Never Marry a Politician

by Sarah Waights

  ‘It was stating the obvious really,’ said Emily modestly. ‘There was quite a bit about the role of the step-parent,’ she told Susie. ‘I used you and the children for inspiration. I hope you don’t mind, I just think you manage it really well,’ she said.

  ‘Gosh, thanks,’ gushed Susie, ‘I’m really lucky they’re such nice children, I’m sure the whole “wicked stepmother” thing only happens when they’re ghastly brats.’

  ‘They are, when they’re with us,’ said Matt, affectionately ruffling Tash’s hair. She tried to look sulky, but her adoration of Matt was too obvious.

  ‘Do you think you’ll add to the family when you and Ralph tie the knot?’ asked Emily, who was finding herself quite preoccupied with the subject.

  ‘Don’t think so,’ said Susie, ‘Ralph’s quite enough to manage on the “child front” and anyway I can’t see how I could possibly combine babies with all the PM’s consort stuff. I’m up to my eyes at the moment with this wives’ visit when Ralph hosts the international peace conference next week.’

  ‘Gosh, are you doing the official consort bit?’ asked Emily, surprised.

  ‘Sort of,’ chipped in Gerald who had just arrived with Nessa. He pecked both women on the cheek shyly. ‘Of course it can’t be official until the decree absolute and wedding announcement but it is remarkable how well the changes are being perceived and accepted by the various target audiences. I mean it’s only been a few months after all.’

  ‘Not remarkable at all,’ commented Nessa, who had already managed to get a drink in her hand. ‘Just a credit to your extraordinary PR skills darling,’ she said, giving Gerald an approving squeeze around his contentedly expanding waist.

  ‘Just TJ and Philip to come now,’ observed Emily, ‘which is good because lunch is pretty much ready,’ she added, just as the doorbell rang.

  TJ looked more grown-up that she had ever known him, and every inch the prospective MP in his impeccably cut suit, having come straight from church.

  ‘Hello both of you,’ said Emily, giving the couple a quick hug. ‘TJ, Ralph’s in the sitting room. I know he wants to hear about your candidacy. Well done by the way. When is the by-election?’

  ‘Three weeks’ time,’ said TJ making the fingers crossed sign as he went off in search of his mentor.

  ‘And how are you finding it?’ Emily asked Philip.

  ‘Mm,’ said Philip, the master of understatement. ‘We’re ready for Maresbury, but is Maresbury ready for us?’

  ‘They chose TJ as their candidate didn’t they?’ reasoned Emily. ‘And it’s a pretty safe seat from what I’ve heard.’

  ‘It is,’ agreed Philip. ‘I just hope it’s not me that buggers it up for him.’

  ‘Why would it be?’ she asked, giving him a reassuring hug, ‘although I should probably give you a copy of my ten commandments for politician’s wives.’

  ‘Better still,’ interrupted Nessa, ‘you should give him that hideous “How to Run a Perfect Household” book I found in the jumble sale. Do you remember?’

  ‘How could I forget?’ joked Emily. ‘You’ll find it a laugh actually Philip, I’ll dig it out for you after lunch.’

  ‘If I find it first I’ll chuck it on the fire,’ said Matt, ‘you haven’t still got it, darling? The damned thing’s pure poison.’

  ‘I’d no idea you’d read it,’ teased Emily, wrapping her arm around his waist as they stood looking out at the children in the garden.

  ‘Ours would have been nearly eleven now,’ said Matt quietly. ‘I still wonder what he would have looked like. Pretty handsome I reckon, with you for a mum.’

  ‘Well,’ said Emily carefully, ‘you had better hope our genes are a good mix because we’ll be finding out soon enough.’

  Matt looked puzzled, ‘What?’ he said, and then, as Emily raised an eyebrow, a slow smile spread across his face.

  ‘When?’ he said at last.

  ‘Ooh, well, if my calculations are right,’ said Emily, ‘you’ll be getting an early Christmas present from me.’

  ‘Seven months?’ Matt said, wonderingly, turning her to face him, his hand on her still flat tummy and a huge grin spreading across his face.

  Emily nodded, gazing into the eyes of the man she loved. Yes. Here was the man she was meant to be with. The happy ending they had been waiting eleven years for had come at last.

  * The End *

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  About the Author

  Sarah Waights

  Sarah wrote her first book when she was five. With a father in the forces and the diplomatic corps she spent the best part of her childhood in UK boarding schools, joining her parents in exotic destinations during the school holidays.

  After obtaining a degree in music she gave up classical singing and took up a career where she could indulge her love of writing. After several years in public relations, campaigning, political lobbying and freelance journalism she realised her preference for making things up and switched to writing novels instead.

  She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends and life in her West Sussex village where she lives in a cottage with roses around the door, along with her artist husband, their children and other pets.

  Never Marry a Politician, Sarah’s debut novel, was a runner up in the 2014 Good Housekeeping Novel Writing Competition.