Congressman

Congressman
“What’s the punishment for killing a congressman?” Cal asked, squeezing her hand in his now, as the bridal shoot crew began to return.

Some were blushing red, with most of them looking anywhere but at both of them.

Only the photographer winked at her and raised his hands to form the heart shape.

“What?” She chuckled at Cal now.

“You should know, congresswoman.”

“Not you too,” she said in exasperation. “I have not won.”

“You’ll win.”

“You’re so sure.”

“You have your grandfather and Gib’s support,” he said, looking down at her and caressing the veil behind her head. 

She smiled.

“Is that why you want to kill him?”

“No.” He shook his head now, suddenly chuckling, and she watched him, confused but smiling at his amusement. “He is so damn childish.”

“You swear a lot now.” She said, squinting a little in her smile, “What did he do?”

“He told me you were getting married to the FOOL.” he said, and Myra’s eyes widened, her head jerking forward.

Cal was nodding, “And gullible Cal came running to save Myra from making the most stupid mistake of her life.” 

She stared at him with her heart in her eyes now. 

He cared. 

He was mad, and thought she was going back to her ex after betraying him, but he still cared.

He stopped.

“You should be laughing at me,” he was squinting at her now, but she shook her head at him. 

She could never mock this purity and innocence, and sweetness. 

For a moment when she first saw him, she had feared the darkness she saw in him was permanent.

But she was glad to see it was a flimsy film, like a coat of dust.

There were no smiles anymore as they stared at each other now, and he placed his hand at the back of her neck, gently pulling her face closer.

“Cal.” she whispered just before their lips met, and they were transported away from that hill. 

She wove her arms around the man’s neck as his hands grabbed her waist firmly from behind, tasting her lips.

His lips brushed her gently, carefully savoring, like he was sampling some new five-star dish, curious, but hesitant and careful, then his tongue was sweeping her lips, like he had sampled the meal and loved the taste of it, and was desperate to have more.

She was reminded again of how he could make her feel all the feels from just kissing.

Make her skin tingle like she had just stepped out of a warm bath where she scrubbed clean.

Make her wet, and make her back sweat.

Reminded her that a man could kiss you till you were curling your toes from all the delicious sensation his lips on yours sent to your brain. 

His eyes were shining as she was sure hers were when he pulled back.

“I am certain that is the end of the shoot,” the mischievous photographer said from a distance, and his team, who put all their effort into ignoring the couple, laughed as they finished packing up.

Cal hugged her to himself as she turned to the man, “Taking her with me, buddy. Sorry.”

The photographer touched his hand to his baseball hat, and Myra shook her head, looking away from him. 

“Let’s go home, beautiful.” Cal said beside her, and she smiled up at him, liking the sound of that. 

Liking the sound of it very much.

“I have to get out of this first,” she gestured to the large, ball-gown wedding dress she still had on.

He gently let her go, and nodded, “Not for very long though.” He said, crossing his hands behind him, and when she raised her eyebrows at him, he winked.

She blushed red, and turned away quickly. 

As soon as she was out of sight, she whooped, punching the air in excitement.

“Ma’am?”

She startled and spun around to see her assistant, and the dress stylist standing behind her. 

She winced in embarrassment and nodded at them.

Her assistant avoided her eyes, but the stylist smiled at her, and Myra relaxed, smiling back.

She was smiling even as they peeled the dress off her in the privacy of a room. 

Her life was finally perfect. 

Her joy was complete. And it felt almost too good to be true, like there was a curveball, waiting just ahead.

But she did not let herself dwell on these thoughts as she walked back to meet Cal, who was waiting outside for her.

She tickled his ribs from behind, and he jerked, swiveling around, and she was laughing.

“Nova would be so happy to have you back.” He put his arm around her, hugging her to his side as they began to walk away. 

“I missed her so much,” Myra admitted as she sighed heavily.

“I bet more than you did me.”

She smiled fully at his jealousy of his own daughter. “Almost.” She said,

And as they walked down the chiseled pathway of the hill, her eyes strayed to his legs.

“I am happy to see you walking well again,” she said, and he turned, smiling at her.

“Why? It was very embarrassing.”

“No. Because there would finally be a rest to the crpple joke.” She shot back. 

“How did your heart handle climbing all the way up here?” She said, deciding to play, since he would not stop self-deprecating.

She smiled sweetly when his eyes flashed at her.

“I’ll have you know I am nowhere near old,” he said. 

“Could have fooled me.” She replied, resisting the urge to laugh now.

“Miss Shaw.” His voice was firm now, like they were back at his college.

“Back to taboo now?”

“All the taboo things I want to do to you…” he said in a hoarse voice, and she had no comeback to that as her heart stopped and then began to race again.

The emotion she saw in his eyes suddenly made her impatient to get to his penthouse.

But Nova was on guard as soon as she walked past the foyer into the living room.

“Myra.” The little girl shrieked so loudly she startled her poor woman sitting next to her who had on a similar uniform to the one Myra had worn all those months ago.

Myra braced herself and scooped her up as soon as she ran into her arms. 

“My pretty princess.” She hugged her close to her chest, kissing all over her face.

Nova laced her hands tightly around her neck, holding her tightly. “You left Myra,”

“I’m sorry, princess. I missed you.” She kissed her temple.

“Will you do it again?”

“No, pretty.” Myra moved her head back to look at the child now. “I will not do that again.”

“I missed you, too.” Nova said, and buried her face in her neck, and Myra smiled sadly, glancing at Cal as they walked further into the living room.

“I want to hear about all you have done in school so far,” She said, walking to a couch with the child in her arms.