"Fortunately, he's resilient, Laura. He won't even remember it by the time his cousins arrive. I'll talk to you Monday."

"Goodbye, Charisma."

Charisma hung up the phone and sat at the desk for a long moment staring at it before heading out of her office and towards the family room to see Adam.

************

Kent parked the SUV in Charisma's reserved spot, locking it securely then slid into his jacket. The wind blew across him as he stepped out into the open was cold and he spared a moment to shiver as he searched for his appointment. When he found what he was looking for exactly where he expected her, Kent strode forward without hesitation. He reached the bench in front of the National Gallery quickly, and gestured to the empty space.

"May I join you or would you prefer to walk?"

Brianna looked up and nodded towards the seat. Kent sat down and clasped his hands between his knees. Then he took a deep breath, and started to speak.


Chapter C

"Charisma and I go back a long time," he began quietly, "though not as far as the two of you. We met when she was still in the House, so probably three or four years after you...." He felt her nod her understanding and he cleared his throat. "It was casual at first... our acquaintanceship, I mean. We were in some of the same circles because of some of our shared charity interests, so we'd see one another at various dinners and fundraisers and we'd share a bit of casual conversation. But that was the extent of our contact for the first couple years we knew one another."

Kent spared a moment to look at Brianna, but she didn't return his gaze and she didn't speak, so he breathed out slowly and resumed his narrative.

"It wasn't until after Charisma became a Senator that things changed between us, and I have to admit to being a little surprised by it all. Don't get me wrong - we had developed a good, solid friendship by that point. We could talk to each other about practically everything, and we were pretty honest about things." He paused and shook his head. "Most things, anyway." Kent turned and faced Brianna, waiting for her to turn and meet his eyes. "I want you to understand that I didn't know about you, Brianna. If I had...."

She smiled sadly at him. "If you had, it wouldn't have made a difference, Kent."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I am. Besides, whatever else has happened, you got Adam out of your union with Charisma, and even I can't fault either of you for that. He's a great kid."

Kent chuckled. "He's a handful all right. He's also the reason we decided to get married."

"I don't understand. I thought you got married for Charisma's image."

"We got married because we both wanted a child, and for Charisma's sake, we needed to be married to share that. We cared about one another... still do, actually - but we never loved one another passionately or completely. We loved each other without ever actually being in love." He sighed. "It was a mutually satisfying arrangement whose time is over."

"How can you say that? You still have a child to raise together, and if Charisma wants to make a bid for the White House...."

"Brianna, we can still raise a child together without being married."

"Kent, I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me." Kent nodded and Brianna nodded back before looking back over the Mall. "If I hadn't come back into Charisma's life... however peripherally... would you and Charisma have separated?"

Kent offered her a small smile. "Brianna, we were separated long before you came back into her life. We've been living different lives for most of the time we've known one another. Except for a few months when we first married, Charisma and I have been roommates more than husband and wife."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

Kent gave her an embarrassed smile, then dropped his eyes to the ground beneath his feet. "Charisma and I have always been good together - we're friends and enjoy a lot of the same things when we actually spend any quality time with each other. And we learned to be content with what we had together, because it meant we had someone on the occasions we needed them." He paused and Brianna waited. Kent looked out at the Mall, the ghost of a smile crossing his face. "But I had never seen her genuinely happy... until I saw her with you."

Silence reigned for several long moments while Brianna considered his words. Finally... "Why are you so willing to give up everything, Kent?"

Kent shook his head. "You're looking at this the wrong way, Brianna. I'm not giving anything up... except the pretense of a relationship that has served its purpose." He hesitated. "Think of this as coming full circle. The difference is now we're part of one another's circle as well."

"You're assuming I'm willing to do something."

Kent growled and clapped his hands together. "Women!" he muttered, running his hands through his hair before turning his head to look at her. "Brianna, I can't force you to do anything - I wouldn't dream of trying. But Charisma and I are separated, and nothing you do or don't do is going to change that fact. Would it really be so bad to be happy?" Brianna didn't answer and after a few minutes, Kent slapped his knees and rose. "I need to get going. I'm supposed to be at Es' in about fifteen minutes." He gave her a look. "Are you going to be all right?"

Brianna nodded her head, but she refused to speak. Kent watched her a moment longer, then made his way back to his truck. He had places to be.

************

"I'm sorry Brianna wasn't able to come by," Kay offered as she wrapped her scarf around her neck. "I know she was going to try; I guess her meeting with Senator Maxwell ran long."

"Did she really call at six o'clock this morning?" Ruby asked.

Kay nodded and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Yes. Woke me out of a somewhat sound sleep."

"Any idea what she wanted?"

"She wouldn't tell Bri, but I know that Brianna wanted to be here. She wanted Es to know that her friendship and her honesty were more important to Brianna than Brianna's own anger was. Because that anger is purely self-directed, you know."

Ruby smiled gently and patted Kay's shoulder. "Oh, I know. I've seen a lot in my lifetime. We'll see you at the service tomorrow?"

"Yes. The family arrived this morning. We'll all be there."

"Thank you, Kay. It means a lot."

Kay squeezed Ruby's hand briefly before exiting the house and closing the door behind her. Ruby waited until she heard the car pull out of the drive, and then headed back into the kitchen where they had been receiving people all day.

"Well," she said slowly. "That's everyone except for Brianna and Okasa." A knock sounded on the door and Ruby's head dropped just slightly before she moved back to the door to admit Okasa into their midst. At least this should be the last for the day, and Ruby would be able to send Esmeralda to bed, and find out what was going on with everyone else.

************

Brianna had remained on the bench outside of the National Gallery for a number of minutes after Kent's departure before realizing she was starting to freeze into place with the lack of activity. A glance at her watch told her that she had a few minutes before she needed to leave for the Hill and her appointment with Laura Maxwell. So she mounted the steps and made her way to the Sculpture Galleries, walking briskly until she was standing in front of Diana. She idly wondered if the goddess had ever given up someone she wanted because it was the best choice for the one she loved.

The angle she stood at made Diana's features resemble Saphira and her thoughts turned to what Esmeralda had said to her. And she understood that as far as her friends were concerned anything was worth losing as long as they had one another. Brianna offered up a short prayer for Esmeralda, then turned her footsteps towards the door. She had a meeting to attend.

************

"Senator Walker... please come in. Can I offer you some refreshment?"

Brianna looked at Laura as if she'd grown two heads. "Senator Maxwell, can we please cut to the chase here? You called me at six o'clock this morning DEMANDING I meet with you immediately, so I'm assuming you felt some sense of urgency."

Laura gave Brianna a look of bare tolerance as she gestured for her to take a seat. "It doesn't mean we can't at least attempt an effort at civilization," pouring herself out two fingers of malt whisky before seating herself behind her desk.

"You probably should have thought of that before you called me at oh-dark-thirty this morning. Now, do you want to tell me what was so urgent it couldn't wait or shall I go? I actually do have more important things to do today than sit here and play politics with you."

Laura studied Brianna for a long moment, tapping her fingers against the crystal tumbler. She took a sip and wrapped her hands around it protectively, then leaned forward. "Why are you here?"

Brianna blinked. Whatever else she'd been expecting to hear, this wasn't even a possibility. Her eyebrows rose into hairline. "Are you kidding me?? *This* was your emergency??" She stood up. "I don't have time for this."

"Sit down, Senator Walker."

"Or what, Laura?" dropping the honorific, and smirking at the surprise on Maxwell's face. "What exactly do you think you're going to do to me? I am here by an appointment of the governor of my state because he asked me for a favor. I'm not running for re-election. The only thing of relevance in my being here is doing the best I can for the time I've been assigned. I'm going home when this is over - I have no interest in dealing with the nest of vipers that inhabit this place!" She paused for breath and modulated her tone. "So what exactly do you think you can threaten me with?"