said. Claiming the seat meant having us declare ourselves the winner…before Lacy had conceded losing. It was a bold statement.
“Christ Almighty, you’ve got it in the bag, kid,” Levant said. “Our own number-crunchers are calling you the winner, with fifteen points to spare.”
“Shit, really?” I was dumfounded. Fifteen points was a hugely comfortable margin. It afforded a candidate the kind of maneuvering room that freed him from having to glance over his shoulder at the opposition too often. Candidates who win by two points can never say their ideas have a mandate. But win by fifteen points, and the world is yours.
“There are still a few precincts outstanding,” I told Levant, unable to overcome my superstitious nature.
“Suit yourself, kid,” he said. “But I am telling you Levi Barnes will shortly be Congressman Barnes. I’ll expect a sizable donation from him to the party toot sweet!” The line went dead, his words ringing in my ears, my pulse in my throat.
“Who was that?” Levi asked.
“It was Levant,” I said. “He says the seat is ours by a margin of fifteen points, and we should call the race.” Silence followed as everyone looked up at the television above the bar, which was now, in fact, posting election results confirming our fifteen-point lead, with two precincts left to report.
Victory chants cropped up around the restaurant. “Levi! Levi! Levi!”
“OK, let’s call it,” I yelled over the din. I hugged Levi, “Congratulations, Congressman Barnes, I think you should address your supporters.”
Levi smiled and embraced me tightly. “Amazing. Amazing work, Olivia,” he said. “The way you took control and stayed calm. I’ve never seen anyone with better instincts and courage. Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” I said, smiling. “It’s easy to run a race for someone like you. Promise me you’ll call when it’s time for re-election.”
“Aren’t you coming back to Washington with me?” Levi looked puzzled.
“No, not this time. I hope you’ll take Maggie and Peter with you; they will make great legislative aides.”
Levi squeezed my hand. “You’re not the same person anymore,” he said. “There is something, a certainty in you that didn’t exist before.”
“I suppose I know more about what I want now. Perhaps with not so much certainty, but confidence in my own decisions,” I said, “which is really about growing older and knowing oneself.”
“Ah, but they are all cousins,” said Gabriel, who had come up behind us while we were talking. “You cannot be certain without confidence.”
Richard Lyon was with him. They both urged Levi toward the front of the room to give his victory speech. I nodded in agreement and promised to follow in a moment. As they departed, I stopped and exhaled deeply, releasing much of the pent up stress and anxiety I had been harboring for weeks. It was over. We’d won. A weight that had been pressing on my chest lifted and a feeling of lightness returned to my body. I was about to turn and make my way to the front when an arm wrapped around my waist holding me in place. It was William.
“Well done, darlin,” he said, pulling me to his side. “Now that you’re officially unemployed, can we kiss in public?”
“Yes, definitely,” I said.
We did, quickly, and then walked forward to the main area of the bistro’s dining room in time to watch Levi climbing onto a chair to speak to the crowd. I glanced over at Patrick, giving him a nod to grab a glass and a piece of silverware to signal to the crowd to quiet down. After a few whistles and clinks on a beer mug, everyone fell silent and looked toward Levi as he stood above them. Flush and happy, his blue oxford shirt rolled up at his sleeves, here was the newest member of Congress from the great state of California, alone, with no entourage, no driver, not even a microphone. Remember this moment, I silently urged Levi; as a consultant I knew it was fleeting, irreplaceable.
“We did it,” he said to a sea of cheers. “Can you believe it? We won by fifteen points! I’m not prepared to say much more except that I want to thank all of you, my supporters, for believing in me. I want to thank the voters who made me their choice; I promise to work hard on your behalf. Finally, I want to tip my hat to Lacy…”
A chorus of boos rang out from the crowd.
“Now, now,” Levi admonished his supporters, but with a smile. “I do want to thank Lacy Smith. I