Page 26 of Executive Decision

“I don’t know. But… he’s going to be busy in parliament. It makes sense for me to be home to support him and our children. It’s not forever.”

“Okay, okay. I made it!”

Kristy derailed my questioning, appearing in the red dress I loved most. I kissed her cheek quickly.

“Kristy, you look gorgeous,” Daphne suddenly changed the subject.

“Thanks. Apologies for the delay. I got out of the gym late and it all sort of fell apart. How are you? You look good.”

“I’m—”

Chandler grabbed Daphne’s hand, cutting her words short. “Darling, your mother wants to introduce me to someone. Come along.”

Kristy watched them leave in horror. Chandler didn’t even bother to apologize as he hauled Daphne away like a mother would a wayward toddler.

“He’s such a dick,” Kristy said.

“He really is.”

“I keep hoping she leaves him, babe.”

“That’s not nice,” I whispered. “They’ve been married five years. They’re good.”

“Uh-huh.” Kristy held a hand out, signaling I should give her part of my drink.

I handed it to her as she sipped authoritatively. The woman wasn’t subtle. Her eyes never left Daphne and Chandler.

“I honestly don’t know why she puts up with it.” I shook my head. “She’s the one with the power and influence.”

“She’s the good wife—the good little wife of a politician. She was bred and raised by Lady Danna to do her job. Just wait. She’ll pop out a kid soon and we might never see her again.”

“Kristy!”

It wasn’t that I denied she was right. It was that I didn’t want it to be true. Daphne was wasted on a middling position at a law firm. I saw Kristy’s point about me moving the goalpost, but didn’t know how to make it right. I didn’t wish to see her turn into an introverted, subservient woman like this iteration of Daphne. I also didn’t want her to leave me.

10LAST GOODBYES

Present day…

Cal

“You came!”David Delphine’s voice rang out cheerfully through his study.

The family’s palatial home on North Astor Street was the sort of building you couldn’t buy. Your family owned it, and thenyouowned it. Generations of Delphines lived here, but the sense of the place always remained. A huge billiards table sat in the room. I passed it to where David sat by the fireplace. He invited me to sit opposite.

“I did, yes,” I said.

“Well, you’re headed into the runoff strong, right?” David asked.

I shrugged. “I have hope.”

Two days ago, I emerged as the top performer in Chicago’s mayoral election. With forty-six percent of the vote, I had a substantial lead over the next favored candidate, Harper Morris, with just a quarter of the vote. As withanythingin Chicago politics, the field was flooded with Democrats—twelve this time. I’d face the other opponents in the top-four runoff election in two months.

“You’ll be fine, man. You’ll be fine,” David said.

“It’s a foregone conclusion, I think. Unless I seriously fuck up, I’ll get through. Did you call to congratulate me?” I chuckled. “You’ve been AWOL, man. How was Michigan?”

David and Danna spent the past two months at the family’s vineyard, farm, and estate in Southwest Michigan. It was odd to see them not return in the new year, but David swore it was to give his oldest son space to run the company on his own.

---