The Cost of Commitment - KJ2 (13 page)

“I wish you’d told me what was going on, kiddo. No wonder you’ve seemed a little on edge lately.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t really think it was your problem. Now, though, it seems more than likely that he’ll go after me professionally. He probably figures if he can push Kate’s buttons he can make her quit.”

“Will it work?”

“No,” Jay said quietly, knowing that Trish was thinking about Kate’s innate tendency to protect Jay without consulting her. “Kate told him to go to hell, came right home to tell me everything, and we planned the strategy together.”

“Okay, kiddo. I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

“I may well get hurt,” Jay said grimly, “but not by Kate. We’re going to take our relationship public before the jerk has a chance to do it for us.”

Trish whistled. “Wow, kiddo. Gutsy move.” She thought for a minute. “Smart, I think. It prevents him from having a role at the outset.”

“Right.”

“But I think you’re right. It doesn’t sound to me like he’s the kind of guy who’s gonna let that stand for very long.”

“Exactly. If the first day’s story is my identity, you can bet that day two’s headlines will be the timing of the cover story last May.”

“Mm. Makes sense.”

“Trish, I know you stood by me then, and I really appreciate it, but I don’t want to do anything to damage the magazine’s reputation.” The note of dejection was clear in Jay’s voice.

“I know that, Jay. Your integrity is one of the things I admire most about you. Let’s cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, you just focus on what you have to do this morning. I’ll have a conversation with the managing editor and we’ll come up with a plan.”

“Okay.”

“Chin up, kiddo. I’ll be rooting for you.”

“Thanks, Trish. You’re the best.”

The Cost of Commitment

Kate walked into Commissioner Sampson’s office and closed the door.

“You needed to see me, Kate?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you for making the time.”

“Sit down, sit down. How many times have I told you there’s no need to be so formal.”

Kate selected the chair closest to the door. “Sir, do you remember our conversation after the AP story came out?”

“Of course I do.”

“Well, as I told you then, there is a concerted effort going on to discredit me. Today the campaign is going to reach a new low.”

“How do you know?” Sampson made a show of looking at his watch.

“It’s barely 7:30 in the morning.”

“I know with a great degree of certainty that the plan is to release Jay’s identity as my partner to the tabloids today, sir.”

Sampson raised his eyebrows. “And you know this how?”

“I’d rather not say yet, sir. I’d rather focus on what I plan to do about it.”

“Kate, I told you once before, I want to know who’s responsible for all this. If you know something, I want you to share it with me.”

“Is that an order, sir? Because if it is, I will answer you, but I’d rather take care of today’s business first, if you don’t mind.”

The commissioner sighed. “Kate, I’m not going to force you to tell me what you clearly don’t want to share, for whatever reason,” he stared at her meaningfully, “but I like to keep control over what goes on in my shop. I’m sure you can understand that?”

“Yes, sir, I do. But I still don’t know enough yet to act on anything except heading off today’s disaster.”

“Okay. Tell me what you have in mind. And, by the way, before you go any further, let me go on the record as saying I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what, sir?” Kate looked puzzled.

“Sorry that Jay is getting dragged into this and that the two of you have to go through such garbage.”

“Thank you, sir. Have I told you lately that you’re an extraordinary man?”

Sampson laughed. “I think I would have remembered if you had, but feel free.”

“Most people wouldn’t be as accepting as you and the governor have been, sir,” Kate’s voice cracked with emotion, “and I can’t begin to tell you how much Jay and I appreciate that.”

“You’re welcome, Kate. Now, tell me what’s going on.”

Kate filled Sampson in on their plans for the morning. As she did so, he sat watching her intently, his fingers steepled under his chin.

Lynn Ames

When she had finished, he said, “All right. I can understand why you want to get out ahead of the curve. I’ll let the governor know—that will be one less thing you have to worry about.”

“Are you sure, sir? I mean, it’s my responsibility.”

“I’ll take care of it, Kate. You’ve got more than enough to worry about without having to do that also. I can assure you right now, though, that his reaction will be much the same as mine. We’re behind you 100

percent.”

“Thank you, sir.” As she stood and turned to leave, she added, “If you change your mind and we need to reevaluate my position here at DOCS, I’ll understand.”

“I won’t hear of it. Good luck, Kate. You’ve got a lot of guts. I wish you the best.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The Cost of Commitment

t 8:00 a.m., Kate and Jay rendezvoused once again at Barbara’s Aoffice.

“Everything okay, love?” Kate asked, as she shut the door to Barbara’s meeting room, where Jay was already seated at the table.

“So far, so good. Trish was very understanding, totally supportive, and willing to go to the managing editor for me to run interference.”

“That’s great.”

“Yeah, but I’m not so sure that Mr. Standislau is going to be quite as accepting and helpful about all this as Trish has been. He’s a pretty conservative, by-the-book kind of guy. If this goes down the way we think it will, the magazine’s reputation could take a hit for allowing a reporter with close ties to a subject to write the story.”

“Maybe. Did he know at the time what had happened?”

“I don’t know if Trish ever shared that with him or not. For her sake, I hope so. If this comes as a surprise to him—well, I sure don’t want to get her in trouble with the big boss on my behalf.”

“I’m sure she knows that, honey. She sounds like a tough, smart woman. I’m betting she knows how to handle Standislau.” Kate noted Jay’s grim expression. “In any event, that’s not something we should be dwelling on right now. First things first.”

“Right,” Jay said with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm. “Today we let the wolves have at both of us. Tomorrow they can pick on my carcass.

On day three they can take aim at
Time
for good measure.”

Before Kate could respond, there was a knock at the door. Barbara stuck her head in.

“Ashton is here, ladies. She’s in the waiting room. Want me to entertain her for a bit?”

They both sighed heavily. “No,” Kate said, “I’ll be out in a second.”

Lynn Ames

As the door clicked shut once again, Kate crossed to where Jay was sitting, pulling her to her feet and into a hug. “I love you, Jamison Parker, and I would do anything to protect you. You know that, right?”

Jay looked up into her lover’s intense eyes. “I know that, honey. It’s just one of many things I love about you.” She stood on tiptoes and kissed Kate softly on the mouth. Pulling back she added, “I haven’t had a chance in all the excitement to say this, but I want you to know how very much I appreciate the fact that you let me be part of the decision-making process this time.”

Kate hung her head. “I may be stubborn, Jay, but I’m not stupid.”

Jay lifted Kate’s chin with two fingers, forcing eye contact. “Hey.

That’s not what I was trying to say.”

“I know.”

“I’m only trying to say thank you for overriding your protective reflex so that we could face this monster together. It makes me feel incredibly loved and special.”

“You
are
incredibly loved and special, sweetheart.” Kate captured Jay’s lips in a reverent kiss. “Stay here. I’ll be right back with Wendy.”

At the door, she hesitated, looking back at her lover. “Deep breath, baby.

Are you ready?”

Jay straightened up and assumed a no-nonsense pose. “Ready when you are, Coach.”

“Right. Back in a flash.”

Within two minutes, Kate walked back into Barbara’s office, followed by the reporter.

“Wendy Ashton, I’d like you to meet the love of my life, Ms. Jamison Parker. Jay, this is the intrepid reporter for the Associated Press, Ms.

Wendy Ashton.”

Jay stepped forward, her smile radiant, thrusting out her hand for Wendy to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ashton. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“None of it good, I’m sure.”

“On the contrary,” Jay said, “Kate has told me you’re fair and honorable. And believe me,” she added with a chuckle, “she doesn’t say that about every reporter she meets.”

Kate, standing aside and observing, smirked. It was clear to her that Jay had already won the reporter over.

“I bet,” said Wendy, noticeably more relaxed now than she had been when she stepped into the room.

“Why don’t we all sit down?” Kate suggested.

When they were settled, Wendy looked from Kate to Jay and back again. “Okay, let’s start with an off-the-record question.”

Both interviewees raised their eyebrows.

The Cost of Commitment

“Why on earth are you willing to step in front of all those reporters today when you’ve been avoiding them for months?”

As Kate started to open her mouth, Wendy held up a hand. “Don’t answer. Not yet, anyway. That was sort of a rhetorical question. You’ll ruin my fun if I don’t get an opportunity to show your fiancée here how smart I am. Here’s my guess: Breathwaite has figured out Jay’s identity and you need to head him off at the pass.”

Jay glanced to Kate before responding. “Oh, I am suitably impressed, Ms. Ashton.”

“Please, if you don’t start calling me Wendy I’m going to think I’ve turned into my mother.” She turned to Kate. “What happened?” When Kate didn’t immediately answer she added, “Off the record—just ally to ally.”

Kate calculated how much she should reveal. She knew that if it hadn’t been for the bond they’d developed as a result of recent events, she would never even have considered sharing that information. She also was well aware that Wendy had shown great faith in her, and she should return the favor.

“Breathwaite came to me this morning with Jay’s identity and leaned on me to resign. I told him to go to hell, and here we are.”

Wendy nodded. “He figured Jay was your weak spot. Huh.” She thought. “Well, nothing else has worked for him, I guess he felt like he needed to try a different approach.”

“Apparently,” Jay said with distaste.

“Obviously,” Wendy said, “he was wrong.”

Kate looked at Jay meaningfully before answering, “Jay is my strength—she and I will face Breathwaite and any other challenges together.” She reached over and took her lover’s hand, squeezing it gently.

Jay smiled up at her, tears springing to her eyes.

Wendy cleared her throat. “If this keeps up, even I’m gonna cry.

Okay, let’s get down to business then. What exactly are you announcing this morning and why?”

By mutual agreement, Kate took the lead in answering Wendy’s questions.

“Jay and I decided to speak out this morning in order to restore some sense of peace and normalcy to our lives. We are proud of our relationship and have nothing to hide. Coming forward, we hope, will bring an end to the incessant questions, rumors, and innuendo about my private life that have swirled around in certain media outlets for the past several months.”

“Why haven’t you come forward before now?”

Lynn Ames

“We believed that our personal lives were just that, and that if we ignored the hubbub, perhaps prurient interest in us would die down. It hasn’t, so here we are.”

“What do you expect the reaction from your bosses will be to your announcement?”

Kate laughed. “I’m fairly confident that my employers are well aware of my preferences, as the matter has been well documented. Fortunately for me, both the governor and the commissioner are fair, open-minded individuals who are more interested in my job performance than they are in my private affairs.”

Kate watched Jay out of the corner of her eye, knowing that she was waiting for the reporter to ask her the same thing. Her relief when Wendy moved on to the next question was palpable.

“How do you think this will change your lives from this point forward?”

“I am confident that going out to dinner together won’t take quite as much planning,” Kate quipped.

“Fair enough. Are you worried about fallout from those who are less, as you put it, open-minded than your employers?”

“We can’t worry about things we can’t control. We can only live our lives as honestly and truthfully as we can. We’ll deal with everything else as it comes along.”

The reporter sat back. “Okay, ladies. There’s a lot more I should ask, as you both know, but I’m not interested in dragging your personal lives through the mud. I’m sure my colleagues will more than make up for my lack of curiosity in just a little while.”

Kate touched Wendy on the sleeve. “Thank you.”

Wendy looked at Kate, then at Jay. “No, thank you. Thank you for having the courage to come out like this, and for cheating that jerk out of his thunder. Thank you for paving the way and making it easier for the rest of us, hopefully, to follow in your footsteps. And thank you for your dignity. You both do all of us proud.”

Jay spoke up for the first time since the formal interview had started.

“I can see why Kate has so much respect for you. You earn it.”

“Thanks.” Wendy winked and smiled. “And I can see why Kate has kept you a jealously guarded secret. She’s going to be the envy of every red-blooded lesbian this side of the Mississippi. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a story to get on the wire, and, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve got a date with the horde.”

She was gone before either lover could respond.

The Cost of Commitment

As they prepared to enter Meeting Room 6 underneath the Empire State Plaza where the press conference was to take place, Kate turned to Jay. “Honey, Wendy was very circumspect with her questions. These folks won’t be.”