"I know," Cynthia said. "It hurt your father and me too, though I know you probably find that hard to believe. We did things that I look back on now and wonder how I could have thought they were right. They weren't."

Kerry exhaled. "I did some of those things too," she admitted. "I think I figured if you hated me anyway, it didn't matter what I did."

Her mother reached over and touched her hand. "We never hated you," she said. "As angry and frustrated as your father was, he truly felt in his heart what he did he did because he loved you."

"You know." Kerry studied her mother's face again. "I believe that."

"Do you?" Cynthia seemed surprised.

Her daughter nodded. "Because despite everything that happened, I didn't hate either of you." She fiddled with her chopsticks. "I didn't expect you to like or accept what my choices were."

Her mother ate quietly for a few minutes, giving Kerry the chance to do the same. The air had lightened though, and Kerry felt a wary sense of relief along with a hope that the thaw would continue.

She didn't really like conflict. Dar reveled in it, taking every opportunity she could to dive into the deep end of the combative pool, relishing the challenge of going head to head with anyone who cared to argue with her.

Except Kerry. Dar didn't like arguing between them any more than Kerry did.

"We didn't really understand, " her mother said, after a while. "I don't think your father ever did, really, though I believe he did come to respect Dar and her family." She took a sip of her wine. "I decided after he passed away that I would educate myself and try to gain an understanding of how you have chosen to live and really, Kerry, it's not terribly different than anyone else."

Kerry felt like a Martian had just taken a seat at the table and was asking for popcorn. "Ah--you're right. It's not," she managed to respond. "We wake up, go to work, hang out, go to the gym, come home, balance the checkbook, watch television, and go to bed. It's not any different from anyone else. We just both happen to be women."

Her mother nodded. "So it seems. I cannot pretend I do not wish it was otherwise, but I have come to accept that it is your choice, and that is all right with me," she said. "I like Dar and her family very much. They seem like very sincere people, and I do not find much of that around here. I often wish I hadn't decided to take this task on."

"You'd rather be home?" Kerry guessed.

"I would, yes," her mother replied. "I understand the politics around me, but I truly do not like them. It often makes me quite disgusted with humanity."

Kerry nodded wryly, knowing a moment of personal growth she hadn't expected. "I hear you." She could almost hear Dar's knowing chuckle. "Maybe you can come with Angie and Mike and visit us. We'll give you a ride in our boat, and you can meet my dog."

Her mother was quiet for a long moment. "I would like that," she said. "After this horrible emergency is over, we shall make plans to do so."

Kerry smiled and lifted her beer glass, waiting for her mother to hesitantly do the same before she reached over and clinked them together. Then she put the glass down and went back to her sushi, determined not to waste a single bite.

IT WAS LATE when they pulled back into the parking lot outside Cynthia's offices. Kerry briefly regretted the need to retrieve her briefcase then shrugged and shut the SUV's engine off, opening the door to hop out of it.

She took a moment, as her mother got out of the other side, to check her cell phone. Again. "Darn it." She frowned at the instrument, conspicuously lacking in messages from Dar. "Where are you, Dixiecup?"

With a sigh, she returned the phone to her belt and circled the front of the SUV, joining her mother as they walked across the still half full parking lot in the brassy glare of the security lights.

"What are your plans now?" her mother asked. "It's a shame your things are at the hotel, you could easily have stayed in the townhouse."

Kerry stifled a yawn. "Best laid plans," she remarked. "In any case, Dar will probably come in late tonight and she knows to go there."

"Ah, yes. Of course. Well..." Cynthia lifted a hand. "If you stay over another night, please, both of you are more than welcome to stay at our home here."

Kerry appreciated the offer, honestly. However, she remembered the somewhat cramped and often busy confines of the townhouse and knew her partner would appreciate the space and hot tubs of the hotel instead. "Thanks very much," she replied. "I really appreciate that, Mother, and I know Dar will too. Hotels can get old after a while. "

Her mother smiled.

"It just will depend on our task list once Dar gets here," Kerry demurred. "I think I mentioned that she's got some confidential information she didn't want to discuss over the phone, no telling what that involves."

"Of course," Cynthia nodded. "I've had a lovely time tonight. I'm so glad we got a chance to visit a little."

They entered the door, and got only the briefest of looks from the soldiers standing guard, all of them looking tired and more than a little discouraged.

"Good evening," Cynthia greeted them.

"Ma'am," one of the soldiers responded. "Do you know how late everyone's supposed to be here?"

Kerry's mother paused. "Well, it's hard to say," she said. "Usually, perhaps nine, perhaps ten p.m., but with the extraordinary events going on, possibly people will be staying later. I myself am leaving as soon as my daughter here retrieves her things from my office."

The soldier sighed. "Thanks ma'am," he said. "Wish they'd put some vending machines in," he muttered. "They even turned off the coffee pot."

Cynthia looked around the small reception room. The soldiers were the only occupants, the receptionists having long gone home for the day. "Are you staying here all night?" she asked. "My goodness."

"Yes, ma'am," the soldier agreed. "Long as you all are."

"I vote we pull a fire alarm and clear the building then," Kerry spoke up for the first time. "I think you all need your sleep more than the senators need to grouse and wring their hands."

"Kerry." Her mother eyed her. "I'm sure everyone here has a good reason to be at work."

Kerry exchanged wry glances with the soldier, who reached up and touched the brim of his camo cap. She pulled her cell phone from her belt and dialed a number. "Hey Mark, it's Kerry."

"Hey boss," Mark said. "We're in the trailer, chilling."

"If you're chilling, that must be good news." Kerry smiled. "Newark up?"

"Yeah, and soon as they finish the power feed we can do something for this place, at least barebones," Mark replied. "You're gonna have to come play ref on them though, everyone's a priority one in their own minds around here."

Kerry nodded. "Yeah, I know. Anyone there free to take a little ride?" she asked. "If you've got some spare chow, the poor guys down here guarding my mother's office could use some."

"Hang on." Mark put the line on hold.

Kerry looked at the soldiers, who were now focused on her with imperfectly hidden hopefulness.

"So--you want stuff over at your mom's office?" Mark got back on the phone. "I got a couple of volunteers here to bring it. How many guys?"

"Six." Kerry smiled. "Six big, hungry Marines."

"Can do, boss," Mark said. "You sticking around there? Be cool if you could make sure they get in all right."

Kerry's brows twitched. "Ah--sure," She said. "But tell them not to sightsee on the way over. I'm about out of steam."

"No problem," Mark replied. "They'll be right over. You just hang tight."

"Thanks Mark," Kerry said. "You get some rest, okay? Let me know when the power gets put in."

"Sure will. Later, boss."

"Isn't that lovely," Cynthia said.

Kerry replaced the phone on her belt. "Okay guys," she said. "It'll probably be sandwiches and chips, but at least it's better than a vending machine. A couple of our guys will bring it over in a company truck."

The Marines grinned. "Now that's service. Thank you ma'am," the senior one said. "We were supposed to get a relief three hours ago, but they've got our whole platoon out all over the place."

"My pleasure," Kerry said.

Cynthia clasped her hands. "Shall we go to my office? I'm sure it won't take them long to get here. For once the traffic is not so abominable." She gestured toward the inner door, then followed Kerry as she eased past and headed for it. "Gentlemen."

"Ma'am." The soldiers all smiled at her, more cheerful now.

Kerry exhaled as she walked along the marble floor. The building was quieter now, some offices showing lights and shadows, others quiet and dark. She wondered, briefly, what the difference was, between those who'd gone home, and those who'd stayed.

"Kerry, that was wonderful of you," her mother said. "So thoughtful, to take care of those soldiers. Tomorrow, I will find out why they were left there like that, to be sure."

"No problem," Kerry said. "I was pretty sure we had extra. We always order enough food for three times the people we have."

"Really?"

"Nerds eat anything and everything as much as you'll give them." Her daughter chuckled a little. "When we have lunch meetings we put the extras in the break room and get out of the way. It's like locusts descending."

Cynthia made a small sound of surprise. "In any case, it was a lovely gesture. I know they appreciated it."

The door to the Senator's office was closed, and the panel dark behind it. Cynthia removed a key from her purse and unlocked the door, pushing it open and reaching inside to turn the lights on. "I see everyone's left."