Chapter Seven
Now
After the break, I gird myself for the next round of prep. You’d think as a successful attorney, an experienced politician, and after the weeks of relentless press coverage I endured upon my rescue and return that I would be an expert in handling public relations.
Unlike my last election, there is now a gaping void in my life.
A void that used to be filledby my reason for living, my moral compass, my guiding light.
My anchor and stable base upon which I’d not only built my entire adult life, but around which my soul had formed.
Ellen.
Can I really do this without her sweet, calming peace filling my life?
I catch Case watching me throughout the morning as she guides the process. Declan and a paralegal who’s also working for the campaign aretaking copious notes and adding their input throughout, providing research information as requested. Today we’re firming up my platform focus, highlighting my legislative accomplishments and distilling them into easy-to-digest sound bites, and deciding what angles we’re going to hit hardest in terms of presentation.
It’s…alot.
And that’s just this morning’s chores. We still have a lot moreto accomplish before we break for the day.
Around noon, Case catches Declan’s eye and taps her bare left wrist once. He nods and immediately stands and leaves the room, pulling out his phone as he departs.
Case sits back and smoothly continues with our confab as if she’d never moved.
I envy her rapport with Dec. He’s a good guy, a smart kid. He second-chaired for me a few times early on inhis career at Case’s recommendation, and I’ve watched him work solo. In the courtroom, or even when running a deposition, he seems to flourish and transform. Now, in his current role as deputy chief of staff, he’s definitely got an Alpha vibe with everyone except me and Casey. When not at work or in charge he’s quiet, almost borderline shy. Brown eyes, dark brown hair, and he usually sports a scruffymustache and goatee, or beard, that never gets long or full but always looks good on him. Maybe it’s his own mask. He’s pleasant, a nice guy, but he spends more time working with Case than any other attorney in the firm.
Well,spent. Past-tense. Because now his full-time job is working for me. And with Case as his direct-report, he spends a lot of time working with her.
Our food arrives approximatelythirty minutes later. Case corrals me into my office, where we eat alone at my desk. Apparently, she’s already warned our consulting team about me needing some breathers, or she made some sort of “state’s business” excuse to them, but I love her for it.
She leaves nothing to chance. It’s something that’s made her a damn good attorney throughout the years.
“What do you think about them?” I ask,nodding toward the closed door.
Fortunately, Case is an expert at speakingme. “They’re good,” she tells me as we work on our shared salad and calzone. “I like them, and I like our chances even more with them on our side.”
“Keep reminding me I can do this, okay?”
“I will. You’vegotthis.” She gives me a moment of quiet before dropping the next thing on me. “Aussie said she wants to stump foryou.”
I shake my head. “Absolutely not. She needs to focus on school. I don’t want her or the boys out there as grief porn for people to gawk at. They’ve had enough of that already.”
“They’re adults now, hon.”
“Technically, no, Aussie isn’t. She’s seventeen. Istillget a little say in her life until she turns eighteen.”
“In a couple of months, George,” Case says with a gentle tone I rarelyhear her use and which was previously reserved for Ellen, or one of the kids when they were younger.
We eat in silence for a few more minutes before she speaks again. “How about for tonight we get you home, and we can watch TV for a little while? I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”
I sigh, refusing to look her in the eyes because I’ve done pretty well so far not crying today despite my stressand overwhelming exhaustion. “It’s all right, Case. I don’t want to interfere with your date.”
She reaches across my desk and gently grabs my wrist. “Let me rephrase that. I’ve already told you what’s going to happen, hon.” She squeezes. “It’sfine. I won’t stay all evening, but I’ll stop by and check on you later.”
I drag a ragged breath into my lungs. “Thanks.”
“It’s all right. I wouldn’tsay yes if it’s a problem.”
