Local Lit

Dan searched his brain for other entries under that name. Had he met someone at a club with that name? “Congressman James Weymouth?” he asked cautiously.
“The same.”
“How can I help you, sir?”
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to bring SOFA up at the Committee Hearing as soon as Congress resumes.”
“I’d heard that rumor.” Dan admitted.
“I’ve been thinking about this issue a lot since your visit and I’ve decided that I won’t be voting for it.”
It took a moment for Dan’s brain to register the ramifications of what that meant. “That’s great,” Dan said, trying to rein in his enthusiasm.
“Don’t get your hopes up. I’m not going to vote against it either. I’m going to take a pass.”
Coward, Dan thought. Still, with one less “aye” vote to worry about that was one less “nay” vote Dan had to come up with. “I understand,” Dan said. “Thank you for telling me. I was just doing a vote count and this information is very useful.”
“How does it look?”
“With you sitting it out that brings it down to 18 ayes and 18 nays.”
“Davidson is going to walk, too.”
“You’re kidding!” Davidson was a Congressman from North Carolina who Dan had been certain would vote for the measure.
“You didn’t hear it from me,” Weymouth said.
“That means if we hold the Democrats we win.”
“Do you think you can do that?” Weymouth asked.
“I don’t know,” Dan said. “But I’ll sure as hell try.”
“Keep me posted.” Weymouth said. “Good bye and good luck.”
Dan hung up the phone. “Yes!” he screamed and raced out of his office in search of colleagues to share the news with.
Dan had about three weeks to secure his vote count. He needed all the Democratic votes, which was only going to happen if he could convince Reynolds to whip the Democrats, strong-arming them into voting as a caucus.
The last meeting with Parker, Reynolds’ chief counsel, had been a disaster. Dan had to find someone else who could get to him. It occurred to him that Paul, Parker’s predecessor, might have some ideas. He called Paul at the restaurant.
“You wouldn’t believe what just happened. Weymouth’s agreed not to vote on SOFA I’ve got to line up the Democrats and I need you to come with me to see Parker,” Dan said all in one breathe.
Paul, who never lost his cool, said calmly, “You don’t need me to get a meeting with Parker.”
“I’ve got to convince him that Reynolds should whip the issue. I met with him in October and it was a total waste of time.”
“It’ll be a waste of time now, too,” Paul said. “Parker won’t go for it. He thinks “don’t ask, don’t tell” is too liberal. He isn’t going to advise his southern members to vote against an issue like this.”
“Can’t you help?” Dan pleaded.
“I’d skip Parker and go straight to Reynolds.”
“Parker will kill me if I go above his head.”
“You want my advice, that’s it. Skip Parker. I can get you in to see Reynolds. Just give me a few hours and I’ll get back to you.”
Dan called the offices of every Democratic member on the Judiciary Committee. He had the direct phone numbers of most staffers. Over the years he had made himself available all hours of the day or night whenever they needed help. He had answered their questions, researched issues, or written statements for their members to read on the floor; now he was calling in the chits. After three hours he had reached all remaining 15 offices and confirmed that there were still two Democratic members on the fence.
Paul called to tell him he had gotten a meeting for the following Thursday at 7:30 AM. “I know it’s early,” he apologized. Dan assured him that he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway, so 7:30 was fine. “Are you eating?” Paul asked.
Dan couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten resembling a sit-down meal. .
“I’ve eaten Burritos three days in a row. The Burrito man is getting all my money.”
Paul laughed. “There are certainly worse places you could go for sure, but you must be ready for a real meal. I’ll bring you over some food tonight,” he said.
“You don’t have to, but I’d love it if you did,” Dan said.
Dan left the office at 8:00 so tired his brain felt like it was moving in slow motion. He trudged home from the Metro wondering what wonderful foods Paul had prepared for him. He stopped at the Valu Liquor Store and bought a bottle of Pinot Grigio. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t see the figure on his porch until he practically ran into him.
“You look like a zombie,” Dave said. “This might help revive you. Paul asked me to bring it to you.”
“You’re an angel,” Dan said.
“I’d rather be a devil,” Dave smiled seductively.
Dan hadn’t spoken to Dave since the Solstice dinner. Dave had called several times, but between being sick, the crisis with Claudia and the SOFA vote, Dan had rationalized that he didn’t have time to talk to Dave. In actuality, Dan had been deeply disappointed by Dave’s pronouncement that he didn’t want children. But since Dave had made the effort to deliver his dinner, the least he could do was ask him in.
Dave declined the offer to share Dan’s meal of a field green salad, pesto fettuccini, and vegan carrot cake for desert. He did, however, accept a glass of wine.
It was unnerving to have Dave sit at his table. He had been planning on eating his meal while watching mindless television. He wasn’t up for any big conversations.
“Why haven’t you returned my calls,” Dave asked. “I thought you liked me.”
“I do like you,” Dan said contemplating how much he should tell Dave. “I’ve been busy. I was sick, and then I’ve been dealing with fallout from the FBI searching my place and now I’m crazy preparing for a big vote.” He didn’t mention the fact that he had accidentally impregnated his lesbian friend.
Dave nodded. “Are you sure there wasn’t something else? It seemed like things were going so well until the dinner party, then you got really distant. Did I say or do something to offend you?”
“No,” Dan said.
“Why do I get the sense you aren’t telling me everything?” Dave asked.
Dan wished he were watching Friends alone with his dinner and wine. Maybe Rita Jane was right, maybe he was afraid of intimacy. He had always thought the problem was that he hadn’t met the right person. It hadn’t occurred to him that there might be more going on. Since things would never work out with Dave, there was no harm in telling him the truth.
“You didn’t want to have kids,” Dan said. “I do. So there’s no point in going any further.” There he had said it and Dave hadn’t left the room.
“Oh,” Dave said. “Were you going to tell me this or just leave me hanging?”
Dan flinched. He was the victim in this situation. He was protecting himself and Dave’s words exposed him. “I hadn’t decided,” he admitted.
“If we’re going to have a relationship – friendship or otherwise – you have to be honest with me.” Dave’s eyes pleaded with him. “Now I’m going to be completely honest with you. What I said about not wanting children is true. At this point in my life I don’t want kids, but I haven’t ruled out the idea all together. My job is very intense right now, but that will likely change. I’m open to the idea later on.”
Dan’s mind raced with possibilities. He hesitated to tell Dave about Claudia, but Dave had asked for honesty so he might as well give it to him.
“There’s more,” Dan said. “I don’t know any other way to say this but just to come right out with it. Claudia is pregnant with my child.”
Dave reached for the bottle of wine. “I think I need more of this.”
“It gets worse, or maybe better, I don’t know what you’ll think,” Dan said. “It wasn’t planned.”
Dave’s face registered confusion and then realization. “You had sex with Claudia.”
Dan nodded. “Before I met you,” he added, as though that explained it. “It was a mistake. Or it wasn’t planned. It just kind of happened.”
Dave laughed. “You sound like my juvenile delinquent clients.”
“It’s so fucked up. I can’t believe I did it. I had never had sex with a woman before and I can’t believe she got pregnant.” Regret encroached upon him as it did most days. He kept it at bay by working long hours and not talking about his feelings.
“It’ll be okay,” Dave said so calmly that Dan believed him.
“It’s such a mess. Claudia didn’t want to be pregnant and was going to have an abortion, but Rita Jane wants a child, in fact she asked me to have a kid with her, and she asked Claudia to have the kid so that she, or we, or all of us, can raise it.”
Dave laughed. “I’m sorry,” he said between gulps of laughter. “I shouldn’t be laughing. It’s just such a bizarre situation I almost can’t believe its true. I can see why you would have been upset by what I said. You’ve got a lot going on.”
Dan had spent two months convincing himself that he and Dave could never work. Dave’s declaration that he had not wanted to have children had cinched it. But talking to Dave had eased the anxiety he had been holding at bay. It was so comforting to talk with someone who really wanted to listen to you.
Dave touched his face gently. Dan leaned forward slightly and Dave cupped Dan’s face with his hands and kissed him, deeply. Dave tasted like a summer morning, light and filled with hope. Dan let himself savor the kisses, willing his mind not to worry about all things that could go wrong and what the future might, or might not, hold. When at last they reluctantly broke away from each other, Dave said, “I’ve been wanting to do that for a very long time.”
“Me, too,” Dan admitted, “although I had convinced myself that I didn’t want you.”
“It sounds like I came over just in the nick of time,” Dave said.
“Do you want to spend the night?” Dan asked, feeling shy as soon as he asked.
Dave nodded.
Dan kissed Dave again, this time with tongue. “Close your eyes,” he whispered. When Dave complied, Dan cut a piece of carrot cake, then picked it up with his fingers and placed it in Dave’s mouth. “Sweets for the sweet,” he said.
“That was amazing,” Dave said. He picked up a piece of the sticky moist cake and gently pushed it inside Dan’s mouth, allowing Dan to suck his fingers as he withdrew them. Then they grabbed at each other, hungrily, greedily, kissing, sucking, and devouring each other with a ferocity that surprised them both.