John hated being on the hill, here the Republicans reigned and he and his party were in the minority. He resisted the urge to glance behind him to where Cadence stood, hating that he given into Senator Whyte's desires to 'see the spitfire PR woman again'. John knew Cadence had to be uncomfortable but she was hiding it remarkably well.
They were with Senator Whyte in an office in the Senate where everything was to his advantage.
Matt Whyte had abandoned his previous guise of a stereotypical Texan and was back in his preferred attire of suited and booted senator. He sat opposing John on the other side of a large, heavy desk with an unhidden joy in his treacle brown stare.
The office was ice cold although the windows were closed and it was evident the radiators were off. John was willing to consider that it was possible someone hadn't known the room would be in use but given Matt's heavy, tweed blazer John was mildly suspicious that perhaps someone had deliberately made sure the room would be unpleasantly chilly.
"Tell me Mr Vice President, why are you here?" the senator quipped calmly.
John kept his stare friendly as he gave a small smile. His long, black winter coat was off and hanging on the coat stand to the right of Cadence leaving him in a navy suit with a white shirt and a navy and red striped tie. He almost wished he had kept the coat on but knew it would have appeared rude.
"To discuss the matter of fossil fuels."
"Taxes you mean," Matt scoffed back. He leaned back in his chair and rested his arms on his chest. "So it's true, now the liberals want to put up the taxes until it's only green and all the nasty, polluting businesses are out." He raised his grey eyebrows at this. "Doesn't matter if it makes tens of thousands jobless and on the streets so long as the air's cleaner, right?" he quipped sardonically.
Cadence stood in the backdrop feeling out of place. She had no idea why the senator had insisted on her presence, it wasn't protocol and she knew it was annoying John. She was wearing a tightly fitted pale brown jacket with a matching skirt, a cream, silk shirt with a blue silk pussy bow, matching pumps and her preferred nude pantyhose. Whilst the outfit was flattering it did little to banish the chill of the office. She had her hands behind her back, clasped together as she massaged her fingers in an attempt to get some heat into them.
"Now sir," John retorted, still calm, "that's not accurate, you know we support the coal industry."
"Hmm just not the oil then?"
John resisted an urge to frown, knowing the senator was deliberately misinterpreting what he had said. "The money to keep these businesses going has to come from the taxes," John tried to change tact.
Matt leaned forward, clasping his hands on his desk as he nodded solemnly. "Well as an oil man I can't agree to that," he said calmly, "you see I took a hit recently, lost a fortune in gun shares so I wouldn't be able to afford a tax increase."
"Could you afford to lose your oil business entirely?" John queried sharply. He gave the senator a serious stare. "That could happen if the taxes don't go up, there won't be money to invest in the fossil fuel businesses."
"Nonsense John," the senator abandoned formalities as he smiled back, "the need for fossil fuels pays for it, what the public pays to run their electricity and their homes is triple what we pay to get the fuel in the first place. You Democrats need money, you know tax is a bad word and so you go for the easy option, tax something that can seem bad, like nasty, polluting fossil fuels."
Matt pointed across the table accusingly to the Vice President. "Let's cut the crap and have the discussion you came here for. This doesn't get through without Republican support, my support but you've insulted me too many times to deserve it John. I welcomed you to my home and you blackmailed me into dropping my stance for gun rights. After you succeeded with that you wouldn't even take a drink with me you're that petty. Then the information that I had shares in automatic weapons gets leaked after you promised it wouldn't and my reputation and my finances both suffer."
John, who was already tense at the word 'blackmailed', frowned at this fresh accusation. "That information did not come from my office," he said firmly.
Matt's amused gaze darted up to Cadence. "I believe that it did. You didn't want to drink with me either, did you Miss McGarry? I always figured you got your job through your daddy and maybe you did but you're more than just an ornament for the Vice President here," he mused with a nod to John, "you're a sneaky sorta woman aren't you? It took me too long a time to work out you were the one who got the story on my shares."
"I didn't go public with it, sir," Cadence answered quietly as she held his gaze with a cool calm.
Matt gave her an unpleasant smile. "Well I wouldn't expect either of you to admit it if you had. It was a brass move but I applaud it, it got you what you wanted at the time." He turned a malicious stare upon the Vice President and concluded calmly, "but you're going to pay for it now John."
John bristled as the senator used his name again, swallowing down the urge to remind him of his rank and title. Now was not the time to let his ego in charge.
"I want you to apologise and then I want you to beg for the help we all know your party requires from me," Matt said firmly as he smiled.
John looked back at him in disbelief, too shocked to even be angry. "Have you lost your mind speaking to me that way? I won't beg," he snapped.
Matt nodded. "You will sir if you want my support and the lovely Miss McGarry will be witness so there can be no misunderstanding. How can I trust you if you don't apologise for your treachery? How can I help someone who caused me so much damage?" He gestured his hands outwards across the table. "How could I persuade another Republican to side with this?"
John's frown was back. He knew now why Cadence had been invited, so he was well and truly humiliated. Matt probably hoped Cadence would leak news of John's begging back to the others. John couldn't even be glad that Matt had misjudged her in that way because the truth was much worse. How could John look her in the eyes knowing she had seen him caught in such a weakness? He could see no way out, Jed had been clear, if he had to beg then he begged. John remembered the steep price that had come from screwing up with the Vice President of Colombia, he couldn't risk another colossal mess up like that.
John nodded grimly. "Alright Matt," he gave in bitterly. "I am sorry for something that was just politics but that you have taken personally."
Matt's smile widened as he shook his head. "Mr Vice President that sounds insincere," he scorned mockingly.
John's blue stare blazed with anger and he pointed across the table accusingly. "Damn it Matt, you had shares and you were only against the restriction on gun ownership because it was going to cost you buyers!" John snapped angrily.
Matt leaned across the desk slightly, his eyes continuing to glitter with malice. "And your party wants to push through taxes on fossil fuels why? For the good of the country or for the money? What's one greedy motive to another?" Matt sneered.
John looked away as his he lowered his hand, his blue gaze turning to the window as he swallowed down another angry retort and sighed. He knew Matt was right in a way and he despised it.
"Alright," John murmured quietly, "alright."
John turned back to face Matt, all too conscious of Cadence's concerned gaze upon him. "I apologise Senator Whyte for what happened in Texas and I apologise for the loss it cost you."
Matt nodded and he turned his dark stare up to Cadence once more. "And you Miss McGarry, have you anything to add to that?"
Cadence stared down at the senator with loathing, unable to keep her disgust for him from her face. She wondered how his voters would feel to know how he handled politics and thought sardonically that some might actually approve of his dirty tactics.
"I am sorry senator that knowledge of your gun shares became public knowledge although I am not responsible for it," her voice was tense as she barely held back her anger from it.
"Aren't you sorry that same knowledge was misused by your boss here?" Matt queried as he gestured to John with one hand. "To humiliate me before our President and to have me support a law I was against?"
"Sure," Cadence retorted sardonically with a shrug. She was surprised when John turned round sharply in his seat to give her an angry glower.
Cadence wondered why John was giving into this but knew if it was what he wanted then she had to support it much as it pained her. She let her hands slacken by her sides. "I am sorry Senator Whyte for any ill I have caused you," she remarked calmly.
"That will do," Matt mused. "Now John, don't forget I want to hear how sincere your need for my support is."
John turned back to Matt with a neutral expression although it was difficult to keep the ice from his eyes. "Matt we are depending on your support for this tax bill," he confessed, "which is why I'm here today, to ask," he paused seeing the look of ire that slipped into Matt's brown stare and considered a correction carefully, "implore," he corrected bitingly, refusing to use the word beg but unable to keep the hatred from his voice, "you to help us get it through Senate."
Matt smiled again. "Very good Mr Vice President, you see, a little humility isn't so difficult." He held out his hand across the table.
With great reluctance, John took the hand and shook it.
"I will support this bill in the Senate," Matt agreed as he released John's hand. "Now," his devious smile returned, "let's have a drink to seal the deal."
John offered a polite smile at this. "Sir, I've a long day ahead, I'll split a water with you," he remarked with a feigned chirpiness to his voice.
Matt frowned again. "Well it's only one drink but I suppose we are at work."
Matt stood up and turned round to the wooden cabinets behind him. He lifted the waiting glass jug of water and set it down on his desk along with three glasses..
John stood up and brushed down his jacket as he waited for the senator to pour.
The senator filled the glasses and beckoned to Cadence wordlessly with one finger.
Cadence stared at his hand with fresh revulsion before she walked forward reluctantly, unwilling to earn another glower of disapproval from John. She stopped at the side of the table between the two, keeping closer to John's side as she stared down at the glasses.
Matt plucked up one of the glasses and offered it to Cadence. "I wish it was something a little nicer," he mused as he smiled at her.
Cadence felt her stomach give an unpleasant roll of protest as she accepted the glass, tensing as her fingertips brushed against Matt's momentarily.
Matt's hand slid around Cadence's and pressed her fingers against the glass. "Got it?" he queried helpfully as he smiled at her.
Cadence felt a thrill of disgust run through her but made herself smile back at him. "Yes," she retorted calmly.
John stared at Matt's hand angrily and only just resisted the urge to swat it away. He knew the senator was playing a game and trying to get a reaction from them and he'd be damned if he gave it. John instead picked up his own glass and looked to Matt with as much calm as he could muster.
Matt released Cadence's hand and turned his stare back to John. "To making amends," he said jovially as he lifted the third glass.
John didn't repeat the words, he just drank.
Cadence followed suite, taking a deep gulp of the water. She downed it fast, feeling the same discomfort as John and a desire to get it over and done with.
Cadence set down her empty glass with a small gasp and avoided Matt's gaze as she heard him give a mocking chortle.
"I'll tell the President to raise the bill," John said in a quiet, sombre tone.
Matt nodded. "Yes, I'm sure I can raise some Republican support for it," he assured. "I'll see you another time then Mr Vice President," he nodded and looked to Cadence, "and I most certainly hope you too Miss McGarry."
"Another time," John retorted dismissively.
"Bye sir," Cadence answered stiffly. She turned and headed for the door, pausing as an unexpected hiccup slipped out. She swallowed hard before opening the door and escaping to the cool halls of the Senate.
Matt let out another chuckle as he watched the woman depart.
John followed wordlessly. He was welcome for the Secret Service agents that enveloped them and hopefully blocked his frown from view.
"Well that could've went better," he grumbled quietly as they walked.
Cadence pushed back some of her hair with a careless fling before her hand darted to her mouth to stifle another hiccup. "It could have gone worse too sir," she said as she lowered her hand.
When they reached the steps the fresh, icy air hit them. John bundled his coat closer about him and looked at Cadence and her lack of a coat pointedly. He didn't bother to scold her but quickened up the pace to his waiting car.
John was outraged at what he had let Senator Whyte away with but he didn't want to take it out on Cadence. It wasn't her fault she had witnessed John's moment of pathetic grovelling to a Republican but he wondered moodily how he could use her to stoke his ego when looking at her would only remind him of that weak moment.
Jeremy knew when he saw Cadence and John arriving that his interruption was not going to be appreciated. John walked with the face of a thundercloud whilst Cadence kept fidgeting with her hair and raising her hand up and down to her mouth as she walked.
They were back in the bowels of the Eisenhower, safe from any further humiliations hopefully and in a much warmer environment.
"How did it go sir?" Jeremy queried politely as he approached the pair and gazed up at the VP keenly.
"If I ever see another Republican again it will be too soon," John snarled out.
John immediately mollified his expression, knowing that Jeremy certainly did not deserve to be snapped at.
"Oh." Jeremy flinched slightly as his stare darted from John to Cadence and back to John again. He glanced at Cadence again as a hiccup escaped her. "Well see about that," he murmured nervously as he smiled and reached up to rub at his right ear.
John stared down at him in puzzlement. "What is it Jeremy?" he queried calmly.
"There's one here," Jeremy confessed, "he wants to see Cady," he explained as his anxious stare darted back to Cadence.
John gave Cadence an accusing glance out of the corner of his bloodshot blue eye. "Why?"
Another hiccup escaped Cadence causing her shoulders to jump up with the movement as she raised her hand to her mouth in her surprise. "Who not why?" she quipped.
Jeremy smiled at her hiccuping. "Congressman Tom Landis," he explained. "He's waiting outside your office," he added with a nod.
"Bring him to mine," John ordered.
"He's not here to see you sir," Jeremy retorted carefully as he gave John a wary look.
John only just resisted scowling at his press secretary. He raised his hands to his hips slightly and fixed an expression of exasperation upon Jeremy. "He's in the Eisenhower and he is a politician, I am the one he sees first," he replied sternly.
Jeremy nodded. "Alright." He shot Cadence a look of apology before darting off again.
Cadence folded her arms and frowned up at John. "Why do you need to see him," another hiccup slipped out before she added the respectful, "sir?"
John stared back at her serenely trying to hide his paranoid suspicions about this Republican visitor from his face.
"For the reason I just stated," John remarked calmly, "I'm not having two Republicans undermine me in one day nor do I think it's particularly wise for you to meet with one alone," he concluded carefully.
"Tom isn't here to undermine you," Cadence replied defensively.
John's mask of tranquil indifference slipped and he gave her an accusing stare. "Tom is it?"
Cadence blushed before she could help it and turned her angry stare on the floor. "I know him," she admitted as another hiccup slipped out, "that's why he's here, to talk to me, it's innocent."
"Well we'll find out," John grumbled as his sour mood returned.
He turned and started walking towards his office.
"Don't take it out on Tom," Cadence pleaded as she followed after him. "He's hardly to know what happened with Senator Whyte."
"No one is to know what happened," John replied warningly without looking back to the young woman.
He entered his office and moved to occupy his seat behind the desk, pausing first to take off his coat and abandon it on the back of his chair. In here the radiator was on and the temperature was pleasant, cosy even.
Cadence closed the door behind her but stayed opposite the desk looking down at him pleadingly. "John please," she attempted to appeal to him. Two hiccups followed along with a curse.
John busied himself with pouring out a glass of water. He turned to face her, leaning across the desk to set the glass down for her. "Take a drink," he ordered calmly.
Cadence frowned down at him, too angry to fear his scorn. "I already did that," she snapped, "it's what hic...started...hic...this!" She felt her cheeks burn as the hiccups came out in quick successions, causing her torso to jostle with each one.
John gazed up at her serenely, a little concerned for the agitated state she was getting herself into. He had noticed that she was a little quicker to express her emotions, ever since the suicide of that CIA agent she was upset and angered by the most trivial things. He figured she needed therapy to help with her grief but wasn't getting any as a defiance to her father who she was still holding partly responsible for the troubled agent's death. John hadn't raised the topic with Cadence, he didn't want blamed as well, after all he had met with the disturbed young man with Leo and Jed, a fact Cadence seemed to be conveniently forgetting and John didn't want to remind her of it.
"Cady, take some water," John ordered.
"John you're not tarring Tom with the same brush, he didn't make you beg."
John's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't," he snapped sternly as he pointed up at her warningly.
The door knocked before Jeremy opened it and peered in uneasily. "I have the congressman here," he said quietly.
"Send him in," John ordered. He had lowered his hand but the rage remained in his eyes.
Cadence, who had been facing John down unflinchingly, looked back anxiously as the door was opened fully for Jeremy to gesture Tom Landis into the room.
When Tom entered with a disarming smile, Cadence suddenly became very conscious of her appearance. She fumbled to smooth down her hair with her fingertips as she stared over at the congressman.
John watched as Cadence struggled to neaten her hair before reaching down to her brown jacket in an attempt to tug out the creases. He knew he should have found it amusing but instead he was irritated by her awkward display.
Tom Landis entered dressed for the cold weather in a dark navy coat with a woollen, crimson scarf just visible at the open collar. He paused to give Jeremy a murmur of thanks, smiling as he offered out a hand to shake Jeremy's before the door was closed behind him sealing him in enemy territory.
"Congressman Landis is it?" John queried politely. "Why have you called at the Eisenhower today?" He remained sitting, telling himself firmly that he wasn't going to pander to another Republican today.
Cadence turned a frown on John. She knew Tom was stuck now, if he said he wasn't here to see the Vice President while standing in his office it looked bad but if he said he was here for that then he would obviously be lying.
"Good afternoon-" Tom hesitated in his greeting as Cadence let out a hiccup. His pale blue gaze slid in her direction curiously before returning to the Vice President. "Mr Vice President," Tom concluded with a sincere politeness as he stepped forward. "Unfortunately, I'm not high enough in my party yet to be attempting favours with the Vice President," he said apologetically. He paused as Cadence let out another trinity of hiccups and looked her way again.
Tom gave a small, slightly crooked smile as Cadence's cheeks blazed crimson and she attempted to muffle her hiccups with the palm of her hand.
"My purpose is simple I'm afraid," Tom continued as he turned his stare back to John, "I'm here to ask for a moment of your Deputy of Public Relations' time, if you can spare her for a few minutes please sir."
Cadence stared at Tom in surprise and awe. She had no idea why he was here, sure she'd grasped that it was to talk to her but why, and why here and now she couldn't guess at.
John had mustered up a charming, empty smile but the displeasure remained in his blue stare. "Why would you like to talk to Cadence?" he demanded. He held up a hand before Cadence could snap that it was personal and offered a false look of apology to Tom. "I have to look out for my staff and Cadence has been misled before," he cocked his head slightly and gave a small smile, "I would not want to risk handing her over to a Republican without questioning his motives first."
Cadence shot John a glance of fury before turning her own stare of apology onto Tom. Another hiccup slipped out instead of the protest she'd planned. She knew John wasn't being unpleasant simply because Tom was a Republican.
"I'm not here as a Republican," Tom confessed. He gave John a bright smile, not offended by John's accusation. "I'm here to discuss dinner." As Tom answered his pale blue gaze returned to Cadence and he smiled.
"Dinner?" Cadence echoed dumbly. She remembered Mallory's earlier promise to uncover the name of her mystery man and realised that Mallory had been successful in that matter.
Tom nodded. "Can I talk to you privately about it?" he quipped. He glanced back to the Vice President apologetically.
Cadence started to hiccup again.
"Cady take some water," John ordered again as he gestured to the glass.
Cadence moved to obey, hastening up to the desk before she reached for the waiting glass.
"Are you okay?" Tom pried with a look of concern.
John's eyes flashed up to him, curious as he stayed silent, wondering at the congressman's worry for the woman.
"Fine," Cadence murmured after gulping down some water, "it's just the hiccups. I'm really busy today Tom." She fell silent and looked to John imploringly, wondering if he would let her slip off to talk to Tom.
John glimpsed the plea in Cadence's stare before she turned a calm stare on Tom. He wondered how well Tom knew her and what role he filled in her life.
The brightness dimmed in Tom's eyes and his stare darted from the Vice President to Cadence again. "Right," he said quietly with a flash of a small, apologetic smile, "it was a bad idea coming here to disturb you at work but I didn't want you to wonder about dinner and worry about whether I'd show up."
John's eyes widened slightly at this, he wasn't entirely sure what the congressman was babbling about and knew he didn't like the idea of it.
Cadence stared back at Tom in surprise. "Were you going to show up?" she queried.
"I am going to show up," Tom corrected as he offered her another small smile.
Cadence was about to reply but another hiccup slipped out. She finished the glass of water and sighed in frustration.
John figured he had a few options- order the congressman out, which was definitely most preferable or send the pair out to finish their conversation.
"Congressman," John remarked authoritatively.
Tom turned to the Vice President questioningly.
John stood up and beckoned the man over calmly with one hand and a polite stare.
Tom stepped forward obediently until he was beside Cadence, standing opposite the Vice President and a noticeable couple of inches shorter than him.
"You and Cadence can go and talk about dinner," John addressed him a quiet voice, "but should you speak of anything resembling politics or should this be some bizarre method of yours to gain an insight into what this government is doing I will guarantee you are not welcome again," he warned.
"I'm not welcome here anyway," John joked.
John fixed a threatening smile on his face. "I didn't say here," he remarked coolly.
"Mr Vice President," Cadence began a protest but John raised his hand again, ordering her to silence with the gesture.
"Cadence, show him to your office," John ordered bluntly.
Cadence nodded and headed for the door. She opened it and glanced back to make sure Tom was following.
"Have a good day sir," Tom remarked politely with a nod to John.
"Oh I don't think that's possible now," John retorted with sardonic smile.
Tom followed after Cadence, exiting to two waiting Secret Service agents.
Once the pair were gone and out of hearing, John let out a loud curse. "God damn it!" He shoved his paperwork away violently causing a few sheets to flutter harmlessly to the floor. "God damn it," he repeated quietly.
John dug his elbows into the desk as he raised both hands up to push through his dark hair. He wondered despairingly how it was that not one but two Republicans had managed to screw up his day.
Tom and Cadence headed through a couple of busy corridors earning the expected looks of curiosity, intrigue and suspicion before reaching Cadence's office.
The young woman glanced about it awkwardly before looking to Tom apologetically. "I only have one chair."
Tom smiled back. "I'm fine with standing.
Cadence nodded as she leaned back on her desk, pausing to glance down as her hand brushed against paper. She blushed faintly as she saw it was an origami squirrel. There was a small collection of origami animals gathering on her desk. She turned her stare back up to the congressman.
"Tom, do you think...maybe," Cadence murmured, "that we could have a normal date one day?"
Tom smiled over at her. "I don't think that happens with you, if it did I wouldn't be agreeing to dinner with you tonight at the White House."
"The White House?" Cadence repeated in surprise. She stood upright from her desk with wide eyes. "Where did you hear that?"
Tom nodded. "From Josh and I'm quite prepared to believe it's a joke at my expense," he murmured chirpily.
"Well that's probable," Cadence murmured as she continued to stare at him in shock. "I haven't even heard about it yet, Mal said dinner would be at Paradiso Stellato. Wait, why does Josh know about this?" She looked at Tom in confusion.
Tom shrugged. "I don't know but he's the one who told me about it."
"Hmm," she rapped her fingernails on the edge of her desk, "I'm starting to think you are being pranked. You said you were going but why would you agree to dinner in the Democratic Leader's territory?" she queried.
Tom smiled at Cadence again, the right corner of his mouth lifting as he did, amused by the question and her title for Jed. He could tell she was still mad with the President.
"I only ever seem to get to see you in the enemy's territory under unusual circumstances," he explained. "If it's what I have to do then fine."
Tom glanced at his watch and then back to Cadence. "I've got to get back to work but, like I said, I didn't want you to wonder if I was going to dinner. If you are going, I am."
Cadence blinked as she considered her response. "I'm not sure, I think I need to hear from Mallory that this isn't a prank and also how and why the plans got so dramatically changed."
Tom nodded agreeably. "Well, Cady look, I don't care where or what dinner is, exempting fish since I hate it, I just want to have a date with you but please consider that the President might consider you're refusing because the Republican made you do it."
"The...the President?" Cadence felt fresh surprise rise inside her. "Why would he care?"
Tom gave another smile but his pale eyes were glinting with unease now. "Maybe I do need that seat," he murmured dryly.
Cadence glanced at her clock, it read just after seven. It had been hours since the horrors of this afternoon with Senator Whyte and the awkwardness of Tom and John meeting but her stomach was still rolling with nerves. She was angry and anxious, despite having insisted that she wasn't letting the President hijack dinner and that she definitely wasn't going to the White House she was.
Tom's innocent suggestion that he might get blamed for her refusal had persuaded her into it. Cadence had tried to reason with Tom that everyone knew she was mad with the President and her father and the White House as a regime but Tom had just smiled and shook his head, stating calmly that he would make the perfect scapegoat for all that. He admitted that Josh had told him that everyone was interested in meeting the infamous Republican now and that if he failed to show up it would be another black mark against him and if Cadence wasn't going then Tom would be failing to show up. Cadence had called it blackmail but Tom had laughed and joked that surely she knew it was the Republican way since they were villains after all.
She fidgeted with her diamond teardrop earrings, wondering if they were too much as she glanced at them in her bathroom mirror. She knew dinner would be formal despite a frustrated Mallory murmuring that it wouldn't be. Mallory was just as happy with the venue change as Cadence but determined that her plans to have a nice pre-Christmas dinner with the girls and their partners was not getting ruined by Jed Bartlet's scheming. Mallory had promised that despite what Cadence thought, Cadence's rage would not compare to Zoey's.
Dinner was at eight, almost an hour away but Cadence was already full of worry and doubt. What if Tom got cold feet? He was being asked to jump into fire essentially. Cadence wouldn't blame him but she worried that he wouldn't let her know if it was a last minute decision. She winced feeling her chest tighten slightly with her panic and became conscious that her dress was too tight. Her hand stretched up to the bust but there was no slackening it, it was in the design.
Cadence sucked in a deep breath as she moved out of her bathroom, figuring she'd better sit down in the living room and try to calm down. She told herself that surely Tom would at least call, he had said it was why he'd shown up at her work today, so she wouldn't be left wondering. She realised guiltily that she had never called him the last time, letting him wonder why she hadn't bothered to arrange a date. She let out a gasp for air as she reached the couch. She was panicking now. What if he didn't call? She'd deserve it but that wouldn't stop her worrying. What if the President brought up Agent Sparks? What if someone else did? What if she said something inappropriate because her anger got the better of her? The press secretary C.J Cregg was going to be there and Sam's boss, Toby Ziegler, all the President's closest people judging her and waiting for the next screw up.
Cadence reached out to the box of tissues on her coffee table and snatched out a few. She started to twist and bend them, determined to distract herself with something else.
What if just about everyone insulted Tom and put him off her? She'd deserve that too probably but it would still hurt. She liked him, it seemed she could unintentionally blunder and embarrass herself as much as possible and he still seemed interested in her. He wasn't as serious or egotistical as John and so far he seemed open and honest unlike Benny, although Cadence was a little wary given Tom was a politician, but most of all he was able to make her smile so effortlessly. Tom was happy to be seen with her publicly, hell he was happy to sit on the floor of the White House lobby for the public to see just to try and console her.
Cadence paused as she realised what she was forming with the tissues- three tissue mounds shaped like semi-circles and one forth one, straight with a bend at the top to indicate a head. She propped them up against the tissue box and tensed as her door was knocked.
She glanced to the door warily, conscious that she didn't have Agent Casper or his minions anymore. She swallowed hard as the nervous tightness in her chest returned.
"Cady, it's Tom."
Surprised but relieved, Cadence rose from the seat until the infernal anxiety returned. What if he was here to reject her in person?" She huffed in a short breath and then another. Her chest was still tight.
Cadence opened the door and smiled as she took in the congressman.
Tom had donned a white tuxedo dinner suit for the evening, designer of course with a silk bow tie that was a soft sable against the white shirt.
"You're going," Cadence marvelled in surprise.
Tom nodded. "Of course." He gestured down to himself. "Do you think I dress like this normally out of the senate?"
Cadence shrugged as her panic waned and she gained some confidence. "Well you could, I haven't seen you out of work."
"No, I don't think I'm out of it much," he admitted. "You look beautiful, makes it worth going to humiliation."
The word sent a fresh thrill of panic through Cadence and she tensed and sucked in a deep gulp of air.
"Cady?" Tom looked at her with worry.
Cadence waved off his concern as she stepped back to grant him entry to her modest apartment. "I...do you need to come in?" she queried awkwardly. "I mean is there a car waiting?"
"There is," Tom retorted calmly, "and whilst he can keep waiting I don't have to come in if you don't want to." Her sky blue stare darted over her trying to pry out the cause for her uneasiness.
Cadence glanced over shoulder before giving Tom an apologetic look. "Sorry, it's just it's...a dump," she concluded bluntly.
Tom gave her another of his lopsided smiles. "Cady I know I'm a Republican but I swear I'm not a snob."
She nodded and gestured him in reluctantly. "Do you want coffee or something?" she queried.
"I'm fine," he assured.
Tom stepped up to the table and eyed the tissue formed sea serpent shape with mirth. He pointed down to it and gave Cadence an amused look. "Which one is this? Nessie, Chessie, Tessie, Bessie?"
Cadence smiled back. "Chessie of course, he might be a knock off Nessie but he has gone up in my world anyway."
"Good, we're wearing down the non-believers one by one then," Tom teased.
"Well this is the living room, obviously," Cadence said, "the kitchen is just through there, nothing fancy," she added as she gestured to the slightly ajar kitchen door with one hand. She headed to the hall that led to the bathroom and winced as she saw she had left the door wide open. "Um the bathroom," she explained awkwardly.
Tom glanced in and a chuckle escaped him. "Rubber ducks huh?" he quipped.
"Yeah, I had more when I was younger but I lost them over the years," Cadence confessed.
Tom nodded. "Yes, sometimes they have to get out there and explore the big, wide, wet world."
Cadence glanced back at him with a smile and shook her head. "You're very odd for a congressman," she mused as she kept walking.
"Odd for a congressman or odd for a Republican one? Some people think there's a big difference," Tom retorted.
Cadence shrugged her shoulders lightly before opening the door to her bedroom and stepping in. "Just odd," she said happily.
Cadence gestured about her room with a half-hearted wave of her hands. "This is where I sometimes, if I'm really, really lucky, sleep," she joked.
Tom's gaze darted over the framed photograph of a raccoon on a tarmac street beside another framed photograph of one in a zoo inhabitant. Beside the latter was a snippet of a newspaper article with a grainy photograph of the Vice President holding a pet carrier. He smiled as he spied the raccoon teddy at the top of the bed between two pillows.
"Who's that little guy or girl?" he queried as he gestured to the stuffed animal.
Cadence glanced over to the raccoon and then back to Tom. "Rocco."
"Of course. So, you've a thing for raccoons?"
"You could say that," she confessed. "What animal do you like?"
"Always liked seeing the big cats at the zoo and I've got some sea horses in my apartment."
"Sea horses? Seriously?" Cadence marvelled at him in disbelief.
Tom nodded happily. "Yes, little memory of home, they are harder to keep alive than you'd think and live a lot better than I do. I'll show you them sometime."
Cadence smiled. "I'd like that," she admitted quietly.
Cadence looked to the clock on her bedside table, it was half seven, she knew they needed to go but she was reluctant to head towards chaos. It was nice having a moment alone with Tom, an odd sort of pleasurable moment with someone she hadn't known for a long time. With John it had passionate but rushed and secretive, it had felt dirty and hollow, good sure, sexually, but unfulfilling otherwise. John wasn't willing to give her commitment and with him it always had to be a snatched moment of secrecy, she couldn't go to him for comfort unless he was free.
Cadence stepped up to Tom causing him to stare down at her calmly, still as he waited for her to decide what to do.
She stretched up to him and pressed her mouth against his, closing her eyes as she surprised them both with a kiss.
Tom reciprocated the gesture, keeping it chaste as he tasted her warmth and breathed in a sweet, vanilla based perfume. When they broke he gave her another smile as his pale blue eyes filled with delight.
"Can I call you my girlfriend publicly now?" he queried happily. "I know it's going to piss off just about everybody but I'd be happy."
Cadence studied his gaze and was surprised by the sincerity there as she realised he really would be happy. "What if the President and his people insult you tonight?" she pried. "Or make fun of you? Or whatever it is they must have planned."
"Then everyone probably just calls me your Republican boyfriend instead of just your boyfriend but I can live with that."
Cadence laughed. "Well okay then. Although, they probably won't call me your Democrat girlfriend, more likely there's going to be fun adjectives like crazy, traitorous, lucky and unlucky, they can never agree on that one, flustered as one journalist said and so on."
"Well we can all agree you're certainly not boring," Tom teased.
He took both her hands in his and rang his fingers over her knuckles gently before leaning down slightly to give her another light kiss on the lips. "The only thing that is really going to upset tonight," he murmured quietly into her right ear, "is fish on the menu."