that kind of pushing. She had already tried to maneuver a meeting between them several times when Alex had come to New York. But even if Rachel had been willing, of which Kay was never entirely sure, it had become clear over the years that Alex was not. So, Congresswoman Willard?
Nothing special. I just wondered when you were coming to New York.
Why?
Don't be so blunt, for chris-sake. I just thought I'd have a few people over for dinner.
Like who? Alex saw her coming and he grinned. She was amazing, his sister the steamroller. You had to say one thing for her, she never quit.
All right, Alex, don't get so defensive.
Who's defensive? I just wanted to know whom you want to have with me to dinner. What's wrong with that? Unless of course there happens to be someone on your guest list who might just make us all a little uncomfortable. Should I guess initials, Kay, would that make it easier?
She had to laugh in spite of herself. All right, all right, I get the message. But for chris-sake, Alex, I ran into her the other day on a plane back from D.C. and she looks just great.
She should. On her salary so would you.
Thank you, dear.
Anytime.
Did you know that she's been asked to run for councilwoman?
No. There was a long silence. But I'm not really surprised. Are you?
No. And then his sister sighed loudly. Sometimes I wonder if you realize what you gave up there.
I certainly do, and I'm grateful every day of my life. I don't want to be married to a politician, Kay. That's an honor that should be reserved only for men like George.
What the hell does that mean?
He's so busy with his practice, I'm sure he doesn't even notice when you're in Washington for three weeks. Me, I'd notice. And he didn't tell her that her daughter noticed too. He knew because he talked to Amanda at great length whenever he went to New York. He took her out to lunch, or dinner, or for long walks. He knew his niece better than her own parents. Sometimes he thought Kay didn't give a damn. By the way, how's Amanda?
All right, I guess.
What do you mean, you guess'? The criticism in his tone was easy to read. Haven't you seen her?
Jesus Christ, I just got off the fucking plane from D.C. What do you want from me, Alex?
Not much. What you do is none of my business. What you do to her is something else.
That's none of your business either.
Isn't it? Then whose business is it, Kay? George's? Does he notice that you never spend ten minutes with your daughter? He certainly doesn't.
She's sixteen years old, for chris-sake, she doesn't need a baby-sitter anymore, Alex.
No, but she needs a mother and a father desperately every young girl does.
I can't help that I'm in politics. You know how demanding that is.
Yeah. He shook his head slowly, and that was what she wanted to wish on him. A life with Rachel Patterson, a life that would relegate him to being the First Man. Anything else? He didn't want to talk to her anymore. He'd had enough of listening to her in just five minutes.
I'm running for the Senate next year.
Congratulations. His voice was flat.
Don't get too excited.
I'm not. I was thinking about Mandy, and what that might mean for her.
If I win, it'll mean she's a senator's daughter, that's what. Kay sounded suddenly vicious and Alex wanted to slap her face.
Do you think she really cares about that, Kay?
Probably not. The kid has her head so high in the clouds, she probably wouldn't give a shit if I ran for President. For a moment Kay sounded sad and Alex shook his head.
That's not what matters, Kay. We're all proud of you, we love you, but there's more than that' . How could he tell her? How could he explain? She cared about nothing except her career, her work.
I don't think any of you understand what this means to me, Alex, how hard I've worked for it, how far I've come. It's been killing, and I've made it, and all you do is bitch about what kind of mother I am. And our dear mother is worse. And George is too busy cutting people
Nothing special. I just wondered when you were coming to New York.
Why?
Don't be so blunt, for chris-sake. I just thought I'd have a few people over for dinner.
Like who? Alex saw her coming and he grinned. She was amazing, his sister the steamroller. You had to say one thing for her, she never quit.
All right, Alex, don't get so defensive.
Who's defensive? I just wanted to know whom you want to have with me to dinner. What's wrong with that? Unless of course there happens to be someone on your guest list who might just make us all a little uncomfortable. Should I guess initials, Kay, would that make it easier?
She had to laugh in spite of herself. All right, all right, I get the message. But for chris-sake, Alex, I ran into her the other day on a plane back from D.C. and she looks just great.
She should. On her salary so would you.
Thank you, dear.
Anytime.
Did you know that she's been asked to run for councilwoman?
No. There was a long silence. But I'm not really surprised. Are you?
No. And then his sister sighed loudly. Sometimes I wonder if you realize what you gave up there.
I certainly do, and I'm grateful every day of my life. I don't want to be married to a politician, Kay. That's an honor that should be reserved only for men like George.
What the hell does that mean?
He's so busy with his practice, I'm sure he doesn't even notice when you're in Washington for three weeks. Me, I'd notice. And he didn't tell her that her daughter noticed too. He knew because he talked to Amanda at great length whenever he went to New York. He took her out to lunch, or dinner, or for long walks. He knew his niece better than her own parents. Sometimes he thought Kay didn't give a damn. By the way, how's Amanda?
All right, I guess.
What do you mean, you guess'? The criticism in his tone was easy to read. Haven't you seen her?
Jesus Christ, I just got off the fucking plane from D.C. What do you want from me, Alex?
Not much. What you do is none of my business. What you do to her is something else.
That's none of your business either.
Isn't it? Then whose business is it, Kay? George's? Does he notice that you never spend ten minutes with your daughter? He certainly doesn't.
She's sixteen years old, for chris-sake, she doesn't need a baby-sitter anymore, Alex.
No, but she needs a mother and a father desperately every young girl does.
I can't help that I'm in politics. You know how demanding that is.
Yeah. He shook his head slowly, and that was what she wanted to wish on him. A life with Rachel Patterson, a life that would relegate him to being the First Man. Anything else? He didn't want to talk to her anymore. He'd had enough of listening to her in just five minutes.
I'm running for the Senate next year.
Congratulations. His voice was flat.
Don't get too excited.
I'm not. I was thinking about Mandy, and what that might mean for her.
If I win, it'll mean she's a senator's daughter, that's what. Kay sounded suddenly vicious and Alex wanted to slap her face.
Do you think she really cares about that, Kay?
Probably not. The kid has her head so high in the clouds, she probably wouldn't give a shit if I ran for President. For a moment Kay sounded sad and Alex shook his head.
That's not what matters, Kay. We're all proud of you, we love you, but there's more than that' . How could he tell her? How could he explain? She cared about nothing except her career, her work.
I don't think any of you understand what this means to me, Alex, how hard I've worked for it, how far I've come. It's been killing, and I've made it, and all you do is bitch about what kind of mother I am. And our dear mother is worse. And George is too busy cutting people
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