knew could never really happen, but now it was starting to feel like a reality, and it was kind of terrifying.
“I’ve been thinking of withdrawing.”
I wasn’t fully paying attention to my dad, so it was a couple of seconds before I processed what he’d said. My head whipped around. “Wait, what? You can’t do that!”
But Dad looked resigned, like he’d already made up his mind. “If I drop out of the race now, Janice can focus her attacks on McMann without me as a distraction.”
“She’s just as bad as McMann!”
“Not even close, Dre,” he said. “I don’t agree with her on just about anything, and she’s not the leader we need right now, but Jackson McMann cannot be allowed to win. He would tear this country apart and destroy the relationships we have with our foreign allies. I would rather see Governor Arnault win than him.”
“Then why doesn’t she drop out so you can win?”
Dad rested his hand on my shoulder. “Because, in her heart, she’s a soldier, and I don’t think she’s capable of surrendering.”
“Sounds like you admire her.”
“It’s been tough being the first Mexican American to have a real shot at becoming president. It’s been an uphill battle through hordes of vile racists and people who see me as nothing but the color of my skin. But Janice has also put up with her share of vitriol. The misogyny, the constant and unrelenting commentary on her appearance, the way so many people tack on ‘for a woman’ to the end of their compliments of her.” He nodded to himself. “She’s also had it rough. So, yes, I do admire her. I admire her tenacity and her strength, and you should too.”
Life would’ve been so much easier if Dad were to drop out of the race. No more worrying about the election, no more late nights and missed dinners. I’d get my dad back and we could go to Europe after graduation like we’d planned. Everything would go back to the way it’d been. Only, nothing ever goes back to the way it was. We’d all been changed by the last few months. We were different people. I was a different person. Might as well try to unbake cookies and separate the dough into its original components.
But most of all, even though I fully believed Dad was willing to sacrifice what he wanted for the greater good, he also really wanted to be president. Not for the power, not for the glory, but so he could help people.
“You can’t quit,” I said.
“I haven’t made any decisions yet—”
“Then don’t. Stop thinking about giving up and start focusing on winning. Get out there and kick McMann’s ass. Then kick Arnault’s ass. Kick anyone’s ass who gets in your way.”
“This isn’t going to get any easier, you know that, right, Dre?” I started to answer, but Dad held up his hand to let me know he wasn’t finished. “I can promise you that I’ll do my best to be there for you, but if I keep at this and I win, times are going to come when my best won’t be good enough. Situations will arise when I’m going to disappoint you. When some emergency is going to pull me away from you and ruin our plans. If this is going to work, Dre, we have to be honest with each other.”
The last time Dad and I’d had this talk, I hadn’t thought it through, but this time I did. This time, when I answered, I was sure. “I’m not saying I’m gonna like it, and I’m not saying I’m not ever gonna be pissed about it, but I get it and I understand, and I still want you to keep going. I want you to win.”
For the first time since the second debate, my dad smiled. “You really think I can?”
“Yes,” I said. “And I’ll be with you all the way. If you want me there.”
“You know I do.”
“Good,” I said. “Now, let’s get your beak and hooves on so we can take some pictures.”
Dean
MY MOTHER WAS standing at the bottom of the stairs, holding a glass of whiskey in one hand and her tablet in the other. She loved whiskey, but only drank it on rare occasions, so either Jackson McMann and Tomás Rosario had both dropped out of the race or the world was coming to an end.
“What the hell were you thinking, Dean?”
So McMann and Rosario were still in the race.
“What do you mean?” I stood at the