For the Record (Record #3)(102)

A bright smile broke out onto her face, and she was about to say something when the doors to the reception room opened. Everyone turned to face the front as Alex walked inside. His nose was buried in his iPad like always.

When he looked back up at his audience, Brady felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of the room in anticipation. Then Alex’s eyes sought his in the crowd and he smiled. “Congratulations, Congressman! You’re in for another term.”

Brady scooped Liz into his arms and swung her around as a cheer rose up from the room. Everyone was hugging, applauding, and cheering his victory. He had done it. Against all odds, he had won a second term.

“Congratulations,” Liz whispered into his ear. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’m on top of the world,” he admitted. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’m on the top of the world with you.”

“Every day for the rest of our lives.”

Epilogue

TWELVE YEARS LATER

Jefferson, if you do not stop tormenting your sister I won’t let you have ice cream after the conference,” Liz snapped at her nine-year-old son. He was the spitting image of his father, but had the devilish tendencies of his uncle.

“I wasn’t doing anything,” he said. He put his hands behind his suit as if he were innocent.

Liz bent down and wiped the tears from her daughter’s face. “It’s all right, Jacqueline. Jefferson will apologize. He didn’t mean it.”

“He did mean it! He hates me,” the five-year-old girl cried dramatically. Her blond hair fell in curls past her shoulders and seemed to be perpetually knotted, but her big blue eyes kept Brady wrapped around her little finger.

“He doesn’t hate you. Do you?” Liz asked. She looked warningly at her son. “Jefferson?”

“I don’t hate you, Jackie,” he said, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

Well, that would have to do.

“All better?” she asked her daughter.

She sniffled twice and then nodded. “Do I still get ice cream?”

“Yes. Of course you do. Now, are you ready to join your father? It’s a big day,” Liz said with a bright smile for both of them.

Liz straightened and ran her hands down the front of her cream-and-navy dress. Her hair was twisted back into a conservative bun. She took a deep breath and then urged the kids forward. Big day indeed.

“Jeff, will you hold my hand?” Jacqueline asked, widening her blue eyes.

“Girls are gross.”

“I’m a sister, though.”

Liz was about to intervene, but Jefferson sighed and stretched his hand out. “Fine.”

They walked hand in hand into the conference center. Staff were milling around with their heads buried in computers, signaling to one another, and otherwise looking frantic. A representative ushered them across the room. Liz’s eyes locked with Heather’s when she spotted her and she smiled.

Heather shuffled through the crowd with ease and dismissed the other representative with a flick of her wrist. “Liz, so glad you’re here.” She bent down, ruffled Jefferson’s hair, and gave little Jacqueline a quick hug.

“How is he?” Liz asked.

“Oh, you know. The same,” Heather said with a shrug. “Excited to see you and the kids.”

“We would have been here sooner, but I had that symposium,” Liz told her, which wasn’t really necessary since Heather knew Liz’s schedule as well as Brady’s by now. She had graduated with her doctorate from the University of Maryland and accepted a position in the Journalism School at UNC Chapel Hill. She had spent the last seven years working with her mentor, Professor Mires, at the university.

“Of course. Well, he’s waiting for you,” she said and then started leading Liz back to Brady’s room.

Heather knocked twice and then entered. “I brought you something.”

Brady’s head popped up from the cards he was reading and he broke out into a smile. “Nothing better in the world.”

“Daddy!” the kids screamed, launching themselves across the room.

Brady hoisted them into his arms and planted firm kisses on both of their cheeks. “I’ve missed you two like crazy.”

“We missed you too,” Jefferson said.

“Yeah, Daddy,” Jacqueline said. “Mom promised us ice cream, though.”

Brady glanced up at Liz and her body melted at the sight. He arched an eyebrow. “Bribes, baby?”

“Ice cream is tradition. You know that.”

“Of course. What flavor do you want?” Brady placed Jefferson on his feet and planted Jacqueline in his lap. “Huh, pretty girl?”

“Chocolate!” she cried.

“Chocolate it is!” Brady said. “Jefferson?”

“Cookie dough.”

“My favorite,” Liz said, walking up behind him and straightening out his hair back in place.

Liz’s and Brady’s eyes met, and she felt herself relax all over again. The past twelve years had been good to them. Though their two beautiful children, Brady Jefferson IV and Jacqueline Marilyn, would always be their greatest accomplishment in life, they had so much to be thankful for. Brady had spent two more terms in the House of Representatives before serving two four-year terms as governor of North Carolina. The commute between Chapel Hill and Raleigh had been much easier on them than to and from D.C.