“Trisha Smith here, reporting breaking news from the capitol.” A strong breeze managed to blow some of Trisha’s stiffly styled hair across her face, but she didn’t flinch. “After a statewide teacher walkout led theTexas Tribuneto uncover explosive evidence of quid pro quo dealings between Governor Mane and top officials at the Texas Educators Association, the state’s largest teachers union has reversed its endorsement for the second time. By popular demand, the TEA once again endorses Logan Arthur for governor.”
Cheers broke out so loudly it was almost impossible to hear what Trisha said next. “...making history with this reversal. In a stunning move, TEA members protested the actions of their own leadership, staging what ended up being a three-day walkout to protest unfair dealings between Governor Mane and their president and secretary-treasurer. Here to say more is one of the leaders of the walkout, Mrs. Muriel Lopez.”
I nearly clapped when the camera turned to Muriel. She stood in front of her beaming daughter Carmen, who kept trying to pop her head around her mom and get in the shot. Muriel, who dressed for the spotlight every day of her life, was finally getting it. Good for her.
She blinked into the camera with a deer-in-the-headlights expression.
“My mom’s a hero!” Carmen shouted, bouncing behind her.
Thankfully, it jolted Muriel out of her stage fright. “Yes, uh...thank you, Trisha. We were disappointed in the decision Sonny Yarrow and Kai Harris made to endorse Governor Mane, given Logan Arthur is the candidate with a plan to support teachers. We knew we had to make our voices heard. So while it pained us not to go in to work, we needed people to take us seriously.”
“And that they did,” said Trisha. The camera moved smoothly back to her. “Insiders report pressure from the walkout already had the governor’s office scrambling, and the final nail in the coffin came on day three, when theTribunepublished leaked emails between TEA President Sonny Yarrow and his golfing buddies, in which Yarrow claimed he’d held Mane over a barrel and, quote, ‘spanked him real good until he gave me and Kai what we wanted.’”
“Tragic,” Cary whispered. “Never trust your secrets to men who golf.”
“Once that story broke,” Trisha continued, “TEA leadership held a virtual town hall and agreed to their members’ terms: a reversal of the endorsement and an ousting of Yarrow and Harris. As for who will replace Yarrow as union president, one key front-runner has emerged: Alexis Stone, who Arthur campaign insiders credit with getting the campaign to make education a top priority.”
“That was me.” Nora winked. “I’m insiders.”
“While Alexis Stone’s reps declined an interview, citing a need for rest, we’re here with her sister, Senator Lee Stone.”
Nerves fizzled in my stomach as the camera turned to Lee. The chyron under her face readSen. Lee Stone, aka #SadCrawler.
Lee flipped her hair. “Thanks, Trisha. And may I also thank you for including that footage of me crawling to the marathon finish line in CBS 12’sBest News Clips of the Decade documentary, ensuring it will live forever. Please know I can’t wait to return the favor one day.” Trisha blanched, but Lee barreled on. “Alexis has shown real leadership over the last few months. Not just in the walkout, but in consistently amplifying the voices of teachers and school staff. I think she’d make a fine union president if that’s what she wants. In fact, I think she’d make a fine politician.”
“Following in your footsteps,” Trisha prompted.
Lee grinned. “What’s important is that the world is seeing the Alexis Stone I’ve always known. She’s a powerhouse.”
All the hairs on my arms rose.
Trisha squared off with the camera. “Will Alexis Stone be the next TEA president or state senator? More on this story as it develops. Now, back to the studio for a timely Halloween topic: razor blades in your kids’ candy—myth or modern scourge? The answer may surprise you.”
Cary turned off the TV and the volume in the room rose back to a dizzying level.
“Cary, crack open that champagne,” Nora called. “One hour of celebrating, and then I want everyone back to work.”
Cary saluted. “Aye-aye, captain!” He lunged for the minifridge.
“Come on.” Nora tugged me toward the door. “If I know anything about my people, things are about to get weird.”
I followed her out, grateful to escape. I was thrilled we’d pulled off the walkout. And later, I was going to find that news clip of Lee saying I was a powerhouse and play it on repeat. But right now, I was so tired I could barely think.
“Now that I’ve got you alone,” Nora said, hopping up to sit on a cubicle desk. “And we have a brief window of sanity before the next crisis hits, I want to hear what you’re thinking.”
“This might be my exhaustion talking, butwhat?”
She kicked her legs. “Well, do you want that union job?”
That, at least, was easy. “Not in the slightest.”
Her mouth quirked. “Then where do you see yourself after the campaign? You’ve built all this capital with us. What are you going do with it? Your sister is clearly seeding the ground for you to move into politics. Does that interest you?”
Like every other time I tried to picture what I wanted, there was nothing but white noise. I groaned and pressed my hands to my face. “I don’t know, Nora. I just don’t.”
“You want my advice?”
I peeked through my fingers. “Sure.”
