Hey everyone,
Went to the doctors this week, I haven't been there in a while due to lack of health insurance and money. You know, this story has really been my leg to stand on through this 'out of work and temping job to job' thing. I think I have a good chance of staying where I am, but I'm also trying not to put all my eggs in one basket. I'm keeping my resume updated and sending it out. I know I'm not out of the woods yet.
As for my health, well they found a heart murmur, not sure what it is yet might be nothing at all. I'm actually more than sure it nothing really. My asthma is getting a bit more serious I now have two pumps one I have to take every day and one every 6 hours as needed.
Then I also got a …dun dun dun… pap smear. An experience, that trust me might make a debut in my next story. In about week I should know if I have any signs of cancer or if my blood count has gone up any. I faint from blood loss from time to time lol that's right folks when I chop up some onions I'm living life on the edge! So I thought I'd share how I'm doing and just, well, get things out of my mind. I dyed my hair an intense red last night. Now I really am made for sin lol curls the color of the devil. Just having some fun and taking it one day at a time.
Hope you guys enjoy.
Gabriella stood by behind the curtain to the stage, her eyes nervously looked out into the sea of people. This was it, the moment of truth. Gabriella looked back at Troy who was doing an interview with a local station. His expression was serious and clam, Gabriella knees were shaking and her insides were about ready to come out and he looked fine. As if in that moment he could read her mind he looked over to her and offered a small smile. It wasn't a huge smile, or a big gesture but she knew it was his clam way of saying. 'You look worried, don't be.'
She offered a smile back and then turned to find Anthony glancing at her from across the stage on the other side and look in his eyes made her skin prickle, made her breath quicken and restored all panic Troy had eased. A hand came to the small of her back and she jerked in surprise to find Troy. "He can't do anything here," he said in small voice as he pretended to adjust one of her earrings.
"Right, that's what worries me." Gabriella said with a nervous chuckle. "I can't stay here forever." She said letting out a breath. "What's going to happen after this?"
Troy placed a hand on her shoulder, she didn't shudder, did move away from it, but found herself surprised when she leaned into his touch instead. "I can always pull out of the race." Troy said in a whisper. "I don't need this, not if you're uncomfortable."
Gabriella furrowed her brow as she looked up at him in confusion."What kind of person would I be if I let you walk away from your dreams?"
"I wouldn't blame you," Troy said looking out into the crowd. "Say the word and I'll concede." Troy smirked looking back at her, they were close, and he could smell her perfume. "Hell, say the word and I'll make him squirm if you want?"
Gabriella didn't know what to say, her eyes darted from the crowd then back to him. Her hands wanted to reach up and adjust his collar, for no good reason other than to touch him. "Make him squirm." Gabriella said with a small smirk.
"Gladly," Troy responded.
"You're on in five." A man with a clip board came up to them and Troy nodded.
"I'll better get to my seat." Gabriella said with a small smile. "Good luck." She offered as she began to walk away from him. Troy tugged on her hand and she turned around to look at him questioningly. He lean in gently and placed a small kiss on the top of her forehead.
"We should talk later," he said gently.
Gabriella nodded, "Alright," she said cautiously. "See you after the debate."
"Look forward to it." he said with a small nod.
Troy watched as she left to find her seat she was wearing a small pink summer dress, her skin looked healthy. A calm joy came over him as he watched her disappear around a corner. Soon it would all be over. He turned back to the stage and watched as the introductions were made.
Gabriella shifted in her seat as she settled in. A small smile came to her lips, he was different. She didn't know how or why but talking to Troy just now seemed easy. Peaceful even? Maybe it was the cameras? She didn't see any back stage, maybe reporters? None. A small smile tugged at her lips as she thought about what they had to talk about. Suddenly she jerked as Chad appeared beside her. "Here are the divorce papers, sign them after the debate and have Troy bring them back, he already signed."
Gabriella ears popped at that moment and her stomach fell into her shoes. 'He wanted to talk' Gabriella looked down at the black portfolio in her lap. She was the world's biggest fool she was hand fed the break up set up and she thought he wanted to talk to her about being together. Gabriella looked up onto the stage to see Troy and Anthony walked to their separate podiums to both men serious and clam.
"Both candidates have 3 minutes to answer the question, determined by a coin toss backstage Mr. Hill you have the first answer which will then be answered by Mr. Bolton."
Both men nodded in agreement. The debate started Anthony had prepared and had obviously taken a lot from Troy's own campaign. He could recognize his own ideas and words. Luckily he was knew more about his own idea's and forums that things Anthony left out Troy was able to fill the blanks.
"How do intend to solve the problem with public schools and their demising test scores?"
Anthony looked out into the crowd. "I plan to…" he paused looking down at his notes then back out into crowd. "We need to administer a better curriculum, focus more on the lesson plans and teachers, shine more light on what we're teaching."
"Mr. Bolton?"
Troy smiled confidently. "The tests aren't the problem, nor are the teachers or curriculum. The problem is we are heading into a new generation and we're still approaching education as if it was 20 years ago." Troy looked out into the crowd. "Now a days with Smartphones, tablets, and google, this is a problem of adaption. The future has changed and if we want our children to concur that future we need to give them the tools they need to learn how to use it. It's now about what we teach them it's how."
People clapped and Anthony shot Troy a dirty look. The host asked another question the process of the debate kept going, were Anthony rolled over issues Troy brought a light to it and magnified the problem.
"What do you plan to do about raising or cutting back on the current tax plan?"
Anthony cleared his throat. "The tax on capital gains directly affects investment decisions, the mobility and flow of risk capital... the ease or difficulty experienced by new ventures in obtaining capital, and thereby the strength and potential for growth in the economy." Looking over at Troy he took a breath. "We need to lower tax rates for everybody, starting with the top corporate tax rate. We need to simplify the tax code. The ultimate answer, in my opinion, is the fair tax, which is a fair tax for everybody, because as long as we still have this messed-up tax code, the politicians are going to use it to reward winners and losers. That's the biggest problem, is the tax code itself." Anthony smirked as he looked over at Troy the sound of people clapping and cheering.
"Mr. Bolton?"
"I can make a firm pledge, under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes. If we choose to keep those tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, if we choose to keep a tax break for corporate jet owners, if we choose to keep tax breaks for oil and gas companies that are making hundreds of billions of dollars, then that means we've got to cut some kids off from getting a college scholarship." Troy said looking out into crowd as they clapped approvingly. "The best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed an interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them."
Anthony glared out into the audience no doubt about who he was glaring at it. As the debate came to an end Gabriella felt the sting of Anthony eyes on her again. She kept her focus on Troy, the way he filled out the suit, his shoulders and arms. Gabriella lips pulled into a smile, those arms were incredible but even more so were his hands. Closing her eyes she imagine his hands on her gliding over her body. His hand cupping her breast, a small sigh escaped her. She jerked in surprise as people got up to cheer and clap. The debate was over and it was now time to face the music. If she ran she could lock herself in her room until it was time to leave.
Sneaking back through the crowd of people already spilling out into the lobby, she made her way for the elevator. Clicking the button a few times for hopes of faster service she glanced around no signs of anyone. The portfolio in her hands she let out a sigh. He wants talk? Gabriella rolled her eyes and the elevator chimed and she quickly got in jamming her finger into the closed door button. She was almost home free until a hand came in stopping the doors from closing.
"Going somewhere?" Anthony said as he climbed onto the elevator.
"Going up to see Troy," Gabriella said holding the portfolio closer to her chest.
"Troy looked rather busy to me talking to the press." Anthony said as the doors to the elevator closed shut.
Taylor watched in horror as the elevator doors shut, she was too far and she couldn't make it. Now she was making a mad dash for Troy. Cutting through people and weaving around the press she made it to the back of the Stage were Troy was giving a small interview. "Troy!"
"It's true in December, I agreed to extend the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans because it was the only way I could prevent a tax hike on middle-class Americans." Troy said into the microphone. "But we cannot afford $1 trillion worth of tax cuts for every millionaire and billionaire in our society. We can't afford it. And I refuse to renew them again."
"Troy!"
Troy jerked towards her curious as to what she was shouting about. "Hold on one second." Troy leaned over towards Taylor, "What's wrong?"
"Hill has Gabriella they got on the elevator together."
Troy took off on a dash out of the room leaving the cameras and reporters behind.
"The elevator's going to the fourth floor!" Taylor shouted as he disappeared.