by Ian W Taylor
CHAPTER NINETEEN
SATURDAY /SUNDAY-CANBERRA
Anna spent the weekend doing the normal things that mothers do. Don played golf every Saturday morning at Royal Canberra Golf Club so she took the boys to their junior tennis competitions and enjoyed watching them play so exuberantly. In the afternoon, the boys played with their friends at home while she pottered around the garden and did some cooking, two of her favourite pastimes. In the evening, they all went out to their favourite Italian restaurant and had pizza.
On Sunday she spent a relaxed day with her family and had a picnic lunch at Black Mountain Peninsula. She had been chewing over the decision as to whether she would run for the leadership and discussed it with Don. By the end of the weekend she had made up her mind.
She arrived at her office at 8 a.m. on Monday to see that Allan was already working behind his desk. She called him over.
“Hi Allan. Thank you so much for going to the trouble of deleting those photos. It was very daring of you. But despite that, I’ve decided not to run for the leadership of the party.”
Allan’s face fell. “But you can still win the ballot. They can’t prove anything without the original photos.”
Anna raised her hand to stop him. “No, the media will have a field day with this even if we deny it. They like nothing better than a sex scandal. There will be enormous pressure on Don and the boys. And frankly, I’m not sure I’m ready to take on the stress of being Prime Minister.”
“So you’re going to let Crichton become Prime Minister without a fight. You know he’s corrupt.”
“Look the polls are showing the Labor Party ahead by 58% to 42%. The general election is only six months off. We’re probably going to lose anyway.”
“Yes, but you could turn it around. The public love the way you took charge after the P.M.’s assassination. The next poll could swing back our way.”
“Sorry Allan, my family means more to me than the leadership. I can’t risk losing my husband and kids.”
As a last desperate attempt Allan pulled out his phone and showed her the picture he had downloaded from Belinda’s phone.
“Look, this photo shows Crichton talking animatedly to Takaya, the Japanese billionaire, at the mine opening. Takaya is known to be corrupt even if he is a shareholder in Nippan Resources. Crichton’s in bed with one of the largest crooks in the business.”
Anna peered at the photo. “That’s interesting but it doesn’t prove anything Allan. People can talk to whoever they like. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to run for the leadership. I’ll tell Crichton that I’m not going to oppose him. Oh, and could you let Jake know I’m not running for the leadership?”
Shaking his head in disappointment, Allan walked back to his office and picked up the phone.