by Mia Villano
The light streaming into my bedroom window told me morning had arrived, but I needed more sleep. My head pounded from the champagne and not enough rest. Disappointment set in when I realized my bed was empty. He never came. What would he want with a young girl from the other side of the tracks? He remembered where I’d come from, and how miserable my life had been. That had to be in the back of his mind when he decided not to come over. He saw for himself the drugs, poverty, and craziness that consumed my life every day growing up with my mom. I couldn’t compete with that ex-super model, Jade, and I’m sure my age bothered him. As I do every morning, I turned the news on while I got ready, and I couldn’t believe Alex was the top story. Instantly, my stomach churned.
Chapter Two
I turned up the volume and sat on my bed to keep from passing out.
“Top news this morning: Newly elected Virginia Senator Alex Conrad, was involved in an accident late last night. The investigation is still ongoing, but it’s believed that he was downtown near the university after his victory party, where the accident occurred. We are unsure of his condition only that he is being treated at St. Theresa’s hospital. We will update further as we find out more.”
Oh my God. He was near my condo when it happened. I jumped off the bed, threw on clothes, and brushed my teeth. I put my shoulder-length red hair up in a ponytail, put on mascara and lip-gloss hurriedly, and headed out the door. I drove as fast as possible to the train station. I parked my car, purchased my ticket, and searched my phone to check for more updated news on Alex. None of the news feeds updated. After the quick twenty-minute ride, I made a quick stop at the coffee shop on the way in and grabbed a coffee for myself and a second one for my coworker, Thomas.
Thomas was already in the office when I arrived. He shopped on the Internet early in the morning pretending to work, but I caught him when I walked in. I handed him his favorite, mocha Frappuccino, and he excitedly clapped his hands, with a smile.
“Please don’t do that again today. It is way too early for your gayness,” I said. I hoped he had information on Alex.
“You love my gayness, honey.” He laughed at me turning around to face me in his cubicle.
“Thomas, did you hear about Alex this morning?” I asked.
“Honey, all I heard is he had an accident. Nobody is saying a thing on the news. This is between me and you, but I believe he was going to meet a woman,” he said. He tried to whisper like he knew a big secret. I put my purse in my desk drawer and my books on the shelf above my computer. Little did Thomas know, that woman might have been me?
“Thanks for the little piece of heaven. I’m going find out about Alex; I will be right back,” he said. He slurped his coffee through a straw loudly and headed down the hall. I got settled into my cubicle and turned on my computer.
It only took him a couple of minutes to get the scoop that I longed to hear. I counted on Thomas to get information or gossip faster than breaking news.
“So Stacy in clerical told Monica, the receptionist, that, after the party around midnight, he was in his Maserati heading downtown near the campus, and someone ran a stop sign. He is okay, but in the hospital getting checked out, and he has a black eye, cuts and bruised ribs, nothing too serious. I still say he was going to see someone. Hey, while I’m thinking of it, do you want to go out Saturday night with Bruce and me? He found out about a new club that is off the charts,” he said.
He began snapping his fingers and dancing, unconcerned about anything else.
What happened to Alex took over my thoughts and I couldn’t think beyond that. He had to be coming to see me if his accident happened downtown. I had to find out. I had his number in my cell phone from the campaign. With shaky hands and my heart beating rapidly, I typed out a message to him.
“Just heard u were in an accident. Pls tell me u r ok.”
I sent it and waited.
“Miss Romaine,” said Victoria Lyndhurst. She’s the law firm’s reigning prosecuting attorney, and I definitely hadn’t expected her to sneak up behind me.
“Yes, Victoria,” I said turning around in my seat, hoping she didn’t catch me texting. Victoria didn’t scare me, but everyone else in the office feared her. Thomas said when he hears her voice, he shrivels up everywhere. She’s one of the best prosecuting attorneys in the state and meaner than a rattlesnake. When she finished with someone, he would be missing either one or both of his balls, and she had them in her fist. I admired her.
“I want you in court with me this afternoon. I’ve got a real doozy, and I want you to watch me destroy him. I need to be there by one o’clock, so be ready. This prick is a wife abuser and his latest wife, the fifth one, is dead. I’m going to nail his ass to the wall and watch him cry like a bitch,” she said sipping the green tea that she drank obsessively.
“I’m your girl, Victoria. I love to watch you nailing asses to the wall,” I said.
I really did. What she did in court could’ve been considered a work of art. I witnessed many grown men, accused killers and one mafia hit man, cry when she finished with them. Victoria was ruthless.
“Watch and learn honey, watch and learn. You will be doing this soon, so you might as well learn from the best. One less jackass out terrorizing women is an excellent day in my book,” she said.
After that comment, she glared at Thomas. She loved that he was intimidated and afraid of her.
Victoria quickly became my idol. She showed no fear, and swore like a sailor, but had a timeless, classic style about her. Her platinum hair always worn up and I had never seen her without high heels. She was as old as my grandmother was, but didn’t look a day over fifty. She loved going to the opera, and I noticed after a huge win, she often celebrated by eating a McDonald’s Big Mac. Victoria had taken me under her wing and told me she planned on “grooming me for greatness.”
Before I asked her something concerning another case, she whirled away, back into her office and shut the door.
I leaned back in my seat and looked out the window of our high-rise. For November, the weather was perfect. The sun shone bright, with not a cloud in the sky. I took a quick glance at my phone for any text messages. Heat radiated up my cheeks when I noticed his number flashing.
Glad to hear from u. I didn’t make it to u. I tried. Sorry. I’m OK. Just banged up. Come see me.
Relieved u r ok. When?
Now.
Thankfully I was sitting.
Going to court in a few w Victoria. Monday?
Early. Need to see u.
11 ok?
Don’t forget. Looking forward to it.
Don’t forget? Was he kidding?
He needed to see me. I wanted to stop working and go to him. The idea of pretending to be sick crossed my mind. But Victoria needed me, and I had to put my career first even though it killed me. I couldn’t run over on my lunch hour either. I would never make it back in time for court.
I wanted to tell Thomas, but I waited. I tell him everything, yet I needed to keep this to myself. He would never shut up and might accidentally tell someone. He looked over at me and must have noticed something was wrong. He ran over to my desk, flailing his arms around and laughing.
“Are you going to get sick? You look ill. Did that mean, nasty Victoria scare you? She did me. I’m pulling my balls out of my ass right now,” he said, rubbing my back.
“Nothing is wrong. I’m fine. Just too much champagne last night and my head is killing me,” I lied. I rubbed my eyes. Focus. More people came in the office, and the place got loud.
“I have Ibuprofen if you want it,” he said. He sat on the edge of my desk facing me. He looked so cute with his gray pullover sweater and yellow scarf. Only Thomas could pull off that style. He was gorgeous with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a very muscular body. When we met in college, I wanted to date him. That changed one night at a party when he made it clear, women weren’t his thing.
“I will be okay. Why are you are acting weird this morning? Did you have se
x last night? You always act mega weird after a good roll in the hay,” I teased.
Since he started dating his new boyfriend Bruce Xiong, I had to listen to their “sexcapades” as he called it. They fought, and then had crazy make-up sex. I sensed it the next day because he always acted more annoying.
“Well, yes of course. We had our celebration sex after the election. Alex looked hot last night. Oh and, by the way, I noticed you dancing with him; you little skank,” he smiled. Thomas was at Alex’s election party. He didn’t stay long but made an appearance when I was dancing with Alex.
“He asked me to dance, big deal. He only asked because I ran his campaign, and it was the right thing to do. His girlfriend watched it all,” I said.
“Say what you want, honey. I sense you have a thing for him. That’s why you were so concerned about him this morning. I haven’t seen you that concerned over anyone. You know, maybe, I have a thing for him. He might’ve been coming to visit me last night,” he said, laughing and walking back to his cubicle.
“Good luck with that!” I yelled.
“Well, signal me if I need to call 911. I don’t want you flat-lining in your cubicle, honey. You look pale,” he laughed.
“You’re an ass,” I smiled. Before he sat back down, he smacked his butt, pretending to gallop like a horse. Victoria walked out of her office and gave him a glare that could kill. His face got beet red and I couldn’t help but quietly laugh at him. My day went from dreary to fantastic in just a few minutes.
Chapter Three
I woke up earlier than was necessary Monday morning. I had anticipated my meeting with Alex all weekend. I got out of going out with Thomas to the club and spent the weekend working out and preparing for an upcoming case. Sunday night, I had gone to sleep early, though I tossed and turned the entire night. I had been in his office many times during the campaign, but this time was different. Since I had taken the day off, I dolled myself up more than usual and picked out an outfit I normally wore going out on the weekends. I straightened my shoulder-length red hair and wore my signature red lipstick. My new designer jeans fit my ass perfectly and I added a sweater that hugged my breasts. I topped it off with a distressed leather coat and knee-high boots, my new Tom Ford sunglasses, and the Gucci purse Beulah bought me for getting into law school. Lastly, I put on the gift Alex had given me seven years ago. I didn’t wear it the entire campaign. I didn’t want our past interfering with his election. I wanted to see if he remembered it, and what his reaction would be when he saw me wearing it.
I walked into his familiar office building, stopping off at the restroom to freshen up. I spritzed on my perfume and reapplied my red lip stain. He always stared at my lips when they were red and glossy. I walked into his office, ready to see the man I wanted more than anything.
“May I help you?” the receptionist asked as I approached her desk. Susan, who I used to see during the campaign, wasn’t there. It took me by surprise to see this new person. She was an older woman with a pointy nose and a sour expression on her face. I caught her eating grapes at her desk and then tried to hide them when I got close.
“I’m here to see Senator Conrad. I’m Prudence Romaine. Is Susan out today?” I asked, smiling at her.
“Susan is out with the flu. I’m a temp in for a couple of days. Do you have an appointment, Miss Romaine?” she asked. She adjusted her black skirt suit and then the blue scarf around her neck. Her gray hair hung in a short stylish bob just above her ears. She tapped her manicured fingers against the keyboard searching Alex’s appointments for the day.
She was the total opposite of Susan who always smiled, liked to tell dirty jokes, and complimented me on my hair whenever I came to Alex’s office.
“Yes, I have an eleven o’clock. I love your scarf,” I said. I hoped to make her smile.
“Thank you. Please take a seat, and I will inform Senator Conrad that you are here,” she said. I caught a glimpse of a smile as I sat in the waiting area listening to bad elevator music. I had told Alex he needed to change the music and put in something more upbeat, but he never did.
It wasn’t but a couple of minutes later when he came out of his office. The sight of him floored me. I almost couldn’t get up from the chair and walk. He took my breath away every time I looked at him, and to see him with bruises broke my heart.
His eye was partially shut and had a bruise underneath them. I felt guilty knowing I was the reason he’d gotten into an accident in the first place. I wanted to take him back to his office and kiss away his pain, stroke away his anguish, and have my way with him on his desk, immediately.
“Hold my calls while I’m with Miss Romaine, Margo,” he said. The heat crawled up my body. He just stood there and was focused on me as he spoke to this temp. I wished I could’ve read his mind.
“Yes, Senator.” She smiled at him, but gave me a suspicious once-over as I walked back into his office.
“Have a seat, Prudence,” he said, taking in my outfit. His look was somewhere between appreciative and shocked. I had never dressed like this when I worked on his campaign, and he seemed completely unprepared.
I took a seat in one of the big leather chairs in front of his desk. I inhaled deeply enjoying the scent of his office, a combination of Alex’s cologne and the leather. A huge mahogany desk full of papers and books sat in the middle, facing the window and a perfect view of the city. Law books covered the cherry bookshelves along with pictures of people I assumed were his family and a giant dog. My mood changed as my eyes landed on a photo of Alex and Jade sitting on the beach. I noticed that picture before when I was in there, but this time was different. This time it gave me a sour feeling in the pit of my stomach. What was I doing there?
“Excuse the mess. It’s nuts around here right now. I’ll be glad to get settled in my new office soon.” As he spoke, he straightened his tie and smiled.
“You’re banged up pretty bad, Alex,” I said, wanting to touch him.
“It’s no big deal. I’m just sore. I’m lucky it wasn’t worse. My car’s banged up more than I am.” He sipped his glass of water while looking me over from top to bottom and trying not to make it too obvious.
“How did you explain this to Jade?”
The air between us crackled with electricity.
“Jade is history. She left me at the party. It’s better this way. It was time.” My face flushed.
My phone vibrated in my purse, but I silenced it.
“Do you need to take that?” He nodded toward the phone.
“No, they can wait.”
“I wanted to ask you something for a long time. Now since this whole election thing is over, I guess it’s okay for me to discuss it.”
“Ask me anything, Prudence.” His tone contradicted his words, as if he anticipated the question he knew I would eventually ask.
I shifted nervously in my chair. “Why were you in Ohio with my mom?”
He grabbed his glass of water, took a long swig, and walked to the window, looking out.
“I went to law school in Ohio, and our families were close. Both my father and your grandfather were senators at the time. They vacationed together, and we spent many weekends at their house. After your mom ran away, your grandmother found out about your mom’s drug use. She was mortified to learn she had a child and was living in a trailer in Ohio. She asked me to find you and bring you and your mom back to her. She thought since I went to school with your mom, and we were the same age, I could convince her to come home.” He stopped talking, and I had the impression he had much more to say.
“You weren’t in a relationship with my mom?” I asked shifting in my chair again. I had to know if he had banged my mom back in the day, even though I hated having that image in my mind.
He turned quickly towards me.
“Dear God, no. When I got there and saw what a mess she was, and what was going on in that trailer, I wanted no part of what she was offering. My focus was on getting both of you, if not just you, out of ther
e and to Beulah’s.”
He paused for a minute again, took another sip of his water, and sat on the edge of his desk. He continued as I cleared my throat in preparation for what came next.
“She tried, several times to get me to do things with her. She was relentless sometimes. Your mom was not the same person I remembered when we went to school together. She was unrecognizable to me and I felt so sorry for both of you. When I tried talking her into taking you to your grandmother, she flipped out. The next day I found her unconscious, overdosed on heroin,” he said. He kept his eyes on me the entire time he talked.
“I remember that day. My best friend Veena came home with me, and you came to tell me they’d taken my mom to rehab. You offered to take me to visit her the following week.”
“Yeah. Within a day after she got out, she used again. I even took her to an AA meeting, but she snuck out and met a few of her friends and back to drugs she went. How is Veena? Do you still talk to her?”
I could tell he felt guilty, like maybe he didn’t do enough. But he was wrong. He had done more than he realized. More than my own family had done for me, and my mom.
“I haven’t seen or spoken to Veena since I left. I tried to contact her, but I have never heard back.”
Suddenly, I was very out of sorts. I hadn’t expected to dredge up old feelings. Veena was my best friend in school and lived in the trailer park with her grandmother and sister. We were inseparable most of the time, and she was with me the night my mom told me to get out. I missed her terribly and would love to see her.
