Jennifer took a cab back to the hotel and went up to her room. About 30 minutes later, she heard a knock at the door.
She got up to get it and found Jonathan on the other side.
"Hi, come on in".
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. I was just incredibly insulted".
"I gathered that".
He handed her the $20.
"Dinner was my treat, so this wasn't necessary".
"Oh, thank you".
"So, I wasn't able to really hear what he said. Would you mind filling me in?"
"From beginning to end, he asked me out in the cab. I said yes, and I gave him my card. Then we get to the restaurant, and he didn't open the door for me, or pull out my chair for me. Yes, I can do those things alone, but it's nice to know you are in the presence of a gentleman. Then, he went and talked to the girl at the bar, so I took my business card out of his jacket pocket. Then, when we were talking about tomorrow, he stated that the women's libbers ruin everything, and said something about how we demanded equal pay and equal rights, but we don't deserve equal anything. He also said that a woman's place was in the home, and had I stayed where I belong, the Senate wouldn't even know I exist".
"Wow. I apologize that I didn't hear that. I would have set him straight right then".
"I'm not mad at you, I promise. And I apologize for running out, I just knew I was going to deck him if I stayed one more minute".
"No apology necessary. I should have left with you".
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Jonathan stepped over and opened it. It was Jack.
"Speak of the devil".
He let him in.
"Hi".
"Hello".
"Jonathan, do you think you could give us a minute?"
"Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of Mr. Hart".
"Jennifer, I apologize if I offended you. That wasn't my intention".
"Which time?"
"I deserve that".
"Yeah, you do. You also deserve a lot more, but I'm not going to waste my time".
"Do you think you could give me another chance?"
"I'll think about it, but it's not likely".
"Can you just tell me what I did or said to offend you?"
"You asked me out in the cab, then flirted with another girl at the bar practically in front of my face. Then, you insulted me and the fact that I am an independent woman and stated that if I had stayed home where you say I belong, the Senate wouldn't know I exist. So, not only do you think I'm not worth remembering, you think my contributions to society and the world of journalism aren't worth anything either. So, you basically discounted my entire profession in a matter of about 10 words. I have news for you, Jack. It's no longer the 1950's. Women have come a long way, and we are going to continue to go even farther."
"What's wrong with me thinking that women should be housewives?"
"Jack, quit while you're ahead. Or at least even. You apologized, don't make it worse".
"Am I making it worse?"
"Mr. Hart is very intelligent. I suggest you listen to him".
"Right. Well, I apologize again. Good night".
"Good night".
Jack headed back to his room.
Jonathan shut the door behind him.
"For the record, when you and I aren't in the office, you can call me Jonathan".
"Thank you".
"I'm not defending him but he's an excellent pilot, but a dope where women are concerned".
She chuckled.
"I apologize again, on his behalf. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I think I'm just going to head to bed".
"Ok, well the good news is, he won't be joining us tomorrow, so you won't see him till tomorrow night".
"Glad to hear it".
"Well, goodnight. If you need something, I'm right next door".
"Got it. Goodnight. And thanks for dinner and for checking on me".
"My pleasure".
He headed to his room, and got ready for bed. As he settled into bed, he couldn't stop thinking of Jennifer.
Little did he know, she was next door in her room thinking of him too.
***The next day***
Jennifer was up at 6:30. She got ready and was about to head downstairs for breakfast, when Jonathan knocked on her door.
"Hey, come on in".
"I was just making sure you were up".
"Yeah, I'm up alright. I'm so anxious I can barely think straight".
She had on a dress that was long-sleeved, white on the top and black with a white lattice pattern on the bottom. It was v-cut, and very flattering on her. She paired it with red sparkly peep-toe heels, and a red necklace, with matching earrings and bracelet.
She locked her suitcase and then grabbed her purse and then they headed to the elevator.
Jonathan couldn't stop staring at her legs. Her perfectly toned legs.
They had just sat down when his lawyer joined them.
"Jennifer, this is Owen Grant, my lawyer. Owen, this is Jennifer Edwards".
"Hi, nice to meet you".
"Hi. Nice to meet you also and thank you, for coming with us".
"No problem. Now, I'm going to give you some pointers. If they ask you something that you don't want to answer, because it will incriminate you or because it would violate one of your rights, then just say that. If you think it's an unfair question or you don't understand the wording, you can either ask them to rephrase or you can look at me and I'll ask them to rephrase".
"Got it".
"Don't give them too much information, just answer what they ask you and move on".
"I understand".
"You'll be sitting at a table, and I'll be sitting behind you, next to Jonathan. If this goes like I expect, we'll be out of there by lunch time, maybe a little after".
"If it goes like it should, we won't even be there for 1 hour".
Jonathan chuckled.
They took a cab to the Capitol building, and then went inside.
Jennifer was relieved that there was water on the table.
At exactly 5 minutes to 9, the Senators came in, and took their seats. Jennifer took her seat at the table, and then Jonathan and Owen took their seats behind her.
"All rise".
The hearing was called to order, and Jennifer was sworn in.
Senator Hannah Landry, Senator Anne-Marie Sandoval, Senator Ian Buck, Senator Larry Finney, and Senator Fred Newton all indicated that they wanted to ask some questions.
Senator Buck went first.
"Miss Edwards, please state your name for the record".
"Jennifer Edwards".
"And in which state do you currently reside?"
"New York".
"And is it correct that you are a journalist, for The New York Times?"
"Yes, that's correct".
"Miss Edwards, you wrote an article that was published in last weekend's edition of the Times, that indicated that myself and other members of the Senate have been misappropriating funds. Now, seeing as how you just testified that you live in New York and don't work here in Washington, and seeing as how I work here in Washington and haven't been to New York in about 10 years, I would like to know how you got your hands on that information".
"I have a very reliable but confidential source".
"Miss Edwards, who is your source?"
"Senator, the first amendment of the Constitution guarantees my right to present information to the public without being subjected to governmental restraint. Therefore, I wish to invoke my privilege as a journalist. I will not name my source".
"Miss Edwards, who decides what topics you write about?"
"I do, for the most part".
"What made you decide to write about the Senate?"
"A myriad of things, actually. One being that it has been over 100 days since we as a nation had a balanced budget".
Jonathan smirked. He was impressed by how well she stood her ground.
"So, when you work on an article, what exactly goes into that?"
"I am known for copious amounts of research. I research every article very heavily, and then piece it together, edit it and submit it to my editor."
"At what point in that process would you place finding a classified document?"
"The research phase. In this instance, I contacted my source and then worked what they found into the article".
"Are you aware, Miss Edwards that disclosing a classified report is a very serious charge?"
"Yes, I am".
"Are you aware that you could end up in prison?"
"Senator, I'm protected by the First Amendment. I feel that the public had a right to know the information that was included in my article".
"With all due respect, the public didn't vote for you, Miss Edwards. They voted for us".
"Senator, without the Press, situations like Watergate would have never come to light. The press plays a valuable role in today's society whether you like it or not, and we can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Your choice".
"Miss Edwards, how can journalists like you claim that they are informing the public, when all they are really doing is causing the public to not trust the people they elected to serve them and be their voice in Washington? How can you claim that you are serving the public by telling them what they allegedly have a right to know when the public has made it very clear they are fed up with journalists and how they spin things?"
"Senator, I think the public is more fed up with their tax dollars being spent on tropical vacations and lobster dinners and home renovations when there are real needs and issues being neglected and denied funding".
"Name your source, Miss Edwards".
"I am protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. I will not name my source, Senator".
The questioning moved over to Senator Landry.
"Miss Edwards, do you consider yourself to be in tune with women's issues, and current events?"
"Yes, I would say that I am".
"Would you say you are a well-known journalist?"
"Yes, I would".
"And what makes you so well-known?"
"I worked at the London Tribune after I graduated college, and was the feature writer for that paper for 4 years. Then, when I moved back to the states, I started working in Boston at The Boston Globe. In just under two years there, my articles won 4 awards for excellence in Journalism from both the city of Boston and the State of Massachusetts. Then, I moved to New York and started working at the Times, and I've won 6 awards for my work since I started at the Times."
"Do you consider yourself to be a voice of the people?"
"At times".
"Did the people collectively ask you to stick your nose in to our business and snoop around and publish a document you had no right to access?"
"I've received nothing but praise on my article, Senator".
"Isn't that funny? You just testified that you consider yourself to be world renowned, and yet, until last weekend, I'd never heard of you or read your work".
"Then Senator, perhaps you should educate yourself on women's issues and make sure that you are current on current events".
Senator Landry pursed her lips together and said something in Italian.
Senator Finney took over the questioning.
"Miss Edwards, please enlighten us upon where you received your education".
"I graduated high-school from Gresham Hall in Massachusetts, with a 4.0, and 12 college credits. I then went to Vassar and Smith, where I double-majored in linguistics and journalism. I speak 5 languages fluently, and yes, Senator Landry, one of them is in fact Italian. After I graduated from Vassar and Smith, I attended Columbia University where I got my masters in journalism."
Senator Landry spoke up then.
"Miss Edwards, I sincerely apologize for what I said".
"Thank you".
Senator Finney continued.
"Miss Edwards, when you took your journalism classes, did you ever have a professor who instructed you on the do's and don'ts of reporting?"
"Yes, I did".
"And what did they tell you?"
"Well, they told us things like always check your source, double check it and then check it again. Always do your research. Only print facts, never conjecture or half-truths. Never jeopardize your journalistic principles for the sake of a story, things like that".
"So how do you reconcile the fact that your claim that we as a Senate misspent funds might not be believed by the public if you won't reveal your source?"
"Senator, the fact that you all thought it even remotely necessary to have this hearing validates and confirms to me that the document my source found is in fact, accurate".
Senator Newton concluded the questioning.
"Miss Edwards, how did you acquire this mysterious source?"
"Again, I am protected by the First Amendment and I will not reveal that information".
"Miss Edwards, let's say someone got ahold of your address, or your phone number. And let's say they took a walk from one end of New York City to the complete other end of New York City, and they gave it to every homeless person they came across. And when they gave that information, your information, to those homeless people, they told them they could come to your house, and get a warm meal and a hot shower and a nice comfy bed to sleep in. If that were to happen and throngs of homeless people were to show up at your door, do you think at some point you would begin to ask them how they got your information?"
"Yes, I suppose I would."
"So how is it not ok that your privacy was violated in that manner, but it's ok for you to steal a document and expose our private information?"
"Senator, when you were elected, you agreed in part to be transparent. And to be a voice of the people. And to do work to further the greater good. Spending the taxpayer's money on a private yacht for a month-long vacation but telling the public that you spent that money on healthcare is not transparent. It is not what the public asked for. And it is in no way furthering the greater good. And as I have repeatedly stated to you and your colleagues, the public has a right to know when they are being deceived. They have a right to know when they are being swindled. They have a right to make up their minds about who they want to elect to what positions. If you try and censor that information, you are not only restricting the public's access to what is rightfully theirs, but you are also not being transparent".
"Thank you, Miss Edwards. We will take a 1-hour break for lunch, and then reconvene to let you know our decision".
Jonathan and Owen and Jennifer were ushered out a side door, and headed downstairs to a café.
"You did great, Jennifer. I don't think you have a thing to worry about".
"I agree. They didn't like your argument but it was obvious they didn't have a way to combat it".
"So what do I do if they decide to charge me?"
"Don't worry about that. I'll file an immediate appeal, and we will begin to fight it. I highly doubt they are going to charge you".
While they were in the café, Jennifer noticed her source across the room. They made eye contact for a few seconds, and she smiled at her source before they walked away.
Jonathan noticed that, but didn't say anything.
The hour was up all too quickly, and they headed back to the room.
The hearing was once again called to order.
"Miss Edwards, we have a couple more questions for you".
She nodded.
"First off, you testified earlier that you submit your articles to your boss. Did your boss approve this article?"
"Senator, with all due respect, it wouldn't have been published if he hadn't".
"Did you face any repercussions for publishing that?"
"Just one".
"And what was that?"
"Having to take a day out of my life to remind you all of those rights guaranteed to me by the First Amendment".
"Finally, Miss Edwards, please inform all of us what Senator Landry said to you in Italian earlier".
"Senator, as I have previously testified, I believe very highly in respecting the public's right to know. And while I don't know Senator Landry personally, I see no point in embarrassing her by revealing that when that is actually something the public doesn't have a right to know".
Senator Landry mouthed 'thank you' to Jennifer.
A Senate page came and passed a sheet of paper to each Senator.
The committee turned around and huddled for a moment before turning back to Jennifer.
"Miss Edwards, it has come to our attention that inclement weather is approaching the area. In the interest of all of us getting home safely, we are going to conclude this hearing. We are declining to press charges against you at this time. We hope that in the future you will respect the Senate's right to privacy just as you want us to respect your First Amendment rights. This hearing is concluded, we stand adjourned".
Jennifer stood up and turned around to Jonathan.
"Great job".
"Thank you".
"Let's get out of here so we can get back to the city before the storm comes".
They headed to the main doors of the Capitol building, and straight outside.
As soon as they did, they realized that the temperature had dropped about 20 degrees since that morning. The blue sky was now white.
Jennifer started shivering while they waited for a cab.
Jonathan took his coat off and put it around her shoulders.
"Thank you".
They took a cab back to the hotel, and headed inside. Jack was waiting for them in the lobby.
"Hey Jonathan, glad to see you. I just checked the weather not too long ago. Airport is closed due to the incoming storm. D.C. is about to get hammered by the snow."
"Ok, I'll see if we can extend our rooms through the weekend".
He stepped over to the desk and started talking to the clerk.
Jack took that moment to talk to Jennifer.
"How did your hearing go?"
"About as well as it could have. They didn't charge me".
"That's great. Listen, I really apologize again for how I acted last night".
"Thank you".
"If you'll let me, I'd like to make it up to you".
"I might".
Jonathan came back over then.
"Ok, so good news and bad news. Good news is, Jack's room is available for the rest of the weekend. But the bad news is our rooms aren't available for tonight or tomorrow night, and no other rooms are available. They do have a car we can rent, so I guess if we get our things, we can rent a car and drive and find another hotel somewhere".
"I tell you what. Reserve the car, I know just the place".