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“They’re saying that your marriage is a business arrangement. Is that true?”

“Mom…”

“I went into our assisted living office and asked them what arrangements you made for payments. They said it wasn’t under your name or our names. And didn’t you tell us Medicare was footing the bill?”

I close my eyes and breathe slowly. “I didn’t want you to be embarrassed, but we couldn’t afford assisted living, and... Madden offered me a deal.”

“So you two aren’t really married? You never were?”

I swallow. Tears build up in my eyes. “We are married… It just wasn’t for love.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Madden hang his head in shame. “We were out of options. I just wanted you and Dad to be taken care of.”

She bursts into tears. “Your Dad and I would’ve figured something out! Odette, how could you lie to us?”

Now the tears stream down my face. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not supposed to be this way. We are your parents. We’re supposed to take care of you.”

“Mom, can we please talk about this in person? I want to explain.”

“Okay.” She hangs up.

I stare at my phone, tears falling into my lap. Madden doesn’t say anything. What is there to say? Instead, he pulls me into a hug and lets me cry on his shoulder.

Chapter 24

Madden

After hustling for two days, we managed to collect everything we needed to shoot our own commercial. I even found two photos of me and Odette in my yearbook from our Heartland debate team days. Miraculously, we’re standing next to each other in one of them. When I study the photo, I see that Odette was just as gorgeous back then–even with her frizzy hair–but I was too immature to see it.

The pictures are just what we need to prove that we knew each other before getting engaged in December.

Odette and I arrive at the small studio where I hired a highly recommended videographer to put the commercial together. Paul and David are already there waiting for us. The room is filled with large tables, computer screens, and many dials and cranks, which I have no clue how to work. There’s a viewing area with a few chairs and a large TV screen. We gather around to watch the completed commercial for the first time.

The commercial begins with a wedding photo of me and Odette superimposed over an American flag.

“Madden Windell,” the narrator’s smooth voice begins. “Your Kansas congressman for immigration–”

The word Immigration pops up in the next shot, then fades into a clip of my speech at the immigration charity banquet.

“–military support–” The image fades to the words Military Support, then displays a photo of me with Sophie and her husband Sam in his military uniform.

“–and education.” Then the word Education appears with a photo of me and Odette dressed up on Kansas Day, surrounded by students holding sunflower drawings in the school gymnasium. When that photo fades, a video of me reading to the kindergarten class comes on against a backtrack of patriotic music. Lastly, the video flips through a slideshow of photos, showing me at various charity events and political campaigns.

“Madden Windell,” the narrator says again. “Caring, hardworking, and for the people. Vote Windell for Kansas.” The screen fades to black.

“This turned out great! Thank you so much.” I shake the videographer’s hand, then turn to my wife. “And thank you, Odette, for your ideas. We couldn’t have put this together without you.”

“Thanks. Maybe I’ll run against you in the next election,” she teases. I laugh, drawing David’s and Paul’s attention. “What do you two think of Odette running in the next election? I’d vote for her.”

David smirks at me. “Me too. She’d probably be a better candidate than you.” His smug smile quickly disappears as I cross the room and put him in a headlock.

“Okay, children.” Paul rolls his eyes as he pulls me off of David. “Hopefully, this will diffuse the situation. Let’s pray that Highman doesn’t have any other tricks up his sleeve.”

“Surely he can just focus on his own campaign now,” I grumble.

Paul shrugs. “You don’t have many skeletons in your closet, so to speak. I’m not sure what else he could use against you.”

“And if he does, we have our secret weapon.” David smiles, motioning toward Odette.