Chapter 9
“Welcome, please come in.” Donna invited the Donnelly’s into their home. She quickly
introduced her family to the Donnelly’s.
“It’s nice to meet all of you.” Nora greeted them. “This is my husband, Patrick. Our daughter
Katherine…”
“Kate.” Her daughter corrected her with an eye roll. “Please.”
“And our son, David.” Nora continued. “Our oldest, Ellen, is in her second year at Berkeley.”
“What is she studying?” Donna asked.
“Bioengineering.” Patrick replied and Donna’s eyebrows rose. “I don’t know where she gets the
aptitude from, but she seems to have a knack for it.”
“That’s wonderful.” Donna stated. “Dinner should be ready shortly. What can I get everyone to
drink?”
“I’ll get them, Mom.” Ben volunteered. “Kate, what can I get for you?”
“What have you got?”
“Maybe it would be easier to just come with me and see?” Ben suggested while his father bit
his lip to keep from commenting.
“Okay.” She agreed and stood up to follow him.
“Senator Donnelly? Mr. Donnelly?” Ben asked politely.
“We have a very nice red breathing in the kitchen.” Donna mentioned.
“That sounds lovely.” Nora decided.
“For me too please, Ben.” Patrick added.
“David?” Ben inquired.
“Just a water thanks.” David looked entirely uninterested to be there. Everyone sat down and
made small talk until Ben returned with the beverages. Josh made little conversation, but
instead surveyed the Donnelly family members individually and as a whole. He wondered if
David was unhappy about the possibility of his mother running for high office or was just
unhappy to be a 17 year old boy forced to have dinner with his mother’s professional contacts.
Sometimes it was hard to tell the difference.
Josh knew, because he’d done his homework, that the HS senior was in the top of his class. He
was obviously very bright, but had never opted to take part in his mother’s campaigns. He
would show up on Election Night for the family photo ops, but it was his sisters who stumped
with their mother. That might be a problem going forward. The right will also have a problem
with the bioengineering degree Nora’s daughter was on her way to earning. If Nora went
through with it, they’d need a preemptive strike on the bioengineering thing at the very least.
“It’s 6:00.” Tori announced from the threshold between the family room and the dining room.
“Ah, time for dinner then. Thanks Tori.” Josh rose to give her a kiss on the forehead. “Tori is
our official schedule keeper. Please follow us. You are in for a treat. Donna’s Chicken
parmigiana is to die for!”
Tori sent her father a concerned look.
“Just an expression, Victoria Helen. It means Mom’s chicken is VERY good.” Josh explained.
“You could just say it’s very good, then.” Tori huffed.
“Missed the boat on that one, didn’t I?” Josh laughed as Ben scrambled around the two of
them to pull out a chair for Kate Donnelly.
“You can sit here.” He suggested. “Then you’ll be a safe distance from the messier eaters in
my family.”
“How very considerate, Benjamin.” Donna noted and directed the rest of their guests and her
family to chairs around the dining room table. Within minutes the entire group was enjoying
Donna’s fantastic meal.
“This is delicious, Donna.” Patrick beamed.
“Thank you, I’m glad you like it.”
“Do you share recipes?” Nora asked.
“Only with special friends.” Donna teased.
“So, Senator, are you gonna run for President or what?” Tori asked before taking a gulp of her
milk. Everyone at the table sat in stunned silence for a moment, until Ally broke the silence and
thwapped her sister on the arm.
“You’re not supposed to say anything about that, Tori!”Ally hissed.
“It’s just a question. She doesn’t have to answer it if she doesn’t want to.” Tori replied.
“It’s okay. Tori, I haven’t quite decided if I should or not. That’s what we’re going to discuss
after dinner. Then my family and I will have to think about it a little while before we make a final
decision.”
“That sounds like it’s going to take a long time.” Jake piped up.
“When decisions are really important, you should take your time before you make them.”
Donna advised.
“Can I be excused?” Jake asked.
“May I be excused?” Donna corrected him. Jake parroted the correct phrase and ran upstairs
to play. “You may all be excused if you like. We’ll take care of the dishes after our guests
leave.” Tori left the table immediately, but Ally and Ben stayed seated. Ally was interested in
how this decision would be made. Ben was interested in Kate’s opinion…on everything. Plus
he was not without campaign experience.
“I’m guessing there have been a lot of heated discussions at your house.” Josh said to David.
“A few.” He admitted.
“Lay them on us.” Josh gestured with his hands for David to speak up, but David didn’t open
his mouth until he got a nod from his parents. Control; the boy had control. Josh approved.
“My sisters like the limelight and the campaigning. I can’t stand it.” David shared. “How much
will I have to be involved here if Mom decides to run?”
“That’s entirely up to you and your family. It would be nice to have you there if and when she
announces her candidacy, but it’s easy enough to explain to people that you prefer to
concentrate on your senior year without having any political ramifications.” Josh told him. David
sat back to think about that.
“Josh, when you first suggested I consider this…well, let’s say I was worried about your state of
mind. You obviously know this stuff backwards and sideways, but you don’t know me or my
family very well.”
“You might be surprised, but I take your point.” Josh allowed.
“IF we decide to do this, what would be the next step? Who would be running things?” Nora
asked glancing between Josh and Donna. Josh sat back and raised his eyebrows at Donna as
if inviting her to take this one.
“Josh and I would run the campaign together; that is, we’d strategize and plan the campaign as
a team, but I would be the one on the road with you. Josh, because of some health concerns,
would need to stay here for the most part.” Josh looked at Donna in surprise. He really didn’t
think she’d offer herself as manager this quickly. He was pretty certain she could be talked into
it eventually, but he didn’t think she’d fold this fast. Donna, of course, could read his every
thought like it was spoken out loud.
“Oh, shut up.” She directed at her husband and turned back to Nora. “I would need to take a
leave of absence from LCC, and I have to tell you up front that we’d be starting a rag tag
group of our own for this journey. We wouldn’t be able to draw on our resources from LCC.”
Nora nodded understanding and turned to her husband who spoke up. “We’ve been through
the ringer with 3 Senate and 1 House campaign under our belt, but I’m guessing this will be of
another order altogether?”
“Yes, sir.” Donna agreed. “Everything and everyone in your life will be scrutinized. It might not
be too bad at first, since you’d be considered quite an underdog, but if we started getting
places…”
“WHEN we start getting places…” Josh interrupted.
“WHEN then, it will get very intense, very fast.” Donna acknowledged. “However, in all honesty,
we should be straightforward from the start. Your odds of even getting the nomination are slim.
Our philosophy is complete honesty in all matters. If you’re skin isn’t thick enough to take
difficult news from people who work for you and support you, then you’d better just forget Josh
ever mentioned this.”
“If there’s only a very slim chance she could win, why should she get into this at all?” David
asked.
“There are a few reasons.” Josh took this one. “One is to bring up issues that the Senator
feels are important and need to be debated on the national stage. Another is because she
could set herself up nicely for a more serious run in the future. But I think she should do it
because the country would do well under her leadership. All you can do in politics is put your
ideas out there and see if enough people believe in them and you.”
“Plus you need a ton of money for media buys.” Ben mentioned in an aside to Kate who looked
suitable impressed with his information.
“That doesn’t hurt, no.” Donna laughed at her son. “What about you Kate? How do you feel
about all this?”
“It makes me a little nervous.” Kate admitted. “I’ve worked Mom’s campaigns before, but this is
different. I’ve seen what the reporters do to the kids of Presidential candidates. It sucks.”
“No doubt about it.” Donna replied. “We would try to shield you from as much of it as possible,
but I can tell you right now that your grades will get published, your friends will tell lies about
you for money, and your boyfriend will think he’s died and gone to hell with everyone watching
his every move too.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Ben asked and Josh cracked up. “What? It’s just a question!”
“And a very important one too, but it’s really none of you business tiger.” Josh reminded him
gently.
“Sorry.” Ben managed.
“No, I don’t have a boyfriend. Boys are pretty immature most of the time.” Kate shared and Ben’
s face fell.
“Not all of us.” Ben maintained.
“Maybe.” Kate allowed. The parents shared humorous glances with each other. “Do you work
on the campaigns too?”
“Oh, yeah…All the time. I picked a candidate who we got elected to Congress from Minnesota.”
Ben bragged.
“All by himself.” Josh added with sarcasm.
“Oh, no. It was teamwork. That’s the first word in the company mission statement; teamwork. I’
m just saying I picked her is all.” Ben explained and Kate looked at him appraisingly.
Josh and Donna led them through a long detailed discussion about how they’d begin and what
would be involved. They shared some dessert, and with a promise to think things over and
make a family decision, the Donnelly’s took their leave.
Josh, being the wise man that he was, didn’t say a word while they got the kids ready for bed.
He kept his mouth shut while they watched the evening news. He didn’t even make a sound
when they crawled into bed exhausted themselves. By then, it was driving Donna crazy.
“Say it already!” She insisted.
“Say what, Donnatella?”
“The whole, ‘I thought you had decided not to run the campaign’ thing with that annoying smirk
on your face.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I wouldn’t do a thing like that.” Josh turned away from her to hide the smirk
he could no longer hold back.
“Of course you would. You are now!” She pulled on his shoulder until he faced her again.
“See?”
“That’s just a smile; a happy smile.” He insisted.
“Give me a break.” Donna threw herself back on her side of the bed unable to bear his smug
look. “She might not even do it, you know. She might call tomorrow and say we’re all nuts to
consider it.”
“Didn’t she do that already?” Josh posed. “Oh yes, she did. And yet she, and most of her
family made the trip out to Virginia to get more information and details.”
“It’s Virginia, not outer Mongolia. She was probably just being polite.” Donna replied.
“Sure; that makes sense.” Josh agreed.
“I can hear you grinning from over here.” Donna pointed out.
“You can’t ‘hear’ someone grin, Donna.”
“I can feel it.” She shot back.
“Fair point.” Josh acknowledged and took his life into his hands by spooning around his wife
and taking her into his arms. “I think it’s great that you’re both considering this. The two of you
could make history.” He kissed her shoulder.
“Maybe…Or it could be a gigantic embarrassment.” Donna mused.
“In which case you’ll make a different kind of history.” Josh teased and Donna slapped his arm.
“You seem inordinately pleased about all this.” Donna mused.
“I’m just…considering the possibilities.”
“No…there’s something else…” The light bulb went on and she turned shrewd eyes on her
husband. “You made a bet with Billy!”
“Donna…Would I do something like that?”
“In a heartbeat. I’ll find out what it was tomorrow from Billy. He’s weaker than you are.”
“He won’t spill.” Josh hoped. “Besides, I don’t actually collect any money until you announce.”
“Nice.” Donna chuckled. “Whatever it is, it better end of in the kid’s college funds.”
“Goodnight campaign manager.” Josh teased and ducked before he could get smacked yet
again.
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“Billy, have you got a minute?” Donna asked from the doorway.
“Shit.” Billy shook his head. “You’re about to cost me $100, aren’t you?”
“I would think that you and my husband, both being very familiar with the law, would know by
now that gambling is illegal and gambling about a person’s personal life can be dangerous.”
Billy just grinned. “You’re taking a leave of absence?”
“I got the call from Senator Donnelly last night.” She admitted. “I have no idea how long this will
last or how far it will go, but we’re going to take a shot.”
“You never know how long it will last or how far it will go.” Billy responded. “You’ll be missed
around here, you know.”
“Thanks, but I think you’ll get by just fine without me.” Donna predicted.
“If only you didn’t have such an aversion to wagering. We could put a little money on Iowa.”
Billy wiggled his eyebrows in a move he MUST have picked up from Josh over the years.
“Talk to my bookie. I’m sure you have all his numbers; literally and metaphorically.”
Billy laughed. “When are you heading out?”
“By Friday if I can get everything here farmed out by then.”
“We should be able to get that accomplished. Let me know if you need any help.”
“I could use a speech writer or two…” Donna trailed off as she headed out the door.
“No poaching staff!” Billy shouted after her and heard her laugh.
“As if anyone would leave a regular paycheck for a wild ride on the unknown with me.” She
shut the door behind her and Billy wondered if she really believed that. Personally, he couldn’t
think of a soul who wouldn’t join her if she asked them to. She had that much respect and
admiration from the staff here. She couldn’t be that oblivious to it, could she? He had only a
minute or so to ponder that question before his phone started ringing off the hook and
distracted him with the business at hand.
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“So…do we still have jobs?” One of the Senator’s staffers asked.
“Of course you do.” Nora assured them. “This office is going to have to continue to run with the
same level of professionalism and efficiency that it always has despite the fact that I’ll be
spending more time away from it.”
“We’ll want the Senate office and the campaign office to be speaking with one voice, however,
which will mean we have to coordinate all statements before they’re released.” Donna
explained. “If some of you are interested in working on the campaign staff for the duration, see
me after the meeting. It will involve you resigning your position here and being hired by the
campaign, but it is doable.”
“Who do we go to about coordinating statements?” Another staffer asked.
“People in this office go to Anna, just like you always have.” Nora indicated her Chief of Staff.
“People in the campaign will go to Donna. From there, Donna and Anna will make sure we’re
all on the same page.”
“I’m sure you have lots of questions, or you will have very soon.” Donna stated. “Please…come
to me, or Anna if you’re more comfortable, and ask us directly. I don’t want rumors flying
around or bad feelings festering. If there’s a problem, question, or concern. Come to Anna or
me. Deal?”
Everyone answered affirmatively or nodded their heads, but Donna had the feeling they were
far from sold on this idea. Nonetheless, staffers were directed back to their jobs leaving only
Nora, Anna, and Donna in the Senator’s conference room.
“That went over like a lead balloon.” Nora muttered.
“It wasn’t an indication of their faith in you, Senator. Everyone needs to get used to the idea
and realize things around here won’t change that much. Then the enthusiasm will wax.” Anna
assured her.
“I was kind of hoping the enthusiasm would happen sooner rather than later.” Nora sighed right
before a knock came at the door. When Nora called out to come in, three staffers entered.
“Senator, we’ve decided to resign from your office effective immediately.” Richard seemed to
be speaking for Ellen, Tracy, and himself.
“What?” Nora sputtered, but Donna saw the excitement in their eyes and relaxed immediately.
Richard looked from Nora, to Donna, and back again.
“Donna said we’d have to quit here if we wanted to work for the campaign, right?”
“Yes. Yes, that’s exactly right.” Nora said in relief. “What do you think, Donna? Do you have
room on your staff for these three?”
“Well, I have over 100 positions to fill and so far I’ve filled eight, so yeah…I think I could use
three more people on my team. Welcome to the national Presidential campaign.” Donna shook
their hands and started on the paperwork to make it official.