Page 25 of The Senator's Wife

“No, no. We’ll take care of it and get out of your way,” she told Yvette, and turned to Athena. “I’ll put on the kettle, and you get the mugs,” Emmy said, already opening the cabinet door for her.

They took the steaming mugs into the yellow sunroom, where the pale afternoon light sifted gently through the window.

“Your mom seems better now that you’re here. I think your visit has done her a world of good. She’s always talking about how proud you’re making her by following your dreams. I know you wish you could be here longer, but your mother wouldn’t want you to jeopardize your career.”

A shadow crossed Emmy’s face. “I do wish I could stay longer. I’m worried about her. She can be so hardheaded at times. It’s obvious she’s not well, but she insists on doing things she shouldn’t be doing right now.” She clasped her hands together, her fingers threaded through each other. “Iamrelieved, though, that you’re here to help.”

Athena drew her hands together in her lap, mirroring Emmy’s. “I know how hard this is for you. To be so far away while your mother’s ill.” She locked her gaze onto Emmy’s. “I want you toknow that I will take care of your mother as if she were my own. She can, as you say, be hardheaded, but I willnotlet her overwork or harm herself. I’ll be with her all the time.” Athena saw the relief in Emmy’s eyes as the young woman unclenched her hands and relaxed her shoulders.

“Hearing you say that makes me feel so much better.” Emmy looked pensive, as if considering what she was about to say. She pressed her lips together for a second and then spoke. “I’ve felt so conflicted about taking the job in LA. I mean, not when I first went, when my father was still alive, and Mom wasn’t alone. But after he died, I really struggled about whether I should just come home and find work here.”

Athena concentrated, listening carefully to every word Emmy uttered. “Yes, I can see how conflicted you must have been.”

“I told her I was going to leave the job, but she insisted that I stay; said I shouldn’t give up on something I love. I knew she had Gram and Aunt Camille. She has good friends too. And she had her work, of course.”

Athena nodded, but said nothing, encouraging Emmy to continue.

“And then all of a sudden she was with Whit.” Emmy stopped. “He was my dad’s best friend. I guess it was a little strange to me when Mom first married him.”

“You often read about people marrying a good friend after a spouse dies. I imagine your mother was always fond of him as a friend. And maybe it’s easier to be with someone who knew and liked your spouse.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“You’ve known him a long time, haven’t you?”

“Since I was a kid, yes. He was always so much fun. Peg was my blood relative, but I always liked Whit better. And then, after what happened—” Emmy stopped, her face hardening. “I’ll always hate her. My father would still be alive if it weren’t for her.”

“It was a terrible tragedy. So awful.” Athena thought about howto word her next question. “I might have it completely wrong, but I remember reading about it at the time and wondering if Peg was a jealous person.”

“Totally! Always accusing Whit of flirting if he even spoke to another woman. She was even jealous of my mother. There was this time at the beach, Mom and Whit went for a morning walk together. Dad was still in Washington and Peg was asleep. She never got up early, always slept till ten or later. Anyway, when she finally got up and they weren’t back, she went batshit crazy. Like a raving lunatic. When they walked in, she started in on both of them, accusing them of cheating. I mean, my mother, really? She’s the last person in the world to do that. She has more integrity than anyone I know.”

Interesting, Athena thought. Had Peg been onto something?

“I’m sorry if I was ranting. It always gets me when I think about that night.”

“I understand,” Athena said, recognizing that Emmy was finished pouring her heart out.

“I did want to talk to you about next week,” Emmy said.

“Next week?”

“The donor party. Mom puts so much into it, and I had planned on being here to help, but I’m not going to be able to take the time off now. Will you make sure she takes it easy and doesn’t overdo it?”

“Of course. I told you, I am going to watch her like a hawk.”

“Thanks. I feel so much better knowing you’re here.” Emmy stood and picked up her empty mug. “I’ll go check on Mom. See if she’s ready for dinner.”

“Okay. Here,” Athena said, extending her hand. “I’ll take everything inside; you go ahead upstairs.”

Athena watched Emmy leave the room, grateful that she’d be going back to California tomorrow. Having a doting daughter around who watched Athena’s every move was the last thing she needed.

- 21 -

ROSEMARY

Mac had called that morning to say he had the information she needed. He was due to arrive any moment, and Rosemary was so anxious to hear what he’d found out that she hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything. After rereading the same sentence four times, she threw down her book and looked at her watch just as the doorbell rang. She heard Matilda open the door, and then footsteps in the hallway. Standing as her old friend entered the living room, she smiled at the sight of his jaunty trademark fedora. Removing the hat from his head, he put it down on a chair and opened his arms to her. Rosemary embraced him and was surprised to feel tears spring to her eyes. She hadn’t realized until now just how much she’d missed him.

“You look wonderful, Roe,” he said as he leaned back to take her in.

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