“It fits you perfectly.” Jeanine gave her the once over. “Nice outfit.”
Caroline gave her a little bow. “I like to describe it as ‘devastatingly bipartisan.’”
“Nice press conference, too.”
Jack announced his intent to enter the gubernatorial race in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania earlier that morning, even though most insiders had suspected it for weeks. September had come quickly. Time to kick the next election cycle into gear. Caroline wanted to make it official before he changed his mind. The state GOP wanted to move forward as well. Jack would be unopposed in the primary unless a non-establishment candidate threw his hat into the ring before the following spring.
Caroline and her daughters stood on stage behind Jack in an auditorium at the Wharton School, not saying a word, gazing adoringly at him as he gave his speech. They’d practiced their faces in the mirror beforehand. It had been highly amusing.
“It was one of my best performances,” Caroline said. “I know Republicans generally appreciate it when I stay quiet and well-mannered.”
Jeanine grinned slyly. “It was pretty funny when you burst out laughing after that idiot sleaze reporter asked Jack if you two were getting married so soon because he’d gotten you knocked up.”
She wasn’t kidding. That was almost a direct quote. “I’m very proud that Jack managed to give such a diplomatic answer,” Caroline said.
As soon as the question came out of the jerk’s mouth, she and Marguerite cracked up. It had taken them a long time before their giggles subsided. Sophie remained clueless. Jack came very close to losing his temper when he responded, but still worked in a nice quip about wanting to get all his new dependents lined up before the end of the year.
“I thought he did wonderfully,” Jeanine said. “It was a good speech. You’re not pregnant, are you? Not that it’s even my place to ask.”
Caroline liked Jeanine, even though she was neurotic. It would be fun to tease her with a non-answer. “I think having two little people running around with half my DNA is enough, don’t you?”
“How’s your arm feeling?
She shrugged her shoulders reflexively and grimaced. Sometimes it hurt when she did that. “It still stings a little. But with some rehab and weight training I should be fine.”
Jeanine sneaked a glance at Caroline’s left hand, still somewhat buried in the sling. “So, let’s see the rock.”
A very popular request lately. Caroline held out her hand the best she could as Jeanine held it gently and examined it.
Satisfied, she squeezed Caroline’s hand and released it. “He did well.”
“I guess so.” Caroline still thought it was too big but she wasn’t one to complain about free stuff. “Once this sling is off I’m considering going down to the harbor and catching it in the light to see if I can get any ships to change direction.” She put her good arm around Jeanine. “Where’s the Iron Lady?”
“The Congresswoman should be in shortly. We’re going over some numbers later today.”
“Great.” She turned to the interns at the far table. “And who might these bright young conservatives be?”
Jeanine laughed. “This is Veronica from Temple and Frank from LaSalle.”
Caroline walked over and shook their hands. “I’m Caroline,” she said, though it was obvious they recognized her. They appeared daunted by her presence, so she decided to be as warm and friendly as possible. “You kids are doing a bang up job at whatever it is you’re doing.” Despite the general messiness and stacks of papers, she couldn’t tell exactly what that was.
Frank and Veronica half smiled and resumed working.
“We haven’t had a chance to do much aside from some fundraising and mail drives,” Jeanine said. “We’ll kick it up soon enough.”
“Chrissy’s not going full force yet?” The nickname slipped out before Caroline could help it, and she saw Veronica cover her mouth, trying not to laugh. Caroline would have to be more careful in less private arenas. Christine had a reputation to uphold.
Jeanine smiled slightly. “No. Representative Sullivan is taking a low key approach for now.”
So Jeanine hadn’t yet achieved first name status. Sometimes Caroline wondered if Christine knew the effect she had on people. She erroneously assumed that the publicity the two of them and their friendship received after the shooting might have changed how people perceived her. Or the way Christine herself behaved. But Caroline elected to adhere to their office protocol, for now.
“Does Representative Sullivan have an office in here?” she asked.