Page 6 of Powerless

“I think it might be worth pretending we have a connection until we can figure a way out of this insanity.”

“Hmm.” She glances toward our parents. “I don’t want the way out to be in the form of divorce. But I really can’t see any other avenue. Can you?”

“No, I can’t. You know what I hate most about this?”

“If you say me, I’m going to lay you out on your ass,” Jennifer says with a hint of humor. I can see her becoming a good friend, but nothing more.

“No, not you.” She releases a relieved breath. “I don’t want to start my political career on a lie. How am I supposed to tell the public to trust me when this is simply a union of breeding for both of us. Me because of the name and the generations, and you because of your family name too. I don’t want to deceive anyone.”

Jennifer scoffs and chuckles at the same time. “This is what I’ve been trained to do ever since I can remember. I was even sent to finishing school. It’s been driven home on how to speak, smile, sit, shake hands, how to exit and enter a room.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “This has already been decided for us.”

“Do you even want to be in politics?”

“More than you can imagine. But not with someone I don’t love. Do you want to be a politician’s wife?”

“Not at all. Not even one little bit. But I feel like I have to.”

How heartbreaking. “I’m sorry, Jennifer. I can only imagine how difficult and contrived this is for you.”

“Ugh,” she sneers. “I hate the name Jennifer. I prefer Jen, but a senator’s wife can’t be called Jen, it’s too informal and common,” she says with a mocking tone.

I didn’t stop to think about how soul destroying this is for her. “I’m so sorry.”

She lowers her chin as I continue to lead her around the dance floor. The silence between us isn’t uncomfortable but there’s a tinge of ice to it. “Can you do me a favor?” she asks.

“What is it?”

“Can you not tell anyone please?”

I draw her closer to my body as I glimpse our parents watching us intently. “For now, let’s just pretend we’re going to go through with this. It’ll get both our parents off our backs, and it’ll give us time to figure this out. Don’t say a word to anyone and I won’t say anything either,” I offer the only solution I can see working.

She lifts her chin and stares at me with genuine happiness. “If we drag this out for even a month or so, it means my parents won’t be actively searching for another up-and-coming politician for me to marry.”

“God, that sounds awful.”

Jennifer offers me a fake smile. “It’s my job.”

“It shouldn’t be,” I say.

“Yeah, I know.” She looks over to our parents and intakes a long breath. “Well, should we head over and fake our union? Let’s pretend we’re happy.”

“Sure.” I release her from my arms and she instantly links our fingers together. Our mothers relax in their seats when they see Jennifer hold my hand. “Ready?” I murmur.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

We walk over to the table and I pull her chair out. “So, how are you two kids getting on?” Mrs. Marshall asks.

“Great,” Jennifer says. “Bennett is a really nice guy.”

“We’ve been thinking,” my mom starts. “We’ll have you photographed at each other’s prom.”

Jennifer’s leg bounces as a quick, false smile tugs at her lips. “Sounds great,” she says.

“Yep, perfect.” I reach to hold her clammy hand in mine and give it a reassuring squeeze. I lean over and whisper, “We’ll get through this.”

Jennifer pulls back and lifts her hand to place it on my chest. “I know,” she replies.

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