Page 30 of Pursuit of Happiness

God, she sounded bitter, but she really wasn’t. Mostly she wastired. If she’d stuck with her plan to run in the next cycle, or even the oneafter that, she would’ve had plenty of time to ease into the campaign routine,but her last-minute entry into the race meant she had to do four times the workin less than half the time. She’d spent the last two weeks working with Gordonto assemble the rest of her team and making sure she didn’t miss any filingdeadlines—on top of her duties in the Senate. She needed the few hours’ breakshe’d be getting today, but mostly she needed to see Stevie.

They’d talked or texted daily, but there hadn’t been time to gettogether in person since she’d seen her at the shelter on Thanksgiving. She’darranged for Erica to pick Stevie up today, not in the town car that she’d usedto transport her here earlier, but a more nondescript vehicle to respectStevie’s desire for privacy, and they should be arriving soon. The prospect ofseeing Stevie again filled her with excitement. The only thing that would makeit better would be if they didn’t have to have their reunion surrounded byfamily.

Jen walked outside carrying a camera and wearing a frown. “What’sthe matter?” Meredith asked.

“I hate this thing. Too many buttons.”

“You have exactly five minutes to figure it out before I bail onyou,” Meredith said.

“Who’s bailing? I just got here.”

Meredith looked up to see Stevie standing in the doorway withNelson, her parents’ butler, standing directly behind her. “You asked me tobring Ms. Palmer directly to you when she arrived,” he said.

“Thanks, Nelson. Please tell Erica to do what we talked aboutearlier, and then she’s free for the rest of the day. Please let her know Ireally appreciate this favor.” Meredith spoke the words on her way to Stevie’sside, and when she reached her, she grabbed her hands, desperate to connectwith someone who had absolutely nothing to do with politics. “I’m so gladyou’re here,” she said, and, not caring if Jen was watching, she leaned in fora quick kiss.

“Me too,” Stevie said, “Although when you said your parents had a‘nice’ place, you were kind of underplaying it.”

“Well, it is nice, even if it’s not my style.”

“I’ll have to trust you on that since I have no idea what yourstyle is.”

“A fact I intend to rectify. Soon.” Meredith hoped her plan forthe evening would work, but for now the sound of Jen clearing her throatreminded her they weren’t alone. “Stevie, you remember my taskmaster, uh,sister, Jen?”

“Of course.” Stevie extended a hand, and Jen set the camera downand returned the handshake. “Having a little holiday photo session?”

“We would be,” Jen said, “if I could get the camera to work. Iwas going to get a few holiday PR shots for the website, but I’m having troubleadjusting the focus.”

Stevie reached for the camera. “Mind if I give it a try?” Jenhanded it over, and Meredith watched while Stevie confidently pushed buttons onthe screen, pausing a few times to gaze through the lens.

“I think I’ve got it. Let me try a few test shots. What did youhave in mind?”

Meredith looked to Jen who gestured for her to stand near therailing laced with boughs of juniper. She placed a hand on the rail and turnedtoward the camera. “Like this?”

“Too posed. All you need are a few hay bales in the backgroundand you’d have the perfect Olan Mills circa 1980,” Stevie replied. “Go backwhere you were and walk toward the rail. When you get there look toward thecamera, but pretend like you’re seeing someone you haven’t seen for a while andyou’re happy to see them.”

Meredith did exactly as Stevie suggested, acutely consciousStevie was watching her every move through the lens of the camera, but insteadof apprehension, she felt exhilarated. She didn’t need to pretend. For the pasttwo weeks, the glare of the national spotlight had been trained squarely on herand it had been exciting, but nothing compared to the welcome intensity ofStevie’s gaze. She wanted to tell Stevie to forget the pictures, tell Jen to scatter,and whisk Stevie back to her place where they would put this intense focus tobetter use.

“Perfect. I think I’ve got what you need.”

Stevie’s voice broke the trance, but when she dropped the camerato her side, Meredith caught her still staring, and she smiled at therecognition.

“Let me see,” Jen said, taking the camera from Stevie’s hand.

Meredith kept her eyes on Stevie as Jen thumbed through thephotos, not caring if there was one usable one in the bunch.

“Mere, look at these. They’re amazing.”

“What?” Meredith broke her focus on Stevie and looked at thecamera Jen was shoving her way.

“The pictures. Look.”

Jen knew her aversion to looking at pictures of herself, but herinsistence made Meredith take the camera and start flipping through the images,at first fast, but then slowing down to take in the full effect of how Steviesaw her. “Wow.”

“You like them?” Stevie asked, a hint of trepidation in hervoice.

“Like them? I love them. I thought you were a lawyer, but clearlyyou are a professional photographer.” She handed the camera to Jen and asked,“How come no one else makes me look like this?”

“I didn’t make you look a certain way,” Stevie said. “I justmanaged to capture what’s already there. Photography is a hobby.”

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