Chapter Five
Now
Four years into my first term as a US Senator, and I’m still…stuck.
I’m still married to Olivia, and my father hasn’t kicked the bucket yet, although he’s increasingly frail.
Liam won his reelection bid and is now in his third term, and is the senior Senator from Massachusetts.
I’m now the senior senator from Georgia, because a Democrat spanked Ralph Cortland’s ass two years ago.The good thing about that is it gives me even more cover for votes I take where I side with Democrats over the GOP.
Which, to be honest, is nearly all of the votes.I don’t even blink over the RINO label anymore, even though Olivia usually yells at me in private about it.
My father publicly joins the howls of his friends when I vote like that, but Daniel and Liam have helped me deliver several choice legislative items to those same wolves, so they don’t hound me too much.
They only care about the results.I haven’t switched parties yet because Daniel wants me to stay in the GOP as his spy.
Olivia is deep in The Fellowship now, but I’m only involved in it as much as I need to be to get Daniel the information he requests.I’m walking another kind of tightrope there, being accepted and believed to be one of them while absolutely holding no loyalty to the people at all.
No, I don’t feel the slightest bit of guilt over it.I know for a fact many of the members are members because it benefits their political or professional careers, not because of some deep, genuine need to love Christ.
Like Stan Jergens.Elsbeth is completely in as a true believer, but Stan is doing it more to humor her than anything.
He confessed that to me at a private poker game after a couple of drinks.
Two other people there that night, both senators—also both drunk—agreed that was their reasoning for it.
Daniel and Liam were the fifth and sixth members of that poker game.Daniel gave me a knowing smile while our inebriated fellow players were opening their souls and their wallets.
Daniel’s generous pours might have also been a reason why they were so damned drunk to start with.
I have to travel to my main office in Georgia nearly every weekend while the Senate is in session, but Olivia’s staying behind in DC this trip because of her work.
Fine with me.Means I don’t have to deal with her griping about the weather.You’d think after four years in DC that she’d be used to it and stop comparing it to Georgia weather.
You might think that, and you’d be wrong.
Not only the weather, but about work, her family, and—her favorite topic of all—me.
OfcourseI have to meet up with my dad during this visit.He requested an appointment with me for two p.m.this Friday afternoon, meaning I’ve got to work through lunch to be able to fit the rest of my schedule in.
Or…
I decide to be a dick and order sushi for a late lunch, so that when he arrives, I’m sitting at my desk and eating.
I’m already convinced today’s visit will be him wanting to talk about me announcing my re-election campaign, because time is drawing close for that announcement one way or the other, and Daniel still hasn’t solidified any plans for me yet in that regard.
Once my AA closes the door to my office, my father’s mask drops.“What the fuck isthatshit?”
He’s walking today, but he looks shaky as hell.I know his “assistant”—as he calls his home healthcare aid—is waiting for him in the outer office, because I saw her out there when he walked in.
“It’s my lunch.Hello to you, too, Dad.”
I don’t bother getting up or hugging him.Even if he was a hugger with me—which he’s never been—I’m eating my lunch.
“That’s bait.”I’m tempted to laugh out loud because that’s always been his go-to comment about sushi.
“Did you request time with me to criticize my diet, or to talk to me?”I use chopsticks and everything, just to rub it in.
