Always (Always & Forever 1)

Chapter 22

Late January 1990

Before Avery had even announced his intention to run, the campaign committee evaluated every part of their lives. Individually and as a family, they were tutored, trained, and reset for the public eye. All new clothes were bought, which Autumn loved more than Kane or Avery had thought possible. Preset answers were drilled into all of their heads, ready to pull out of their back pockets at any given moment.

As much as Avery argued, Kane pulled the plug on the restaurant expansion. He and Paulie held a private meeting a couple of days after Avery decided to run, and they agreed Kane's focus and attention needed to be on the children and Avery. In Paulie's infinite wisdom, he pushed Kane to be home more, while moving Rodney, their bartender, more fully into the role of manager. He'd been Kane's right-hand man and backup for years. The decision was absolutely the right one to make, but Kane's heart hadn't quite separated from the restaurant.

It hurt to see their plans squelched, and it was a hard lump to swallow thinking about stepping away from the restaurant. He hid all the inner turmoil of the decision from Avery. As much as it bothered Kane, Paulie had an easier time with the decision. For Kane, he knew how much Paulie loved him, but Paulie took that love to a whole new level where the twins were concerned.

Paulie had even gone so far as asking Kennedy Adams to make Minnesota her full-time home. She'd traveled between Minnesota and her New York flat for years now. Paulie called her and talked her into moving back, so the two of them could tag team each other to be a better help to Kane in Avery's possible absence. All those discussions happened behind Kane's back because Paulie left nothing to chance where his family was concerned.

Avery's political campaign ran like a well-oiled machine; all they needed was their candidate, and as predicted, Avery Adams took to politics like a duck to water. Being gay seemed to play very little part in the voters' decisions in November, because Avery refused to allow any questions about his personal life. For Avery, his family wasn't open for speculation and that stance seemed to work.

Avery won his senate race in an easy landslide, and set off to Washington DC, grudgingly leaving his family behind to finish out the school year. It wasn't until then that the national news began to take notice.

"Daddy, Peter Jennings is talking about you again!" Autumn yelled from her perch in front of the living room television set. She'd given herself the job of media specialist, a position she'd created, which meant she tracked every bit of press on Avery and their family that she could get her hands on. In her sweet eleven-year-old way, she scrapbooked all the information for Avery, putting colorful hearts and kisses on each page. For the information not in print, she took notes and wrote them up every night in her journal, adding them to the scrapbook in chronological order.

"What's he saying this time?" Kane asked absently, somewhat distracted in the kitchen. He never stopped his flow of making dinner as he flipped the faucet on, letting the pasta cool in the colander.

"That you and Dad aren't really married," she yelled back. Kane heard what she said and gave a sigh. He didn't answer back right away. Their marriage was always the fallback story when news was slow around the world and nothing else was going on.

Since Avery had been in Washington, the national news covered the homosexual issue, and then children being raised by same-sex parents, now they were back to the beginning—the legality of their union. Avery would always laugh it all off, saying their family was so intriguing they drew in high ratings anytime they even got a haircut. Autumn and Robert loved thinking they were so special, but for Kane, it was already getting old.

"Honey, do you think you should be watching all this?" Kennedy asked from the doorway between the kitchen and living room.

"It's okay, Nonnie. I know they're married by God, and he's more important than anything," Autumn said. Kane had moved in behind Kennedy to check on Autumn, but she was bent over, taking notes, completely oblivious to them standing there watching her. Kennedy wasn't letting it go. She'd disagreed with Avery for allowing Autumn to be this up close and personal with the media coverage, and her irritated, steely gaze cut to Kane, making it clear she wasn't happy at all.

"I agree, it's getting a little worse, but nothing too terrible," Kane replied, trying to keep the worry from his eyes.

"This is no surprise. We knew it would, Kane," Kennedy said, looking back at Autumn, still bent over, writing as the newscast continued.

"It was just so easy here in Minnesota. I'd hoped that would last," Kane said, leaving the doorway to turn the water off. "I'll talk to Avery when he calls. She just takes it all so serious. Maybe it'll come to an end soon."

"Kane, you know it's not going to. The whole bottom half of this great country thinks your marriage is an abomination. I'm not sure she needs to keep such a close eye on this." Avery's mom came to stand directly in front of Kane. She was holding firm, and Kane agreed with her. But with Avery already gone to Washington, and Kane, Autumn, and Robert still in Minnesota finishing the school year, it just gave Autumn something to keep herself connected to her Dad. Avery called her every day and let her tell him about what she found. He just wasn't prepared to put a stop to all that.

"Dinner's ready," Kane called out. Kennedy was such a force when she got something stuck in her head. He would deal with her later.

"Daddy! Your dad's having a live interview," Autumn yelled. "And your brothers and sisters are there too." Her pitch became higher as she clicked the volume up several notches.