"And it doesn't bother you to be separated?"
Charisma shook her head. She picked up the phone and made a brief call to Turq then turned back to Esmeralda. "No... why would it? It's only a few months and he's only a couple hours away if something comes up here. Our military men and women are separated from their families for much longer and without the access I have." She looked hard at Esmeralda. "You still haven't answered my question."
"I'm sorry, Charisma. What was the question again?"
"What's it like... wanting to have time together?"
"You already know, Charisma. Don't you wish you had more time with Adam?"
"Not the same thing, Es - Adam is my son, not my mate," remembering Esmeralda's discourse. She picked up her briefcase and headed towards the door. By the way," she said casually as she reached the same spot Brianna had earlier in the day, putting a hand on the doorknob and turning partially to give Esmeralda a view of her profile. "I spoke to Brianna today."
"That's a good thing, right?"
Charisma shrugged. "Time will tell." She turned until she could look fully at Esmeralda. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Charisma." Then Esmeralda turned back to her work, not noticing she remained under Charisma's regard for another long moment before the door closed.
************
"So we're having company Sunday?" Saphira said as she and Esmeralda walked home from the metro station closest to the house they shared.
"Yeah - I hope the rest won't mind disappearing for a while."
"Well, except for Amber and Coral, it shouldn't be a problem. And they'll both be asleep upstairs. We'll manage."
"We always do." Esmeralda smiled as she spoke.
"What about Charisma?"
"I don't know, Phira. She's harder to read than Brianna is. She's been hiding a lot longer... from herself as well as everyone else."
"And when she finds out Kent has been hiding from her?"
"I don't know," Esmeralda repeated. "She won't make a scene, but she may use it to push him further out of her sphere. I think it'll depend on what he's been hiding."
"Well, hopefully Mal will find out soon - and before Charisma knows. It'd be nice to be ahead in this situation for a change and be able to make plans accordingly."
Esmeralda chuckled as they mounted the steps to their abode. "It never hurts to hope, I guess," she said quietly as they entered the house, taking care not to waken the other occupants. It wasn't long before they were settled in bed and silence descended once more.
Chapter XXV
Brianna glanced at the clock, eyes widening comically when she realized how late... or how early, depending on your point of view... it actually was. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, then tilted her head from one side to the other, sighing in satisfaction when it popped back into place. Brianna dropped her glasses onto the desk and stood, stretching and groaning when her back cracked unexpectedly.
"Well," she said to the silent office. "At least I'll be able to enjoy my Sunday with Es and Saphira without feeling any guilt," she said with a little chuckle. She debated going home, knowing she needed to be back relatively early to attend several committee meetings. But her desire for a hot shower won out over the need for a couple hours sleep on the couch, so she lifted the phone and put in a quick call to Jas. In minutes, she was being whisked to her apartment.
"Feel better, Senator Walker?" Jas asked as Brianna approached her car sometime later with a bounce in her step and a smile on her face.
"Much, Jas. I'm sure I'll regret the lack of sleep later, but at the moment I feel like I could take on the world and win." Jas grinned and nodded at Brianna's enthusiasm, shutting her door carefully and sliding into her place behind the wheel. "Were you up all night waiting on me, Jas?"
"I caught a good nap, Senator."
"Uh huh. I want you to go home after you drop me at the Senate Building and get some rest. I'll call you before I need you to let you know when you come pick me up again."
"But Senator...."
"Jas, don't make me make it an order. I'm not going anywhere today - at least not for a while. Long enough for you to get some decent sleep, all right?"
"You're the boss, ma'am."
Brianna smirked. "And don't you forget it." Then they were arriving back at the Senate Building and Jas opened Brianna's door and waited for her to disappear inside the building before she resumed her spot in the driver's seat and headed the car towards the house. She idly wondered who'd still be home when she arrived and then simply focused on getting there in the still heavy darkness.
************
"Dammit!" was the muttered curse Brianna heard as she made her way down the hallway towards her office after having enjoyed a full breakfast in the Senate dining room. She sped up her steps, wondering who'd found it necessary to be cursing in the building at daybreak. What she saw caused her heart to hesitate but her steps to speed up.
"Let me help," she offered, seeing Charisma struggle to hold onto her briefcase, unlock the door and juggle a cup of coffee while cradling her still sleeping son to her chest. Before Charisma could even think to protest, Brianna relieved her of her briefcase, coffee cup and keycard, swiping it quickly and pushing the door open so Charisma could enter the office ahead of her.
Charisma nodded her thanks, making her way from the outer office and towards her inner sanctum. Without a word, Brianna swiped the card again, unlocking the second secure door and opening it so Charisma could pass in front of her once more.
Charisma made her way to her couch, laying Adam on it and covering him before she turned to find Brianna's eyes on them. She straightened, but before she could clear her throat to speak, Brianna whispered, "He's beautiful, Ri."
Charisma smiled, then bit her lip to keep the tears from falling unchecked down her cheeks. She turned back to look at Adam still sleeping so peacefully. "He's my pride and joy."
Brianna smiled. "I can see why," causing Charisma to look at her again.
"Oh for... give me that stuff," Charisma demanded curtly, holding out her hands. "I didn't mean for you to stand here holding it like some sort of pack mule."
"It's all right, Ri. It was worth it to see your son. Someday I'd like to meet him." Charisma nodded but didn't answer verbally as she took her things and put them on her desk. "I guess I better go," Brianna added when Charisma turned around again.
Charisma looked hard at Brianna then, noticing the dark circles make-up couldn't hide. "You weren't here all night, were you? You don't want to get into that habit, Brianna. You'll burn out before you get settled in if you push like that."
"It was only one night, Ri. And I don't plan to be around here long enough to burn out. Politics was never my thing - you know that. I appreciate your concern though," she added with a gentle smile as she made her way back towards the door.
"Why did you take the appointment?" Charisma asked quietly, keeping the desk between them. Brianna turned back towards her but didn't move from her spot near the door. "As you said, you've never been interested in politics, and you knew I was here... that we'd be back in one another's lives at least peripherally if you came here. So why did you accept the appointment? You stayed away from me for almost twenty years."
Brianna stood quietly for a long moment, hearing the layers of hurt and anger and confusion in Charisma's voice, though she doubted Charisma was fully aware of them. "Michael asked. Richard really does hope to return to work by election time. So I make the perfect placeholder until Richard is better. When Michael asked he knew I wasn't interested in making a career change. I like what I do, Charisma. And I'm very good at it."
"I know," Charisma said simply, causing Brianna's brows to jump into her hairline. But when she didn't expound on her response, Brianna picked up the thread of conversation.