37.0
My bathroom counter looked like a war zone — foundation, lashes, lip gloss, tiny clips I didn't remember pulling out of the drawer. I was trying to choose a hairstyle that looked classy.
Behind me, Alina was sprawled on my bed with her headphones in, iPad propped against her knees, completely oblivious to the fact that her dad might become Vice President tonight.
Kids are lucky that way.
My phone vibrated against the sink.
A FaceTime call from Tati.
I answered, propping the phone between my lotion bottle and a candle to keep it upright. Her face filled the screen immediately.
"Okay," she said without greeting, "turn the phone. I need to see the dress."
I turned it reluctantly toward the black, body-conscious dress hanging on the closet door.
Tati's eyes widened dramatically. "Oh yeah. Brooks is gonna combust."
Before I could respond, Sam joined the call with her hair pulled back and her scrubs still on, sitting in her car like she'd just clocked out.
"Let me see," Sam demanded.
I turned the phone again.
She whistled. "Whew. He's definitely winning something tonight."
I laughed, a tiny burst of relief in my chest. "Stop. I still feel sick."
"You should feel sick," Tati said matter-of-factly. "You're going to a political watch party. Do you know how stressful that is? You're doing it as the fiancé now and not even the secret fiancé. Like...the fiancé fiancé."
I made a face at her reflection. "That's what's making me nervous."
"Well," Sam said, rummaging through something in her passenger seat, "I think you should be nervous. This is big. Last time he won an election, you were in your Philly apartment watching it alone and now you get to be there with him."
I groaned. "Oh my god, please don't remind me."
"No," Tati insisted. "We need to reflect! Look at the growth. You're literally going to his team's watch party with your child."
Sam raised a brow. "Exactly. It's a full-circle moment."
I sighed and leaned closer to the mirror again. "I'm trying."
My mascara wand hovered midstroke.
Tati leaned into the camera. "Talk to us. What's actually scaring you?"
"...Everything?"
Sam snorted. "Okay, melodramatic."
I laughed weakly. "I don't know. I just— the only experience I have with this was the gala and that didn't go great."
Both of them paused.
Sam spoke first. "But tonight isn't the gala. Tonight, you belong there."
"You actually do," Tati agreed. "This isn't some fancy charity party with people who don't know your name. Brooks wants you there. His team knows you. You've been around. You're not a secret anymore."
I swallowed, the truth of it hitting deeper than I expected.
Not a secret.
Not this time.
"And besides," Sam added, "you look good. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you walk into a room like you're supposed to be in it."
"She's right," Tati said. "Also, let's be real — even if you showed up in pajamas, Brooks would look at you like you hung the stars."
That tugged something warm in my chest.
Behind me, Alina's little voice called, muffled by her headphones.
"Mommy!"
"Hold on," I said to the girls, walking into the bedroom.
Alina had paused her show and looked up at me with big brown eyes full of impatience.
"When are we leaving? I miss Daddy."
My heart softened instantly. "Soon, baby. I'm still getting dressed."
She pouted, crossing her arms. "I wanna see Daddy now."
I smoothed her curls. "Two minutes, okay? Mommy's almost done."
I went back to the bathroom, picked up the phone again, and both of my friends were already making soft cooing faces.
"She's so attached to him," Tati said.
"Brooks is wrapped around that kid's finger," Sam said.
My phone buzzed.
A text from Brooks.
Brooks
Monte's two minutes away. You ready?
My stomach fluttered.
"That's my cue," I said, swallowing hard.
Tati blew a kiss. "Call us updates every five minutes or we will assume the worst."
I laughed. "Bye guys."
I ended the call and looked at myself again in the mirror.
I grabbed my purse, my coat, and Alina's little sweater.
"Alright, princess," I said. "Let's go see Daddy."
She jumped off the bed and ran to grab her shoes.
The moment we stepped outside, the night air wrapped around us — cool enough to raise goosebumps on my arms, soft enough to calm the edges of my nerves.
Alina hopped down the last step and landed with a thud, her little shoes clacking on the pavement. She gasped dramatically.
"Monte!"
He was already standing by the back passenger door of the SUV, hand pressed to his chest like she'd just honored him with a Grammy.
"Well, look who has on her first pair of heels," he teased, bending down. "They light up too?"
Alina giggled and launched herself into his arms. "Look! I twirl!"
She spun in a circle, her shoes blinking wildly. Monte pretended to shield his eyes.
"Oooh, you're blinding me! Miss Alina, I can't even see straight!"
I smiled, tension loosening in my chest for the first time all evening.
Monte always did that — diffused whatever I was overthinking without even knowing it.
He opened the door for us. "You ladies ready?"
"As ready as we'll ever be," I said, lifting Alina into her car seat.
Once she was buckled, she settled in, kicking her feet and humming some cartoon theme song under her breath.
Monte climbed into the driver's seat, and before I could even adjust my coat, he reached behind him and held up—
A bouquet.
A big bouquet.
Soft blush roses, a few cream-colored ones, baby's breath tucked between them like clouds.
My breath left me in a quiet laugh. "You remembered."
He winked at me in the rearview. "You text me, I make it happen. That's our arrangement."
I slid the bouquet onto my lap, careful not to crush the petals. Tucked between a cluster of roses was a small cream-colored envelope — blank, ready.
I traced the flap with my thumb.
I'd written Brooks cards before.
Notes.
A letter or two.
But somehow, tonight it felt heavier. More symbolic. Like giving him something that said I see you. I see how hard you've worked and no matter what happens tonight I'm here.
I took a pen from my purse and tore the envelope open.
My handwriting wobbled a little — nerves, excitement, the weight of the night pressing down.
For luck,
I wrote at the top.
For calm.
For whatever comes next.
I'm proud of you.
And I love you.
I stared at it.
Monte cleared his throat gently. "Want me to turn the light on for you?"
"No—it's okay," I murmured, swallowing the lump in my throat.
I wrote the word love and tried not to overthink it.
The SUV pulled away from the curb.
City lights reflected off the windows, passing in streaks. Alina hummed. Monte hummed along. And the bouquet filled the car with the soft smell of roses and something sweeter underneath.
Brooks texted me.
Brooks
Mom is here.
My stomach dipped.
I typed back quickly.
Amira
Did you invite her or did she just show up?
A minute passed.
Bryan
Bryan's team invited her. I had no part in it.
I stared at the message. Tried to read it neutrally. Tried to breathe around the discomfort pooling low in my stomach.
I wrote back:
Amira
It's fine.
Don't worry. We'll just keep to ourselves.
A lie.
But one I knew he needed for the moment.
Monte glanced at me through the mirror. "Everything good?"
I tucked the envelope back into the bouquet and smoothed the petals like they could hear me worrying.
"Yeah," I lied softly. "Just... big night."
Monte snorted. "Big ain't the half of it."
The road grew brighter the closer we got to downtown. Upscale hotels, valet lights, tall glass buildings catching reflections of everything around them.
Monte slowed as we approached a familiar kind of structure.
And my stomach knotted.
It looked like the gala.
Not the same building — but close enough. A similar frame. Same elegance. Same high ceilings framed by windows.
Same world.
One that had not been kind to me last time.
Monte parked along the drop-off lane. "We're here."
I exhaled slowly, smoothing the front of my dress.
Alina was vibrating with excitement. "Daddy is inside?"
"Yes, baby."
She beamed and reached for me, and I lifted her out of her seat. Her tiny arms anchored me in ways she didn't realize.
Monte opened my door. "You look beautiful, Ms. Amira."
I swallowed. "Thank you."
"And hey," he added in a low voice, "anybody look at you sideways tonight? You let me know."
I laughed softly. "Monte, I'm fine."
"Mm-hmm." He didn't look convinced.
The bouquet felt heavier in my hands as we stepped onto the walkway. Music and chatter drifted from inside the hotel. My heart pounded louder with each step we took.
The second we crossed the doors—
Brooks saw us.
Immediately.
His eyes swept the room once and locked onto us like gravity.
Alina squealed. "Daddy!"
He smiled — big, real, the kind that softened every line in his face — and crossed the room in long strides.
He scooped Alina up, kissing her cheek loudly. "My girl! You look so beautiful. Did you get extra curls today?"
"Yes!" she giggled.
His eyes lifted to me.
And softened further.
"Hi," he murmured, leaning close to kiss me — slow, warm, with the kind of intention that made my breath stutter.
I handed him the bouquet. "These are for you."
He blinked, surprised — then laughed under his breath. "Baby... I— thank you. Really."
Jenna swooped in cheerfully out of nowhere. "I'll take those! Hi Amira! Hi beautiful Alina!"
She grabbed the flowers from Brooks before he dropped them. "I'll put these by his stuff so nobody walks off with them."
Brooks slid his free hand into mine.
"Come on," he said softly. "I want to introduce you to Bryan, well reintroduce you."
Brooks's hand tightened lightly around mine as we moved deeper into the room.