Rachel's POV
I wake up to realize that Natalie is laying next to me, or should I say intertwined with me. I slyly reach for my phone on the dresser trying no to wake her up.
I notice a screen full of text and news alerts.
"Senator Jennifer Abner's father the guest of honor."
"Surprise Senator Abner! Your father is in town."
"Senator Jennifer Abner's father attends debate to support President Trant."
"Are you fucking kidding me?", I whisper under my breath.
"Hmmm?", Natalie moans as she turns to face me.
I take a look at the time and almost jump out of my skin.
"Shit! Natalie you gotta go."
"What's going on?"
"We overslept and my parents are on their way over for brunch."
"Cool."
"Natalie get up! If this place isn't perfect by the time they get here I'll never hear the end of it from my mother."
"Rach chill. I'll help you clean up and leave before they get here."
"Thank you. Now put your clothes on", I say throwing them at her.
"Whatever you say. Damn you're even sexier when you're all worked up", she says looking my body up and down.
"How is it possible that you are undressing me with your eyes even though I don't have any clothes on right now?"
"It's a gift", she smiles.
I rush in the bathroom to take a quick shower letting the water run down my body. I run my fingers through my wet hair thinking back to last night. For me it was an experiment. I wanted to see if I felt anything sleeping with Natalie. It's an experiment I failed. I mean the sex felt good, but still I didn't feel anything. Why can't I feel anything anymore?
After getting ready I find Natalie in the living room cleaning up our mess from last night.
"It looks great in here...thank you", I say surprised.
"You're welcome. What else do you want me to do?"
"That's it. I'll handle the rest."
"Ok", she says standing there like she wants me to say something else.
"Feel free to use my bathroom if you want. There's extra toothbrushes in the drawer."
"And here I was thinking I'm special", she says with a smile.
I shake my head and pick up my results letter to read it in it's entirety. I can't believe I'm officially able to start practicing law.
When she returns it's just about time for my parents to arrive. I walk her to the door.
"So are we going to talk about last night?", she questions.
"Yeah I think we should. Let's meet up tonight?"
"Ok."
She kisses me on the cheek before opening the door and stumbling into my parents. Something I was trying to avoid.
"Oh", my mother says looking at the two of us.
"Hi Mr. and Mrs.Taff it's nice to see you again", she says with a smile.
"You too dear."
"Have a nice brunch. See you later Rach."
"See you."
I show them in and close the door. My father wraps me in a hug.
"Hey baby, it's good to see you."
"You too dad. Hey mom."
"Hi", she says giving me a hug. "Well that's a face I haven't seen in awhile."
"Yeah we just started hanging out again."
"Hanging out? Is that what you kids are calling it these days?"
"Mom please stop."
"What? You always say we aren't interested in your life because we don't understand. I told you we're going to try. We know you were seeing someone and broke up are you seeing her now?"
"No. We're just friends."
"Well see that wasn't so hard was it?"
"Let's change the subject.What are cooking me for brunch?"
"Oh no no, you invited us over. I taught how to cook."
"Yeah but it's not the same as when you do it", I say poking my lip out.
"Ok...You're lucky I'm in a good mood today."
"I know something that will put in you in an even better mood" I say handing her my results letter.
"What is this?", she says looking wary. She unfolds it and I watch as her eyes light up."Yes God! Thank you...Get over here and give me a hug. I'm proud of you Rachel."
"All you hard work has paid off", my father says smiling. "So what are you going to do now?"
**********
Jennifer's POV
I walk through a lengthy hall with my team prepared for an important meeting.
My security detail holds the door open allowing us all to walk in.
I look around the room before taking a seat directly across from my father.
"Start recording please."
"Good afternoon everyone, we are here today discuss the defamation claims raised by Jennifer Abner against her father Jimmy Abner. I will act as a bipartisan moderator to help facilitate this meeting. Please let the record show that Jennifer Abner, her team of attorneys, and publicist are present. Jimmy Abner and his attorney are also presents...Ok Jimmy please go ahead and start."
"I have no reason to, I didn't call this little meeting."
"I'm giving you the opportunity to stop this before it creates an even larger fracture in our family", I say as I stare into my father's eyes.
"You've already done that. We can't get you on the phone and we barely see you once a year."
"Dad I'm begging you, let's just put an end to it before things get nasty."
"Jennifer if you had nothing to hide my comments wouldn't bother you."
"Ok if this is how you want to play it."
"Jennifer let's take a recess", my lead attorney suggest.
"Let the record show that at recess has been called at 1:10 pm. We will reconvene at 1:20 pm."
"Let's take it outside."
"We aren't getting anywhere like this. I suggest we hit him with the lawsuit and stop wasting our time", my team suggest.
"No I can't have Senator Abner sues her father as the new headline for the next month. It will sink this campaign to the ground", I spit out.
"So how do you wish to proceed?"
"Let me talk to him, alone. Closed doors and unrecorded."
"Absolutely not!"
"Trust me, I get can get through to him", I say looking into their eyes.
They all gather amongst themselves to discuss.A few minutes later they report back.
"Ok, if your father's attorney agrees to it we will allow it. But as soon as it goes left field we're right back in there."
"Ok."
We enter the room and I once again sit across from my father eye to eye while our attorneys hash it out.
"Ok you have 15 uninterrupted minutes unless one of you calls it off."
"Thank you...before you go can we have his pockets checked? Just precaution."
My father stands up furious with his hands raised out to the side.
"I want the same for her."
I stand up not breaking eye contact.
"Permission ma'am?", the guard ask.
"Go ahead."
"She's good." After establishing that neither of us have anything we sit down.
"You think you're Ms. big shot rolling in here with a fancy team of lawyers ganging up on an old man?"
"Victimhood is a disease. You taught me that remember? You aren't a victim unless you allow yourself to be one."
"So I did do something for you then?"
I chuckle, "How did Mom break her hip?"
He looks me in the eyes refusing to break eye contact.
"How did she break her hip dad?"
"You know good and well that she fell outside in her garden. What the hell does that have to do with anything "
"I never once believed that story...mom is a gardening expert she would never-"
"Accidents happen."
"They shouldn't happen as frequently as they do in that house."
"What are you trying to get at here?"
"Even if her latest accident was just an accident I will still subpoena mom's medical records, but I'm sure that would detail the years of abuse which you've done an excellent job at making the rest of the family forget....or I can just go on record letting everyone know how I spent my early years running to lock my door at night after my father took one to many wrong turns while stumbling in drunk at night."
"You're a sick woman Jennifer."
"No you're the sick one here. You will suffer everyday for what you've done and continue to do. For mom's sake I've tried to be cordial over the years, but all of that is out of the window now."
"No one will believe that mess. I've already gotten calls for book offers waiting to hear all the stories about you."
"I have friends in the media on speed dial. I will be happy to share with them the Abner's house of horror stories I've tried to repress over the years. If that happens the authorities get involved, charges will be filed that will eventually lead to a trial. I won't need that team of lawyers to take you down. I'll argue the case myself. And if you've followed my career you would know that I hardly lose a case. Let's face it, you're no spry chicken. It will be a death sentence, literally. So the decision is yours, daddy."
**********
My father looks out a near by window as our lawyers meet to discuss the terms of our agreement. I stare at him in disgust. My grandfather would be ashamed of the man he is.
"Ok Jennifer we're all set."
I get up from my seat taking one last look. "By the way Jared is coming back to LA. I guess you lost two of your children in one day."
Furious I walk out of the room down the hall with my team trailing behind.
"What did you say to get him to agree?"
"The truth. It always prevails."
"Well that's great for us. Is everyone in to grab lunch while we discuss the interview terms?"
"Let's do it."
**********
Rachel's POV
hours later
"Hey come on in."
"Thank you."
She extends her arms out reaching for a hug. I smile and follow suit.
"How was brunch with your parents?"
"It was good, they couldn't stop questioning me about you though."
"Oh really? What did they want to know?"
"Are we sleeping together, are we dating."
"And?"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I had a great time last night...really great, but we can't do this again."
"Oh."
"Wait not the sex, the relationship."
"Huh?"
"In the past I've always fucked things up when labels are involved. I don't want any labels, I also don't want a relationship with you again. No offense...I'm happy that we're back in a good place, so I think we should keep it that way...At least for now, who knows in months, or even weeks things could change."
"Ok I got it so you just want me physically?"
"That sounds really bad when you put it that way."
She laughs, "That's what you're saying though. I mean I'm not opposed to it, but if you're not over your ex you can just tell me that."
"Why would you say that?"
"Come on its obvious. I can tell, your friends can tell...I think you're the only one denying it."
"I have to be over her."
"It's ok like I said no judgement. Eventually you'll get to emptying that drawer out. It took me forever with you."
**********
Jennifer's POV
"Thank you for inviting us into your home. It's beautiful."
"Thank you for coming, I just wish it was under better circumstances."
"Don't worry I'll come interview you again when you win the election."
"Deal", I smile.
The production team finishes poking and proding me and it's time to start the taped interview.
"Are we ready?", Grace questions.
"Ready to go in 5...4...3....2.."
"This evening we are coming to you with an exclusive interview with presidential candidate Senator Jennifer Abner. She has opened her home to us to discuss the now infamous audio recording of a private conversation she had with her father. Up until this moment she has chosen not to comment, with respect to all parties involved we will try to get the questions answered that I'm sure everyone is wondering. I am Grace King and this CBS news."
"Senator Abner thank you for having us."
"Thank you for being here."
"So I'm going to address the elephant in the room...Your father has chosen to publicly throw his support behind your opponent. How did that make you feel?"
"Well Grace I'm sure everyone has heard the tape", I smile. "It's extremely hurtful. You know your goal in life is to always make your parents proud. Seeing him stand behind Trant in the stands during one the biggest moments in my life let me know that he wasn't proud of me."
"I think we all felt for you seeing him so proudly support Trant, but then the audio gets released and it changed things. All of a sudden it went from I feel bad for her to well maybe he's on to something. Can you walk us through your thoughts during that call with your father?"
"Sure so my first thought was how could my father, the man that I love so dearly betray me in this way. Look, it's no secret that we are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. My father is a life long conservative. I have no problem with him expressing his political beliefs, I took issue in him doing it so outright and publicly to slight me."
"Ok, let's dive into that because you just said you didn't take issue you with it but the recording seems to contradict that."
"And that was my father's intentions...Look I'm not going to sit here and act like I wasn't wrong either. Clearly I could have expressed myself better. There are legalities that I can't discuss, but I just want to let everyone know that my father and I are working on repairing our relationship. No family is perfect, you have disagreements. My disagreement was just made public unfortunately. I love my family, I fight to protect them fiercely. I have tried my hardest to shield them from public scrutiny because they didn't sign up for this life, I did...To the American people that heard this audio and began to question my character, I would say do not base this one moment on a lifetime of service. I am passionate in what I do and it shows in my work and in my private life. To my family I want to publicly apologize for any pain that I have personally put you through during this time. Unfortunately this has been a distraction for the campaign. It is time now to get back to work fulfilling the promise that I made you all to defeat Duke Trant on election night and heal this country."
"Powerful. Thank you so much for opening up to us Senator Abner and giving a glimpse into your personal life. Families aren't easy and I think we can all relate to that..Thank you again and we will continue to follow you on your quest to the White House."
"Thank you.
"Cameras fading out in 5...4...3..2..1.. That's all folks."
"Thank you Grace."
"Oh no problem Senator. It was my honor. The interview will air tomorrow morning."
We share an embrace and the camera crew and other staff depart my home. When they leave David joins me in the living room.
"Good interview....I hope everyone realizes that a woman should never have to apologize for a man's actions."
"Yeah me too."
**********
The next day
"Senator a package for you was just delivered. I placed it in your office."
"Thank you Mia."
I locate the package on the corner of my desk and I take a seat diligently opening it.
I hear a knock on the door and David peaks his head in. "You have a moment?"
"Come in."
"What's that?"
"Invitations. Here you go, you're the first person on my list."
"I''m honored", he smiles. "You are cordially invited to the fortieth birthday celebration of Jennifer Abner...well I can't wait to put on my party shoes...Real quick I just wanted to make you aware of a potential opportunity. We are in talks with Fort Bliss to have you visit the base and speak with a few of the soldiers"
"I would love that."
"It would be in two days right after we get back from Maine."
"Ok let's do it. The more I get out there the better."
"Excellent...Oh hey there will be no work at this birthday party of yours. I'm forbidding it. Enjoy yourself, have fun."
I smile.
**********
Rachel's POV
"Jacob get me some water."
"No go do it yourself."
"You suck."
"And you're lazy."
I shake my head and grab my water bottle starting down the hall.
"You beat me to it this time."
Jenn turns around, "Great minds think alike."
She finishes filling up and as we walks away she turns back around, "When you're done can you come by my office?"
"Sure."
I walk to her office and knock on the door.
"Come in, you don't have to sit it will be quick."
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No", she smiles."I wanted to personally give you this."
I glance down at the card in my hand. "An invitation to your birthday party?"
"Yes, it's in a little over two weeks. Will you be able to make it?"
"Is it a suggestion that I should come or-?"
"No, I'm asking you to come. I want you there", she says locking eyes with me.
"Ok, can I invite someone?"
"No!...it's one person per invite."
"Then can I have another invitation?"
"That was the last one."
I look at her desk where I see a pile full of them and smile to myself.
"Ok no worries. I'll see what I can do."