The Oval Office ✓ (Book One)

Chapter Seven

Lauren's P.O.V
3 years ago

First it was school board. Then Mayor. Governor. Senate. Now, the campaign team for his presidential election is gathered around a phone and tv, eagerly waiting for the results.  Most years, a bisexual independent wouldn't have a chance in hell of winning, but the way it's looking now, however, indicates that it'll be a landslide victory, though only half of the votes are in. People are sick of the incumbent, sick of him constantly challenging basic human rights- sick of him trying to regulate womens' body's and who we have the right to marry. Based off of what our other choice is, I'd be voting for Kyle even if he weren't my husband.

  From day one, he's treated every campaign official with respect, even the piece of shit he's running against. Unlike the incumbent, he has zero sexual assault allegations- which should be an absolute minimum, but what this country has turned into is an absolute fucking disaster. I look over at Kyle- who's sitting there, not blinking, staring at the phone. "Hey-" I say. "You're gonna win this, just like every other election you've been in. The people know who you are and they like you a hell of a lot more than him."

  "I know." He sighs. "But the suspense is killing me. We've been on the campaign trail for two years and this is where it ends, one way or another."

  "I'll bet you ten bucks that we win." I take a sip of the ridiculously expensive champagne his campaign manager bought.

  "Twenty." He squints his eyes.

  "Deal."

The first thing he did when he decided to run for president was tell me. We'd been talking about it since we were fifteen, but since he was then beyond qualified and eligible, it became something serious. It took a couple of months after that to put together campaign staff- Kyle was picky, but he had to be to get the entirety of america behind an independent candidate, Unified for the first time in a long time. All of the sleepless nights paid off- because here we are with a projected 91% chance of winning.

I lay my head on his shoulder; He may be on five cups of coffee and a redwood pill, but I'm about to pass out. It's nearly 4 am and they're still counting votes, as this election has seen one of the biggest voter turnouts in history.

I feel Kyle place a blanket over me and shift his position so that I am more comfortable, and then I drift off.

——-6 years ago——

"You got a minute?" Director Roberts knocks on my office door.

"Not really." I say. "I've got a new suspect in the thorne's case. I'm heading to the son of a bitch's house now."

"I promise it won't take that long." He says. "Sit down."

"I'm in my office. I'll sit when I want to sit, sir."

"You do realize that I'm still your boss, right?"

"Yep. What is it?"

"I'm retiring." I almost choke on my drink as soon as the words leave his mouth.

"You're forty five years old why the fuck-" he gives me the look again. "Sorry."

"Mentally, I just can't take it anymore. Twenty years in the fbi and five years as director will do that to you."

"But you're the best we've got, sir."

"No-" he sits up. " you are."

"Excuse me?"