Page 12 of Power Play

Gazing into the final sips of whiskey swirling at the bottom of my glass, a poor man’s crystal ball, I search for some kind of sign.

“I need to think. Be right back,” I mumble over my shoulder as I slide off the wooden barstool. I step through the back exit and immediately wrap both arms around my body.There goes all that delicious warmth the whiskey provided. I look to the sky, searching the stars, and snag the pack of cigarettes from my pocket. Movement catches my eye, and I follow Kyle's business card as it flutters in the wind, landing on the gravel a couple steps away.

I snag the small, hard cardstock and flip it over to look at Kyle’s handwritten cell number. He instructed me to call, soon, with my answer. But do I even have one?

It's an opportunity to make all my financial worries go away, but at the cost of my pride, my voice, my character. Is there a sum that's worth that?

Ben’s right. I need to figure out a way to finagle what I want out of the offer so I'm not the pawn.

Find a way to be the queen in this political chess gamepluseverything he's offering.

But how?

He needs me to make him believable to the voters. What do I want in return? Deep down, it’s always been the same—to prove everyone wrong. They think they know me, enjoy the addict’s daughter stigma they keep shoving me into. I want to show Ben’s parents that I am a good mother, that I can take care of Taeler. It might be a few years later than I wanted, but it still matters to me. Show my teachers, my professors that all the hard work wasn’t for not.

A crazy—even for me, which tells you it’s batshit—idea forms. One that would give us both what we want. I would come out ahead in my mind, but if it works, he’ll be the president of the United States. Not a bad trade-off.

First, am I even qualified?

With a swipe of my thumb across the phone screen I tap the internet icon and type in my search.

Okay here we go.

Natural born U.S. citizen.Check.

At least thirty-five years old.Unfortunately.

Resident in U.S. for at least fourteen years.Never even stepped foot in another country, so yeah.

Nipping the cigarette between my front teeth, I hold out the business card and press the numbers into my phone. Depositing the card back into my pocket, I snag the dangling cigarette and wait for Señor Douchenozzle to pick up. Annoyance rises as it continues to ring. Of course he’s not going to answer.

I swipe the screen with as much annoyance as I can channel into my thumb, hanging up on the generic automated voice mail. Just as I’m sliding it back into my pocket, it vibrates with an incoming call. I glance at the screen—Unknown Caller.

Being the one who calls, initiating the contact, is some kind of power play to him, I’m sure. As stupid as it sounds, if this is going to happen, I need to learn the rules of this power game. Fast.

“Walmart.” Kyle’s deep voice vibrates through the earpiece.

“Tool Bucket,” I say on a gritty chuckle. “Get it? You’re not just a tool, you’re the whole tool bucket.” I think I'm hilarious, even if the world doesn't always get my humor.

“Hilarious. What's your decision?”

Right. Decision time.

“Yes, but I want a few revisions to the agreement. I want a voice,” I state, pushing as much conviction into my tone as possible. If I don't believe I can do this, there’s no way he will either. I have to believe in myself, like I've done my whole life, even with the odds stacked against me.

I can do this. I have to do this. For me, for Taeler, for every person I can help.

“A voice?” Curiosity laces his tone. “Explain.”

“I won't accept sitting on the sidelines, allowing you to use me as your poverty puppet to deceive the voters.”

An irritated sigh crackles through his side of the line. “I expected nothing less from the only woman who can outdebate me. What does that mean, Walmart? A charity in your name? A fundraiser for the poor? Maybe a building?”

“More,” I say, a cloud of smoke billowing out of my puckered lips. I watch it rise into the dark night sky before dissipating with a gust of wind as I wait for his response.

“What, then? What is it that you’re asking for?”

Here I go. This is it. My chance to change the tide of… everything. My life and the lives of millions. Just the thought of being able to turn the tables for the working people of this country steels my spine. With my degrees and background, I can be the people’s voice in Washington.

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