Untitled (Ed Miliband/David Cameron)
David had almost finished emptying his office when there was a small knock at the door. All of his possessions had been tidied away into a large cardboard box, the only token of his time in office. His photographs, notes, books…the Strauss CD Nick had lent him, all packed away…the space looking terribly bare without them.
He gave a half hearted call to enter and found Edward Miliband, leader of the opposition, stood in the doorway. David paused with a frown. The other man’s dark eyes were fixed on the ground, his hands folded gently together, pressed against his body.
“Come to rub it in?” David asked with a huff, slamming the final object into the box, a small marble replica of a Donatello sculpture.
“No.” Ed replied quietly, his eyes not leaving the carpet. David closed the cardboard flaps shut and walked over to the younger man.
“Then what do you want?” It came out harsh, but really who could blame him after all that had happened?
“It’s just…” His eyes left the floor to look the Prime Minister in the face. “I don’t want you to go.” A blush rose in the man’s pale cheeks, a sign of his deep embarrassment, but he had to say it. David froze, his lips tightening in a thin line, trying to work out if the Labour leader was mocking him. He decided, after a few seconds of studying the man’s eyes that he was being deadly serious and was ashamed of this fact.
“Why not? I bet your party are celebrating right now…if they know yet that is.” The soon-to-be-ex Prime Minister couldn’t help but attempt at one final blow. If Miliband really was serious then he was alone in his wish.
“They are…” Ed began.
“Well then, there you…”
“But I’m not.” The reply was simple. And Ed’s eyes were so damn dark. David felt if he looked into them for too long he would never be able to stop. He would waste away staring at his political enemy and it would be just as well considering…
David let out a long deep sigh, his hand moved to cup Ed’s right shoulder, squeezing gently. “Look, Ed…” The word sounded strange on his lips, “I don’t know what you want me to say…or do. What is done is done and there’s nothing either of us can do to change that.” Ed’s eyes returned once more to the floor. “I suggest you prepare your speech for the cameras and press.” The Conservative glanced at his watch. “I’ll be out in half in hour…ready to resign officially. You need to be ready for when I do. This is your chance Ed, make it good.”
Ed’s eyes returned once more to David’s, brown connecting with blue. He gave a small nod. “I’ll miss you.” He whispered. His jaw tightening as he said it, trying to hold something back.
David replied with a humourless smile. “You too.”
He removed his hand from the other man’s shoulder and extended it. Ed took it firmly, his eyes never leaving David’s as he shook it. The grip tightened slightly, neither wanting to let go of the other, because when it did it meant they would have to leave the office, David would have to face the media and his colleagues and say the words he never wanted to say, and Ed would have to straighten his tie, hold his jaw tight to stop the tears, and give his statement. Tell the world that what the Prime Minister was doing was the right thing for the country.
“Time to leave.” David said, his head held high. “You better go first. I’ll watch you…in the commons.” David led Ed to the door. Their hands were still joined.
He gave a half hearted call to enter and found Edward Miliband, leader of the opposition, stood in the doorway. David paused with a frown. The other man’s dark eyes were fixed on the ground, his hands folded gently together, pressed against his body.
“Come to rub it in?” David asked with a huff, slamming the final object into the box, a small marble replica of a Donatello sculpture.
“No.” Ed replied quietly, his eyes not leaving the carpet. David closed the cardboard flaps shut and walked over to the younger man.
“Then what do you want?” It came out harsh, but really who could blame him after all that had happened?
“It’s just…” His eyes left the floor to look the Prime Minister in the face. “I don’t want you to go.” A blush rose in the man’s pale cheeks, a sign of his deep embarrassment, but he had to say it. David froze, his lips tightening in a thin line, trying to work out if the Labour leader was mocking him. He decided, after a few seconds of studying the man’s eyes that he was being deadly serious and was ashamed of this fact.
“Why not? I bet your party are celebrating right now…if they know yet that is.” The soon-to-be-ex Prime Minister couldn’t help but attempt at one final blow. If Miliband really was serious then he was alone in his wish.
“They are…” Ed began.
“Well then, there you…”
“But I’m not.” The reply was simple. And Ed’s eyes were so damn dark. David felt if he looked into them for too long he would never be able to stop. He would waste away staring at his political enemy and it would be just as well considering…
David let out a long deep sigh, his hand moved to cup Ed’s right shoulder, squeezing gently. “Look, Ed…” The word sounded strange on his lips, “I don’t know what you want me to say…or do. What is done is done and there’s nothing either of us can do to change that.” Ed’s eyes returned once more to the floor. “I suggest you prepare your speech for the cameras and press.” The Conservative glanced at his watch. “I’ll be out in half in hour…ready to resign officially. You need to be ready for when I do. This is your chance Ed, make it good.”
Ed’s eyes returned once more to David’s, brown connecting with blue. He gave a small nod. “I’ll miss you.” He whispered. His jaw tightening as he said it, trying to hold something back.
David replied with a humourless smile. “You too.”
He removed his hand from the other man’s shoulder and extended it. Ed took it firmly, his eyes never leaving David’s as he shook it. The grip tightened slightly, neither wanting to let go of the other, because when it did it meant they would have to leave the office, David would have to face the media and his colleagues and say the words he never wanted to say, and Ed would have to straighten his tie, hold his jaw tight to stop the tears, and give his statement. Tell the world that what the Prime Minister was doing was the right thing for the country.
“Time to leave.” David said, his head held high. “You better go first. I’ll watch you…in the commons.” David led Ed to the door. Their hands were still joined.