Page 147 of Release

Chapter Thirty-Five

Saturday, January 17th — Inauguration Day

Today is full of activities. There’s the prerequisite prayer meeting that the only reason George tolerates it is because we made it an interfaith one, and had spiritual leaders from eight different congregations and faiths.

There’s the swearing in on Legislative Plaza. There’s an afternoon street party on Broadway, with celebrities from music, TV, and other dignitaries, and the public is welcomed to attend for free.

Then the ball that evening. Also free, but tickets are limited due to space, and were snapped up almost immediately. We did, however, make sure Carter, Susa, and Owen have tickets. They’re flying in this morning for the swearing in, and will fly back home after the ball.

After the street party, we’ll all return home to clean up and change for the ball. It was no coincidence that I got the men matching tuxes for tonight.

I couldn’t resist the opportunity to do that.

My concession to the secret matching game is that George’s favorite color is jewel-tone blue, so their cummerbunds are that color. The matching dress I bought and didn’t let them see until I met them at George’s house makes me look like a million bucks.

That’s not conceit on my part. That comes from confirmation from the three sales clerks at the dress shop—two of them gay men—who as soon as I put it on all gasped and said it wasthedress. That was after an hour and trying on about sixteen other options first.

And heels. Sky-high pumps that will probably kill me before we’re even halfway through the evening, but will make my hips sway in that way that will keep George adjusting himself in his trousers all night and make me silently giggle every time I see him do it.

Will probably have Dec adjusting himself, too.

Unless George has decided to be a real bastard and lock him in chastity tonight.

Which could also be fun for me.

As we make our way through the morning, I’m forcing myself to keep a smile on my face and rub my ring almost constantly.

Ellen should be here.

It’s not fair.

Life’s not fucking fair.

But as I stand there looking out at the throng, tens of thousands of people who’ve assembled to watch George’s swearing in while Aussie holds his law dictionary for him, I slowly nod to myself.

We did this.

We pulled it off.

We got him here.

Getting him to this point was me, and Declan, and Ellen.

George is the one who worked his ass off to win this election, though. He’s damn well earned it.

Every interview he’s had over the past couple of weeks, he’s laid the groundwork for his second term, already rallying bipartisan voter support for Ellen’s agenda. We’d mentioned it before the election, but we’d also focused heavily on his accomplishments, so those would be in the voters’ minds.

Now we can focus on the future, in more ways than one.

I watch Declan as he watches George, and I wish like hell it was him standing there holding the book George is swearing on.

I don’t want it to be me. Not really. I am far more effective at what I do than being a politician.

I can get away with a lot of shit I couldn’t if I was a politician.

But we make it through that, and his speech, and I note not just how proud Declan looks as he applauds George’s speech, but how George turns and looks back, searching for me and Declan and giving us a smile I know is meant just for us.

Four more years. Four years to do a lot of good for our state.