Indi shrugged. "We're starting out in the apartment. That's where we're meeting anyway. After that? I guess it depends on how work goes. You?"
"We'll be working from Charisma's house. We've done it enough that we've got it down to a science... even with Adam there. We won't go into the office in the Senate Building until Congress recommences after the weekend."
With that, the meeting broke up and goodnights were bidden as angels scattered to resume their duties... and in some cases, their beds. They all had a feeling they were going to need the rest to get through the upcoming days.
************
They worked for several straight days - just like they would in Senate office, but with the added benefit of casual clothes. Neither Charisma nor Brianna objected to their staff adopting a more informal mode of dress while working the last few days of the holiday. Brianna was as relaxed as she had ever been with her staff, but Indi could clearly see the shadows and shutters in green eyes that had once been clear and open. Still, Brianna was brisk and professional, so Indi had no opportunity to ask after her boss in more than a cursory manner.
Even Esmeralda was unsuccessful in prying much from the brief conversations she shared with Brianna. She was desperately hoping that a return to the office might also mean a return to more personal and friendly discussion. For now, Esmeralda counted her blessings that both of her friends had deemed staying in touch with her was a priority for them. At least she had contact with them on an almost daily basis, and in another few days, it would be daily as well as face-to-face.
Charisma, on the other hand, was at times short and at others longsuffering. Her staff didn't know from minute to minute which boss they might encounter. It made work difficult at best and Opal came home so exhausted, she simply fell into bed face first. Esmeralda recognized the signs and putting those with the brief conversations she was having with Charisma, let Opal sleep for a while before waking her for dinner and a short debriefing before tucking her back into bed.
By the time Sunday arrived, Esmeralda decided to give Opal the chance to sleep in a bit, and Amber, Mal and Jade stayed with Charisma and Kent to watch the drama unfold between them.
************
Charisma frowned when the doorbell rang. She hadn't opened the gates yet this morning because she wasn't expecting anyone but Kent this early. And of course, Kent had a key. Still, it was possible he'd forgotten it; hence she rose from her desk and walked into the foyer. She wasn't surprised to see him standing on the steps when she looked through the peephole and therefore had the alarm shut off before she'd hardly stopped walking.
She opened the door with a smile - which wavered when she realized Kent wasn't smiling back at her. She motioned him in with a question. "Kent? Is something wrong? Did you forget your key?"
"Yes," he replied calmly. "And no."
Charisma frowned. It was too damned early in the morning for riddles and games. She'd promised to give Kent the morning, but there was still work to be done before the day was done. She didn't want to start off being confused by vagueness.
"I'm sorry... yes and no what?"
"Yes, there is something wrong. I think there has been for a while. And no, I didn't forget my key."
"Then why were you knocking?"
Kent sighed. Leave it to Charisma to jump right into things before they even said hello to one another. "Can we go into the kitchen? This will probably take a few minutes, and I'd like a cup of coffee."
"Of course!" Charisma exclaimed, mentally thumping herself on the head. "Let me take your coat, and we'll get you squared away."
Kent handed over his overcoat, though he kept his sports coat on. Charisma shooed him towards the kitchen and he hesitated just long enough to see her head to her office to close the door before he disappeared across the threshold. She was only a minute behind him and she walked into the kitchen carrying a half-empty cup of coffee.
"Did you get your coffee?" frowning again when she realized he didn't have a cup in front of him.
"I thought I'd wait for you," Kent responded, though that was only a half-truth. Charisma nodded and pulled out his usual mug, and his smile was melancholy as he grasped she knew at least that much about him. She prepared his coffee and set it in front of him, then took a seat next to him at the table.
"So what's going on?" Charisma asked bluntly. "I know something is bothering you."
"Do you, Charisma? How can you be sure?" This time her frown was more of a glower as she tried to make sense of what Kent was implying. Coming up empty, she shook her head and Kent sighed. "You're right, Charisma - something is bothering me, and has been for a while. And since we're heading into a new year and all...."
"Kent, we've already started the New Year... several days ago."
"I'm well aware, Charisma," Kent replied wryly. "I was standing above Times' Square when the ball dropped. However, this was the first time this year that you and I could be in the same place together, so work with me here, all right?" with just a hint of exasperation. Charisma nodded, wondering at his vehemence. "Thank you," he muttered. "I wanted to give these to you myself personally," he added, pulling a sheaf of legal papers from the inside of his jacket. Charisma hesitated, then took them from him gingerly, as though gentle handling would change the contents of the documents themselves.
She opened them slowly and let her eyes read though them twice. When she looked up to meet his eyes, she found Kent looking at her - not with pity or hatred or anger but with love and respect and she felt her anger drain away leaving only confusion in its wake.
"Why?"
Kent cleared his throat, but held her gaze without flinching. "When we married, I knew you didn't love me like you could. But you did love me after a fashion and we were good together. And since we were friends and we both wanted a child, I didn't see any reason for us not to get married. It fit into your career goals and it made your mother happy, so what could be wrong with it, right? And I didn't mind because it gave me the opportunity to have a child and made my mother happy as well, with the added bonus that she stopped bugging me about needing a legal heir once Adam was born."
"What changed?"
"You did - or perhaps I should say that we didn't. We never became more than good friends - we've never really shared our lives... only our living space. The truth is that we've never been much more than roommates with occasional and very rare conjugal visits. You're still one of my very best friends, Charisma, and I still love you. But I'm not in love with you anymore than you're in love with me." Kent paused. "If I'd known the truth of your heart years ago when you asked me to marry you, I'd have never said yes. It's not fair to you; it's not fair to me; and it's not fair to her."
"Who?" Charisma asked in a hoarse voice, unable to meet his eyes now. Kent reached across the table and tilted Charisma's chin up until she met his eyes.
"I'm not stupid, Charisma - please don't insult my intelligence. Even a blind man can see that Brianna Walker is the person in your heart - still, I'd say, because if I was a betting man, I'd say she's been there for a long, long time."
"So why a separation?" Charisma asked, shaking the papers slightly. "Why not a divorce?"
"I want you to make the final decision - whether this is a trial separation that will see us together as a couple at the end of it or whether we will go our separate ways on a permanent basis. I want you to take this time and think about things, Charisma... about everything. If I'm wrong, then when this trial separation is over, we need to figure out how to become a real husband and wife... a real family. But if I'm right, I want you to use this time to be honest with everyone concerned - yourself, Brianna and me. The only thing I ask is that you don't restrict my access to Adam. He's the best part of us, and I don't want to miss any time with him that I can have."