Whatever You Call Me

by Leigh Fleming

  Kip pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and saw a text from Annie.

  Put some important info in your box. Call me.

  He tapped the screen, pulling up several photos of Annie and the two of them he’d taken over the weekend. The weight in his chest lifted along with the corners of his mouth. It had been an amazing weekend—relaxing, fun, sexy, carefree. That’s how Annie made him feel. That’s how he always wanted to feel and he knew with Annie by his side it could be that way—always.

  Kip tipped back the last of his whiskey, put his family portrait back on the credenza, and picked up his desk phone. He knew what had to be done.

  “Good morning, this is Congressman Porter. Is the Speaker available, please?”

  Annie threw her hands over her head and stretched long and hard, attempting to un-kink her muscles. She’d been at the computer all afternoon, graphing out locations for campaign signs and making a schedule for the volunteers coming in this weekend. Pushing her spine against the chair, she let her head fall back against her shoulders and her mouth open in a wide yawn. What she wouldn’t give for a yoga session followed by a fruity cocktail.

  She looked down at her phone. Still no word from Kip. Her old-fashioned self battled against her modern-woman self: should she call Kip or wait for him to call her? There was nothing wrong with her calling him—after all, he was her boyfriend. But then the voice of Marjorie Cooper rang through her head: “Ladies never call gentlemen.” She drummed her nails against the desk a few seconds and then decided to listen to her modern-woman self, tapping Kip’s name on her screen.

  “Hi, babe,” he answered on the third ring. She could hear the weariness in his voice. “I’m sorry I haven’t called. It’s been crazy.”

  She felt herself sag with relief. No more listening to her mother and her old-fashioned self. “That’s okay. I just wanted to see how you’re doing. It was a rough morning.”

  “It’s been a rough day.”

  “Want to tell me about it?”

  “Nothing to tell really.”

  Annie chewed on her lower lip while twisting a curl around her finger. After a few silent moments she said, “Did you get a chance to read the material I put I your box?”

  Kip released a deep sigh. “No, but I’ll get around to it.”

  “It’s really important, Kip. It’s about Wentworth Global and the safety of this pipeline.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “I’m sorry. What do you want me to say?”

  “Say you’re going to read it, that you’re going to consider dropping this bill. That you’re going to stop shutting me out.”

  “Shutting you out?”

  “I feel like…” Annie took a deep breath, attempting to control the quiver in her voice. “Whenever Tom is around you act like I’m not there…like what I have to say isn’t important.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Isn’t it? Why did you rush me out of the office this morning?”

  “There’s just some stuff between Tom and me.”

  “Like what?”

  “Annie, I don’t mean to shut you out, but sometimes Tom and I need to talk alone. That’s all.” The conversation stopped for a moment, neither one saying a word. Finally, Kip said, “I value your opinion. You’re a smart woman and, whether you want to believe it or not, I’m listening.”

  “Thank you. I needed to hear that.” Annie glanced down at her nails and waited for Kip to speak. After several moments she couldn’t take the silence any longer. “So…how about I take you out to dinner? My treat.”

  “I wish I could.” Kip released another loud sigh. “I have a meeting in about twenty minutes.”

  “At six o’clock?”

  “It was the only time we could do it. Let’s try again tomorrow.”

  Annie felt herself sag once more, but this time it was due to disappointment. Since spending the weekend with Kip, all she could think about was being with him every chance she got.

  “That’s fine.” It wasn’t, but she could hear the stress in his voice.

  “Babe, I gotta go. We’ll make plans for tomorrow—I promise.”

  “Okay. Talk to you later. Goodnight.”

  Kip ended the call without a response and Annie laid her elbows on the desk, pressing the cell phone against her forehead. He was having a bad day. She shouldn’t let one flat phone call send her mind spinning with worry. He had a lot on his plate with the pipeline and she needed to give him space to work through it. This wasn’t another one of her screwed-up relationships—Kip was different, and she needed to remember that. He was a good, honest man, and he was all hers.

  Kip was greeted outside the Speaker of the House’s office with a warm handshake and the offer of a cocktail.

  “I’ll have Jack and ginger if you’ve got it,” Kip said.

  “Sure thing.” The Speaker packed the glass with ice and poured whiskey and ginger ale over the top. “Here you go. Have a seat. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  Kip took a long pull on his drink, letting the icy mix slide slowly down his throat. He placed the glass on the side table and cleared his throat. “Well, sir, I’m having second thoughts about the pipeline bill.”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?” the Speaker chuckled. “I mean, the vote is slated for next Tuesday. We’ve talked about this thing ad nauseam. You and Tom have done an enormous amount of work to make this thing happen. What’s going on?”

  “It’s just that I’ve recently learned the majority of my constituents are opposed to the pipeline coming through my district, and I feel like I’d be doing them a disservice by not heeding their concerns.”

  “Shouldn’t you have done your research before you even introduced the bill?”

  Kip looked down into his drink, feeling like he was sitting in the principal’s office, being punished for not doing his homework. “I thought we’d done a thorough job on the research, but apparently—”

  “Look, Kip, let me give you a piece of advice. You’re new at this—first time you’ve sponsored a bill on your own, right? And I’m sure you’re just having a case of the jitters. This is a good bill and you’ve got plenty of support. Don’t you think you’d have more opposition in Congress if it was a bad idea?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “You stand to gain enormous clout among your party and Congress as a whole. Don’t forget that committee appointment we’ve talked about. You don’t want to throw that all away, do you?”

  “Well, no, but you see—”

  “Relax. You have nothing to worry about. Next week at this time you and I will be celebrating your victory with a glass of champagne and a Cuban.”

  The Speaker stood and gestured for Kip to do the same. He rested his hand on Kip’s shoulder as he escorted him to the door. “Let’s get a tee time next week after this whole thing’s over. Nothing like a day on the links to let off a little steam.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you.” Kip wandered out the door into the cold marble hallway as if in a fog. He stood for a moment looking one way, then the next, as if he didn’t know the route back to his own office. Rather than return, he walked out of the building and strolled through the streets of Capitol Hill toward his small apartment.

  Annie juggled the paper bag and drink carrier in one hand as she pushed the elevator button with the other. When she woke this morning, she vowed to cast any doubts aside and be a supportive girlfriend and team player. After the brief text session with Kip this morning, she decided to bring him lunch, knowing he probably wouldn’t have time to take a break. He had back-to-back committee meetings today and several other meetings scattered throughout his schedule. She’d be surprised if she got that promised dinner with the way his agenda was shaping up.

  She came into the office and flashed a smile at Kip’s assistant as she walked toward his closed door. “Is he with anyone?” she asked.

  “Actually, he’s not here. He hasn’t been in all morning.” />
  “Isn’t he supposed to be in a committee meeting?”

  “He was, but he called about nine and asked me to clear his calendar. He didn’t say where he’d be.”

  Annie turned in a circle, bewildered by the news. She looked around as if his assistant was wrong and Kip would come strolling in at any moment.

  “Mind if I leave this on his desk? In case he comes back?” Annie asked, not waiting for the answer. She walked behind his desk and dropped the food bag on his chair where he couldn’t miss it. She began looking at the papers scattered across the desk, not sure what she was looking for. Why hadn’t he told her he would be out of the office? Did his absence have anything to do with the meeting he’d had last night? She was tired of feeling left out of the loop.

  Kip pushed against the heavy weathered door and stepped into the dark tavern, temporarily blinded by the darkness. It was a bright afternoon outside and he felt like he had just entered a cave. He sat at the first barstool inside the door and ordered a beer.

  “Hey, look what the cat dragged in.” Kip swiveled the stool around to see where the greeting had come from. Sitting a few feet away under a neon Budweiser sign was Virgil and three of his father’s old friends. “Come, join us,” Virgil shouted.

  “I tried calling you at the marina, but they said you were out.” Kip dragged a chair from an adjacent table and sat down with the men he’d known his whole life. They were all members of the Rivermen’s Club and regular fishing buddies of his dad’s, and had been among Kip’s staunchest supporters when he first ran for Congress. “I should have known you’d be here.”

  “You look like hell. What brings you to town?”

  “Thanks, Virgil. You always know how to make a guy feel better.”

  Virgil laughed and slapped his knee. “I wouldn’t want those Hollywood looks to go to your head.”

  Kip shook his head and took a long pull of his beer.

  “So, what are you doing in this joint in the middle of the day? Shouldn’t you be in Washington?” Bill Fletcher, the man Annie said had been complaining about the pipeline at the crab feast, asked as he looked at Kip over the rim of his beer mug.

  “I’ve been in meetings this afternoon with Friends of the Bay and the county extension agent.”

  Bill grunted. “I bet they gave you an earful.”

  “Now, Bill, don’t get started,” Virgil said. “Can’t you see the boy’s had a bad day?”

  “I don’t give a shit what kind of day he’s had. This pipeline has got to be stopped.” Bill slammed his hand on the table. “Now, I’m sorry, Kip, but you need to know how I feel—how all of us feel. You push that bill through Congress and you can kiss the election goodbye. You won’t be able to show your face in this district if that pipeline comes through. Might as well stay in Washington because you won’t be welcome here.”

  “I gathered as much,” Kip mumbled, taking another long drink from the cold mug.

  “You want to return to Washington in January? You find a way to stop that bill. That’s the only way you’ll get my vote.”

  “Bill, I appreciate your candor and believe me I’m listening to you…to all of you. But it’s more complicated than you think.”

  “Look, Kip, I understand that oil needs to get distributed efficiently, but can’t that pipeline be laid somewhere else? Why here?” Virgil asked.

  “It seemed like a good location with its proximity to several large East Coast cities. And there’s the economic benefit…”

  “Economic benefit?” Bill bellowed. “What about the environmental impact?”

  “Bill, I know.” Kip laid his hand on Bill’s shoulder. “I agree. It’s probably not the best location after all. I have a lot of work to do if I want to get the pipeline moved.”

  “Can you do that, Kip?” Virgil asked.

  “I’m going to do my best, but it has to be done with as little fallout as possible.”

  “Well, son, as long as you’re trying, we’ll stand behind you.” This time it was Bill who placed his hand on Kip’s shoulder. “But if you can’t get it done, you can forget another term. Sorry.”

  Kip drained his mug and stood up, straightened his tie, and buttoned his jacket. “Thanks, guys. Have another round on me.” He tossed forty dollars on the table and walked out of the bar.

  “…And then this afternoon, he finally texted me saying he was meeting with some people on the Eastern shore. Not a word about dinner or seeing me tonight,” Annie was complaining to Kate as her feet soaked in a hot bubbly tub. Since she and Kip hadn’t made plans for the evening, Annie decided to call Kate to have dinner and a pedi. Luckily, she caught Kate at a stopping point in her work load and she readily agreed to an evening with Annie away from the office.

  “You said he was dealing with the bill. Maybe he’s busy still meeting with people,” Kate said.

  “Too busy to even send a text letting me know something about tonight? Please!” Annie took a sip of wine and furrowed her brows at Kate, who was sitting in the pedicure chair beside her. “I haven’t heard from him since ten o’clock.” She lifted her right foot out of the bath and directed her gripes to the nail technician. “Do you think I’m being unreasonable? How hard is it to send a quick text to let me know about tonight?”

  The woman agreed with Annie in broken English and then said something in her native language to the tech working on Kate’s nails. Both women burst out laughing. Annie’s technician walked to the back room and came out with a wine bottle, refilling her client’s glass to the rim.

  Annie turned her attention back to Kate, who was reclining in the chair and slowly sipping her wine. “He couldn’t get enough of me over the weekend and now it’s like the weekend never happened. Oh, and I haven’t told you about the way he dismissed me in a meeting yesterday.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We were meeting with Tom, who acted like I wasn’t there, and then suddenly Kip rushes me out of the room. Totally brushed me aside, didn’t acknowledge the research I’ve done, and whisked me out of the room.”

  “Did he ever explain why?”

  “Sure. He gave some lame excuse. Me and Tom have things to discuss,” she said in a bad imitation of Kip. “Sometimes he acts like I don’t know anything about politics.”Kate leaned across the arm of her chair and pierced Annie with a stern look. “This is your first job in politics. Just because your dad is a Senator and you watched every episode of The West Wing in high school doesn’t mean you’re a political expert.”

  “Gee…thanks.”

  “I’m just saying, they’ve been working together for years and they’re used to doing things a certain way. That’s all.”

  “It just pisses me off.”

  “Then dump him,” Kate muttered, her body rocking and rolling from the massage chair.

  “Dump him? You think I should dump him?”

  “Obviously he’s a lemon. Throw him back. There’re other fish.”

  “But I don’t want to throw him back. He told me last night that he thinks I’m smart and he really does listen to me.” Annie leaned her elbow on the arm of her chair and looked at Kate. “He’s not a lemon, he’s…wonderful and smart and hot and…he’s dealing with a stressful situation.”

  Kate sat up and leaned across to Annie’s chair. “Exactly, so quit bitching. Be patient and understanding. You said yourself he’s under a lot of pressure. Give him a break.” She settled back into her massage and closed her eyes.

  “Fine,” Annie huffed. She pushed a few buttons on her own chair and tried to relax, resolving not to niggle over the past few days.

  Annie slid the key into the lock of her apartment door and entered the dark room. She flipped on a lamp and felt her phone vibrate in her hand. Nine-thirty and she was getting a call from Kip.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, sweetheart, sorry I’m only just calling. I ended up having dinner with my mom and Rob.”

  “Oh? How are they?” Annie flopped on the sofa and pulled off her san
dals. The pedicure and talk with Kate had calmed her, and she was determined to be a patient, understanding girlfriend, no matter what.

  “They’re okay. They say hi. What did you do tonight?”

  “Well…since I got stood up by my boyfriend…” she said with a chuckle. “Kate and I went out to dinner and had pedicures.”

  “I’m sorry.” Kip sounded exhausted, defeated, and Annie felt instantly terrible that her quip had fallen flat.

  “It’s okay. I’m glad you got to have time with your family.” Annie waited for a response, but none came. A moment later she realized the silence she was hearing was the sound of a dropped call. Had her comment put him over the edge? The loud ding of the doorbell brought her out of her reflection and she rushed over to peek through the peephole. Kip stood on the other side of the door, looking down at the floor.

  Annie slowly turned the knob and peeked around the edge of the door to find Kip’s hand braced against the doorframe and his head tilted down. “Hmm…what have we here?” she said with a lilt in her voice. He sure looked like he needed cheering up.

  “Hi,” was all he said as he continued leaning against the doorframe. He had dark circles under his eyes and his usually perfect hair was disheveled.

  “Porter…it’s kind of late…you’re not making a booty call, are you?”

  “Would you mind if I did?”

  Annie laughed and grabbed both his hands, pulling him into the apartment and into her arms. “You look like you could use a little TLC.”

  “Exactly what I was hoping you’d say.”

  Twenty-Three

  “Okay, next question: Which American Idol winner sang ‘A Moment Like This’ in 2002?” Kate looked from the screen on the wall to her two teammates. “Who do you think? Was it Kelly Clarkson?”

  “That sounds right,” Derek said.