I'll Cover You

by A. C. Grey

  Kate let out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t realized before she’d made the revelation, but what Emmy thought meant a great deal to her – too much probably. She didn’t know how she would have dealt with the pain if Emmy had been offended or angry or worse – judgmental. She smiled weakly and tried to figure out what to say next. All she could muster was a weak word of gratitude. “Thanks.” It came out almost as a whisper. She also struggled not to focus on the woman’s hand on her arm – the light touch sending waves of pleasure and warmth throughout her body. All she wanted was to be in Emmy’s arms, to touch her, to hold her, to never let her go. But for now, she’d be content with the gentle touch of reassurance. She’d take what she could get.

  Sensing that Kate needed her to take the lead in the conversation, Emmy spoke. “So, can I ask you something?” She said, cautiously. Kate nodded. “Your whole reputation as a serial dater – always out with a different guy. That was just an act?”

  Kate nodded again. “Yeah. As I was coming up through the ranks in the political arena, it became increasingly clear that if I wanted to have mainstream appeal, I needed to hide the real me. As much as I hated that, I felt it was my duty, my job, to serve the country that I grew up loving. My dad was a Marine and I was taught from an early age to love my country, to put country before my own selfish needs and desires. So I made sacrifices. I had my aides set up dates, so that no one ever questioned my sexuality. It got a little out of hand. I never sought to get this reputation as a bit of a playgirl. It just sort of happened. Probably because I could never bring myself to keep up the ruse of a relationship with a man for long. So people naturally assumed that I just liked to play the field. And for a long time, I was in a stable, loving relationship with a woman. Her name was Christine. We played her off as one of my aides and no one looked at her twice. But things didn’t end up working out. No one’s fault really, we just weren’t right for one another. It was also hard for her, keeping our relationship under wraps.”

  Emmy nodded as she took in the information. It made sense. Being in the public eye came with a price, often a steep one. “So do you think you’ll ever come out?”

  Kate thought for a moment. “You know, Emmaline, that’s a tough question. It kills me, it does, that I have to hide who I really am. Maybe part of the reason I wear my socks is to remind myself of who I really am on the inside. That I’m undercover, so to speak. I have to balance my desire to serve my country, to really make a difference in people’s lives, with what makes me personally happy. I’ve definitely made sacrifices, mostly at my own personal expense, for what I thought to be the greater good. But even so, it’s not that simple. I do believe that our country has a long way to go in terms of equal rights for people like me, and being in a position of prominence like I am, there are those who would argue that it’s my duty to use my influence for good. That I should come out and show America that I’m still the same person they trusted their country to, that they had faith in, who just happens to be gay. I’d love to do that, to show every person out there who’s struggling with their sexuality that they can be okay, that they will make it. But it’s a balancing act. I’m not so naïve as to think that everyone would just welcome me with open arms, and I wonder if now would be the right time to disclose who I really am. If I might be of better service to the cause if I waited, if I tried to make changes incognito, so to speak. I feel like, as horrible as this sounds, I might have more clout, more influence, if I was championing gay rights as a perceived heterosexual. It hurts my heart to say that, but the cynic in me wonders if I’m that far off.” She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair.

  It broke Emmy’s heart to see Kate struggle like that. Clearly she’d thought a lot about it and hers was definitely not a position Emmy envied. She understood Kate’s logic – she wanted, desperately, to make a real difference. And unfortunately, she had a very real, very legitimate fear, that if her true self were outed, she’d lose the opportunity to do so. “I admire you, Kate. I do. I know there are some who would say that you’re doing the LGBT community a disservice by staying in the closet, but I get it. You need to weigh the realities of where our society is today. We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go. I honestly don’t get some of the bigotry. I believe that love comes in many shapes and forms and to judge any sort of love is just wrong. Love is a great thing – a thing to be cherished – something we all strive for. Why judge it?” Emmy paused, and debated her words for a moment before continuing. She looked straight into Kate’s beautiful blue eyes, which gave her the courage to continue. “I’d like to thank you Kate. I trust you to fight the good fight, no matter how you decide to approach it – in the closet or out. As a bisexual woman, I appreciate it, knowing that you’re here, doing what you can. Trying to make a difference. Not just for our country, but for people like me.” A small smile spread over her face as she studied Kate’s reaction.

  Kate did a double take. It was her turn to be stunned. Had Emmy just admitted she was bisexual? She resisted the urge to pinch herself, to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She’d expected maybe Emmy’s support, hopefully her approval. She hadn’t expected Emmy to mirror her own confession. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Did this mean that maybe Emmy felt even just a little, just a small amount of the magnetism that she sensed between them? Kate searched Emmy’s eyes for any indication. There was something there, just a tiny glint in her eyes, which when combined with the hint of a smile across Emmy’s lips, gave Kate hope.

  She debated for a moment, not sure how to proceed. She could come right out with it, tell Emmy how she felt. She could hint and hope that Emmy caught on. She could avoid it entirely. She bit her lower lip nervously, before letting out a sigh. She looked down at her hands as she began to speak, too nervous to meet Emmy’s gaze. “Emmaline . . . I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’ve told me that you’re not straight. And it’s not just because I want to feel some sort of gay camaraderie.” She paused, carefully choosing her words. “I . . . I need to say something and I hope I don’t offend you or put you in an awkward position.”

  “Go ahead, Kate. I doubt there’s much you could tell me that would offend me,” Emmy said, her heart suddenly racing, hoping that Kate was about to verbalize what she’d been feeling for so long.

  Kate fidgeted with her hands. “I’m feeling something, Emmaline. Something for you . . . Frankly, you’re all I can think about, but I understand if that’s not something you’re feeling, if you want to keep things strictly professional.” Kate continued to avoid Emmy’s gaze, afraid and hopeful at the same time.

  Emmy’s heart was about to explode. Seeing this woman, who was normally so put together, so confident, nothing but a nervous, flustered mess, made her entire being smile. And the fact that she felt the same way – Emmy was over the moon. She wanted to jump up and down like a giddy schoolgirl. She reached down and gently lifted Kate’s chin so that their eyes met. “Kate . . . I feel it too. So much. I can’t think about anything else but you. I spend practically every day, every hour, every second, with you on my mind. I’m freaking jealous of Mathias and Manning when it’s their turn to cover you. Like they’re stealing you from me. What you just told me . . . it’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time.”

  Kate had tears glistening in her eyes by this time, but she was smiling. She was overwhelmed . . . overwhelmed by happiness. Emmaline felt the same way. It wasn’t just her. There were no other words to be said. Instead, she took a step closer and slowly raised her hand to Emmy’s cheek, her eyes never leaving the brunette’s. Slowly, arduously, they crept closer to one another, their breaths intermingling. Kate’s breath hitched in her throat as Emmy briefly licked her lips, anticipating the embrace just millimeters away. Just as their lips were finally to meet, a voice interrupted them.

  “Madame President . . . oh, I’m sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting something.” Emmy and Kate jumped apart as Hollander addressed them. He continued, clearly unfazed. “I jus
t got word that there’s some sort of crisis going on in Egypt. The Secretary of State is waiting for your phone call.” With that, Hollander left the room.

  Emmy groaned. “I’m really starting to hate that man.”

  Kate chuckled. “Agreed. But it sounds like I’d better go deal with this. Rain check for the rest of our evening?”

  Emmy nodded. Kate leaned up and placed a quick kiss on Emmy’s cheek before leaving the room. Even that completely innocent kiss had set her world spinning. Emmy shook her head. If she didn’t know better, she’d say she was falling for this woman. Falling for the freaking President of the United States.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Kate was tied up late into the night dealing with the crisis in Egypt. She’d hoped that it would have been something quick, that she would have had time to call Emmy or even see her. But she was the President and things were never that simple. Somehow, though she didn’t know how, she had managed to focus the majority of her thoughts on the subject at hand. Every now and then, thoughts of Emmaline, thoughts of a decidedly inappropriate nature, would creep into her head. Anyone paying close attention to her wouldn’t have noticed, except perhaps for the occasional whisper of a smile that played across her lips, a slightly distant look in her eyes. Finally, after making one last phone call, she headed to her private quarters and collapsed into bed at 3am. She resisted the urge to find out Emmy’s phone number, to call her or text her in the middle of the night. She could wait, she thought, until the next morning, when Emmy would be on duty. She had patience . . . barely enough, but it would suffice. She could wait. With a goofy grin on her face, Kate drifted off with thoughts of Emmy running through her mind and through her heart.

  The next morning, Kate headed to the Oval Office, struggling to maintain her composure and to not run down the hallway like a giddy schoolgirl. She couldn’t wait to see Emmaline. Even if they needed to keep their professional distance while Emmy was on duty, she looked forward to just seeing her, just sharing the same space, the same air as her. The smile immediately fell from Kate’s face as she saw an unfamiliar, red-haired woman standing where Emmy was normally positioned.

  Looking at the woman, Kate addressed her. “Who are you?”

  The agent, clearly surprised to be addressed, responded. “Uh . . . I’m Agent Fazio, ma’am. Is there anything I can help you with?”

  “Where’s Agent Harris?” Kate said, perhaps a little more rudely than she’d intended. “Sorry. That came out a little harsh. I just expected to see her here instead.”

  “I’m not sure, ma’am. All I know is that Director Bell informed me that I’d be taking over for Agent Harris, effective immediately.”

  Kate nodded, knowing she wasn’t going to get any more information from this woman. “Thanks.”

  Kate sat down at her desk, and let out a sigh of frustration. What the hell had happened? Why was Emmy no longer on the presidential detail? Had she read the situation wrong? Had Emmy been scared off by her advances? Had she requested a new assignment? No. Emmy told her that she had felt something too. But maybe Emmy had just been too afraid to be direct. Afraid to turn down the President. The doubts started to creep in as Kate tried to replay the previous evening’s events through her head. She sighed, her body awash with mixed emotions. After a few moments, she shook herself out of her reverie. There was no way she was going to get any work done until she sorted this out, one way or the other. And this was not a mystery that could be solved by her overly analytical brain alone. She knew what needed to be done. She picked up the phone and spoke briefly with her assistant. “Please get me Director Bell on the phone. Yes. Tell him it’s urgent.”

  * * * * *

  Emmy sat nervously as she waited to be called into Director Bell’s office. She had no idea what this meeting was about. She’d gotten up, assuming that she’d be reporting to cover Kate as usual, with perhaps a little more jump in her step than normal. She couldn’t wait to see the woman again. However, just as she was about to head out the door, she’d received a call summoning her to this meeting. She nervously chewed on her nails out of habit as she fidgeted and waited for Bell’s assistant to let her know he was ready.

  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Emmy was led into Bell’s office. She took a seat and looked up at him nervously.

  “Harris. I assume you know why you’re here,” he began.

  Emmy shook her head. “No, sir. Honestly, I’m a bit confused.”

  “I had a call from the President’s office last night. A request has been made that you be removed from her detail.”

  Shock washed over Emmy. She was stunned. “What?” She asked, incredulously.

  “Apparently, you made inappropriate personal advances towards the President.”

  Emmy’s heart sank. She was bewildered. What had happened the night before had certainly appeared mutual. Kate had even been the one to move in for a kiss. What the hell had happened between then and now? Maybe she’d decided that she needed to stay firmly in the closet and that she didn’t trust Emmy to keep their secret. She was hurt. She looked up at the Director. “I really don’t understand, sir.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know what to say, Harris. I wouldn’t expect this sort of behavior from you. And judging by your reaction, I’m guessing that there’s been some misunderstanding or that there’s more to this story. But that’s beside the point. If the President asks for your removal, my hands are tied. You’ll be reassigned. In the meantime, take the day off. It looks as though you could use it.”

  Emmy nodded and rose, struggling to keep it together until she could get some place more private. She hurried to her office and grabbed her things, barely making it to her car before she broke down. Tears streamed down her face as the full effect of what had just happened overwhelmed her. Kate didn’t want to see her anymore. Just hours ago, Emmy had been over the moon. She’d been elated. And now. She was devastated.

  * * * * *

  Kate was patched through to Director Bell quickly – one of the perks of being the President. No one asked their secretary to take a message. The President didn’t get voicemail – she got results.

  “Madame President. To what do I owe this honor?” Bell began.

  “I’d like to talk to you about Agent Harris.”

  “Ah, yes. We’ve already taken care of the situation, ma’am. She won’t be returning to her post, so you won’t have to worry about any further . . . awkward situations. Agent Fazio is a fine replacement and should do a great job.”

  “I guess I’m just a little confused, Director. Did Agent Harris request to be transferred off of my detail?”

  “No, ma’am. As I thought you were aware, we received a call from a member of your staff last night requesting that Harris be removed from your service because she had behaved in an inappropriate manner. Is that not the case? It did surprise me to hear that, because frankly, Harris is the last person I’d expect to behave in such a way.” Bell’s voice reflected surprise and confusion.

  “That order definitely did not come from me. Can I ask you who made the call? Which member of my staff?”

  “It was Ron Hollander. He made it very clear that these orders came from you. Am I safe to assume that is not correct?” Bell asked.

  Kate struggled to suppress the rage that was suddenly threatening to bubble over. “That is not my wish. Director, I’m sorry to get you in the middle of all of this. I will talk with Ron. In the meantime, please reinstate Agent Harris onto my detail. I’m sure Agent Fazio is a fine agent and maybe you can find another spot for her on my team, but I need to make sure this wrong against Agent Harris is righted.”

  “Understood. I’ll make the call to Harris right away.”

  “Thank you, Director. Glad we could clear this up.” With that, Kate hung up the phone.

  She immediately called her assistant. “I need you to get Ron in here right away. And also, please get me any phone number you have for Agent Harris.” She hung up the phone, slamming it a l
ittle too hard into the cradle. What the hell had Hollander done? He was lucky that he wasn’t in her office at the moment. He might not get out alive.

  Her assistant came in after a few minutes with Emmy’s cell and house numbers. Kate tried both numbers in succession, but immediately got voicemail. After leaving a string of messages attempting to explain the situation to Emmy and begging her to call back, Kate hung up in frustration. At that moment, Hollander strode into the room.

  “You wanted to see me?”

  Kate’s rage threatened to explode just at the sight of the man. One look at her palpable anger was enough to wipe the smug grin off of Hollander’s face.

  “Have a seat, Phil,” Kate said calmly. “So I understand that you’ve taken it upon yourself to have Agent Harris removed from my detail.”

  “Kate . . .” he stopped as Kate raised a hand.

  “How many times have I asked you not to address me by my first name? That is a privilege I reserve for those I trust and whom I consider close friends and family. And frankly, after what appears to have happened last night, you definitely do not fall into either of those categories.” The look of anger glinting in her bright blue eyes would have made many grown men shrink back in terror.