King of the Mountain:
Part 23


Lynn Jepsen


"GET ME THE NUMBERS!" Rachel doesn't even look up from her desk as Josh
storms past her, and I wonder how we're going to replace her come
November. I mean, Sarah might think this is a wonderful educational
opportunity, but I doubt she'll consider letting Rae work for afterwards.
Which, of course, means I'm going to have to listen to him whine about
the revolving door of assistants.

Josh! Walk with me. "We've got to get Reynolds off TV." Hey, I'm just
happy Nichols dropped out of the race. Tom Jordan was starting to make me
nervous. Josh nods in sympathy, and then whispers nervously, "Have you
noticed anything strange recently?" Define strange. I mean, look around.
We are, by nature, a pretty damn strange group. "I don't know. I mean,
first CJ was acting weird, and then Lisa and Diana were organizing
something, and now Lily and Margaret are making me nervous." What? You
think the women are planning to kill us and lock us in a room while they
overthrow the government? "No, if that was the case, Rachel would be
plotting along with them."

How are we doing, anyway? "It's getting tight. He's got the moderate
vote, but we're doing well in Chicago with the unions and the new labor
statements. You did well with the Hispanic Workers Association, by the
way." No, I didn't. If I had done well, there wouldn't have been a strike
or a month and a half of negotiations, but thanks. At least it's over
now. "Toby wants you to do a thing." When? "Tomorrow morning.
Springfield. We're going to talk about campaign finance reform and drop
in the $10,000 check." I try not to roll my eyes at Josh, but it's tough.
Fine, give the stuff to Margaret.

*

When I walk into the hotel restaurant, it's easy to spot the family
parked around a table in the corner. Of course, even as Margaret steers
me toward them, I'm busy watching Lisa and Lord John talking off in a
corner. Just before I slide into the seat, Leo gets up and walks over to
the pair of them. I can hear "Gerald" being welcomed in, but then, voices
drop, and I wonder if they're talking about the passport issue.

Josh nearly had a heart attack when he realized Lisa still had a British
passport. Of course, I'm not sure anyone would have noticed, I mean, it's
not like she's an illegal alien, she's just got dual citizenship, but of
course, the press don't smile on that in a future first lady, but then
Josh helped her pack one afternoon, and he told Leo, and Leo yelled at
Lord John over the phone to fix it, and Katie heard. Her column that
afternoon was about my, quote unquote, foreign loyalties. Toby almost
killed Leo, Leo almost killed Josh, Josh almost killed Lord John, and
Lord John tried to figure out how to make the problem go away.

Which is why I'm a little concerned that they're in some secret meeting.

*

If someone would have told me we could cram eleven people into the corner
booth, I would have assumed they were referring to fourth graders, but
somehow we've managed to get everyone around the table. Leo is the only
one who looks like he'd rather flee the scene, but I'm going to attribute
that to his close proximity to Lord Marbury and Leigh. I'm not
complaining in the least. Lisa's practically on my lap, and I'm not about
to say a word. Josh is on the other side, but there's a hidden advantage
there. So far everytime CJ's thrown something at me, Josh has ended up
wearing it.

"Okay, everyone, may I have your attention please." Josh is scrambling to
his feet, and trying not to fall over onto the table. I think he's trying
to show off that sensitive system of his. "Tomorrow, we will suffer
through our third Illinois primary. If we win, we get to pass go, collect
$200, and beat the hell out of Glasscock. If we lose, we can tie Mark
Reynolds up and stuff him in a closet." Sarah clinks glasses with him,
and Lisa presses a wine glass into my hand as she touches rims with
Rachel.

Most of the crowd drifted after dinner, and the rest of us are sprawled
around Josh's hotel room. I tried to drag Sarah along and you know,
apologize to Josh by nudging the two of them in the right direction. She
bowed out, claiming that she wanted to call Michael and check up on
Patrick and Laurel. Toby and Brutus are sitting at the table, Toby in a
chair, and Brutus on the floor while Toby scratches his ears. I think
Brutus is planning to switch loyalties on me.

Lisa and Josh are arguing over... well, I'm not sure exactly what they're
arguing about, but they do it so often, it's almost background noise. I'm
slightly frightened by CJ's eating habits though. She offered me a slice
of cream cheese and glazed ham pizza. Just thinking about that makes me
wonder when I smelled that stuff last. It must have been.... No, she's
not.... Is she? She can't be.

King of the Mountain: Part 24

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