see me, but I swear that woman had eyes in the back of her head.
“And where were you, Sonia?”
“Just grabbing a bagel, Kell.” She cut her eyes at me again.
“Fine, well, let’s get to Mr. Reynolds’ office. We’ve got to discuss some strategy. I know this isn’t the type of PR stuff that you like, but it’s going to be important. We’re working on painting Reynolds as a movie star, and we’ve got to invest in his image.” I glanced over at John. He was shaking hands and talking with the volunteers. And they had come in droves this morning. He moved through the crowd with charm, laughing easily and often. Another pang struck me, and I wondered what in the hell I was doing in this situation. Kelly and I walked to the small conference room John had adopted as his mobile office. I leaned against the wall of the tiny room, and Kelly grabbed one of the office chairs.
“What are we in here for? The last time you pulled me into a strategy meeting, we were convincing the mayor of Alexandria to go to a fundraiser with an actress.” I laughed, and Kelly looked at me with a gleam in her eye.
“It’s something like that. We want Mr. Reynolds to be our movie star. Look at President Obama. He is handsome, and he has a gorgeous wife. Beautiful kids. He’s magazine ready. He’s dorky but he’s cool too. A sexy dad.”
“Kelly, what are you—” John walked into the room, closing the door behind him.
“What is this all about, ladies? I don’t see Sonia in days. She’s rolling all over the state, and Kelly, you’ve got some secret agenda before the fundraiser next week. Now, will one of you tell me what’s going on?” He looked between the two of us, and my mouth went dry.
“Kelly, I don’t think this is—”
“Mr. Reynolds, to put it simply, you don’t have a family life. And that’s not going over well with our voters over twenty-five.”
“And?” John glanced at me and then sat down, straightening his tie. In the fluorescent light of the room, I could see that he was just as tired as I was.
“You need a girlfriend. And you need to be seen with her at the campaign fundraiser, dancing, drinking, having a good time.” My stomach twisted and I put my hand to my forehead.
“Oh God,” I muttered.
“And why exactly do I need that? I have my policies, my desire for a better country… I thought those things were the legs I should stand on. Not some fake relationship for the cameras,” John said, his voice defensive.
“Sonia, you hated it but you know how well it worked for the mayor. The American people like a bit of romance in their politics. And let’s face it, he’ll need someone to go to the inaugural balls with. To all of the fundraisers. To the galas. We’re ramping up, and he needs someone on his arm.”
“I don’t think this is—” John waved his hands, unable to complete his thought.
“It did work for the mayor. She’s right. And it’s worked in other campaigns. You might even find someone you want to be with.” I glanced down, and a pang struck me at my center. What if he did find someone he wanted to be with? I sighed heavily.
“I don’t think it’s an option at this point, Greg,” Kelly said. “There are several women I’m thinking of for the role. You can go on a number of dates this week, and you can premiere with her at the fundraiser next week. Otherwise, you’re going to be the subject of unfortunate gossip. And that’s something we can’t have at this point in the process.” John rolled his eyes and turned to me again.
“What do you think about this, Sonia? As the voice of reason?” I paused and put my hand to the back of my neck. All at once, the room felt oppressively hot and small. My gut pitched, queasiness coming over me. How would the practical, reasonable Sonia answer his question? I sighed again.
“Kelly’s right, John,” I said. Kelly looked at me quizzically. I flushed red and
“And where were you, Sonia?”
“Just grabbing a bagel, Kell.” She cut her eyes at me again.
“Fine, well, let’s get to Mr. Reynolds’ office. We’ve got to discuss some strategy. I know this isn’t the type of PR stuff that you like, but it’s going to be important. We’re working on painting Reynolds as a movie star, and we’ve got to invest in his image.” I glanced over at John. He was shaking hands and talking with the volunteers. And they had come in droves this morning. He moved through the crowd with charm, laughing easily and often. Another pang struck me, and I wondered what in the hell I was doing in this situation. Kelly and I walked to the small conference room John had adopted as his mobile office. I leaned against the wall of the tiny room, and Kelly grabbed one of the office chairs.
“What are we in here for? The last time you pulled me into a strategy meeting, we were convincing the mayor of Alexandria to go to a fundraiser with an actress.” I laughed, and Kelly looked at me with a gleam in her eye.
“It’s something like that. We want Mr. Reynolds to be our movie star. Look at President Obama. He is handsome, and he has a gorgeous wife. Beautiful kids. He’s magazine ready. He’s dorky but he’s cool too. A sexy dad.”
“Kelly, what are you—” John walked into the room, closing the door behind him.
“What is this all about, ladies? I don’t see Sonia in days. She’s rolling all over the state, and Kelly, you’ve got some secret agenda before the fundraiser next week. Now, will one of you tell me what’s going on?” He looked between the two of us, and my mouth went dry.
“Kelly, I don’t think this is—”
“Mr. Reynolds, to put it simply, you don’t have a family life. And that’s not going over well with our voters over twenty-five.”
“And?” John glanced at me and then sat down, straightening his tie. In the fluorescent light of the room, I could see that he was just as tired as I was.
“You need a girlfriend. And you need to be seen with her at the campaign fundraiser, dancing, drinking, having a good time.” My stomach twisted and I put my hand to my forehead.
“Oh God,” I muttered.
“And why exactly do I need that? I have my policies, my desire for a better country… I thought those things were the legs I should stand on. Not some fake relationship for the cameras,” John said, his voice defensive.
“Sonia, you hated it but you know how well it worked for the mayor. The American people like a bit of romance in their politics. And let’s face it, he’ll need someone to go to the inaugural balls with. To all of the fundraisers. To the galas. We’re ramping up, and he needs someone on his arm.”
“I don’t think this is—” John waved his hands, unable to complete his thought.
“It did work for the mayor. She’s right. And it’s worked in other campaigns. You might even find someone you want to be with.” I glanced down, and a pang struck me at my center. What if he did find someone he wanted to be with? I sighed heavily.
“I don’t think it’s an option at this point, Greg,” Kelly said. “There are several women I’m thinking of for the role. You can go on a number of dates this week, and you can premiere with her at the fundraiser next week. Otherwise, you’re going to be the subject of unfortunate gossip. And that’s something we can’t have at this point in the process.” John rolled his eyes and turned to me again.
“What do you think about this, Sonia? As the voice of reason?” I paused and put my hand to the back of my neck. All at once, the room felt oppressively hot and small. My gut pitched, queasiness coming over me. How would the practical, reasonable Sonia answer his question? I sighed again.
“Kelly’s right, John,” I said. Kelly looked at me quizzically. I flushed red and
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