I suffered a couple personal tragedies recently and writing is like therapy to me. I'm a bit manic, but I swear I'll get back to all my stories in due time.
#13
Leadership today is based on relationships built with trust, hope, love and encouragement.
~Bill Cox
Miranda Byers took a deep breath. She looked at the sign over the Silver Spring Community Center: "Lonely Hearts Chess Tournament" This was it. Just a couple games and then back to the horror show outside.
"First time?"
Byers turned around to see a man in a suit.
"Yes," she said timidly.
He smiled. "Just come in, relax, and enjoy the game."
His smile was charming.
"I will," she said.
"I'm Gavin, by the way," he said and offered his hand. "Want to walk in with me?"
"Kelly Brown," she lied. "Sure."
They shook hands and walked into the community centers where tables were set up.
"Would you like to play me first?" he offered.
"Okay," she said. "As long as you don't go easy on me."
"I would never hit a girl but I will knock over her king," he said.
Byers smiled. "Sounds fair to me."
An announcement was made and the lightning round started. To her disappointment, Gavin was a bad player. His first moves were his attempts to go easy on her but then when he put in some effort, it was clear he was not good. Towards the end of the game Byers found herself trying to go easy on him but she was too competitive. The game ended and both looked disappointed at the result.
"Would you like to have coffee later?" Byers offered.
"No thanks," he said and quickly left.
Byers sighed. This was an open tournament, she should have known better. She thought about leaving but that would have defeated the point of coming out here. Byers decided to stay and be a good sport.
The following games were only marginally more challenging. Some of the men seemed to enjoy such a strong game. Others were intimidated. A few of the men tried to make small talk about what she did for a living but she only wanted to play. This probably defeated the point of the "lonely heart" aspect of the game.
After two hours of play it was down to her and a man named Spencer who was dressed in a vest and had a mop of hair. The shook hands and sat down to play. He was good. Spectacularly good.
"I have never played someone this good before," Byers said twenty moves in.
"You're great too," he said. "This is really fun."
"You must play a lot," she said. "What do you do for a living?"
"I work for the Behavior Analysis Unit at Quantico. You?"
"I am a bank lobbyist."
He was looking at his moves. "Is there a particular reason you're hiding your identity?"
She stopped playing. "How did you know?"
"Representative Miranda Byers of the ninth district of Florida," he said like he was reading a press release. "Ranked twelfth among the fifty rising stars in the Democratic party according 'The American."
Byers began to play harder. "It feels like I'm already a candidate as my habits are being watched constantly."
"That's understandable," Spencer said as he played calmly. "Your district is in a swing vote state, and you're ahead of your opponent by sixteen points. The highest among any first term congressmen in the country."
"I thought you were a profiler," Byers said. "You seem to know a lot about me among the hundred-plus politician in the district."
"I just like to know a lot about everything," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.
It was down to their last five moves. Byers knew she was going to be out-played but she would not go easy on him. She only lost by two moves.
She looked up and he was beaming.
"That is the closest I have come to losing a game in years," Spencer said.
Byers blushed. "You're among my best opponents."
"Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" he asked.
"That sounds great," she said. "But can we just talk chess? No politics. That was the whole point of coming here."
"That sounds fine with me," he said.
They walked out of the building together.
…
She found her chief of staff Whitney, waiting at the door of her apartment.
"You can't keep seeing him," she stated.
"Did you have me followed?" Byers said in shock.
"Next time try glasses and a wig," Whitney stated. "But there won't be next time."
Byers put her key in the lock. "Since when does the Hill control my personal life?"
"It always has," Whitney said as they entered her apartment. "Miranda, I don't know if you know what is at stake here."
"It was coffee and chess, nothing more."
"Spencer Reid is a profiler based in DC. He is not going to want to move to Florida."
"It was coffee and chess," Byers said angrily.
"Just don't let it be anything more," Whitney said.
"Fine," Byers said. "Just leave me alone."
"In the future you're going to thank me," she said and then walked out the door.
Byers sighed and collapsed on her bed. Whitney Maxim had more ambition than she did. Her dreams involved the Oval Office one day. Byers shared some of the dreams but she was also lonely.
Looking at the clock, she decided to get ready for bed and try to forget Spencer Reid and his amazing chess moves.
…
Three days later she was at a campaign rally on the southern edge of her district. It was a big deal. The democratic nominee for president was there and Byers was set to go on in five minutes. She never felt so nervous in her life.
Suddenly her phone rang. She thought she turned it off but there was his number on the screen.
"Am I calling at bad time?" he asked nervously. "Work has been kind of hectic and I haven't been following your campaign schedule closely."
"You have convicted to serial killers on the loose, I don't blame you," she said. "So how are you?"
"I'm fine, you?"
"Nervous out of my mind," she admitted. "Being a rising star in a swing vote state has its disadvantages."
"I can imagine. The pressure to be perfect all the time. Just think of it like chess. Look at the pieces and how they move across the board."
She smiled. "I think I'll do that, thanks Spencer."
"Anytime. Good luck at the rally. Is that today?"
"In two minutes," Byers said.
Panic creeped into his voice. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have called—"
"I'm glad you did. When I'm back in DC can we meet up?"
"Absolutely," he said. "Call me when you can."
"Bye, Spencer.
"Good luck Miranda," he said and hung up.
Byers looked over her shoulder and saw Whitney watching her. She took a deep breath and stood up straighter. She was the queen of her board. She was capable of anything.
…
Byers won by a margin of twelve points. It was the biggest win of her political career. She never felt more happy or empowered. At around one a.m. she pulled Whitney Maxim aside.
She gestured for her to sit down.
"Whitney you one the shrewdest people in politics. You believed in me when I was just getting started. I would not be here without you."
Whitney nodded. "I sense 'but' coming."
"More like an ultimatum. Stay out of my personal life and you can stay on my team. I think your heart is in the right place but how I share my heart with someone is my choice alone. If you continue to want to interfere with my personal life then I want a letter of resignation on my desk by the end of the week."
Whitney smiled. "You really like this guy."
"I really would like to get to know him better."
"You're a superb chess player Miranda, where do you see this going?"
"I see an obstacle. I can't have my ambitions clouding my personal life. I believe I can be a better candidate by being human in my desires for love and companionship."
Whitney looked at her closely. "I'll stay then," she said.
Byers was surprised. "Why?"
"I needed to hear you stand by your convictions," Whitney said. "I'll stay out of your way Miranda Byers. I think we're going to make a great team."
Whitney offered her hand and Byers shook it.
Her phone went off. Whitney smiled.
"I'll give you some privacy."
Byers smiled and answered it.
"Congratulations!" Reid said enthusiastically.
"Thanks Spencer," she said. "I wish you were here."
"I wish I could have been there too."
"Maybe next time?" she asked.
"Yes," he said nervously. "I hope so."
"Me too then."
Author's Note:
I think I might expand this one, but not in the near future. Probably after November eighth.