Page 3 of The Politician

Haley laughed. “For an iCandy? Are you kidding me? I’ll have John take it back before tomorrow’s out.” She tugged Sarah as close as she could get around the enormous bump. “You’ll be fine,” she said, as if reading Sarah’s mind. “You’ll win, I know you will, and I think you’ll really get on with Kendra. She’s smart, enthusiastic, and as passionate about the environment as you. She has the same activist mindset you had when we first met, just a little raw around the edges when it comes to politics.” Haley smiled. “You’ll work well together.”

“I hope so.”

Haley always seemed to know Sarah’s thoughts and concerns. No one would live up to Haley’s work. Local gossip had already decreed that whoever came into the job would be fated before they even started. That had been one of the reasons they’d decided to recruit Haley’s replacement to work at the London office. Applications within the constituency had been low in number and according to Haley, the CVs had been mediocre. The main driver for a London-based researcher was the fact that Sarah would be spending more time in Westminster, in anticipation of her rise to leadership of the party, and hopefully from there to Prime Minister at some point in the future.

“I know so,” Haley said.

Sarah eased out of the embrace, wiped a tear from her eye, and reached into her clutch bag. She pulled out an envelope. “Anyway, this is from me, and Mark, and the kids. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find a few nice things for you and Leon.”

Haley eased it open and peeked inside. Her eyes widened, and she launched herself into Sarah’s arms.

Sarah steadied herself as Haley’s weight rocked her, and she held her as tightly as she dared. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered.

Haley pulled back and smiled as she sniffled. “I’m such a wreck,” she said.

Sarah could relate. She’d become a version of herself she hadn’t recognised, struggling with what she could only describe as an emotional breakdown during her pregnancy. That was before Haley had worked for her, but it had caused a strain on her working relationships at the time. She’d been a bitch, and her reputation had suffered for it. Pregnancy really did change some women. Haley had never been overly emotional before. Sarah had always admired Haley’s grounded logic and her calming influence in Sarah’s hectic life. The last nine months had taken its toll on them both, and while it had tested their friendship at times, they’d come through it. “You’ll be back to your old self in no time,” she said, though she doubted that was ever truly possible. Children changedeverything.

She glanced across at Reece. He was mingling with the guests, chatting amiably, like his father. Abi stood close to the window with her attention seemingly more engaged by whatever was going on outside the room. Sarah loved her children more than anything and even after fifteen years, the twinge of guilt for having put her career ahead of them pricked from time to time. She wished she’d given them more of her time and still questioned whether she was good enough. She’d made a choice to pursue her career long before the drunken night at uni with Mark, and long before her maternal instincts had blossomed. Best friends should never sleep together, they’d said, but they had. Pregnant with twins had never been in either of their plans, but abortion wasn’t something they wanted either. Her parents had welcomed their marriage and the fact that Mark would take on the main support role, but she’d always felt as though she’d failed them.

The distance she felt with the twins seemed even more tangible at rare times like this. They were more accustomed to their London life and private school education. Even though they were day boarders at Westminster School, she mainly got to see them on her weekly trip to the city to attend Parliament and undertake her duties as the shadow environment minister. On the occasional weekend she spent in London, she often had to work from early morning until late at night. One of the reasons she and Mark had taken the decision for the children to be based in London was because it was safer there. As an MP, she was more vulnerable to the threat of a radical turning up on her doorstep and hurling abuse, or worse still, trying to attack her.

Mark approached and took her hand. “You okay, love?”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“What did I do?”

“You’re my rock.”

“Your country needs you,” he said.

She laughed, thankful he didn’t make Churchill’s victory sign. She hoped that what she’d given up would be worth it in the end.

Projected to be the youngest Prime Minister in recent history.

The news headlines had already ordained her this most prestigious title. Being the PM had been her dream since her father installed it when she was a young child, and according to the media, with no other viable contenders from her party and dwindling support for the current government, it was within easy reach. She could have done without Haley leaving now though. Haley was her local equivalent of her aide, Jeremy, in Westminster. She needed competent people around her that she could trust to do the job. She didn’t have the time or the patience to babysit someone. Gossip was probably right. She didn’t rate her new administrator’s chances of meeting Haley’s standards.

2.

KENDRA PLUCKED THE EMPTYlager can from the frosty hedgerow and dropped it into the black heavy-duty recyclable sack as she waited for the call to connect.Scumbags.The long ring tone gave the impression that the destination was a million miles away, instead of Thailand. It would be dry season and thirty-two degrees, and it wasn’t the first time she’d wondered what the hell kept her in the UK. Her family and her ambition were the answers, not the climate. That said, the rainy season in Khao Sok wasn’t all that either, according to her friend Malee, but at least it was warm and wet over there rather than bloody freezing. The long tone with longer silent gaps continued as she ambled along the quiet country road litter-picking. Malee was probably outside in the sun doing something interesting and useful with her day,andher life.

Malee had been a good friend and an activist for the environment since they’d met at a global warming rally in their late twenties. After six years of attending events together and talking of grand plans to wake up government, Malee decided lobbying was too much like banging her head against a steel wall. She left the UK to work on a conservation project on the edge of the Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park and set up a small, basic tourist destination. Kendra was still clearing up other people’s crap from hedgerows on a weekend in Chesham, while Malee hadn’t looked back since leaving.

She located a plastic bottle lodged at the base of the hedgerow, battled to retrieve it, and dropped it in the sack. Every week it was the same thing, this beautiful green space spoiled by toxic trash that had either been tossed from a passing car window by an oik who didn’t give a shit or swept from outside the houses on a gust of wind that had tipped the rubbish bins over, which happened frequently. The waste collectors didn’t care either. She’d never understand the mentality of those people who didn’t get how precious the earth was, but she’d learned from bitter experience not to challenge a litter oik since they could be both abusive and aggressive even though they were the ones breaking the law. The long tone broke out of sync with its standard rhythm, and the silence drew out as she waited for the voice to connect. She wondered what Malee would say about the job offer she’d received and the impact it had on her holiday plans.

“Kendra?”

She stood over a large pile of silver nitrous oxide cannisters that had been cast aside at the verge. “Fucking scumbags.”

“A new greeting. Nice.”

Kendra laughed. “You wouldn’t believe the shit I’m clearing up here.”

“Good to hear you’re still doing your bit for our planet. How’s the weather?”

She gathered the bottles into the sack. “Apart from the big freeze?”

Malee laughed. “My top is dripping with sweat. It’s thirty-four degrees. The sun is glorious, and the skies are a deep blue.”

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