Page 24 of Seventeen Years Ago

She turned back to me and said, “I know it’s crazy, but I'm nervous.”

“Why? You see her almost every day,” I asked.

“But that is different. I know what to expect, but I’ve never gone to her home, or gone out socially with her before.”

“Aren’t you going out with her on Sunday too?” I reminded her.

She sighed and sunk back into the seat. “Don’t remind me.” Then she realized Bennett was in the front seat. “No offense Bennett. It’s just that I don’t function well in a room full of people I don’t know well.”

“No offense taken. And Zoey and the others are looking forward to getting to know you. You’ll enjoy yourself,” Bennett said.

I reached over and covered her hand with mine. “Just like you will tonight.”

She didn’t pull her hand away as I expected. Instead, she smiled and said, “I will, but I’m counting on you to do the talking tonight.”

“Me? I was hoping President O’Connor would.”

“Oh, before I left the office, she told me that when in her home, she’s Reesa, not the president,” Aiza stated. I nodded. “And her husband is Finn.”

“Got it. I still feel as though I should be showing up with flowers or wine or something,” I stated.

“I’m just glad you didn’t bring the file with you,” she teased.

“I thought about it.” Her mouth gaped open, and I quickly added, “I was joking. I have a meeting tomorrow morning. I’ll bring it then. Tonight isnotabout work.”

“Then maybe we can spend tonight hearing more about you,” she suggested.

“I already know all about myself. I much prefer hearing more about you,” I replied. We arrived at her home, and it didn’t look like any of the others we had passed. “This is not what I expected.”

“Her husband designed it, and he and his younger brother built it,” Aiza said.

“I thought he was the chief of staff at the hospital. He builds houses too?” I asked, shocked.

“I think this is a great question for Finn over dinner,” Aiza suggested.

I opened my door and said, “Hope he thinks so too.”

Finn greeted us at the door, and we followed him inside. “Hope you are both hungry. I made Irish stew.”

Reesa joined us and said, “It’s amazing. I overeat every time he makes it. Come, let’s go sit in the dining room and eat while it’s hot.”

“It hasn’t been easy to keep my wife from eating a bowl before you two arrived,” Finn teased.

“I only wanted to sample it to make sure it was good. You wouldn’t want to serve our guests subpar stew,” Reesa chuckled.

“As she said, we better go eat while we can,” Finn said and led the way to the dining room.

Taking Aiza’s advice, as we ate, I asked him about the house. “Finn, Aiza mentioned that you built this house.”

“Not alone. My younger brother was a great help. Back home, my parents owned a construction company. It’s what I did until I went to medical school. Now my brother runs the family business back home.”

“I’m impressed. Even from the outside, it makes a statement. I can tell you brought some of your Irish roots while considering the landscape, and Tabiqian style,” I said. “Very nice.”

“Maybe he can give you a tour after dinner,” Reesa said. “Now, let’s hear a little bit about you. And I don’t mean work wise, because I already know all that.”

This is what I didn’t want. “But I’m the guest here. I’d much rather hear more about Tabiq and the culture here,” I said. “Tell me, what is it like being a female president in Tabiq?”

Reesa spent the next hour telling me about her journey and how she got elected. Even though I had suggested it to keep the focus off me, I found her story very interesting. Her battle here was so different what a woman would face in America. Equal rights for the sexes only started to happenaftershe became president.

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