Broken Politics

by Janae Keyes

  “Bend over.” He said with a husky growl. I obliged and bent over the counter. There was simply something about him when he took control in this way, I loved the demanding nature of his tone. I was all his in the moment and I wanted it all. I felt him grab my hips from behind. “I’ve been waiting two weeks for this.” He said his voice still husky and burning with desire.

  I felt his erection press against me from behind. I spread my legs wider and he instantly entered me in a hard thrust.

  “Matt!” I cried out. His hands were gripping at my hips as he moved. I felt every bit of him as he continued to grind into me. I moaned and cried out his name over and over again. I felt one of his hands slide up my body and cup my breast. He massaged it roughly. I was close again. I closed my eyes knowing in a moment my body was going to be on fire and as I predicted a fire grew inside of me and burned through my core and limbs. “Oh yes...I’m...Yes!” It was as if I was on fire and frozen at the same time. Frozen in the moment as I felt my body give into him.

  He gripped me hard as he rode out his own orgasm. When he was finished he turned me back to him and kissed me gently. He left kisses along my neck and to my ear.

  “Let’s get you all clean.” He said as he began to pull me towards the shower.

  We washed one another’s bodies before retreating to the bedroom where he gently made love to me and we fell asleep in one another’s arms. I could only think of having this time with him, but my heart hurt when I thought of the three weeks he would be gone. I simply knew his heart was feeling the same.

  UPON WAKING UP I reached over to the other side of the bed, but it was cold and empty. I opened my eyes and started to sit up. Matthew was nowhere to be seen. I sat up and pulled the sheet over my bare body. The bedroom was mostly dark. I slipped from the bed and grabbed one of Matthew’s Harvard University t-shirts and slipped it on. I walked into the bathroom thinking he would be there, but it was dark and empty. I found my panties on the floor and slipped them on.

  I decided to go into the sitting room that was also empty. My next stop was the kitchen. There was a basket of fresh baked muffins on the counter that had obviously been sent up from the kitchen. I went to turn and leave when I noticed a note next to the basket. I picked it up seeing that it was in Matthew’s handwriting.

  THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY. I DIDN’T WANT TO WAKE YOU. I HOPE YOU SLEPT WELL. SEE YOU SOON. I LOVE YOU. – M

  I wondered what the emergency could be. I sighed and grabbed a muffin. I took it with me into the bedroom and sat on the bed eating my muffin. It was too quiet in there alone. I found the remote control and turned on the TV that sat in the corner. I flipped through the channels and landed on a news channel.

  “We are still covering the breaking news out of Cincinnati where riots have ravaged the city since last night after an 11 year old boy was shot and killed by police.” The reporter said. I quickly sat up at attention. “We just got word that President Von Hansen will be saying a few words on the matter in a few minutes.”

  “What?” I yelped out loud now instantly angry with Matthew for not waking me up. I wouldn’t have enough time at this point to get my clothes on and rush to the briefing room. I just sat on the bed waiting to hear what Matthew was going to say. The cameras switched to the briefing room and focused on the podium. After 7 months of working here I had become pretty familiar with that room.

  I saw Matthew walk to the podium. He looked good for having flown all day yesterday and having had sex with me half the night. His hair was a bit messy though, but if he was woken up and had to rush away I could understand that he didn’t have time to fix it.

  “Today a city is in shambles. Today Americans in the city of Cincinnati are waking up to this news or have been woken up to the senseless rioting taking place in the city. Last night a young boy died at the hands of officers who were doing their jobs as they responded to calls of a fight at a home. This boy is said to have appeared to be armed and the officers did their duty when they used deadly force. Some might say they went too far and others might agree with their actions. As an American and as the President of this nation I put my trust in these officers and trust they were going by their training when they took action. I know today they are replaying last night over and over in their minds. I stand here and say I support the officers who did their jobs.” He then paused. I couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. I was enraged with him.

  “Matthew!” I growled punching my fists on the bed.

  “Those who are rioting are not helping the city, but hurting it. I support the city of Cincinnati for imposing a curfew and I support that they will handle this investigation without federal interference. My prayers are with the city of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Police Department.” Matthew then stepped away from the podium. I didn’t know what to think about what he’d said. He never mentioned the family of the boy. The family who’d just lost an 11-year-old child.

  I wanted to yell and scream and I wanted to see Matthew face to face. I went into the sitting room and found my bag and pulled out my iPad. I needed to read more about this incident. I craved to know more. There had to be more to this story.

  NEARLY TWO HOURS passed since Matthew’s statement when he walked into the residence looking exhausted. I sat on the couch and just stared at him. He came my way and bent to kiss me, but I moved away. He looked at me concerned.

  “Baby what’s wrong?” he asked me.

  “You.” I answered plainly keeping my voice void of emotion.

  “Because I left you asleep. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to wake you. I didn’t think I’d be gone so long.” He said as he took his suit jacket off.

  “It’s not that.” I said standing and looking him in the eyes. “You just condoned the killing of an 11-year-old CHILD.” I growled at him.

  “I did not condone it.” He said as if he was dismissing me.

  “You did. You said that the officers were doing their job when they killed a fucking child. Then you never even mention the family of the boy. By the way in case you didn’t know his name was Demarcus Wilson. He just turned 11 three weeks ago. He doesn’t look like a criminal who needs killing in this photo from his birthday party 3 weeks ago.” I said as I held up my iPad showing a photo of the little boy smiling down at his birthday cake.

  “According to the police when they entered the home the boy was holding in his hands what looked to be a gun and they used appropriate force.” Matthew said to me plainly and calmly.

  “It’s not appropriate to kill an 11 year old child who is holding a gun that is a controller to a fucking videogame that he was playing when the police barged into his home!” I shouted. My blood was boiling to the point of spilling over.

  “There is no need to shout.” Matthew shot at me sternly. I wasn’t going to stand for his crap. I walked right up to him and stood with my face right in front of his.

  “I’m sure if he was an 11 year old white kid you would be giving all the prayers to his family, but because this kid is black his family doesn’t get squat. Hell the 11 year old white kid wouldn’t be dead right now.” I growled at him.

  “Are you calling me racist?” he asked me at once.

  “If the shoe fits.” I declared looking at him directly in the eyes. He simply laughed in my face.

  “How can I be racist when I’ve been seeing you for 6 months and you so happen to be black.” He retorted.

  “Guess I’m the token black friend, am I? Are you saying black lives matter to you just because I’m black?” I questioned crossing my arms.

  “It’s not just because of you…” he paused. “Baby we can’t fight over this. It happened and it’s a tragedy, but you can’t make this into a race thing.”

  “But it is a race thing. You’ve made it a race thing. You made it a race thing when you went on national television and didn’t give his family anything. One prayer is all they need from you, but you gave nothing. Black lives don’t matter to you. The only black life that matters
to you is the one you get to fuck every night... No wonder Thomas Jefferson is your favorite past president.” I exploded still not looking away from his eyes.

  “You didn’t just compare what we have to Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings?” he questioned.

  “You know what. I’m leaving.” I said at once picking up my things. I walked into the bathroom and started to change my clothes. Matthew followed me in.

  “Baby.” He said softly looking at me from the door.

  I slipped my sweater dress over my head and walked right past him without a word. I could hear his footsteps behind me when I walked back into the sitting room and put my coat on.

  “Baby you are taking this too far.” He then said as he grabbed my wrist.

  “Let me go. I’m leaving.” I growled as I shook my wrist away from him and grabbed the rest of my things. I didn’t want to be around him. In that moment I couldn’t separate the man I loved Matthew from President Von Hansen. In that moment they were the same man and I despised him for all he stood for.

  BROKEN POLITICS

  #BlackLivesMatter

  Another day and another person of color shot in cold blood by police who are “Just doing their jobs”. This kid was 11 years old. He was in the 5th grade and was at the top of his class. He loved Spiderman and wanted to be a comic book artist, but none of that matters anymore because he was shot and killed and the President of the United States doesn’t even utter a word of prayers for his family. This family lost their 11 year old child all for nothing. President Matthew Von Hansen disgusts me to the core. He stands behind the killing of a child; who fucking does that? I can tell you who…President Matthew Von Hansen who apparently supports the killing of children. I am pretty damn sure if it were an 11-year-old white kid this President would be singing another tune.

  People of Cincinnati who are rioting in the streets; Put down your torches and pick up your pens. Stop allowing them to see us as animals to be put back in cages. Show your intellect and put your thoughts on paper. Let them see who we really are. We aren’t a bunch of savages, but real people with hearts and clear minds. Stand up and show them that our lives do matter.

  Until Then,

  K

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kayla

  ANGER SEEMED TO boil from inside of me. I’d let three days pass and I was still so angry with Matthew. He’d called me everyday, multiple times a day and I hadn’t answered. I didn’t want to speak to him in the state that I was in. I knew he must have been angry with me too especially after my latest post on Broken Politics.

  It was funny to me that as angry as I was with him, I still seemed to miss him. This was the biggest fight we’d ever had. I hated that it came to this. I hated that we could disagree on something like this. I needed him to understand my end of it. If he loves me he could find that understanding…at least I hoped.

  I sat at my desk in the Press Corp offices. I’d avoided seeing Matthew at all costs. He’d been calling and sending notes down to my desk, but I simply tossed the notes in the trash and ignored his calls.

  “How about that Broken Politics post?” questioned the guy sitting at the desk next to mine. It was the desk that had once been occupied by Julie. Since she left Conservative Daily had sent someone new. Personally I couldn’t stand him. Bryce Tredington was your typical Conservative elite. He was from a rich southern family and boasted of his roots at every chance he got. He also was very anti-liberal and spewed his nonsense day in and day out.

  “It’s a good post. I like how she called for an end to the rioting and asked for those rioting to show who they are in a more constructive manner.” I stated knowingly keeping my face at my computer screen.

  “She?” questioned Bryce. “You think the traitor behind Broken Politics is a girl?”

  “I’m pretty convinced it has to be a girl. The emotion that is written into every post just seems to emote feminine energy.” I said. I thought it was funny that Bryce thought of me as a traitor. I thought of myself to be more of a revolutionary than a traitor. I loved my country as much as the next person and I just wanted to see my country thrive at the hands of a competent leader. It wasn’t that Matthew was incompetent; it was just that he seemed to lack the ambition to travel outside of party lines when it mattered the most.

  “You would say that…writing for MetroGirl.” He scoffed with a chuckle. I rolled my eyes. I missed sharing this space with Julie. We were always able to agree to disagree and move on as girlfriends, but now I was stuck spending my time with this misogynist asshole.

  My secured cell phone rang again. I looked at the screen knowing it was Matthew calling. I once again ignored his call. I felt emotions welling up inside of me. I knew eventually I was going to face him, but that time wasn’t now. I was still too angry and I didn’t want to say any more things that I didn’t mean. I now found myself battling my love for him with my ideas of who I thought he should be.

  I WALKED INTO the bar and looked around. I instantly spotted Simone with her big curls at a table in a corner. I made my way to her and took off my coat. I hung my coat on a nearby coat rack before sitting down at the table with my best friend. She’d been working fulltime at Senator Butler’s office for a few weeks now and I wasn’t able to see her nearly as much anymore. It was nice on a time like this to be able to go out with my best friend.

  “I ordered you a drink.” Simone said as I sat down at the table with her.

  “Thanks I need it.” I said with a sigh picking up my drink from the table. I took a sip of the martini and let the alcohol slide down my throat.

  “Still not talking to him?” Simone asked.

  “No. He’s been calling me all day, but I just ignore the calls. I’m still too heated with him. I’ve already said too many hurtful things to him. I don’t want to say more things that I don’t mean.” I explained before taking another sip of my martini.

  “Yeah that Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings thing was a bit much.” She said to me.

  I hated that I said those things to him. I hated that I insinuated that what we had wasn’t as deep and amazing as it was. That day when I went home I immediately sent a text to Simone telling her everything. I was angry with him, but angry with myself for being the way I was with him. I’d let my anger take over and I hated that I allowed that. Matthew and I had rules and I’d broken one important one; I’d hit below the belt.

  “Maybe tomorrow I will answer his calls, but not today.” I proclaimed thinking of Matthew.

  After three days I’d missed him so much, but I needed to calm down. I needed to collect my thoughts. I needed to find the right words to express my feelings to him. I needed to know the right words, my words. Words that were not filled with anger, but filled with understanding.

  “I don’t know what to think of the two of you. Both of you are so strong-minded, but yet you love one another so strongly it is amazing, but also so exhausting.” She said looking at me. She was right. We were exhausting, but I loved him so strongly that I was willing to be exhausted as long as it meant I could always have him.

  “He’s my everything.” I said softly feeling a single tear fall down my cheek. I wiped it away. I don’t think I’d ever admitted to myself how much I loved him and how much he meant to me. In a short amount of time he’d found his way into my heart and the thought of losing him scared me to death.

  Matthew

  IT HAD NOW been four days since that day. Kayla wasn’t answering any of my calls. Her words had stung, but I knew deep down she didn’t mean them. I knew that she was saying those things out of anger. I just wanted to hear her voice. I just wanted to let her know how much I loved her, I wanted her to know that I did care. She wasn’t just an easy lay, but she was the love of my life.

  My only hope was that I hadn’t lost her. My only hope was that she would continue to be mine and that I could be hers. These days were torture. I had to read her thoughts of anger on Broken Politics and then the anger of the country was upon me. I didn�
�t quite understand it all. I needed to know her side. I needed to know her life. I needed to fully understand.

  I sat at my desk with my head in my hands. I couldn’t think. Her words just kept echoing in my mind. I wanted to know her truth.

  I picked up my phone and dialed a number quickly. It rang a few times before a male voice answered.

  “Yes Ray I need a car. I need to go somewhere.” I said at once knowing exactly where I needed to me.

  “It could be anywhere from 25 minutes to an hour to arrange everything Mr. President.” Ray pointed out to me.

  “I know and I will be waiting.” I said. My heart was pounding. I knew I needed to do this. I knew that things couldn’t go on the way they had. No matter the specifics or the possible complications or revelations I needed to do this.

  It was about 45 minutes before my detail was ready. As always I was in the Presidential limo with a full detail of secret service and police. It was a huge fuss for me to go anywhere, but this was a necessity. I rode through the streets of Washington DC into a neighborhood I’d never been to before. The limo stopped in front of an apartment building. I looked down at the paper in my hands noting I was looking for apartment 4C.

  The door of the limo was opened and I was instantly flocked by my Secret Service detail. They walked with me into the building and to the elevator. Ray stepped in the elevator first and then I joined him followed by Paul and Chris. This was a bit dramatic for what it was worth, but I understood it all.

  When the elevator reached the fourth floor it was like my heart had stopped. Chris and Paul stepped out and so did I. I walked up the hall until I reached apartment 4C. I paused for a moment. I took a breath and closed my eyes. I opened them and knocked on the door…once…twice…three times.

  “Who is it?” called the sweetest voice I’d ever known.