Saturday 27 in Cap City.

Brose was waiting for her at the airport. She hugged him. “The flight was quiet and I actually got some knitting done. You didn’t have to get up so early to greet me but I’m glad you did.”

“It’s my pleasure Bobbie. I am excited to see you. So, tell me all about when this internet stuff all started?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Really, it was the gym bag in my reception area. It drew the press to my planned parenthood party and things went bad from there.”

“I see. I guess you can never tell when something like this will trigger social media.”

“I’ve been tense and on high alert since it started. I think I’m going to need a nap when we get to your place, I’m exhausted.”

The car stopped in front of Brose’s house and they got out. Brose opened the door and carried Bobbie’s bag up to the bedroom and Bobbie followed. She sat on the bed and sighed. “It’s like I’m in a fog. I’m sorry but I need to sleep now.”

Bobbie woke up around 9 and went downstairs and saw a note from Brose. He was at the office and would call later to see about meeting for lunch and he had the rest of the day off. He had one of those pod coffee pots so she made a coffee and ate some fruit salad and yogourt she found in his fridge. She went back upstairs, showered and got dressed. She dried her hair and put on her makeup and decided to head out to meet Brose at his office. It was a lovely morning and she enjoyed her walk but she was still wound up. She went in and the guard smiled and greeted her. He glanced at her ID and waved her up. Bobbie approached Brose’s office quietly, thinking she’d surprise him… She could see him talking to Brock who was sitting on chair beside the desk. She could hear them talking.

“I think I’m going to ask her today. We have to take advantage of the hashtag thing. We can put our engagement photos there.”

“Oh God it would blow up even bigger. We couldn’t imagine that things would go this way after we planted that bag at the motel.”

“I didn’t mean for it to ruin her event; I thought it would draw a bit of press but I didn’t realize it would take so long to resolve. Crow Harbour really is the middle of nowhere. I Can’t wait until she’s living here with me.”

Bobbie was stopped in her tracks. What was happening? Was Brose behind the trouble at the motel? Did he think she would move and leave Crow Harbour? She turned quietly and crept back towards the elevator. Her head felt all light and tingly and her chest was tightening. She sank down on the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. In a few moments she was breathing regularly again and was standing when they came out of his office and saw her at the end of the hall. Brose told Brock to go to the main desk and he walked toward her.

“Bobbie you’re here. Are you OK? You look a little pale. Come into my office and sit down. There now, that’s better. I’m glad your here, I need to talk to you. I am thinking maybe if we get engaged, I can take a bit of the attention away from you and focus it on us and you won’t have to face it all alone. We won’t have to get married until we are ready, of course.”

Bobbie looked down at her hands. She stood up and moved away from Brose a little. “Did you actually arrange to have that pack put in my reception area to draw the press to my motel? Why? To force me to marry you? What the hell Brose?” She thought another minute. “Brose, you know that night, after your first visit and the photographer caught us kissing and we had to come here and have that press conference and everything? How did that photographer know we would be there? Did you arrange that so I’d have to come here? Have you been manipulating me since you saw me at the Hotel after your speech to the Law Society or did it start in Vegas in 1990?”

“Bobbie, I’ve always really liked you. I just want us to finally get together. I might be running for office again and they told me it’s better if I have a partner. I know you’ll be perfect. We can do this together.”

“You are dishonest and manipulative, you are… It’s over. I don’t want any of this. I don’t ever want to hear from you again. Stop following me.” Bobbie turned on her heel. Brock was standing by the elevator wringing his hands and tried to stop her and say something. She told him to F*** off and stabbed her finger on the elevator button. She went downstairs and signed out and headed out of the building. She started to walk and it felt like a weight was lifting. A weight that she didn’t even know was there and it felt good. She smiled and kept walking.

She walked all over the city. She stopped at a coffee shop and took selfies with a few kids. She walked for hours and found herself at Trixie’s Hotel around 8PM. She texted Trixie.

Trixie came down to the reception area and hugged her. “Brose called and said you were upset and he was worried and he doesn’t know where you are.”

“I’m not upset. I just learned what an insincere asshole he is and I am so done with him and his stalking. I can’t even think.”

They got on the elevator and entered Trixie’s suite and into the sitting area. Trixie said “Kick off your shoes and relax, I’ll bring you some tea and I have these great cookies and you can tell me everything.”

Bobbie explained everything while Trixie shook her head.

“Oh, I can’t believe Brose was so manipulative. He thought you were just a prop for his political career.”

“I should have clued in when he professed his love for me after our second date.”

“Beep, beep, beep reverse! Right?”

“Oh Trixie, I’m such an idiot. I should have known it was too good to be true.”

“Don’t feel so bad. These political guys just can’t turn it off, he has everyone fooled and worked extra hard to get you.”

“Thanks Trixie, I think I was just too caught up with how long we knew each other. I really don’t know him at all. I knew he was pushing me too fast but everything he did was to further his own agenda. I don’t know if any of it was real. I mean, I know some of it was real. I really felt something at least. I’ll miss him but not very much. I think it may have been too soon for me because I really miss Alex a lot right now. Imagine how Alex would have laughed at that GIF and how he would have helped diffuse the hashtag thing. What am I saying? If Alex were here, there would have been no GIF or hashtag at all.”

They talked a little more and Trixie said. “It’s getting late and I have a fancy brunch tomorrow. Do you want to be my plus one​? To be honest, I’d feel better with you there.

“That sounds good Trixie, who is the brunch with? You’ll have to lend me some clothes. All my things are at Brose’s. Trixie showed Bobbie to her spare room and they said goodnight.

Bobbie got ready, put on her borrowed nightclothes and slipped between the sheets. She couldn’t shake feeling just awful for trying to replace Alex with Brose. This was her punishment. Alex never had much love for politicians and would have disliked the nakedly ambitious Brose. She decided that any sadness she felt was for Alex and she felt nothing for Brose. She would have to call him and pick up her things tomorrow.

Trixie decided to call Brose. He was truly an ass but she knew he really was worried about Bobbie. “Hi Hen, Bobbie went for a long walk after she saw you and now, she is safe with me. You were a real fool to mess with her like that. We’re all grownups though. Be a dear and have your man drop off Bobbie’s things. At least do that much for her.”

“I see, do you think I could talk to her a moment?”

“Sorry Hen, she’s asleep now; she been under a lot of stress. I’d stay out of her way a while. Bye Brose.”

“Bye Trixie.” 

About an hour later there was a knock at the door and one of the hotel porters had Bobbie’s suitcase. Trixie tipped and said thank you. Trixie went to bed and looked at her appointment calendar. She had 2 meetings next week with Brose where he was introducing her to other government ministers and she had agreed to sit on a committee with him. She needed to talk to Bobbie about that.