by King, Imani
“I quit the campaign, Kell. I just want to lie low here and have this baby in peace.”
“Good luck with that darling. I think it might be better if you get away from your parents’ place. The media has likely found out exactly where your parents live. I’ll be surprised if they don’t show up soon.”
“I know. I’ll deal. Maybe after the election, after John loses...”
“That’s the thing, darling. Janice is still down in the polls, even after all of this. And God knows Maisy doesn’t look good for a win. John could still win, my love. If only I had you at my side, like the good old days.”
“The pregnant, disappearing wife? I don’t think I’d get much done.” I paused. “I’m keeping the baby, Kelly.”
“Your ‘John’ might want to know that.”
“Is... he okay?”
“Don’t know darling. He ran off this morning without a word. I have an inkling that he’s desperately trying to find you. That man... It’s like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He’s positively wild about you, my dear. You’re both fools, you know. You should have acknowledged it ages ago. You know that, don’t you?”
“I don’t know, Kell. He was... horrible when the pictures came out. Said it was all an ‘arrangement.’”
“He’s afraid. And yes, he was horrible. He doesn’t deserve someone like you, and I should have seen that at the beginning. You know you lash out at people you love the most…”
“Right, well, I’m not sure. I think he loves the campaign a whole lot more than he loves me. I’ll figure out a way to let the world know I’m alive. And I’ll work on the money piece. Is there a way to prove that Janice did it?”
“Working on it presently, darling. I’ll speak to you soon, yes?”
“Of course.” I heard a click on the other end and then a car pulling up in the driveway. I went to the window and peered out. A news van came to a halt in front of the garage. My father ambled up to the man and pointed to the street. The van backed up, parking on the street by my parents’ driveway. I walked out of my room and greeted Daddy at the door.
“What’s this all about?” I rubbed my eyes. A blast of cool air came into the house as the door closed behind my father.
“People looking for you. We had to take the phone off the hook.”
“I’m causing all kinds of trouble, aren’t I?” My father drew me into a hug.
“It’ll all die down, Sonia. I promise you that. But I’m pleased as punch to see you up and out of bed, sweetheart.”
“Had to get up sometime.”
“I guess so. I’ll put out some lunch for you, if you like if you want to wash up.” I nodded and hugged him tight again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another news van pull up at the end of the street. My mother pulled the curtains closed on the bay windows that looked out to the road.
***
After I’d showered, I put on a gray maxi skirt and a blue t-shirt. For someone with my expanding proportions, it would have to do the moment. I had crossed into thirteen weeks pregnant, and my body took up more and more space in the world. I sat down at my old desk and opened my laptop for the first time since I’d arrived in North Carolina.
“Three hundred and twenty-six unread messages. Fantastic.” I took a deep breath. “Woosah, girl. We can do this.” I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment before opening my browser. “Alright, Bank of America. Whatcha got for me?” My eyes widened. In the savings account, I saw a longer number than I ever had--Janice had somehow gotten two million dollars and moved it into my account from John’s. And just like my parents had said, there were multiple deposits, dating back into August. How was that even possible?
“Damn that woman. John must have tried to pay her off, and this is what she did with the money. Made it even worse. John, boy, you should have known better.” I checked and found that I still had access to the campaign site. I already knew what my next step would be. I combed out my hair and checked my curls in the mirror. Almost as an afterthought, I dabbed a bit of pink lip gloss on my lips. “Don’t matter too much what you look like this time, Sonia. Just matters what you say.”
I sat down at the computer and pressed the record button.
“I’m Sonia Mills—yes, I’ve kept my maiden name. By now, you’ve seen my face all over the internet and on the local news station. Some of the things you’ve heard are true, and some are not. I’ve been in politics long enough to know that’s the way it is in scandals.” I paused, looking to the notes I’d scribbled down.
“I’m making this video in support of John. Janice, I bet you thought I wouldn’t do that. But I am. In my heart, I know that John Gregory Reynolds is the best person for this job. And it’s not just because I care about him--because...because I love him. It’s because none of this was his doing.
“We met, yes. We slept together, yes. And I am pregnant. We married for the sake of our child. John told me that the marriage would protect me and the baby I’m carrying. I thought it would protect him. In the end, it hurt both of us.
“As for the disappearance, I am here, alive, in North Carolina. I’ll be staying with my parents for the duration of my pregnancy, and I will be sending back the two million dollars that was somehow deposited into my bank account. It is not rightfully mine, and it is not something I asked for or wanted.
“To our supporters, I hope you see this for what it is. A scandal created out of almost nothing, two people’s private lives put on display for everyone to investigate. I know that you will not let this scandal cloud your views of the real stakes—the policies and the issues that John Reynolds will bring to the table. Even though John’s hasty marriage may not last, I’m here to tell the world that his political career will stand the test of time. I’m speaking out today in support of my husband, for the sake of American people.
“I’m Sonia Mills, and I support John Gregory Reynolds for Senator.” I ended the recording, letting out a long sigh. All of the tension I’d built up, the sneaking around and the secrets, the lies and the bullying, it all ended in that moment. I spoke out in favor of a person I believed in—the father of my child. I gulped and uploaded the video. In a few moments, it would be accessible to the world.
“Alright Janice, you bitch. Let’s see what you’ve got now.” I closed my computer and heard the low rumble of a car pulling up in the driveway. I jumped, my heart racing. Not again. These damn news people needed to get the hell out.
“Mama! Daddy! Another news van is here!” A knock sounded on the front door. I hopped up and ran out to the foyer, ready to raise some hell with whatever newsperson has been brazen enough to knock on my parents’ door. My mother pulled the door open.
Outlined by the golden-orange October trees was John Gregory Reynolds, clad in a fine dark blue suit.
“Mrs. Mills? I’m John Reynolds, and I’m in love with your daughter. I’ve come to bring her back home.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“John, what on earth are you doing here?” I rubbed my eyes, half expected him to be gone when I opened them again.
“I’ve come to take you home, Sonia. I love you. I’ve been in love with you. I just—I didn’t have the courage to say it.”
“Young man!” My mother put her hand up, touching him right in the center of his chest. “You’ve caused my daughter a lot of trouble. Have you asked her if she wants you here?”
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Mills.” John looked at my mother. “Let me start over. I’m John Reynolds. I have caused your daughter a great deal of trouble. And I haven’t asked her much of anything. I’ve only told her what I wanted. I was horrible. I was undeserving.” He looked at me for a moment and then back to my mother. “And I am so deeply, truly sorry. I’m nothing without her, and I don’t want to win the election without her by my side.”
“Politician types don’t impress me much. What matters is my daughter’s happiness. And if she tells you to leave right now, you will.” My mother looked back at me. “Sonia?”
&nbs
p; “It’s okay, Mama. He can come in.” John stepped through the door and walked over to me, pulling me into a hard hug. I stayed limp for a moment, and then brought my arms to him, his strong body warm against me. I let myself hold onto him for a moment and then pulled away. “John, you need to be in DC. You need to do the final push for the campaign, no matter what. I can get the money back to you—”
“I don’t care about the money.” My mother gave me a look and I nodded at her. She padded softly down the hallway and into her office at the back of the house. Outside, the news vans were beginning to line up. Apparently, a Jaguar in the middle of the small town of Cedar Grove attracted all kinds of attention. “I only care about you, Sonia. I want you to come home and be with me.”
“I think we missed our chance. And for once I won’t blame it on you. It’s my fault too, my fault for not trusting you when you said you wanted to be with me. And my fault for not telling you I felt the same way.” He leaned in and kissed me gently on the cheek.
“I love you, Sonia. I am so in love with you. I was a goner the moment I saw you, and every day I know you, I fall deeper in love with you. I never thought it was possible, after losing so much. This—you and me—it’s a miracle. It’s meant to be.” Tears came to my eyes, falling down my cheeks as I began to sob. He knelt before me and pulled a small black box out of his pocket.
“John, what are you doing? We’re already married.” My voice cracked. John took my hand in his.
“Sonia, will you do me the highest honor of marrying me… again?” He opened the box. “I know you’re not one for jewelry, but I thought you might like this. It was my mother’s. And she would have loved you.” In the box was a ring with three diamonds, each the same size, channel set in white gold.
“John, it’s beautiful, but I can’t—”
“Let me finish.” He squeezed my hand. “She gave it to me after Janice lost the baby and left me, and she told me she knew I’d meet a real woman someday, and that we would have a child who would change everything in our worlds. That it would be like three diamonds together—a complete family. And I never believed her until I met you. I was just too scared, too scared that it wouldn’t work. That I’d lose everything again. Please, Sonia. I know in my heart that this is right.” The tears rolled down my cheeks, and I sniffed, wiping them away with my sleeve.
“Okay,” I said, still sobbing.
“‘Okay,’ like ‘yes?’” John pulled out the ring and held it up to my hand. I nodded, unable to form more words and spread my fingers. He slipped the ring on and moved closer to me, resting his ear against my stomach.
“I can almost hear her in there,” said John. He kissed my belly. “I’m your daddy,” he whispered. “And I promise I’ll never put your mother through anything like this again.” I laughed through my tears.
“Stand up, you fool!” I took his hand in mine and pulled him up. He kissed me softly, tucking a stray curl behind my ear.
“Freeze this moment in time,” he whispered. “Because I’m the happiest man in the world.”
“And the most scandalous politician in America.”
“There’s that. But for right now, I just want to think about you.” I kissed him on the cheek.
“Well, that makes one of us. This ring is really great, and I look forward to planning a real wedding. But we’ve got an election to win, and I don’t think the one video I uploaded is going to cut it.”
“What video?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Wait one second, and I’ll show you. And then we’ll plan out our attack. First we’re going to tell my parents I’m having a boy over, and that we’re going to do our homework—work, for real, and that’s it—in my bedroom.” He laughed again and nodded.
“I can do that.”
“Mama! Daddy! I’m getting married!” My mother peeked out of her office, and my father ambled out of his TV room. He walked straight to John and held out his hand.
“I’m Herbert Mills, and you better not do anything else to hurt this girl, young man,” he said. John shook my father’s hand and gulped.
“Yessir.”
“That’s Annette, and she’ll probably like you better than I will at first.” My mom smiled. “But I heard y’all out here, and I guess congratulations are in order.”
“Thank you sir,” John said. My mother stepped over and put her hand on John’s arm.
“When my daughter got this job, she called me and told me that you were a fine man, a good politician. Is that true?”
“I like to think so,” he said.
“Then you all have some work to do. I’ll bring you sandwiches and two waters. We’ll make up a guest bed for you two. I guess you all are married, but it still feels somewhat… inappropriate.” My mother gave us both a look, and I buried my face in John’s sleeve. “But you all have a campaign to get to. Now go on and get to work.” I grabbed John’s hand and pulled him back to my bedroom. I opened my laptop and cracked my knuckles.
“Now let me save your sorry, inappropriate, deliciously gorgeous ass.” I leaned into him and kissed his neck, taking in the scent of him. We dissolved into laughter, and I fell into his arms. He sat down at my desk and pulled me onto his lap.
Mine. For good, I thought. Now, let’s get on to the business of winning.
***
“You ready, Mrs. Reynolds?”
“I am. Are you ready, Mr. Reynolds?” I peeked out of the window. My father opened the trunk of the Subaru and put our suitcases inside.
“Don’t worry. My dad will enjoy driving the Jaguar up to DC.”
“Oh, I’m not worried. I’m more worried that your dad will kick my ass if I do anything bad ever again.”
“You should be worried, Mr. Reynolds. He probably would. I don’t think he gives a damn that you just might make it to your Senate seat after all.” The response to the video had been overwhelmingly positive. It had been viewed over a million times in the past twenty-four hours. Apparently I was both “likable” and “genuine.” I guessed my good girl sweetness was paying off in this situation. My father came back through the door. Reporters were lined up along the street, some in news vans, some standing outside of their cars with their cameras ready. My father gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and shook John’s hands.
“Alright, John. Run!” John took my hand in his, and we ran down the cement steps and over to my Subaru. Even in the light of the day, the cameras flashed through the yard. Reporters yelled at us from the end of the driveway.
“Y’all go on!” My father shouted. My mother shushed him and waved at us.
“Drive safe!” she shouted. “That’s my baby girl!” John opened the passenger side door for me and took the driver’s seat. In a few moments, we were driving through the sea of reporters, slowly but surely.
“Let them see us,” he said. John waved and smiled, and I laughed. “I guess we ought to get back to DC for that press conference pretty quick. People will think I’ve only got you on my mind.”
“Well, isn’t that the case?” I laughed and looked over at my husband. His broad body took up most of the space in my car, it seemed. “Yeah, I guess we better. I think we’ve got a pretty good strategy—total honesty. I mean, it doesn’t work for most politicians, but we could be the first in a new era.”
“You’re damn right. After seeing how we’ve risen after that video you posted, I’m excited to see what we can do. United, as a family. And after that, I’m sure as hell planning to make the world a better place for you and our child.”