Without him, I forged ahead. I did what I had to do. I single-mommed it, finished college, and before I knew it, the years were flying by. I had help along the way. My parents and my siblings helped me with Chase every step of the way. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. I won my first mayoral race in 2005 in my hometown of Baltimore. From there, I went on to become a senator for Maryland in 2015. This brings me to now.

Sunday, July 19th, 2020, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The last day of the Democratic National Convention.

I just got the democratic party nomination, just made official twenty minutes ago. I should be celebrating but it feels hollow. I think I’m having a mid-life crisis or something, despite being only thirty-six. I shove that aside. I have every intention of being the first female president of the United States. All of my dreams are coming true. All of my planning and sacrifice, coming to fruition. I just step off the podium after my acceptance speech. I need to take a deep breath, but I can’t for some reason. As soon as I was nominated, the secret service took over my life as we are less than one hundred and twenty days from the election. Chase even got an agent. As soon as his summer semester is over, he’s coming home for the rest of the campaign.

“You need a VP, Rissa,” Lane, my sister, and campaign manager says from her place beside me. I am still being pelted with red, white, and blue balloons as they fall from the ceiling. I need a minute to process this, but she’s already on to the next item on the agenda. Traditionally, I should have announced my vice-presidential candidate during my acceptance speech, but I haven’t selected them yet. I promised a press conference by Tuesday with my selection. Besides, it’s not like this is going to be a traditional campaign. I look over at Lane. She is my very best friend and has put her life on hold for me. First with Chase and now with this. She looks tired. We all do. I don’t think I’ve slept a wink since we got here. She’s ten years younger than I am, but she’s got my back no matter what. Just as I have hers.

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t know, sister,” I tell her as we finally walk to the car after shaking a million hands.

“We have some short-listed names,” she says as we settle into the bullet-proof SUV. I’m still the governor so my ride is always bulletproof.

“I need someone strong with the military. As you know, I’ve never saw combat.” I did serve in the National Guard of Maryland for four years, but I was just a corporal. I worked in cyber security. I had the training of course, but my one and only national emergency was a hurricane. I rescued an old lady and her six cats. That’s the extent of my military career.

“We have two active-duty Marines on the list. A colonel and a major.”

“Is active duty something we want for the VP?” I ask.

“I have a retired Marine colonel as well. He’s a bonafide hero. Malcolm Reynolds,” Lane says.

“Who?” I ask, alarmed. It's a common name. It can't be him? My Malcolm Reynolds can it?

“Malcolm Reynolds. Distinguished in the Middle East. Retired and returned home, injured, a month ago. It’s probably not him,” she says. She knows everything about Chase’s father. I never kept secrets from my family. It was too hard. I had to have someone to talk to too. My brother, Lachlan, wanted to kill him, but I reminded him that we didn’t know where he was. He’s also one of the campaign strategists. He helped with Chase and never complained. He’s single too, but he’s kind of a jerk to women so that may be all about him.

“Get him in here for a meeting,” I say. I’ve lost my mind. It’s been twenty years. There’s no way he remembers me. He’s probably married with six kids by now. Just the thought of that makes my heart sink, even after all this time.

“I’ll set it up,” she says, leaving my office, but not before placing his biography in my hands.. As soon as I sit down in the car. Holding the folder close to my chest, I take several deep breaths.

I can do this. If it is him, twenty years too late is better than not at all. I lost my heart to that man that night. I’ve never loved another, and I never will. Chase deserves to know his father, and Malcolm deserves to know his son. I have to put aside my own feelings and see this thing through. I open the file Lane left behind and gasp. The picture is of an older man than I once knew but there is no denying it’s him.

Tags: M.K. Moore Erotic
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