Which, of course, I rationally know he is.
“Kayley, I think this bothers you far more than it bothers me,” Jordan says. “And it doesn’t bother me at all.”
“Let it drop,” Alan says. “You’re beating a dead horse.”
Norah shakes her head even as she smiles. “She always was worried about what’s right and fair.”
“Those are important things to worry about, you know!” Kayley argues.
“Not when you’re worried about it more than the people it directly impacts,” Alan points out.
But later that night, long after Leo and Jordan fall asleep, I’m left staring at the ceiling and feeling guilty.
Kayley’s right. It’s not fair I can’t claim Jordan, too. Logically, I know Jordan’s okay with it. Still, I hope that one day in the future, after I’ve left office, we can tell the world who he truly is to us.
Because he is the center of our universe.
* * *
As our livesshift into a new gear I stay out of Jordan’s and Leo’s ways while they plan our wedding. I don’t have to do much of anything because I have my hands full running the country.
Sharing a bed with them every night now is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I should have done this years ago. For all of us.
But that’s water under the bridge, right? Now I have to move forward and try to stop beating myself up.
Easier said than done. Have yametme?
The only input I have about the wedding and reception are that I want things kept simple and peaceful, that I want my parents and Leo’s family all to stay with us instead of at Blair House while they’re in DC, and that we’ll hold the ceremony and the reception here, at the White House. Meaning that keeps the guest list small by default and, due to security concerns, allows us to easily exclude any people Stella and Ellis might beg me to invite.
If they ever start talking to me again.
So it’s a two-fer.
It will also allow Mom and Dad the ability to easily duck out of the festivities if they need to take a break from things, or when they’re done-done at the end of the day.
Plus, having it here keeps our expenses down. I know there will be some members of Congress upset because they aren’t invited but they’ll just have to get over it. They can watch it on TV with everyone else. Yes, it’ll be on C-SPAN, and I’m certain other networks will likely dip into the pool coverage as well for the main event.
But this ismywedding and I only want people in attendance who will bring joy to our day.
Well, and my sister and brother-in-law.
Who definitely donotfit the joy criteria but it would cost me more aggravation to exclude them than to invite them.
If they even deign to show up. Stella’s office returned the RSVP saying they will attend and noting their dinner choices, but that doesn’t mean they will actually put in an appearance. Stella and Ellis won’t be the center of attention and they’re kind of allergic to fading into the background.
Plus, no one’s going to be wearing hideous, tropical-colored pantsuits.
I did give serious thought to excluding Stellis except I don’t want to hurt Mom and Dad’s feelings. Although my parents have had very little to say regarding the subject of my sister and her husband since Leo dropped all those revelations about them.
Even better, my parents aretalkingto me and to Leo. Even ask us questions, about the wedding, about the paperwork and plans for the property. When Leo calls them, sometimes just to chit-chat, or to update them on wedding plans and to ask for their input, both Mom and Dad take time to talk with him. We’ve also found out Mom and Dad truly enjoy their conversations with not just Kayley, but with Meredith and Alan Cruz, too.
Leo’s brilliant and he genuinely wants to connect with Mom and Dad as people. Spending time talking to them isn’t an act or a means to an end for him.
Even better?
It appears to be working. When I talk to Mom and Dad, they both rave about how much they love Leo, and they haven’t said a single damned word about Stella or Ellis.
Who haven’t bothered to so much as call my parents, or return their calls, since the night of the ball.
