Page 41 of Campaign Season
Cooper followed dutifully, adjusting his fedora as he trailed after her.
“What does she mean—zoo?” Alex asked.
Claire folded her arms across her chest, her eyes scanning the room. She nodded toward Jameson, Shell, and Melanie. “Hippos.” Then she gestured to Fallon. “Penguin.” Finally, shehoisted Eva onto her hip. “Monkey. It’s a zoo, Alex. Maybe we should’ve stuck with tradition.”
“Tradition?” Jameson asked, arching a brow.
“Yeah,” Claire said. “Pin the tail on the donkey. Instead of pin the horns on the monster.”
Candace caught Cassidy’s amused look across the kitchen, and a laugh slipped between them.
“On that note,” Cassidy said, her tone mock-serious, “Candace and I have some things to discuss.”
“You’re working tonight?” Alex teased.
“They’re not working,” Michelle corrected, smirking. “They’re drinking wine on the patio, pretending to work.”
Cassidy only shrugged. “Rank has its privileges,” she said, grabbing a bottle of Chardonnay from the refrigerator.
Candace smiled, grabbed the two glasses on the counter, and followed Cassidy outside.
"They're really leaving us with all these kids?" Claire asked.
Jameson laughed. "More candy for us, Claire."
"Ah! Bonus!"
Candace took a deep breath as Cassidy closed the sliding glass doors.
The night air was crisp, filled with the scents of fallen leaves and wood smoke from the fire pit that Cassidy had tended to earlier. Beyond the glass doors, the joyful sounds of children ebbed and flowed—a chorus of giggles, shrieks, and stomping feet, muffled by the walls yet still lively enough to be heard.
Candace exhaled as she lowered herself into a chair across from Cassidy, a glass of wine in hand.
“You know,” Cassidy said, swirling her glass, “I think Michelle’s right. This doesn’t look much like work.”
Candace smiled faintly. “It feels familiar—like home.”
They sat in silence for a moment, letting the fire pop and crackle between them.
“You’ve only got a handful of stops left before Election Day,” Cassidy said at last. “That has to feel like some relief.”
Candace tilted her head. “Relief isn’t the word. I’ll be in Pennsylvania and Michigan, then to New York for Election Night. It’s a sprint, and every race matters. If we can hold ground in the House and keep the Senate, maybe we can keep the wheels from flying off.”
Cassidy studied her. “And if not?”
Candace took a long sip before answering. “Then it gets harder. Gridlock, obstruction… all the things that eat away at people’s faith in government.” She drew in a breath. “And we both know that serves Lawson's ambitions." She sighed. "I spoke to Jonathan last night. He’s… tired, Cass. I could hear it in his voice. He missed so much time with the kids. They've gotten closer since…” Her voice trailed off.
Cassidy leaned forward, her expression soft. “I know it's hard. It's not easy for you, either.”
Candace looked into the fire, watching the flames curl around the wood. “No. In all the upheaval—all the hurt, we lost our friendship.”
Cassidy nodded slowly, her throat tight. “But you found it again.”
Candace swallowed. “I know. I just—after everything—we’ve come full circle. I've known him my entire life. We've been through so much, Cassidy. Birth. Death. Letting him go, even now, it feels impossible.”
“I understand,” Cassidy said gently. “But he's still here. Whether it's for a day or a month. You made the right decision togo home this week. Time isn't promised to any of us. We've both learned that the hard way."
"Yes. We have."
