LA CANDIDATE

SALT

"Paul, cancel Limoges. I need to see my son. "

Severine's reaction was natural, but she knew some would consider it a weakness.

The meeting stopped with Paul reassuring the headmistress and Faryil explaining how he would find the culprits.

The letter was explicit. It accused Mrs. Harris of accepting moral misconduct and consenting to the widespread of what the blackmailer called the plague of extinction. The person then went on to attack and mock the Lafarge, notably Alexis, for his ultra-religious precept, saying he lived in a house of sin. Finally, they asked the headmistress to take action and gave her 72 hours to gather a substantial 500k pounds. Otherwise, the British press would receive the same bundle of clichés with add-ons.

Once they got in the car, Paul said, "Severine, as a candidate, you can't bend to blackmail."

"So what should I do? Let the world criticize and mock my son?"

"Do you have 500k euros to spare?"

Severine didn't reply. Instead, she turned to the window and watched the raindrops dribble down.

Her heart broke. Why did Noëm have to choose one of the most challenging roads in life? She thought as she entered her house an hour later. Noëm sat in the living room. Head on his knees, the boy cried.

"Noëm."

He lifted his head. His stare was bleak, and dark circles decorated his eyes. "I'm sorry, mom. I never meant for you to discover it this way. I didn't mean to harm you or Dad. You hate me, don't you?"

"No, I don't hate you, but I need you to talk to me to understand. Did Dad and I do something wrong?"

Noëm got up, "Mom, I'm not punishing you. It's who I am." He said, grabbing his shirt. It's not some phase or experience. It's who I am. You don't know how many times I've wanted to end my life because of this. I was so afraid Dad would throw me out or disown me. Now everyone will know."

Severine nodded and embraced her son, "You're my son, Noëm. I won't abandon you."

If the mother reacted well, Alexis' reaction was something else.

"What are you saying, Severine? We're candidates for the presidential election. We can't afford a scandal, big or small."

Severine sighed and closed her eyes. "So what do you want to do? Don't tell me you want to pay a blackmailer for a fact that will be out someday."

"Better after than before the first and second round of the elections." Alexis turned to look at his son. "That boy forced you, didn't he? You're not like that. Did he threaten you?"

"No, Thomas didn't. I love him, dad."

Alexis placed his hands on his hips and looked at the ceiling. "Love, I can't believe this. What's this nonsense? He has corrupted you."

Severine burst out laughing; she imagined anything other than this level of denial, "Please shut it, Alexis. No one corrupted him; you heard him yourself."

"Pardon. Do you accept this? What is wrong with you, woman? You shall turn to salted stone," Alexis said, pointing at Severine before turning to Noëm, "and you," he paused for the dramatic take, "you are not my son. Get out of my house. I refuse to shelter a sodomite."

"Noëm, please go to your room. I need to speak to your father."

The boy didn't need to hear his mother's words twice. He immediately ran to his room to cry.

Severine waited a minute and faced Alexis, "Are you God, Alexis? Did you create this world? Was I pulled from your rib? Don't look at me like that. I know the scriptures, and if sin drapes this household, Noëm is not the one who soaked every room with it. You are the worst, the filthiest man who ever lived. Should I list the names of your mistresses? Tell me which portion of your catalog should I start. My son will not leave; you'll have to kill me first, Alexis, do you hear me? He's afraid, and he needs us. I dare you, of all people, judge him when you are destined to burn in the inferno of hell." Severine yelled with all her might.

Alexis' car wheels screeched as he fled his home several minutes later.

The woman fell to the floor on all fours. She heaved as panic and anxiety overwhelmed her.

Why did it have to be now?

She had waited too long and worked too hard to see the world she kept together shatter on the steps of the stairs of her ultimate goal.

As if things couldn't get any worse, the blackmailer didn't keep their word. The story headlined the next day.

The photos were personal. Noëm and his boyfriend kissed. It was an ordinary love story, one of two boys in a boy's school, but the press made it a scoop.

Though the boy's eyes were blurred, one could distinctively recognize Noëm and his curly brown hair.

"Find me who did this," Severine yelled.

"Severine, calm down."

"No, I won't calm down. It's my son we're talking about. No one has the right to wreck his existence. He is a minor, and they can't do this. Find me who did this."

Her voice traveled to the main hall where volunteers worked.

"Wow, she is sure pissed."

"I can't blame her. Who would like to see their son in the press in these circumstances? It could impact votes, and Severine could lose," one of the volunteers said.

Losing.

At this point, Severine didn't care.

"Severine, I think you should call it a day. "Keri said

"I've got it," Paul began. "You go home. I'll release a statement saying these events touch you, and you want to spend time with your son."

"No, Paul, please don't make this a strategy."

"Severine, think about it. You'll lose points, for sure. Worshippers will turn away from you, but you gain support from another community. "

"What are you blabbering?"

Paul opened his arms, "Severine, think 360 degrees. Your son is gay. He's out of the closet. It isn't shameful. It's trendy. Let the world see you're more than a candidate."

"Are you out of your mind, Paul? You want me to use my son to gain votes."

"Severine"

"No, Paul, no," Severine said and grabbed her bag.

Paul looked at Rolland for support, and the man executed, "Severine, he has a point."

"Oh please, Rolland, not you too."

"You haven't shown or said anything about the LGBTQIA++ community."

"They're part of the population. I'm meeting and greeting people who are part of the population."

"You need to be specific. We're a secular state, and every candidate is visiting synagogues and mosques. You need to send a strong message showing support to the lgbtqia++."

"Rolland, don't you think they'll see it? Come on, I haven't spoken once of this, and all of a sudden, I'm overly concerned about the lives of all the queer folk. It's bogus."

"Severine"

Paul touched Rolland's shoulder, prompting him to stop.

Severine left the party and went home, where Noëm waited.

"I'm sorry, Mom. It's all my faultㅡyour campaign," Noëm said as soon as she entered.

"It's okay. Don't worry about the campaign. It's my call."

While Severine comforted her son, Alexis continued to work as though nothing had happened.

"Your Conservative overly displaying your concern for your son will have believers doubting your values," Christian said.

"What should I say to the press?"

Christian shrugged, "Tell the truth, the news comes as a shock. Though he's your son, you don't understand his actions. People will understand. You're a heterosexual man from a Christian family. It's a typical reaction."

"I can't believe my son is gay."

"Hold that expression; that's how you should say it on camera." Alexis' advisor said, without seeing the father's despair.