Page 64 of The Senator

Matilda had worked for our family for so many years I couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t there. She tolerated my parents, but she had always cared for me. It was when I got elected to the Senate that we grew apart. It was my fault.

I stepped over and gave Matilda a hug. “I’m sorry I haven’t called for a while. I’ll rectify that, I promise. Matilda, this is my partner, Nash Lincoln. Sweetheart, this is the woman who raised me, Matilda Jones.”

Another scoff from my mother, but I didn’t pay attention. Matilda hugged Nash. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. You take care of this man. He’s like another of my children.” Then she turned to me. “I understand that a senator has a lot on his plate, but now you’ve got time to give me a call when you can.”

She patted my cheek before she took off the cap Mom made her wear when they were having people over. I’d always made fun of it, and I knew Matilda hated it.

She plopped it on top of my mother’s shampoo-and-set hair, and she draped the apron over Dad’s shoulder. “I quit.”

With that, she stomped into the kitchen and came back a moment later with her coat, scarf, and gloves. She stopped in front of me and smiled. “Don’t be a stranger. I’m thinking of moving to Alexandria where my daughter lives.”

Nash smirked. “We’ll have you over once we get settled in our apartment. I’d love to hear stories about Spence as a little boy.” He walked over to the front door and opened it, closing it once Matilda was outside. That was an unexpected pleasure!

I turned back to my parents, who were now furious, my mother glaring at me. “Look what you’ve done.”

Nash stepped in front of me, which was a surprise. “No, Spencer had nothing to do with that poor woman leaving this circle of hell. You obliterated Spencer’s life when you betrayed him. Jay, Vanessa, and I will help him put it back together. We’re his family, and you are only an embarrassment to a man with integrity.”

I wanted to say to him that maybe integrity was the wrong word, but I was so touched by his defense of me that I put my arm around his neck and pulled him close enough to kiss his temple.

“So, yes, I know what you did and how much you spent to do it. I’d say I’m surprised, but I’m not. There’s another scandal brewing in DC, and mine will be long forgotten, but I’ll never forget what you did to me. I hope you have someone you trust when it’s time to pick your nursing home. You won’t like where I put you.”

I turned to Nash. “Ready to go? I’m hungry, and I know a great place on the way out of town to eat.” We clasped hands, and we were out the door before anything more could be said.

“Spence! Come here quick!” I was hanging our clothes in the wardrobe boxes that had been delivered to Great Falls. Nash and I were finally moving into our new place in DC. We’d taken a few days to disappear to Key West to celebrate the new year and my new freedom.

Nash had signed his contract with Four Seasons, and was set to begin his training on January 20, so we had some time to just be, which was something I hadn’t done in a long time. I don’t think Nash had either. We had a damn blast, and nobody gave a tinker’s damn who we were.

I ran down the hall to the den where Nash was busy boxing up my books and he had the television on. “What?” I stepped over to where he stood, eyes glued to the screen.

There on the screen was Blaire Conner being hounded by Ingrid Mohr. “Is it true you used to work for the DC madame, Caroline Bering-Turner? Did you sleep with Senator Turner? Is it true, your husband participated in the conspiracy to out Senator Spencer Brady last year which caused him to lose the election?”

“Shit!” Nash grabbed his phone from the bookshelf and immediately hit a contact, putting it on speaker.

“Hey, Nash. How you doing kid?” It was Denver Wallace.

“Denver, you guys didn’t leak the source of Spencer’s outing, did you?” Nash’s face was flush with anger, but I had the feeling his friends had kept their word.

“What’s with these accusations? Of course we didn’t. We don’t turn on our own, and you know this, Nashville. I’ll accept your apology in chocolate chip cookies from Trina’s Treats.” The line went dead.

I took his phone and smirked. “It didn’t cross my mind that they’d have even considered going to the press. And I don’t think Sean had anything to do with this either.”

My phone rang at the same time the front door opened. I answered as I headed downstairs to find Vani. It was the first we’d seen of her since she’d moved right after Christmas.

I held up my finger to her. “Hello?” I hadn’t even looked at the number on the screen of my phone.

“Mom there?” It was our son.

“Yeah, as a matter of fact, she just walked in. You okay?” I put the phone on speaker as Nash came downstairs.

“Mom, glad you made it. Did they see it? It’s the lead story on all the news channels here in Blacksburg.”

“Yeah, I got a call for comment from Ingrid. I said that my family deserved privacy and any illegal activities related to your dad’s outing were the product of collusion between The Honorable Ronald Brady and his wife, Hillary Brady.”

Vani stared into my eyes as she said it, and I felt the tears. “Why would you do that?” I couldn’t believe her kindness to me in the face of the embarrassing mess I’d made.

“I also told Ingrid that our marriage was nobody’s business, I was aware you were gay from the beginning, and we’re still friends.”

Nash went over to the large television in the living room and flipped it on, turning to NBS’s cable channel.

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