The Senator's Choice

by Combs, Sasha

  “There will be no delays but I have an even better place for the wedding to take place. Better than Las Vegas. I have another friend in Ohio. He’s a judge and I’m sure he’ll do anything to help me. We can make a fuel stop in Ohio. He can meet us at the airport with the marriage documents that need to be signed. After we’ve share the news with Morgan, and maybe after the baby is born, Pamela and I can have a decent marriage ceremony. She deserves so much more and I’m willing to do whatever will make her happy.”

  “Another judge friend...?” Michael said, being facetious.

  “I have many friends Michael. Some are lawyers like you and some are judges. Right now...I need a judge or a minister. Perhaps you would like to call the pastor of your church if my judge friend doesn’t meet your expectations.”

  Michael glared at him for that comment. He wondered at what point William would fight back. Even so, he mentally cursed him out but he amazed himself when not one of his vile expressions rushed out of his mouth. When no one spoke, William believed that he’d stumbled upon the answer. After a few hours passed, LaShawn and Michael went to their bedroom, leaving William and Pamela in the guest bedroom alone. Even though she was pregnant, William asked to be moved to another bedroom, so as not to push his luck. He remained in Pamela’s bedroom, only long enough to make a few calls and ensure that she would rest well during the night. The tension had died down to a low murmur. Even so, William didn’t think it would be wise to stay in the same bedroom with Pamela overnight. Especially after Michael had voiced his opinion on the subject of them getting married. While they worked out the logistics, William placed his final call to Frederick. His campaign manager needed to be brought up to speed regarding the most recent changes to his agenda. In between the telephone calls and their conversations, William didn’t dare do anything more intimate than the holding of hands with Pamela. He couldn’t risk failing himself due to temptation or a lack of self-control. Their current predicament called for good judgment and a large helping of common sense. So, instead of liberating their hearts, William stayed on point, not allowing his thoughts to stray. It was late once everything had been completed, and everyone was in their own rooms. William stood blankly looking out the window, admiring one of the blooming flower beds in the yard. The lights accented specific plants, and William assumed that the lit flowers were LaShawn’s favorite blossoms. He couldn’t ignore the analogy of this visual picture. In all his years, no relationship had flourished like his friendship with Michael. He closed his eyes tight, wondering at what point he ventured, testing fate. All along, he’d known he should have told his friend the moment his relationship with Pamela shifted in another direction; but he had not. Week after week, he dueled over the best way to break the news. Now, as he stood looking at the array of budding flowers and bright blossoms, he wondered if all the nurturing he’d done to preserve his friendship had been pointless. For months he had not been able to explain the disconnected feeling that nagged at him. It wasn’t until the words had finally seeped from Pamela’s mouth; William understood what had been missing. All year, he had pushed Michael away, fearful that this dreaded secret would be discovered. As much as he loved Pamela, he didn’t want to hurt his friend, and he’d know how idiotic that thought was. Of course Michael would be hurt; dodging that bullet was unavoidable. Yet, even though he’d witnessed first hand the damage that followed his choice; William would not accept that all was lost. He was quite certain he and Michael would recover from this turmoil. It would take time, and a great deal of forgiveness. However, for the time being, William would give Michael the space that he needed. This news was to fresh for him to test the stability of their relationship on his gut notion...at least not yet. He still needed to marry Pamela. William told himself, the marriage would be the first plank, bridging the gulf that currently separated their friendship. After that, William didn’t know what his next move would be, especially if Michael still wasn’t persuaded that Pamela had not made a mistake. In the big scheme of things, this problem wasn’t something that William could solve without his friends help. And currently, Michael wasn’t the benevolent person William had come to know.

  _________________________

  Chapter 3

  The sacrament of holy matrimony

  The sound of the private jets engines hummed in the cabin, accentuating the silence from the passengers inside. This should have been a happy day for her parents but instead, Pamela wished she had a do over brush because if it were left to her, things would have panned out in a different order and most definitely not the way they had. After meeting William’s judge friend at the airport in Cleveland, Ohio, it took no more than a few minutes to sign the documents then have them notarized, while everyone quietly stood watching pens move across legal forms and documents. Judge Barry Winters kissed Pamela on the side of her face after shaking William’s hand, congratulating the newly married couple. William did the polite thing by returning the favor when he thanked his friend profusely and he assured everyone that Judge Barry Winters would keep their secret safe. If the news of their marriage leaked, he was certain Barry wouldn’t be the one to blame.

  As the plane flew over mountains on its way to Montana, Michael had rested his head back in his reclined seat; falling asleep within an hour after takeoff. During their night planning strategy session, it had been Michael’s idea for him and LaShawn to travel along with them to Eureka. He was worried that Pam would need family support just in case William’s family didn’t take to well to their happy news. At first Pamela tried to dissuade her mom and dad from coming. But to her surprise, it had been William who had encouraged her to allow them to come. He thought that by seeing Pamela’s parents joining their vacation party; perhaps their presence would be interpreted as a show of their acceptance. There was truly no way of knowing what her parents presence would mean to the others but William welcomed them all the same. He saw no need to try to discourage them from coming.

  Due to their hectic schedule, Pamela had not eaten that morning for fear of getting sick. Already the pregnancy had begun causing her to have a queazy stomach. She nervously shifted in her seat next to William, while he carefully watched her every move. Leaning in her direction, he spoke in a low voice, not wanting to disturb William or LaShawn.

  “Can I get you something honey? You haven’t eaten and you must be hungry.”

  Turning in her seat to face him, she said...

  “I can’t eat anything because I feel like I need to throw up.”

  Just the suggestion of the word gave her stomach ideas. Pamela’s fingers wrestled with her seat buckle as she tried to ease in the isle to go to the restroom.

  “Here...let me help you.”

  William covered her hand with one of his, while the other lifted the latch, thereby freeing her. She stood easing out from around him. Moving with a quick pace, she walked while pleading with him to remain seated.

  “I’m fine...really, I’m fine. Stay here and I’ll be right back.”

  Before he could say anything more, Pamela was halfway down the isle, past the curtain, and finally in the back cabins restroom. Frowning, William looked to the rear of his plane, watching the empty space where Pamela had just been earlier. He wanted to help her but he knew there was little that he could do. He recalled how sick Bianca had been in the first trimester of her pregnancy. He wondered if most women battled with morning sickness.

  “She’ll be all right. She didn’t eat anything this morning worth noting so she’ll more than likely just have dry heaves.”

  The sound of LaShawn’s voice redirected his attention, causing him to look in her direction and away from the rear of the cabin. His face still held the same concerned expression, and in that moment, she knew that he really loved her daughter. All the same, LaShawn didn’t understand how this had happened. More to the point, she needed to comprehend why he’d allowed it to happen.

  Her large hazel eyes stared at him, unable to hide her curiosity. He saw it but he also knew t
hat LaShawn wouldn’t speak on the topic...at least not now.

  With Michael sleeping quietly and Pamela otherwise occupied, William and LaShawn were for all intents and purposes, practically alone. From the second they’d shared the news with his friends, he’d specially wanted to talk to her privately and he believed that the time had finally come. Over the next few days he couldn’t guarantee that the opportunity would present itself again. There were so many holes that needed to be covered. Loose ends stubbornly dangling. William still had not figured out the best way to break the news, informing his family that he’d remarried. For Morgan, swallowing the announcement about him marrying Pamela in Ohio would be difficult, and he accepted that. On the other hand, the news involving the unborn baby; now this would be the most troubling information for his daughter to digest. As he thought on this, an unsteady note could be heard in his voice. Just a sliver, hinting to his uncertainty. LaShawn had known William for many years and he’d always impressed her as being a confident man. Even after Bianca’s death, she noticed how well William had appeared to handle the loss of his wife, yet now his face suggested that he too worried over todays events.

  “I didn’t plan this. Neither of us did. Pamela was just being a good friend to me after the funeral.”

  One perfectly arched eyebrow rose, hinting that LaShawn wasn’t persuaded. She shifted in her seat, turning more towards the large open isle in the private plane to face him.

  “You’re much older than her William and you know better. Relationships don’t just happen...we allow situations to continue on set courses. When people conclude that they are willing to accept the consequences of their actions, at that point, there’s no looking back. I suspect that’s the reason you saw no need to discontinue seeing my daughter. But there is one thing that puzzles me. Why did you keep your relationship a secret? It leaves me to believe that it wasn’t only our friendship that you were concerned over. I won’t venture to guess everything that troubled you but I’m sure you thought about the age difference as well. Yet, in all your thinking and self examination...you still continued seeing her. I don’t understand the logic in that kind of reasoning.”

  She was sounding like a mother talking to an older child. He presumed that perhaps he was acting like a child and the tone of her voice was appropriate but no matter her personal feelings; he and Pamela were married now. They would all have to learn to get along, if not for themselves, at least for the baby’s sake.

  “LaShawn, I wasn’t thinking about my age...right or wrong at the time...but I didn’t mean for this to happen. Not this way.”

  “That’s the problem William...you weren’t thinking and in those lapses in your judgement, a mess was created.”

  They were whispering, talking in hushed voices but they each turned when they heard the door to the rear restroom open, then snap close. Expecting to see Pamela walking down the isle, they each waited and when she didn’t emerge from behind the closed drapes, William unbuckled his seatbelt to go in search of her.

  “I’ll go check on her. I don’t think she’s feeling very well.” He said, while maintaining his composure. During their short talk, William had read between the lines of this conversation. In the nicest way possible, without ever having to say it; LaShawn had called him an ass but he knew her concern was all about her daughter and not solely on their actions.

  LaShawn’s eyes followed William and she wanted to be of assistance if she could.

  “Should I come too?” LaShawn asked. William shook his head, then said...

  “No...I’ll handled this.”

  He didn’t want to seem too harsh, so he added. “If I need your help or if she wants you, I’ll give you a holler.”

  She nodded, then addressed her eyes onto a sleeping Michael. The rise and fall of his chest, in conjunction with his deep heavy breathing made her conclude that indeed her husband was asleep. She wondered about the visions he mustered to compose his dreams. By the sight of his fluttering eyelashes, she knew that his brain was busy, occupying his mind with made up stories and in some ways she wished she could join him.

  While LaShawn kept a watchful eye on Michael, William pulled back the drapes separating the rear cabin lounging area from the main cabin, on the plane. Pamela had taken a seat on one of the narrow sofa’s. When he stepped beyond the separation, he squeezed into the seat next to hers, then kissed her tenderly on her cheek. Pamela allowed her body to melt into his arms. She’d been fighting back tears all day, trying to be strong. Telling her parents the news about her relationship had been harder than she thought it would be. Then to be involved in what can best be described as a gunshot wedding; now dealing with a revolting stomach, she didn’t know how much more she could take. At one time in her life, order and rational thinking had reigned supreme but somewhere along the way she’d lost herself. She knew exactly when it had happened. Her heart leapt away from her on the day she’d been tasked to remain with William after the funeral ceremony.

  William’s lips kissed the top of her head, while pulling her to rest close against his body. He spoke lovingly and low while kissing different sections of her face that lay closest to him.

  In between his shows of affection, he would talk to her. He wanted to infuse some of his strength by using words that declared his love. To an onlooker, his gestures might not have appeared to be much help but to him this was important; given that he blamed himself for causing the rift that had developed between her and her parents.

  Choosing not to think about their current worries, William focused on the present and his concerns for Pamela’s health.

  “When we land, the drive to the house outside of Eureka isn’t that far. Frederick and Mandy have seen to everything.”

  “Is anyone other than your parents and Morgan at the house?”

  Even though his mountain home was large and one of his favorite vacation destinations; William hated that the sheer magnitude of the place required the aid of household staff and grounds keepers. If so many people weren’t going to be at the house, he would have told Frederick not to staff the place at all.

  William did a mental tally, counting the people who normally worked at Barn Wood Hudson whenever they stayed there.

  He listed them off, one by one, hoping that Pamela wouldn’t be concerned over the number.

  “For the past several years, Mandy has always notified the employment agency to staff the house with our regulars. The house has a full time crew whose job it is to take care of the property outdoors and then there is Greta. She sees after the inside of the house, even when we aren’t using the place. But, Barn Wood Hudson is to large for Greta to manage on her own. We usually employ seasonal help, depending on the number of guest staying at the house. If I include Miguel, the head groundsman and Greta, head of household staff; the total shouldn’t be more than eight people. Most times six people are more than enough, but this is the first time that Frederick has been in charge of screening the staff and as you well know, he and Mandy are currently having a silent feud. But, If he goes by Mandy’s recommendations, I suspect he’ll approve the hiring on of a full compliment of servants.”

  “Why didn’t Mandy take care of everything without the help of Frederick? She is your secretary and that is her job, isn’t it?”

  William wondered why Pamela continued to revisit this topic. To the best of his knowledge, Frederick had not done anything to annoy her because until recently, the two had never met. Then he wondered if perhaps Mandy had shared distasteful stories with Pamela on the occasions the two women found themselves alone or talking on the telephone.

  “Yes, Pamela, Madeline is my secretary,...but Frederick likes to take care of my travel plans since he’s in charge of my campaign. He likes to know where I am and who is around me. You know...for security reasons.”

  William looked at the dark circles around Pamela’s eyes. His finger traced a line down the side of her face.

  “Can I make a suggestion Mrs. Hudson?”

  Pamela sm
iled, because this was the second time that he’d called her by that name.

  “You most certainly can Mr. Hudson.”

  Raising her chin, she tilted her head to the side to join their lips. When she kissed him, Pamela was glad that she’d had the foresight of mind to place a tube of toothpaste along with her toothbrush inside of her purse. Before she left the restroom she’d taken the time to brush her teeth. She imagined until the morning sickness was no longer an everyday occurrence, keeping oral hygiene products in her purse would definitely be advisable.

  When he drew back from their joined lips, to look at her, William’s forehead was creased with lines of worry.

  “Pamela, you look tired honey. You really should try to get some rest. We have at least two more hours in the air and two more travel hours on the ground. You really need to regain some of your lost energy.”

  “What about you?” she asked, equally concerned.

  “I’m not the one carrying a baby but you are. You need food, fluids and rest. You’ve neglected all those things today. If you keep this up, by the time we arrive at the mountain house you’ll be exhausted.”

  “I’ll be exhausted either way. Until we get the telling of this news behind us, I won’t be able to rest well. I hate to say this but... I really don’t expect Morgan or your parents to accept what we’ve done; no more than my family did. William...no amount of rest will prepare me for that confrontation.”

  He nodded but a sexy grin eased on his face when he said...

  “What’s done is done and we can’t forget that we’ve got each other and there isn’t a damn thing that anyone can do about that now. Furthermore, we have one additional advantage.”

  His blue eyes pierced right through her, demanding her attention.

  “Now that we’re married, we won’t have to sleep in separate bedrooms to maintain correctness. Last night was a living hell knowing that you were two doors down, and I couldn’t hold you in my arms while you fell asleep. At Barn Wood Hudson, we’re going to share a large king size bed and I plan to make our honeymoon night sweet and something to remember.”