Another Notch in the Beltway

by L. A. Long

  “I have no doubt, and I have no doubt that MP is in love with you either. I can tell by the way he looks at you and how protective he is. Be happy.”

  “I intend to.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and sent him on his way.

  Lenore walked into the house to hear MP and Nik going at it.

  “I’ll not have Lenore exposed to the media and their antics. Everyone will see her face on national television coast to coast, Nikko. She won’t even be able to go to the CVS without everyone knowing who she is and judging her for what she did or didn’t do twenty plus years ago.”

  “I see your point but—”

  “There is no but, Nik,” MP said firmly.

  “Time out,” Lenore waded into the fray. “No decisions have been made about anything. Let’s not do this now.”

  MP went to her, her hands trembling. “I’m sorry.”

  “Me, too,” Nikko said.

  Lenore looked from one to the other.

  “Are you okay?” MP asked.

  “No, I’m upset and exhausted.”

  “Go lie down, Lenore, the car will be here in a few minutes,” her agent said.

  “All right. MP, stay with Nik until the car comes, but don’t talk about this business. No one needs any more of it.”

  “Promise.”

  She gave him a weak smile. While he didn’t escort her up the stairs, he stood at the bottom and made sure she made it safely to the top.

  “Is she okay, MP? She told me she’s PG, doesn’t look it. Looks thinner and sexier than ever; bitch—I hate her.”

  They both laughed.

  “Doctor says she’s fine.” MP explained the borderline hypoglycemia.

  “Explains the trembling hands,” Nik said.

  “Yes.”

  Five minutes later, the car came. “Call me if you guys need anything,” their agent said as she embraced him.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Maxwell visited Jack in his private hospital room and found him in a foul mood.

  “I’m sick of being sick and cooped up in here. Most patients would be home until it was time for them to prepare for the bone marrow transplant. Only reason why I’m still here is because Corrine has money to pay.”

  “It’s to keep you healthy,” Byron said with a bored air. They’d been through this before. “What are you going to do about the transplant? Yes or no.”

  “I’m not going to do it, and I am going to check out of this hell hole. I’ll go back to Corrine’s, and if she doesn’t want me, I’ll get an apartment. If I’m still alive, maybe finish school next year.”

  “Your condition is likely to worsen without the transplant.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Jack said petulantly.

  Maxwell said nothing, simply waited to see if his son offered anything else.

  “I don’t relish the thought of GVHD,” Jack said finally. “This supposed match hardly makes the cut. I can’t do it.”

  “You’ve been through chemo and made it. You’d make it through GVHD.”

  “Like you’d know that or what it’s like to be puking your guts up, for your mouth to be so raw you can’t eat or drink, to be so weak you’d rather piss yourself than get out of bed—” Jack’s body was suddenly racked with a coughing fit.

  Byron offered his son bottled water, which he took and sipped slowly, his coughs subsiding.

  “Jack, I know you’re scared, and I know you don’t care for your mother or myself, but we’re all the family any of us have. I’m here for you to lean on if you need me. While I don’t always like what you do, you are my son.”

  “Nice sentiment, but do you love me?”

  The question stopped Maxwell cold. Never quick on his feet, the senator wavered.

  Jack barked a bitter, harsh laugh and began to cough again. He drank some more water and finally managed, “I was a mistake from the word go. Why is it so important that I live?”

  “You’re my son, for God’s sake, and even though you’ve acted like a world-class spoiled, rich prick the last several years, I can’t let you die without doing everything I can to save you. I’d guess that’s a kind of love. I don’t know how to effectively express it.”

  “You sure you don’t have more spares out there? Corrine is certain you do. Even thinks you lined up this one who’s a potential donor. Is that true?”

  Truth or Dare ran through Byron’s mind.

  His kid laughed again, then cut himself off as he began to cough. “No need to answer. If I have a half sibling, I’d like to meet him, even if he’s not a good match.”

  Byron said nothing.

  “I’d even promise not to disclose the fact that he exists. Think of it as my dying wish, Dad. Heck, if there’s more than one, invite them all. We could have a reunion of sorts.”

  He shook his head. Maxwell had gotten a vasectomy before Jack was born. There would be no more offspring from his loins, legitimate or otherwise.

  “Don’t blame you for not banging the bitch Ice Queen. Can’t believe you tussled in the sheets at least four times with that woman. Maybe I wouldn’t be here now if the first two weren’t duds.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “And spare me a graphic explanation. My condition is delicate, after all.”

  Sad thing is, it was. Jack was skin and bones. His eyes were hollow and rimmed in bluish black circles, and his body wore bruises from the lightest touch.

  Maxwell changed the subject. “Anyone come to visit besides your mother and me?”

  “Nope, haven’t even seen Kelly in a while. But I guess she’s busy with school.”

  “I’ll tell her you were asking about her when I see her.”

  “Don’t bother. I don’t want visitors; plus, I won’t be here too much longer.”

  With his attitude and demeanor, it was a wonder that someone hadn’t killed him for sport.

  “I have a dinner to attend. I’ll come by tomorrow.”

  “Don’t bother. We both know this is a painful exercise for both of us.”

  “Let me know if you change your mind about the transplant and when you’re moving back to the house.”

  “Back to Corrine’s,” Jack said pointedly. “But, yeah, I’ll do that, Byron.”

  Maxwell left, listening to the barking laugh of his son that quickly turned into an uncontrollable hack as the door closed behind him.

  ****

  Nikko walked back into her NYC office at about 6:00. She was dead tired and wanted to put her feet up.

  She snagged bottled water from the refrigerator, sat in her chair, kicked off her heels, and put her stockinged feet on the desk. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

  “Long day?”

  “Shit,” Nikko spat as she sat bolt upright in her chair. “You’re an asshole, Hubble.”

  “Mmm, that’s an improvement from the fucking asshole of the last few weeks. I am sorry I startled you.”

  “Like hell you are.”

  “Believe what you want,” he shrugged.

  “I find it’s best never to delude myself,” she said icily.

  He nodded soberly. “I’d say I’m sorry again if I thought it would help.”

  “It won’t.” She was weighing what Lenore said in her mind. You need to tell him, the sooner the better.

  He took her silence as an invitation to come farther into her office. When she didn’t stop him, he settled himself in a chair across the desk from her.

  She sat up straighter in hers.

  “Want to go for dinner?” he asked.

  “I want to go to bed.”

  “I’d like it if that was an invitation, but I suspect it’s not.”

  “You’d be right for a change.”

  He nodded again.

  They sat. A Kimble mantel clock ticking was the only sound.

  “I’m pregnant, Nolan,” she blurted out of nowhere.

  He sat not saying anything.

  So much for that, she thought. Son of a
bitch didn’t even have the balls to be angry.

  “I don’t expect anything from you. But I thought you should know. I plan to keep the baby. I’m actually quite happy about it.” Her voice was even and strong; she held her head high.

  “You don’t expect anything from me?” he asked incredulously and rose from his chair, approaching her side of the desk.

  “No.” She turned her chair to face him but did not get up. “I have more than enough resources to take care of the child myself.”

  “Goes without saying, but you’re assuming I don’t want to do anything.”

  “I don’t know what you want, Hubble.”

  “I want you and the baby,” he said simply and knelt down before her. “May I?” he asked, moving his hand toward her stomach to touch her.

  “Yes,” she said, eyes fixed on him.

  He parted her jacket and placed a hand on the slightly rounded mound and rubbed gently. “It’s hard as a rock,” he looked into her face smiling.

  Nik nodded uncertainly.

  “Our child is right here.” He parted her jacket wider and used both hands to smooth her skirt over the baby bump.

  “Yes,” she said in an uncharacteristic whisper.

  He looked into her eyes, then bent his head and kissed her belly.

  She watched him, taken with his behavior.

  “I’ll do everything for this baby and for you.”

  “We’ll make arrangements for you to be part of the baby’s life.”

  “I want to be part of both your lives.”

  “I don’t think so, Hubble. I can’t be with someone I can’t trust.”

  “What can I do to prove I’m worthy of you?”

  “Worthy is a lofty word. This has to do with trust. If I can’t trust you, nothing else matters.”

  He was circling her belly with caressing fingers, and it felt incredibly good. Suddenly, he lay his head on her lap and put his ear to her stomach. She stopped herself from running her fingers through his hair.

  “You can’t hear anything,” she laughed instead. “At about five months, I’ll be able to feel the baby move, and shortly thereafter you’ll be able to feel it kick its feet and begin to assert its independence.” She was smiling as she spoke.

  “When is the baby due?” His hands were back to caressing, and he was looking into her eyes.

  “Halloween. A witch for a witch.”

  “Or a warlock.”

  “Yes.”

  “I want to go to your doctor appointments and ultrasounds and birthing classes. I want to be part of this every step of the way.”

  “Now you’re getting ahead of even me,” she said lightly.

  “Don’t think that’s possible. I want to touch you.” He untucked her silk blouse and unzipped the side zipper of her skirt. She let him.

  His hand was hot on her skin. She felt herself respond to his touch. Felt his response as well as it brushed against her leg.

  “I love you, Nik, and I’ll love this baby. I never thought I’d have a child. This is such a wonderful gift. Thank you.” Tears were brimming in his eyes.

  It was said with such heartfelt sincerity, she felt the tears spring to her eyes, too. She nodded. “I never thought I’d have a child either. So he or she will be well-loved.”

  “Yes,” he pulled her to him and kissed her long and hard. “I’ll work on regaining your trust. I’ll do whatever it takes. I was cocky and arrogant…”

  “Keep going,” she said.

  He laughed and pulled her to her feet. He slid her skirt down and took in the ripeness of her belly, moving his hands more thoroughly over it now.

  “Beautiful,” he whispered.

  She was being as patient as she could, but soon he was going to make her squirm, as Lenore would say. Sex and chemistry had nothing to do with trust. Neither did love, for that matter.

  “I’d like to see all of you if you’d let me.”

  She wanted it more than anything, but she shook her head no.

  He nodded his understanding, kissed her stomach one more time, lingering a little longer than necessary. Then he pulled up her skirt, tucked in her blouse, and finally he zipped the side zipper that was getting a little snug.

  “I’ll take you shopping for a new wardrobe.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “I’m going to see you home.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “It is. It’s late and dark and icy. I won’t chance you falling.”

  She was too tired to argue and too emotionally off balance to be totally rid of him. Plus, it was dark and icy.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  “I thought you said you loved me.”

  “Low blow, Mr. Finnegan.”

  Lenore and MP were working in her office, each propped on the arm of her huge couch, feet touching.

  Lenore was typing on the laptop.

  “This is work, sweetheart, and while you might lead me astray in bed, you won’t here.” she said, almost amused.

  They’d been arguing over various endings to the book and coming to no good end.

  “Should we each write our own ending and see how it goes?” she suggested. “Heck, maybe we could print the book with both endings and let the reader decide.”

  “Maybe another book. I want to end together on this one.”

  “The ultimate climax.”

  “You could say that.”

  “But is your man Cass going to get over his guilt that his failure to listen to Amanda in the first place almost got her and their unborn child killed?”

  “I’d say he’d have to.”

  “Yeaaah, me too. He wallows in everything.”

  “Because he takes everything to heart. He believes he should be able to keep your Amanda safe.”

  “He disarmed his no good half brother and saved all of them. Then got the beam off of her and stopped the bleeding from her head wound.”

  “He feels it should have never gotten that far.”

  “You’re making me crazy, mo chuisle. I think we need a break,” she said in a poor imitation of his Irish lilt.

  “We do at that,” he laughingly agreed. He handed her a small bottle of juice and split a banana with her. While her blood sugar went low often, she could only eat a small amount at a time.

  “You are sooo good to me. Thank you.”

  He leaned over and kissed her tenderly.

  “Mmm.” She brought her hands up to either side of his face and pulled him closer.

  “I like the way you show your appreciation.”

  Her home phone started ringing.

  “Hold that thought,” she said as she engaged the call.

  MP grinned and left to replenish their OJ and food supply.

  ****

  “Walker says Maxwell intercepted his wife’s cousin, found her an apartment, and gave her some pin money. So she should keep quiet. Kelly also said she wouldn’t talk about Nate being Maxwell’s son, because she loves him,” Lenore offered when MP returned, rations in hand.

  He was smiling as he put the stash away.

  “What?”

  “Pin money, does anyone say that anymore?”

  She laughed self-consciously, “Probably only my historical romance crowd.”

  “I like it. It’s part of what makes you unique.” He gave her a peck on the cheek. “You’re quite brilliant, love. Your research and knowledge of the era are astounding.”

  She smiled at him, eyes bright with pleasure. “You don’t find it frivolous?”

  “On the contrary. I find it remarkable all the things that remain consistent through the years.”

  “Yes, there are parallels, but differences too—some important ones. For instance, in my case, as a single mother in Victorian England, I would either have been a kept mistress, well-provided for, or more likely a whore forced to earn her living on the street, ostracized by polite society.”

  MP looked at her.

  “It’s true. I’d never have been allowed to be
come a writer, make a home for Nate and myself, and send him to private school. Nor been allowed to become a proper wife,” she teased him.

  “I never said anything about you being a proper wife.” He snaked an arm around her and gave her a kiss.

  She laughed, “But it’s true. I’m lucky to have been born in the present day.”

  “Yes, you are,” MP conceded. “But you faced any number of challenges all the same.”

  “Everyone does. You’ve had your own. They shape who we are, and I love who you are, Michael Patrick,” she said spontaneously.

  A brilliant smile lit his vibrant eyes and flashed his dimples.

  “I hope the baby has your dimples and smile. You have no idea what that smile does to me.”

  “Why don’t you show me?”

  She put her hands on his chest to keep his physicality at bay.

  “I have more.”

  He sighed and sat down on the couch.

  “Jack has decided no on the transplant and is moving back in with his parents.”

  “He’s letting nature take its course?”

  “Yes, he doesn’t want to deal with GVHD.”

  “I can see that,” he said soberly.

  “It’s sad. According to what Connor was told, Jack’s not even well enough for a transplant. Morris thinks the cancer is back and in his lungs, but Jack has had enough and refuses additional testing.”

  “This entire thing with Nate was some kind of charade?”

  “Don’t know, MP, maybe. If I wanted to be cynical, I could say it was a campaign stunt to gain Maxwell the sympathy vote or something Corrine cooked up to flush Nate out in the open.”

  “Politics and self-dealing,” Michael Patrick said with disgust. “Does your man think news of Nate will still go public?”

  “That’s a wild card.”

  Chapter Forty-Four

  The next two weeks played out without incident. It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop, Lenore thought as she looked at herself in the mirror.

  “You are gorgeous,” Nikko said from behind. “No one would ever know you’re harboring a minor in there.”

  Lenore laughed. “You look pretty good yourself.”

  Nikko was wearing a violet dress suit that hid the existence of her own child.