Another Notch in the Beltway (29 page)

Getting herself together, Nikko asked, “So when's the wedding?”

“MP wants it before I start showing. He's quite traditional, believe it or not.”

“I'm not surprised.”

“Two, three weeks at most. It will be a small do here at the house. Nate is going to be MP's best man.”

“That's nice. Anything special you want me to wear?”

“Nope, whatever you like. Not sure what I'll wear myself.”

“You could wear something sexy—no baby bump for you yet. In fact, you look like you've lost weight.”

“Thanks. I think.”

“You look fabulous, Lenore. You always do—a natural beauty.”

“Please.”

“It's true. You have no idea how many men have been interested in you over the years.”

“MP caught my interest, my heart, and then my tail,” she laughed.

They talked for a little while longer, and when Connor Walker arrived, they all went up to Lenore's office.

“Lenore and Michael Patrick asked that we meet here today so we can outline a media statement if we need one,” Connor said, starting the meeting.

Nikko looked from Lenore to MP and back. “What the fuck have the two of you gotten into now?”

The others laughed.

“Lenore, do you want to start at the beginning?” Walker asked.

“All right. Michael Patrick, jump in if I miss something.”

“Will do,” he said taking her hand.

Lenore told the saga that she'd kept carefully under wraps for so many years. The story finally ended with the Kelly debacle.

“Poor Nathan,” Nikko said.

“Yes, but he's getting through it,” Lenore said, then continued. “This took longer than I expected it would. Can we brainstorm over lunch?”

“I'm starved,” Connor admitted.

“Me too,” Nikko said.

“Let's eat,” MP chimed in, looked at Lenore, and offered her his hand before she stood up. It was a sweet gesture and she took it.

Lunch was met with an enthusiastic review, and dessert was an even bigger hit.

“So depending upon what Jack Maxwell decides, that will determine what statement Connor releases and when?” Nikko asked.

“Yes. We all thought he'd have made his decision by now but nothing,” Lenore said.

“And what if one of these crazies goes to the tabloids? We just experienced that with the
Sentinel
mess. If this Kelly girl needs money, this is one hell of a story.”

“We know,” MP said. “Maxwell was to head Kelly off and get her some money and a place to live.”

“Any word on that, Connor?” Lenore asked.

“Not yet.”

“Let us know when you hear,” MP said.

“I'm speaking from experience, and the sooner we get out there and hit this head-on, the better,” Nikko said, all vulnerability gone. She was in pit bull mode. “I know Lenore doesn't want to appear with Maxwell, but it might be better if you and that fuck-up made a statement together, honey.”

“I don't think I could, Nik,” Lenore said.

“I don't want her to,” MP said.

Nik ignored him. “What about a controlled situation like ‘The Today Show'? An interview with Matt Lauer or something? That could work.”

“No,” MP said with barely controlled anger. “Lenore doesn't need the stress.”

“We could pre-tape with the right to have anything we don't like edited out,” Nik suggested.

“No,” MP said again.

“Okay,” Connor said. “This discussion is headed nowhere good, and nothing is going to get resolved today, but there is plenty to think about. I'll check in with Morris and see what's up there. But I agree with Nik. Regardless how it plays out, we need to be prepared to move on this.”

“Agreed,” MP said. “If you recall, this was my idea in the first place. I simply don't want Lenore out in front of the cameras.”

Nodding, Connor got up to go, and Lenore walked him out.

“Thanks for coming,” she said.

“Thanks for lunch.”

She waved him off.

“I wanted to ask you if you knew a judge who could marry MP and me here at the house two or three Saturdays from now.”

“One of my associates is an ordained Methodist minister, if that would work.”

“It does and, of course you and Meryl are invited. Nate is best man and Nik is going to stand up for me.”

“Are you happy?” Connor asked.

“Except for this Maxwell mess, yes.”

“I'm glad. Do you need any legal work done before the wedding?”

Lenore looked at him. “You mean a pre-nup?”

Connor nodded.

“No, but I do need a new will. I'm pregnant, Connor.”

She laughed. “You should see the look on your face. ‘Shock and awe' doesn't do it justice. But I need to make sure Nate and the baby are taken care of if anything should happen to me. I want Nate's money transferred to him when he graduates in May, the new baby secondary until Nate takes a wife, then it would go to her if something happened to Nate.”

Connor nodded. “You've thought about this then?”

“I've thought about a lot of things lately, and a lot's going on. I guess it's payback time for all those years of relative calm. MP says, ‘Life is messy.'”

“Yes, sometimes it is, but you'll get through it.”

“I have incentive.” She touched her stomach.

Connor chuckled. “And here I was envying you that Nate was out of the house and on his way. Meryl and I can't wait until the girls go off to college.”

“In seven years, I'll be envying you. But know that this baby is very wanted.”

“I have no doubt, and I have no doubt that MP is in love with you either. I can tell by the way he looks at you and how protective he is. Be happy.”

“I intend to.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and sent him on his way.

Lenore walked into the house to hear MP and Nik going at it.

“I'll not have Lenore exposed to the media and their antics. Everyone will see her face on national television coast to coast, Nikko. She won't even be able to go to the CVS without everyone knowing who she is and judging her for what she did or didn't do twenty plus years ago.”

“I see your point but—”

“There is no but, Nik,” MP said firmly.

“Time out,” Lenore waded into the fray. “No decisions have been made about anything. Let's not do this now.”

MP went to her, her hands trembling. “I'm sorry.”

“Me, too,” Nikko said.

Lenore looked from one to the other.

“Are you okay?” MP asked.

“No, I'm upset and exhausted.”

“Go lie down, Lenore, the car will be here in a few minutes,” her agent said.

“All right. MP, stay with Nik until the car comes, but don't talk about this business. No one needs any more of it.”

“Promise.”

She gave him a weak smile. While he didn't escort her up the stairs, he stood at the bottom and made sure she made it safely to the top.

“Is she okay, MP? She told me she's PG, doesn't look it. Looks thinner and sexier than ever; bitch—I hate her.”

They both laughed.

“Doctor says she's fine.” MP explained the borderline hypoglycemia.

“Explains the trembling hands,” Nik said.

“Yes.”

Five minutes later, the car came. “Call me if you guys need anything,” their agent said as she embraced him.

Maxwell visited Jack in his private hospital room and found him in a foul mood.

“I'm sick of being sick and cooped up in here. Most patients would be home until it was time for them to prepare for the bone marrow transplant. Only reason why I'm still here is because Corrine has money to pay.”

“It's to keep you healthy,” Byron said with a bored air. They'd been through this before. “What are you going to do about the transplant? Yes or no.”

“I'm not going to do it, and I am going to check out of this hell hole. I'll go back to Corrine's, and if she doesn't want me, I'll get an apartment. If I'm still alive, maybe finish school next year.”

“Your condition is likely to worsen without the transplant.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jack said petulantly.

Maxwell said nothing, simply waited to see if his son offered anything else.

“I don't relish the thought of GVHD,” Jack said finally. “This supposed match hardly makes the cut. I can't do it.”

“You've been through chemo and made it. You'd make it through GVHD.”

“Like you'd know that or what it's like to be puking your guts up, for your mouth to be so raw you can't eat or drink, to be so weak you'd rather piss yourself than get out of bed—” Jack's body was suddenly racked with a coughing fit.

Byron offered his son bottled water, which he took and sipped slowly, his coughs subsiding.

“Jack, I know you're scared, and I know you don't care for your mother or myself, but we're all the family any of us have. I'm here for you to lean on if you need me. While I don't always like what you do, you are my son.”

“Nice sentiment, but do you love me?”

The question stopped Maxwell cold. Never quick on his feet, the senator wavered.

Jack barked a bitter, harsh laugh and began to cough again. He drank some more water and finally managed, “I was a mistake from the word go. Why is it so important that I live?”

“You're my son, for God's sake, and even though you've acted like a world-class spoiled, rich prick the last several years, I can't let you die without doing everything I can to save you. I'd guess that's a kind of love. I don't know how to effectively express it.”

“You sure you don't have more spares out there? Corrine is certain you do. Even thinks you lined up this one who's a potential donor. Is that true?”

Truth or Dare
ran through Byron's mind.

His kid laughed again, then cut himself off as he began to cough. “No need to answer. If I have a half sibling, I'd like to meet him, even if he's not a good match.”

Byron said nothing.

“I'd even promise not to disclose the fact that he exists. Think of it as my dying wish, Dad. Heck, if there's more than one, invite them all. We could have a reunion of sorts.”

He shook his head. Maxwell had gotten a vasectomy before Jack was born. There would be no more offspring from his loins, legitimate or otherwise.

“Don't blame you for not banging the bitch Ice Queen. Can't believe you tussled in the sheets at least four times with that woman. Maybe I wouldn't be here now if the first two weren't duds.”

“You don't know what you're talking about.”

“And spare me a graphic explanation. My condition is delicate, after all.”

Sad thing is, it was. Jack was skin and bones. His eyes were hollow and rimmed in bluish black circles, and his body wore bruises from the lightest touch.

Maxwell changed the subject. “Anyone come to visit besides your mother and me?”

“Nope, haven't even seen Kelly in a while. But I guess she's busy with school.”

“I'll tell her you were asking about her when I see her.”

“Don't bother. I don't want visitors; plus, I won't be here too much longer.”

With his attitude and demeanor, it was a wonder that someone hadn't killed him for sport.

“I have a dinner to attend. I'll come by tomorrow.”

“Don't bother. We both know this is a painful exercise for both of us.”

“Let me know if you change your mind about the transplant and when you're moving back to the house.”

“Back to Corrine's,” Jack said pointedly. “But, yeah, I'll do that, Byron.”

Maxwell left, listening to the barking laugh of his son that quickly turned into an uncontrollable hack as the door closed behind him.

****

Nikko walked back into her NYC office at about 6:00. She was dead tired and wanted to put her feet up.

She snagged bottled water from the refrigerator, sat in her chair, kicked off her heels, and put her stockinged feet on the desk. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

“Long day?”

“Shit,” Nikko spat as she sat bolt upright in her chair. “You're an asshole, Hubble.”

“Mmm, that's an improvement from the fucking asshole of the last few weeks. I am sorry I startled you.”

“Like hell you are.”

“Believe what you want,” he shrugged.

“I find it's best never to delude myself,” she said icily.

He nodded soberly. “I'd say I'm sorry again if I thought it would help.”

“It won't.” She was weighing what Lenore said in her mind.
You need to tell him, the sooner the better.

He took her silence as an invitation to come farther into her office. When she didn't stop him, he settled himself in a chair across the desk from her.

She sat up straighter in hers.

“Want to go for dinner?” he asked.

“I want to go to bed.”

“I'd like it if that was an invitation, but I suspect it's not.”

“You'd be right for a change.”

He nodded again.

They sat. A Kimble mantel clock ticking was the only sound.

“I'm pregnant, Nolan,” she blurted out of nowhere.

He sat not saying anything.

So much for that, she thought. Son of a bitch didn't even have the balls to be angry.

“I don't expect anything from you. But I thought you should know. I plan to keep the baby. I'm actually quite happy about it.” Her voice was even and strong; she held her head high.

“You don't expect anything from me?” he asked incredulously and rose from his chair, approaching her side of the desk.

“No.” She turned her chair to face him but did not get up. “I have more than enough resources to take care of the child myself.”

“Goes without saying, but you're assuming I don't want to do anything.”