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“I’ll keep your secret under one condition.” It sounded foolish to me to be speaking to her in such a manner, but I wasn’t talking to her as the president. Right now, I was her nurse, and she was my patient. A very difficult one at that.
“What is that, exactly?” she asked, not looking pleased about being challenged.
“You allow me to examine you each week.” That seemed like a fair compromise and what was best for Reesa. Although I couldn’t help but think about Tabiq as a whole, Reesa needed to remain my priority.
“If you come to my office, it would be a red flag. Even my secretary will question if something was wrong,” she stated. I opened my mouth to make a suggestion and Reesa quickly added, “My coming here isn’t unusual. I am here very often visiting Finn. However, too many people would wonder why am I disappearing into an exam room with you. How would we explain that?”
She had valid points, but I wasn’t giving up. “I can come to you, or you come to me. We don’t need to do this at the hospital. At least not all the time. How would you feel about coming to my home?” I asked but my first thought went to the dirty dishes in my sink. I had meant to clean them before rushing off to work this morning, but there was a nurse who had called in sick, and I ended up covering a part of her shift before starting mine. Patients came before dishes. And laundry. And dusting.
Oh God. My house is a disaster.
I could tell Reesa was contemplating my suggestion. Before I had time to think up another one, she nodded.
“That is something I can do. It will also be a bit tricky as I travel with security. We will need to come up with a reason as to why I am going to your home each week.”
This was getting to be more complicated than I originally thought.Lies usually tend to complicate things. I wanted to say that she was a politician and probably better at it than I was, but she wasn’t like the others. And from the expression on her face, she was uncomfortable about lying just like me.
“I...I guess I could text you when I am on my way home, and you happen to be driving by me when my car breaks down? You could offer me a ride home and I can invite you in for tea?” That would work once, but I would need to become very creative after that.
“Okay. I agree to let you monitor me once a week.”
I really wished she’d agree to be under the care of a physician, but I knew she’d never agree to that. I had to accept this small victory. “And youwillcall me if you are having any issues, including keeping food down,” I stated firmly.
She nodded. “Fine. But if it comes to a point where it interferes with my duties, then we will need to revisit this conversation.” Reesa placed a hand on her stomach and said, “Believe me nurse Meri, I won’t do anything to jeopardize me or my child.”
“I know you won’t.”
“I just don’t want anyone to know about my pregnancy until after the election. I must win. Not for me,” she said.
For Tabiq. For us.
“I will keep my word.”As long as you keep yours.
“Thank you so much. Now I better get out of here before my husband starts looking for me. I’m not even sure how I will explain what took me so long as it is.”
“Simply. You were stopped by one of your loyal constituents who couldn’t be happier that you are running for re-election,” I smiled. At least that wouldn’t be a lie.
Reesa rolled her eyes. “I love talking to people. But you know, going out and trying to convince them to vote for me, is different. It ties up so much of my time that could be used doing something more useful. My secretary means well, but she is good at her job, but not campaigning. The last time my brother Jasper had done a lot of that prior to me entering the race.”
I knew nothing about politics, but I did read a lot about other countries. “Have you ever thought about hiring a professional?”
“Professional what?” she asked.
“I am not sure what they call them, but I was watching an American movie and the person hired someone to handle the campaign. All the guy needed to do was show up and speak and answer questions, and the other guy handled all the scheduling. Maybe if you could find someone like that, you wouldn’t have so much stress. That would be good for you and the baby,” I reminded her.
“Someone to run my campaign? I don’t know who I would even go about looking for someone like that?” she said.
“The Henderson family seems to have connections just about everywhere. I would start with them,” I suggested.
“Bennett Stone will be picking me up after I meet with Finn. Maybe I can see if he can talk to the Hendersons for me,” she said. “And then I can concentrate on my competition. I will never forget the last time I was elected. The other person was...well you know what he was. Scum. He wanted the old ways back. Women to be silent. Controlled. Abused. That isnevergoing to happen.”
“And we are eternally grateful that you feel that way. Tabiqian’s have suffered enough.” A chill ran through me just thinking about what it was like before. It was hell on earth. I wouldn’t be a nurse now. Not even sure if I’d be alive. I had so many friends, just a few years older than me and what they had been through was horrendous. And the fact that our own government and police had not just allowed it, but were profiting from it, was what made it go on for longer than it ever should have. We had no protection. No one to fight for us. Our future had been bleak.
Reesa reached out and touched my shoulder. Softy, she said, “It’s not all me. It’s people like you who make it possible for me to do what I do. It’s all of us fighting together to make a better Tabiq. I’m just the one who gets all the credit.”
And yet another thing that makes you a good president. You’re humble.
“Then I guess I better continue to do my job and make sure the next generation of O’Connors makes it here safe and sound.”I just hope it doesn’t cost me my job in the process.
