For the Record (Record #3)(101)

Liz appeared in the entryway in a knee-length purple pleated dress he’d ordered for her from New York, and her Jimmy Choos. Around her neck hung the necklace he had gotten her so long ago. Diamond drops in her ears and a massive diamond ring on her finger told that she was all his. She would always be his.

“Are you ready?” she asked, her nerves from earlier already dissipated. She looked like strength, wearing what she called his campaign mask as if she had invented it.

He had always said that politics was a perfect balance of openness and restraint. It was what he loved so much about Liz. She had restraint in spades, but when she let go, it shook his world. She did everything with such unbridled tenacity, and went after the things she wanted headfirst, with a self-assurance that he had seen in few people.

“Very,” he replied.

“We should go. Everyone is probably waiting.”

“I’m so honored to have you at my side,” he told her.

“Honored?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes. You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met,” he said, closing the distance between them. “It’s an honor to have you there with me.”

“Well . . . I’m honored to be there.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about how we started.” He fingered the necklace dangling between her breasts. She narrowed her eyes. “I know that it wasn’t the best of scenarios, but it brought you into my life. We might be unconventional, but who needs convention? I fell in love with you. You stole me away, and I’m glad that you didn’t give me back.”

“Never,” she insisted.

“Good. Now let’s go win an election.” He kissed her lips and then they exited the house together.

A town car drove them to the grand hotel downtown, where Brady’s election party would be in full swing in one of their massive ballrooms. His friends and family were congregated in a small reception room, where they would receive the news. Everyone he cared about was in attendance, just the way it had always been. Liz had even included Victoria and Daniel in the festivities. Chris was there with his family. Brady kept a close eye on Lucas, whom he still didn’t trust near his sister. Luckily, Savannah had brought her boyfriend, Easton. The guy seemed all right. Had a good head on his shoulders.

His mother and father greeted them when they walked into the room. His father wouldn’t be up for reelection until next term, and it was nice to have his constant presence here for him during the hardest two elections of Brady’s career.

Heather and Elliott appeared next, as serious and reserved as ever. But he knew them well enough to know that they were nervous but excited. They wanted him to win. They had staked their careers on it. They were two of his closest friends.

In just a few minutes he would find out if it had all been worth it.

Liz wandered off to talk to Victoria and Savannah. They fawned over her dress and giggled about nonsensical things. He was glad they were there for her. He knew that she was as stressed and nervous about the outcome as he was.

Heather looked as though she wanted to say something, but he just smiled. “Excuse me for a minute.”

She nodded and returned to her conversation with Elliott. There was something he probably should have done a long time ago, but the election had gotten in the way.

He approached his brother, who was sitting there seemingly bored by whatever his girlfriend was going on about. Clay turned his gaze to meet Brady’s and his brother scowled.

“Andrea, do you think you could give us a minute?” Brady asked.

“Uh . . . sure. Whatever,” she said, grabbing her cocktail and walking away.

“Did you need something?” Clay asked. He already looked bored again.

Brady stuck his hand out. “I wanted to thank you for helping me.”

Clay stared down at his outstretched hand as if it might attack him. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“No. Thank you for your time and especially for what you did for Liz. I really appreciate it.”

Clay tentatively put his hand into Brady’s and they shook. “Well, she needed the help.”

“I know. Usually she doesn’t.”

“That’s the truth,” Clay agreed.

They dropped their hands and Clay stood awkwardly, as if he was waiting for Brady to lay into him for something.

“You know, this morning I was thinking about when we were younger and how Election Day used to be like Christmas.”

“Are we going to go into one of your stories?” Clay jeered.

Brady ignored him. It was just Clay’s usual sidestep. “We’d wake up early and go to the polls with our parents even before Savannah was born. We’d get ice cream at the victory after-party. As we got older something changed between us. I know it might not be salvageable, but hope that one day we can change that.”

Clay stared at him blankly for a few seconds. Brady thought that he might laugh in his face and tell him to f*ck off. Typical Clay. But after a minute he nodded. “I think I’d like that.”

They shook hands again, and a bond that Brady hadn’t felt since they were kids flowed between them. He hadn’t realized until that moment how much he had missed Clay.

He turned to return to Liz’s side. “What was that about?” she asked. She never missed a thing.

“Making amends like I should have done years ago.”