just saying we have to be aware of the historical processes we’re a part of. We’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. If you think you know everything that’s been happening, if you think Gartner’s plan was sufficient, even at a minimum, even at the bare miserly, stingy minimum he proposed, then I’ve got to tell you...”
Joe stopped. Suddenly he was aware of the way everyone was looking at him.
“How many people did you say?” asked Heather.
Joe frowned for a moment, wondering how he had let that happen. He hadn’t meant to say that, or anything like it. “I was just saying ... if you don’t deal with it, who knows how bad it’ll get?”
There was silence.
He forced a smile. “At least there’s a saving grace. The American people understood. I can’t think of greater evidence of our common sense, of the spirit of our community, the spirit our Founding Fathers would have wanted to see in us, than that they said yes on November second. Because Mike Gartner was offering them the easy way, storing up more trouble for the future. And the American people said no, we’re going to face this trouble now.” The senator tapped his finger forcefully on the armrest of his chair. “We’re going to saddle up and go out and deal with it. They could have chosen the easy way but they didn’t. That’s what really makes me proud to be the next president of this country.”
“God bless America,” muttered Greg.
The senator turned to him sharply. “God bless America. You better believe it, Greg.”
There was silence again.
“Well, it’s Christmas,” said Heather. She cut the tension with a smile. “I’d say it’s about time for lunch.”
~ * ~
The Travises didn’t leave until almost sundown. Joe lingered outside, watching the sky go purple and the sun turn gold in the crisp winter air. The ranch was in the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains, and the summits of Towers Mountain and Wasson Peak rose to the north.
“What was that you were saying before lunch, Daddy?”
Joe turned. It was Amy.
“Nothing, honey.”
“I’m not ten years old, Daddy.”
“It’s nothing. Things always cost more than you think, that’s all. You say five billion over five years, and it ends up being ten.”
Amy looked at him skeptically.
Joe smiled. “When are you going back to Stanford, honey?”
“When you stop changing the subject.”
“You coming back to Washington for New Year’s?”
“You’re worried about something, aren’t you? Is it Mr. Montera?”
“A little.”
“You think he did something wrong?”
Joe shook his head.
“They’re going to roast you over it. We don’t need that right now, do we?”
“No,” murmured Joe. “We certainly don’t.”
He put his arm around Amy’s shoulder. He had always felt a deep, instinctive connection with Amy. Not that he didn’t love Greg. But with Amy it was easy, natural. Sometimes, with Greg, it seemed to him that whatever he did only served to drive his son further away.
“Hugo’s a good man,” said Joe. “He’ll make a good secretary. I need good people. The country needs good people in Washington.”
“But they’re going to roast you, Daddy. All the way to the confirmation hearings. It doesn’t look good, what he’s accused of. Even if he didn’t do anything wrong, it doesn’t look good.”
Joe gazed at the last golden sliver of the sun, almost gone now.
“You know, your mom told me, if I wanted her to, she’d give up her job. She said it’s not worth all the vitriol that’s flying around out there in press-hate land.”
“And what did you say?”
“Yes it damn well is!”
Amy laughed.
Joe Benton chuckled as well. He looked at his daughter. “So are you coming back to Washington for New Year’s?”
Amy shrugged.
“Is there someone there, at
Joe stopped. Suddenly he was aware of the way everyone was looking at him.
“How many people did you say?” asked Heather.
Joe frowned for a moment, wondering how he had let that happen. He hadn’t meant to say that, or anything like it. “I was just saying ... if you don’t deal with it, who knows how bad it’ll get?”
There was silence.
He forced a smile. “At least there’s a saving grace. The American people understood. I can’t think of greater evidence of our common sense, of the spirit of our community, the spirit our Founding Fathers would have wanted to see in us, than that they said yes on November second. Because Mike Gartner was offering them the easy way, storing up more trouble for the future. And the American people said no, we’re going to face this trouble now.” The senator tapped his finger forcefully on the armrest of his chair. “We’re going to saddle up and go out and deal with it. They could have chosen the easy way but they didn’t. That’s what really makes me proud to be the next president of this country.”
“God bless America,” muttered Greg.
The senator turned to him sharply. “God bless America. You better believe it, Greg.”
There was silence again.
“Well, it’s Christmas,” said Heather. She cut the tension with a smile. “I’d say it’s about time for lunch.”
~ * ~
The Travises didn’t leave until almost sundown. Joe lingered outside, watching the sky go purple and the sun turn gold in the crisp winter air. The ranch was in the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains, and the summits of Towers Mountain and Wasson Peak rose to the north.
“What was that you were saying before lunch, Daddy?”
Joe turned. It was Amy.
“Nothing, honey.”
“I’m not ten years old, Daddy.”
“It’s nothing. Things always cost more than you think, that’s all. You say five billion over five years, and it ends up being ten.”
Amy looked at him skeptically.
Joe smiled. “When are you going back to Stanford, honey?”
“When you stop changing the subject.”
“You coming back to Washington for New Year’s?”
“You’re worried about something, aren’t you? Is it Mr. Montera?”
“A little.”
“You think he did something wrong?”
Joe shook his head.
“They’re going to roast you over it. We don’t need that right now, do we?”
“No,” murmured Joe. “We certainly don’t.”
He put his arm around Amy’s shoulder. He had always felt a deep, instinctive connection with Amy. Not that he didn’t love Greg. But with Amy it was easy, natural. Sometimes, with Greg, it seemed to him that whatever he did only served to drive his son further away.
“Hugo’s a good man,” said Joe. “He’ll make a good secretary. I need good people. The country needs good people in Washington.”
“But they’re going to roast you, Daddy. All the way to the confirmation hearings. It doesn’t look good, what he’s accused of. Even if he didn’t do anything wrong, it doesn’t look good.”
Joe gazed at the last golden sliver of the sun, almost gone now.
“You know, your mom told me, if I wanted her to, she’d give up her job. She said it’s not worth all the vitriol that’s flying around out there in press-hate land.”
“And what did you say?”
“Yes it damn well is!”
Amy laughed.
Joe Benton chuckled as well. He looked at his daughter. “So are you coming back to Washington for New Year’s?”
Amy shrugged.
“Is there someone there, at
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