's the mindset we need to make it happen. Thank you for your support mom."

"You're worth it darling. Your decision to limit commercial development up here to shopper-oriented services means state and federal agencies are now looking at relocating in new buildings in Main Street near us. We have you to thank for that."

"Happy to help my city mom. I've lost some commercial tenancies but not too many. Now this is confidential. A certain Government department is negotiation with me to develop a huge residential facility on my land on the far side of the mall."

"It will be for defense personnel as the new airport will be also shared by the military."

Gene noticed his mother's lack of surprise. "Ah you know about it?"

"Yes because Government prefers gaining cooperation from local government to avoid appearing to be riding roughshod over us by using special powers to overturn zoning restraints. But that very confidential Gene."

"So is what I just told you."

Late that night Lexie Street, Gene's realty consultant, appeared in front of him, weaving slightly and appearing very moist lipped.

"Do you like my dress?"

"Yes Lexie, it's beautiful. I don't recall seeing your husband today?"

"He's in Belgium on company business. Do my breasts appeal to you?"

"Lexie!"

"What? Where Annie?"

"I took her home."

"Well here we are, you without a wife handy and my husband is certainly not handy and I feel like sex. What do you suggest Gene?"

Lexie came in closer and placed her hand over his cock. "Oooh, what a wee fellow. Will it get big for me?"

"Lexie!"

"What? Answer me this truthfully Gene. In all this time we have worked closely together have you thought about my pussy?"

Gene looked around wildly but no one appeared to be listening to them.

"I-I might have."

Lexie smiled and squeezed her hand and she whispered, "Ooooh."

She asked was use of the word 'might' being entirely truthful.

"Yes I have thought about it, er occasionally."

"I bet you have."

Gene said, "Excuse me for a minute Lexie."

She pouted and he scuttled away for two wines and returned to her.

"No I don't want more wine if we are going to fuck."

That was said rather loud but so was the noise around them; the band was now really into a groove. He hurried away and returned with a bottle of water and fresh glass.

She whispered, "Does this mean you wish to fuck me. I am ever so grateful what you have done for me by making me your realty consultant. I now earn twice as much as our next highest consultant."

"I'm very happy about that."

"Tell me about my cunt darling."

"Okay providing to promise to only whisper to me."

"I promise."

Gene looked around furtively. "Well most of the blonde hair around it is not allowed to grow but you have a trimmed 'V' above it."

"Have you seen it?"

"No."

"Oh great guess."

They laughed liked conspirators nervously planning a felon.

"And?"

"I'll find a little hole, much too small for me, being impossible to penetrate."

"Oh you are wrong there. My dildo will be larger than what you've got."

Smiling Lexie reached for his dick again and as she cooed "Ooooh"

Gene looked to his right and saw a woman staring at them, appearing a little shocked. He focused and saw it was Paula, Annie's chief assistant. Her husband and the two people talking with them had their backs to Gene.

Oh fuck!

But that turned to relief when he saw Paula put her fingers to her lips and then she smiled and crossed her heart and turned to rejoin her husband, taking his arm.

Whew. Paula was signaling she'd crossed her heart and so she wouldn't tell.

"You're not listening," Lexie sighed. "Could we go somewhere quiet?"

"Yes, go to my office. I'll be up in two minutes. Here's the key."

Gene tapped lightly on the door and Lexie opened it, handing him the key. She'd removed her dress and panties.

As he closed the door she said she'd left her bra for him to remove. "I have big nipples; you should see them."

Gene grabbed her and kissed her roughly and Lexie slammed her groin into him.

Gene jerked her bra up and her tits appeared.