Amber nodded as she stood and stretched. "Yeah, but I think we're down to taking it a minute at a time right now. Night, guys." They watched her head up the stairs and turned back to the table thoughtfully, each wondering what else the day might bring.


Chapter XXXI

"Hello?" Brianna yawned into the phone as she blinked her eyes open, glad for the darkening shades in her bedroom.

"Brianna? Did I wake you up, sweetheart?" The voice on the other end of the phone caused Brianna to shoot up into a sitting position.

"Mama O??" rubbing her eyes and trying to force a wakefulness she simply didn't feel, even with the rush of adrenaline hearing Okasa's voice had caused. She pushed her hair off her face and rubbed the back of her neck. "Is everything okay?" yawning again.

"I was going to ask you the same thing. What's going on down there? I got the strangest phone call from my daughter last night...."

Brianna blinked rapidly. "Um...."

"I did wake you up, didn't I? I'm sorry, Little Bri," the nickname bringing a smile to Brianna's face. "I didn't stop to think that you might have had a late night last night. I know about some of those parties and things that go on down there, you know," with a hint of a smile in her tone.

Brianna yawned and shook her head, even though Okasa couldn't see the motion. Then she slid from the bed and headed towards the kitchen. "Oh, Mama O - it's nothing nearly that exciting. I've been working really long hours here trying to catch up on all the stuff I'm supposed to be working on - either in committee or just generally speaking. I'm actually taking the day off today. A friend invited me over for lunch with her and her partner. That's why I was still in bed when you called."

"And I messed up your sleep-in," Okasa tsked. "I'm sorry, Brianna."

"Don't be, Mama O. It's good to hear from you."

"The phone does work both ways," she replied tartly, drawing a chuckle from Brianna and smiling in response. "However, I do understand you're still settling in - so I'll forgive you this time... as long as you promise it won't be too long before you call me."

"I promise, Mama. You know I'm good for it." She flipped on the coffee maker and started dumping things into her cup as she waited for it to brew. Then she snagged a banana for breakfast.

"I do indeed. Now what is going on down there... really? Charisma called me last night."

Brianna waited but when nothing more was forthcoming, she felt the need to prompt Okasa. "All right... and this is unusual how? Okasa, she's your daughter. Surely you talk on the phone occasionally."

"No one likes a smartass," Okasa muttered, "especially this early in the morning." Brianna arched an eyebrow and snorted.

"Then you shouldn't have called so early, Mama O. You know what a smartass I am after coffee. Why would you think a lack of it would make it better?"

"Good point," Okasa agreed with a hint of light laughter in her voice. Then she cleared her throat and Brianna could hear the worry in her tone. "I'm... concerned, Brianna. Charisma sounded upset."

Brianna frowned. "Did she say anything, Okasa? Give you any idea what she was upset about?"

"No. She didn't *say* anything - seriously. We talked about absolutely nothing - the weather, the traffic, Kent's new show. That's part of the reason I'm worried. There is always something real for us to talk about - her work, my work, the family. Her daddy thinks I'm crazy... insists that I'm imagining things. But I'm not - a mother knows when something is wrong... especially when...."

"Especially when what, Okasa? You can't just stop there. And doesn't Kent count as family? He is her husband and Adam's father, after all."

"Yes, he does and yes he is. But we didn't talk about Kent... just his show."

"Especially when what?" Brianna prodded again when Okasa didn't continue. "If you want me to try to give you answers, Okasa, I need to know the whole truth."

"Last night was the first time we had heard from her since you arrived in Washington. There was something different - her voice... her attitude." Okasa sighed. "It's hard to explain. Paddy would have recognized the difference if he'd been on the phone with her. Instead, he thinks I'm a lunatic."

"That's not fair, Mama," Brianna heard across the wire and the gentle brogue brought a smile to her face. "That's not what I said at all," Patrick protested, making Brianna chuckle. Okasa huffed.

"Little Bri, you're on speaker now. I'm not going to play go-between while Paddy argues his case."

"Hi, Brianna," Patrick offered a touch sheepishly.

"Good morning, Papa," she returned cheerfully, pouring her coffee into her cup and relishing her fist sip after she'd stirred everything in. "Why do you doubt Mama?"

"He doubts, Little One, because the only thing he said to Charisma was 'I love you' and because if he agrees with me it means there is something wrong with his baby girl that he didn't catch. That is bad enough. The fact that she hasn't come to us about it just makes it worse."

"Papa," Brianna scolded gently. "You do realize Charisma is a grown woman? A United States Senator? You can't expect her to come running to you when something goes wrong in her life hoping you can fix it and make it all go away."

"I know, but...."

"But," Brianna cut in, "she did call you. Trust that Mama knows that she called because she needed you. Now you have to figure out what she needs from you."

Patrick frowned. "Why exactly are you a lawyer? And how did you get into politics? You're much too smart for that, Brianna. You shoulda been a doctor."

Brianna laughed. "Um... NO. Too much drama. Haven't you ever seen those medical shows on television?" drawing laughs from the Taghertys. "So that's why you think something is wrong? Because Charisma called you last night and she sounded... what?"

"Disconnected."

"I'm not sure I understand."

Okasa sighed. "I'm not sure I can explain it well enough to make you understand."

"Try, Mama. You wouldn't have called me about this if it wasn't important."

"This is true," Okasa admitted. "You have to know that Charisma and I talk every Sunday as a matter of course. She calls in the evening so Paddy and I can talk to Adam before bedtime and then she and I generally spend a little time catching up - you know? like I told you earlier. We talk about the family; she shares some stories of her work and I do the same. Kind of like when you and I talk," hearing Brianna's hum of acknowledgement.

"So the fact that she called last night...."

"Rang all kinds of alarm bells. The fact that she didn't have anything to talk about ... I decided to call you. If anyone might have an idea of what was bothering her...."

"Okasa...."

"Brianna - discounting the fact that you're Charisma's best friend, you're the only one there where she is. You're the only one who might have an inkling of what happened to throw her off her stride."

"First of all, Okasa - I'm not Charisma's best friend... not for twenty years, and you know that. Please don't try to bullshit me."

"Brianna...."

"No, Okasa! I don't...."

"Brianna, listen to me a minute," hearing Brianna huff impatiently before she fell silent. "Brianna... despite everything, you're the only best friend Charisma ever had... still. Now I'll grant you that your situation could in no way be considered normal, but it is what it is. And until and unless that changes...."

Brianna sighed. "Mama O," she said resignedly. "Is there a point here?"

"You two make me crazy, you know that?" Okasa groused, then continued before Brianna could offer a response. "Even considering the fact that you and Charisma haven't been part of one another's lives for twenty years, no one knows my baby the way that you do. That plus the fact that you're actually in the same place...."

"Did you ever stop to think that might be her problem, Okasa? That us being in the same sphere for the first time in twenty years would be enough to shake her up?"

"Then why wait so long to call, Brianna? Why not call and vent as soon as you accepted the appointment? Or the first time you met again? Something must have happened to have caused her to call home just to babble." She paused. "What's going on there, Brianna... really?"

"I met Adam," Brianna offered into the well of silence between them.

"All right," Patrick finally said after exchanging long stares with Okasa. "Did it go poorly? God knows the first few days with his father could be considered horrific. He screamed every time Kent got near him."

"Oh no," Brianna reassured them swiftly. "Nothing like that at all. In fact...." Brianna trailed off and Patrick and Okasa let the silence go on until they wondered if their connection had been severed.

"Brianna?"

Brianna started and looked at the phone stupidly a moment before replying. "Sorry, Mama O. I was just thinking."

Patrick chuckled. "Still takes you that way, does it?"

Brianna laughed, especially when she heard Okasa backhand Patrick in the belly. "Papa, some days I count my blessings that it *can* still take me that way. It beats not being taken at all."

"So tell us, Little Bri. What happened when you met our precocious grandson?"

"Nothing I would consider special... at least I didn't until.... Let me start at the beginning." Brianna told them of her encounter with Adam in the hallway. "Now in fairness, I haven't had to deal with many kids in my life, except of course your *other* grandchildren. And you know how they are - very outgoing and friendly... kind of like your kids. So I just figured Adam was the same way. Except when we went for ice cream later, Charisma wanted to know what kind of a spell I put on her son."