outside. She slipped her sunglasses onto her face and walked the bike to the edge of the parking lot. She hopped on and pedaled down the drive and out onto the road. Quentin watched until she disappeared around a bend in the road before starting back over the bridge and across the field to where he’d left his car.
He’d have to hurry or he’d be late for his meeting with his stepfather to talk about his future employment, and he knew he should be focused on that. But he found himself thinking about Athen’s curious question. He couldn’t help but wonder who was trying to talk her into something she really didn’t want to do, what that something was, and whether or not in the end she’d give in.
8
The news hit City Hall like a bombshell. Dan Rossi’s choice for mayor was … Athena Moran ?
Disbelief spread throughout the building. The evening newscasters from both the local and the cable stations each called no fewer than three irrefutable sources trying to confirm the unlikely story.
Rossi appeared to relish the frenzy.
Athen stood by his desk almost numbly as he made the formal announcement to Council on Friday afternoon, a moment that appeared to give him particular pleasure, Athen thought at the time. The coldly cordial good wishes expressed by the two most stung by Rossi’s choice chilled her. Dan’s assurances that both Jim Wolmar and Harlan Justis would come around did little to dispel the feeling that all might not go exactly as Dan had promised.
It wasn’t the first time she questioned the wisdom of her decision, and it wouldn’t be the last.
Athen regretted having put such distance between herself and Diana, knowing that her father’s friend would be a good source of sound advice. Athen wished she had the courage to call and ask what she thought about it all, and what she thought Ari would say.
In the end, she based her decision on the rationale that, for better or for worse, she was taking a positive step forward into her future for the first time in months. And it would be an opportunity to do something of value for someone other than herself, she reasoned. She’d lived her entire life in Woodside Heights, had taught its children. The parents and grandparents of those children had voted her father into office, and had stood by her side when John had fallen. Perhaps, in her capacity as mayor, she could do something of lasting benefit for the community, as her father and her husband had done. Dan had tugged hard on that string of civic responsibility, of her legacy, and she’d found it hard, if not impossible, to come up with a reason not to run for the office. Maybe, as Dan insisted, she had picked up more from her father than she realized.
Dan kept Athen pretty much out of sight and mute up until the night of the rally, when he would introduce herand officially present his choice to the party. Requests for interviews from the media had been declined at Dan’s insistence until after Monday, which was fine with Athen.
Athen splurged on a new dress for the occasion, after Callie pointed out that she had nothing suitably formal and yet professional to wear to the rally.
“It’s 2009, Mom.” Callie scowled at every dress Athen withdrew from her closet. “Women are into power dressing. I saw it on Oprah. ”
Athen rolled her eyes, but allowed Callie to drag her to the mall for something more appropriate.
Callie assured her that she was content to wear a dress that Meg had sent her last spring, a light green sundress with a light sprinkling of floral embroidery across the bodice and a ruffle at the bottom.
“I thought you hated that dress.” Athen had been fully prepared to bribe Callie out of her favorite cutoffs and new soccer cleats for the event if it had been necessary, but Callie had volunteered to wear the sundress.
“Mom.” Callie grinned. “I’m going to be First Kid. It’s okay if I look like a geek for one night.”
Athen was barely zipped into her own new
He’d have to hurry or he’d be late for his meeting with his stepfather to talk about his future employment, and he knew he should be focused on that. But he found himself thinking about Athen’s curious question. He couldn’t help but wonder who was trying to talk her into something she really didn’t want to do, what that something was, and whether or not in the end she’d give in.
8
The news hit City Hall like a bombshell. Dan Rossi’s choice for mayor was … Athena Moran ?
Disbelief spread throughout the building. The evening newscasters from both the local and the cable stations each called no fewer than three irrefutable sources trying to confirm the unlikely story.
Rossi appeared to relish the frenzy.
Athen stood by his desk almost numbly as he made the formal announcement to Council on Friday afternoon, a moment that appeared to give him particular pleasure, Athen thought at the time. The coldly cordial good wishes expressed by the two most stung by Rossi’s choice chilled her. Dan’s assurances that both Jim Wolmar and Harlan Justis would come around did little to dispel the feeling that all might not go exactly as Dan had promised.
It wasn’t the first time she questioned the wisdom of her decision, and it wouldn’t be the last.
Athen regretted having put such distance between herself and Diana, knowing that her father’s friend would be a good source of sound advice. Athen wished she had the courage to call and ask what she thought about it all, and what she thought Ari would say.
In the end, she based her decision on the rationale that, for better or for worse, she was taking a positive step forward into her future for the first time in months. And it would be an opportunity to do something of value for someone other than herself, she reasoned. She’d lived her entire life in Woodside Heights, had taught its children. The parents and grandparents of those children had voted her father into office, and had stood by her side when John had fallen. Perhaps, in her capacity as mayor, she could do something of lasting benefit for the community, as her father and her husband had done. Dan had tugged hard on that string of civic responsibility, of her legacy, and she’d found it hard, if not impossible, to come up with a reason not to run for the office. Maybe, as Dan insisted, she had picked up more from her father than she realized.
Dan kept Athen pretty much out of sight and mute up until the night of the rally, when he would introduce herand officially present his choice to the party. Requests for interviews from the media had been declined at Dan’s insistence until after Monday, which was fine with Athen.
Athen splurged on a new dress for the occasion, after Callie pointed out that she had nothing suitably formal and yet professional to wear to the rally.
“It’s 2009, Mom.” Callie scowled at every dress Athen withdrew from her closet. “Women are into power dressing. I saw it on Oprah. ”
Athen rolled her eyes, but allowed Callie to drag her to the mall for something more appropriate.
Callie assured her that she was content to wear a dress that Meg had sent her last spring, a light green sundress with a light sprinkling of floral embroidery across the bodice and a ruffle at the bottom.
“I thought you hated that dress.” Athen had been fully prepared to bribe Callie out of her favorite cutoffs and new soccer cleats for the event if it had been necessary, but Callie had volunteered to wear the sundress.
“Mom.” Callie grinned. “I’m going to be First Kid. It’s okay if I look like a geek for one night.”
Athen was barely zipped into her own new
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