Laura leaned her weight on her hands against the desk as she studied Charisma silently. Charisma didn't squirm or appear uncomfortable - she simply returned Laura's gaze with an arched eyebrow and the slightest hint of a smirk.
Laura sighed - she wasn't looking forward to this, but it needed to be done, so without a word, she took her seat and folded her hands on top of the desk. "It has come to my attention that we have a serious problem that needs addressing." Charisma cocked her head, but didn't speak. "Brianna Walker needs to be removed from your life."
Both eyebrows flew into Charisma's hairline. "Excuse me?" her voice calm, but Laura could see the fury stirring in the back of those blue eyes. She cleared her throat delicately.
"Brianna Walker could easily become an issue in your campaign... especially with your separation from Kent. We need to make sure she stays at the periphery of your life if not completely outside of it."
"No."
"Good. Next order of... wait - what?? What do you mean, no?"
"What part of no is not clear, Laura? I'll be happy to explain either the 'N' or the 'O' to you. I've become quite adept with Adam."
Laura could feel her blood pressure rising, and took a deep breath before saying something she could not possibly take back. Because unlike her meeting with Brianna, she and Charisma were on the same page about a good many things - all she needed to do was remind Charisma of that.
"Charisma, I'm quite serious. Need I remind you of how long and hard we've worked to get to this place? I can spin the separation from Kent - the voters won't be thrilled, mind you, but they'll accept the fact that you have outgrown one another... especially since you've indicated that you'll still be raising Adam together. Spinning your past with Senator Walker won't be that difficult either... as long as she stays in your past, Charisma."
"No."
Laura slapped her hands on the top of the desk and huffed out a breath. Charisma flinched, but held her ground. Laura ground her teeth together before leaning back with a grimace, crossing her arms over her chest and sighing.
"Why are you being so difficult about this? Do you know anything about who this woman is now?"
"I know what I need to know, Laura."
"Oh really? You know she's a lesbian."
"Old news, and not even news worthy to be honest. I don't think the world cares if my best friend is gay," not seeing Laura flinch at her slip of the tongue. "And frankly, if that's all they've got to worry about, then I'm going to be out of a job anyway - we'll be living in Paradise. There are far more important issues to be concerned with."
"And if she's gay for you?"
"That's between her and me."
"Are you really that naпve, Charisma?? It may not be news, but it will certainly derail your campaign... especially if people believe you're gay for her as well."
"If that's all it takes to stop this campaign from moving forward, then it's not really going anywhere to begin with, is it? Laura, I'm not removing Brianna Walker from my life. As long as she's willing to be a part of my life again, and let me be a part of hers, she's staying. End of discussion."
Laura growled. "Why the hell did she have to come back now, anyway? Why couldn't she have just stayed the hell away from you?"
Charisma narrowed her eyes at Laura for a long moment, then rose from her seat. "I think we're done here. If you decide that we actually need to work on an expanded press release about my separation from Kent, let me know and I'll put something together. But stay away from Brianna Walker, Laura. She's off limits to you."
"You're serious."
"As a fucking heart attack," her words causing Laura to cringe noticeably. Charisma walked to the door, stopping when she heard Laura's voice again.
"Did you know she's a writer? Or has ties to the Mob?"
Charisma sighed. "She was a writer in college, Laura. She could have made a living at it if she'd chosen to go that route. As for the Mob... I met her family. She can't help what she was born into, but she can be damned proud of who she became in spite of them."
"She did."
"Excuse me? She did what?"
"Made a career out of being a writer." Charisma turned and met Laura's eyes, which were smug with confidence in her knowledge.
"I beg your pardon."
"You don't have to beg, Charisma - just ask. Or better yet, go ask your supposed best friend why you never knew she's the writer known as Heather Athena Fontana. And when you're ready to get serious about this campaign again, call me."
Charisma didn't respond - she simply left Laura's office and headed for her own.
************
Charisma's day passed quickly enough - there was always something going on and it was enough to keep her busy and her mind off the conversation she'd shared with Laura. So when Esmeralda knocked on the door much later that evening, she was startled to realize just how late it had gotten. She glanced up as Esmeralda stuck her head in the door, then waved her forward.
"Come in, Es," standing and crossing from behind her desk to offer Esmeralda a hug. The embrace was strong but brief, and Charisma leaned back to look into tired green eyes. "Can I interest you in chocolate milk?"
Esmeralda bit her lip. "I'm supposed to have some with Brianna in a little while, but I don't suppose a little more will hurt me, will it?"
"Well, it hasn't messed me up yet," Charisma offered with a smile, "though I think Kent was expecting Adam to come out that color I drank so much of it when I was pregnant."
Esmeralda snickered. "Because, of course, chocolate cows give chocolate milk so chocolate milk drinkers give birth to chocolate colored babies."
"Of course," Charisma agreed drolly as she passed a bottle to Esmeralda and took one for herself. "How are you doing, Es?" sitting next to her on the couch.
Esmeralda released a shuddering breath and slowly shook up her milk. "I'm... I'm taking it one day at a time - sometimes one minute at a time. Sometimes I feel her so close to me that I think...." She sucked down a mouthful of milk and shook her head. Charisma moved closer and put an arm around Esmeralda, smiling sadly when the blonde head came to rest on her shoulder for a moment.
"Have you received her ashes yet?"
"Mr. Prescott delivered them first thing this morning."
"Would you... are you planning to scatter them? Do you need...?" trailing off when Esmeralda shook her head vehemently.
"No... thank you, Charisma. I'm not planning to scatter them. I'm pretty sure the Father is not happy about the fact that I... I had... that I had Saphira cremated, but I couldn't bear to put her in the ground. She was too much of a free spirit to be so confined."
"She really was, wasn't she?" Charisma asked with a smile, chuckling when Esmeralda nodded her head. They stayed that way for another minute before Esmeralda sat up and met Charisma's eyes.
"I supposed I should get to work, and I'm sure you probably have other things you need to be doing as well." She paused. "Thank you, Charisma." Charisma's brow furrowed.
"For what, Es?"
"Being a friend," Esmeralda replied. Charisma brushed a kiss over her forehead and stood, offering her hand to Esmeralda and pulling her up as well.
"You were a friend first, Es. And you were a friend when I needed one the most."
"I'm glad."
"Me too... even when I was angry with you," smiling when Esmeralda's eyes widened. "I was angry because you were right, and because you had the guts to say something to us about it in front of each other."
"And now?"
"Now I'm wishing you had kicked us in the backsides a long time ago - because she gave me that other chance, and I'm determined to try."