If he’s right, if Michael is gay and this marriage is just a sham, then Lance may have been my savior. In more ways than one.
I need to find out as quickly as I can.
So that I can properly reward him.
81
New York Daily Journal
From the Desk of Amanda Adams, the Professional Gossiper of Page Two.
Welcome to Page Two Gossip, here’s what we’re hearing around the halls of power:
And they’re off. The New York City Mayoral race has begun yesterday with the current Mayor, Michael Anders squaring off against the Democratic ex-Mayor of New York City, Jim Jenkins.
You’ll remember Jim Jenkins as being the mayor four years ago, defeated in a speaker of an election.
Sources close to the Anders campaign concede that the last election had razor thin margins chiefly due to the fact that the Mayor was seen as lacking any family. In fact, if you remember the man we call Hizzoner today was seen more like a billionaire dilettante who inherited his father’s business and kept it running, had an estranged son, and had been a widower for pretty much the last two decades. Those same sources are telling me that four years later, Michael Anders is a changed man. He’s close with his son and has a new wife who he is very much in love with.
So everything should go fine, right? Not so, say advocates of Jim Jenkins who are willing to talk to me. They say that the current mayor has plenty of holes and areas where things don’t add up. They think the whole thing is more of a sham and they’re out to prove it. But before they can do that, they all pretty much agree that they need to define their candidate.
Four years ago, the city was reeling from massive unemployment, sky-high crime, and a wave of homeless people blanketing the city. People blamed Mayor Jenkins for a falling quality of life in the city. But the ex-Mayor plans to show the pendulum has swung the other way. His campaign is going to try and make the point that Manhattan has turned into a giant mall that only very rich people can live in, cops have gotten to the point where they’ve started harassing citizens for minor offenses, and the job market is so tight that businesses are leaving the city because they can’t find any workers.
But at the heart of the matter, I think both sides can agree that it was always a question of who was able to portray the greatest job as a leader. The family man with the ability to let a sprawling city of 8 million get out of his control, or the billionaire scion of a media company who brings a corporate mentality to everything he touches.
New Yorkers are going to have to make a choice and they have about six months to do it. Those six months are going to be crucial to figure out what kind of man the citizens of Gotham want leading their city.
Keep your eyes open to this paper and your ears to the ground, my fellow New Yorkers. Till we hear more, this is Amanda Adams signing off. Keep your ears open, New York.
82
Lance
There are cheers coming from the crowd of supporters. Posters with the words "Anders for Mayor" are being waved. I watch as my stepfather takes the podium, waving to the crowd. "Thank you! Thank you all for your support," he says into the microphone. "I am joined today by my loving family," he says, pointing to both Jocelyn and I with his palm outstretched. "My beautiful wife, Jocelyn, and my son, Lance, I love you both, and as we gather here today I know there are many things on all of our minds—National Security, the economy, advances in technology, among other issues, but I want us to never lose sight of what is most important, and that is the love and devotion of family."
With that, the crowd cheers even more and I try my best not to roll my eyes. Who is he fucking trying to fool? When was family ever his top priority? But I get it. He needs to play this up to win favor in an already tight mayoral campaign.
And then he continues, "It's been said before, but is worth repeating here. The love of family is life's greatest blessing. Love, trust, sacrifice, helpfulness, respect, and commitment should not be taken lightly, but valued and held high. Today, and every day, you should be thankful for your family. Your family is priceless and being a part of it means that you're a part of something very special and wonderful, and bigger than yourself. Strong, healthy, loving, and nurturing families form the basis of our future! Let's never forget that New York!"
I see he's really fucking laying it on thick—like peanut butter thick—and the crowd is going wild. I mean it. They're really eating this shit up. Especially with the thin margin of victory during the last election, he knows he needs to push this issue not just with his supporters, but with his opponents as well, to cover his ass. I look over at Jocelyn to see if I can detect any hint of emotion from her face, but she's standing stoically, looking ahead, smiling, clapping, and for all outward appearances, playing the part of the Mayor's happy and devoted wife. She looks perfectly put together. I don't fucking blame her. Play the game or get eaten. But she notices that I'm looking at her and she whispers, "We can't keep doing this, Lance."
It's what I don't want to hear. I mean, I know she's right, but I can't seem to bring myself to admit it. Why is it that I want this woman so fucking bad? I can have any woman I want. Why this one?
"I know," I whisper back, but even when I say it, we both look at each other in a way that suggests we only half believe what we're actually saying.
"I'm a married woman; we need to take a break from each other," she continues at a soft whisper.
"But how do you stay with him? I've seen the way he doesn't even look at you at home. It's like you don't exist."
"I owe it to my father to make this marriage work. It goes beyond just Michael and I, you know. Like I said, a lot of people are depending on me. And besides, Michael isn't a bad man. I don't have a terrible life with him."
"So, you're saying you're happy living in the same house with a man who doesn't love you? A man who refuses to show you the affection you deserve? A man who won't so much as touch you?"
As soon as I say that, I regret it. I know I've struck a sensitive nerve because there's a pained look on her face.
Instead of answering my questions, she says, "You're young, so much younger than I am. What could we possibly have in common, in the grand scheme of it all? And besides, you're my son. Albeit, my stepson, but can't you understand that this is an impossible situation that we've found ourselves in?"
Of course she's right. I fucking know she's right, but it kills me to admit it. I hate it. Instead of responding, I let her words sit in my mind and I look ahead and listen as my stepfather wraps up his speech, driving home his point even further, "Instead of just talking about family values, let's start really valuing those closest to us and make a difference in the generations to come. As your Mayor, I promise to uphold these values both publically and privately, and together, I know we will bring the real meaning of family back to modern families here in New York."