A Slight Surprise
[Takes place after the fundraiser.]
Dalia followed Andrew onto the elevator in silence. They were quiet until they reached his apartment. He fumbled with the door lock.
“Here,” Dalia stepped forward to take the key ring.
“I’ve got it,” Andrew said, managing to open the door and let them in.
“Why does Joshua want to meet with you?” Dalia asked once the door was closed.
Andrew sighed. “I don’t exactly know. But I know it’s not good. Even…before you told me who he really was…there was something odd about his approach.”
“…how much did they give your campaign?” Dalia asked.
“I don’t remember,” Andrew admitted. “Probably the maximum legal amount…but…there could be others.” He ran his good hand through his hair. “If the Cranes could so easily have a legitimate business, how many other criminals did I unknowingly take money from?”
“It could just be the Cranes,” Dalia said, hoping she was right. “Not that it’s much consolation.”
She went forward to help him out of his suit jacket, working in silence for a moment.
“If they think that they’ve bought me, they’re wrong,” Andrew said determinedly as Dalia hung up his jacket.
“Maybe they just want…some sort of smaller favor,” Dalia said, going back over to where he stood.
Andrew yanked a little at his tie, loosening it. “Maybe.”
She leaned in and carefully unknotted it. “I’ll call Duela…since she’s apparently their legal representation.” Dalia focused on the pattern of the tie as her fingers worked at the material. “Maybe I can talk some sense into her.” Even as she said the words, Dalia doubted it. She sighed as she finished with the tie, keeping her gaze fixed on it. “I’m really sorry.” Somehow, the family connection made her feel responsible.
“It’s not your fault,” Andrew said, taking her hand, which was still resting on his chest.
Dalia was only slightly surprised, and more than that, realized that she welcomed the gesture. “Still,” she looked up at him. “It’s not fair to you.”
He chuckled a little. “Criminals don’t usually care about what’s fair or not,” he said. “I’m only surprised it’s taken them this long to come out with their agendas.”
“That’s not terribly reassuring,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Andrew leaned down closer to her. Without giving it any thought, he kissed her, lightly.
“Andrew…” She looked up at him questioningly.
He looked back at her. “I’m sorry if you don’t want--”
But she did want and Dalia found herself kissing him back before he could finish his sentence. Andrew moved his hand to her waist, drawing Dalia closer.
After a few moments, Dalia pulled back, her face flush, reality suddenly hitting her. “I should get going…Officer Gordon’s going to be waiting.”
“You’re right,” Andrew said, a bit tiredly.
Dalia stepped away, grabbing her purse. “You should get to bed. I don’t know how you’re still standing with the painkillers.”
“Right again,” Andrew nodded. “I can feel them starting to hit.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Dalia headed for the door quickly.
“Bye.” The mayor gave a little wave and watched her go, his mind becoming fuzzier from the medication.
Dalia’s mind, however, was perfectly clear as she headed out the door and down the elevator.
It was the painkillers, she told herself. He was obviously not in his right mind because of the drugs…He’ll apologize or forget all about it and we’ll go on with our working lives…
Except she didn’t want him to be sorry and she didn’t want to forget about it…or to go back to what had become their working friendship.
Jesus, Dalia, get it together.
By the time she got back downstairs and out onto the sidewalk, Dalia managed to collect herself, at least for the moment.
Dalia followed Andrew onto the elevator in silence. They were quiet until they reached his apartment. He fumbled with the door lock.
“Here,” Dalia stepped forward to take the key ring.
“I’ve got it,” Andrew said, managing to open the door and let them in.
“Why does Joshua want to meet with you?” Dalia asked once the door was closed.
Andrew sighed. “I don’t exactly know. But I know it’s not good. Even…before you told me who he really was…there was something odd about his approach.”
“…how much did they give your campaign?” Dalia asked.
“I don’t remember,” Andrew admitted. “Probably the maximum legal amount…but…there could be others.” He ran his good hand through his hair. “If the Cranes could so easily have a legitimate business, how many other criminals did I unknowingly take money from?”
“It could just be the Cranes,” Dalia said, hoping she was right. “Not that it’s much consolation.”
She went forward to help him out of his suit jacket, working in silence for a moment.
“If they think that they’ve bought me, they’re wrong,” Andrew said determinedly as Dalia hung up his jacket.
“Maybe they just want…some sort of smaller favor,” Dalia said, going back over to where he stood.
Andrew yanked a little at his tie, loosening it. “Maybe.”
She leaned in and carefully unknotted it. “I’ll call Duela…since she’s apparently their legal representation.” Dalia focused on the pattern of the tie as her fingers worked at the material. “Maybe I can talk some sense into her.” Even as she said the words, Dalia doubted it. She sighed as she finished with the tie, keeping her gaze fixed on it. “I’m really sorry.” Somehow, the family connection made her feel responsible.
“It’s not your fault,” Andrew said, taking her hand, which was still resting on his chest.
Dalia was only slightly surprised, and more than that, realized that she welcomed the gesture. “Still,” she looked up at him. “It’s not fair to you.”
He chuckled a little. “Criminals don’t usually care about what’s fair or not,” he said. “I’m only surprised it’s taken them this long to come out with their agendas.”
“That’s not terribly reassuring,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Andrew leaned down closer to her. Without giving it any thought, he kissed her, lightly.
“Andrew…” She looked up at him questioningly.
He looked back at her. “I’m sorry if you don’t want--”
But she did want and Dalia found herself kissing him back before he could finish his sentence. Andrew moved his hand to her waist, drawing Dalia closer.
After a few moments, Dalia pulled back, her face flush, reality suddenly hitting her. “I should get going…Officer Gordon’s going to be waiting.”
“You’re right,” Andrew said, a bit tiredly.
Dalia stepped away, grabbing her purse. “You should get to bed. I don’t know how you’re still standing with the painkillers.”
“Right again,” Andrew nodded. “I can feel them starting to hit.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Dalia headed for the door quickly.
“Bye.” The mayor gave a little wave and watched her go, his mind becoming fuzzier from the medication.
Dalia’s mind, however, was perfectly clear as she headed out the door and down the elevator.
It was the painkillers, she told herself. He was obviously not in his right mind because of the drugs…He’ll apologize or forget all about it and we’ll go on with our working lives…
Except she didn’t want him to be sorry and she didn’t want to forget about it…or to go back to what had become their working friendship.
Jesus, Dalia, get it together.
By the time she got back downstairs and out onto the sidewalk, Dalia managed to collect herself, at least for the moment.