Chapter 36
“You live and then you die. But the hardest pill to swallow is the meantime. Are the best days just the ones that we survive?" Alessia Cara
It was just past two o'clock when the doorbell rang. One of the staff members moved to answer it while Kelsey and I stood waiting, both of us dressed in formal attire. Since she had shredded my navy tube dress the night before, I was left with my most formal option—a sleek, off-the-shoulder gown.
Donald stepped into the hall, the confusion etched into his face the moment he saw me standing beside Kelsey. That was when I felt her hand slide firmly onto my waist, a quiet but undeniable claim.
"If someone had bet a million dollars that I’d see this happening," Don said, gesturing between us, "they would’ve lost every cent."
I laughed, opening my arms as I walked toward him to pull him into a tight, familiar hug.
"They certainly would have," Kelsey agreed with a chuckle, stepping forward to offer her hand for a firm shake. "Would you two prefer if I left you alone to talk for a bit? I can come back later."
I gave her a small nod, and in response, she claimed my lips in a long, lingering peck. "Don, take good care of her," she added, her tone light but layered with meaning. "I’m going to handle some business and I'll be back shortly so we can talk strategy."
The second the door closed behind Kelsey, Donald collapsed onto the sofa. He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders slumped in disbelief.
"You have Peter on your tail, and yet you're dating the first person he’ll look to for campaign financing?" Donald asked, his voice tight with anxiety.
"I thought the bigger surprise would be that I’m with a woman," I countered smoothly. I sat across from him and signaled the staff for a glass of wine for me and a double whiskey for him.
"That too, but hey, to each their own. Megs, this could tank your candidacy," he warned, leaning in. "Even if Kelsey bribes the entire Senate, the presidency is not something to be taken lightly. You’re playing with fire."
I raised a hand, signaling for him to let me speak. He was a nervous wreck, his eyes darting toward the raw, red marks still visible on my wrists.
"Breathe and have a drink, please," I said, my voice low and steady. I pointed to the glass being handed to him, thanked the employee, and took a long breath. "I think we both have secrets that could jeopardize our careers. We should consider teaming up."
"What are you getting at? Megs... Peter is losing his mind over you. I saw him right before New Year’s, and he practically cornered me, demanding to know if I was with you."
"I think we should make a deal," I proposed, cutting straight to the chase. "A facade. We maintain a fake relationship, coordinate our schedules for social events, galas, and holidays the whole nine yards."
"Are you seriously proposing a sham relationship?" He took a long pull of his whiskey. He finally leaned back, his body relaxing as he fixed me with a sharp, decisive look.
"I am. I have no interest in men. And you… well, even though you’ve never officially told me, it’s clear you’re involved with men."
Donald let out a dry laugh and shook his head. "You never stop, do you? You’re always setting up the pieces on the chessboard. But," he held up his glass, pointing his finger at me, "I can’t deny it. It’s a brilliant move."
"I can back you for a governorship," I added, leaning forward. "And you’ll be by my side when I take my seat on the Supreme Court. Don, this is the cleanest 'washout' we’re ever going to get."
"And where does Kelsey fit into all this? You two seem... pretty involved," Donald noted, his eyes scanning my face for a reaction.
"It was partly her idea," I replied, crossing my ankles and straightening my posture. "We can set a timeline for an engagement, then a wedding. We’ll share a house so we both have our own private wings. Otherwise, we’ll share meals and keep up appearances in social circles."
"So… I don’t meddle in your private life, you don’t meddle in mine, and we keep our home as a personal sanctuary? Not a bad plan at all," he mused.
"I just need you to be more discreet, Don. Kelsey found out you were a sugar daddy within days of being here. I’ll admit, I didn't believe it at first."
"I slipped up on discretion over the holidays. Maybe I got a little more carried away than I should have," he confessed with a shrug. "I can have my lawyers draw up a contract. Your counsel can review it, and we’ll go from there."
"I’ll have my image team come up with a strategy so I don’t come across as the villain who just abandoned her husband," I added.
"You’ve already put together an image team? Now that is what I call determination. I’m usually too lazy to have people bossing me around like that," he joked. "But you can tell your lawyer to include a specific clause. I don't want to end up looking like the cuckold again."
"Do we have a deal?" he asked, extending his hand. I shook it, a satisfied smile playing on my lips.
"We do. It’s going to be a pleasure marrying you, Don." We both laughed, and he gallantly kissed my fingertips.
"Since when have you been in love with Calama?" he asked, letting go of my hand and leaning back against the armrest.
"It’s a healthy, functional relationship. I'm not in love with her," I countered, perhaps a bit too quickly.
"Right. And I’m the one looking at her with a smitten look on my face. For God’s sake, Megs," he laughed, throwing his head back.
"Oh, just let it be. But before you start with the mockery, I need to understand the situation with your boyfriends..."
"They aren't boyfriends," he corrected. He took a final sip of his whiskey before walking over to the bar to pour himself another double.
"I like to keep a few... how should I put it? Reliable hookups on standby," Donald explained, finally finding the words.
"And you support them how? You cover everything?" I asked, leaning in.
"College, cars... I just make sure they're comfortable. In return, whenever the mood strikes..."
"You get a blowjob," I finished for him. I burst out laughing as his eyes widened in shock.
"Since when did you develop such a dirty mouth, Megs?" He laughed along with me, finally sinking back into the cushions of the sofa. "But yeah, that’s pretty much the gist of it. So, are you and Kelsey actually dating? Like, in the teenage sense of the word?"
"Yes and no. We’ve agreed on an open relationship," I replied, watching the wine swirl in my glass. "Our schedules are far too complicated for exclusivity. Especially the sexual kind."
"I’ve always believed that emotional exclusivity is far more important than the physical kind anyway," Donald mused, taking a slow sip of his whiskey. "Which is probably why I don’t bother with either."
I pointed my glass at him in a silent toast of agreement before refilling it.
"Exactly. You found the words I couldn't quite formulate," I agreed. "Although I am convinced that emotional exclusivity is something that has to be earned over time."
"One by one, the pieces are falling into place," Donald said, clearing his throat and giving me a playful wink. "Starting now, your emotional exclusivity is officially with me."
"If Sarki hears you say that, I’ll be in the middle of a war zone," I joked.
"Wait… are you sleeping with your best friend too?" Donald asked, eyes wide. I shook my head quickly. "Thank God. I just remember the mess you two got into back in college and how desperate your father was to clean it up."
We talked for a while longer until lunch was announced. Just as we took our seats, Kelsey returned. She caught my chin, pulling me into a calm, steady kiss before finishing with a tender peck on my forehead. She sat beside me, her presence immediately grounding.
"I’m glad you two made up," she noted, her hand resting possessively on my leg as the staff served what looked like a perfect duck escalope with orange sauce and glazed vegetables.
"Megan could convince a nail to become a hammer if she wanted to," Donald remarked. Kelsey shed her jacket, draping it over the chair beside her. "We just agreed that we need a kind of freedom that’s usually stripped away from us early on freedom we’re expected to sacrifice for the sake of our careers. The discourse of public and legal representation is beautiful, but it puts us in a spotlight that’s incredibly limiting. "
"It’s always better to stay behind the lights and do more for those who actually need us," Kelsey added, and we all nodded in silent agreement.
"Well... a toast. To my new 'husband'," I said calmly, raising my glass. Kelsey’s smile was radiant as our glasses clinked.
"To my new Senator," she added, looking at Donald.
"And to me, being totally wrapped around your fingers and loving every second of it!" Donald laughed, throwing his head back. As we ate, Donald assured us that it wouldn’t take more than two days to finalize the paperwork with his legal team.
"We’ll be back in D.C. tomorrow," I noted, the reality of the return setting in. "Kels is heading to L.A. for work, and I’m going to check on the new apartment and finally show my face at the Capitol."
"I’m heading to Bruges and should be back by mid-month," Donald said, pointing his fork toward Kelsey. "Then we can start being seen together. And you... stop sleeping with senators' wives. Men talk like they’re in a locker room, and it’s getting ugly."
"What are you talking about? It only happened a few times, and most of them were completely discreet," Kelsey countered, giving me a confused, searching look.
"Flores practically threw his wife into your lap," I added, the words leaving a slight lump in my throat.
"He did, but that little fascist piece of shit deserved it," Kelsey spat, her eyes hardening.
"In fact, she still messages me, and I don't even bother replying.
" She chewed thoughtfully for a moment before giving me a knowing, reassuring look. "I’d never give them the leverage to blackmail me. Just like with you, Megan. Your name has never appeared in a single message we’ve exchanged. I always use a nickname."
"And what exactly is this nickname?" Donald asked, arching an eyebrow as he leaned in.
"Kitty," I answered for her, a slow smile spreading across my face. Kelsey ran the back of her hand over my cheek, her eyes lingering on me before she looked back at Donald.
"I promised her I’d take care of her, Don. Because Megan... she isn’t like the women I usually meet out there," Kelsey said, her voice dropping into a rare moment of sincerity.
"Oh, she definitely isn't," Donald agreed with a laugh. "I mean, what other woman would accept an open relationship, master the concept of emotional exclusivity, and still agree to marry her gay childhood friend just to win a political war?"
"When you put it that way, I guess I really am one of a kind," I teased, and the three of us burst into laughter.
After lunch, Kelsey and Donald moved on to the finer details of campaign financing and donor values, their conversation shifting into professional territory.
I took the opportunity to catch up on messages from the firm handling my apartment's furniture.
Apparently, everything was up to standard and ready for my arrival.
I also updated Sarki, who was still enjoying the Caribbean sun with Vanessa and Lisa. I filled her in on everything the deal with Donald, the pact with Kelsey, and the strategy moving forward.
She agreed that the pieces were finally falling into place. Having Donald as a protective shield made the road to the Supreme Court look a lot less treacherous.
"Well, my dears... despite a surprise that started out unusual and ended up being quite fun, it’s always a pleasure negotiating with the two of you," Donald remarked, a wry smile on his face. I walked over to him and pulled him into a tight, grounding hug.
"Be careful with Peter, Don," I whispered.
"I know how to handle myself," he assured me, stepping back to shake Kelsey’s hand. He looked at her with a new sense of respect. "I know Megs is in good hands with you. Everything is going to be okay."
"It will be, Don. One step at a time so we don’t stumble," Kelsey replied.
"I’m starting to see that your 'one step at a time' is actually quite a few leaps ahead. Who would’ve thought?" He laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Megan Woods, a lesbian, as Kelsey Calama’s protégé. What a world."
"Like I said, you would’ve lost millions on that bet," Kelsey quipped. The three of us laughed as we walked toward the exit. I took two selfies hugging Don. The insurance for the future, to be used whenever the timing was right.
"Stay discreet," Kelsey warned as he stepped out.
"You two do the same."
As soon as the door clicked shut, Kelsey pulled me by the waist, pinning me against the wall. Our lips met in a kiss that tasted of victory and relief. Her hands roamed my body with a familiar hunger, and I couldn't help but smile against her mouth.
"That was surprisingly easy, convincing him, I mean," I commented breathlessly.
Kelsey shrugged, moving her lips to the sensitive curve of my neck.
She spoke softly, her breath hot against my ear.
"I didn’t think it would be difficult. This is convenient for both of you.
You’ve known each other for years, and even if you don't talk every day, the foundation of your friendship is solid. It makes sense."
"You are unbearably systematic," I teased, tilting my head to give her better access.
"I just want you to be safe, Megan. I want you okay so we can keep what we have here." I looped my arms around her neck, smiling as our noses brushed.
"And what exactly do we have here?" I asked, feeling her grip tighten around me.
"Freedom, partnership... and excellent sex," she murmured.
Our lips met again, and we spent the remainder of our final day in Amsterdam tangled in the sheets, far away from the prying eyes of Washington. We fell asleep in each other's arms, savoring the last moments of the bubble before the dawn of a new reality arrived.