disappointment.
I scoffed. “Only on the campaign trail is this ever both a good thing and a bad thing,” I muttered.
It was meant to be a joke, but only a couple of people laughed.
Felix leaned into me, a severe expression on his face. “But do you understand what she’s saying, mate?”
I shrugged. “I’m rich, so I can fund myself. I can make my own decisions. But I’m rich so they’ll think I can’t relate to the… not so rich. They’ll think I vote in favor of the rich.”
“Right,” Felix replied.
“We have to play on your strengths. The only way to do that is to highlight what makes you unique in the race. And what makes you unique is your money.”
I furrowed my brow. “So are we running on this or not?”
Felix let out an uncomfortable cough. “Why don’t we table this for the moment?” he asked.
I sighed. “Okay, Bridget. What’s the next thing in the ledger?”
She nodded and turned back to the board. This time, she did not mention what she had written.
“Marriage,” Felix and Peter uttered at the exact same time. They turned to face me as the word began to fly around the room.
I glowered at Felix. He knew I hated this word. I hated the mere concept. The whole idea that society could decide that I should spend my whole life with one woman drove me half mad. That was the last thing I saw myself doing. A family? I’d sooner adopt four dogs. “What is this about?”
“This is a con,” Bridget declared, as if that weren’t already apparent.
“So, what do you expect I do about it?” I demanded.
Felix sighed. “Stop taking this personally, Ed.”
“I’m not. I just don’t understand what the meaning of this is. I’m not married, nor am I engaged to be married. So I don’t know why this is even a topic of discussion.”
“I think it’s meant to draw attention to the fact that you need to somehow come off as a family man… or, at the very least, a human being if you want to win over a large portion of the adult population.”
I could feel the bile building up from deep within my stomach. It burnt at my esophagus and threatened to release itself. The last thing I wanted to think about was “the vote” judging me because I hadn’t managed to “find love” yet. “And how do I do that?”
Felix frowned, as if he knew something he was afraid to divulge.
“Spit it out!” I snapped.
He huffed out a quick breath before he uttered, “Well, you need to start seriously dating someone… and fast.”
I cocked my head to the side.
Felix shook his head and placed a hand on my shoulder, as if this was supposed to calm me. “You need a real woman. One you might just marry.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “After what happened last time?” I demanded. It was more a plea than anything else: please remember that disaster that was my last relationship. Please don’t forget that total psychopath she had morphed into. Please draw attention to the fact that I am still dealing with the media fallout from all of that. “I’m not interested in being destroyed every way a man can be.”
Felix nodded. “Look, I know. Believe me, I remember. But that doesn’t mean we can’t at least try.”
I huffed out a deep breath. My skin crawled at the thought.
“What about that girl; the one with the number?”
I furrowed my brow. I’d only taken it because I wanted to speak to her again, or maybe even see her again. I hadn’t even thought that far ahead.
“Remember uni…” Felix muttered. “You have to try.”
I pursed my lips. He was right. There was no way I could give up on all of this over a girl.
Chapter Four - Nisha
I always loved getting dressed for my clients with the sound of Valerie’s cartoons playing in the background. When all you have is your job and your daughter, it is often necessary to remind yourself which one is more important. As
I scoffed. “Only on the campaign trail is this ever both a good thing and a bad thing,” I muttered.
It was meant to be a joke, but only a couple of people laughed.
Felix leaned into me, a severe expression on his face. “But do you understand what she’s saying, mate?”
I shrugged. “I’m rich, so I can fund myself. I can make my own decisions. But I’m rich so they’ll think I can’t relate to the… not so rich. They’ll think I vote in favor of the rich.”
“Right,” Felix replied.
“We have to play on your strengths. The only way to do that is to highlight what makes you unique in the race. And what makes you unique is your money.”
I furrowed my brow. “So are we running on this or not?”
Felix let out an uncomfortable cough. “Why don’t we table this for the moment?” he asked.
I sighed. “Okay, Bridget. What’s the next thing in the ledger?”
She nodded and turned back to the board. This time, she did not mention what she had written.
“Marriage,” Felix and Peter uttered at the exact same time. They turned to face me as the word began to fly around the room.
I glowered at Felix. He knew I hated this word. I hated the mere concept. The whole idea that society could decide that I should spend my whole life with one woman drove me half mad. That was the last thing I saw myself doing. A family? I’d sooner adopt four dogs. “What is this about?”
“This is a con,” Bridget declared, as if that weren’t already apparent.
“So, what do you expect I do about it?” I demanded.
Felix sighed. “Stop taking this personally, Ed.”
“I’m not. I just don’t understand what the meaning of this is. I’m not married, nor am I engaged to be married. So I don’t know why this is even a topic of discussion.”
“I think it’s meant to draw attention to the fact that you need to somehow come off as a family man… or, at the very least, a human being if you want to win over a large portion of the adult population.”
I could feel the bile building up from deep within my stomach. It burnt at my esophagus and threatened to release itself. The last thing I wanted to think about was “the vote” judging me because I hadn’t managed to “find love” yet. “And how do I do that?”
Felix frowned, as if he knew something he was afraid to divulge.
“Spit it out!” I snapped.
He huffed out a quick breath before he uttered, “Well, you need to start seriously dating someone… and fast.”
I cocked my head to the side.
Felix shook his head and placed a hand on my shoulder, as if this was supposed to calm me. “You need a real woman. One you might just marry.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “After what happened last time?” I demanded. It was more a plea than anything else: please remember that disaster that was my last relationship. Please don’t forget that total psychopath she had morphed into. Please draw attention to the fact that I am still dealing with the media fallout from all of that. “I’m not interested in being destroyed every way a man can be.”
Felix nodded. “Look, I know. Believe me, I remember. But that doesn’t mean we can’t at least try.”
I huffed out a deep breath. My skin crawled at the thought.
“What about that girl; the one with the number?”
I furrowed my brow. I’d only taken it because I wanted to speak to her again, or maybe even see her again. I hadn’t even thought that far ahead.
“Remember uni…” Felix muttered. “You have to try.”
I pursed my lips. He was right. There was no way I could give up on all of this over a girl.
Chapter Four - Nisha
I always loved getting dressed for my clients with the sound of Valerie’s cartoons playing in the background. When all you have is your job and your daughter, it is often necessary to remind yourself which one is more important. As
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