Page 20 of Twenty-Three Years of Longing

Reesa laughed. “Oh, it is not the end. It is just the beginning. I hope you understand that your life is about to be in the spotlight. Where you go, who you talk to, and mostly what you say, will be talked about.”

“And yet you’ve been doing it for six years,” I reminded her.

“I have. And I love it. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I don’t regret being president. If it wasn’t for...personal reasons, you know that I wouldn’t be doing this. I’d continue through this term.”

Reesa and Finn had explained it to me, and I knew she needed to do what was best for her and her family. I had no one except myself to think about when making this decision. Because no one besides myself would be affected by rumors and gossip. And long hours right now sounded good. The busier I was, the less I’d think about Raya. Since the moment I’d seen her in the tub, it’d been nearly impossible not to let my mind wander.

Damn it. I was doing so well not thinking about her.

I knew it was just a matter of time before she crept back in my mind, but I was hoping that my meeting would be over first.

“I think you’re doing the right thing, Reesa.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to have your support. You know, Bennett Stone will be here tomorrow too. He is hoping to have a meeting with you after the announcement. Is that okay with you?” she asked.

“Of course.” It wasn’t like I could tell her no. I had figured he was up to date with everything. Not sure what he wanted to talk about, but I was pretty sure it had to do with security and my safety. Funny, I just had the same conversation with Raya at lunch. There she was again. Back in my thoughts.

If it wasn’t bad enough, Reesa asked, “How are things going with Raya? I hope you are helping her settle in and making her feel comfortable.”

Oh, she feels something, but not sure comfortable is the right word.

“We are having dinner tonight to talk about her day. She seems to be enjoying it so far, but as you know, only time will determine if she decides to stay here long-term. You might have to think about what you will do if she leaves,” I said.

Reesa shook her head. “That is something you will need to think about, so I suggest doing everything in your power to help this transition for her and Joey go smoothly.”

Joey.

Knowing her boyfriend's name didn’t make it better. That just made it more real. “Will they be staying at New Hope? I mean that isn’t really convenient when traveling to school each day.”

“Alex and Ziva are helping her look now, but they haven’t found anything she likes yet. Raya said the apartments are too small and she is looking for a house. She wants something suitable for a family if she’s going to be here for any length of time,” Reesa said.

Family? So, things are that serious with Joey.

My house had plenty of room for a family. Something I didn’t have, but I purchased it because of its location. Only fifteen minutes from the school.

“I was thinking about relocating so that I could be closer to the office. Maybe I’ll see if she and Joey want to rent my place until they find something else. And if she decided to stay, maybe they would be interested in buying it,” I stated.

Reesa smiled. “That would be perfect for them. Your place has a huge yard. I should call and tell her.” She pulled out her cell phone and then slipped it back into her pocket. “Actually, I’ll leave it to you to discuss over your dinner tonight. I’m sure she will enjoy the break from all business talk. And besides, she can use a friend here.”

“I thought her parents were still alive,” I said.

“Yes, but they are not...close. It will be nice for her to have someone she can turn to if she needs something. Or just to have dinner with. Eating alone can be... boring. I know I enjoy going home to my family after a long day at work,” she sighed.

I never yearned for that before. Maybe it was because I spent all day long with children that I felt as though they were my extended family. I know I valued them as such. Each was unique and I knew them all by name. I wonder how many Raya has memorized?

She was adamant about showing me she was the right person for the role, that she probably had spent her night studying the entire roster.

Better than what I did with my time. I spent the night thinking about her.

“I’m sure Raya will feel the same once Joey gets here. But I promise to make myself available for her whenever she needs me,” I said.

“Thank you, Orion. I knew I could count on you. Raya might be ready for the job, but I am not sure she is ready to face being back in Tabiq.”

Who ever is?

“I noticed that Raya doesn’t know anything about me becoming Vice President. Are you planning on informing her before the announcement?” I asked.

“I have been debating that. It would be good if she were here as well. This way it wouldn’t look as though she’d been kept in the dark,” she said. Even though she has. “Why don’t you stop by the school and bring her along when you come to the office? This way she doesn’t have to travel alone.”

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