Page 35 of The Thorne at My Side
"I'm still not convinced we should." I say as I flip open my notebook.
"Well, if the senator does really well at the debate because of the AI responses, I expect Austin will want the credit."
"I expect he will. But the whole point is that there isn't a way to tell if it's the AI or if it's the rehearsed statements we've been working on for months," I say as I flip aimlessly through my notes. "And, what if the AI answers are terrible and she tanks? I don't want anyone to know that we relied so heavily on this new technology."
"I guess we'll just have to see how it goes."
With that Sam stands and leaves me alone with my thoughts. It's difficult to concentrate knowing the hours are ticking down until my evening with Austin. I need to put himout of my mind so I can get some work done.
…
I was able to focus on work after Ben, our campaign manager, stopped in my office and asked for a speech for a newly scheduled stop in the morning. Senator Quinn is meeting with the new cohort of political science students at George Washington University and has been asked to talk about innovative solutions to age-old issues.
I got lost in writing about funding models that are successful in other democracies across the world. I researched team building theories so members of our federal government could see each other as allies more than enemies. It was an accident that I looked up and caught the clock thirty five minutes ago, instantly remembering Austin was meeting me at my place at 7:00.
I threw my things in my bag and rushed out to the Metro. Thankfully, I caught a train almost as soon as I descended to the platform.
I'm home for only a few minutes, enough time to drop my bag, kick my heels into the closet, and pee, before there's a knock at my door.
I open it and find Austin on the other side with a bouquet of flowers. He's changed out of his suit and has a pair of jeans and a navy blue t-shirt on.
"Have you had dinner yet?" He asks as he steps into my apartment and kisses my cheek again. I’m stunned into silence as I take the flowers from him, stare at them, and then up at his back moving into my kitchen.
“No, I just got home, have you?" I ask blinking a couple extra times in confusion. I'm new to the whole fuck buddies thing but wouldn't having dinner together be more like dating?
"No, not yet," he says as I step into the kitchen. He turns tome and crosses his arms over his chest. The material around his biceps strains and my insides clench but then I catch the look on his face. He’s frustrated.
"What?" I challenge and watch as his eyes flick down my body before meeting mine.
"I just can't believe you are doing everything in your power to thwart my business."
I laugh. "What are you talking about?"
"Why won't you approve the statement about the partnership? The senator says she's waiting for your approval."
"I'm doing what's best for the senator." I say as I set the bouquet down on the counter and cross my arms, mirroring him.
"No, you're doing what's best for you. You're so afraid of this technology you're not even willing to admit it works. That it could be helpful to you."
"Is this about work or is this aboutthis?" I ask, flicking a finger indicating the two of us. “Because if you’re expecting me to fess up—”
"No, believe me, I'm not telling anyone."
Ouch but, yes. My thoughts exactly. I decide on the spot that telling Sam doesn’t count because she essentially figured it out all on her own. I just added a couple details.
"I can't even begin to explain how bad it would be if the news of our arrangement got out while we're also not telling people about working together." I pull down a vase and put the flowers into it. My actions break the tether between us and the air shifts. Austin turns to my fridge and pulls out a beer. He wags it at me and I nod so he goes back for a second. I finish putting the flowers away as he walks back into my studio and leans against my desk, propping one leg over the other at the ankle.
"Okay," he takes a sip of his beer. "Tell me again why she can'tgo public? I feel like I'm missing something."
"You're missing the genitalia required to understand it."
He laughs as I take my beer and sit down in my preferred corner of the oversized chair. "So if I had tits I'd understand?"
"More or less," I answer with a smile as I take a sip. “Did you know that 75% of high school valedictorian’s are young women? And that most people getting bachelor degrees are women? So adjusting for that we should see at least 50% of the leaders in the country being women.
“But they’re not. Not by a long shot. It’s because work is designed for women to fail when they become mothers, and make it nearly impossible to succeed at work because school ends at 3:00. Senator Quinn got a bunch of flack for being a childless cat lady but part of me is convinced she wouldn’t have been as successful as a professional and a politician if she had a family.
“There are women who have made it work, probably by hiring other women to manage their children and household. And there is compelling data saying that companies under a woman's leadership grow faster and stronger than under a man's. Investment portfolios managed by women perform an average of 5% better.”
