Amber hadn't spoken to Lex for a week and a half.
During this time, the First Speech of the campaign had been schueduled. Amber had no idea what she would talk on. Her experience with Bray? She had earned herself a number of stares for the WLO incident when she ventured into town, or walked into her apartment--even at City Hall. Word spread like fire. Most of the looks consisted of an awe at her courage. The others showed no emotion, only shock.
That didn't mean Frieda ended her silence. Instead of chatting during work like they had before, there was a dark silence in the flickering rooms of the Department of Social Services. Frieda didn't understand how Amber could put the WLO in danger, and Amber didn't understand why Frieda and Jane didn't see how wrong their methods of helping women were.
There was too much going on to have to deal with Frieda on top of it. Rumors started to spread around City Hall. Amber could feel the stares of gossiping circles of workers and council peoples as she left the building to go home or for lunch. Aphrodite posters hung above every department doorway. Two hung above the Department of Social Services. Was this an intimidation ploy on Amber? It was pathetic. The posters were tacky. They showed Aphrodite in a black pantsuit, dramatically staring into the camera with large pink words:
APHRODITE STEVENS
THE FUTURE OR THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY
YOUR VOTE DECIDES
~*~
One day at work a woman and a little girl walked in. It was still morning, so Amber was receptionist and City Stamp administrator.
"Hello," Amber smiled and stood up at the counter. The woman eyed her suspiciously.
"Can we get some City Stamps?" She barked. The girl smiled gently.
"Have you filed a CS Poverty Application?" Amber smiled.
"Yes," The woman said dryly.
"And a recent salary pension form?"
"Yes."
"What about an Agreement of Payment contract for your local bank tracking program?"
"Dammit, I haven't filled that out," The woman smacked her forehead in frustration.
"You need to."
"There are too many things to do! Listen, lady, I don't have time for this-- I have two babies back at home. They need food. My boyfriend," The woman's harsh demeneaor dissapeared. She looked around the empty office to make sure no one was listening, "He took all our money. I have [I]nothing[/i] left."
Amber's hatred for Aphrodite skyrocketed. This was ridiculious to block people from basic necesities because they hadn't filled out forms or papers.
"Why don't we make a deal. I'll give you three sheets of City Stamps and you bring me your Agreement of Payment contract by Thursday?" Amber suggested, smiling.
"What's the catch?" The woman narrowed her eyes.
"You get what you need for your kids, I hopefully get my contract, but if I don't, at least your kids have food," Amber said truthfully.
"Are you playing with me? Lady, please don't come back to bite me in the a[B][/B]ss," The woman pleaded.
"If you don't get me that AP contract I'll be the one who gets in trouble for issuing you City Stamps in the first place," Amber shrugged.
The woman finally agreed and Amber gave her the City Stamps. As the woman left the office she turned back around.
"Hey, aren't you running for City Leader? Amber?" A grin replaced the tired, angry expression.
"That's me alright," Amber blushed, shuffling papers.
"I used to be one of Moz's cronies back in the day. But I heard about you. I admired you a lot for your principles. We looked up to you back then," The woman explained.
"It was all a matter of making the new world better and more just than the old."
"You have balls. Especially for going up against Aphrodite," The woman said.
"I hope you win, Amber. Aphrodite makes us poor," The little girl said.
Amber smiled.
"Thanks for your support. It means a lot."
"My vote is already cast," The woman said.
As Amber closed the office that night, she smiled to herself. Even if she didn't win she would strive to make the city better. It was her duty. To rekindle her old spirit and unleash it upon the world.
~*~
"Bad news," Trudy said as she opened the door to her apartment.
"What?" Amber's blood froze.
"Aphrodite is proposing a bill to the City Council tonight about enforcing a higher educational standard to canidate qualifications for positions in city government," Trudy said fast, rushing Amber inside. Dinner, spaghetti with garlic bread and a pitcher of cranberry juice, was prepared on the table. Trudy grabbed her copy of The Amulet from the couch and read aloud.
"'We need qualified leaders and that means more than defending a tribe or patronizing your own values' says current City Leader Aphrodite Stevens Monday. The City Leader speaks only to The Amulet about her bill, Proposal 449, which will be reviewed by the City Council. "Proposal 449, if passed, will require higher educational standard for canidates running for positions in city government. This means having passed to the 11th grade of high school before the Virus and current enrollment at Green College." Stevens is sixth months away from reaching Green College's two-year Lower Certificate, making her the only canidate in the upcoming City Leader election to qualify for Proposal 449.
"How does she have a two-year degree when Green opened last July?" Amber asked monotone.
"It's an honorary degree," Trudy frowned.
"Dammit, Trude I didn't want to play war," Amber sat down at the table.
"She really wants to kick you down," Trudy joined her.
Amber looked out the balcony window at the evening sky. What did Aphrodite have against her?
"This is the problem with politics-- lies and scandals and dishonesty and scheming! If I'm elected I will re-appoint the entire council and during re-election I'd see what the people wanted after living with me for four years instead of doing my utmost to stop the next person from getting voted in!" Amber grinded her teeth.
"Have you written your speech yet?" Trudy nibbled on her garlic bread drenched in spaghetti sauce.
"Eh, bits and pieces," Amber sipped her juice.
They sat silent.
"Maybe I should talk to Ebony about it. See what Aphrodite has against me and maybe get a few words of advice? She should know the political landscape pretty well these days," Amber suggested.
Trudy grimaced. "I still don't trust her. No matter how far she has come."
"But that night at Jia Chou Bu--"
"I said nothing that night at Jia Chou Bu."
"Come on, you think it's a bad idea?"
"It's an idea. That's all I'm saying," Trudy said defensively, holding her hands up.
Amber bit her lip. She would talk to Ebony.
~*~
The next morning Amber dropped BJ off at school and met Alice and Siva for coffee. Frieda had promised Amber a free day where she could come in or not when Amber had taken the job. She would use the offer.
Amber parked her car in the lot outside the quaint shop, surprised to see not only Alice and Siva, but also Tai-San, Trudy, and Salene sitting at an outside table. What was wrong?
Amber locked her car and made her way to her friends. Trudy looked up, eyebrows crinkled together, old tears dried on her face.
"Amber..." Trudy hugged her friend.
"What's wrong? Is it the kids?" Amber looked around at each of the women.
"No, BJ and Brady are fine," Trudy shook her head as Alice handed her a tissue from the table.
Amber wasn't relieved.
"Amber do you remember when that Matheson man stole the transcript of your confession about Bray?" Tai-San asked calmly, though she was shaken. Amber sat down in the chair next to her.
"Yes..."
"John Matheson gave it to The Amulet. They published it in today's paper," Siva said bluntly.
"Babe, I'm sorry," Salene whispered.
Amber couldn't breath. Her hands, seemingly of their own will, moved to the paper on the table. She picked it up and threw it out in front of her.
AMBER THE ABUSED: A QUALIFIED CANIDATE OR A RUNAWAY WIFE?
The transcript followed with a mentioning of Amber's speech at the WLO.
"I can't believe Ellie would let them print this," Alice snarled.
Siva said something about how disgusting journalists were, but Amber wasn't listening. She was mortified. What would happen now? How would the City treat her now that they knew she was nothing but Bray's bitch? All she had worked for seemed to crumble into the darkness of her past, into the pools of blood that had poured from her body- drowning forever into obscurity.
"I need to go," Amber said suddenly, pushing herself up.
The conversation stopped.
"Are you in a state to drive?" Salene asked, concerned.
"Amber don't go!" Trudy called.
The pleas were whispers. She only heard Bray's punches cracking her rabs, BJ's screams from his bedroom, Lex's breathing when they made love, the sound of herself crying over how ashamed she was about it all. Amber shoved the keys into the ignition and left the shop.
She was going to work. There was no where else to go. She didn't want to go back home, she didn't want to go to Trudy's, she did not want to call Lex-- she wanted to not think about what had happened. To be alone before reality sank in.
Amber parked hastily at City Hall and almost ran into the Department of Social Services. Frieda sat at the receptionist desk, eyes wide at the sight of Amber.
"I didn't expect you today," Frieda said matter-of-factly.
"I'm here," Amber almost snarled viciously. She had been so sick of Bray thinking of her as weak and pitiful; she would be damned if the rest of the City did too.
"You don't need to be. I can handle the office by myself today. You go home and rest," Frieda said gently.
"Wait, wait, wait," Amber backed away, disgusted, "You won't talk to me for how many days because of my speech at the WLO, but now that my story is splattered in the local newspaper it's okay for you to talk to me?"
"Jane and I were angry with you. We still are. You cannot undermine our efforts-" Frieda started.
"No! You listen to me, Frieda Garcia! You listen to me: I did it. I escaped Bray and I'm running for City Leader. I didn't have to hide like a rat in the darkness. The leader of our city is trying to squish me and yet I am still standing. If I can do it and still live to tell the tale, than any woman can do it," Amber shouted.
Frieda sat stunned.
"Wish me luck at the First Speech. It'll be great," Amber spat. With that she left the Department of Social Services and almost threw herself down the hallway, back outside, and to the parking lot.
"Hey! Amber!" A voice shouted from the steps of City Hall as Amber got into her car.
Ebony.
Perfect, Amber thought bitterly.
Emotions were throwing her in a whirlwind. She didn't understand, couldn't understand anything but her drive and her will to succeed. To show them what she was.
Ebony jogged to Amber's car in her heels and navy-blue business suit. Hair and make-up the same as their first encounter.
"I saw what was printed in The Amulet. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am-"
"What are you doing right now?" Amber interupted, seizing the oppurtunity to ask Ebony for the advice she needed.
"I was going to deliver some papers downtown and take an early lunch. You're more than welcome to tag along," Ebony suggested. Amber accepted the offer and followed Ebony to her car.
An hour later, Ebony and Amber were sitting at the Matchbook Cafe Eatery thoroughly engaged in politics.
"Aphrodite feels threatened by you because of your past. Publishing the article in the paper gives her power because it makes you lose trust with the City," Ebony explained over cheesecake.
"But will the City actually think that? I believe there are good people out there," Amber shook her head in dismay.
"Oh, no, there are. But those people are at the mercy of political propaganda. Aphrodite's plan with this transcript thing could have gone two ways-- Amber gains with the people or Amber loses with the paper. She just had to tweak it by emphasizing the fact you were an abused woman with an option to take advantage of the WLO," Ebony combatted.
It made perfect sense. Aphrodite was a genius at political warfare.
"You think she's smart? It's not her. It's the Conservative Political Foundation. Ben Frist from the Gulls runs it. Aphrodite hired them to run her campaign."
"This is so outrageous I think the people will see through her," Amber said definitively. The people weren't dumb so as not being able to see through a fake blonde who named herself after the Greek goddess of love.
"Remember the Technos? Ram controlled the City through manipulation and promise. Those are Aphrodite's techniques- destroy the opponent and vows for the future," Ebony handed her plate to the waiter.
"Why does Aphrodite want to remain in power? Does she love the job that much? What is it?" Amber asked rheoterically, following Ebony's lead by handing the waiter her plate. He grinned at her and winked. She scoffed.
"Power. People love power-kicks," Ebony laughed.
"The story of our lives," Amber joined in.
"The first true words spoken by a City Leader canidate in four years," Ebony grinned.
"I've always had a knack for honesty," Amber smiled.
"You sure have," Ebony said.
The women paid for their meals and left.
~*~
The shock Amber felt at the coffee shop subsided. She understood the implications of what had occured. Now she was ready to combat the war against her during her speech. That's why she would go home and work on her speech until BJ needed to be picked up.
The talk with Ebony seemed to give Amber a bounce in her step. Her will had been rejuvinated. Amber parked her car and whistled as she walked the stairs to her apartment. She fumbled with the keys and pushed her way inside to find Ellie and Trudy on her couch.
"What is this? Is everyone stalking me today?" Amber said dryly.
"Where have you been?" Trudy asked, throwing her hands in the air like a concerned mother.
"I went to work and than to lunch with Ebony," Amber said confidently.
"Oh no," Ellie whispered.
"Ellie, how are you doing? What is this all about?" Amber asked.
"Dammit! I knew she'd do this! I told you I warned her against it," Trudy said to Ellie.
Ellie looked sick to her stomach.
"What's wrong?"
"It's Ebony! Ebony sent the transcript to The Amulet and had it published because I'm on maternity leave," Ellie said sadly.
"What? Are you crazy? I was with Ebony for a couple of hours- she was counseling me on politics and the campaign-"
"She's lieing to you. The Conservative Political Foundation was you gone Amber!" Trudy cried.
"But she was telling me that the CPF runs Aphrodite's campaign-"
"Exactly. She's one of the CPF's leaders! Ben Frist is Ebony's fiance," Ellie explained.
"Oh my God," Amber collapsed on the couch.
Ebony had done it again.
During this time, the First Speech of the campaign had been schueduled. Amber had no idea what she would talk on. Her experience with Bray? She had earned herself a number of stares for the WLO incident when she ventured into town, or walked into her apartment--even at City Hall. Word spread like fire. Most of the looks consisted of an awe at her courage. The others showed no emotion, only shock.
That didn't mean Frieda ended her silence. Instead of chatting during work like they had before, there was a dark silence in the flickering rooms of the Department of Social Services. Frieda didn't understand how Amber could put the WLO in danger, and Amber didn't understand why Frieda and Jane didn't see how wrong their methods of helping women were.
There was too much going on to have to deal with Frieda on top of it. Rumors started to spread around City Hall. Amber could feel the stares of gossiping circles of workers and council peoples as she left the building to go home or for lunch. Aphrodite posters hung above every department doorway. Two hung above the Department of Social Services. Was this an intimidation ploy on Amber? It was pathetic. The posters were tacky. They showed Aphrodite in a black pantsuit, dramatically staring into the camera with large pink words:
APHRODITE STEVENS
THE FUTURE OR THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY
YOUR VOTE DECIDES
~*~
One day at work a woman and a little girl walked in. It was still morning, so Amber was receptionist and City Stamp administrator.
"Hello," Amber smiled and stood up at the counter. The woman eyed her suspiciously.
"Can we get some City Stamps?" She barked. The girl smiled gently.
"Have you filed a CS Poverty Application?" Amber smiled.
"Yes," The woman said dryly.
"And a recent salary pension form?"
"Yes."
"What about an Agreement of Payment contract for your local bank tracking program?"
"Dammit, I haven't filled that out," The woman smacked her forehead in frustration.
"You need to."
"There are too many things to do! Listen, lady, I don't have time for this-- I have two babies back at home. They need food. My boyfriend," The woman's harsh demeneaor dissapeared. She looked around the empty office to make sure no one was listening, "He took all our money. I have [I]nothing[/i] left."
Amber's hatred for Aphrodite skyrocketed. This was ridiculious to block people from basic necesities because they hadn't filled out forms or papers.
"Why don't we make a deal. I'll give you three sheets of City Stamps and you bring me your Agreement of Payment contract by Thursday?" Amber suggested, smiling.
"What's the catch?" The woman narrowed her eyes.
"You get what you need for your kids, I hopefully get my contract, but if I don't, at least your kids have food," Amber said truthfully.
"Are you playing with me? Lady, please don't come back to bite me in the a[B][/B]ss," The woman pleaded.
"If you don't get me that AP contract I'll be the one who gets in trouble for issuing you City Stamps in the first place," Amber shrugged.
The woman finally agreed and Amber gave her the City Stamps. As the woman left the office she turned back around.
"Hey, aren't you running for City Leader? Amber?" A grin replaced the tired, angry expression.
"That's me alright," Amber blushed, shuffling papers.
"I used to be one of Moz's cronies back in the day. But I heard about you. I admired you a lot for your principles. We looked up to you back then," The woman explained.
"It was all a matter of making the new world better and more just than the old."
"You have balls. Especially for going up against Aphrodite," The woman said.
"I hope you win, Amber. Aphrodite makes us poor," The little girl said.
Amber smiled.
"Thanks for your support. It means a lot."
"My vote is already cast," The woman said.
As Amber closed the office that night, she smiled to herself. Even if she didn't win she would strive to make the city better. It was her duty. To rekindle her old spirit and unleash it upon the world.
~*~
"Bad news," Trudy said as she opened the door to her apartment.
"What?" Amber's blood froze.
"Aphrodite is proposing a bill to the City Council tonight about enforcing a higher educational standard to canidate qualifications for positions in city government," Trudy said fast, rushing Amber inside. Dinner, spaghetti with garlic bread and a pitcher of cranberry juice, was prepared on the table. Trudy grabbed her copy of The Amulet from the couch and read aloud.
"'We need qualified leaders and that means more than defending a tribe or patronizing your own values' says current City Leader Aphrodite Stevens Monday. The City Leader speaks only to The Amulet about her bill, Proposal 449, which will be reviewed by the City Council. "Proposal 449, if passed, will require higher educational standard for canidates running for positions in city government. This means having passed to the 11th grade of high school before the Virus and current enrollment at Green College." Stevens is sixth months away from reaching Green College's two-year Lower Certificate, making her the only canidate in the upcoming City Leader election to qualify for Proposal 449.
"How does she have a two-year degree when Green opened last July?" Amber asked monotone.
"It's an honorary degree," Trudy frowned.
"Dammit, Trude I didn't want to play war," Amber sat down at the table.
"She really wants to kick you down," Trudy joined her.
Amber looked out the balcony window at the evening sky. What did Aphrodite have against her?
"This is the problem with politics-- lies and scandals and dishonesty and scheming! If I'm elected I will re-appoint the entire council and during re-election I'd see what the people wanted after living with me for four years instead of doing my utmost to stop the next person from getting voted in!" Amber grinded her teeth.
"Have you written your speech yet?" Trudy nibbled on her garlic bread drenched in spaghetti sauce.
"Eh, bits and pieces," Amber sipped her juice.
They sat silent.
"Maybe I should talk to Ebony about it. See what Aphrodite has against me and maybe get a few words of advice? She should know the political landscape pretty well these days," Amber suggested.
Trudy grimaced. "I still don't trust her. No matter how far she has come."
"But that night at Jia Chou Bu--"
"I said nothing that night at Jia Chou Bu."
"Come on, you think it's a bad idea?"
"It's an idea. That's all I'm saying," Trudy said defensively, holding her hands up.
Amber bit her lip. She would talk to Ebony.
~*~
The next morning Amber dropped BJ off at school and met Alice and Siva for coffee. Frieda had promised Amber a free day where she could come in or not when Amber had taken the job. She would use the offer.
Amber parked her car in the lot outside the quaint shop, surprised to see not only Alice and Siva, but also Tai-San, Trudy, and Salene sitting at an outside table. What was wrong?
Amber locked her car and made her way to her friends. Trudy looked up, eyebrows crinkled together, old tears dried on her face.
"Amber..." Trudy hugged her friend.
"What's wrong? Is it the kids?" Amber looked around at each of the women.
"No, BJ and Brady are fine," Trudy shook her head as Alice handed her a tissue from the table.
Amber wasn't relieved.
"Amber do you remember when that Matheson man stole the transcript of your confession about Bray?" Tai-San asked calmly, though she was shaken. Amber sat down in the chair next to her.
"Yes..."
"John Matheson gave it to The Amulet. They published it in today's paper," Siva said bluntly.
"Babe, I'm sorry," Salene whispered.
Amber couldn't breath. Her hands, seemingly of their own will, moved to the paper on the table. She picked it up and threw it out in front of her.
AMBER THE ABUSED: A QUALIFIED CANIDATE OR A RUNAWAY WIFE?
The transcript followed with a mentioning of Amber's speech at the WLO.
"I can't believe Ellie would let them print this," Alice snarled.
Siva said something about how disgusting journalists were, but Amber wasn't listening. She was mortified. What would happen now? How would the City treat her now that they knew she was nothing but Bray's bitch? All she had worked for seemed to crumble into the darkness of her past, into the pools of blood that had poured from her body- drowning forever into obscurity.
"I need to go," Amber said suddenly, pushing herself up.
The conversation stopped.
"Are you in a state to drive?" Salene asked, concerned.
"Amber don't go!" Trudy called.
The pleas were whispers. She only heard Bray's punches cracking her rabs, BJ's screams from his bedroom, Lex's breathing when they made love, the sound of herself crying over how ashamed she was about it all. Amber shoved the keys into the ignition and left the shop.
She was going to work. There was no where else to go. She didn't want to go back home, she didn't want to go to Trudy's, she did not want to call Lex-- she wanted to not think about what had happened. To be alone before reality sank in.
Amber parked hastily at City Hall and almost ran into the Department of Social Services. Frieda sat at the receptionist desk, eyes wide at the sight of Amber.
"I didn't expect you today," Frieda said matter-of-factly.
"I'm here," Amber almost snarled viciously. She had been so sick of Bray thinking of her as weak and pitiful; she would be damned if the rest of the City did too.
"You don't need to be. I can handle the office by myself today. You go home and rest," Frieda said gently.
"Wait, wait, wait," Amber backed away, disgusted, "You won't talk to me for how many days because of my speech at the WLO, but now that my story is splattered in the local newspaper it's okay for you to talk to me?"
"Jane and I were angry with you. We still are. You cannot undermine our efforts-" Frieda started.
"No! You listen to me, Frieda Garcia! You listen to me: I did it. I escaped Bray and I'm running for City Leader. I didn't have to hide like a rat in the darkness. The leader of our city is trying to squish me and yet I am still standing. If I can do it and still live to tell the tale, than any woman can do it," Amber shouted.
Frieda sat stunned.
"Wish me luck at the First Speech. It'll be great," Amber spat. With that she left the Department of Social Services and almost threw herself down the hallway, back outside, and to the parking lot.
"Hey! Amber!" A voice shouted from the steps of City Hall as Amber got into her car.
Ebony.
Perfect, Amber thought bitterly.
Emotions were throwing her in a whirlwind. She didn't understand, couldn't understand anything but her drive and her will to succeed. To show them what she was.
Ebony jogged to Amber's car in her heels and navy-blue business suit. Hair and make-up the same as their first encounter.
"I saw what was printed in The Amulet. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am-"
"What are you doing right now?" Amber interupted, seizing the oppurtunity to ask Ebony for the advice she needed.
"I was going to deliver some papers downtown and take an early lunch. You're more than welcome to tag along," Ebony suggested. Amber accepted the offer and followed Ebony to her car.
An hour later, Ebony and Amber were sitting at the Matchbook Cafe Eatery thoroughly engaged in politics.
"Aphrodite feels threatened by you because of your past. Publishing the article in the paper gives her power because it makes you lose trust with the City," Ebony explained over cheesecake.
"But will the City actually think that? I believe there are good people out there," Amber shook her head in dismay.
"Oh, no, there are. But those people are at the mercy of political propaganda. Aphrodite's plan with this transcript thing could have gone two ways-- Amber gains with the people or Amber loses with the paper. She just had to tweak it by emphasizing the fact you were an abused woman with an option to take advantage of the WLO," Ebony combatted.
It made perfect sense. Aphrodite was a genius at political warfare.
"You think she's smart? It's not her. It's the Conservative Political Foundation. Ben Frist from the Gulls runs it. Aphrodite hired them to run her campaign."
"This is so outrageous I think the people will see through her," Amber said definitively. The people weren't dumb so as not being able to see through a fake blonde who named herself after the Greek goddess of love.
"Remember the Technos? Ram controlled the City through manipulation and promise. Those are Aphrodite's techniques- destroy the opponent and vows for the future," Ebony handed her plate to the waiter.
"Why does Aphrodite want to remain in power? Does she love the job that much? What is it?" Amber asked rheoterically, following Ebony's lead by handing the waiter her plate. He grinned at her and winked. She scoffed.
"Power. People love power-kicks," Ebony laughed.
"The story of our lives," Amber joined in.
"The first true words spoken by a City Leader canidate in four years," Ebony grinned.
"I've always had a knack for honesty," Amber smiled.
"You sure have," Ebony said.
The women paid for their meals and left.
~*~
The shock Amber felt at the coffee shop subsided. She understood the implications of what had occured. Now she was ready to combat the war against her during her speech. That's why she would go home and work on her speech until BJ needed to be picked up.
The talk with Ebony seemed to give Amber a bounce in her step. Her will had been rejuvinated. Amber parked her car and whistled as she walked the stairs to her apartment. She fumbled with the keys and pushed her way inside to find Ellie and Trudy on her couch.
"What is this? Is everyone stalking me today?" Amber said dryly.
"Where have you been?" Trudy asked, throwing her hands in the air like a concerned mother.
"I went to work and than to lunch with Ebony," Amber said confidently.
"Oh no," Ellie whispered.
"Ellie, how are you doing? What is this all about?" Amber asked.
"Dammit! I knew she'd do this! I told you I warned her against it," Trudy said to Ellie.
Ellie looked sick to her stomach.
"What's wrong?"
"It's Ebony! Ebony sent the transcript to The Amulet and had it published because I'm on maternity leave," Ellie said sadly.
"What? Are you crazy? I was with Ebony for a couple of hours- she was counseling me on politics and the campaign-"
"She's lieing to you. The Conservative Political Foundation was you gone Amber!" Trudy cried.
"But she was telling me that the CPF runs Aphrodite's campaign-"
"Exactly. She's one of the CPF's leaders! Ben Frist is Ebony's fiance," Ellie explained.
"Oh my God," Amber collapsed on the couch.
Ebony had done it again.