by Cara Addison
Numerous campaign supporters stopped in to offer words of encouragement. Kate was fully aware that some had invested heavily in the campaign, and had a vested interest in encouraging her to see them through to the election.
During the first visitation session, Sandra was slinging subtle barbs at every possible opportunity. When there was a lull in traffic, Kate took her aside, and looking down into her eyes, addressed her outspokenness. “I understand that you’re hurting, Sandra, but verbally insulting me won’t bring Dwayne back.” She paused, leaning in closer. “As a former kindergarten teacher, I’m sure you can appreciate the notion that if you can’t say anything nice”—she was fighting back the urge to swear at her, but composed herself and finished—“don’t say anything at all.” In a huff, Sandra moved across the room, while Dennis stretched an arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze.
On Sunday evening, Mayor Freeman arrived to pay his respects. Kate was certain that he had already visited the Phillips family, and that his motives for visiting were purely political. After standing at the closed casket to pay his respects, he walked over to Kate and took her hands in his. “Terribly sorry for your loss, Kate. So tragic,” he said, gently patting her hand. She was sure to the gathered crowd, his gesture looked incredibly touching, but as she looked into his eyes, she could tell that he was simply going through the motions that were expected of him. He leaned in closer and whispered, “I do hope that this doesn’t negatively affect you at the polls, next month.” In spite of his jab, Kate was intrigued with the idea that he fully expected her to remain in the mayoral race.
Having been at her side, Wallace leaned into the conversation, and looked His Worship straight in the eyes. “Don’t make this an election issue, Jim,” he cautioned.
* * * *
Over the course of three days, there was a flood of food, flowers, and cards that arrived at the house. Kate was relieved when Dennis and Sandra departed on Monday evening to return to Dwayne’s hometown. A few hours of separation from Sandra were needed before the final push into Tuesday’s service in Hilltop.
There was a significantly smaller crowd at the Hilltop venue. A number of friends and neighbors of the Dingmans attended the service. Kate’s father walked her to the front of the small auditorium, and she took her seat beside her weepy mother-in-law. The minister delivered a brief service, with Dennis delivering the eulogy. A small crowd followed to the cemetery, where the minister delivered a few final words before Dwayne’s body was lowered into the ground. In one final dramatic flair, Sandra threw herself onto the casket. With a sigh, Dennis gently knelt down to pry her free of the simple wooden box.
As Kate turned her back on the man who had abandoned the marriage so many years earlier, she hugged Dennis and thanked him for all of his support through this ordeal.
Dan and Stan chauffeured Kate and her father home to Lowden in Dan’s Cadillac Escalade. “Let us know when you’re ready to talk about the campaign, Kate,” Stan said, turning to face her in the backseat.
“I was ready three days ago, Stan,” she said, staring out the window.
Kate could almost hear all three men smile as they made their way back to the city, where she was more determined than ever to overthrow Mr. Jim Freeman from the mayor’s office.
Chapter 3
The day following the funeral, the campaign was back in full swing. As Kate arrived at the campaign office, she was greeted by dozens of supporters and volunteers.
Over her office door hung Shakespeare’s quote from Twelfth Night. “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” She stood for a brief moment, inspired and awed.
Dan and Stan had pulled together the re-launch of her bid to take over the mayor’s office. As Kate entered the crowded room, she was greeted with cheers as she enthusiastically shouted, “Let’s do this!” The energy grew with a series of toasts that were met with raucous applause from members of the crowd. The media was in attendance, wildly snapping photos that would be posted online before the morning coffee break.
Kate was especially surprised, and rather delighted, to see the very striking Bradley Taylor in attendance. She made a mental note to ask Stan just how invested the newest resident of Lowden was in the campaign. She approached cautiously, not wanting to interrupt a conversation between Brad and Nigel.
Nigel reached out and greeted her with a kiss on each cheek. “Hey there, kiddo, welcome back.” She was always amused that a man only seven or eight years her senior could refer to her as “kiddo.”
“Thank you for coming, Nigel, and for rallying the troops,” she said, turning her attention, adding, “Bradley, what a lovely surprise to see you again.”
“I’m delighted to be here, Kate. I am so pleased that someone so bright and full of fresh ideas is challenging the mayor.”
“I’m sure that Brad would be particularly interested in your idea that Lowden can become a smart city,” Nigel said. “Clever girl…smart city,” Nigel added before he slipped away to greet some friends.
“What would make Lowden a smart city, Kate?” Bradley asked, listening intently.
“I think our future growth and development is centered around efficient and intelligent management of investments in human and social capital, efficient transportation, and modern communication infrastructure.”
“How does that work?”
“I’m glad you asked. It is an entirely new way of governance, and it does require genuine citizen involvement and participatory action in the concept. This isn’t an overnight fix. It is a gradual transition. We’ll be ambitious to pull it off in one term of service, but if we’re going to draw in high-value jobs and maintain a high quality of life for our residents…we have to offer them the infrastructure and services that they’re looking for…without drastic changes to their tax burden.” She spoke with her hands, motioning to add emphasis to her point. “Let me ask you,” Kate added. “You work in the high-tech space. What are you and your employees looking for when you select a location?”
“I see what you’re getting at. Employees in the high-tech and software business world operate in a completely different culture. They’re generally younger, the want flexible hours and more autonomy. They’re more sensitive to environmental issues, and”—he paused—“they absolutely insist on state-of-the-art technology and global connectivity. Fast, reliable access to the Internet is a must.”
Kate nodded, now knowing that he could relate to the concept. She studied him intently. “I can’t place the accent. Where are you originally from, Bradley?”
He looked a little surprised. “I have an accent?”
“Just a hint.” She smiled. “Georgia? Florida?”
“Good guess. Georgia. But I’ve worked very hard to eliminate that accent.”
“Don’t try too much harder.” She smiled. “It’s quite charming.”
He flashed his boyish grin. “Nigel tells me you’re a member at the Lowden Country Club, Kate. I’m sure with such a busy schedule, you haven’t time to sit around sipping lemonade.”
Kate laughed at his characterization of the ladies who spent much of their day sitting leisurely in the clubhouse, sipping lemonade until happy hour permitted them switch to martinis. “Oh, I’m there every day for the early morning yoga class,” she responded. She realized how invigorating it was to be smiling again.
He looked around the room, noticing that media was circling for their chance to interview her. “I mustn’t keep you from the crowds, Kate. I do hope I’ll see you at the club sometime soon,” he said, shaking her hand as he gently held her elbow.
Bryan, an experienced reporter from the Observer approached, requesting an interview. Kate was instantly on guard, knowing that the paper had endorsed her competitor’s campaign, and that her comments would be twisted to suit the story they would like to tell. “Good morning, Mrs. Callahan. I’m a little surprised to see you back on the campaign trail so soon.”
She knew his b
arb was just a beginning. “My personal life is personal, Bryan, and my professional life is professional. I’m able to keep them separate.”
“I can appreciate that, Mrs. Callahan, but I’m sure that the residents of Lowden would understand if you took an extended leave to honor Dwayne’s memory.”
Kate became inwardly irritated as he continued to address her as Mrs. Callahan. “Is there a question, Bryan or are you just here to chat?”
“How long was your husband involved with Mrs. Bethany Phillips?”
“No comment.”
Bryan fired another question at Kate. “Were you aware of the affair, prior to your husband’s untimely death, Mrs. Callahan?”
Kate held her composure. “Obviously, I was not.”
“Do you think that Dwayne’s affair had anything to do with your pursuit of the Mayor’s office?”
“I do not,” Kate answered tersely.
“Had you and your husband ever stayed at the Evergreen Inn?”
“I’m not going to say it again, Bryan. This is an election campaign. If you have questions about the business of the city, come and see me. Otherwise, this interview is over.”
* * * *
Following the funeral, Kate had the overwhelming need to cleanse herself of all traces of Dwayne’s influence on her life. She wanted desperately to make a clean start in a new home. She took an afternoon break from the campaign, and spent it scanning real estate listings. She made an appointment to view a home in the Westover Enclave.
Kate was immediately drawn to the home. It was grandly proportioned and sophisticated, with exquisite finishes and expansive views through large picture windows.
The kitchen was stunning. Kate was sure she would make use of it. The ovens were chef quality, and as someone who loved to host parties, she fell in love with the doublewide refrigerator.
The master suite encompassed all the features she had experienced at the world’s finest resorts. A balcony off the bedroom suite was the perfect venue to begin or end a day. An executive spa bathroom blended with the other elements to become a retreat within the home.
Kate was taken by the home, and made arrangements with the realtor to submit a proposal. Before leaving, she took a series of measurements, so that furniture could be ordered. She returned home to prepare a generous offer on the Westover property. She insisted on a short closing date, hoping to take possession of the house before the election. The divorcing homeowners were suddenly able to agree on something and were more than delighted to accommodate her request.
A day later, Kate walked out to the front lawn of the house that she had shared with Dwayne, and pounded a “for sale” sign into the lawn. She created a detailed flyer and posted the listing online. Kate spent the remainder of the evening purging all evidence of Dwayne from the house. His clothing and shoes were packed neatly into boxes, and loaded into her car for delivery to the local goodwill store. She wanted to call on Laura to help, but knew that this was a cathartic process that she needed to work through on her own.
She made it a priority to dismantle Dwayne’s man cave. She spent an hour carefully dismantling his television, satellite feed, gaming system, video player, and sound system. She emptied the room of all furniture and wall hangings. When her work was done, she sank to the floor, and spent a moment grieving the child that was meant to spend their first years in this room. Kate had spent so many years re-assuring Dwayne about their infertility that she hadn’t taken the time to explore how she truly felt about the lost opportunity to nurture and care for the flesh of her flesh. After an hour of sobbing on the nursery floor, she formulized a plan for her future.
* * * *
The following Saturday, with the help of Laura, Kate hosted an open house to showcase the home. She greeted visitors, offering each a mimosa while Laura escorted guests through the house. For two hours, agents, couples, and families traipsed through the house, admiring the spacious rooms and elegant décor.
One realtor commented that she had underpriced the house. Overhearing the comment, a quick-witted Laura quipped, “As someone who works on commission, I’m not surprised that you find it undervalued.”
Calming Laura down, Kate added, “If you feel the house is undervalued, please feel free to have your clients submit an offer that you feel is acceptable.” The realtor huffed off, assuring them that she was quite sure that none of her clients would be interested in such a discounted property.
On Sunday, Kate rallied her friends together and hosted the biggest garage sale that the neighborhood had ever witnessed. From sofas to dressers to lamps, she dragged every last piece of furniture out onto the driveway. Kate had marked down each item to ten percent of its original value. Neighbors stopped by to quietly pay their respects while scavenging through her possessions.
Within forty-eight hours of the garage sale, she had a stack of real estate offers-to-purchase to comb through. She slowly reviewed and set aside each offer, finally selecting the document submitted by a young family that she remembered from the open house. She had the feeling that they would fill the house with joy and laughter, as it was meant to be. She signed the acceptance letter, scanned the document into her computer, and e-mailed it back to their legal counsel.
When Kate arrived the next morning at her mid-week yoga class, she was more than a little surprised to see Bradley Taylor unrolling his mat at the front of the class. She quietly unrolled her mat at the back of the room, pondering the significance of this new addition.
Having stood face-to-face on a number of occasions, she knew that he was tall, estimating him to be at least six foot three inches. Observing him in a T-shirt and yoga pants, she realized that she had only ever seen him in a suit. She was very much enjoying the view. He was obviously a fitness fanatic. His broad shoulders were well-defined. The lines of his chest and torso were precise. She continued to observe him as they followed the instructor into a Warrior pose.
As she transitioned to Downward Dog, she mused about Mr. Taylor’s salt-and-pepper hair and piercing blue eyes that were almost always offset by a boyish grin. She found herself wondering what his original hair color had been…and if there were any remnants left to discover.
As she transitioned to the Mountain pose, Kate caught his reflection out of the corner of her eye. He was much more advanced than she, being able to pay attention to the moments leading into and out of the poses while observing other class participants throughout room. That boyish grin made its appearance, as their eyes connected in the mirror.
Sixty minutes later, he was barely breaking a sweat when the instructor bowed, saying “Namaste” to the class. As Kate rolled up her mat, he casually walked over to her. His scent reached her first, and even after a workout, he smelled deliciously expensive. “You’re quite nimble, Kate. You should try the afternoon advanced class sometime.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for the advanced class, Bradley,” she added, walking from the room. “And besides, these days, my afternoons are spent giving speeches and smiling for the camera.”
* * * *
As the election drew nearer, Kate stopped by Nigel’s office to greet his staff and drop off the information he had requested on election hours, locations of polling stations, free transportation options, along with a bucket full of Elect Kate pins and buttons for his employees. After speaking to the crowd, sharing her vision for the future of Lowden, she ducked into Nigel’s office for a quick chat.
“Hey, kiddo, how do you think these last few days of the campaign are going?”
“It’s close, Nigel. Last week we were ahead in the numbers. This week, Jim’s exploitation of Dwayne’s affair is hitting us hard. He is using it at every opportunity. I feel like it really could go either way next week.”
“Is there anything more that I could do?”
She laughed. “You don’t happen to have any dirt on Jim Freeman, do you?
“You should talk to your father, Kate. He has spent so many years in the D.A.’s office. I’m certain
he knows more about the mayor’s personal life than most people.”
“You’re right.” She made a note to call her father before the day was out. “You’re a tremendous asset to the team.” She paused. “Nigel, how much do you know about Bradley Taylor?”
Without hesitation, Nigel responded, “I’ve known Brad for years. We went to school together. I’m thrilled that he’s calling Lowden home now. Why do you ask?”
“I’m not sure.” Kate quickly responded, hoping that Nigel took her inquiry as a professional one, rather than a personal one. “He’s so new to the community. He is already a major contributor to the election campaign, and he seems to be popping up everywhere, including my early morning yoga class.” She smiled.
“Yoga.” Nigel chuckled. “That sounds like Brad.”
“Does it?”
“Oh yes. He’s a fitness buff. Tennis, cycling, skiing, I think he ran a marathon last year. I’m not surprised he’d try yoga,” he added with a smile. “I’m confident he’s going to try to conquer absolutely every sport before he turns fifty next month.” He paused. “Speaking of which, Kate, you should join us for a little birthday party that Elizabeth and I are throwing for him. He’s slowly getting to know people in Lowden, and I know that your familiar face would be a warm welcome. Assuming your schedule permits, please tell me you’ll join us.”
“Next month?” she questioned. “A Christmas baby?”
“Almost. The party is set for the twentieth.”
“Let’s see how the election turns out, Nigel,” she said with a wink. “Send me the details and I’ll be sure to add it to my calendar. Regardless of the outcome of the election, I’ll find a way to attend.”
Kate called her father on her way home. “Dad, Freeman is way out of line with the personal attacks. What should I do?”
“You’re right, Kate. He’s gone too far. You know what, let me call him. Maybe he needs to be reminded about the turnover rate of beautiful young women that have worked in the mayor’s office over the past few years.”