Secrets So Deep eBook

by Secrets So Deep [Bella] (mobi)

  The waitress appeared at their table, dropping two napkins. “What can I get you?”

  “If you have a sweet tooth, their specialty is S’mores,” Glynn said. From Charlotte’s trim figure, she guessed the answer would be no.

  “I’m not really much on sweets. Just a skim latte for me.”

  “I’d like tea, please. Lemon verbena if you have it.” The waitress left and she turned back to Charlotte. “So does this qualify as seeing a psychiatrist?”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Charlotte’s smile gave way to an earnest look. “I really don’t want you ever to think I’m picking you apart or digging into your psyche. The first thing I learned in medical school was where the on-off switch was. It’s on when I’m with patients, and it’s off when I’m with my friends. Always.”

  “Okay . . . good. You must feel like you’re two different people.”

  “Not really.” Charlotte loosened her scarf so it draped casually around her neck. “I can’t divorce myself from what I know, but there’s a proper venue and procedure for practicing medicine and it isn’t over coffee or at a cocktail party. Or like your former majority leader who diagnosed that brain-dead woman from a video.”

  Glynn remembered it well. “You mean misdiagnosed.”

  “That’s the point,” she said, not masking her irritation.

  “I believe I’ve stumbled onto one of your hot buttons.”

  “No, no. I’m a gentle soul. It takes a lot more than that to get me hot.”

  Glynn couldn’t help but smile at Charlotte’s sudden blush as she realized too late her double entendre. “That’s probably not the sort of thing you want to advertise.”

  “I believe I just stuck my foot in my mouth.”

  “It’s funny. Ten minutes ago, I would have guessed you were cool as a cucumber. And now, even your ears are red.”

  “I can only manage suave and intellectual for a few minutes. My true self plows through eventually.”

  “I bet you’re entertaining at parties.”

  “I have my moments.” Her blush had dissipated, and the look of seriousness was gone. “Now it’s your turn to say something embarrassing.”

  “I’m sure I’ll manage that soon enough without trying.” This time, she raised her cup to Charlotte in salute. “My son would probably say I have a gift for it, but that’s a teenager for you.”

  “I bet.”

  “It isn’t off limits to talk about Sebby, is it?”

  “Of course not. But I can’t talk about him in a clinical sense. That wouldn’t be appropriate.”

  “Fair enough. It’s just that I don’t really have an off switch when it comes to my son.”

  “That’s a good thing. Too many parents probably do.”

  Glynn swirled her teabag in the ceramic pot before pouring a second cup. “Have you been around teenagers much?”

  “Not really. I see kids like Sebby from time to time when I’m on rotation, but I’m no expert.”

  “There’s no such thing as an expert on teenagers. Anyone who says otherwise is full of . . .”

  “Shit.”

  “I was going to say bull.”

  “You’re such a politician.”

  “I promised to turn that off too, didn’t I?”

  “You did, but I’ll give you a little grace on that. At least you’re not talking about satellite imaging to forecast crop yields.” Charlotte rolled her eyes, but seemed to have second thoughts. “Although I admit the concept is kind of interesting.”

  “Too late. You’re busted. Does Dr. Exner know you find her work so fascinating?” It delighted her to see Charlotte blush again.

  “I doubt she has a full appreciation for my feelings.”

  “You could be fun to blackmail.”

  “I’m not sure it matters much. I think Julie uses me for a sounding board, and it doesn’t matter if anything bounces back. It helps her to go through her arguments out loud.”

  Seeing Julie last night had jogged Glynn’s memory of the agriculture hearing. “Whatever she does, it works. She did a wonderful presentation to our committee. Have you been together long?” Glynn wanted to hear all about their relationship, but without having to fish openly for details.

  “We’re not exactly together. Just dating for about four months.”

  “Are you both out?” She couldn’t help glancing around to make certain no one could overhear.

  “I guess. We don’t make a big deal out of it, but we don’t hide anything. All the people that matter to me know who I am.”

  “I’m sorry I’m being so nosy. I just envy that sort of thing. I can’t imagine being able to have an ordinary life like that.”

  Charlotte gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sure it’s very hard. But it’s pretty amazing, if you ask me, that you have a sixteenyear-old son who’s cool with it.”

  “I’ll admit I’m lucky with that. I have a niece in California who roared out of the closet when she was fifteen. Sebby adored her, so he learned pretty early what it was all about.”

  “Yeah, I think he mentioned that. Still, it’s one thing to have a cousin who’s gay, and something altogether different to have a mom.”

  “I guess it’s all in how you present it. I told him Stephanie and I really loved each other. He responded to that.”

  “But he didn’t like the fact that it was a secret.”

  “I think that was it in a nutshell. When you put a lid on something, it’s like you’re telling them it’s bad. And he couldn’t resent me, so he took it out on her.”

  “I bet it made for a lot of stress.”

  Glynn chuckled. “Story of my life. Everything makes for stress.”

  “At least you’re holding up well. You don’t look a day over fifty-three.”

  “I’m forty-four.”

  “Oops.”

  “And you look every bit of . . .”

  “Thirty-nine,” Charlotte answered.

  “And then some.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Don’t screw with me. I’ve studied with Republicans.”

  “Sounds like it.” Charlotte plucked a buzzing cell phone from her belt. Her face fell as she checked the message in the text window. “I was afraid this would happen.”

  “Something wrong?”

  She pushed her arms into the sleeves of her coat. “Sorry, I’m on call at the hospital this weekend. I wish I didn’t have to go. I was enjoying this.”

  “Me too. We’ll have to do it again.”

  “Good. I was hoping you’d say that. I’ll call, okay?”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  Charlotte hurried out the door, turning one last time to wave.

  Glynn sipped the remains of her tea, smiling to herself at the excitement that lingered long after Charlotte had gone. The sensations weren’t really appropriate, she knew, but they felt so nice she couldn’t bring herself to push them away. It was too bad Charlotte Blue was someone else’s girlfriend.

  Chapter 9

  Charlotte scanned the final page of her assistant director’s report. Dr. Chandra Lyons was wrapping up her fellowship next month, and already tapped for a clinical position in her native Houston. Charlotte hated to lose her, almost as much as she hated the thought of breaking in a new assistant director. The other fellows—six spread throughout their department—had proven to be excellent psychiatrists, but none had shown the organizational skills needed for a job like this.

  Chandra handed her a folder. “We got another referral from Walter Reed.”

  Charlotte opened the file with interest. She and several colleagues from around the country were working together on developing procedures for treating servicewomen who had been sexually assaulted by their fellow soldiers. “Any discharges this week?”

  “No, but probably two next week.”

  “Let’s get this one on my schedule then. See if she can come at five today and I’ll do an assessment.”

  No sooner had Chandra gone than Brandon a
ppeared in her doorway. “You survived another rotation, I see.”

  “It wasn’t too bad, actually.”

  He sank onto her couch, indicating his intention to stay a while. “What happened with that congresswoman’s kid? You get him into Rawlings?”

  “Yeah, he went last Tuesday.” She had been thinking about her meeting with Glynn, and wondering what Brandon would think about them becoming friends. “His mom’s an interesting woman.”

  “I bet. I heard about how she handled those reporters in the lobby. Like a mother bear.”

  “She’s protective of her son, that’s for sure. I ran into her at Nage on Friday night, and she called me the next day.” She deliberately left out the fact that she had given Glynn her private number. “We got together for coffee and talked a little bit.”

  “About her son?”

  “No, mostly about other stuff. I told her I couldn’t help much with Sebby, since he wasn’t my patient anymore, but we hit it off. She worked with the UN in Bosnia, so that’s something we have in common.” She felt a small pang of guilt for spinning the details of their more personal conversation. “Do you think it’s all right for us to be friends? I don’t want to do anything that might be considered unethical.”

  He scratched his chin as he thought about it. “I don’t see anything unethical about it. I play racquetball sometimes with Greg Mitchell. His wife used to be a patient of mine.”

  She had forgotten about Brandon’s friendship with Greg. If that was considered okay, there shouldn’t be any problem with her having Glynn for a friend. “I didn’t think so, but I thought I ought to check with somebody.”

  “Well, you have my permission. Not that it means anything. I’m just a lowly grunt like you.” He slapped his knees and stood. “Damon got a court for tomorrow night at six. You want to play doubles?”

  “Sure. I should be able to walk again by then,” she answered, remembering her now-purple butt.

  “Oh, sorry about that. How is it?”

  “I’ll live. But you might want to wear some padding.”

  Glynn shifted her briefcase onto her left shoulder, mindful not to let the strap drape across her breast.

  Roy, Chip and Tina were already waiting in her office, the latter prepping a tray for coffee and tea.

  “Good morning.” As she struggled with the box of pastries she had brought to share, Roy jumped up to give her a hand.

  “We’ve been called to a meeting in Guy Preston’s office at nine,” he said. “Shall I accept?”

  Glynn was momentarily taken off guard. She hadn’t expected things to move so quickly. “Um . . . sure. Is my schedule clear?”

  He nodded, picking up the phone from her desk. “I’ll confirm.”

  She turned toward Tina and Chip. “Everyone have a good weekend?”

  “Mine was great,” Tina said. “Leslie took the kids to his mother’s while I faked a stomachache and stayed home.”

  Tina’s battles with her mother-in-law were infamous. “Someday, I’m signing up for lessons from you.”

  “I’ll trade Sharon Carlson for Irene Wright any day.”

  “I guess I’ll see Irene this weekend. What’s my schedule?” Glynn poured herself a cup of tea and took a seat in a wingback chair. Roy finished his call and took the one next to her, while Tina and Chip settled on the sofa.

  Chip scrolled through his PDA. “You fly out at five thirty on Wednesday afternoon. Breakfast with Randy at nine on Thursday . . . Rotary luncheon at noon . . . a groundbreaking at three for a Habitat house . . . a fundraiser at five . . .”

  “Please tell me the whole week isn’t stacked like that.”

  “Pretty much,” Chip confirmed. “You have a speech on Friday morning at the Livestock Breeders Association. There’s a copy on your desk already . . . lunch with the Scott County party chairman . . . office meetings with constituents that afternoon . . . a ceremony with the National Guard unit on Saturday morning . . .”

  It was shaping up like every other trip home, Glynn thought dismally. Charlotte was right. She should have asked for more help. Randy Williston, who ran her office back in the district, would have lightened her schedule if only she had said the word. As it was, no one back in Indiana knew about her breast cancer, including her mother-in-law.

  “The good news is you have a light afternoon today,” Tina said. “Hearings all day tomorrow, then a GOP Appropriations luncheon on Wednesday . . .” Tina grunted.

  “What?”

  “I just read the rest of the memo. Lunch is at Butler’s.”

  “That cigar club again?” Glynn shuddered in disgust. Alvin Baxter called these meetings knowing full well half the committee members hated that bar. “I’m not going.”

  “Baxter won’t like being stiffed, Glynn,” Roy said gently.

  “I don’t care. I had to throw that last suit away.” She turned to Chip, who coordinated things with Randy. “Chip, get me on a morning flight—not before ten, though—and ask Randy to move a couple of those constituent meetings to late Wednesday afternoon. I’ll tell Baxter I’m going home to do some fundraising and build support for our bills.”

  Roy looked at her sheepishly.

  “I’ll throw up if I have to go into that place, Roy. It almost makes me gag to think about it.”

  “It’s going to take more than just soldiering at home, though. There’s a lot of power in that room, and it stays there. Baxter hands out rewards for kowtowing. You’ve worked hard for Appropriations, but he’ll pull you for a yes-man in a New York minute.”

  She sighed. “You don’t know that for sure. The only reason he put me there in the first place was because of that Newsweek article saying he had no respect for women in politics. He wouldn’t dare ditch me.”

  “But knowing Baxter, he’d use your absence to underscore his point. And besides, he could always tap Madge Heflin to take your place.”

  As usual, Roy was spot-on in his observations. Glynn knew she had been pushing it with Baxter by asking for federal earmarks for education, and for not falling in line on his defense positions.

  “Shit.”

  “You should wear that blue knit dress with the belt. It’ll wash,” Tina said.

  “Shit,” she repeated.

  Chip leaned forward, an evil grin on his face. “You want me to bring a little heat on Baxter?”

  Roy eyed him suspiciously. “What do you mean by heat?”

  “I could get one of the bloggers to write up the fact that he always makes people come to cigar bars. If nothing else, it’ll paint him in an unflattering light.”

  “Unflattering to whom?” Roy asked. “He’ll love it.”

  “He’s right, Chip,” Glynn said, slumping deeper into her chair. “That’s just glorifying Baxter. I have to go to this damn thing whether I like it or not.”

  Tina rattled off the last details of things she had to do before leaving town. Then, as was their Monday routine, she and Chip collected items for the coffee tray and left the room.

  Glynn found herself sitting alone with Roy, with twenty minutes to get to Preston’s office in the Dirksen Building. “You up for a walk?”

  “Sure,” he said.

  She rarely used the Capitol subway unless it was raining, and it felt good this morning to take in the crisp air. She was undeniably flattered by the invitation from Guy Preston. He was an impressive figure in their party, and having him as a public ally would command her more respect in the House.

  Once they reached the Preston suite, she and Roy were offered more coffee and scones, and led into a stately office that was easily twice the size of hers. She smiled as she recalled Bas saying he would someday run for the Senate.

  “Good morning.”

  Before she ever turned, Glynn recognized the businesslike voice belonging to Marcella Stroupe. Looking smart in a tailored navy suit and heels, Marcella swept into the room with authority and shook hands with her and Roy.

  “It turns out Guy had a scheduling conflict. He sends his apo
logies, but hopes you won’t mind if I handle the preliminaries.”

  Glynn’s first reaction was to wonder if this whole meeting was a setup, a charade that Guy Preston had never intended to attend. She was inclined to excuse herself and let Roy handle it as one aide to another, but remained seated out of respect for Marcella’s relationship with Bas.

  She cut to the chase before Marcella could take over the agenda. “I understand Senator Preston has expressed interest in working on something together. Does he have a bill in mind?”

  “As a matter of fact, he does, Glynn.”

  And as a matter of protocol, she was Congresswoman Wright, not Glynn.

  “Senator Preston would like to sponsor the Preschool Partners bill in the Senate.”

  “That bill has a Senate sponsor,” Roy said. “Thad Culbertson has been on board since day one.”

  “Yes, we’re aware of that.” She glanced toward the door and lowered her voice. “In about six weeks, we plan to leak the news that Senator Preston is exploring a presidential run. We’d like very much to have this piece of legislation as the cornerstone of his education policy.”

  Of course he would, Glynn thought. It was a solid bill—simple to explain, and one that would reap infinite rewards at all levels of government. “We’d certainly welcome his support, but as Roy explained, Senator Culbertson has done much of the legwork in bringing this bill to the floor. It wouldn’t be—”

  “You let us worry about Thad,” Marcella said, adding a wink. She then stood to signal the end of their meeting. “Roy, I’m going to need all the background data. Can you send that over?”

  Glynn seethed at the blatant condescension, but if Preston was successful in prying the bill from Thad Culbertson, she had no choice but to accept him as cosponsor. “Just have Senator Culbertson’s office write up the request and we’ll forward everything we have. And please let Senator Preston know we’re glad to have him on board.”

  She didn’t speak again until she and Roy were halfway back to her office, where he caught her elbow.

  “Whoa, Glynn. Calm down.”

  She stamped her foot and spun, realizing she was nearly out of breath from charging across the Capitol Plaza. “Alvin Baxter shows me more respect than that, and he’s a chauvinist pig.”