Page 79 of November

“Why did you use that picture of me, Mom, and your dad in your campaign ad?”

“What?” he asked. “Oh, they said I was light on familystuff, so my campaign guy thought it would be a good idea to toss that in at the last minute.”

“You could have asked me, Colter.”

“It was one picture, India. You’re my sister. What’s the big deal?”

“Because I didn’t approve it.”

“Are you going to sue your own brother?”

“No, but it would’ve been nice to know that you were using my image in your campaign.”

“Hey, I called you so that you could congratulate me, not for you to get all pissed off about something stupid.”

“Well, I’m not going to congratulate you because I don’t think you should’ve won.”

“What the fuck crawled up your ass, India? I’m your family.”

“You’re a spoiled kid who grew into a spoiled adult, and now, you’re making other people, whom you don’t care about, suffer because you wanted a new toy. It’s also just a small toy to you that you’ll use to get the bigger toy and then the even bigger one, which only means even more people will suffer for your ambition.”

“Jesus, tell me how you really feel,” he said.

“Colter, you don’t actually care about this job.Maisiewould have. Maisie cares about the community.”

“She cares about her little bookstore.”

“And New Orleans,” she replied. “You have a condo in her district, which you don’t even live in, just so you can take this spot that she actually would’ve done a great job at.”

“Why are you all about this Maisie chick?” He paused. “Oh, you’re fucking her, aren’t you? First, no-class Finley, and now, poor little bookstore owner, Maisie. You certainly have a type, don’t you, India?”

“I’m not fucking her. Also, watch what you say about them. The world could definitely use more people like Finley Storm and Maisie Lincoln.”

“If you’re not fucking her, why are you all about her right now when your actualbrotherwon an election?”

“Because I would have voted for her if I could. I believe her when she says she wants to help. I don’t believe you.”

“I’m not trying to destroy the world, India. You act like just because I see the world a certain way, I’m the problem.”

“You’re part of it,” she replied. “Unless you’re actually willing to do the work.”

“Iamtrying to bring companies here to get more jobs out there for people. It’s not all about me, you know?”

“I think your motivation is all about you, and I’m not convinced that your solution is the best one. Maybe it is. I’m no politician. I just wish you would think about the people you hurt, too, Colter. Maisie is one of them.”

“Maisie lost this thing fair and square.”

“I don’t mean that you hurt her because she lost. I mean that you threatened her business.”

“Well, fuck, India. If that’s what this is about, I’ll protect her damn bookstore. I was just trying to get her to drop out because she was rising in the polls. No one actually wants her land. It’s between your office and a clothing store. There’s no room to put something large enough there, and if you or the store wanted to buy it, you would have already. It’s not like a freeway makes sense there, either.”

“What do you mean, you’ll protect it?”

“I’ll figure it out,” he replied.

“Get her the landmark status?”

“It’s not like I can just grant that. There has to be a session and we vote, but I’ll figure it out. At least, I won’t go after it or anything. Is that good enough for you? Can I get a congratulations from my big sister now?”