Campaign Trail

by J. A. Armstrong

  Cooper grinned from ear to ear and then laughed. “I don’t have a bow!”

  “Do you want a bow?” Jameson teased, tickling him gently.

  “No!” he laughed harder.

  “Do you know what I want for Christmas?” Jameson asked Cooper.

  “A new tool belt?”

  Candace snickered. Jameson was always looking at tools. She caught the sparkle in Jameson’s eyes. Santa might have that one covered.

  Jameson nodded. “That’d be nice, but what I really want?”

  “New pencils?” Cooper was enjoying the guessing game.

  Candace listened, enjoying Cooper’s innocence and the emotional light in Jameson’s eyes.

  “What I really want is to watch you open all your presents tomorrow,” Jameson said. “That’s all I want.”

  “But you need presents too,” Cooper said.

  Candace patted Cooper’s leg. “Don’t you worry,” she said. “Santa won’t forget Momma. Even if he did, your message would remind him.”

  “Yep. But, what if he doesn’t have your presents on his sleigh?”

  “He’s magic,” Candace explained. “How do you think he gets down chimneys?”

  “Right!” Cooper bounced on his bed.

  Candace pulled his blanket up around him. “Now, you’d better go to sleep so that Santa can do his job. You know, he waits until you are sleeping to visit.”

  “How will he know?” Cooper asked.

  Candace winked. “Magic,” she reminded him.

  Cooper nestled into his bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. He closed his eyes tightly.

  Candace smiled. “Goodnight, sweetheart.” She kissed him on the head.

  “Night, Coop,” Jameson said. She kissed him. “We love you.”

  Cooper pried one eye open. “Love you too,” he said. He shut his eyes tightly again.

  Candace led Jameson from the room.

  “Why is he so worried Santa will forget us?” Jameson wondered aloud.

  “He’s home, honey. I suspect that deep down, Cooper feels the same way we do.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean this is the greatest gift he’s ever gotten. Sounded to me like no matter how bad things got, someone always made sure Santa found Cooper.” Candace could tell Jameson was a bit lost. “I’ve been traveling. Lots has been happening these last few months,” she said. “I think Santa is something he’s always been able to count on. He wants that for us too.”

  Jameson shook her head. “Guess it was worth my asparagus.”

  Candace chuckled. “I’m sorry about your vegetables.”

  Jameson rolled her eyes. “Easy for you to say. You’ve got enough fortune cookies stashed away to survive Armageddon.”

  “Pick a food that reindeer don’t eat,” Candace suggested. She started heading toward the stairs.

  “How do you know they don’t like fortune cookies? You’re the one who said Santa is magic! Maybe he tells fortunes too,” Jameson called after her.

  Candace laughed. Lunatic. “Maybe you should write a letter to Santa and ask,” she called back.

  “Who’s writing a letter to Santa?” Marianne asked when her mother stepped into the living room.

  “Jameson,” Candace replied. “She wants to see if the reindeer will accept my fortune cookies as a substitute for her asparagus.”

  Marianne shook her head. Jameson appeared behind Candace.

  “Laugh it up,” Jameson said. “I can get a supersize bag of fortune cookies for less than a bundle of that asparagus.”

  “You really are hung up on that,” Michelle commented. She spooned some ice cream into her mouth and flopped onto the couch. “Hey? Where is Grandma? I thought she was going to be here?”

  Candace nodded. “Jeffrey surprised her this morning. She’ll be over for dinner tomorrow.”

  “She could have brought Jeffrey over,” Marianne said.

  “I think he might have wanted a little time with her today,” Candace’s tone told everyone to drop the subject of Pearl’s notable absence.

  Scott was sitting halfway under the tree trying to put together a train track for Spencer and Cooper. He groaned and threw the instructions aside. “There are two architects here. Do you think one of you could help me?”

  Jameson looked at Melanie and shrugged. “You bought it,” she reminded him.

  “So?”

  Jameson shrugged again. She picked up the instructions and handed them to Melanie.

  “Why do I have to do it?” Melanie asked.

  “Practice,” Jameson grinned evilly. “You’re going to have to do it times two, so you might as well start now.”

  Melanie looked at Michelle for help. “Don’t look at me. I’m still trying to figure out the birthing part.”

  “I thought this is what grandparents were for?” Melanie looked at Jameson.

  “No,” Candace said. “Grandparents provide the house, the meal, and the fresh produce to ensure Santa’s arrival. Parents get to do Christmas construction.”

  “Hey!” Scott called out. “You have Coop!” he pointed at Jameson.

  Jameson nodded. “Yep. But I bought things Coop has to construct himself like Legos.” She accepted Candace’s hand and followed her to the kitchen.

  Marianne pulled herself from the couch and followed the path Candace and Jameson had just taken.

  “Where are you going?” Scott called after her. “There’s still Maddie’s kitchen to put together.”

  Marianne shrugged. “You bought it, honey. I told you to get the Easy Bake oven.”

  “That’s so lame,” he said. “Shell? Help me out here?” Scott pleaded.

  “Don’t look at me,” Michelle said. “I can’t draw a straight line.”

  Melanie snickered.

  “You know what I meant,” Michelle threw her napkin at Melanie. “Mel will help you.” Michelle got up and started toward the kitchen.

  “Why me?”

  “Like JD said, double duty next year.”

  “Why do you get off the hook?” Melanie asked.

  Michelle turned around. “Hey, I have to figure out how to pump my breast. You get to play with toys.” She turned and walked away.

  Melanie and Scott looked at each other. Melanie threw up her hands. “Hand me the directions,” she said.

  “Giving in already?” Scott asked.

  “Trust me; it’s safer. She’s been obsessing over this pump thing for weeks. She’s not even due for six months. I’ll finish the train. You start on Maddie’s kitchen.”

  Scott laughed. “They’re all a little nuts.”

  Melanie smiled. “Yeah,” she agreed. “I think that’s why we love them, though.”

  Scott sighed. He got up and pulled a giant box from the corner of the room. “Legos,” he mumbled. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  ***

  Christmas

  Cooper rushed for the tree. He rushed past the train set and Maddie’s kitchen.

  “What are you looking for, Coop?” Marianne asked him. He whispered in her ear. Marianne nodded. “Oh.” She took his hand and guided him through the mass of presents. She pointed to two boxes wrapped in red. “Right there,” she whispered in his ear.

  Cooper grabbed the boxes and turned to the family triumphantly. “He remembered!”

  Candace was caught off guard when Cooper bounded into her.

  “Here Mommy,” he handed her the boxes. “Santa brought those for you and Momma.”

  “Thank you, Cooper.”

  “Open them!”

  “Don’t you want to open yours first?” she asked him. Cooper shook his head no. Candace handed Jameson her box and smiled at their son. “You want us to go first?” Cooper nodded again. “Okay.”

  “Should we do it together?” Jameson asked Cooper.

  “Yep!”

  Jameson nodded to Candace and the two began to unwrap their presents. Jameson lifted the top of the small box and held her breath. She could hear Spence
r and Maddie’s delighted giggles in the background, but it sounded far away to her. Inside the box was a silver heart necklace. It was simple. The only jewelry Jameson ever wore was her wedding ring. She lifted the pendant and looked at it. Engraved around its edge were the words Cooper’s Momma. Jameson looked at Candace, silently asking if she was responsible for the gift.

  Candace shook her head. She showed Jameson the contents of her box. Jameson looked at the gold bracelet Santa had left for Candace. A thin bar of gold was highlighted by two small diamonds. On the bar, the words Cooper’s Mommy had been engraved. Candace took a deep breath and looked at Cooper. “Did you ask Santa for these?” she asked him.

  “Yep,” he answered proudly. “Dylan said he got his moms neckwaces.”

  “Necklaces,” Candace gently corrected him.

  “He has two moms like me.”

  Candace smiled at Cooper. “Thank you for asking Santa to bring us something so special,” she said.

  “Marianne helped,” he told her.

  Candace nodded. She leaned in and kissed Cooper on the cheek. “I will be sure to thank her too,” she promised.

  Jameson cleared her throat. “I can’t believe Santa knew what to get me,” she said. She fastened the necklace around her neck and smiled.

  Cooper beamed.

  “Now, you go on,” Candace told Cooper. “And open the presents Santa left under the tree for you.”

  Cooper ran off to join Spencer and Maddie. Candace closed her eyes.

  Jameson kissed Candace on the cheek. “He really is the coolest kid ever.”

  Candace nodded. “Yes, he is,” she agreed. Spencer was playing with his train and Maddie and Cooper were exploring her kitchen. The wrapped presents sat nearly untouched. She laughed.

  “They still have about a hundred things each to open,” Jameson whispered.

  “They will. Enjoy the peace while it lasts,” Candace advised. “It’ll last all of about ten minutes—if we’re lucky.” She captured Marianne’s glance and squeezed Jameson’s knee.

  Jameson watched as Candace made her way over to Marianne. Her hand took hold of the charm resting on her chest. “Coolest kid ever,” she muttered.

  Candace looked at Marianne and shook her head. “You’re too much,” she said.

  “Me?” Marianne questioned.

  “Cooper said you helped him with Santa.”

  Marianne shrugged. “I guess he told Dylan he was worried that Santa wouldn’t bring you anything because he didn’t think old people wrote letters to Santa.”

  Candace chuckled. Old people? “I see.”

  “I helped him with his letter is all,” Marianne said. “I saved it for you.”

  Candace squeezed Marianne’s hand. “Thank you. You did too much.”

  “No,” Marianne disagreed. “I told Shell about it. I wasn’t sure what to get. Cooper just told Santa that his mommies needed something special like a necklace. Shell’s the one who went and got the gifts.”

  Candace nodded. She leaned in and kissed Marianne on the cheek. Michelle and Melanie had headed home the previous night. They were due to arrive in time for dinner. “I’ll be sure to thank her.” She made her way back to Jameson.

  “Legos!” Cooper screamed.

  “Score one for Momma,” Jameson grinned. She laughed watching the kids tear through one present after another. She felt Candace’s hand on her knee. “What is it?” she asked Candace.

  “The kids,” Candace said. “Seems Marianne helped Cooper with his letter. Shell had our gifts made.”

  Jameson was not surprised. All of Candace’s children had a heart of gold. All of them adored Cooper and worshiped their mother. “I take it back.”

  “What?” Candace asked.

  “We have the coolest kids ever.”

  Candace took Jameson’s hand. “Yes, we do.”

  “Coop!” Spencer’s voice bellowed. “You got a walking dinosaur!”

  Jameson looked at Candace. “Who…”

  “Score one for Mommy,” Candace said with a smirk.

  “We are the coolest moms ever,” Jameson said.

  “I can’t remember the last time anyone called me, ‘cool.’ Old, Nana—yes, cool…”

  “You’re totally cool,” Jameson teased. “You’re the hippest nana I know. And,” she leaned into Candace’s ear. “The sexiest one too.”

  Candace rolled her eyes. “You’re nuts.”

  “Yeah, you’ve mentioned that. But am I a sexy momma?” Jameson wiggled her eyebrows.

  Candace burst out laughing.

  “What’s up with your mom and JD?” Scott asked Marianne.

  Marianne smiled. She was grateful to see her mother relaxed and happy. She patted his hand. Candace had mentioned the night before that she planned to pretend there was no campaign, no governorship, and no media for as long as she could get away with it on Christmas. “It’s the calm before the chaos,” she commented. She laughed when her mother was coaxed onto the floor to see Maddie’s newest toy. Cooper’s new remote controlled dinosaur was dueling with a remote controlled car that Spencer had gotten.

  “This is what you call calm?” Scott asked.

  “Want out?” Marianne asked him.

  Scott squeezed her hand and pretended to think about it. “Not before I get my presents.”

  Marianne stared at him for a minute before cackling loudly.

  “Momma!” Cooper called for Jameson.

  Jameson waded through a wad of colorful wrapping paper and sat beside Candace. She leaned into Candace’s ear. “You think I’m a lunatic? This is a regular asylum.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Candace said just as Cooper’s dinosaur crashed into her. She feigned terror which sent the kids into a fit of giggles.

  “Come on, Coop. Let’s take them in the kitchen where there’s room!” Spencer and Cooper ran off with their new toys with Maddie hot on their heels pushing a toy shopping cart.

  “That might get ugly,” Jameson observed. She made her way to her feet and offered Candace a hand up. “I should pick this mess up.”

  Candace grabbed Jameson’s hand and led her toward the kitchen. “It’ll be there after coffee and Jurassic Park in the kitchen,” she said.

  Marianne watched Candace lead Jameson away. Scott tried to discern what she was thinking. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Marianne said. “Just realizing how much I’ll miss them.” She saw Scott’s confusion. “This time next year she’ll be getting ready to move into a new white house.”

  “If she wins,” he said.

  “She’ll win.”

  “You sound sure. A lot could happen between now and then.”

  Marianne sighed. She was certain that a lot would happen in the next year. Some people might have called it a sixth sense; Marianne felt the future in her bones. “A lot will happen,” she said. “That won’t change the outcome.”

  “You don’t want her to go,” Scott observed.

  “She’s my mom,” Marianne gave her answer. “She might be some people’s great hope and some people’s greatest fear; to me? She’s just Mom.”

  Marianne got up and began the task of cleaning up the room.

  “Marianne?” Scott took hold of her arm. “She’ll still be your mom.”

  “I know. I just want to enjoy our chaos today before I need to deal with the whole world’s tomorrow.”

  Marianne concentrated on the task at hand. She could hear her mother and Jameson laughing in the distance as their son and grandchildren playfully taunted them. She savored the sound. She’d grown to love having them all close. For some reason, reality seemed to hit her today. Washington DC was not a million miles away; it was not next door either. She took a deep breath. Within days, Candace’s life would transform into a whirlwind of activity and travel. Nothing would ever be the same again for any of them. Marianne knew that. It’s why her mother was determined to enjoy this holiday in the familiar, loving chaos their family always conjured. She cl
osed her eyes and willed herself not to succumb to the melancholy creeping through her. I’ll miss you, Mom. I’ll miss all of you.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Governor Reid,” Jerry Barr looked at Candace. “Senator Keyes has said on the campaign trail that values can’t be compromised. You have a long history of working with people on the other side of the aisle. Some would say to the detriment of your values. As president, how do you intend to move your agenda ahead without compromising your most strongly held beliefs?”

  Candace smiled.

  “Oh, boy,” Michelle whispered to JD. She was positive the world was watching a collected, calm, affable Governor Reid. Michelle recognized her mother’s smile as one that was laced by displeasure.

  “She’ll be fine,” Jameson assured Michelle.

  Candace nodded to the moderator. “That’s an interesting question.” She took a deep breath. “Politics isn’t as complicated as some people make it out to be,” she said. She looked out at the audience gathered. “Everything in life is created by and managed by people. Compromise is necessary if you hope to create meaningful change, whether that’s in your personal life or for the world.”

  “But, what about your values?” Barr asked.

  “I’m getting to that,” Candace said politely. “First, I think it’s important to understand what I value. What I value most in life is people. Life—all the aspects of our lives—are guided by and made meaningful by the people in it. That’s what drove me to seek office years ago; the idea that someone like myself who has been given every opportunity has an obligation to help create those same opportunities for others.” She looked back at the moderator. “When you say the word, ‘values’ you’re referring to specific political issues that we’ve come to put in ‘values’ terms: marriage equality, for instance. A woman’s right to choose, affirmative action, worker’s rights, immigration reform, healthcare—these are the values that Senator Keyes is referring to. Those issues are deemed ‘values’ specifically through a religious lens in our country.”

  Barr nodded. “And, you have a history of compromise.”

  “I do,” Candace agreed. “When I believe compromise is in the best interest of the people I was elected to serve. What I have never compromised is my commitment to fairness and equality.”